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• Council eyes $2.9M contract for Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard safety upgrades

  18-03-2025 18:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Later this month, Austin City Council will weigh in on a nearly $2.9 million contract for intersection and multimodal improvements along a stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.Council will consider March 27 a construction services contract for upgrades to the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Heflin Lane and Springdale Road, with the contract capped at just shy of $2.9 million. Should council greenlight the item, the contract would be awarded to DeNuc
  
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• 'This is a poison': Texas bill seeks to ban THC products from being sold

  19-03-2025 18:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss his passionate support of Senate Bill 3, which would ban the sale of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. This bill comes nearly six years after Texas lawmakers legalized the sale of consumable hemp, including products with THC levels under 0.3%. Since then, more than 8,000 stores selling THC products have popped up across the state, Patrick said. “They used a loophole to get aroun
  
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• Fewer bluebonnets to bloom in Central Texas this year — here's why

  19-03-2025 18:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Amid ongoing drought conditions in Central Texas and miniscule rain levels last fall, Central Texans aren't likely to see the same picturesque bluebonnets this wildflower season, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center confirmed in its 2025 wildflower forecast.“If predicting the weather is a challenge, then predicting the wildflower bloom for a big state like Texas is even more of a challenge,” said Andrea DeLong-Amaya, Wildflower Center horticulture director, i
  
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• Man arrested in Manor on murder charge out of Austin

  19-03-2025 17:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Law enforcement arrested a man in Manor last Thursday related to a December 2024 murder that occurred in southeast Austin. RELATED | Police identify victim in homicide near East Oltorf, release photos of person of interestAccording to the Austin Police Department, 26-year-old Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Gomez was arrested in the 15200 block of Sparks Run Road and charged with first-degree murder related to the death of 34-year-old Mario Damian-Rayas.Rodriguez-Gomez’s attorn
  
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• Zed's to open 2nd ice cream shop in Austin this spring

  19-03-2025 17:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Zed's Real Fruit Ice Cream is expanding its footprint in Austin, with a second dessert shop set to open in the Tarrytown neighborhood this spring.The Portland-based ice cream shop opened its first Austin location at 1814 Harvey St. back in mid-2021. Now, the business is expanding out to the west side of town, with its second shop slated for 2727 Exposition Blvd., Ste. 128 in the Tarrytown neighborhood, per project documents.In a social media post Wednesday, Zed's confirmed
  
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• Dormant Lawns: When grass will return and how to help prevent dryness

  19-03-2025 16:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Wildfire issues have been consistent and frequent through March and with the lack of rainfall the grass can be tinder for the perfect fuel for fires to spread.Bo Jenkins with ABC Home and Commercial Services said the end of March usually signals when our grass will start to come out of dormancy and become a bit more green."A lot of that is temperature-driven," Jenkins said. "The biggest thing we notice is it's all about the nighttime temperature—that takes us into the
  
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• WATCH: Dramatic car chase ends in discovery of missing Texas teen

  19-03-2025 14:32 via kxan.com
  
  JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — Video released by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office shows the moment a missing teenager from Texas was found after a car chase.Last Saturday, deputies spotted a car associated with the missing girl in Durbin Pavilion shopping center in St. Johns, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville.
  The vehicle, driven by 19-year-old Jesus Esteban Arellano, sped away as deputies approached, prompting the chase.
  The deputies in pursuit quickly utilized a precision immobilizatio
  
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• 4-year-old dies days after crash involving APD vehicle

  19-03-2025 13:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Tuesday, the Austin Police Department said a 4-year-old girl died following a March 10 three-vehicle crash in north Austin that involved an APD patrol vehicle.The department said the patrol vehicle was responding to a call with its lights and sirens activated when a vehicle pulled out from a private drive in front of the patrol vehicle, resulting in the crash. RELATED | Austin police officer injured in north Austin car crashAustin-Travis County EMS responded to the 8900
  
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• These are the most common cars being stolen in Texas

  19-03-2025 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – After years of spiking vehicle thefts, the tides have turned. The number of stolen cars reported in 2024 was down substantially, breaking the pattern of year-after-year increases set off in 2020.About 850,700 vehicles were stolen in the U.S. last year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). That's down from more than 1 million stolen vehicles in 2023.
  Despite the trend, some vehicles are still being targeted fairly often by thieves. The NICB reports two H
  
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• Lawsuit accuses man of killing, eating patients at SC mental health facility

  19-03-2025 04:25 via kxan.com
  
  Warning: Graphic content may be disturbing to some readers.
  RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) - The case against a South Carolina mental health facility where a man is accused of murdering and cannibalizing patients could be heading to trial.A lawsuit filed by the family of 22-year-old Jared Ondrea claims Richland County's New Hope Home Solutions, facility owner Brittany Reynolds-Jackson and the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) are responsible for his death.According to documents, O
  
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• 'Meltdown hotline': Tillamook offers free ice cream in response to viral 911 call

  19-03-2025 04:21 via kxan.com
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon’s top dairy brand is serving as a first responder for those facing a different kind of emergency: stolen ice cream.On Tuesday, Tillamook launched its “meltdown hotline” for customers wanting their ice cream replaced after having it nabbed by others in their household. Legendary Jimi Hendrix, ecology workers awarded with Washington’s most prestigious medalsThe company said its new hotline is inspired by a trending story out of Wisconsin
  
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• Astronauts return home aboard SpaceX capsule after being stuck for 9 months

  19-03-2025 04:16 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) — The SpaceX capsule tasked with bringing back two NASA astronauts that have spent months on the International Space Station (ISS) after thruster issues following the launch of Boeing's Starliner mission last year have returned to Earth.
  The SpaceX capsule carrying Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening, just hours after departing the International Space Station. Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Fl
  
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• Here are the remaining JFK assassination files

  19-03-2025 04:13 via kxan.com
  
  (NewsNation) — The remaining classified files on the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy were released Tuesday evening on the National Archives website.It is unclear which documents are new and which ones have been released unredacted. JFK assassination files releasedA White House official tells NewsNation that 50,000 pages will be on the website and 30,000 pages will be available Wednesday, totaling 80,000 pages.104-10004-10143 (C06932208)DownloadClick here for all
  
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• Longhorns basketball feeling a 'breath of fresh air'

  19-03-2025 03:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - The season for Texas men's basketball didn't go how they envisioned. For a group that started the season ranked in the AP Top 25, the 2024-2025 campaign for the Longhorns has been in many ways a disappointment.None of that matters now.The Longhorns are where they wanted to be; the NCAA Tournament. Yes, they have to play in the First Four. No, they don't seem to care.Head Coach Rodney Terry has led a group that has battled through injuries this season but enters Wednesday night's
  
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• ATCEMS: 1 dead after vehicle, motorcycle crash on Loop 360

  19-03-2025 02:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person is dead after a crash between a vehicle and a motorcycle on Loop 360, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.ATCEMS medics said on social media it responded to the crash around 5:08 p.m. at 1801 S. Capital of Texas Highway northbound. One person was pronounced dead.The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said on social media it closed northbound lanes at Loop 360 and Westbank Drive. Drivers should expect traffic delays or seek an alternate route.No other details
  
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• Police seek public help finding 39-year-old woman last seen in Pflugerville

  19-03-2025 02:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Pflugerville Police Department is seeking public help to find a 39-year-old woman who was last seen March 14, the agency said on social media Tuesday.Kreacha Jones, 39 (Photos: Pflugerville Police Department)Kreacha Jones, also known as Kreacha Sims, is described as a Black woman, 5 feet 5 inches, weighs 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, according to police.Anyone who has any information can contact PPD at (512) 990-6700.
  
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• Abbott, DPS launch community reporting system

  19-03-2025 01:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) launched the iWatchTexas community reporting system to "protect the public from coercion and harassment by foreign adversaries", according to a news release.DPS said the feature will allow individuals to indicate their concern is related to foreign influence when submitting a report.“Texas’ No. 1 priority is to protect the safety and security of Texans,” said Abbott. “Last year,
  
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• APD: 1 arrested, 1 at large after officer injured in crash prompted by police chase

  19-03-2025 00:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A suspect was arrested, and another remained at large, after an officer was injured in a crash prompted by a police chase Tuesday morning in north Austin, the Austin Police Department told KXAN in a statement.APD officers responded to a report of a person breaking into a gate of a parking lot in the 10600 block of Jollyville Road around 5:35 a.m., police said. As officers responded, the suspect drove away from the scene, and then a short police chase was prompted, according to A
  
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• 'They refused to listen': Rain on 4th emptied by city of Austin over capacity discrepancy

  19-03-2025 00:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A popular queer nightclub, Rain on 4th, said it was shut down for more than an hour by the city of Austin after a "false claim of being over capacity."
  Rain's owners said they were told to empty their space and "conduct people recounts", despite actually being under capacity by roughly 100 people, they claimed on social media."This is about the fact that one of the few spaces which is dedicated to our community, and just making sure they feel comfortable and safe, and especially
  
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• Fight to contain Crabapple fire not over as winds stengthen, humidity drops

  18-03-2025 23:55 via kxan.com
  
  GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Fire crews continue efforts Tuesday to contain the Crabapple fire, which has affected an estimated 9,858 acres, according to the city of Fredericksburg. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported the fire was 90% contained. “We're sustaining winds between 15 and 20 miles an hour, gusting up to 30 miles an hour,” said City Public Information Officer Sean Doerre. “Humidity levels are expected [Tuesday] 
  
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• Texas Senate approves bill to put prayers in public schools

  18-03-2025 23:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — On Tuesday the Texas Senate discussed a pair of bills to introduce religion -- primarily Christianity -- into Texas public schools. Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) -- allowing prayer in school, passed -- while Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) -- requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in the classroom -- was left on the doorstep of passage.Prayer in schoolsThe Texas Senate passed SB 11 on Tuesday with a 23-7 vote margin. While the bill wouldn't require prayer in all public schools,
  
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• Austin police officer pleads guilty for use of excessive force during 2021 arrest

  18-03-2025 23:38 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Police Department Officer Alejandro Gaitan pled guilty on Tuesday to Assault Causing Bodily Injury, a misdemeanor, according to the Travis County District Attorney's Office. Gaitan was accused of hitting a person with a baton and using an "electroshock weapon", according to previous information obtained by KXAN.As part of the plea deal, Gaitan will complete two years of deferred adjudication and is required to permanently submit his Texas Commission On Law Enforcement (TC
  
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• APD addresses widely-spread video of interaction on 6th street

  18-03-2025 23:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After a video was posted online, which posters claimed was of a transgender woman being taken to the ground by law enforcement, the Austin Police Department (APD) issued a response and posted body camera footage. You can watch the footage here.APD said on March 2, around 2:30 a.m., APD officers "observed a physical disturbance in a crowd of people. Officers identified an intoxicated individual in a black dress that was attempting to engage in physical confrontations with other p
  
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• 'I'll never see him again': Activists argue against Texas bail reform

  18-03-2025 22:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As the Texas House debates bills to make it easier to deny bail for defendants accused of violent crimes, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas and others said the focus should be on eliminating the cash bail system altogether.Held in jail without a trial for 18 years"I was in the Harris County jail from 2006 to 2024," Edric Wilson said. "I was held without bond for a charge that was later thrown out. For 12 years, there was no option for me to gain or exper
  
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• The Honorable Wilhelmina Delco continues to pave the way for Austin leaders

  18-03-2025 22:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Honorable Wilhelmina Delco. You've probably seen her name driving around Austin. The Delco Activity Center, the Wilhelmina Delco Elementary School and Wilhelmina Delco Drive are all a testament to her years-long dedication to education and public service in Central Texas. But to understand her rich legacy, let's go back to Chicago, Illinois, in 1929."Her mother was one of the first probation officers in the country. Her father was a court deputy and a political organizer," e
  
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• Could I-35 in Austin be named after President Trump?

  18-03-2025 21:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — You've heard of Trump Tower, but what about the President Donald J. Trump Highway?That's the proposed designated name for Interstate 35 in Travis County, according to a new bill filed Friday by Texas Rep. Joanne Shofner (R-Nacogdoches). The bill outlines the design and construction of markets "indicating the designation as the President Donald J. Trump Highway" alongside any other existing designations.The proposed legislation also calls for the addition of markers at each
  
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• Have thoughts on e-scooter safety, parking in Austin? Here's how to weigh in

  18-03-2025 20:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The city of Austin is in the process of revisiting its rules surrounding electric scooters and e-bikes — and wants community input into how its micromobility program looks moving forward.City leaders launched a shared e-scooter and e-bike survey to gather public intel into the usage and availability, safety and parking in Austin. An open house will be held on March 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Austin Public Library's Carver branch, located at 1161 Angelina St
  
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• WCSO investigating alleged fentanyl overdose death of 30-year-old woman

  18-03-2025 20:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Williamson County Sheriff's Office is investigating an alleged fentanyl overdose death that happened in Thrall over the weekend, per a news release from the agency.On March 15, the WCSO Organized Crime United (OCU) responded to death at a home on County Road 433, the release said.When deputies and first responders arrived at the home, they found a 30-year-old woman dead inside, according to WCSO. No further details were released pending the final autopsy, as well as toxicolo
  
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• Austin's new women's sports pub celebrating grand opening Wednesday

  18-03-2025 20:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After more than a year of planning, fundraising, hosting pop-up events and looking for the right home, Austin's first women's sports bar is finally opening for business.1972: ATX Women's Sports Pub secured a prime location on Guadalupe Street in late January and quickly transformed the space — which was formally Moody's Kitchen and Bar — into what will be the first bar in Texas dedicated solely to women's sports. Women’s sports bar finds location, sets sights o
  
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• Some victims of deadly I-35 crash identified

  18-03-2025 18:45 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The above video is KXAN's latest coverage of the March 13 deadly I-35 crash in north Austin.
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Three victims in Thursday night's deadly crash on Interstate 35 were identified by Travis County officials on Tuesday. Truck driver in fatal I-35 crash allegedly under influence of drugs, affidavit saysSergieo Daniel Lopez, 32, and Natalia Helana Perez, 25, along with Ma Concepcion Joaquin De Joaquin, 78, were identified as three of the five people killed in the north
  
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