Austin news

• Study: Texas among best states for small businesses in 2024

  28-04-2024 15:07 via kxan.com
  
  EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) - Are you having second thoughts about opening a small business? A new study revealed the best and worst states for small businesses in 2024. And yes, the Lone Star State is among the best ones.To establish the best and worst states to start a business, the research team at LLC Geek evaluated 20 relevant factors spread across the following categories: business costs; workforce; business environment; infrastructure; and economical conditions.According to the study, each fact
  
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• Texas Longhorns named No. 1 seed in NCAA softball tournament for first time in program history

  13-05-2024 02:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Despite dropping the Big 12 Conference tournament championship game to Oklahoma on Saturday, the Texas Longhorns are the top seed in the NCAA softball tournament for the first time in program history.The tournament selection committee announced the bracket Sunday with the Longhorns at the top, and they'll open play against Siena at 3 p.m. Friday at McCombs Field. It's the Longhorns' 19th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament and 24th overall.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Sta
  
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• Longhorns win 5th consecutive Big 12 series with 10-7 victory over Central Florida

  13-05-2024 00:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas picked up another Big 12 series victory with a 10-7 win over Central Florida on Sunday in Orlando.It's the fifth consecutive series win for the Longhorns who won the opening game Friday 6-3 then dropped Saturday's game 5-4. Sunday's win keeps Texas tied with West Virginia for third in the conference with a 17-10 record. The Longhorns are 32-20 overall heading into the final Big 12 series of the season against Kansas. OPENING GAME: Texas off to a fast start in final Bi
  
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• Los Angeles-area condo sells for record-breaking $24 million 

  13-05-2024 00:24 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – In many luxury apartment buildings, the higher up you go, the higher the price tag. That’s exactly the case with one West Hollywood condo, which recently sold for an eye-watering $24 million, making it the most expensive condo ever sold in the in Los Angeles area. The penthouse unit at 8899 Beverly Boulevard boasts 14-foot ceilings and a 2,000-square-foot wraparound terrace with sweeping city views, the 8899 Beverly website said.
  In addition, the penthouse itself h
  
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• Deadline to claim $1 billion in tax refunds nears – do you qualify?

  13-05-2024 00:21 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – A crucial deadline is coming later this month for some taxpayers who may be owed their share of an estimated $1 billion in refunds, the Internal Revenue Service announced.Taxpayers who did not file their tax year 2020 returns may be eligible to collect a refund if they file by May 17, and there's no penalty for failure to file if a refund is due.
  To get a refund, however, the return must reach the IRS within three years of the due date. The cutoff is later this year because in
  
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• 'I didn't do anything wrong': Man accused of paying homeless woman to care for his granddaughter while he went to a bar

  13-05-2024 00:20 via kxan.com
  
  SACRAMENTO (KTXL) — A grandfather was arrested after reportedly giving a homeless woman $20 to watch his granddaughter while he visited a nearby bar, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.Sunday night, deputies responded to reports of a man asking people to help him find his 7-year-old granddaughter who had allegedly been kidnapped.When deputies met with the man, Jason Warren, they determined him to be "highly intoxicated." He reportedly told them he had given $20 to a homele
  
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• MSC cruise ship sails into NYC with 44-foot dead endangered whale across its bow

  13-05-2024 00:18 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — A cruise ship sailed into a New York City port with a 44-foot (13-meter) dead whale across its bow, marine authorities said.The whale, identified as an endangered sei whale, was caught on the ship's bow when it arrived at the Port of Brooklyn on Saturday, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries spokesperson Andrea Gomez said.A spokesperson for MSC Cruises said the whale was on the MSC Meraviglia, which docked at Brooklyn before sailing to ports in New Engl
  
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• Actor Steve Buscemi punched in the face in random New York City attack: publicist

  13-05-2024 00:17 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Steve Buscemi is OK after he was punched in the face by a man on a New York City street, his publicist said Sunday.The 66-year-old star of “Fargo” and “Boardwalk Empire” was assaulted late Wednesday morning in Manhattan and taken to a nearby hospital with bruising, swelling and bleeding to his left eye.“Steve Buscemi was assaulted in Mid-Town Manhattan, another victim of a random act of violence in the city,” according to a statemen
  
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• Police: Dispute leads to multiple assaults, alleged firearm discharge at Manor football stadium

  12-05-2024 23:28 via kxan.com
  
  MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Police are investigating multiple assaults and a possible firearm discharge that happened after a dispute between adult teams at a Manor ISD football stadium.
  The Manor Police Department said the assaults and alleged firearm discharge happened Saturday at the Manor New Tech High School football stadium.
  Police said a dispute happened during the last moments of a game between two adult teams from Killeen and Round Rock.
  Manor police said there were minor injuries from
  
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• Punxsutawney Phil, wife Phyllis announce names of pups

  12-05-2024 22:29 via kxan.com
  
  PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Punxsutawney Phil, and his wife, Phyllis, celebrated her first Mother's Day in a very special way.Dozens gathered at the Punxsutawney Groundhog Zoo Sunday morning to hear the long-awaited announcement of the names of Phil and Phyllis' two pups born in March."Today, Mother's Day, we decided it would be a fitting day to announce the names of our new baby groundhogs that belong to Phil and Phyllis," Dan McGinley, Vice President of The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, sa
  
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• Social Security Administration announces new list of most popular baby names

  12-05-2024 22:27 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – A new name has cracked into the top 10 list of the most popular baby names in the U.S.
  The Social Security Administration released its annual list of most popular names Friday using 2023 data. The agency tracks names dating back to 1880, gathering the names from applications for Social Security cards.2023's top contenders don't look all that different from last year — Liam and Olivia still reign supreme for boys and girls, respectively — but there is
  
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• Will your last COVID vaccine work against new 'FLiRT' variants?

  12-05-2024 22:24 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Two new COVID-19 variants are circulating, posing a threat to a summer surge.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking the new variants, scientifically known as KP.2 and KP.1.1 since at least the start of 2024. They’ve been steadily growing in prominence ever since, and have garnered the nickname “FLiRT” because of their mutations.The latest data shows KP.2 is the dominant strain in the U.S., comprising almost 25% of the tests that have
  
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• Target cutting number of stores carrying Pride-themed merchandise after 2023 backlash

  12-05-2024 22:23 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Target confirmed Friday that it won't carry Pride Month merchandise at all stores in June after the discount retailer experienced a backlash and lower sales over its collection honoring LGBTQ+ communities.Target, which operates roughly 2,000 stores, said decisions about where to stock Pride-themed products, including adult apparel, home goods, foods and beverages would be based on “guest insights and consumer research.”A Target spokesperson declined to disclose
  
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• New ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ expected to be released in 2026

  12-05-2024 22:21 via kxan.com
  
  Andy Serkis is going back to Middle-earth to play Gollum in two new “Lord of the Rings” films.Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said Thursday that Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the Oscar-winning team behind the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies, will produce and Serkis will direct.“Yesssss, Precious,” Serkis said in a statement. “The time has come once
  
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• Why the USPS is urging homeowners to fix their mailboxes

  12-05-2024 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – The United States Postal Service is encouraging Americans to clean up and fix their mailboxes as part of an annual campaign.Mailbox Improvement Week takes place every third week of May and is meant to gently urge homeowners to perform maintenance on their mailboxes and repair regular wear and tear.Among the improvements the USPS suggests, homeowners should consider replacing loose hinges on the mailbox door, remounting a loose mailbox post, adding or replacing house numbers and re
  
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• REAL ID deadline is fast approaching: Are you prepared?

  12-05-2024 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP/NEXSTAR) — In roughly a year, you'll need a special identification card, known as a REAL ID, in order to fly domestically, visit certain federal facilities, or enter a nuclear power plant.Enforcement of these federally-approved IDs was set to begin in 2020, but was delayed multiple times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Current guidance from the Department of Homeland Security says REAL ID enforcement will begin on May 7, 2025.Luckily, you may already have a REA
  
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• 'Changed my life': Starbucks barista seeks stranger who left note before Mother's Day

  12-05-2024 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KARK) – Starting people's day off right is part of the job description for a barista who comes into work before sunrise. So, when a woman who seemed to be struggling walked into Starbucks on April 25, Courtney Crawford brought sunshine to her day."She was tired. She was oh my gosh. I've got all things to do. You could feel the weight, so it was important to me to at least get her smile," Crawford said.She was successful, and minutes later, that woman returned with a note
  
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• Northern lights: What causes the colors that we see — and don't see?

  12-05-2024 22:03 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Amid a massive solar storm, Americans as far south as Hawaii, Florida, and Texas have had the chance to see the northern lights. For some, it's the first time in nearly two decades that conditions aligned to bring the aurora to their night skies.If you saw the northern lights — either with your own eyes or with the help of your phone — you may have noticed an array of colors. But what causes the different shades of greens, reds, blues, and purples? It's all about wh
  
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• Dozens walk out before Jerry Seinfeld's commencement speech at Duke in protest

  12-05-2024 22:03 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) — Dozens of students walked out of the Duke University commencement ceremony ahead of Jerry Seinfeld’s scheduled speech Sunday, apparently in protest of the Jewish comedian’s support for Israel, according to news reports and videos circulated on social media.As Seinfeld received his honorary degree, before beginning his commencement speech, the graduating students rose from their seats and walked out, waving Palestinian flags and chanting, “Free, free Palestine
  
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• McDonald's could introduce a $5 Value Meal: reports

  12-05-2024 22:02 via kxan.com
  
  CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — McDonald's is reportedly working to create a $5 Value Meal to help offset slowing sales.According to a report by Bloomberg, the $5 meal would include four items: a McChicken or McDouble sandwich, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries, and a drink. Sources confirmed those potential offerings to CNBC, but the chain declined to comment to the outlet.
  The Chicago burger giant previously said inflation-weary customers are eating out less often in many big markets. McDo
  
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• Sharks in Guadalupe River? What the city of New Braunfels has to say

  12-05-2024 21:37 via kxan.com
  
  NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — The City Of New Braunfels addressed concerns Wednesday about the possibility of sharks in the Guadalupe River.“Despite recent social media posts warning tubers about a shark being caught in ‘the Guadalupe River,’ there have been no reports of sharks in the relatively shallow freshwater of the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels,” the city said.According to a social media post from the city, the Guadalupe River is roughly 230 miles long, st
  
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• Millennials are buying more homes in these Texas cities than anywhere else in the US

  12-05-2024 17:00 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) - Over the last decade, the total number of homeowners in the U.S. has increased year after year, particularly in Texas.According to the Census Bureau, Texas had the largest growth in population last year by adding 473,453 people – an increase of 1.6% in population. In total, Texas has the second-largest population out of any state with just under 31 million people. Austinites could get up to $3,000 for switching to ‘WaterWise’ landscapesBut of those new people making
  
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• 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
  
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• Wildflower Center says great horned owlets now 'spreading their wings'

  12-05-2024 16:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center provided an update on the baby owls of Athena, the center’s resident great horned owl.“The newest arrivals to the Wildflower Center family are growing up fast! These cute owlets hatched in early April and are now - quite literally - spreading their wings,” the center said in a social media post.Two owlets nested at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center photo taken by Bill J. Boy
  
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• Rain, strong to severe storms possible again Monday

  12-05-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Other than some light fog/mist or a brief scattered shower or storm, significant precipitation is unlikely tonight through the early morning Sunday.A Flood Watch is also in effect until Monday afternoon for Milam County. Earlier excessive rainfall may lead to flooding of creeks, rivers, and steams and other low-lying areas prone to flooding.Pockets of heavy rain led to some totals exceeding 3" in parts of Lampasas and Saba Counties. A measurement of 2.50" was reported at th
  
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• A period of unsettled weather continues

  12-05-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) —Overnight thunderstorms moved into San Saba County between 3 and 4 a.m. While the storms remained below severe criteria they did produce plenty of lightning. There was a radar report of grape- to walnut-sized along the Lampasas-San Saba county line.Pockets of heavy rain led to rain totals exceeding one inch at a few locations in the these two counties. Central Texas rain totalsToday's forecast has dropped to 60% for showers and thunderstorms. The upper-level low that yesterd
  
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• Lawmakers double down on LGBTQ+ policies ahead of next Texas session

  12-05-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  Project Summary: In 2023, a fifth of the country’s state-level bills impacting the LGBTQ+ community were filed in Texas, according to a Human Rights Campaign analysis. Equality Texas tracked a record 141 such bills this year up from just 12 in 2015. Some policies passed and several others progressed substantially in the most recent legislative session. KXAN’s team of journalists – many LGBTQ+ staff members with unique, developed and inside perspectives providing nuance to our
  
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• Groups protest Austin Animal Center, say leaders aren't fixing changes needed

  12-05-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some Austinites gathered downtown on Saturday in a peaceful sidewalk demonstration, saying "poor leadership" is leading the Austin Animal Center.Local group Here for the Dogs organized the protest as a way to advocate for policy changes at the animal shelter, according to the Here for the Dogs website.Those people said they take offense with Don Bland, the current chief animal services officer at the Austin Animal Center, who they said isn't committed to Austin's no-kill mandate
  
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• Dozens gather on UT campus after graduation for pro-Palestine rally

  12-05-2024 05:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Dozens of people gathered at the University of Texas at Austin campus on Saturday night to for a pro-Palestine protest after commencement ceremonies ended.People were seen gathering shortly before 10 p.m., with the Texas Department of Public Safety and UT Police watching from a distance. UT Austin officials were also present and monitoring the demonstration but were later seen walking away. UT grads reach milestone after protest clashes on campusAt the demonstration, people were
  
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• Dozens gather on UT campus after graduation for pro-Palestine protest

  12-05-2024 05:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Dozens of people gathered at the University of Texas at Austin campus on Saturday night to for a pro-Palestine protest after commencement ceremonies ended.People were seen gathering shortly before 10 p.m., with the Texas Department of Public Safety and UT Police watching from a distance. UT Austin officials were also present and monitoring the demonstration but were later seen walking away. UT grads reach milestone after protest clashes on campusAt the demonstration, people were
  
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