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.
Early Voting
KUT Afternoon Newscast for December 10, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 10, 2024. Today is the last day of Early Voting in runoff elections. The first freeze of the season is on the way tomorrow morning. Austin activated its cold weather shelters for tonight. A Freeze Warning is in effect from midnight until eight tomorrow morning across Central Texas. Williamson County has hired its first county manager. A federal judge has blocked a rule from the Biden administration that would have given DACA recipients access to the Affordable Care Act. Travis County’s ban on outdoor burning is being allowed to expire as scheduled at midnight.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 10, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 10, 2024. Today is the last day of early voting in the local runoff elections. Texas is struggling to get people out of jails and into mental health treatment. Eanes ISD is considering combining two elementary schools to save money. San Marcos are looking to combine the city’s bus routes with those serving Texas State University. Cold shelters in Austin will open today.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for December 09, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 9, 2024. Tomorrow is the last day of Early Voting in the runoff elections yet to be decided. The Texas maternal mortality and morbidity review committee will not release a report from the initial years after Texas’ near-total abortion ban. Round Rock ISD is considering limiting who can challenge book titles in the district’s libraries. Texas will host the Clemson Tigers in the first round of this year’s expanded College Football Playoff. Despite lower home prices, homes in Austin are taking longer to sell. We’re getting some weather whiplash this week in the Austin area.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 9, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 09, 2024. Tomorrow is the last day of early voting for the December 14th runoff election. AISD is asking the public for feedback on its plan to eliminate its 92-million-dollar budget deficit over the next three years. The City of Austin is considering a new rule that would require certain businesses to display information about mental health and firearm safety. Austin City Council will vote on a plan to generate electricity in Austin into the future. The Longhorns came up short in the SEC game on Saturday, but they’re fifth seed in this year’s expanded College Football Playoff. An asteroid has been named after a UT professor.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 2, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 2, 2024. Early voting for runoff elections in Travis County starts today. President-elect Donald Trump’s plans on how to address homelessness might affect Austin’s long-term plans to get people to housing. The only clinic in Texas that exclusively serves uninsured children needs to find a new place. Here’s how to watch out for seasonal scams. The Longhorns will play to win the SEC championship. UT- Austin will host first and second rounds of the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Championship.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 5, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 5, 2024. Close to half of registered voters in the Austin area did not cast their ballot during Early Voting. Manor ISD rolled out new security protocols to help students and staff feel safe while at school. Election results and analysis tonight on KUT.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 4, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 4, 2024. Early Voting turnout. What to do if you encounter hiccups at the ballot box. High turnout in Williamson County during Early Voting. Austin ISD voters are deciding whether to approve a tax rate increase that would generate millions of dollars in new revenue for the district. Crews have been making progress containing a wildfire in Bastrop County.
Why Texans can’t put abortion – or other citizen-led initiatives – on the ballot
We’ll have the latest details the 400-acre Hudson Fire in Bastrop County, which has prompted the voluntary evacuation of about 65 homes.
On this day before elections, what we’re hearing about early turnout numbers.
Twenty-six states, including California, have citizen-led ballot initiatives – but Texas doesn’t. The Standard’s Sarah Asch brings us the history of a political tug-of-war.
Also: What comes next for death row inmate Robert Roberson and how his case may be affecting attitudes in Texas toward the death penalty.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 4, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 4, 2024. Crews continue working to contain a wildfire in Bastrop County. Election Day is tomorrow, millions of Texans cast their ballots during early voting. In Travis County, about half of registered voters cast their ballots during early voting. Conflicts over LGBTQ student rights, lessons about race and book bans are costing public schools a lot of money. Georgetown is finding ways to increase the city’s water supply. Trains in San Marcos are sounding their horns again.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 1, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 1, 2024. Today is the last day of Early Voting. The Travis County Republican Party sued the county this week, saying it’s not meeting bipartisan staffing rules at polling sites. We’re finally getting a change in the weather after a record setting October. A federal judge has denied a college student’s request to block UT Austin from enforcing his suspension. A new permanent supportive housing community opened in Austin today for people experiencing chronic homelessness. The SIMS Foundation is no longer accepting new clients and began dropping existing patients. Austin Water rates are higher, effective today.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 1, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 1, 2024. Today is the last day of early voting. Low-income residents can apply for help paying their rent from the City of Austin. A federal judge says pro-Palestinian student groups have a right to sue top officials at three public universities in Texas. School is out in many Central Texas school districts today.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 31, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 31, 2024. Early voting locations are open today and tomorrow until 7 pm with some voting locations open until 10 pm. Manor ISD will be putting in place new safety protocols after a student was fatally stabbed this week on a high school campus. Round Rock ISD is increasing the amount of rental assistance it offers employees to help with the high cost of living in the Austin area. Some school districts in the Austin area will be closed tomorrow.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 31, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 31, 2024. Tomorrow is the last day of early voting; some polling places will be open until 10 p.m. The City of Austin could expand homeownership support to more people. A small group of students held a pro-Palestinian protest on the UT campus. A team of veterinarians with Texas A&M returned home after helping with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Manor ISD superintendent announced new security measures after a student was fatally stabbed. It looks like we’ll have some rain today.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 30, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 30, 2024. Election officials advise voting early to avoid the Election Day rush. The largest-ever expansion of I-35 through Central Austin officially kicked off this afternoon. Local groups are working to secure federal support to help Austin residents prepare for climate emergencies. Six students held a pro-Palestinian demonstration and delivered a letter of demands to President Jay Hartzell’s staff. Open enrollment for marketplace health insurance opens on Friday. Rain is inbound for Austin.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 29, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 29, 2024. Early Voting turnout in Travis County picked up again yesterday after a slower weekend. As the population grows in Central Texas counties, so does the number of registered voters. What an Austin Mayoral campaign cost the candidates. Voters in Lockhart are deciding whether to bring Austin Community College into the bounds of their school district. A student died today after being stabbed by another student at Manor Senior High School. Williamson County commissioners voted today to allocate some of their remaining federal COVID relief funding toward projects to improve the county’s justice system. Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance is expected in Austin tomorrow to make his own appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 28, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 28, 2024. Some Early Voting locations will be open late this week. The gas rate increase that the City of Austin refused to support may still happen. A federal judge might block the University of Texas from enforcing its decision to suspend a student involved in a pro-Palestinian protest last April. Why firefighters and paramedics in Pflugerville oppose a ballot initiative that would cut sales taxes. Capital Metro is planning to build a second set of train tracks along the Red Line in East Austin. The U.S. Department of Energy is investing more than $20 million in a new facility in Taylor to help recycle and repurpose electric vehicle batteries. The City of Austin is changing the way it does curbside collections of brush, bulk items and hazardous materials.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 28, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 28, 2024. Early voting continues into its second week. Austin ISD says it has filled a position in its Ombuds Office dedicated to special education. Williamson County is looking to expand its jail and justice center. UT Austin will begin a $70 million restoration project on its iconic tower. Longhorns drop in the AP top 25 ranking after squeaking past Vanderbilt.
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 Afternoon Newscast for October 24, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 24, 2024. Strong turnout continues into the fourth day of Early Voting. The importance of races further down the ballot. Large swaths of Central Texas are now officially in Severe Drought. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up this weekend. The Austin City Council is scheduled to vote on the new contract with the city’s police union during today’s meeting. Some Hays County residents are suing the County Judge and Commissioners for placing Prop A on the ballot in the current election. The Texas football team is on the road this weekend to face 25th ranked Vanderbilt.