Austin news

• Boil water notice issued for Plum Creek, Kyle

  02-12-2016 17:15 via kxan.com
  
  HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Residents in both Plum Creek and the central portion of the city of Kyle should boil their water before consumption after a notice was released that water samples are being tested for bacteria.
  The boil notice is required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as a result of recent conditions in the water system and a major water main break in Kyle.
  Boiling water for drinking, cooking and ice kills any harmful bacterium hidden to the naked eye. Th
  
  Read more

• Marble Falls HS students compete for esports title

  05-05-2024 05:01 via kxan.com
  
  MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) — Marble Falls High School is hoping to take home a state title for gaming.The high school's esports team will compete in the Texas Esports League championship in Arlington, Texas, Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
  The gamers will be playing Fortnight at the event. So far, the teams has done pretty well.
  "We are really excited," said gamer Jeremy Williams. "It is a really good opportunity to be here. There is a lot of exposure, colleges and what not. We really like it he
  
  Read more

• Round Rock's Drumgoole does it again for Dragons in triple jump, wins 6A crown

  05-05-2024 04:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Round Rock senior Xavier Drumgoole repeated as the 6A boys triple jump champion during the UIL track and field championships Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.Drumgoole set the winning mark on his first jump, leaping 49 feet, 2.5 inches to edge Spring's Jaydon Shields by half an inch at 49-2. The event's podium was tight with Cypress Park's Jamitrius Jessie coming in third with a mark of 49-1.5.DAY 2 UIL STATE TRACK: Cedar Park’s Frankenberg ends career with an 800 ti
  
  Read more

• Spring rain could increase wildfire danger this summer

  05-05-2024 04:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Local fire leaders gathered Saturday to discuss the best ways to protect property this wildfire season.Fire experts from multiple agencies making up the Austin Travis County Wildfire Coalition hosted a Wildfire Symposium, sharing tips and methods for wildfire mitigation to a crowd at the Rosewood Zaragoza center.Leaders present said the best way to prepare for wildfire season is to ensure your home has proper protection in the event of a fire.Rachel Neutzler, communications
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Mystik Dan wins 150th Kentucky Derby by a nose in the closest 3-horse photo finish since 1947

  05-05-2024 03:19 via kxan.com
  
  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The 150th Kentucky Derby produced one of the most dramatic finishes in its storied history — three noses at the wire.
  Mystik Dan desperately fought to hang on with two challengers coming to him in the closing strides. He did, too, after a delay of several minutes while the closest three-horse photo finish since 1947 was sorted out.
  That year, Jet Pilot won by a head over Phalanx, who was another head in front of Faultless.This one was much tighter.
  Mystik Dan,
  
  Read more

• Man sentenced to 55 years in death of 19-year-old found in car

  05-05-2024 03:06 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was sentenced to 55 years in prison, more than four years after he was accused of killing a 19-year-old in Kyle.Davonte Tennille Miller, 25, pleaded guilty to murder, according to court documents. His sentence will run concurrently with a prior sentence, according to the court. He was given credit for 1,623 days already served.Officers discovered Benjamin Albert Verse's body in a car parked at a business off of Interstate 35 in the early morning hours of Sept. 25, 201
  
  Read more

• Some say beer tastes better cold. New research explains why

  05-05-2024 02:45 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Sometimes, there’s nothing better than cracking open a cold beer. Alternatively, there is almost nothing worse than drinking a warm beer.But what makes a cold beer taste better? Is it just because of its refreshing quality? Researchers have found that the temperature of the beer, as well as other alcohol, can have an impact on the flavor. In a study published in Matter on Wednesday, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences explained that, like many things
  
  Read more

• Long lines form in Zilker Park after ACL payphone pops up

  05-05-2024 02:42 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Did you stop by Zilker Park to see the ACL payphone?On Saturday, the ACL Festival's X page posted about a payphone in the park.The post said, "Pick up! Somebody's on the line…Zilker Park. Today only."Long lines started to form shortly after as people stopped by to see who was on the line."I wasn't sure who I heard on the other end," said Julie Neel, who made a call on the phone. "It sounded like a southern man, but I am not sure what that entails. So we will see when
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• ELECTION RESULTS: May 4 elections

  05-05-2024 02:12 via kxan.com
  
  App users, view full election results by tapping here.
  
  Read more

• Belyeu's blast helps Texas clinch series over No. 14 Oklahoma State

  05-05-2024 02:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas outfielder Max Belyeu clubbed a 2-run home run in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie and lift the Longhorns to a 6-3 win over No. 14 Oklahoma State on Saturday at UFC Disch-Falk Field.Belyeu's 404-foot blast came on a 1-ball, 2-strike pitch from Cowboys reliever Gabe Davis and sailed over the scoreboard in right field. Peyton Powell singled to reach base before Belyeu's big swing. Rylan Galvan drove in Porter Brown with a double later in the inning to add an insuran
  
  Read more

• Mystik Dan wins 150th Kentucky Derby by a nose in a 3-horse photo finish at Churchill Downs

  05-05-2024 01:34 via kxan.com
  
  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a three-horse photo finish, edging out Sierra Leone by a nose with Forever Young third in the tightest finish since 1996 on Saturday.
  Sent off at 18-1 odds, Mystik Dan and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the rail down the stretch with a short lead. Sierra Leona, the second choice at 9-2 odds, and Forever Young from Japan gave chase and pressured the leader to the wire in front of 156,710 at Churchill Downs.
  The crowd waited
  
  Read more

• State of Texas: Campus protest demands not likely to be met

  05-05-2024 01:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Protesters at the University of Texas have made specific demands during their demonstrations on campus. So far, there's little sign that those demands will be met.The demands are in four parts. The first one is for the University of Texas to divest from weapons manufacturing companies that sell arms to the Israel Defense Force. Supporters of divestment claim that the UT system funds the war in Gaza through those investments.Despite protests, UT divestment from weapons un
  
  Read more

• Texas softball equals program record for runs in a game after throttling Texas Tech

  05-05-2024 00:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas is certainly making its final Big 12 Conference series against Texas Tech a memorable one.The No. 1 Longhorns tied the program record for most runs in a game and largest margin of victory with a 23-0 romp in five innings over the Red Raiders, and sophomore catcher Reese Atwood added two more offensive program records to her tally. She belted two home runs to push her season total to 19, eclipsing Taylor Hoagland's 2012 mark of 18, and she drove in nine runs to set the
  
  Read more

• Kentucky Derby fans pack the track for the 150th Run for the Roses

  04-05-2024 23:27 via kxan.com
  
  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — When Lori Hennesy imagined her outfit for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, she wanted to create something deserving of that monumental anniversary, a celebration of Kentucky’s greatness and history.
  So she got a bucket of chicken, red and white striped with Colonel Sanders' famous face on the front, filled it with roses and attached a plastic horse. She wore it on top of her head.
  “I wanted to have fun,” she said. Hennesy reckons that is wha
  
  Read more

• Kentucky Derby: Which names are prohibited for racehorses?

  04-05-2024 19:27 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – It may not seem like it, but there are certain words and phrases that cannot, in fact, be incorporated into a racehorse’s name.The 2024 Kentucky Derby is finally upon us, and with it comes a crop of curiously named contenders including Mystik Dan, Domestic Product, and the fun-sounding Epic Ride. In years past, other competitors in the Run for the Roses have boasted such names as Shut Up (1944), Dunce (1959) and even Degenerate Jon (1980).Believe it or not, most of these
  
  Read more

• Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms

  04-05-2024 19:12 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (AP) — High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.A flood watch remained in effect through Sunday afternoon as forecasters predicted additional rainfall Saturday night, bringing another 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 centimeters) of water to the soaked region and the likelihood of major flooding.Friday's fierce storms forced numer
  
  Read more

• Fourth body found where three missing surfers located

  04-05-2024 19:04 via kxan.com
  
  SAN DIEGO (KSWB/KUSI) — The Baja California Attorney General’s Office on Friday confirmed a fourth body was found after authorities located the bodies of three missing surfers, including one U.S. citizen from San Diego, who went missing during a surfing trip south of Ensenada, Mexico.All four bodies were found in a well near a surfing spot known as La Bocana, about 130 miles south of San Diego, according to the attorney general's office.
  The fourth body was identified as a ranch owne
  
  Read more

• A month of above-normal rain

  04-05-2024 18:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A quick recap of April found the month with slightly warmer temperatures vs. the average. But it was a better month for rain than the previous two.April was the second of the first four months (January the other) to have above-normal rain with 3.48" in the bucket. The highest calendar day rain total was 1.54" on the 9th. There were a few thunderstorms that day with reports of hail in the area.April was a good month for rainIn all, nine days in the month measured rain of .01" or
  
  Read more

• Map: Where teachers are being paid the least, according to new report

  04-05-2024 17:41 via kxan.com
  
  DENVER (KDVR) — Educators have long called for higher salaries, and while efforts to achieve that were successful in some parts of the country in the last year, it isn't enough to keep up with inflation, according to a new report.The National Education Association, the largest teachers' union in the U.S., released its newest data on teacher salaries on Tuesday.
  On average, teachers in the U.S. are making $69,544. At the highest end, teachers in some states are making almost six figures, NE
  
  Read more

• Only one Kentucky Derby starting gate number has never seen a winner

  04-05-2024 17:35 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – In its storied 150-year history, there is an infamous starting gate position that has never produced a Kentucky Derby winner.A random drawing decides the post positions – where each of the 20 horses will start the race in relation to each other behind the starting gate. Betting odds will shift based on where horses start and how they respond to certain posts, according to Covers.com, with the biggest swings for No. 1 and the outermost positions.While post position 5 has h
  
  Read more

• The best things to buy at Trader Joe's

  04-05-2024 17:01 via kxan.com
  
  (NerdWallet) - Trader Joe’s is a national chain of grocery stores with a bit of a cult following. There are dozens of social media accounts dedicated to Trader Joe’s shopping hauls and recipes using only items found at the store. Trader Joe’s even has its own podcast.If you’ve never shopped at Trader Joe’s before, it can feel overwhelming. Our guide can help you find the best things to buy at Trader Joe’s and ways to save money.What you should know before shop
  
  Read more

• Kentucky Derby: How the mint julep became the race's official drink

  04-05-2024 15:45 via kxan.com
  
  LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDKY) — The mint julep is almost as essential to the Kentucky Derby as the thoroughbreds running for the roses.It's "bourbon, mint, and what we call simple syrup that adds that sweetness to the mint julep," said Chris Goodlett, senior director of curatorial and education affairs at the Kentucky Derby Museum.On Derby weekend, nearly 120,000 mint juleps will be served. This requires more than 10,000 bottles of bourbon, 1,000 pounds of mint leaves, and 60,000 pounds of ice.Bu
  
  Read more

• Black lawmakers reintroduce bill to ban hair discrimination

  04-05-2024 15:43 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- A bicameral host of Black lawmakers on Wednesday reintroduced legislation offering protections against hair discrimination.Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Sen. Cory Booker gathered outside the Capitol with fellow lawmakers, as well as Adjoa B. Asamoah, co-founder of the CROWN Coalition, in announcing the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act, or CROWN Act. Watson Coleman said the lawmakers were reintroducing the bill for “the simple reason th
  
  Read more

• Kentucky Derby: How much does the winning jockey get?

  04-05-2024 15:41 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Saturday will mark the 150th run of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. It also marks the opening leg of the Triple Crown races, which will be followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.Every year, 20 horses and their jockeys line up at the starting gate, all vying for the illustrious blanket of red roses — and a major payout. How much will the winning jockey make? Let’s explain. Churchill Downs Inc., which hosts the stakes race, announced earl
  
  Read more

• Boeing is on the verge of launching astronauts aboard new capsule, the latest entry to space travel

  04-05-2024 15:31 via kxan.com
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After years of delays and stumbles, Boeing is finally poised to launch astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA.It’s the first flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule with a crew on board, a pair of NASA pilots who will check out the spacecraft during the test drive and a weeklong stay at the space station.NASA turned to U.S. companies for astronaut rides after the space shuttles were retired. Elon Musk's SpaceX has made nine taxi trips fo
  
  Read more

• Man dead in north Austin homicide; no suspect in custody

  04-05-2024 15:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One man is dead after a homicide in north Austin early Saturday morning.
  The Austin Police Department said it happened near Colony Creek Drive and Northgate Boulevard. Officers were in the area when they heard a disturbance at about 3:27 a.m. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2024?APD officers checked the area and found a man in his 30s with trauma to his body. The man died at the scene, according to police.Police said there is no suspect in custody, and
  
  Read more

• Dave & Buster’s to allow customers to bet on arcade games

  04-05-2024 14:47 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) - Dave and Buster’s customers can soon make a friendly $5 wager on arcade games like skeeball and basketball.The arcade company recently partnered with Lucra Sports, a gamification software company. The new betting feature will be available to users 18 or older and will debut within the next few months.“We’re thrilled to work with Lucra to bring this exciting new gaming platform to our customers,” Simon Murray, senior vice president of entertainment and attractions
  
  Read more

• Marijuana could be reclassified: Would that make it legal nationwide?

  04-05-2024 14:46 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — In a major shift, marijuana could be reclassified as a less dangerous drug in the U.S., sources told the Associated Press on Tuesday. The decision could have a ripple effect throughout the country, already pocketed with varying legalization laws.
  Last fall, federal health officials recommended reclassifying marijuana. According to The Associated Press, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is expected to move toward reclassification.
  The proposal still needs to be revi
  
  Read more

• Strange blob-like sea creatures washing ashore across Southern California coast

  04-05-2024 14:45 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – Bizarre sea creatures that resemble jellyfish have returned to Southern California waters a year after millions were spotted between Ventura and San Diego counties and beyond.
  Velella velella, more commonly known as by-the-wind sailors, are oval-shaped blobs that live on the ocean's surface, propelled by small, stiff sails that catch wind and take them across the globe. Ocean currents and winds move the creatures from place to place, allowing them to catch their prey with the
  
  Read more

• The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, debris of Halley's comet, peaks this weekend. Here's how to see it

  04-05-2024 14:39 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Eta Aquarid meteor shower, remnants of Halley's comet, peaks this weekend. And with just a waning crescent moon in the sky, it should be visible.The Eta Aquarids occur every year in early May. This year’s peak activity happens early Sunday with an expected 10 to 30 meteors visible per hour in the Northern Hemisphere. Viewing should be even better in the Southern Hemisphere. The shower lasts through May 27.Here’s what to know about the Eta Aquarid
  
  Read more

Follow @Austin_News_US on Twitter!