Austin news

• Severe Thunderstorm Watch now in effect

  16-05-2024 12:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for all counties until 5 p.m. this evening. Strong to severe storms are possible through the afternoon and evening. Threats include very large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 5 p.m. Thursday
  Thursday's severe storm threat: enhanced risk (3 out of 5) for much of Central Texas
  All modes of severe weather possible on Thursday
  Most storms look to develop between 2 pm. to 10 p.m.
  There
  
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• City of Pflugerville breaks ground on wastewater treatment plant

  14-06-2024 02:31 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- A wasteful treatment plant nearly 20 years in the making is one step closer to being complete.City of Pflugerville officials broke ground today at the Wilbarger Wastewater Plant after they brought the land back in 2009. The $247 million dollar plant is meant to double the amount of water the city can process.
  The city's utility director, Brandon Pritchett, said growth is one of the drivers for increasing that processing capacity.
  Officials with the City of Pflugervi
  
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• TV host and musician Johnny Canales dies at 77

  14-06-2024 01:40 via kxan.com
  
  CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (ValleyCentral) — TV host and musician Johnny Canales has died at 77. Canales' wife, Nora Canales, posted on Facebook Thursday of his passing just before 8 a.m.American Norteno/Tejano Band "Siggno" (Lead Singer Jesse Turner & Professional Drummer Cesar "Chato" Sanchez), Tejano Singer Lucky Joe with La Machy from La Conquista, and Nora and Johnny Canales.Texas State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa expressed his thoughts on Canales's passing, "Today, we lost an icon, a
  
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• Joey Chestnut, Kobayashi to go head-to-head in live hot dog eating contest on Netflix

  14-06-2024 01:21 via kxan.com
  
  (WXIN/WTTV) — Being banned from America's most famous eating competition isn't stopping Joey Chestnut from staying in the news.Streaming giant Netflix announced on Wednesday that Chestnut, the number one ranked competitive eater in the world, will face off against long-time rival Takeru Kobayashi, who was dubbed "the godfather of competitive eating" before claiming to retire earlier this year.The event is set to stream live on Monday, Sept. 2 on Netflix, the streamer posted on social media
  
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• Texas woman celebrates 107th birthday: 'I don't feel my age'

  14-06-2024 01:19 via kxan.com
  
  WACO, Texas (KWKT) – The family of a Texas woman held a special get-together to celebrate her 107th birthday this week.June Vera's family traveled across the country to St. Anthony's Care Center in Waco to celebrate her 107th trip around the sun.Gifts, birthday cake, flowers and hand-written letters filled her room Wednesday as her family sang "Happy Birthday.""This has been so wonderful," said Vera.The centenarian was born on June 12, 1917, in Welch, Oklahoma, and grew up and raised her f
  
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• Disney owes 100K people money: Are you one of them?

  14-06-2024 01:15 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Some Disneyland fans who purchased a Dream Key pass nearly three years ago will be able to claim their piece of a $9.5 million class-action lawsuit settlement as early as this week, according to an email obtained by Nexstar.The lawsuit, filed by California passholder Jenale Nielsen in 2021, alleged the company misled customers into believing its most expensive yearly pass would have "no blockout dates" when making reservations at Disneyland Resort theme parks.
  However, whe
  
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• Austin FC needed a break, but they're back into a quick schedule with Colorado up next

  14-06-2024 01:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC needed a break after suffering its worst loss of the season. Thankfully, the schedule obliged and now they've reset only to have another 3-match week ahead.Verde and Black had a weekend off to collect their thoughts after a 5-1 defeat in Salt Lake on June 1, but there's no rest for the weary with a trip to Denver to face the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.VERDE LIGHTS: It's back for another season! Tune in at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays on CW Austin throughout the s
  
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• LIST: Juneteenth events in Central Texas

  14-06-2024 00:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Those planning to celebrate Juneteenth have a number of options in communities throughout Central Texas this weekend.What is the history of Juneteenth?Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the day in 1865 that people in Galveston learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation freeing those who were enslaved on Jan. 1, 1863.Celebrations commemorating the day began the fol
  
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• Group files petition to reverse decision that allows council members to access health insurance

  14-06-2024 00:43 via kxan.com
  
  KYLE, Texas (KXAN) – A group of citizens have filed a petition hoping to reverse a decision the Kyle City Council made on April 2, saying the move violated the city’s charter. Kyle City Council members earn $1,000 monthly for their service and an additional $500 stipend for expenses. For the last five years, city council members could access the City’s health insurance but premiums were deducted from their monthly salary. In a 4-3 vote on April 2, the city council vot
  
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• Austin housing market report shows decline in homes sold in May

  14-06-2024 00:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The May 2024 report from the Austin Board of Realtors showed the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area housing market had a 12.8% decline in homes sold with 4.9 months of available inventory. The report stated this was a level that hasn't been seen in 13 years.
  The May report also said active listings saw an uptick of 37.7% year-over-year. Due to this increase in available options, buyers now have the ability to be more selective when purchasing a home, acco
  
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• City of Austin could revive homeless prevention services lost during pandemic

  13-06-2024 23:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Nonprofit groups that work to end and prevent homelessness are asking the City of Austin to reinvest in some homelessness prevention measures -- like rental and utilities help -- as the homeless strategy office balances its budget.
  The City of Austin will be forced to make tough cuts as federal pandemic funding dries up, KXAN has previously reported.
  As a result, some groups have asked the city focus its limited resources on permanent supportive housing, other groups are asking
  
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• Zilker Park Boat Rentals launches petition to preserve business

  13-06-2024 20:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — For more than half a century, Zilker Park Boat Rentals has been a mainstay for outdoor recreation on Barton Creek. Now, the business is rallying community support amid contract uncertainties with the City of Austin.Laura Massengale serves as co-owner of Zilker Park Boat Rentals, a business started in 1969 by her father, Howard Barnett. A writer at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine at the time, Massengale recounted how her dad wanted to create a space where people could
  
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• Garden dedicated to KXAN station mascot, Kaxan

  13-06-2024 20:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN honored one of its own, celebrating the life of station mascot and therapy dog Kaxan.KXAN dedicated a garden in memory of Kaxan Thursday at the station's Austin building. Kaxan died in March 2023.Kaxan was found in an alleyway behind the KXAN studios more than a decade ago. He was taken to the Austin Animal Center by KXAN senior forecaster Jim Spencer, and his former owners were notified. They decided to surrender Kaxan back to the shelter, and Spencer decided to make
  
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• Report: Texas ranks second to last for maternal health care access

  13-06-2024 20:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A new report by ValuePenguin found more than 30% of women giving birth don't have access to adequate postnatal care.KXAN's Erica Brennes sat down with Divya Singh from Lending Tree to discuss the numbers.Brennes: Joining me today is Divya Singh with Lending Tree, we're going to be discussing a recent report that found that Texas is the second to last worst state when it comes to prenatal and maternal care in the country. Personally, as a mom in Texas, this is a tough thing
  
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• Police searching for suspect in series of east Austin burglaries

  13-06-2024 20:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying a suspect detectives believe is connected to a series of burglaries that happened in east Austin earlier this month.
  APD said the burglaries happened on June 7 around 5 p.m. in the 1600 block of Chatham Avenue.
  Police said during one of the burglaries, the suspect broke into a home in the area holding a knife. Preliminary investigation revealed he may live near the Windsor Park area.
  The suspect is describe
  
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• Williamson County animal shelter introduces new program, hosts free adoption weekend

  13-06-2024 19:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter on Thursday unveiled a pilot adoption program aimed at speeding up the rehoming process for pets in need of a new family.
  The program's launch will coincide with the shelter's upcoming free adoption weekend, commencing with its inaugural PAWjama Party on Friday evening.Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter PAWjama Party (Photo courtesy: WCRAS)WCRAS said in a press release the shelter's primary focus remains on reuniting lots pets wit
  
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• Texas pastor sentenced to 35 years after stealing three churches

  13-06-2024 19:14 via kxan.com
  
  (NewsNation) — A Texas pastor has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after a jury convicted him of stealing three churches valued at more than $800,000.Whitney Foster, 56, the pastor at the True Foundation nondenominational church in Dallas, was sentenced after he was convicted of theft of property involving three local churches, Dallas County prosecutors announced.Foster was the pastor of a small congregation that did not have a physical place to meet. Foster was accused of stealing rea
  
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• Austin comes up short in bid for EV HQ project, loses to North Carolina city

  13-06-2024 18:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) -- A California-based electric vehicle charging company backed by several of the world's biggest car manufacturers almost picked the city of Austin for a $10.1 million corporate headquarters and research project before opting for a North Carolina city instead, according to interviews and documents obtained by the Austin Business Journal.Ionna LLC — a joint venture created by BMW, General Motors Co., Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellanti
  
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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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• Hot first, but Gulf system could bring rain next week

  13-06-2024 12:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The story through Sunday (Father's Day) will just be about the heat and humidity. Temperatures will reach the upper 90s daily and we can't rule out a few low triple digits in spots.
  Humidity only comes down slightly before coming back up next week ahead of some tropical moisture heading in our general direction.Next week: Gulf inspired rain?All eyes remain on the southern Gulf of Mexico as the National Hurricane Center monitors a conducive environment for tropical development in
  
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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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