How an Austin grant program addresses food equity, climate solutions - Austin news - NewsLocker (2024)

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The City of Austin's Food and Climate Equity Grants program provides direct funding for community-led solutions that allow for transformative change in the areas of food, climate and resilience.The grants program is designed to fund projects that help people who are impacted by systemic and structural inequities while eliminating issues with health outcomes. Most importantly, the projects are largely designed to benefit the quality of life for all.The City of Austin's Offic

A little "cooler" today but heating back up tomorrow

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- KXAN and Family Eldercare want to thank all of the generous people who dropped off fans and/or made a monetary donation during our annual Fan Drive. If you didn't get a chance to get to our drop-off locations Friday you still have an opportunity to help others keep in Central Texas. Learn more at the end of this morning's update.Showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon left some one-inch rain totals in a few locations east of I-35:
1.29" Colorado River near Upton
1.23" Carmine

How much will President Biden's visit to Austin cost?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — President Joe Biden will visit Austin on Monday, requiring overtime from law enforcement officers and hefty travel costs.Besides police overtime, the cost of air travel, additional security and military assets will reach into the thousands, according to an Associated Press report that detailed the costs of presidential visits. Military cargo planes will also be used to transport the president's motorcade and security elements for when the president arrives.When former Presi

'Not in our name': Some clergy rebuke Ten Commandments law

(NewsNation) — A group of Louisiana church leaders across the state are condemning a new law mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in public schools.Rev. Marc J. Boswell, senior pastor at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, is part of the movement and says the law was deeply troubling but not surprising given the “concerning rise of Christian nationalism in Louisiana.”“Don't do this in our name,” he told NewsNation, referring to the T

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The Domain welcomes first new interactive Nespresso boutique, more unique stores coming

AUSTIN (KXAN) --- New immersive and unique stores continue to open in Austin. From Nespresso to IKEA, big names are setting up shop at The Domain.PREVIOUS STORY: IKEA opens new store at the Domain, with a twistNespresso just opened its new immersive and interactive styled boutique. The Domain is welcoming in the company's first location in the country."This is a new concept for us in the US market, where it's truly meant to be an immersive and very experiential space where customers can feel cur

'Ongoing dispute' led to shooting at Round Rock Juneteenth event, court records say

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Court documents detail how investigators are linking a third suspect to a deadly shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in Round Rock.The shooting, which happened at Old Settlers Park on June 15, resulted in two deaths and 14 injuries, according to the Round Rock Police Department. Police said the victims were innocent bystanders.Third suspect arrested in Round Rock Juneteenth celebration shootingInvestigators believe the shooting happened as part of an ong

The politics of President Biden's visit to Austin

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- When President Biden delivers the keynote address commemorating the Civil Rights Act's 60th anniversary at the LBJ Library on Monday, the nation will be watching the politics as much as the prose, political observers said. His trip comes at a pivotal time for his political future, and much of the momentum against his run originated in Austin."The underlying message will be 'Joe Biden is a competent candidate. He's here. He's forceful, people should stop talking about removing

Del Valle ISD searching for new superintendent

DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The Del Valle Independent School District announced it is searching for a new superintendent, the district said in a news release Friday.Del Valle ISD serves a total of 11,293 students and is located southeast of Austin, the release said.
"We are committed to finding a leader who will build on our district's achievements and drive our vision and mission forward. Our ideal candidate will embody our motto, 'Whatever It Takes,' and lead Del Valle ISD to new heights, "Del

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Teacher housing complex close to reality in AISD

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin ISD is one step closer to adding workforce housing to a property they have been eyeing for years.Austin's planning commission agreed and approved a rezoning request for the Anita Ferrales Coy site in East Austin recently, which could mean reduced rent prices for AISD employees who live at the site."The board of trustees, back in 2022 approved the selection of the NRP Group as our development partner to build workforce housing on the Coy Campus," said Jeremy Striffler

330-acre Megatel project near Samsung's Taylor plant moves forward with city approval

AUSTIN (ABJ) — A 330-acre project in Taylor was given the green light Thursday.The project, led by Megatel Austin Taylor LLC—a subsidiary of Megatel Group that works on residential developments in Texas—would be located near the new Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. factory.The Taylor City Council unanimously approved the group’s proposal, which was presented as an employment center and neighborhood plan near the east side of the city.More than 1,000 residential units are expe

APH: 5 cases of Dengue fever reported in Travis County

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Friday, Austin Public Health (APH) said it issued an alert to the Travis County Medical Society (TCMS) after five cases of Dengue were reported in Travis County, a spokesperson with the agency told KXAN.Dengue is a mosquito-borne illness, according to APH.APH said all five cases were "travel related." Furthermore, those "patients traveled to tropical and subtropical areas of the world where Dengue is present."APH told TCMS "to consider Dengue in differential diagnosis" in pat

Round Rock police take unusual 'porch pirate' into custody

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- The Round Rock Police Department responded to a call Thursday involving an unusual "suspect."
The department said in a post on social media its animal control officers responded to a call about a bobcat kitten playing with packages on someone's front porch.
"The mischievous little feline was safely transported to a local wildlife rehabilitator, where it will receive 'purrsonalized' VIP (Very Important Predator) treatment until it's old enough to be released," RRPD sai

SNAP recipients affected by Beryl can apply for food replacement benefits

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texans who get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)benefits and were affected by Hurricane Beryl can now apply to have food they lost in the storm replaced.
According to acting Gov. Dan Patrick, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission received federal approval Thursday that allows SNAP recipients to apply for replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed from Hurricane Beryl.Beryl shocks Southeast Texas: ‘I didn’t think we were gonna

'Rapid change': Potentially toxic blue-green algae mats found at Red Bud Isle, Auditorium Shores

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Watershed Protection Department said it observed a lot of potentially toxic blue-green algae mats at Red Bud Isle and Auditorium Shores.“This is a rapid change from two weeks ago,” the department said.City finds potentially toxic blue-green algae mats (Watershed Protection photo)City finds potentially toxic blue-green algae mats (Watershed Protection photo)Watershed Protection provided safety guidelines for people & pets to follow to avoid getting

Del Valle man sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison after 2023 drug arrest

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Del Valle man was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison following his arrest on drug and firearm charges in October 2023, the Department of Justice said in a press release.The release said Anthony Robles, 48, sold nine ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent in April 2023.The following day, agents executed a search warrant at his home and found more than 600 grams of methamphetamine, more than 500 grams of heroin, approximately one kilogram of

Don't fly drones during Biden visit, FAA warns

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Drone owners need to be aware of flight restrictions Monday during President Joe Biden's visit to Austin, and that their drones could be seized or destroyed by federal agents.
Starting at 11:15 a.m. on Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration will have "temporary flight restrictions for VIP movement" in place, per a notice to air missions (NOTAM) issued Friday morning.The area covers a radius of 30 nautical miles, centered on a point in east Austin. That area stretches from G

Rainey Street Trailhead now open following ribbon-cutting ceremony downtown

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, The Trail Conservancy held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the Rainey Street Trailhead, the newest addition to the Ann & Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.“This exciting development marks a significant milestone in enhancing the connectivity and accessibility of Austin’s beloved trail system, offering a new park full of amenities for the community,” the conservancy said.Rainey Street Trailhead ribbon cutting ceremony (KXAN ph

Leander city worker shot while cleaning public park restroom

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — A woman who works for the City of Leander is recovering after police said another woman shot her when she went in Friday morning to clean a public park's restroom.Leander police said officers responded to the shooting at about 6:45 a.m. and found an injured 31-year-old city employee at the Benbrook Ranch Skate Park, located at 1100 Halsey Drive. Police said they learned the worker went into the public restroom near the disc golf course and encountered a woman identi

60 coastal birds displaced by Beryl now in Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Wildlife Rescue said it welcomed 60 coastal birds Wednesday that were displaced by Hurricane Beryl.The rescue said it received 30 Mississippi kites and 30 egrets—all of which were baby birds whose nesting and rookery sites were destroyed.LIST: Endangered species that can be found in Central TexasAccording to Austin Wildlife Rescue, the birds joined the more than 1,600 wild animals currently with the rescue. The estimated budget impact for the care of the wildl

Take our survey: Help KXAN understand what you think of AI use in newsrooms

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- KXAN is working to better understand what people think about newsrooms using artificial intelligence in their workflows and is opening up a survey for our viewers to tell us their opinions.TAKE THE SURVEY: Tell us what you think about newsrooms and AIKXAN does not currently use generative AI (see below for a definition) in our newsroom and is working to develop policies surrounding the use of AI tools. Your input will help us shape our own workflows and provide insight to other

Austin city manager proposes record budget — how much will it cost taxpayers?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin's new city manager T.C. Broadnax is proposing another record-high city budget at $5.9 billion. It's a near 7% increase from the previous fiscal year of $5.5 billion.
You'll help pay for it. A "typical Austin homeowner" will see property taxes go up roughly $8.52 a month. As for rates and fees, you'll see a roughly $22 increase every month.City of Austin could see budget deficit, headed for ‘fiscal cliff’ with ARPA fundingThe budget included an estimated a

Austin city manager proposes another record budget at $5.9B

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Despite asking departments to cut their individual budgets by roughly 1-2%, Austin's new city manager, T.C. Broadnax, is proposing another record-high city budget at $5.9 billion. It's a 5% increase from the previous fiscal year of $5.5 billion.
You'll help pay for it. A 3.5% property tax increase is being proposed. It would cost the median homeowner roughly $8.52 more per month. The median sales price for a home in Austin as of the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) May repor

Mosquito trap in Georgetown park tests positive for West Nile; ground spraying scheduled this weekend

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- Ground spraying for mosquitoes is scheduled at a Georgetown park this weekend after health officials collected a second positive West Nile virus sample from a trap site in the park.
According to the City of Georgetown, the sample was collected July 3 from a trap site in Pinnacle Park, located at 309 Greenslope Lane.What to know about West Nile virus in Williamson CountyThe city said a Health District contractoris planning to conduct truck-mounted spraying on the

Nonprofit status gives Austin School of Furniture Foundation new legs for charitable efforts

Austin (KXAN) — Creativity and passion is what directors of the Austin School of Furniture Foundation say has driven them to teach others about woodworking. Now that the school has been granted its nonprofit status, leaders said they're looking forward to expanding its programs.“What has really attracted me is being able to look at a board and kind of think 'well I can make just about anything,'" said Austin Waldo, ASFF managing director.Waldo said AFSS started in 2018, allowing stud

Free summer musical returns this week to Zilker Hillside Theater

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A classic Austin summer tradition returns Friday night as the Zilker Hillside Theater kicks off its 65th annual summer musical.
Each year, it's a different musical, this year, it's Legally Blonde."I've been doing theater for six years and I'm in high school, and it's just been really awesome to be a part of the tradition here that's been going on for so long," performer Kaitlyn Kenney said.For anyone looking for summer events in Austin, this should be on your list of things

LIVE BLOG: Texans donate for 2024 Summer Fan Drive

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Central Texans are donating fans and money Friday to help keep people cool this summer. It's part of Family Eldercare's Summer Fan Drive.People can drop off box fans from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at KXAN, Roger Beasley Mazda Central, Roger Beasley Mazda of Georgetown, Roger Beasley Mazda South and Whittlesey Landscape Supplies – Round Rock. They can also donate online.Family Eldercare has been hosting the drive for more than 30 years. The Austin-based organization provides case ma

LIVE BLOG: Donate to 2024 Summer Fan Drive

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Central Texans are donating fans and money Friday to help keep people cool this summer. It's part of Family Eldercare's Summer Fan Drive.People can drop off box fans from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at KXAN, Roger Beasley Mazda Central, Roger Beasley Mazda of Georgetown, Roger Beasley Mazda South and Whittlesey Landscape Supplies – Round Rock. They can also donate online.Family Eldercare has been hosting the drive for more than 30 years. The Austin-based organization provides case ma

BLOG: Donate to 2024 Summer Fan Drive

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Central Texans are donating fans and money Friday to help keep people cool this summer. It's part of Family Eldercare's Summer Fan Drive.People can drop off box fans from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at KXAN, Roger Beasley Mazda Central, Roger Beasley Mazda of Georgetown, Roger Beasley Mazda South and Whittlesey Landscape Supplies – Round Rock. They can also donate online.Family Eldercare has been hosting the drive for more than 30 years. The Austin-based organization provides case ma

Spotty showers entering Central Texas this afternoon

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Isolated showers have started moving into Central Texas. Rain Chances have been bumped up to 50% as light to moderate showers build. Metro Austin should have a few showers rolling back in as the day goes on. Rain chances continue through the afternoon all thanks to the daytime heating.
Saturday rain chances continue to hold at 20% but by Sunday rain chances drop and we are left with the heat again.Weekend forecastAfternoon highs will warm to the mid- to upper 90s today through M

Spotty rain/storms today and tomorrow

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures are expected to stay sub-100° the next couple of days, but our luck runs out next week.Spotty showers and increased cloud cover will help keep temperatures down a few degrees today and tomorrow. Although not everyone will see rain, those who do see a passing shower could pick up a quick 0.1"-0.25". No severe weather or flooding concerns are anticipated.Afternoon highs will warm to the mid- to upper 90s today through Monday... but a string of triple digits is lik