Austin news

• Black caterpillars in Texas: Are they poisonous?

  12-05-2024 17:00 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — With summer approaching, you may start seeing those fuzzy black caterpillars in trees and bushes again. But is there any reason to worry when you do encounter them?
  As explained by Wizzie Brown, integrated pest management specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services, fuzzy black caterpillars — also known as woollybear caterpillars — typically hunker down during winter before emerging in the spring and summer. Words you can’t use when opening a
  
  Read more

• Trump says he will commute sentence of Austin man who founded 'Silk Road' if elected

  26-05-2024 23:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — During Saturday’s Libertarian National Convention, Former President Donald Trump spoke about his plans to commute "Silk Road" website operator Ross Ulbricht's life sentence if he gets elected.Ulbricht, who is from Austin and a 2002 Westlake High School graduate, created the online drug-selling site.“If you vote for me, on day one I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht," Trump said during his speech, adding: “We’re going to get him (Ulbricht) ho
  
  Read more

• Mike Cotten, Texas Athletics Hall of Honor member, dies at 84

  26-05-2024 22:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Mike Cotten, quarterback of the Texas Longhorns from 1959-61, died Saturday after a brief illness at age 84, Texas Athletics announced Sunday.Cotten was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 1981 and finished 17-4-1 as a two-year starter for the Longhorns under head coach Darrell K Royal.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersHe was a 1961 All-Southwest
  
  Read more

• Leander Police take this little piggy all the way home after getting loose Sunday

  26-05-2024 21:04 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Why did the little piggy cross the road? That's a question the Leander Police Department ran into Sunday morning after discovering a loose pig in the North Creek Estates neighborhood.The department shared the adventures of the curious swine on Facebook Sunday morning after officers found the pig on Encinita Drive. In a follow-up update, the little piggy — named Pumpkin — had safely reunited with their owners after a little joy ride around town.The Leande
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Austin ISD begins construction on major projects for middle school, 4 elementary schools

  26-05-2024 18:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — So far in May, Austin ISD held five groundbreaking and construction kick-off ceremonies related to 2022 bond projects.The district said it began work on Williams Elementary, Cook Elementary, Wooten Elementary, Harris Elementary and Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy.The projects were funded through the district’s $2.44 billion program that aims to improve safety and security, upgrade technology, make repairs to building systems, enhance athletic field
  
  Read more

• Parents of PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray release statement: 'He rests peacefully now'

  26-05-2024 18:52 via kxan.com
  
  This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.(WGHP) — A day after his death, the parents of PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray have released a statement.PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed Murray's death Saturday, saying the 30-year-old passed away that morning.
  "I am at a loss for words,” Monahan sa
  
  Read more

• Why is there netting covering some of your neighbors’ trees? Blame the cicadas

  26-05-2024 18:50 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – Residents strolling through parts of the midwestern and southeastern U.S. might be curious about an increasingly common sight cropping up in their neighborhoods: trees covered in thin, diaphanous netting.They can blame the cicadas for that.Cicada netting, or cicada control netting, is one of several methods for protecting more delicate trees or shrubs from harm caused by the insects. They work by keeping the cicadas out, and essentially forcing them to lay their eggs in the bra
  
  Read more

• Memorial Day foods your dog should avoid

  26-05-2024 18:48 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) — While your furry friend may be begging for food scraps at the Memorial Day barbecue, that doesn’t mean they should eat it.Experts said certain Memorial Day food staples, like grilled steak, chicken wings and barbecued ribs, shouldn’t be consumed by dogs due to potential choking hazards.Dr. Jerry Klein, the chief veterinary officer at the American Kennel Club, detailed in a blog post why dogs shouldn’t have cooked bones.“They splinter into shards that can ca
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• PHOTOS: Iconic 'Home Alone' house in Illinois suburb hits market for $5.2M

  26-05-2024 18:47 via kxan.com
  
  WINNETKA, Ill. (WGN) — A famous house featured in the holiday classic "Home Alone" hit the market on Friday. The iconic home, located in the 600 block of Lincoln Avenue, in Winnetka, went up for sale with an asking price of $5,250,000.Built in 1921, and fully renovated and expanded in 2018, the 9,126-square-foot Georgian-style home features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a basement and a three-car garage.While on the outside, the house still maintains many of the lo
  
  Read more

• Junior Texas rowers fundraise to compete at historic international regatta

  26-05-2024 18:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A group of Texas Rowing Center junior rowers are vying to compete on the international stage this summer at the historic Henley Royal Regatta and are raising funds to help make the trip a reality.Team captain Evan Yang and assistant team captain Carson Collins spoke with KXAN and said they've known for about a year now that they might have the potential to compete at Henley. Collins said three of Texas Rowing Center's junior quad team raced at youth nationals last June and
  
  Read more

• Retirement income is highest in these US cities

  26-05-2024 18:42 via kxan.com
  
  (NewsNation) — Retirees in the Washington, D.C., area have the highest retirement income in the nation, according to a new study.
  The analysis by SmartAsset found residents of Arlington, Virginia, had the highest retirement income, with an average of $90,140. Cambridge, Massachusetts ($79,563), and The Woodlands, Texas ($79,539), were second and third on the list.
  Of the 345 large cities analyzed, three of the top eight were in the Washington, D.C., area. Most of that stems from higher pen
  
  Read more

• New year, new brood: Map shows where cicadas will be in 2025

  26-05-2024 18:41 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – If you're currently living in a cicada-filled wonderland (or nightmare, rather), the good news is they'll soon be a distant memory. These massive broods of bugs only come out periodically, every 13 or every 17 years (depending on the brood).
  This year's "cicada-geddon" is brought to us by Brood XIX, which emerges every 13 years, and Brood XIII, which is on a 17-year cycle.
  A map, created by the U.S. Forest Service, shows Brood XIX's territory in light blue, concentrated in Miss
  
  Read more

• At least 9 dead after severe weather roars through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Powerful storms killed at least nine people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where drivers took shelter during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.Five of the deaths were in Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night plowed through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also caused damage in Oklahoma, where guest
  
  Read more

• At least 7 dead in Texas after severe weather sweeps region: authorities

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Powerful storms killed at least seven people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where drivers took shelter during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.Five of the deaths were in Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night plowed through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also caused damage in Oklahoma, where gues
  
  Read more

• At least 5 dead in Texas after severe weather sweeps region: authorities

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Powerful storms across Texas and Oklahoma obliterated homes and struck a highway travel center where drivers had rushed to take shelter, leaving thousands of people without power and a wide trail of damage Sunday. A sheriff said at least five people were dead in one rural community in Texas and many more were injured.The destructive storms began Saturday night and included a tornado that overturned heavy recreational vehicles and shut down an interstate near Dallas. Of
  
  Read more

• At least 13 dead after severe weather roars through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  VALLEY VIEW, Texas (AP) — Powerful storms killed at least 13 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where dozens sought shelter in a restroom during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.Seven deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night plowed through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also kil
  
  Read more

• At least 11 dead after severe weather roars through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  VALLEY VIEW, Texas (AP) — Powerful storms killed at least 11 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where drivers took shelter during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.Seven deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night plowed through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also caused damage in O
  
  Read more

• 2 children among 15 dead after severe weather roars through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  VALLEY VIEW, Texas (AP) — Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where dozens sought shelter in a restroom during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.The storms inflicted their worst damage in a region spanning from north of Dallas to the northwest corner of Arkansas, and the system threatened to bring more violent weather to other parts of
  
  Read more

• 2 children among 14 dead after severe weather roars through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas

  26-05-2024 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  VALLEY VIEW, Texas (AP) — Powerful storms killed at least 14 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where dozens sought shelter in a restroom during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.Seven deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night plowed through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also kil
  
  Read more

• Excessive heat for two days

  26-05-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Excessive Heat Warning will be in effect from 11 a.m. today through 8 p.m. Monday. Bastrop, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, and Travis Counties are under this heat warning. A Heat Advisory will be in effect during the same time frame for Milam and Williamson Counties.Warning for heat index readings as high as 116° and higherYesterday's highest heat index reading was 119° at La Grange. The highest at Camp Mabry was 108°.Pre-sunrise thunderstorms moved across the
  
  Read more

• Excessive heat for Memorial Day

  26-05-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The morning was overcast with very little sun at daybreak. The day started warm and humid, again, with most overnight lows in the mid to upper 70s, including 78 at Camp Mabry.
  Some of you in San Saba and Lampasas Counties were awakened to thunder as storms moved rapidly across these two counties this morning. Outside of frequent lightning and occasional wind gusts there were no reports of severe weather.An Excessive Heat Warning will be in effect through 8 p.m. Monday. Bast
  
  Read more

• PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray dead at 30

  26-05-2024 14:01 via kxan.com
  
  (WGHP) — Pro golfer Grayson Murray has died at the age of 30, the PGA TOUR announced on Saturday."We were devastated to learn – and are heartbroken to share – that PGA TOUR player Grayson Murray passed away this morning. I am at a loss for words,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “The PGA TOUR is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones."3 killed in apparent murder-su
  
  Read more

• At least 5 dead in Texas after severe weather sweeps across Texas and Oklahoma, authorities say

  26-05-2024 13:58 via kxan.com
  
  OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A Texas sheriff says at least five people are dead after powerful storms tore through a rural community, obliterating homes and leaving thousands of people without power Sunday.Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington told The Associated Press that the victims included three family members who were found in one home near Valley View, a rural community near the border with Oklahoma.The destructive storms began Saturday night. Officials said a tornado north of Dallas overturn
  
  Read more

• Robert Rodriguez receives star at Paramount Theatre

  26-05-2024 13:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas filmmaker Robert Rodriguez was honored in Austin on Saturday.Rodriguez got a star on the Avenue of Paramount Stars out in front of the historic Paramount Theatre.It was part of the weekend kicking off the 50th year of the theater's summer film series.
  Texas filmmaker Robert Rodriguez was honored in Austin on Saturday, May 25 (Kevin Baskar/KXAN News)Texas filmmaker Robert Rodriguez was honored in Austin on Saturday, May 25 (Kevin Baskar/KXAN News)The director of "Desperado,
  
  Read more

• APD SWAT deployed in southeast Austin

  26-05-2024 05:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department SWAT team was deployed in southeast Austin Saturday night, the agency said on social media.Around 10:33 p.m., the agency said APD SWAT responded to a call in the 5300 block of Woodland Oaks Ct., near East Stassney Lane.APD did not say what led to the SWAT callout, but said it will hold a media briefing to provide more details.
  
  Read more

• Three people taken to hospitals after crash in south Austin traps car

  26-05-2024 05:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Fire and Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a vehicle crash in south Austin Saturday night, according to both agencies.Shortly before 9:30 p.m., AFD said on social media that crews were at the scene of an accident involving a transport truck and a sedan. The accident was in the 400 block of East Oltorf Street, near its intersection with South Congress Avenue.
  The sedan was trapped under a transport truck, according to AFD. Firefighters extricated at least three people
  
  Read more

• Travis County Sheriff's Office says intense heat boosts lake danger

  26-05-2024 03:38 via kxan.com
  
  LAKE TRAVIS, Texas (KXAN) — With the unofficial start of summer taking place this weekend, the Travis County Sheriff's Office is reminding lake visitors to take extra precautions amid the intense heat.Kristen Dark, TCSO senior public information officer, said heat exhaustion can make common lake hazards more dangerous as lake goers could become fatigued more quickly than expected."It could be anything from a medical emergency, it could be a freak wave that comes up, it could be someone who
  
  Read more

• Local salon wins $100K in Austin FC 'Dream Starter' competition

  26-05-2024 01:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Friday, Q2 and Austin FC announced the winner of a local business that won the 2024 Dream Starter Competition, according to a release from Austin FC.The 29Eleven the Salon, located in Round Rock, will receive $100,000 in funding, the release said.The salon provides education and hair care services, which addresses the unique needs of curly and highly textured hair.“It is an honor to be selected as the 2024 Dream Starter Competition winner. This is an amazing opportunity
  
  Read more

• State of Texas: 'My worst nightmare,' Austin hospital crash highlights need for safety barriers

  26-05-2024 01:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Nadia and Levi Bernard stared at the swirl of colorful fish with their toddlers, Sunny and Rio. A large glass aquarium near the emergency room waiting area caught the attention of the boys, who wanted a closer look.
  Nadia was tired but glad to have her family there for support. She had just undergone a CT scan. Soon, she would find out what was causing the sudden and persistent pain to her left side. There are too many sick people here, she thought, happy to move to a quieter
  
  Read more

• Austin City Council members propose resolution for flood insurance

  26-05-2024 00:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Residents in Central Texas have more than likely experienced flooding. However, insuring one's home and protecting property can be costly. That's why Austin City Council members have drawn up a resolution aimed at alleviating some of the difficulties when it comes to that.This resolution would direct the City Manager to look into strategies to reduce the "cost burden" of flood insurance for residents, according to the online agenda. Furthermore, it would also promote more engage
  
  Read more

Follow @Austin_News_US on Twitter!