Central Texas top stories for April 29, 2025. Today is the last day of in-person Early Voting in the May 3 local election. City leaders say funding is needed to address Austin’s homelessness. Parking rates are going up at ABIA’s Red and Blue parking garages. Georgetown’s animal shelter hopes merging with another shelter will help address overcrowding issues.
ABIA
KUT Morning Newscast for April 22, 2025: Early Voting for the May 3 election starts today.
Central Texas top stories for April 22, 2025. Early Voting for the May third election starts today and runs through next Tuesday. The Austing-Bergstrom Interntional Airport is opening its outdoor observation patio to the public again. Williamson County’s newly appointed county judge has been sworn into office.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for March 21, 2025: The Texas Legislature looks to clarify abortion exemptions.
Central Texas top stories for March 21, 2025. A bill aimed at clarifying the medical exception to the Texas abortion ban was filed this week in the state legislature. Arrivals from Houston and Dallas were halted at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this morning. Leander is working to secure access to water for its growing population. Longhorn Women’s Basketball Team kicks off its NCAA tournament campaign this weekend.
KUT Morning Newscast for March 10, 2025: Austin has a new sister city.
Central Texas top stories for March 10, 2025. Busy day at ABIA today. Austin and Manchester announced a sister-cities partnership at South by Southwest. A bill that would create a school voucher program is getting a hearing in the Texas House this week. Williamson County is suing a housing finance corporation looking to remove two of its affordable housing developments from Williamson County’s tax rolls. The City of Kyle is set to launch a new 3-1-1 line tomorrow. The Texas Women’s basketball team came up short in yesterday’s SEC Tournament championship game.
KUT Morning Newscast for February 13, 2025: Demonstrators gathered on UT campus to protest Trump’s immigration policies.
Central Texas top stories for February 13, 2025. Around a hundred demonstrators gathered on the UT Austin campus Wednesday afternoon to protest reported sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on campus. Say so far, City of Austin programs have not been affected by federal and state orders related to freezing grants and loans, but some programs could be affected in the future. Austin City Council might change to mailing parking tickets. A new child care facility is looking to help lower costs in the Austin area.
US military sending troops to southern border
The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, under orders from President Donald Trump. But what will they be doing, exactly, and what are the limits on what they can do?
Half a trillion dollars have been pledged for a new AI venture called Stargate, and the first project is a data center in Abilene.
And: Sherman, Texas, is experiencing a silicon rush, with two massive microchip factories under construction – one by Texas Instruments and another by Global Wafers.
KUT Morning Newscast for January 23, 2025
Central Texas top stories for January 23, 2025. UT Austin students held an on-campus rally yesterday against President Donald Trump’s administration. Overnight cold weather shelters in Austin will be open again tonight. Officials at Austin Bergstrom International airport are still trying to attract a nonstop flight to somewhere in Eastern Asia. The Texas Senate and House have each unveiled their state budget proposals for the next two years.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 19, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 19, 2024. Some of “Old Austin” businesses closed this year. The City of Kyle is warning residents to stay away from feral hogs. ABIA is expecting more travelers this weekend, be prepared.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for December 11, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 11, 2024. The ballots are in from Early Voting in the runoff election for last month’s undecided races. The City of Austin is reworking the Live Music Fund. Bruce Elfant is retiring from his post as Travis County’s Voter Registrar and Tax Assessor-Collector. Austin’s airport is operating with about half as many air traffic controllers as it should. Texas State University’s class of 2020 will finally have an in-person commencement. A bankruptcy judge rejected The Onion’s auction bid to buy Infowars.
24 Hours at the Austin Airport
Nobody wants to be at the airport. At least not any longer than they have to. We spent 24 hours at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport— from 9 a.m. on May 6 to 9 a.m. on May 7 — to experience everything that happens there.
KUT Producers: Matt Largey, Greta Díaz González Vázquez, Maya Fawaz, Audrey McGlinchy, Stephanie Federico, Olivia Aldridge, Kailey Hunt, Nathan Bernier, Mose Buchele and Wynne Davis.
Production help from Hasina Shah, Sara Kinney and Tinu Thomas.
Graphic design by Maile Carballo.
Sonic logo design by Rene Chavez, Ezra Gomez and Simón Marulanda-Mesa
24 Hours in Austin is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 26, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 26, 2024. The City of Austin will be getting two federal grants to enhance the city’s mobile court program. A bill filed in the Texas House of Representatives would classify medications used in abortions as controlled substances. Expect heavy traffic getting to and through the airport during this Thanksgiving week. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport plans to build more lounges for customers who pay for the exclusive travel experience.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 21, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 21, 2024. It’s the first day of early voting for the November election and Travis County voters can cast a ballot at any of the county’s 42 polling locations. The Austin City Council this week could consider making local rules for where registered sex offenders can live. H-E-B plans to open a third store in San Marcos after reaching an agreement with the city. The Southeastern Conference is imposing a $250,000 fine on the University of Texas. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is encouraging travelers to show up early as officials anticipate about 40,000 departing passengers today.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 17, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 17, 2024. Austin and Travis County are issuing disaster declarations in response to the growing risk of wildfire. Three candidates running for a seat on the Railroad Commission of Texas met at a forum last night. The Texas Education Agency has released updated instructional materials the State Board of Education is scheduled to review and vote on next month. This Monday is set to be the busiest day ever at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 14, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 14, 2024. Airport officials say travelers should expect long lines at Austin Bergstrom International Airport. About 30 AISD schools and facilities will serve as polling sites on election day. A local group is asking Hays County voters to reject the bond for road improvements. Travis County is considering joining Austin’s food plan to avoid food waste. Travis County is holding a job fair today.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 8, 2024
The Austin Airport worker’s union has avoided a strike by securing a wage hike. Texas OBGYNs say best practices are hindered by restrictive state abortion law, many have considered leaving Texas. Fewer Monarch butterflies have been spotted in Texas so far this fall, a bad sign for their annual migration. A malfunction at Austin’s Longhorn Dam caused Lady Bird Lake to start draining on Monday. City says the problem has been fixed.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for September 27, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 27, 2024. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the City of Austin. Austin ISD voters will soon be deciding whether to approve a new tax rate that would generate millions of dollars in additional revenue for the district. Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium just became the first soccer-only stadium in the world to earn TRUE Gold certification. A big expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is officially cleared for takeoff. You’ve got a chance tomorrow to get a first look at new plans for the future of I-35. Travis County wants to get the word out about a new scam call tactic.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 13, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 13, 2024. A larger percentage of Austin renters are living in housing they can’t afford, according to new Census data. Travis County staff are making sure ballots are accurate and voting equipment is working properly for the November election, they are encouraging residents to come see the process for themselves. Hays County voters will decide on a major bond for road improvements this November. Starting in March, British Airways will fly from Austin to London Heathrow twice a day. The Austin based theater group Proyecto Teatro got selected to be part of the Encuentro 2024 festival in Los Angeles.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 5, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 5, 2024. Rents in the Austin area have been falling for almost a year and a half. Round Rock ISD is asking voters to pass bonds to help fund construction and renovation projects. ABIA will have jet bridges with air conditioning. Austin FC is looking to divert tons of trash from landfills.
KUT Morning Newscast for August 30, 2024
Central Texas top stories for August 30, 2024. The City of Austin is pushing back on SB4. Travis County Commissioners approved six- point- three million dollars to offer legal counsel during people’s first appearance in front of a judge when accused of a crime. Austin Community College’s semiconductor training center has been awarded one-and-a-half million dollars in federal funding. If you’re traveling this weekend, make sure to plan ahead.
What Texas Democrats can look forward to as the DNC kicks off
Texas has the third-largest delegation at the Democratic National Convention. We’ll hear more about the four-day political spectacle getting underway in Chicago and what it could mean for the Lone Star State and the presidential race.
Conservative activists, led by the Houston-based group True the Vote, are submitting lists of names to county election officials all over Texas, claiming the listed people are illegally registered to vote.
More and more school districts in Texas taking cellphone bans seriously as students return to class.
Also: Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a special type of self-watering soil that can actually pull water from the air and slowly release nutrients to plants.