Austin news

• Third lane of MoPac finally opens at Lady Bird Lake

  02-12-2016 14:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Drivers will be rejoicing as the third lane of northbound MoPac has finally opened at Lady Bird Lake and the Enfield Road exit.
  Video released by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority shows a simulation of what it will look like for drivers to get onto the new MoPac Expressway Lanes from northbound MoPac. While the third lane of MoPac is open, crews are still working to complete the northbound Express Lane.
  The final stage of the lane construction was completed Thu
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• 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
  
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• Miami TSA agents catch man hiding snakes in his pants

  04-05-2024 14:38 via kxan.com
  
  MIAMI (WFLA) — TSA agents at Miami International Airport found a slithery surprise last Friday after a traveler attempted to sneak a bag of snakes through security.The kicker? He was trying to transport them in his pants.On April 26, the man — who the TSA did not publicly identify — was passing through a checkpoint at MIA ahead of an international flight, a spokesperson for the TSA told Nexstar. But once he entered a screener utilizing advanced imaging technology (AIT), officer
  
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• Millions to see broadband bills go up in May: Here’s why, and what’s next

  04-05-2024 14:35 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Millions of Americans who have been receiving discounted internet and phone service over the last few years are about to see their bills increase as a federal program runs out of funding. Since 2021, the FCC has provided eligible households (those with an income below 200% of the poverty line, or those in which someone was receiving a government benefit like SNAP, Medicaid, or WIC) with cheaper internet or phone service through the Affordable Connectivity Program. More tha
  
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• Watch: Nexstar’s 2024 Remarkable Women Special

  04-05-2024 14:34 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) -- It was a night of stars, surprises and countless inspirational stories as Nexstar Media Group, Inc. honored “Remarkable Women” winners from across the nation and named 2024’s “Nexstar Woman of the Year.”The awards gala was held at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in early April and was the culmination of an amazing trip for more than 100 regional winners. They visited the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre, got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Warner Bros. Studio
  
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• Man admits to sexual acts on flight from Lubbock to Dallas

  04-05-2024 14:33 via kxan.com
  
  LUBBOCK, Texas — Julian Deshaud Immanuel Morris was accused of inappropriately touching himself next to a woman on a flight from Dallas to Lubbock, federal court records obtained Thursday stated.According to court records, Morris, 26, is set to plead guilty to lewd acts on an aircraft on May 6.Warning: Some details in this article could be disturbing for some readers.Booking image of Julian Deshaud Immanuel Morris provided by the Lubbock County Detention CenterCourt records said on March 2
  
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• Stormy weather returns tonight through Sunday afternoon

  04-05-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The weather is quiet this Saturday morning with only surface reports of drizzle underneath the overcast sky. That will change by early this evening. Many rain totals of 1 to 3" since late Wednesday nightCentral Texas faces another couple of rounds of showers and thunderstorms. The first round arrives this evening over Mason and San Saba Counties. The field of strong to severe thunderstorms moves through the Hill Country onto I-35 by midnight.Strong to severe storms late ton
  
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• Sources: Texas suspends truck inspections at Ysleta Port of Entry

  04-05-2024 14:24 via kxan.com
  
  EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Truck wait times dropped dramatically on Friday at a commercial port of entry in El Paso where Texas Department of Public Safety had been conducting extensive safety inspections since last Saturday.It took truck drivers only a few minutes to get their loads across the Ysleta Port of Entry at 4 p.m. on Friday, compared to eight hours just the previous day. Wait times were still at more than four hours at Ysleta around 1 p.m., before traffic suddenly began fl
  
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• DeSantis signs bill banning lab-grown meat in Florida

  04-05-2024 14:24 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill banning lab-grown meat in his state Wednesday, in what he described as an effort to "save our beef.”“Today, Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals,” DeSantis said in a press release Wednesday. “Our administration will continue to focus on investing in our local farmers and ranchers, and we
  
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• 'They were whirled around inside': Hawley family of 4 survives tornado

  04-05-2024 14:22 via kxan.com
  
  HAWLEY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — A family of four in Hawley described the scene as a tornado hit the area Thursday evening.
  Wes Lambert shared that his wife and two children were inside their house, taking cover from the storm. Wes was outside watching the tornado to determine which way it was going. He quickly realized it was crossing the field and heading right towards his house.
  "It got massive quick, and I could tell it was moving our way, and that's when I decided to get in the closet; wif
  
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