Austin news

• How to track parvovirus cases among Texas dogs

  17-05-2024 00:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An online tracking tool shows Texas leading the country with the most number of parvovirus cases among dogs, leading to a warning from local advocates to pet owners.
  According to the ParvoTrack map, Texas reported at least 2,533 cases of the contagious and even deadly virus, which is spread mainly through contaminated dog feces. This service advises that there is currently a high risk of parvovirus in the state.
  Experts at Austin Pets Alive! said Thursday that Travis County
  
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• Austin's Marbridge Foundation provides 'a whole new way of life' for residents

  13-06-2024 18:26 via kxan.com
  
  As a part of Nexstar's Founder’s Day of Caring 2024, KXAN is volunteering with the Marbridge Foundation this week. Here's an in-depth look at the organization's mission.
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On over 200 acres just south of Austin sits a residential facility — a haven — to support adults with cognitive and intellectual disabilities.
  Marbridge Foundation recently celebrated 71 years of cultivating communities designed to give "a whole new way of life" to their residents. Right n
  
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• Man arrested, accused of selling suspected fentanyl pills to woman who later died

  13-06-2024 18:00 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A man was arrested and charged after police said he sold suspected fentanyl pills to a woman who was later found dead in her northeast Austin apartment in December 2023, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.Curtis James Habbit, 66, was charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance causing death or significant bodily injury.KXAN reached out to Habbit's attorney for a statement and said there was no comment on the case at this time.Curtis James
  
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• Supreme Court unanimously preserves access to abortion medication in case that began in Texas

  13-06-2024 17:29 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows coverage of the arguments in this caseWASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously preserved access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.The nine justices ruled that abortion opponents lacked the legal right to sue over the federal Food and Drug Administration’s approval
  
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• Energy expert weighs in on concerns about ERCOT power grid this summer

  13-06-2024 16:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As another hot Texas summer ramps up, the state’s power grid operators are raising concerns about grid reliability and the prospect of rolling blackouts.Earlier this week, a Texas House committee heard testimony from energy leaders about growth forecasts, the summer outlook and market design initiatives.University of Texas at Austin Professor Emeritus Ross Baldick works in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and researches electric power. He joined
  
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• Unanimous Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion medication

  13-06-2024 16:17 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously preserved access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.
  The justices ruled that abortion opponents lacked the legal right to sue over the federal Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the medication, mifepristone, and the FDA's subsequent actions to ease acces
  
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• El Niño has officially ended, here's what's next

  13-06-2024 15:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As expected, Thursday the Climate Prediction Center announced the climate pattern known as El Niño has come to an end as sea surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific continued to cool closer to normal.
  An ENSO Neutral Phase is hereEl Niño is the warm phase of the climate pattern known as ENSO or El Niño-Southern Oscillation. As temperatures in a specific area of the eastern Pacific cool closer to normal, then the effects of El Niño fade.
  
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• Tips on water conservation during summer drought months

  13-06-2024 15:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Even after recent rains added a little moisture to the ground and put some water back in Lakes Buchanan and Travis, water conservation should still be practiced as we head into the hottest times of the summer.There is a way to drought-proof your lawns and plants. One way is to use mulch; a thick layer of mulch will help your soil retain moisture during the brutal Texas summer.Indoor water conversation should also be practiced as well -- too much water is wasted by leaks. Ac
  
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• Jury to deliberate sentence for woman who pleaded guilty to crash that killed officer

  13-06-2024 14:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The trial continues Thursday for a woman who was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter after a 2022 crash caused the death of an officer in north Austin.
  According to prosecutors and defense attorneys, Lindsay Smith pleaded guilty earlier this week and "took responsibility" for the crash. Jurors are now hearing testimony and will deliberate and decide the sentence Smith will serve. PREVIOUS: APD: Woman drank before hitting, killing off-duty police officer near
  
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• Round Rock ISD police want to respond faster. County partners worry about their plans

  13-06-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- Mayra Mathis stands in the dark dispatch center inside Round Rock High School, pointing to a map of the district’s 56 schools.Before discussing changes the district is making to get its police officers to campuses quicker, she explains how she and other dispatchers learn of 911 calls at their schools. An internal investigation into Round Rock ISD police describes a ‘toxic’ environmentRound Rock ISD campuses span four jurisdictions, including the City
  
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• Office of Police Oversight providing update, data at Thursday night meeting

  13-06-2024 12:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Office of Police Oversight (OPO) will provide the public with updates and present new data at a Thursday night meeting.
  OPO's third quarterly Police Oversight Implementation Workgroup meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday over Zoom. It's open to the public, and those interested in participating can register online.
  OPO will share complaints data and other updates during this virtual session as directed by Resolution 99, according to a release.
  The meeting will be in both E
  
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• Waco woman celebrates 107 years of life

  13-06-2024 05:52 via kxan.com
  
  Waco, TX (FOX 44) -- One family is having a special get together in Waco to celebrate their matriarch, June Vera, turning 107 years old.Vera's family traveled across the country to St. Anthony's Care Center to celebrate her 107th trip around the sun.Gifts, birthday cake, flowers, and hand-written letters filled her room with family singing happy birthday."This has been so wonderful," said Vera.Vera was born in Welch, Oklahoma, and grew up and raised her family in South Texas.She worked as a teac
  
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• YouTuber with over 3M followers killed in crash on Colorado interstate

  13-06-2024 05:48 via kxan.com
  
  DENVER (KDVR) — Authorities announced on Tuesday that 40-year-old Benny Potter, a popular YouTube personality and Colorado resident, was the victim of a single-vehicle crash.The crash happened on Saturday, June 8, at about 9:19 a.m. on Interstate 25 near Fort Collins, according to Colorado State Patrol (CSP),
  Potter was in his silver Toyota 4Runner when it veered off the right shoulder of the interstate, police said. Potter continued to cross over the frontage road, which runs parallel to
  
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• Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, an Austin Westlake graduate, loses fight against ruling that keeps her from elite events

  13-06-2024 02:41 via kxan.com
  
  (AP) — Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas failed in her challenge against rules that stop her from competing in elite women’s races because judges ruled she did not have standing to bring the case.The Court of Arbitration for Sport panel of three judges dismissed Thomas’ request for arbitration with the World Aquatics governing body, in a ruling released Wednesday.World Aquatics banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in women’s races. It al
  
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• Changes coming? Alamo Drafthouse acquired by Sony

  13-06-2024 02:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — In a city known for keeping it weird, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and it's many locations around the area have long been an Austin Landmark.On Wednesday, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced it would acquire Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.What does that mean for the movie theater moving forward?We asked movie goers if they were worried this move could mean big changes for the popular movie theaters."I hope that they don't, I feel like Austin already has enough of that, so I would
  
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• Texas men's hoops opens first SEC-ACC Challenge against 2024 Final Four team NC State

  13-06-2024 02:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas men's basketball team will take on a 2024 Final Four team in its first appearance in the SEC-ACC Challenge.The Longhorns will head to Raleigh, North Carolina on Dec. 4 to take on the N.C. State Wolfpack, a team that made an improbable run to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed in last year's March Madness tournament.
  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/newslettersIt's
  
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• Flores, Belyeu named to baseball writers' All-America team

  13-06-2024 01:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two Texas Longhorns baseball players can call themselves All-Americans this season.ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 22: Texas outfielder Max Belyeu (44) holds up the Hook 'Em Horns sign after hitting a home run during the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship game between Texas and Cincinnati on May 22, 2024, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
  Sophomore shortstop Jalin Flores and sophomore outfielder Max Belyeu were name
  
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• Bush Foundation celebrates George H.W. Bush's 100th birthday, legacy at Texas A&M

  13-06-2024 01:05 via kxan.com
  
  COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KXAN) — Texas A&M is holding a series of events celebrating what would have been former President George H.W. Bush’s 100th birthday on June 12.
  The George & Barbara Bush Foundation’s 41@100 centennial celebration from June 11-13 will include events for Bush administration alumni, commemorative parachute jumps by President Bush’s grandchildren and performances from country music stars Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen.  During the three-
  
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• Texas' push for election transparency met with unintended consequences 

  13-06-2024 00:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — New Texas laws met to promote transparency in election results are having some unintended consequences, a top state election official told lawmakers Wednesday.
  In 2023, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 5180, which allows the public to access public election records 61 days after an election. Republicans said it was necessary to promote transparency in elections — which became increasingly important to GOP lawmakers nationwide after former President Donald Trump pr
  
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• LGBTQ+ Pride flags fly for first time outside Austin police headquarters, other city facilities

  13-06-2024 00:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The flag pole in front of the Austin Police Department's downtown headquarters has a colorful new addition this month.
  Police are flying the rainbow LGBTQ+ Pride flag in front of their tall, brick building along the southbound Interstate 35 frontage road near East Eighth Street. A spokesperson confirmed Wednesday this is the first time the department is doing this, too, at all of its buildings.Pride flag repeatedly stolen from outside Cedar Park churchKXAN asked why Austin
  
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• Texas Longhorns capture 3rd Learfield Directors' Cup in last 4 seasons

  13-06-2024 00:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns have the best overall athletic program once again, according to the Learfield Directors' Cup results released Tuesday.Even with the Men's College World Series left to be played, the Longhorns have a big enough lead over the field to clinch the cup for the third time in four years. Texas has 1,339.50 points, ahead of Stanford with 1,312.75 and Tennessee with 1,117. Florida (1,106) and UCLA (1,017.5) round out the top five.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to d
  
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• Downtown program aims to fill vacant storefronts with small businesses and artists

  13-06-2024 00:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- The Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) wants to see fewer boarded and locked up storefronts in the downtown area.
  According to this year's State of Downtown report, 12% of storefronts were empty in 2023. That was up from 10% the year before.DAA Chief Impact Officer Jenell Moffett said there are vacancies in both office spaces and storefronts.Downtown Austin Alliance said storefront vacancies were up by 2% in 2023. (Photo: KXAN)Downtown Austin Alliance said storefront vacancies were
  
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• Deer may fight off-leash dogs during fawn season

  12-06-2024 23:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Late spring and during the summer, white-tailed deer in Texas are birthing their fawns. During this time, dog owners should keep their pets on leash while outside.A San Marcos resident sent KXAN video on Sunday, which shows a deer charging him and his dog while out on a walk during May 2023."I've had two separate instances of mother deer almost charging me this week," the viewer said in an email. "The deer in San Marcos are in fawn season so they're bein
  
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• Austin Police looking for 58-year-old man last seen in southwest Austin

  12-06-2024 23:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department is asking for the public's help finding a 58-year-old man last seen in southwest Austin, APD said in a press release on Wednesday.In the release, APD said it was concerned for Jon Stamm's wellbeing.Austin Police said Stamm was reported missing on Tuesday at 5 p.m. He was last seen at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at his home located in the 10400 block of Wolftrap Drive, which is near Slaughter and Brodie Lane.Stamm was described by police as being 5
  
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• Texas-OU WCWS finals the highest-rated NCAA softball series ever on ESPN

  12-06-2024 22:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — It was a great year for college softball on ESPN.The cable sports giant released viewership numbers for their softball telecasts in 2024, and the Women's College World Series championship series featuring Texas and Oklahoma was the most-watched series on record, averaging 2 million viewers. The Sooners topped the Longhorns 2-0 in the best-of-three series to claim their fourth consecutive NCAA Division I softball championship. The first game averaged 1.9 million viewers whil
  
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• Ascension says 'small number of files' taken during hack

  12-06-2024 22:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Ascension provided an update Wednesday about the May ransomware attack on its servers, and said an investigation by third-party experts is beginning to uncover the extent of the attack.The weeks-long system intrusion began when an "individual working in one of our facilities" downloaded a malicious file they believed to be legitimate, according to the Wednesday update."We have no reason to believe this was anything but an honest mistake," the spokesperson said. "To our pati
  
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• Bitcoin, AI and the Texas grid: Lawmakers consider action

  12-06-2024 22:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce convened Wednesday morning to evaluate the state of the electric grid, examine the impact of last year's investments into generating power, and hear striking statistics on the energy demands of the Bitcoin and artificial intelligence sectors.ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas told lawmakers that one graphics processing unit, a core technology for Artificial Intelligence (AI), uses as much power as an average home uses in an entire year. He com
  
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• Reports: Austin-Round Rock 15th in US for apartment vacancies; 66% of home listings 'stale'

  12-06-2024 21:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin-Round Rock Metro area is 15th in the nation for vacant apartments, according to a report from construction industry blog Construction Coverage.The report states that 9% of apartments in the Austin metro are vacant. This is up since 2023, when 7.3% of apartments were vacant.All of Texas (9.2%, fifth highest for U.S. states) and Houston's metro (10.9%) both have vacancy rates above the Austin metro, but San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth areas are slightly under (ar
  
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• Travis County judge dismisses AG Paxton lawsuit over Austin marijuana ordinance

  12-06-2024 21:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Travis County judge dismissed a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over the City of Austin's voter-approved marijuana ordinance, according to Ground Game Texas and court documents.
  In 2022, voters in the City of Austin passed Proposition A, which effectively decriminalized low-level possession of marijuana. Nearly 80% of Austinites voted 'yes' on that measure.
  It was also something that was already in practice. In 2020, the Austin Police Department issued a general
  
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• Bastrop could be the next Texas town to decriminalize low-level marijuana offenses

  12-06-2024 20:47 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) – Bastrop could be the next Central Texas town to see a marijuana decriminalization measure go in front of voters.Inspired by a recent effort in Lockhart, Desiree Venable, who’s running for the Texas House of Representatives in District 17, is collecting signatures to get a measure in front of voters this fall that, if passed, would decriminalize low-level marijuana offenses in the city. “We've only been doing this for less than two weeks, and we have
  
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