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• Leander police say report of attempted abduction 'unfounded'

  15-04-2025 17:31 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — A report of a stranger who tried to entice a girl into his vehicle in Leander was determined to be "unfounded," police said.The Leander Police Department initially reported that a juvenile girl was walking on Artesian Springs Crossing, in the Crystal Springs neighborhood, Friday afternoon when a man pulled up in a vehicle next to her and yelled at her to get inside. The child ran away and the vehicle sped off, police said in a press release Friday.In an update poste
  
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• Georgetown Police respond to 18-wheeler crash on I-35

  23-04-2025 14:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Georgetown Police Department said first responders were working a crash involving an 18-wheeler and six other vehicles Wednesday morning.According to GPD, the crash occurred on southbound Interstate 35 near the 257-mile marker near Southeast Inner Loop.“All southbound lanes are closed at this time,” police said.Authorities said drivers should seek an alternate route.“We do not currently have an ETA for the roadway being cleared,” police said.
  
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• PHOTOS: Severe weather brings hail to Central Texas

  23-04-2025 13:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As severe weather moved through Central Texas overnight, some parts received substantial hail.KXAN Meteorologist Kristen Currie said there was only one severe storm last night, which impacted Williamson County.Here's a look at some hail photos sent in by KXAN viewers.4-22-25 | Hail in SE Georgetown (Credit: Holly B.)4-22-25 | Hail in Georgetown (Credit: Suzanne Bacci)4-22-25 | Hail in SE Georgetown (Credit: Holly B.)4-22-25 | Hail in Georgetown (Credit: Steven Hook)4-22-25
  
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• Travis County, DEA team up for drug take back event

  23-04-2025 13:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Travis County said it would partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, on April 26 to collect expired, unused or unwanted over-the-counter and prescription drugs.According to the county, the effort was in partnership with National Take Back Day, which “allows residents to safely remove unneeded medications from their homes, which helps prevent drug misuse and reduces the risk of addiction.”Residents can drop off medications at any of the five Trav
  
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• Bill would standardize food truck operations, inspections statewide

  23-04-2025 13:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A rally is planned at the Texas Capitol Wednesday to support a bill that proposes a unified permit system for food trucks across Texas.House Bill 2683 aims to simplify operations for food truck owners by eliminating the need for multiple permits and inspections across different cities and counties.
  Currently, food truck operators face varying regulations depending on their location, which can complicate business operations.Operating a food truck in Texas currently requires sever
  
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• A couple more rounds of storms this week

  23-04-2025 11:00 via kxan.com
  
  Editor’s Note: The video above shows the latest forecast from the KXAN First Warning Weather team.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After a healthy drink of water this morning, we now wait for our next round of storms expected as early as this afternoon.Morning storms and showers will continue to push east and are expected to be east of our area just after sunrise. It'll take a little while for our atmosphere to regroup and recover... but we could see a few isolated storms pop up by late afternoo
  
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• FDA hiring contractors to replace terminated safety inspection staffers

  23-04-2025 05:43 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — When Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced sweeping job cuts at his department last month, he said that safety inspectors who oversee U.S. foods and drugs wouldn't be impacted.Those employees remain at the Food and Drug Administration, but dozens of others who supported their work are gone. The departed staffers include people who booked complex international trips to remote Indian pharmaceutical plants, lab scientists wh
  
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• Will your student loans be sent to collection? What to know about Education Department changes

  23-04-2025 05:34 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — If you haven’t been making payments on your federal student loans, you could soon find yourself sent to collection with your wages garnished following the return of a Department of Education program. The department announced Monday that it would restart collections in two weeks, on May 5, a process that has been on hold since the start of the COVID pandemic. While the Education Department has warned that defaulted borrowers could be sent to collections, it has offere
  
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• Former child actress Sophie Nyweide dies at 24

  23-04-2025 05:26 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – Former child actress Sophie Nyweide, who starred in films like "Mammoth" and "An Invisible Sign," has passed away. She was 24 years old.Nyweide's cause of death was not clear Tuesday; her mother told TMZ that autopsy results are still pending.In an online obituary, Nyweide was described as "creative, athletic and wise" person who was beloved by friends and family. Nyweide died April 14, according to the obit.
  The tribute also added that the 24-year-old had been dealing with unspec
  
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• APD searching for suspects connected with north Austin grocery store robbery

  23-04-2025 05:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department said on Tuesday it was requesting the public's help to identify three suspects connected with an Aggravated Robbery with a Deadly Weapon at a north Austin grocery store located at 8237 Research Boulevard.APD said the robbery occurred on April 9 just before 10 p.m.
  The suspects were all armed with handguns when they entered the grocery store and forced victims to the ground, according to authorities. One of the suspects then forced a victim to the cas
  
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• CapMetro approves big changes to bike share fares, student discount

  23-04-2025 04:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – CapMetro, Austin's public transit authority, announced big changes to its fare structure for the city bike share on Wednesday.CapMetro previously offered different payment options for residents including pay-as-you-ride, a one-day pass, a 31-day pass, an annual pass, and a student discount exclusive to the University of Texas. Under the new structure, the bike share will retain all previous payment options, but with lower up-front fares and included ride times cut from 60 t
  
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• TCSO: Gas leak in Pflugerville leads to road closure

  23-04-2025 01:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A gas leak in Pflugerville on Tuesday evening has resulted in a road closure near the intersection of Dessau Road and Wells Branch Parkway, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office.TCSO said Immanuel Road at Magic Hill Drive to Immanuel Road at Rendova Lane has been closed and there is no estimated time for its reopening.
  A utility company is currently at the scene working to resolve the issue, according to authorities.
  This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN.com
  
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• Steve Sarkisian weighs in on former Longhorns expected be picked in 2025 NFL Draft

  23-04-2025 01:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — In two days, dreams could come true for former Texas Longhorns hoping to hear their name called in the 2025 NFL draft.The Longhorns had 11 players drafted in 2024 and could see as many as 14 this year, which would be a school record. Something head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to be proud of."I tell these guys when we're recruiting them, this is one of the few times in high school where you get to choose where you get to go to school," Sarkisian said Tuesday. "This is a diff
  
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• Texas legislature looks to help rural hospitals struggling to stay open

  23-04-2025 00:55 via kxan.com
  
  LA GRANGE, Texas (Nexstar) -- Right on Highway 77, a few miles from downtown La Grange, sits a hospital that once provided emergency services and orthopedic surgery. Now, the St. Mark's Medical Center is an empty building with a sign on the front door that reads, "Sorry, we're closed."The hospital closed in October 2023 because of “ongoing inability to meet its financial obligations,” according to a news release that announced the closure.
  St. Mark's was the only hospital in Fayette
  
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• State secures more than 3,000 acres for new park in Central Texas

  23-04-2025 00:55 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The photo featured in this story shows the existing Colorado Bend State Park, which is located across the river from the planned state park.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said on Monday it finalized the second phase of purchases that included 1,100 acres in Lampasas and Burnet counties, according to a news release.In January, Texas initially purchased a 2,020-acre property from Burnet County for the park. With this purchase, the new state park will now be
  
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• Man charged with impersonating officer, using stun gun on people in downtown Austin

  23-04-2025 00:45 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: This video contains shows a man using a stun gun. Viewer discretion advised.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A man accused of impersonating an officer and pointing a stun gun at people in downtown Austin April 13 was arrested by the Austin Police Department on multiple charges.Around 2 a.m., APD responded to multiple 911 calls about a man reportedly pointing a stun gun at people near West Sixth and Nueces Streets.Jason Parnell, 35. (Courtesy: Austin Police Department)
  When officers got there, the
  
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• Eeyore's Birthday Party celebrates 60 years

  23-04-2025 00:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - It's an annual tradition Austinites look forward to each year and this year is an especially special as Eeyore's Birthday Party celebrates 60 years.Taking place at Pease District Park, the family-friendly free event started off as a UT student's dream after reading the famous Winnie-the-Pooh book. Heather Hampton, the president of the Friends of Forest Foundation, says each year it's grown bigger and bigger."It has been happening since 1964 whenever an English class at UT led by
  
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• Texas Speaker pulls constitutional amendments after reported Democratic threat

  23-04-2025 00:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Leading up to the anticipated Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) vote last Wednesday, the Texas Tribune said more than 50 House Democrats threatened to vote against every proposed constitutional amendment if Republicans didn't help them put the ESA legislation to a public vote.The vote to pass passed on party lines. On the Republican side, only former Speaker Dade Phelan, R – Beaumont, and Gary VanDeaver, R – New Boston, voted against the bill. Ahead of pivota
  
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• APD seeking public help to find suspect connected to southeast Austin Subway robbery

  23-04-2025 00:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is seeking public help to find a suspect wanted in connection with a robbery that happened earlier this month at a southeast Austin Subway, the agency said in a news release.Police said the alleged robbery happened April 5 between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Subway located at 1931 E. Ben White Boulevard.The suspect "jumped on top of the counter and demanded cash while he threatened that he was armed with a gun," according to police. Then, police said
  
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• Tesla profits fall by 70% amid backlash tied to Musk's role in Trump administration

  22-04-2025 23:49 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla’s first-quarter profits plunged by more than two-thirds amid a backlash against Elon Musk’s electric car company that has hurt sales and sent its stock plunging.The Austin, Texas, company said Tuesday that quarterly profits fell by 70% to to $409 million, or 12 cents a share. That’s far below analyst estimates. Tesla’s revenue fell 9% to $19.3 billion in the January through March period, also below Wall Street’s forecast.The disappointing
  
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• APD identifies swimmer pulled from Lake Austin

  22-04-2025 23:10 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above is from Sunday's newscast at 9AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Tuesday, the Austin Police Department identified the man whose body was recovered from Lake Austin at Emma Long Metropolitan Park late Sunday.That man was identified as Angel Savarin. He was pronounced dead just before 10:30 p.m. Sunday, according to police. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Body recovered after search for swimmer at Austin parkAustin-Travis County EMS on Sunday said the search for an adult swimmer is in "recovery
  
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• City of Austin announces $2.2M available for homelessness prevention

  22-04-2025 23:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin's Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) is looking for partners to help address homelessness by keeping people out of it in the first place.
  The city announced $2.2 million in funding available for groups to "provide rental assistance, financial assistance, and supportive services to households at risk of homelessness.""We're looking for partners who can come in and they can help us identify households who are at risk of experiencing homelessness, even if the household themselve
  
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• Bill to legalize fentanyl test strips passes Texas House

  22-04-2025 22:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) - Texas House lawmakers gave preliminary approval to legislation that legalizes the possession of test strips for fentanyl and xylazine. House Bill 1644 passed 145-0. The bill requires one more vote before it can move to the Senate for consideration.Test strips allow people to determine if the drugs they are using contain fentanyl or xylazine. Texas Health and Human Services reports that a large number of fentanyl-related deaths are a result of people taking counterfeit pre
  
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• City of Austin highlights falling greenhouse gases, increased park space in State of Our Environment Report

  22-04-2025 21:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin is celebrating Earth Day by highlighting the state of the city's environment in a new report released on Tuesday.It's all part of the city's efforts to meet the needs of a bustling community, without compromising Austin's natural spaces and environmental protections, according to a press release by the Watershed Protection Department.The 2024 State of Our Environment report shows that, despite the boom in population Austin has seen in recent years, the city's greenhouse g
  
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• New bills proposes added penalties to 'death star bill'

  22-04-2025 21:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas Senate committee for business & commerce heard bills aiming to further strengthen the state's ability to enact local governments to comply with enforcing laws consistent with the state on Tuesday.Senate Bill 2858 and Senate Bill 3016 authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R – Conroe, builds off the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, HB 2127, which passed in the 88th Texas Legislature. That bill prohibited local governments from creating laws that conflict
  
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• How long will US flags fly at half-staff for Pope Francis?

  22-04-2025 21:14 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Noticed U.S. flags in your neighborhood are flying at half-staff? It comes after President Donald Trump ordered flags across the country to be lowered in honor of Pope Francis, who died Monday. He was 88.The Vatican said Monday that Francis' death was caused by a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure. He had recently spent 38 days at a hospital for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.
  His last public appearance was on Sunday with an East
  
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• Gunmen kill at least 20 tourists at Kashmir resort, Indian police say

  22-04-2025 21:09 via kxan.com
  
  SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Gunmen shot dead at least 20 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Tuesday, in what appeared to be a major shift in the regional conflict in which tourists have largely been spared.Police described the incident as a “terror attack” and blamed militants fighting against Indian rule. “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” Omar Abdullah, the region&rsqu
  
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• America's most 'family-friendly' restaurant is in Texas: Yelp

  22-04-2025 21:04 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – The school year is quickly coming to an end, and before long, Texas families will be sweating out the summer together — and that means sharing more breakfasts, lunches and dinners with the kids.Whether you're looking to stop for a bite during a family road trip or a Saturday outing, it's always good to know which restaurants are geared toward a meal with the kids — and Yelp just released its list of Top 100 Family-Friendly Restaurants of 2025 to get you on the right
  
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• Appellate court finds San Marcos voter-approved marijuana ordinance unlawul

  22-04-2025 20:25 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – An appellate court last Thursday issued an opinion siding with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, stating that San Marcos’ marijuana decriminalization ordinance violates state law. In 2022, over 80% of San Marcos voters approved a proposition that ended low-level marijuana enforcement in the city. In 2024, Paxton sued San Marcos and other cities, including Austin and Killeen, over marijuana decriminalization ordinances passed around the same time or sh
  
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• Appellate court finds San Marcos voter-approved marijuana ordinance unlawful

  22-04-2025 20:25 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – An appellate court last Thursday issued an opinion siding with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, stating that San Marcos’ marijuana decriminalization ordinance violates state law. In 2022, over 80% of San Marcos voters approved a proposition that ended low-level marijuana enforcement in the city. In 2024, Paxton sued San Marcos and other cities, including Austin and Killeen, over marijuana decriminalization ordinances passed around the same time or sh
  
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