Austin news

• 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
  
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• CapMetro offering limited rail services for Austin FC game on Juneteenth

  18-06-2024 18:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Verde listos! Austin FC will face off against Los Angeles FC Wednesday evening at Q2 Stadium, with the match set to begin at 7:30 p.m. However, CapMetro forewarned fans it's running limited rail services Wednesday in light of the Juneteenth holiday.There won't be any rail services prior to Wednesday afternoon under the abbreviated schedule. Here's a breakdown of available MetroRail service operations for fans looking to hitch a ride straight to the stadium.Southbound rail servic
  
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• Update on Ruidoso wildfires Tuesday morning after mandatory evacuations

  18-06-2024 18:27 via kxan.com
  
  RUIDOSO, N.M. -- The Village of Ruidoso on Monday announced evacuations for the entire village as the South Fork Fire threatens the area. Officials posted an update Tuesday morning and said the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire were both at 0% containment. Lubbock YWCA to make security update after ex-employee accused of making child pornography
  As of 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, the Village of Ruidoso said the South Fork Fire was burning at 13,921 acres and the Salt Fire was at 4,876 acres. You can find a ma
  
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• 'A little nerve-wracking': ERCOT talks summer outlook, supply-demand concerns

  18-06-2024 18:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The first day of summer is Thursday, and the Energy Reliability Council of Texas expects a tight grid in August and potential supply-demand issues with high temperatures.
  August is expected to have a higher risk of tight grid conditions than June or July, specifically between 8-10 p.m. because of lower wind and solar generation, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said Tuesday.ERCOT predicts up to 16% chance of emergency power conditions in AugustDan Woodfin, ERCOT’s vice president
  
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• Juneteenth 2024: Who is working? What is open?

  18-06-2024 17:58 via kxan.com
  
  (NewsNation) — Wednesday is Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, marking when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free. President Joe Biden signed a bill to designate Juneteenth, which falls on June 19, as a federal holiday, and all 50 states and the District of Columbia recognize it as a holiday or observance. However, according to the Congressional Research Service, only 28 states have made it a permanent paid or legal holiday with l
  
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• Tracking the Tropics: When will the 1st tropical storm of the season emerge?

  18-06-2024 17:47 via kxan.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) —During June, the main zones where we can see tropical development are the western Gulf, the western Caribbean, as well as near the Bahamas.The main reason storms are more likely to form in these areas is due to the the extra warm water temperatures compared to the rest of the Atlantic Ocean.Currently, the National Hurricane Center is tracking two disturbances that could produce some tropical weather.Potential Tropical Cyclone 1There are two areas we are watching in the
  
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• Texas launches public data dashboards on maternal, infant health

  18-06-2024 16:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- New public data dashboards on maternal health and infant health are now available for Texans to view as part of the Texas Department of State Health Services' Texas Health Data online suite.
  DSHS launched the Maternal Health and Infant Mortality and Morbidity dashboards Monday.KXAN investigation on maternal death rates, reportingThe dashboards include information on maternal mortality and pregnancy risk factors like mental health, high blood pressure and smoking, according to DS
  
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• Missouri woman's murder conviction tossed after 43 years. Was an officer the real killer?

  18-06-2024 14:13 via kxan.com
  
  (AP) -- A judge has overturned the conviction of a Missouri woman who was a psychiatric patient when she incriminated herself in a 1980 killing that her attorneys argue was actually committed by a now-discredited police officer.Judge Ryan Horsman ruled late Friday that Sandra Hemme, who has spent 43 years behind bars, had established evidence of actual innocence and must be freed within 30 days unless prosecutors retry her. He said her trial counsel was ineffective and prosecutors failed to disc
  
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• Texas cities, congressman consider hospital safety changes after KXAN crash investigation

  18-06-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  Project Summary:This story is part of KXAN’s “Preventing Disaster” investigation, which initially published on May 15, 2024. The project follows a fatal car crash into an Austin hospital’s emergency room earlier that year. Our team took a broader look at safety concerns with that crash and hundreds of others across the nation – including whether medical sites had security barriers – known as bollards – at their entrances. Experts say those could stop cr
  
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• Memo: Austin to eliminate fees at some city pools this summer

  18-06-2024 13:36 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The City of Austin is eliminating fees at some pools this summer as part of a pilot program to reduce aquatic fees and increase pool access, according to a city memo.The Parks and Recreation Department, or PARD, moved to eliminate fees for the entire summer at Walnut Creek Pool in North Austin, according to the memo. PARD will also offer two free days during the summer at Bartholomew Pool and Garrison Pool.Bartholomew Pool will have free entry on June 19 and July 10, and Garriso
  
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• Tropical storm expected to form in the Gulf today

  18-06-2024 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We're tracking what will likely become the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The National Weather Service have started releasing forecast cones for the storm that hasn't become a tropical storm yet, naming the storm Potential Tropical Cyclone One.Potential Tropical Cyclone #1 should become Tropical Storm Alberto before landfall, which is expected early morning on Thursday.Potential Tropical Cyclone One forecast to become Tropical Storm Alberto TuesdayThe f
  
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• LIVE: Tropical storm expected to form in the Gulf today

  18-06-2024 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico is likely to become the first tropical storm of the 2024 Atlantic season... and it'll impact much of Texas starting today.Potential Tropical Cyclone #1 should become Tropical Storm Alberto later today. Landfall is likely to be south of Texas in northeast Mexico sometime late Wednesday into early Thursday.Potential Tropical Cyclone One forecast to become Tropical Storm Alberto TuesdayTropical Storm Warnings are in effect for much of th
  
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• Prager's gem, huge 6th inning lifts Texas A&M Aggies to 5-1 win over Kentucky at MCWS

  18-06-2024 05:30 via kxan.com
  
  OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Texas A&M scored all of its runs in the sixth inning, Ryan Prager held Kentucky hitless into the seventh and the Aggies are off to their best start in a College World Series after their 5-1 win Monday night.The Aggies (51-13) are 2-0 in the CWS for the first time in eight all-time appearances and have taken control of Bracket 2. They’ll await the winner of a Tuesday elimination game between Florida and Kentucky (46-15) in the bracket final Wednesday. They would
  
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• Study recommends 10 solutions to make Austin more affordable for students 

  18-06-2024 05:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Housing Department has 10 recommendations for more affordable housing for students at Austin universities. In 2023, the Austin City Council approved a resolution directing the city manager to study student housing in Austin and explore opportunities to make it more affordable for students. On Friday, the Housing Department released its report, detailing its research and recommendations. “The City of Austin Housing Department seeks to provide affor
  
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• Texas active shooter alert system has yet to be activated, DPS says

  18-06-2024 04:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An alert system meant to notify people of active shooter situations was not activated in the wake of a deadly shooting at a Juneteenth event in Round Rock, law enforcement confirmed to KXAN investigators.Two people died and 14 others were injured in the incident, sparked by a fight between two groups at the event at Old Settlers Park on Saturday night, Round Rock police said. Police are still searching for the shooting suspect.‘Turn yourself in’: Round Rock police ch
  
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• What were the security measures during Round Rock festival shooting?

  18-06-2024 02:15 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) --- There are still no arrests or suspects named in the search for those who opened fire at the Juneteenth Festival in Round Rock on Saturday night.Round Rock police identify victims killed in Old Settlers Park shootingThe Round Rock Police Department said 14 people were injured, including children at Old Settlers Park. Two people were killed.RRPD said it started as a fight between two groups at the event.'Basically come and walk up from anywhere'Some festivalgoers are l
  
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• Nationwide nixes 100K pet insurance plans, citing rising cost

  18-06-2024 01:48 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) — Nationwide Insurance says it plans to cancel pet insurance coverage for about 100,000 animals across the nation, citing rising veterinary costs.
  The cancellation of the thousands of coverage plans will take place between now and next summer as part of the company's efforts to "maintain long-term viability and profitability," Nationwide said in a statement on Friday.
  "As pet lovers ourselves, we understand the emotions connected to the protection of our family pets. Inflation i
  
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• 'Pretty spectacular': Cherries from 18th century found at George Washington's home

  18-06-2024 01:37 via kxan.com
  
  MOUNT VERNON, Va. (AP) — George Washington never did cut down the cherry tree, despite the famous story to the contrary, but he did pack away quite a few bottles of the fruit at his Mount Vernon home.Dozens of bottles of cherries and berries — impossibly preserved in storage pits uncovered from the cellar of his mansion on the banks of the Potomac River — were discovered during an archaeological dig connected to a restoration project.Jason Boroughs, Mount Vernon's principa
  
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• Adobe ‘trapped customers' in hard-to-cancel subscriptions, FTC says in lawsuit

  18-06-2024 01:36 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- Abobe made it intentionally difficult for customers to cancel subscriptions to its products including Photoshop, “trapping users” in expensive contracts, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged in a lawsuit filed Monday.The complaint claims Adobe steered customers towards its “annual paid monthly” subscription option without disclosing cancelation fees that could rise to the hundreds of dollars. “Adobe trapped customers into year-long subscript
  
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• Biden will announce deportation protection and work permits for spouses of US citizens

  18-06-2024 00:45 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is planning to announce a sweeping new policy Tuesday that would lift the threat of deportation for tens of thousands of people married to U.S. citizens, an aggressive election-year action on immigration that had been sought by many Democrats.
  Biden will announce the new program at a White House event to celebrate the Obama-era “dreamers” directive that offered deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants, according to three pe
  
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• Texas sets emergency resources in motion ahead of tropical storm threat

  18-06-2024 00:30 via kxan.com
  
  Editor’s Note: The video above shows the latest from the KXAN First Warning Weather team.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated emergency response teams Monday ahead of a potential tropical storm this week near the Texas-Mexico border. KXAN First Warning Weather forecastOn Monday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center released its first forecast cone for a storm that could become Tropical Storm Alberto. According to KXAN First Warning Weather Chief Meteorologist
  
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• Texas lands highly touted 2026 quarterback recruit, son of former NBA player

  18-06-2024 00:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas football's latest verbal commitment is from the top quarterback in the 2026 class and son of a former professional basketball player.Dia Bell, a 5-star quarterback from American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida and son of 12-year NBA veteran Raja Bell, said Tuesday he intends to be a Longhorn. According to the 247Sports composite rankings, he's the top 2026 Florida recruit and No. 2 quarterback in the country.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports s
  
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• Horns Report: Longhorns starting to appear on Olympic team rosters around the world

  17-06-2024 22:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On this week's Horns Report, we're focusing on Olympic sports and some Longhorns could make a big name for themselves in Paris coming up.Texas decathlete Leo Neugebauer rewrote the NCAA record book in the multi-event discipline, crushing his collegiate record to win his second consecutive outdoor title with 8,961 points at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Not only did the performance easily win another NCAA title for him, it was the sixth-highest score ever at any level and
  
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• Judge orders Kaitlin Armstrong to pay $15 million to family of murder victim Moriah Wilson

  17-06-2024 21:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Convicted murderer Kaitlin Armstrong has been ordered to pay $15 million to the family of Anna "Mo" Wilson as part of a civil lawsuit, a judge ruled Monday.KXAN reported in May that Wilson's parents filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Armstrong. Judge Daniella DeSata Lyttle granted $5 million each to Karen and Eric Wilson for "mental anguish, including emotional pain, torment and suffering from the death of [their] daughter," according to court documents.Both paren
  
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• 1 hospitalized following crash at FM 973, FM 812 intersection

  17-06-2024 21:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — All northbound and southbound lanes of FM 973 are closed at its intersection with FM 812 in Austin due to a crash, the Texas Department of Transportation's Austin District shared on social media Monday afternoon. TxDOT kickstarts speed study on Central Texas road amid traffic surgeAustin-Travis County EMS confirmed it was responding to a multi-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck at that intersection. The call came in just before 2 p.m. and involved two vehicles, per a soci
  
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• Annunciation House in court: Paxton asks El Paso judge to shut down migrant shelter

  17-06-2024 20:03 via kxan.com
  
  EL PASO (Nexstar) -- Migrant shelter Annunciation House defended itself in court Monday against the state's attempts to close its door following unverified claims the charity amounts to a "stash house" aiding illegal immigrants.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a judge to pause the shelter's operations following the state's attempt to collect a swath of records that the shelter has fought. Paxton accuses the shelter of encouraging people to cross the border illegally and hindering law
  
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• Air traffic controller staffing issues caused delays Sunday at Austin airport

  17-06-2024 19:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is back to normal Monday after arrivals were delayed Sunday evening.
  The delays were caused by air traffic controller staffing issues, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The first arrival delays alert was issued around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Memo: ‘Drastic steps’ needed to properly staff Austin airport tower"Operations are normal after the FAA briefly slowed the flow of flights into Austin-Bergstrom International
  
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• Netanyahu dissolves influential War Cabinet after key partner bolted from government

  17-06-2024 19:09 via kxan.com
  
  TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the influential War Cabinet that has overseen the fighting in Gaza, a government spokesperson said Monday, a move that comes days after a key member of the body bolted from the government over frustration with the Israeli leader's handling of the war.
  The move was widely expected following the departure earlier this month of Benny Gantz, a centrist former military chief. Gantz's absence from the government increase
  
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• Round Rock police identify victims killed in Old Settlers Park shooting

  17-06-2024 18:58 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock police on Monday released the names of the two victims who were killed in a shooting Saturday night at Old Settlers Park.
  The two victims were identified as 33-year-old Lyndsey Vicknair from Manor and 54-year-old Ara Duke from Pflugerville.The shooting, which also injured 14 others, occurred during a Juneteenth celebration at the park around 10:50 p.m., following a fight between two groups who were at the event, Round Rock police said.‘Turn yours
  
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• APD releases photos of suspects after deadly shooting near Austin Waffle House

  17-06-2024 18:42 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department released photos Monday of four men believed to be involved in a deadly shooting on June 8 outside of an Austin Waffle House.Police said two people were shot, one fatally, after an argument between two groups around 6 a.m. at a Waffle House on Dessau Road in northeast Austin. APD said the suspects left the scene after the shooting. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2024?APD previously identified Tykeisha Lewis, 25, as the victi
  
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