Central Texas top stories for August 26, 2025. The Austin City Council resumes its regular workload this week after passing a new budget. The deadline to apply for financial aid from the Travis County Cares Fund after July floods has been extended. The Texas Longhorns football team starts the new season this week. Delta Airlines is adding three non-stop flights out of Austin. A boil water notice is in effect for parts of eastern Hays County.
Austin City Council
KUT Morning Newscast for August 1, 2025: Austin City Council members signaled they’re interested in putting a tax increase to voters this fall
Central Texas top stories for August 1, 2025. Austin City Council members yesterday signaled they’re interested in putting a tax increase to voters this fall. Major staffing changes at the Austin ISD central administrative office take effect today. State Lawmakers in Texas met in Kerrville yesterday to hear from local officials and residents who survived the July 4th floods. Local officials in areas along the Guadalupe River have for the first time confirmed a 40-minute lag in sending out mass warnings during last month’s deadly floods. A new Westlake Drive Bridge over Loop 360 is scheduled to open as soon as tonight.
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KUT Afternoon Newscast for June 18, 2025: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is demanding the city of Austin stop contracting with anti-gun companies
Central Texas top stories for June 18, 2025. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sent a letter to the city of Austin demanding they cease contracting with anti-gun companies. CapMetro’s police chief is leaving the transit agency. Governor Greg Abbott says he’s still on the fence about whether he’ll sign or veto a bill that would ban consumable products containing THC. Austin paramedic Selena Xie announced today that she’s running for a seat on the Austin City Council. Travis County residents are invited to hear updates tonight on the county’s progress building a mental health diversion center.
UT Morning Newscast for March 27, 2025: Carole Keeton, Austin’s first and only woman mayor, dies at 85.
Central Texas top stories for March 27, 2025. Carole Keeton, Austin’s first and only woman mayor so far, died at age 85. Capital Metro doesn’t know how much money it lost from problems with its fare collection system in 2023-2024. Austin City Council will hear today on new wildfire maps today.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for January 23, 2025
Central Texas top stories for January 23, 2025. Immigration advocates and City of Austin officials say they’re concerned about a slew of new policies that could lead to mass deportations under President Trump. Austin City Council Member Krista Laine has been found in violation of a city ethics policy. One more freeze is in the forecast for Austin tonight.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for January 6, 2025
Central Texas top stories for January 6, 2025. It’s cold enough to drip your faucets overnight. How Austin is preparing for this week’s freezing temperatures. CapMetro is offering free rides to warming centers during this week’s cold weather. Texas has done away with safety inspections on non-commercial vehicles. Texas plays Ohio State Friday night for a spot in this year’s College Football National Championship game. Six Austin City Council members are being sworn into office today.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 13, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 13, 2024. Tomorrow is runoff Election Day in Texas. The Austin City Council yesterday approved $6.75 million dollars to support an emergency homeless shelter in Southeast Austin. Austin’s Energy’s new power generation plan was approved by the Austin City Council. There’s a new plan in the works to expand one State Highway 130.
Trade schools thrive as electric vehicle demand grows
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued two giants of the chemical business, 3M and DuPont, over so-called forever chemicals contained in household objects.
A new kind of car needs a new kind of mechanic. The Standard’s Kristen Cabrera goes inside a school for hybrid and electric vehicle repairs.
The old art form of tintype photography is being revived in Waco.
And: EA recently made 23 of its accessibility patents freely available to help developers create more inclusive games.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 12, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 12, 2024. A lot coming from City Council today, starting with the vote on a roadmap for keeping electricity reliable and affordable into the future. Austin City Council is set to approve funding to continue operating the Marshalling Yard homeless shelter. Austin City Council will vote on designating 1500 East on 12th street as a City of Austin Landmark. Williamson County is preparing to launch a new office of death investigators.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 04, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 04, 2024. Christopher Taylor has been sentenced to two years in prison. Austin City Council is encouraging folks to relocate homes instead of demolishing them. This fall broke many weather records in Austin. Firefighters are conducting controlled burns near Lake Georgetown to avoid wildfires.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 22, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 22, 2024. The City of Austin has denied a request for a recount from mayoral candidate Carmen Llanes Pulido. After the November election, the Travis County Tax Office has been calculating property owners’ 2024 tax bills. The City of Austin has adopted the new Equity-Based Preservation Plan. The City of Austin got two federal grants to bolster the Downtown Austin Community Court Mobile Court program. Williamson County is working on facilitating inmates’ access to mental health treatment. Here’s where to volunteer this Thanksgiving.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 20, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 20, 2024. The City of Austin has to rethink the project to build caps on I-35. A conflict between two local health organizations came to a head yesterday when Central Health’s CEO fired the CEO of CommUnityCare. The State of Texas is offering land for Donald Trump’s upcoming administration to build its first mass deportation camp. The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District is considering switching to a four-day school week. The National Weather Service says high – almost critical– fire weather conditions are expected today in most of Central Texas.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 18, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 18, 2024. School leaders in Round Rock are working to make their campuses more safe and secure. The City of Austin is naming the citizens to oversee complaints against police officers. The Texas State Board of Education is considering whether to approve state-developed instructional materials for use in public schools. The Leapfrog Group gave most Austin-area hospitals high marks. There’s a chance this week to hear from a couple of candidates still in the running for an Austin City Council seat. The Texas Longhorns will host their final home football game of their inaugural SEC campaign on Saturday. Two cold fronts are bringing some more typical fall weather to the Austin area this week.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 6, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 6, 2024. Reactions to the Presidential Election result in Travis County. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson may be headed for a runoff. One of the three races for a place in the Austin City Council is heading to a runoff. One Austin ISD race is heading to a runoff. And a couple of races in Hays County are undecided. Republican victories in several races in Williamson County. Voters in Manor have approved a higher tax rate to generate more revenue for the school district. San Marcos CISD voters approved a tax rate increase to generate more money for that district. Two more Austin-area cities have voted to decriminalize possessing small amounts of marijuana. Austin area homeowners are being asked to confirm their homestead exemption.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 25, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 25, 2024. Strong Early Voting turnout continues into day five. Austin City Council approved a controversial labor contract for its police department. Austin City Council members did not vote on a resolution that would have created child safety zones. The City of Austin is creating a combined public safety headquarters putting first responders under one roof. A new public health center opened today in the Dove Springs community. Travis County officials are encouraging folks to dispose of expired or unused prescription medication safely at Drug Take Back Day tomorrow.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 24, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 18, 2024. Tomorrow is the last day to apply for a mail-in ballot. A non-profit has filed a lawsuit to block the Austin City Council from voting on a new labor contract with the city’s police union. The Austin City Council could approve spending $120 million dollars on new public safety headquarters. The City of Austin will consider requiring landlords to disclose rental fees.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 23, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 23, 2024. CapMetro announced its Metro Rail will go back to its regular schedule. Travis County is seeing a record number of people show up to the polls. AID voters will decide on a tax rate increase. The Austin City Council is expected to vote tomorrow on a new police labor contract.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 7, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 7, 2024. Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor is now facing sentencing after being found guilty of deadly conduct. Austin City Council members will take more time to look over the new labor contract for police officers. Austin City Council will consider a plan this week to help recruit people for public safety jobs.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 27, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 27, 2024. The Austin City Council has rejected a proposed rate hike from Texas Gas Service. AISD is working on a place to reduce its spending by tens of millions of dollars, here’s an update. Unhoused Austinites staying at the ARCH or 8th Street shelters will soon have access to a free career training course from Austin Community College. Travis County residents can get their dogs and cats spayed or neutered for free today and tomorrow, here are the details.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 26, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 26, 2024. The Austin City Council may vote today on a proposed rate hike for gas service in the city. Starting October 1st, Austin will require multifamily housing complexes to offer compost service. Hays County is looking for input on a new park being built in San Marcos. Luz de Atabey is one of the 50 local organizations that was awarded the City of Austin’s FACE Grant.