Austin news

• San Marcos Library updates management system after 20 years

  19-02-2025 23:26 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) -- The San Marcos Public Library is getting an upgrade to its operating system after 20 years. Operations at the library will be "temporarily impacted" as staff prepares to launch that new system, the city of San Marcos said in a press release.The new management system will allow readers to browse the library’s available reading materials in print and digital, according to the release. The city said existing catalog information will automatically transfer to the ne
  
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• 112 Texas school districts have moved to four-day weeks, affecting more than 121,000 students

  19-02-2025 23:22 via kxan.com
  
  This story is part of the KXAN Data Hub, where numbers help tell the whole story.
  We've created several data-driven stories and databases on topics including weather and climate, politics, education, sports and growth in Texas. Each story in the KXAN Data Hub is updated as new data becomes available.Editor's Note: The video above is from March 6, 2023, when this story was first published.AUSTIN (KXAN) — At least 112 school districts across Texas have now switched to four-day school weeks,
  
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• Interim president for UT Austin named during board meeting

  19-02-2025 22:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The University of Texas at Austin now has an interim president. On Wednesday, Chancellor James B. Milliken named James E. Davis as the interim president, which is "effective immediately," according to the UT System.This comes after Southern Methodist University announced in January that Dr. Jay Hartzell was stepping down as UT president to serve as the next president at SMU in Dallas.“I am grateful for the leadership and support of Chairman Eltife, the Board of Regents and
  
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• US Attorney for the Western District of Texas departs

  19-02-2025 22:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Jaime Esparza is "departing" from the office, according to a Department of Justice press release.The Western District of Texas is comprised of 93,000 square miles, 68 counties and covers 660 miles of the U.S./Mexico border.There are divisional offices in:
  AustinEl PasoDel RioWacoSan AntonioPecos-AlpineMidland-Odessa
  The release said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman is now serving as the Acting U.S. Attorney for
  
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• More than 7,900 Austin Energy customers without power

  19-02-2025 20:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A few northwest Austin neighborhoods were without power Wednesday afternoon, according to Austin Energy’s outage map.According to the map, the outages were happening in a portion of Austin between US-183, State Highway 45 and MoPac.
  The outages have impacted roughly 7,900 customers.Outage 1: Near McNeil Drive and W Parmer Lane
  3,074 affected customersBegan 12:35 p.m.Estimated restoration time of 2:44 p.m.
  Outage 2: Near McNeil Drive and US-183
  4,182 affected customers
  
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• More than 7,900 Austin Energy customers lose power after outages

  19-02-2025 20:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A few northwest Austin neighborhoods were without power Wednesday afternoon, according to Austin Energy’s outage map.According to the map, the outages were happening in a portion of Austin between US-183, State Highway 45 and MoPac."An equipment issue with a transformer is causing outages in Northwest Austin," AE said.The outages initially impacted roughly 7,900 customers; however, in an update, AE said there were currently about 7,000 customers without power.As of 2:
  
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• Austin Energy: Power restored after outages reported in northwest Austin

  19-02-2025 20:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A few northwest Austin neighborhoods were without power Wednesday afternoon, according to Austin Energy’s outage map.According to Austin Energy, power was fully restored to customers affected shortly after 2:30 p.m. The agency said the "weather was a factor" and were "looking into the exact cause." AE said previously "an equipment issue with a transformer" was causing outage in northwest Austin.The outages were happening in a portion of Austin between US-183, State Hi
  
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• UT Law continues tradition honoring its first Black graduate, reflects on his impact

  19-02-2025 19:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)— Virgil C. Lott will be honored by University of Texas at Austin Law School with a medal presentation and dinner on Wednesday.
  Virgil C. Lott, the first Black student to graduate from the University of Texas at Austin Law School. (Photo credit: UT Law).The event will be held at 5:30 p.m., celebrating Lott's accomplishments and impact, as the first Black student to graduate from UT Law in 1953, while also honoring others alike.The Virgil C. Lott Medal of Honor—establishe
  
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• Barriers broken & DEI eliminated decades later: UT Law continues honoring its first Black graduate

  19-02-2025 19:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)— Virgil C. Lott's family walked the halls of the University of Texas at Austin Law School, more than 70 years after he became the first black student to graduate from there.
  Virgil C. Lott's family in UT Austin Law School. (KXAN photos/Ed Zavala).Virgil C. Lott's family in UT Austin Law School. (KXAN photos/Ed Zavala)."Oh wow, this is wonderful," Virgil's youngest, and only living daughter, Adrienne Lott Reeder said.
  Her emotions, raw, as the stage was set ahead of a ceremony
  
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• Learn how to prep for weather emergencies at this Austin pop-up

  19-02-2025 18:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin residents are feeling frigid, below-freezing temperatures as of Tuesday night, due to an arctic blast.To help Austinites combat the temperatures, the city's Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) will host its next Emergency Preparedness Pop-Up. FORECAST: Sub-freezing wind chills expected all dayThe Pleasant Hill Branch Library will host the event on Wednesday afternoon from 3-6 p.m.According to a press release, this pop-up event is part of a m
  
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• PHOTOS: Flurries, light snow accumulation seen across Central Texas

  19-02-2025 18:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An arctic blast brought frigid temperatures to Central Texas, and some locations even saw some snow flurries and light accumulation. RELATED COVERAGE: The science behind 'snow needles'Viewers across the area sent in photos and videos showing the wintry conditions. Have a photo to share? Email it to [email protected]!Sign up for our daily forecast newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters. Download the KXAN Weather app to get the latest weather forecast: Apple&n
  
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• Cold snap: 4 people transported to hospital by EMS, nearly 400 utilize overnight shelters

  19-02-2025 18:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin-Travis County EMS says it ran at least seven cold-related illness incident calls Tuesday overnight into Wednesday as temperatures plummeted well below freezing. Of those patients, four were transported to area hospitals, EMS said."Any time you add an additional weather element, you're complicating the situation, right? So even if it was dry and cold, now it's going to be dry and windy and cold, and maybe it's going to be wet and cold. So every complicating factor you add
  
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• Cold snap: 3 people transported to hospital by EMS, nearly 400 utilize overnight shelters

  19-02-2025 18:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin-Travis County EMS says it ran at least five cold-related illness incident calls Tuesday overnight into Wednesday as temperatures plummeted well below freezing. Of those patients, three were transported to area hospitals, EMS said."Any time you add an additional weather element, you're complicating the situation, right? So even if it was dry and cold, now it's going to be dry and windy and cold, and maybe it's going to be wet and cold. So every complicating factor you add
  
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• High prescription, grocery costs driving rise in food insecurity in Hays County

  19-02-2025 18:19 via kxan.com
  
  HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – In burgeoning Hays County, one of the fastest-growing counties, food insecurity is also growing. According to a new report from the Central Texas Food Bank, about one in six people living in the county are food insecure – not having consistent access to enough food to live a healthy lifestyle. Though the food insecurity rate in Hays County is slightly lower than Central Texas as a whole – 15.9% and 16.4%, respectively – Hays County has a h
  
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• Low-income loan program in Texas celebrates 25th anniversary

  19-02-2025 18:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A loan program designed to help low-income residents achieve homeownership is celebrating an anniversary.Today, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) is recognizing 25 years of their Texas Bootstrap Loan Program (Bootstrap), one of the state’s most successful, cost-effective programs, according to a press release.“We’re honored to celebrate our amazing Bootstrap administrators and dedicated, hard-working Texas families who prove tha
  
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• The science behind snow needles

  19-02-2025 17:28 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Did you know that no two snowflakes are ever exactly the same? The size and shape of each snowflake are unique, a result of the constantly changing dynamics of our atmosphere.When snow falls, the temperature and humidity conditions in the dendritic growth zone, often referred to as the "snow growth zone," help shape these ice crystals. This zone typically resides about 5,000 feet above the surface.
  On Wednesday morning, snow needles made an appearance across portions of Central
  
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• UT to host Texas Science Festival to inspire STEAM learning, enthusiasts

  19-02-2025 17:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Beginning Friday, the University of Texas at Austin will host science enthusiasts at the Texas Science Festival.The festival is two weeks packed with scientists, science communicators and other science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) fields. The festival ends March 6.“From on-campus adventures to dazzling talks to ‘science night out’ events at locations around Texas, the program has a wide range of offerings for all ages,” organ
  
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• What is wind chill?

  19-02-2025 17:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Bone-chilling cold has settled into Central Texas with temperatures struggling to leave the 20s and 30s this week.
  One aspect of this arctic blast on everyone's mind is wind chill — here's an explanation from the First Warning Weather team.
  Wind chill, also known as the “feels-like” temperature, is the temperature it feels like on exposed skin when wind and cold combine. As a reminder, water freezes when the air temperature is below freezing, not the wind
  
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• Inside Austin's Agenda: Addressing homelessness in our city

  19-02-2025 16:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday’s Inside Austin’s Agenda episode, host Grace Reader will sit down with Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) executive director, Matt Mollica.$350M over 10 years: Austin City Council votes to prioritize homelessness spendingThey will discuss the recent Point-in-Time count, a resolution Austin City Council just passed that will make homelessness a top financial priority for the city of Austin, and recent research on homelessness published by
  
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• Kristen's Classroom: How cold is cold for Austin?

  19-02-2025 15:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - This morning's wind chills in the single digits and teens are enough to make you grab all the winter gear you can find in the closet. And despite it being a 'bone-chilling' type of cold, it's not the coldest we've ever been. So it begs the question... what do those numbers look like?The coldest temperature on recordRecords for the Austin area date back to the 1890s. Since then, temperatures have only fallen below 0° twice, dropping to -2° on Jan. 31, 1949 and-1° on Fe
  
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• Controversial rock crusher moves forward following TCEQ permit approval

  19-02-2025 14:47 via kxan.com
  
  BURNET COUNTY, Texas — A proposed rock crushing plant just a few miles from multiple state parks and a children's camp is now one step closer to a reality. On February 14, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved an air quality permit filed by Asphalt Inc. LLC.In July 2024, Asphalt Inc. LLC submitted an Air Quality Standard Permit for the proposed plant. Opponents and landowners argue that the rock crusher would have a direct impact on air quality in Burnet County.A pu
  
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• Prosecutors to request bond increase for murder suspect Wednesday morning

  19-02-2025 14:41 via kxan.com
  
  Stephon Morson, 18 | Mugshot provided by Austin Police Department
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Stephon Morson, accused in an October 2024 murder on Burton Drive in southeast Austin, is due in court Wednesday morning.He was released from jail earlier this month.2 murder suspects released after missed indictment deadlines, an explainerAccording to the Travis County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors are presenting a motion to increase his bond.Morson's bond was originally set at $800,000, but a judge lo
  
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• Prosecutors to request bond increase for murder suspect this morning

  19-02-2025 14:41 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: This video is from Tuesday night's coverage about this suspect.
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Stephon Morson, accused in an October 2024 murder on Burton Drive in southeast Austin, is due in court Wednesday morning.He was released from jail earlier this month.
  KXAN's Brianna Hollis will be present in the courtroom, you can follow live updates below on the social media platform X.BOND INCREASE: Prosecutors are asking a judge to increase the bond for a murder suspect previously released from jai
  
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• Judge increases bond for murder suspect released this month

  19-02-2025 14:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Stephon Morson, accused in an October 2024 murder on Burton Drive in southeast Austin, was in court Wednesday morning.He was released from jail earlier this month after his bond was lowered by a judge from $800,000 to $100, according to court records. 2 murder suspects released after missed indictment deadlines, an explainerProsecutors presented arguments Wednesday to a judge to increase his bond. Judge Chantal Eldridge ultimately took what she explained as a "conservative" appr
  
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• How to become a volunteer weather watcher for the weather service

  19-02-2025 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Being a volunteer weather observer helps the National Weather Service office with sourcing critical weather information. Public reports are often the NWS's most valuable details for warning decisions.Just as important is the training private citizens need to supply the NWS with this important information. That's where SKYWARN comes in.SKYWAN is a program conducted by the Austin/San Antonio Weather Forecast Office each spring. Local officials from the office drive all across
  
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• Temperatures dropping below freezing tonight

  19-02-2025 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It continues to be cold outside even as temperatures climb above freezing for the first time in over 36 hours for many. However clouds are coming back and will stop temperatures from rising. Tonight we are expecting to drop below freezing once again.An Cold Weather Advisory is in effect from 9pm Thursday night through 9am Friday morning.Cold Weather AdvisoryBe sure to keep plants & pets inside and pipes wrapped.Potential wintry mixClouds increase overnight into Friday. After
  
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• Light icing risk to finish the work week

  19-02-2025 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today will be another day where you'll want the heavy coat - wind chills are down to the single digits and teens again this morning.An Extreme Cold Warning continues for all of Central Texas through noon today.Extreme Cold Warning continues through 12pm todaySunshine will help boost temperatures above freezing this afternoon (upper 30s), but with some residual wind, will feel more like 20s. Another hard freeze is expected tonight into Friday morning, so be sure to keep plants &a
  
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• Cold tonight with an icy mix possible into the weekend

  19-02-2025 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Clouds continue to rush in as moisture from the south returns to Central Texas after plenty of sunshine earlier in the day. That sun brought us above freezing into the middle and upper 30s before the clouds arrived.The cloud-cover blanket won't be enough to keep us from dropping below freezing tonight. We'll see temperatures dropping into the 20s overnight and even a light wind will make it feel several degrees colderAn Cold Weather Advisory is in effect from 9pm tonight through
  
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• Fire in north Austin leads to 400+ Austin Energy customers without power

  19-02-2025 06:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department said a fire in north Austin led to more than 400 Austin Energy customers without power after lines were destroyed by the flames. Power has since been restored.The city of Austin fire incident page showed crews responded shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday to the 2600 block of Buell Avenue, which is located near the intersection of Burnet Road and West Anderson Lane.AFD crews reported the fire involved 75% of the roof, and they have deployed "hand lines for
  
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• Automotive shop fire in north Austin leads to 400+ Austin Energy customers without power

  19-02-2025 06:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department responded to a fire at an automotive shop in north Austin.The city of Austin fire incident page showed crews responded shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday to the 2600 block of Buell Avenue, which is located near the intersection of Burnet Road and West Anderson Lane.AFD crews reported the fire involved 75% of the roof, and they have deployed "hand lines for a defensive attack."The Austin Fire Department attempted to put out a fire at an automotive shop in n
  
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• AFD fights automotive shop fire in north Austin

  19-02-2025 06:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department is attempting to put out a fire at an automotive shop in north Austin in the 2600 block of Buell Avenue. This is located near the intersection of Burnet Road and West Anderson Lane.AFD crews reported the fire involved 75% of the roof, and they have deployed "hand lines for a defensive attack."The city of Austin fire incident page showed the call came in at 10:48 p.m. Tuesday.This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN.com for details.
  
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• AFD fights automotive shop fire in central Austin

  19-02-2025 06:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department is attempting to put out a fire at an automotive shop in central Austin in the 2600 block of Buell Avenue. This is located near the intersection of Burnet Road and West Anderson Lane.
  AFD crews reported the fire involved 75% of the roof, and they have deployed "hand lines for a defensive attack."The city of Austin fire incident page showed the call came in at 10:48 p.m. Tuesday.This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN.com for details.
  
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• Father-son duo survives night in Utah wilderness after finding 'miracle' backpack

  19-02-2025 05:33 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — Julian Hernandez and his son got lost while hiking in southern Utah recently, and they began searching for shelter — instead, they stumbled across a "miracle" in the form of a fully stocked green backpack.But how did the backpack get there?Back at the beginning of January, 15-year-old Levi Dittman was planning to hike in the Red Mountain Trail area of Dammeron Valley. Stocking his hiking backpack with the best gear, first aid kit, snacks and emergency
  
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• Jury finds A$AP Rocky not guilty in felony assault trial

  19-02-2025 05:28 via kxan.com
  
  A verdict has been reached in the felony assault trial of rapper A$AP Rocky: NOT GUILTY.Jurors announced they’d made a decision just hours after the deliberations began Tuesday morning in Los Angeles.A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was accused of firing two shots at his former childhood friend Terell Ephron, also known as A$AP Relli, on a Hollywood street corner in 2021.After the not guilty verdict was read aloud, defendant Rocky was seen diving into the courtroom audience to
  
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• APD identifies woman in deadly 2-vehicle crash

  19-02-2025 04:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department identified a woman who died in a two-vehicle crash in southeast Austin over the weekend, according to a news release from the agency.That woman was identified as 22-year-old Fiona J. Adams, according to police.Around 8 p.m., officers responded to the crash between a pickup truck and a Sedan in the 4100 block of North Interstate 35 service road southbound, according to police.
  Police identified Adams as the driver of the Sedan. She was pronounced dead
  
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• Austin FC announces continued partnership with YETI

  19-02-2025 04:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin FC announced on Tuesday that YETI would continue to be an Austin FC partner, and the two agreed to a multi-year partnership extension.This means the Austin-based brand would continue as Austin FC's front-of-jersey sponsor, which it has been since the club's inaugural season in 2021, according to a news release.The business celebrated the partnership with an event held Tuesday evening at its flagship store on South Congress Avenue. YETI partnered with the club for sustaina
  
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• 'Makes me emotional': Austin ISD has three new Boys & Girls Club after school programs

  19-02-2025 03:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)—Miguel Guerrero sat at a small table in the art room of one of the Boys & Girl Clubs of the Austin area (BGCAA) on Tuesday, reflecting on the impact the organization has made on his life. This, as his team prepared for a big day.
  Guerrero is the family engagement manager of the Boys and Girls Club of Austin was once in the very shoes of the kids and families he now works with."My family wanted me to go to club just to have a safe place for me to go while they continued to
  
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• 'Really stoked': La Barbecue, Mighty Cone available to fans for Austin FC season

  19-02-2025 03:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin FC held a tasting for the media at Q2 Stadium Tuesday to preview new menu offerings for the upcoming 2025 season.New restaurants, including La Barbecue and Mighty Cone, joined Q2 Stadium for the upcoming season. Austin FC held a tasting open to media to preview the foods these new restaurants will serve fans.
  Workers smile after they've finished preparing barbecue for attendees as Austin FC previews new food for fans ahead of next season. (KXAN Photo: Frank Martinez)Serve
  
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• No. 2 Texas in position for SEC regular season title

  19-02-2025 02:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- There's a lot to be said about Texas' recent stretch of games in the Southeastern Conference. Winning four consecutive games against top 25 teams makes for an impressive resume.In February, the Longhorns have made a name for themselves as one of the best teams in the country.Texas guard Bryanna Preston (1), head coach Vic Schaefer, forward Madison Booker (35) and guard Jordan Lee (7) celebrate a win against LSU during an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Sunday, Feb
  
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• Crypto reserve proposed at Texas Legislature

  19-02-2025 02:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lawmakers discussed creating a new reserve dedicated to investing in Bitcoin on Tuesday.Texas Senator Charles Schernwer authored Senate Bill 21, which would create the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The bill was discussed in the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce."Crypto currency is what people believe is. In this case, Bitcoin is finite and decentralized and something that [people] don't have to worry about governments printing more and more money," Schernwer said
  
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• 2 murder suspects released after missed indictment deadlines, an explainer

  19-02-2025 02:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Stephon Morson, now 19, was originally in jail on an $800,000 bond. Police arrested him in October for the murder of 20-year-old Keshawn Cage.
  Court documents show a murder suspect's bond reduced to $100.
  This month, a judge reduced that bond to $100. According to online jail and court records, Morson paid that bond, and is no longer in custody.
  So, how did this happen?"Usually, you're not seeing murder bonds reduced to 100 dollars unless a there's a very good self defense argum
  
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• 2 murder suspects released after missed indictment deadlines, an explaination

  19-02-2025 02:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Stephon Morson, now 19, was originally in jail on an $800,000 bond. Police arrested him in October for the murder of 20-year-old Keshawn Cage.
  Court documents show a murder suspect's bond reduced to $100.
  This month, a judge reduced that bond to $100. According to online jail and court records, Morson paid that bond, and is no longer in custody.
  So, how did this happen?"Usually, you're not seeing murder bonds reduced to 100 dollars unless a there's a very good self defense argum
  
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• Born in Austin, Texas forward Jayson Kent is trying to help the Longhorns get to Madness

  19-02-2025 02:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Transferring to Texas was, in some ways, a full-circle moment for Jayson Kent.The graduate transfer from Indiana State was born in Austin while his dad, also named Jason but spelled differently, was the head men's basketball coach at Houston-Tillotson University. The family moved when Jason got the head coaching job at Chicago State in 2004. Texas gets much-needed victory, knocks off No. 15 Kentucky 82-78Playing for the third program of his college career, Jayson is back in
  
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• $83.5M Texas Lotto jackpot sold at Austin retailer was won online

  19-02-2025 01:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The fifth-largest jackpot in the history of Lotto Texas, a game within the Texas Lottery Commission operations, was sold at an Austin location which primarily handles courier picks from the app Jackpocket, a subsidiary of DraftKings.On Monday night, the Texas Lottery Commission announced the Winner's Corner, an Austin lottery and board game store, sold an $83.5 million jackpot in the six-number Lotto Texas. However, that bet wasn't placed in-person, but rather through the Jac
  
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• Multiple injured in crash involving semi truck in north Austin

  19-02-2025 01:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Five people were injured, and another was pinned in their vehicle Tuesday afternoon after a multiple-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck in north Austin, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.The crash happened near the intersection of Interstate Highway 35 and Tech Ridge Boulevard around 5:45 p.m., according to authorities.ATCEMS did not disclose the severity of the injuries of those involved in the crash.
  The Austin Police Department said the crash closed southbound I-35. Tra
  
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• College prepaid tuition plan enrollment deadline approaches in Texas

  19-02-2025 01:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Comptroller reminded Texas families on Tuesday that the Texas Tuition Promise Fund general enrollment period will end on Feb. 28.By enrolling before Feb 28, families would be able to lock into today's cost of undergraduate resident tuition and schoolwide required fees at Texas public colleges and universities, according to the news release.“I encourage Texas families to start planning now with the Texas Tuition Promise Fund,”&n
  
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• Texas Ag Commissioner calls for statewide ban on fluoride in drinking water

  19-02-2025 01:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Sid Miller, called on Gov. Greg Abbott and the State Legislature to institute a statewide ban on fluoride and other non-water additives."Every American family can decide what's good for them and what's not," Miller said about why he wants to ban the use of fluoride in water. "We don't need the government telling us how to live our lives."According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fluoride is added to drinkin
  
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• Texas mental health care council removes 'diversity' requirements for therapists

  19-02-2025 01:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – At a Tuesday meeting, a Texas council that oversees mental health care professionals in the state got rid of certain education requirements for practitioners related to cultural diversity training. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council oversees the regulation of social work practice and behavioral health care. It is comprised of members from four other state mental health care boards. Those boards all recently voted in favor of changing the language in the requ
  
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• Texas baseball's home opener vs. Houston canceled due to weather

  19-02-2025 01:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — With steady afternoon showers and an arctic cold front on the way, the No. 16 Texas Longhorns won't open play at UFCU Disch-Falk Field against Houston on Tuesday.The game was originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m., then moved up an hour to 5:30 p.m. in hopes of beating the rain and plummeting temperatures. Mother Nature had other plans, however, and rain stuck around the Austin area for most of the afternoon. With the cold front creeping in and creating potential wind gusts of
  
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• Georgetown to help residents harvest rainwater at rain barrel distribution event

  19-02-2025 00:45 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The city Georgetown will host a Rain Barrel Distribution event to help water customers harvest rainwater and conserve resources.Georgetown Water customers can purchase a barrel online until orders close on at 11 p.m., March 23, according to the city.Rain barrels allow residents to conserve water and lower their bills by collecting the rainwater that falls on roofs during the rainy spring months. The city said its current water supply would last until 2043, but that through rain
  
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