Austin news

• Why McDonald's ditched one of its healthier menu items

  15-07-2024 23:55 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) -- If you want to grab a bowl of leafy greens from McDonald's, you're out of luck. The fast food giant doesn't plan on bringing back salads anytime soon.
  While McDonald's is best known for its beloved french fries, hamburgers and chicken nuggets, salads have become a fixture on its menu throughout the years.
  The seemingly healthier option first debuted in 1987 when McDonald's introduced three salad varieties: chef, chicken and garden. Then, in 2000, the company launched the McSalad Sha
  
  Read more

• Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw announces retirement

  23-08-2024 17:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Col. Steve McCraw announced Friday he is retiring as director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, ending a 15-year tenure leading the state's top law enforcement division.His retirement comes after more than a year of chatter and speculation in the Texas Capitol surrounding his future with the department.McCraw began his law enforcement career as a Highway Patrol Trooper before becoming a DPS Narcotics Agent and then a Special Agent with the FBI. His career spanned the
  
  Read more

• Shooting spree suspect asks judge if he can represent himself

  23-08-2024 17:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Shane James, the suspect in a December 2023 shooting spree that spanned from Bexar County to Austin, killing six people and injuring three others, asked a judge Friday morning if he could represent himself in the case.Following James' earing earlier this year, his attorney Russ Hunt said James was receiving psychiatric treatment in jail.
  Judge Clifford Brown told James he has a right to represent himself, but advised him not to.First update from attorneys in case of accused Aust
  
  Read more

• West Travis County residents told to stop irrigation, utility says water tanks didn't refill

  23-08-2024 17:12 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Residents of western Travis County were asked Friday morning to conserve water after their local water utility reported its storage tanks did not fully refill Thursday.The West Travis County Public Utility Agency (PUA) said in its low water pressure/no water advisory that overnight irrigation "emptied the storage" and asked for an immediate shut off of irrigation systems."Due to extremely high irrigation demand, some customers are experiencing low water p
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• MAP: More than 3,300 acres have burned in Central Texas wildfires in 2024

  23-08-2024 16:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — More than 3,300 acres have burned in wildfires across Central Texas so far in 2024, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.A total of 10 fires have burned 3,350 acres in the 15-county KXAN viewing area. Weather Interactives: How much rain has Austin received this year?KXAN is keeping track of wildfires. Follow along with the map and database below. We'll keep them updated as new information becomes available. Fires that are still uncontained are red on the map. Evacu
  
  Read more

• LIVE: Austin Energy working to repair transformer that went went offline Thursday, causing outage for thousands

  23-08-2024 16:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Thousands of people lost power Thursday night after a transformer at a southwest Austin substation went offline around 8:20 p.m., according to Austin Energy. The utility said Friday morning it is working on a repair.
  Utility leaders will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Friday to provide more information about the outages. That will be livestreamed at the top of this article and on the KXAN Facebook page.
  Austin Energy said about 6,400 people lost power when the transformer we
  
  Read more

• Austin Energy working to repair transformer that went went offline Thursday, causing outage for thousands

  23-08-2024 16:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Thousands of people lost power Thursday night after a transformer at a southwest Austin substation went offline around 8:20 p.m., according to Austin Energy. The utility said Friday morning it is working on a repair.
  Utility leaders will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Friday to provide more information about the outages. That will be livestreamed at the top of this article and on the KXAN Facebook page.
  Austin Energy said about 6,400 people lost power when the transformer we
  
  Read more

• Inside the Investigations: Autopsy amended for scooter death investigation

  23-08-2024 16:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Each week the in-depth reporting from the KXAN Investigates team will get a spotlight on KXAN Live.A conversation will happen Friday morning with investigative reporter Kelly Wiley and KXAN Live anchor Will DuPree to break down one of this week’s top stories. The live stream starting at about 9:30 a.m. can be seen in this story and on the KXAN News Facebook page.Inside the Investigations: Underwater property questionsThe story they’re talking about thi
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Summer heat causes power outages; why this season has felt more brutal

  23-08-2024 14:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- This summer has been a hot one and it's had a toll. Earlier this week, multiple power outages were reported in east Austin. One of those outages, according to Austin Energy, was caused by a sensor triggering due to high demand.A man who said he was homeless tries to keep cool on a children's splash pad, Tuesday, June 25, 2024 in Phoenix.(AP Photo/Matt York)
  "If you don't have great air conditioning, if you experience a power loss, which I know a lot of folks did last week, it ca
  
  Read more

• Hutto ISD launches new apprenticeship program this fall to grow new teachers

  23-08-2024 13:33 via kxan.com
  
  HUTTO, Texas (KXAN) -- Tucked behind a neighborhood off of U.S. Highway 79 in Hutto sits one of the school district's newest schools, equipped with E-gaming arena seating and bigger classrooms with more lighting.
  Gus Almquist Middle School was expected to open with 963 students enrolled, but that number can always increase throughout the year. That's to be expected from a school district that has doubled in size in the past ten years and is currently the fifth-fastest growing district in the sta
  
  Read more

• UT 'Mooov-In': Nearly 8,000 students expected to move onto campus this weekend

  23-08-2024 12:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If you're not moving onto the University of Texas' Austin campus this weekend, you may want to avoid Longhorn territory.
  The university is expecting nearly 8,000 students to move in from August 19-25. About 75% of those are first-year students, according to the university.
  Before they can stock their dorm-sized mini-fridges and hang posters, the Longhorns will have to pick up their room keys at Mooov-In—UT's annual check-in event for student housing on campus.
  Mooov-In is
  
  Read more

• Mason County wildfire ignited by lightning, forest service says; 3,000 acres burned and 25% contained

  23-08-2024 11:42 via kxan.com
  
  MASON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Mason Volunteer Fire Department and several other fire departments across the Hill Country are working to put out a wildfire in Mason County Friday morning. The wildfire is located about seven miles east of Mason near the intersection of North Art Road and Highway 29. Evacuation checklist: What to grab when evacuating MAP: Keeping track of Central Texas wildfires in 2024Friday at 10:10 a.m.:The Texas A&M Forest Service said the fire in Mason County, named th
  
  Read more

• Mason County wildfire ignited by lightning, forest service says; 3,000 acres burned and 10% contained

  23-08-2024 11:42 via kxan.com
  
  MASON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Mason Volunteer Fire Department and several other fire departments across the Hill Country are working to put out a wildfire in Mason County Friday morning. The wildfire is located about seven miles east of Mason near the intersection of North Art Road and Highway 29. Evacuation checklist: What to grab when evacuatingFriday at 6:45 a.m.:The Texas A&M Forest Service said the fire in Mason County, named the "North Art Complex" fire, is currently an estimated 3
  
  Read more

• Mason County wildfire ignited by lightning, Forest Service says; 3,000 acres burned, 10% contained

  23-08-2024 11:42 via kxan.com
  
  MASON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Mason Volunteer Fire Department and several other fire departments across the Hill County are working to put out a wildfire in Mason County Friday morning. The wildfire is located about seven miles east of Mason near the intersection of North Art Road and Highway 29.Friday at 6:45 a.m.:The Texas A&M Forest Service said the fire in Mason County, named the "North Art Complex" fire, is currently an estimated 3,000 acres and 10% contained.
  The service said the w
  
  Read more

• Mason County wildfire burns 3,000 acres, 10% contained

  23-08-2024 11:42 via kxan.com
  
  MASON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Mason Volunteer Fire Department and several other fire departments across the Hill County are working to put out a wildfire in Mason County Friday morning. The wildfire is located about seven miles east of Mason near the intersection of North Art Road and Highway 29.Friday at 4:59 a.m.:The Texas A&M Forest Service said on Friday morning the "North Art Complex" fire has burned over 3,000 acres, and has been 10% contained.Evacuation checklist: What to grab whe
  
  Read more

• Mason County wildfire burns 1,500 acres, 0% contained

  23-08-2024 11:42 via kxan.com
  
  MASON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Mason Volunteer Fire Department along with other fire departments across the Hill County are working to put out a wildfire in Mason County Friday morning. The wildfire is located seven miles east of Mason near the intersection of North Art Road and Highway 29.The Texas A&M Forest Service said the "North Art Complex" fire has burned over 1,500 acres, and has been 0% contained.
  The Mason County Sheriff's Office Dispatch said the initial 9-1-1 caller told dispa
  
  Read more

• Man dead after being shot in the chest in East Austin, APD says

  23-08-2024 05:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One man is dead after being shot in the chest in East Austin at the 6300 block of Thurgood Avenue on Thursday night, according to the Austin Police Department.
  Officers said they responded to the call at around 8:35 p.m.
  When police arrived on scene and located the victim, they provided life-saving measures, however the victim was pronounced dead shortly after.
  Austin Police said there is no ongoing threat to the public at this time. They said they do not have any information on
  
  Read more

• APD investigating east Austin homicide

  23-08-2024 05:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is investigating a homicide in east Austin that happened Thursday night.APD said on social media the homicide happened near the 6300 block of Thurgood Avenue. That's near Boggy Creek.Police are expected to hold a media briefing. No other details are available.
  
  Read more

• Instagram launches Myspace-like feature, lets users add songs to profiles

  23-08-2024 04:08 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) — A new feature announced by Instagram on Thursday is reminiscent of the early days of social media.
  The social media company announced that Instagram profiles will now include a music feature similar to one Myspace had in the early 2000s. REVIEW: ‘Alien: Romulus’ plays franchise greatest hits. That’s not a bad thing“We’re excited to announce that you can now add a song to your profile, giving you more ways to express yourself through music. Your profil
  
  Read more

• City of Austin sued over allocating funds for out-of-state abortion access

  23-08-2024 03:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- The city of Austin is facing a lawsuit over a budget item that allocates hundreds of thousands of dollars to help women accessing abortion care.Austin City Council approves record budget, here are the changes they madeLast week, the Austin City Council approved its budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
  In it, there's a budget item that allocates $400,000 to the city's Reproductive Health Grant, which provides financial support for people in Austin traveling to access abortion care.
  
  Read more

• Georgetown Animal Shelter gears up for 'Clear the Shelters'

  23-08-2024 03:20 via kxan.com
  
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Clear The Shelters, a pet adoption and donation campaign, helps find homes for animals in need. The 2024 event is underway and runs through Sept. 10.KXAN Mike Rush and Avery Travis talk with Georgetown Animal Shelter's Animal Control Supervisor Angela Jones, who introduces Blossom, a puppy ready for adoption, for the Clear the Shelters campaign.Use the video player above to listen to the full discussion.Georgetown Animal Shelter currently has 41 dogs and 33 cats,
  
  Read more

• Georgetown Animal Shelter gears up for 'Clear the Shelter'

  23-08-2024 03:20 via kxan.com
  
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Clear The Shelters, a pet adoption and donation campaign, helps find homes for animals in need. The 2024 event is underway and runs through Sept. 10.KXAN Mike Rush and Avery Travis talk with Georgetown Animal Shelter's Animal Control Supervisor Angela Jones, who introduces Blossom, a puppy ready for adoption, for the Clear the Shelter campaign.Use the video player above to listen to the full discussion.Georgetown Animal Shelter currently has 41 dogs and 33 cats,
  
  Read more

• Longhorns' Spizzirri punches ticket to US Open with heart-pounding qualifier win

  23-08-2024 03:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Eliot Spizzirri, a two-time national collegiate tennis player of the year for the Texas Longhorns, will make his Grand Slam tournament debut at the US Open.Eliot Spizzirri in action during a men's qualifying singles match at the 2024 US Open on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024 in Flushing, NY. (Pete Staples/USTA)
  Spizzirri battled through the qualifying tournament, winning three matches including a thriller over Brazil's Joao Fonseca on Thursday to punch his ticket to the USTA Billi
  
  Read more

• WCSO requests help related to bicyclist’s death

  23-08-2024 01:46 via kxan.com
  
  Editor’s Note: The above video shows KXAN News’ top morning headlines from Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Williamson County Sheriff's Office asked for help Thursday in regards to the death of a bicyclist found near the community of Andice.First responders in Williamson County found an injured bicyclist Saturday morning on the side of the road near the 11000 block of Farm-to-Market 2338.WCSO said a 79-year-old man was taken to the hospital, but he
  
  Read more

• How a Taylor man is helping kids go back to school in style

  23-08-2024 01:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Marcus Reese remembers growing up how important it was to have a new pair of shoes walking into the first day of school. However, he also remembers not being able to afford a new pair at times, which gave him the inspiration to help families in need as students all headed back to school.Reese spoke with KXAN's Mike Rush and Avery Travis to talk about how in just one week he has been able to use his inspiration to help dozens of kids go back to school in style.Read an edited tran
  
  Read more

• DPS ending ID gender changes could spur legislation, lawsuits

  23-08-2024 01:06 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- After the Texas Department of Public Safety began denying transgender Texans the option to change the gender on their driver's licenses, conservatives praised the move and hope more state agencies adopt a policy of not recognizing identity preferences -- while transgender rights attorneys warn that may be discriminatory and illegal."We think it's incredibly important that IDs in Texas are accurate instead of being based off of perceived gender identification," Megan Benton wi
  
  Read more

• East Austin power outage caused by sensor which prevented 'catastrophic damage', AE says

  22-08-2024 23:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On what is likely to be the hottest day of the year, thousands of people in east Austin came home from work Wednesday to find they had no power. In all, Austin Energy estimates the outage impacted roughly 7,000 people.
  One of those people was Issac Caballero, a teacher, who returned home to no air conditioning."As a teacher, I was hoping to come home and get into my AC," Caballero said. "We've experienced it all summer, just not as long as yesterday."
  The outage started around 5
  
  Read more

• How this traffic treatment is reducing serious, fatal crashes in Austin

  22-08-2024 23:00 via kxan.com
  
  Editor’s Note: The above video shows KXAN News’ top morning headlines from Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department rolls out signal upgrades to boost intersection safety citywide, new data from Vision Zero noted that treated intersections have led to a large decrease in left-turning vehicle crashes involving injuries or fatalities.Intersections with signal timing and phasing tweaks or advancements to signage are reporting
  
  Read more

• Former Austin ISD executive accused of stealing thousands from district

  22-08-2024 22:54 via kxan.com
  
  Editor’s Note: The above video shows KXAN News’ top morning headlines from Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — A former public school official is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the Austin Independent School District for nearly a year.A grand jury on Friday indicted Lynn Brennan, 45, who used to be AISD’s Executive Director of Compensation and Benefits, with stealing between $30,000 and $150,000 from the district using gift cards. Austin ISD and police h
  
  Read more

• 3D printed homes popping up in Georgetown neighborhood

  22-08-2024 22:52 via kxan.com
  
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — 3D printed homes are popping up in Georgetown's Wolf Ranch Community.Lennar and ICON have partnered up to build 100 homes, offering eight floor plans with three and four-bedroom layouts."The strength of these homes, the strength of these wall systems is like no other homes that we typically build," said Charlie Coleman, Austin Division President at Lennar.While many of the homes are finished there are some that are still being worked on. The printer was working o
  
  Read more

Follow @Austin_News_US on Twitter!