What road closures are planned for Austin's 4th of July celebration? - Austin news - NewsLocker (2024)

Editor’s Note: The above video shows KXAN News’ top morning headlines from Monday, July 1, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Happy Independence Day!Thousands of Austinites will flock downtown Thursday to celebrate the Fourth of July with an Austin Symphony Orchestra performance and fireworks show at Auditorium Shores and the Long Center, located at 900 W. Riverside Drive. The free festivities begin at 4 p.m. while the fireworks display is set to kick off at 9:30 p.m.Whether you're traveling

Donald Trump whisked off stage in Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.
Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.
He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continue

Officials battling Lovers Hill fire in Burnet County

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Officials are battling a fire in Burnet County that started on Friday, located between Marble Falls and Burnet, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The fire, now named the Lovers Hill fire, has burned at least 47 acres and was 75% contained as of 2:30 p.m., according to the forest service.We will continue updating this article as updates become available.How to prepare for extreme wildfire dangerTexans can prepare for an evacuation plan, including assembling a Go Kit

Eccentric fitness icon Richard Simmons dies at 76: report

(KTLA/NEXSTAR) — Richard Simmons, the legendary fitness instructor that reached massive celebrity status, has died at the age of 76, according to TMZ and other outlets. The star celebrated his 76th birthday just one day earlier.Simmons was found by his housekeeper just before 10 a.m. Saturday, TMZ reports. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. The outlet reports that police viewed his death as "natural."Is this how to stop people from texting while driving?Friday on

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Alec Baldwin thanks supporters in first public comments after early end to trial

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) —Alec Baldwinmade his first public comments to thank his supporters Saturday after the stunning early end to his involuntary manslaughter trial."There are too many people who have supported me to thank just now,"Baldwin said in a brief Instagram postthat accompanied a photo of him sitting in a Santa Fe, New Mexico, courtroom. “To all of you, you will never know how much I appreciate your kindness toward my family.”The actor wept

Sanders calls on Democrats to drop calls for Biden to withdraw in NYT op-ed: ‘Enough!’

(The Hill) — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is calling on Democrats to end the “circular firing squad” after two weeks of a public debate over whether President Biden should continue his presidential campaign after his disastrous June 27 debate performance.“Enough! Mr. Biden may not be the ideal candidate, but he will be the candidate and should be the candidate. And with an effective campaign that speaks to the needs of working families, he will not only defeat Mr. Trump bu

Is buying a home still worth it?

(NEXSTAR) — A recent report found that buying a home in the U.S. today is less affordable than any other time in the last 17 years, only emphasizing the pressure many homebuyers may have already been feeling.More than 35% of the average wage is currently going toward the typical costs of a home, the report from real estate data company ATTOM determined. Coupled with stubborn mortgage rates, hovering around 6.95%, the thought of owning a home may feel out of reach for many.It all come

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, America’s diminutive and pioneering sex therapist, dies at 96

NEW YORK (AP) — Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the diminutive sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, has died. She was 96.Westheimer died on Friday at her home in New York City, surrounded by her family, according to publicist and friend Pierre Lehu.Westheimer never advocated risky sexual behavior. Instead, she encouraged an open dialogue on previously closeted issues that affected her audience of millions. Her

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Rain fading away with drier, hotter weather ahead

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Once again today, showers and thunderstorms developed in the late morning and into the afternoon. Just as temperatures were approaching 90 degrees, the rain moved in just in time to cool some of us off into the 70s and 80s. Rain showers will continue to dissipate tonight as lows fall back into the 70s. There is one more small chance for a stray shower on Sunday, but most of us will not see rain. Highs on Sunday will return to the mid and upper 90s.Scattered showers were seen aro

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

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

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