Crews remove branch that fell through south Austin family's roof after storms - Austin news - NewsLocker (2024)

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tree removal crews are busy in and around Austin Friday after strong storms moved through the area and caused damage.
In one south Austin neighborhood, workers from ABC Home and Commercial Services pulled out their chainsaws to start removing a large elm tree's branch that fell onto Steven Stump's roof Thursday evening. It even punctured a hole in his kitchen that caused water to pour from the ceiling.FORECAST: Temperatures climb as rain chances dry upStump said this happen

Hotel City of Austin purchased in 2021 for domestic violence victims still sits vacant

Editor's Note: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the national domestic violence hotline is (800)799-7233. You can also text "BEGIN" to 88788. Or you can reach out to theSAFEline numberat (512) 267-SAFE (7233).AUSTIN (KXAN) — Though Austin City Council approved the purchase of a former hotel in northeast Austin in December 2021 — with the intent of using it as a family violence shelter — the building still sits vacant.
Next week, Austin Ci

Crash on westbound US 290 blocks lanes near West Gate Boulevard

Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Friday, May 24, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — A crash on westbound U.S. 290 in south Austin is blocking lanes Friday morning, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
TxDOT said all lanes are closed just before West Gate Boulevard. Traffic is being diverted to South Lamar Boulevard.View traffic mapsThe Austin Police Department said officers are responding to the crash. The agency described the crash as being in t

Mother of homicide victim asks public for help finding suspect

Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Friday, May 24, 2024.WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Williamson County Sheriff's Office identified the victim of a weekend homicide that happened on Copper Creek Drive, and the victim's mother is asking the public for help finding more information.
The sheriff's office said Matthew Torres, 25, was killed in a shooting that happened in an unincorporated area of Austin Friday night. According to WCSO, Torres was shot

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Two years later, Uvalde searches for peace

UVALDE (Nexstar) — Two million dollars is hollow penance to Javier Cazares. Two years ago, his 9-year-old daughter Jackie was attending an award ceremony and counting the days until summer break. She would soon die on the way to the hospital after law enforcement void of urgency left her bleeding on the classroom floor. Two years later, two million is too little, too late.On May 24, 2022, an 18-year-old with a rifle ended Jackie's dreams and stopped the clock on a town still trying to find

Inmate died in custody Wednesday, TCSO says

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A 63-year-old man died in custody in the Travis County Correctional Complex earlier this week, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office.
Robert Munguia, 63, was found unresponsive in his cell around 10:40 a.m. on May 22, according to TCSO. Officials administered CPR immediately but Munguia was ultimately pronounced dead on the scene.
Munguiawas booked into custody Nov. 26, 2023, and charged with injury to a child/elderly.An investigation by TCSO’s Internal Aff

Manor woman claims neighboring developer is damaging her property with storm water

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) -- Living on a ranchland off of FM 973 in Manor are a variety of animals including mustangs, donkeys, goats, and dogs. They all belong to Crista Swier who has a dream of using the ranchland for her non-profit, THE Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary that will also provide equine-assisted therapy services for families and individuals.
But she has an issue with her neighbor, a developer called KB Home.
"We're dreaming of this future and KB Home is just destroying it," Swier explaine

MAP: Which school districts have increased teacher pay for the 2024-25 school year?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As school districts across Central Texas make budget decisions for the 2024-25 school year, KXAN is keeping track of teacher salaries areawide.There are 58 districts in the KXAN viewing area, from Mason ISD in the west to Fayetteville ISD in the east. So far, 18 of those districts have announced new salaries for the upcoming school year.The map below shows starting salaries in each district for new teachers with no experience. Additional districts will be colored in as sala

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'He wasn't performing': Austin FC sporting director explains Rigoni's buyout, release

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell explained Thursday why he decided to waive designated player Emiliano Rigoni and buy out his multi-million dollar contract, and at its core, the decision was simple.Rigoni wasn't performing at the level Borrell expects a Major League Soccer designated player to.
VERDE LIGHTS: It's back for another season! Tune in at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays on CW Austin throughout the season."That's the end of it," Borrell said. "He's a great

Investigation underway after Travis County inmate dies in custody

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — An investigation is underway after an inmate died at the Travis County Correctional Complex.According to the Travis County Sheriff's Office, Robert Valentina Munguia, 63, was found unresponsive in his unit at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. CPR was administered, but Munguia was later pronounced dead, according to a press release from TCSO.Munguia had been booked into custody on Nov. 26, 2023, on a charge of Injury to a Child/Elderly.The investigation is being conducted

KIPP students jump in to help during two medical emergencies

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two students from KIPP Austin Collegiate are being praised after they jumped into action to help their teachers during two separate medical emergencies.The school offers a number of pathways for students, like business or robotics, but it's the lessons that Brittani Love is teaching that are credited with saving two lives."Currently we are doing compressions," said junior Everardo Tovar, as he demonstrated how to perform CPR.Students learn a number of different lessons, lik

CapTex Tri race organizers prepare for heat, medics on standby

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Along with triple digit heat expected this weekend, there's a triathlon planned on Memorial Day as well.
The heat has already impacted people in our area. Austin-Travis County EMS told KXAN they have responded to 75 heat-related calls since the start of last month.
"Five of those were yesterday and we've had three so far today," ATCEMS Captain Christa Stedman said. "It is clear that it's getting warm."Medics on the groundRace organizers said they're ready to handle the heat.
"Th

Longhorns, Aggies downplay Lone Star Showdown rivalry headed into softball super regional

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The storied rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M gets another life when the Longhorns rejoin the Aggies in the Southeastern Conference next season, but as far as Texas head softball coach Mike White is concerned, the upcoming super regional series simply pits two great programs against each other, no matter what history says."For us to win the national championship, we have to play everybody and beat good teams," he said during a press conference Thursday. "This is just

APD searches for 'habitual offender' in series of commercial burglaries

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Thursday, the Austin Police Department requested help finding a suspect in connection with a series of commercial burglaries.APD said beginning in April, there were several reports of business burglaries along US Highway 183 between Interstate 35 to Farm-to-Market 620.Police said the reports each had a “distinct modus operandi (MO) and suspect description,” which detectives used to identify 32-year-old Jose Vega-Martinez as the primary suspect. Police also sa

Man sentenced following crash that caused San Marcos officer to lose her leg

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A San Marcos man was sentenced May 16 following a 2019 crash that led to a San Marcos police officer losing her leg.According to Hays County court documents, 63-year-old Neil Sheehan was charged with failure to slow or vacate lane causing bodily injury, a class B misdemeanor.PAST COVERAGE: San Marcos officer struck by suspected drunk driverFollowing a plea deal, Sheehan received a sentence of 12 months of community supervision.During the supervision, he must co

Group files lawsuit against City of Austin over Statesman PUD

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Save Our Springs (SOS) Alliance filed another lawsuit aimed at the City of Austin's proposed use of property just south of the river from downtown, this time targeting the Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the former Statesman property.
The Statesman PUD was approved by Austin City Council in December 2022.
Plans for the area include a 275-room high-rise hotel, offices and residential units spread throughout six towers and just under 1,400 living units. It also includes aff

U-Haul offers a month of free self storage to Temple tornado victims

TEMPLE, Texas (KXAN) — U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self storage and U-Box container usage to people impacted by the tornado which hit Temple Wednesday night.The National Weather Service gave the tornado a preliminary rating of EF-2, with maximum winds of 120 mph. Additional storm damage surveys are ongoing.In a press release Thursday, the company said access to dry and secure self-storage and portable storage containers was "essential during the recovery process after natural disast

Houston to host World Baseball Classic rounds in 2026

AUSTIN (KXAN) — In 2026, Houston will have the eyes of the entire sports world on it and not just for the FIFA World Cup.Minute Maid Park and the Houston Astros were selected Thursday as hosts for the opening round and the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. It's the first time in WBC history that games will be held in Houston, and it's one of two US cities to host games with Miami as the other. Opening round games will also be in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Toyko, Japan.MORE

Texas DPS radio traffic captures clash between law enforcement and protesters on UT campus

Editor's Note: The above video contains all the radio traffic records from April 24 that KXAN obtained through a public information request to Texas DPS. The photos do not directly correspond with the audio.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Radio traffic from the Texas Department of Public Safety captured the clash between law enforcement and Pro-Palestinian protesters on the University of Texas campus on April 24. The day marked the first of several days of demonstrations and, ultimately, over 100 arrests

Concerns addressed at homelessness community meeting in south Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) — City and community leaders hosted a "Community Homelessness Meeting" Thursday morning at Woodlawn Baptist Church in south Austin.
Council members, Austin's Homeless Strategy Officers, and the executive director of Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center on Menchaca Road addressed the challenge of balancing public safety with providing important resources to the homeless community.Crime Imprints: City looks at solutions as concerns grow over homeless activity near elementary sch

Concerns address at homelessness community meeting in south Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City and community leaders hosted a "Community Homelessness Meeting" Thursday morning at Woodlawn Baptist Church in south Austin.
Council members, Austin's Homeless Strategy Officers, and the executive director of Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center on Menchaca Road addressed the challenge of balancing public safety with providing important resources to the homeless community.Crime Imprints: City looks at solutions as concerns grow over homeless activity near elementary schoolMo

Gravel on your Austin neighborhood street? Here's why

AUSTIN (KXAN) — If you've ever came home after a day of work and noticed there's new gravel on the ground, it's probably a temporary, albeit cost effective, road repair known as Sealcoat.KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes spoke with Jermaine Bunton, division manager of pavement operations with the City of Austin, as workers put down Sealcoat in a northeast Austin neighborhood. Below is a transcript of their discussion, edited for clarity.
Bunton: "What you see here is our Sealcoat process.

Travis County District Attorney's Office warns of fraudulent callers posing as office representatives

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Travis County District Attorney's Office is warning people of fraudulent calls being reported in which a person claims to be a staff member with the office.The DA's office said there have been at least two calls reported in the last week in which the caller claimed to be with the DA's office and said the receiver of the call needed to pay a fine.
In one of the instances, the caller used the correct name of a TCDA staff member and made it seem like they were calling from the

Report: Nearly 200 people killed in Travis County crashes in 2023

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office reported nearly 200 people died in the county from motor vehicle-related deaths in 2023, according to the latest 2023 medical examiner report.The vast majority of those deaths involved automobile fatalities, with 97 people killed in 2023. Following automobile deaths were pedestrian traffic-related fatalities, with 57 killed last year.There were 28 motorcyclists killed, eight cyclists killed, four killed in unknown circ*ms

Wheatsville Co-op to close Guadalupe store amid Project Connect light rail plans

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Wheatsville Food Co-op's General Manager Bill Bickford confirmed the grocer is planning to move from its Guadalupe flagship location amid Project Connect's planned light rail route.Bickford announced the impending move in a special edition Wheatsville newsletter published online. In an interview with KXAN Thursday, Bickford stressed Wheatsville leaders support expanded public transit services in Austin, referring to the impact to their Guadalupe storefront as part of the "uninte

Rockdale's 'slow burn' growth accelerates as first subdivision in 40 years moves forward

ROCKDALE, Texas (Austin Business Journal) -- The effect of the Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. factoryrising in Taylorhas been felt all over the Austin metro, from Bastrop to Buda to Cedar Park. Another city about 30 miles east in Milam County can be added to that list.Rockdale officials are starting to see the first signs of slow-burning growth for the city of 5,588 people for the first time since the height of the Alcoa Corp. aluminum plant decades ago. That growth is trickling out, b

Leander ISD employee on leave following 'inappropriate' behavior during 8th-grade field trip

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — On Wednesday, Cedar Park Middle School sent a notice to the parents of eighth-grade students regarding inappropriate behavior from a Leander ISD employee.The school said there was an incident during a field trip where students reported the alleged inappropriate use of technology by a district employee.“We acted immediately to remove this employee from the location, and they have been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation,” CPMS

Summer outlook: How a flip to La Niña could stir the Gulf, affect Central Texas

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- While June 1 marks the beginning of meteorological summer, it also signifies the start of Atlantic Hurricane Season. A number of factors suggest that we could be in for a very busy few months ahead in the tropical Atlantic.El Niño out, La Niña soon to take overAlthough a winter El Niño brought wetter-than-normal conditions to much of Central Texas, it didn't bring enough rain to the Hill Country. Now El Niño is in the process of wrapping up quickly as

PHOTOS: Buildings destroyed, debris scattered after tornado hits Bell County, Temple

TEMPLE, Texas (KXAN) — Severe damage was reported after a tornado moved through Bell County Wednesday evening.The City of Temple issued an emergency declaration following the severe weather.RELATED | Tornado hits Temple, Bell County areaStorm damage in Temple, Texas from a tornado that moved through the area on May 22, 2024 (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey)Storm damage in Temple, Texas from a tornado that moved through the area on May 22, 2024 (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey)Storm damage in Temple, Texas

Are Texas shoppers legally required to stop for receipt checkers at store exits?

(FOX40.COM) -- Retailers all over Texas have employees placed at store exits to check receipts as a person leaves as proof of purchase for merchandise. But are shoppers legally required to stop?Most notably, Walmart has asset protection associates, formerly known as door greeters, at every entrance and exit of its stores. While some people choose to wait in line to get their receipts verified before leaving the store, others will breeze by without stopping.Costco vs. Sam’s Clu