Austin news

• Why did flood gates need to be open on the Highland Lakes despite the drought?

  11-09-2024 14:46 via kxan.com
  
  MARBLE FALLS, TX (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, September 4, thousands of gallons of water poured through the flood gates at Max Starcke and Wirtz Dams. It was the second time in six weeks the dams had to open their gates.Max Starcke Dam floodgates partially opened Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey)While this summer has been dry, flood gates having to be open during this time period isn't unusual, according to the LCRA."Because Lake LBJ is a hydroelectric (dam) and a source of cooling w
  
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• It's National Voter Registration Day. What Texans need to know ahead of the election

  17-09-2024 18:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day, a national initiative started more than a decade ago to help register eligible American voters ahead of the November elections.Since the civic holiday's inception in 2012, the organization National Voter Registration Day and its teams have helped more than five million Americans register to vote. The annual holiday comes ahead of Texas' Oct. 7 registration deadline for the November election.Key 2024 General Election dates to know
  
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• Watching the Caribbean for possible tropical development | Tracking the Tropics

  17-09-2024 18:07 via kxan.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- The tropics remain eerily quiet, but there could be signs of life in the Gulf and Caribbean waters in the coming week or so.WNCN Chief Meteorologist Wes Hohenstein joined the Tracking the Tropics team to talk impacts from Potential Tropical Cyclone 8, which battered the Carolinas with several inches of rain, and to break down what could be brewing in late September.
  The GFS and Euro models indicate a low pressure system could form in the western Caribbean in approximately s
  
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• LIVE: Can we still have an active season without another landfalling hurricane? | Tracking the Tropics

  17-09-2024 18:07 via kxan.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- We've reached the statistical peak of the 2024 hurricane season, which has left some to wonder if forecasters' predictions of a "very active" season will come to fruition.
  Today on Tracking the Tropics, WNCN Chief Meteorologist Wes Hohenstein joins our team to answer the following question: Can we still have an active season, even without another hurricane making landfall?
  Watch Tracking the Tropics live at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT in the video player above. To join the
  
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• Can we still have an active season without another landfalling hurricane? | Tracking the Tropics

  17-09-2024 18:07 via kxan.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- We've reached the statistical peak of the 2024 hurricane season, which has left some to wonder if forecasters' predictions of a "very active" season will come to fruition.
  Today on Tracking the Tropics, WNCN Chief Meteorologist Wes Hohenstein joins our team to answer the following question: Can we still have an active season, even without another hurricane making landfall?
  Watch Tracking the Tropics live at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. CT in the video player above. To join the
  
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• Travis County leaders to provide update on Paxton lawsuit over voter registration initiatives

  17-09-2024 18:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County officials are expected to provide an update Tuesday on a lawsuit Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed against Travis County Judge Andy Brown and others over their decision to use public funds for voter registration initiatives. Earlier this month, Paxton filed the lawsuit over the Travis County Commissioners Court’s Aug. 27 decision to contract with Civic Government Solutions (CGS) – a company that uses a subscription model to provide acces
  
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• Sean 'Diddy' Combs indicted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges

  17-09-2024 17:44 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs presided over a sordid empire of sexual crimes, coercing and abusing women for years, threatening them to keep them in line and enlisting a cast of aides to cover it up, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday.The music mogul “engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals," including physical violence, in order "to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal hi
  
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• Some driver license offices will be open on Saturdays for the rest of September only

  17-09-2024 17:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texans looking to get their driver license renewed or replaced have more appointment time options for the rest of this month.
  The Texas Department of Public Safety is adding Saturday appointments at select driver license offices statewide through the end of this month. Need a driver’s license appointment in Texas? What to know about renewals, availabilitiesParticipating offices, which will be located in each region of Texas, will be open for half days on Sept. 21 and 28 to
  
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• Concordia University Texas names 1st female president

  17-09-2024 16:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Concordia University Texas named a new president and CEO this week, who will become the first woman to serve as president for the university.
  Concordia University Texas announced Monday its Board of Regents named Dr. Kristi Kirk as president and CEO, the 10th executive leader in the university’s nearly 100-year history. Kirk will become the first woman to serve as president of Concordia, according to the university.Air Force’s 1st female fighter pilot is a UT alum, a
  
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• House fire reported in eastern Travis County, AFD says

  17-09-2024 11:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A house in eastern Travis County was engulfed in flames on Tuesday morning at the 9700 block of Colfax Drive, according to the Austin Fire Department.That area is located between Decker Lake Road and Webberville Road.AFD said that another home was also affected by the fire.AFD said at 4:22 a.m. a.m. that crews were working to dig through the remaining rubble to search for life and concealed areas where the fire may have spread.In another update shortly after 5 a.m., the fire dep
  
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• House fire reported in east Travis County, AFD says

  17-09-2024 11:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --A house in eastern Travis County was engulfed in flames on Tuesday morning at the 9700 block of Colfax Drive, that is located between Decker Lake Road and Webberville Road, according to the Austin Fire Department.
  AFD said that an additional home has been affected by the fire. As of around 4:30 a.m., AFD said the fire has been knocked down.
  Fire crews are now working to dig through the remaining rubble to search for life and concealed areas where the fire may have spread.
  There h
  
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• Did you feel it? Strong 5.1 quake felt near Austin

  17-09-2024 04:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One of the strongest earthquakes in Texas history rattled parts of West Texas on Monday evening.The rare magnitude 5.1 earthquake had an epicenter near Ackerly, Texas, roughly 20 miles north of Midland.Ackerly, Texas earthquake Monday eveningThe USGS "Did you feel it?" map showed multiple reports within the Austin Metro of tremor reports.Did you feel it map. (Courtesy: USGS)In Depth: Earthquakes 5.0 or higherAccording to data collected by KXAN Digital Data Reporter Christopher A
  
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• Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrested in New York after grand jury indictment: reports

  17-09-2024 04:42 via kxan.com
  
  (NewsNation) — Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested Monday in Manhattan following a grand jury indictment, multiple outlets are reporting.Diddy's attorney, Marc Agnifilo, issued the following statement: "We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office."He called Diddy an "imperfect person," adding: "To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocate
  
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• Overdose investigation leads to drug bust, 1,000+ fentanyl pills

  17-09-2024 04:28 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- An investigation into a Round Rock overdose led to a drug bust in Austin where Williamson County Sheriff's Office investigators found 1,060 suspected fentanyl pills, other narcotics and a stolen gun, the agency said in a press release Monday.“The distribution of fentanyl and other dangerous substances will not be tolerated in
  Williamson County. We will use every resource at our disposal to identify, arrest, and
  bring to justice those responsible for endan
  
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• APD to conduct 'targeted traffic enforcement' at northwest Austin intersection

  17-09-2024 04:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After receiving several complaints from the community, the Austin Police Department said it will focus on targeting speeding and aggressive driving in northwest Austin, the agency said in a news release Monday.This enforcement will be "in effect until further notice" and will "focus in the area of Ranch Road 2222 between MoPac and Expressway and 360," police said in the release.After receiving several complaints from the community, the Austin Police Department said it will targe
  
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• UT Austin to drop automatic admissions for top Texas students to 5% in 2026

  17-09-2024 01:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin will soon cut down on the number of top Texas high school students automatically admitted to the university, dropping the threshold from 6% to 5%.According to a statement from the university, the change will affect admissions for Fall 2026. Arch Manning is ‘just a normal guy who plays quarterback for the University of Texas’President Jay Hartzell made the announcement Monday in a faculty council meeting, as was first reported by
  
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• University of Texas at Austin to drop automatic admissions for top Texas students to 5% in 2026

  17-09-2024 01:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSITN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin will soon cut down on the number of top Texas high school students automatically admitted to the university, dropping the threshold from 6% to 5%.According to a statement from the university, the change will affect admissions for Fall 2026. Arch Manning is ‘just a normal guy who plays quarterback for the University of Texas’President Jay Hartzell made the announcement Monday in a faculty council meeting, as was first reported by
  
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• SEE IT: Tiny bugs making giant webs in trees and shrubs

  17-09-2024 00:54 via kxan.com
  
  (WJW) – Have you ever seen these massive webs?Ohio wildlife experts often field questions -- and maybe some concerns -- this time of year about what's spinning giant webs in trees.Credit: ODNR
  No, these don’t belong to any giant spiders. (Thankfully!) Instead, the large webs are the work of tiny caterpillars known as fall webworms (Hyphantria cunea). Maybe even the work of a couple of generations of fall webworms. Scratch-off ticket worth $2 million sold in Lake CountyAccording to a
  
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• National Cheeseburger Day: Where to get discounts, BOGO deals on Sept. 18

  17-09-2024 00:49 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – A number of national burger chains are offering heavily discounted cheeseburgers in honor of National Cheeseburger Day on Wednesday, albeit with a common, fairly obvious caveat.Yep, you guessed it. With few exceptions, you'll probably have to sign up for some sort of loyalty program and order through an app.Knowing this, there’s really only one question you need to ask yourself: Is a discounted cheeseburger really worth the time and potential hassle of signing up for yet
  
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• iOS 18 released: What iPhone models can't get the newest update?

  17-09-2024 00:38 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — It's mid-September which, as history shows, means another major iOS update has become available to Apple users.
  Apple previewed Monday's expansive iOS 18 update during its World Wide Developers Conference in June. In addition to AI-powered features and changes to text messaging, Apple says the update will bring more customization options to the iPhone, expanding on features iPhone users saw last year with iOS 17. New iPhone 16 will have 2 more buttons: Here’s what th
  
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• Final moments before Titan implosion revealed during Coast Guard hearing

  17-09-2024 00:37 via kxan.com
  
  NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Monday morning public hearings meant to piece together why a submersible set to explore the Titanic wreckage imploded and whether criminal charges are necessary have begun.The Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) will examine everything related to the loss of the Titan submersible, hearing from former employees of the company that created the vessel, OceanGate Expeditions, and providing a detailed report of what happened following the conc
  
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• The No. 1 AP poll ranking is a reminder of how far the Longhorns have come

  17-09-2024 00:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns earned their first No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 poll since 2008 this week, and while its on-field meaning has diminished over time, it still means something to a couple of players who have seen the program at a low point.The Associated Press poll used to be directly involved in declaring a national champion. It used to be part of the formula for the Bowl Championship Series rating that determined the national title game. Since its incepti
  
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• Teen shot, almost killed in Pflugerville after dispute over broken phone

  17-09-2024 00:33 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) – Jenna Clark said she and her son’s friend went to confront a Pflugerville family about a broken phone on July 30. Clark said a mother answered the door and an altercation erupted. She started walking back to her truck which had her three sons inside. “And while that was happening, her son opened up the front door to their house and just unloaded the gun into my truck,” Clark said. Her 15-year-old son, Avaun Bennett, was shot in
  
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• Suspect in apparent assassination attempt on Trump was near golf course for 12 hours, records show

  17-09-2024 00:04 via kxan.com
  
  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting Donald Trump camped outside a golf course with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent thwarted the potential attack and opened fire, according to court documents filed Monday.Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial
  
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• Marshalling Yard homeless shelter may stay open indefinitely

  17-09-2024 00:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The city of Austin's emergency homeless shelter at the Marshalling Yard -- a warehouse-like building near the airport originally intended to serve as extra space for the Convention Center -- may stay open until the city can figure out an alternative space, according to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.A resolution on next week's city council agenda directs City Manager T.C. Broadnax to "identify funding to keep the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter (Marshalling Yard) open to serve
  
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• APD identifies man shot by officers in north Austin

  16-09-2024 23:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department provided more details about the Sept. 10 shooting in north Austin, including the name of the man who was shot by officers, the agency said in a news release Monday.That man was identified as Franklin Earl Miller, 59, according to police.A call came in around 10:59 p.m. to Austin 911 for a report of a man, later identified as Miller, who was "attempting to break into their business and pulling on the doors," at 1724 West Anderson Lane, the release sai
  
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• Woman, 27, sentenced to 40 years in death of 5-month-old

  16-09-2024 22:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A 27-year-old woman pleaded guilty back in August and was sentenced to 40 years in prison in connection with the death of her 5-month-old, according to a news release from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office Monday.Court documents alleged the woman, Danielle Ivy Dechert, had been "intoxicated by an illegal substance" while she was "co-sleeping" with her 5-month-old and "smothered" the baby to death, the release said.Additionally, court documents claimed Dechert did not "p
  
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• Woman, 27, sentenced to 40 years for death of 5-month-old

  16-09-2024 22:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A 27-year-old woman pleaded guilty back in August and was sentenced to 40 years in prison in connection with the death of her 5-month-old, according to a news release from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office Monday.Court documents alleged the woman, Danielle Ivy Dechert, had been "intoxicated by an illegal substance" while she was "co-sleeping" with her 5-month-old and "smothered" the baby to death, the release said.Additionally, court documents claimed Dechert did not "p
  
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• Texas has some of highest home insurance costs nationally, study finds

  16-09-2024 22:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas has some of the highest home insurance prices in the country, according to a Realtor.com analysis released Monday.Florida led the nation, with 20% of the state's homeowners paying a minimum of $4,000 a year for home insurance. Realtor.com's analysis pulled data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey as part of its reporting.Louisiana came in second, with 17% of its homeowners hitting that $4,000 minimum threshold. Texas and Colorado tied for thir
  
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• Pipeline fire erupts in La Porte, authorities say: Evacuate

  16-09-2024 21:32 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KIAH) — The La Porte Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is reporting that a pipeline fire has erupted around 9:55 a.m. near the 8700 block of Spencer Highway.Area officials have established the following reduced area near the fire for evacuation:
  The fire site is owned by Energy Transfer out of Dallas and is contained to this isolated spot. City of Deer Park Officials said
  Cause is under investigation. One firefighter was treated for non-life threatening injuries. The pipeline h
  
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