Central Texas top stories for November 20, 2024. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson avoided a runoff this week by a slim margin. Hear from a couple of candidates still in the running for an Austin City Council seat this evening. Alex Jones is suing The Onion and families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre to block the takeover of Infowars. Hays County and Austin Pets Alive are building a pet resource center. ACC has announced plans to expand its advanced manufacturing curriculum online.
Hays County
KUT Morning Newscast for November 6, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 6, 2024. Results for local elections in the Austin area. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson needs more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff, numbers are uncertain. Here’s what Autsinites decided on City Council. Travis County voters approved Proposition A to expand affordable childcare options in the county. Manor residents approved a new tax rate election to generate more revenue for the Manor Independent School District. Hays County voters have approved a 440-million-dollar bond for road improvements. Voters gave the Lockhart Independent School District a green light to join Austin Community College’s taxing district.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 5, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 5, 2024. It’s election day! Thousands of people are expected to head to the polls today across Central Texas. The biggest statewide race this Election Day in Texas is the U.S. Senate race. A group of Texas OBGYNs are speaking out against the state’s abortion ban following the deaths of two women. Crews remained on site overnight to patrol the wildfire in Bastrop.
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 Morning Newscast for October 30, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 30, 2024. Austin and Travis County have adopted a food plan to grow more food locally and send less to landfills. Here’s what you need to know about voting for a Railroad Commissioner. Voters in Lockhart will vote on whether to join the ACC taxing district. Hays County has significantly more registered voters than it did in the last presidential election.
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 Morning Newscast for October 29, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 29, 2024. We are one week away from the November election, if you are mailing in your ballot, you should do it soon. Austinites are asking the city to move ahead with a long-planned renovation of the Dougherty Arts Center. Residents in Northeast Travis County are voting on whether to cut a half cent sales tax from a local Emergency Service District, known as ESD two. Residents have filed a lawsuit against a bond for road improvements Hays County voters are deciding on this election.
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.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 22, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 22, 2024. High turnout for early voting in Travis, Hays and Williamson Counties. Voter turnout remains strong on the second day of early voting. Austin ISD officials say approving Proposition A is critical to giving teachers raises and keeping them in the district. The latest on the cleanup efforts for a train derailment in East Austin.
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 10, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 10, 2024. Austinites will vote for a mayor this fall, here’s the latest campaign finance data for that race. Groups in Texas are urging state lawmakers to prioritize affordable childcare in the next legislative session. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath says attendance rates for public schools dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic and still haven’t bounced back. Hays County voters will decide this fall whether to pass a major bond for road improvements.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 9, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 8, 2024. Travis County seems to have as many people registered to vote as last presidential election. Austin ISD is asking voters to increase taxes to help pay down a budget deficit and provide some staff raises. Hays County voters will decide this fall whether to pass a major bond for road improvements. Travis County Commissioners want to join a City of Austin plan to reduce road deaths in the area.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 1, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 1, 2024. The City of Austin has unveiled its most detailed vision yet for the I-35 caps. The federal government is giving borrowers who have defaulted on their student loans extra time to apply for a program that will return them to good standing. A longstanding legal battle over the environmental impact of development in Dripping Springs arrived at the Texas State Supreme Court today. Hays County is a step closer to establishing its own animal center. On the ballot in this fall’s election are half of Austin’s 10 city council seats and the mayor’s office. TxDOT is warning about the increased risk to pedestrians from drivers less able to see them as the days get shorter.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 30, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 30, 2024. The Austin City Council rejects a proposed rate increase for customers of Texas Gas Service. Lane closures ahead of the first of two Austin City Limits Music Festival weekends. Hays County voters will decide this fall whether to pass a major bond for road improvements. The University of Texas at Austin is getting more than $50 million in grants to help low-income students in Texas prepare for college. The Texas Longhorn football team dropped a spot in the AP top 25 rankings after a messy win over Mississippi State.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for September 26, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 26, 2024. The details of Austin’s $218 million contract with the city’s police department. Use of the Marshalling Yard shelter in Southeast Austin will now continue indefinitely. The number of defendants waiting for years in the Hays County jail for their trial has gone down. The Caucus on Global Migration introduced its first resolution today.The race to represent Texas in the senate is close. The Texas Football team makes its Southeastern Conference debut on Saturday with an afternoon matchup against Mississippi State. The federal government is once again offering free at-home COVID test kits.
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.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for September 24, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 24, 2024. Austin ISD’s plan to build apartments is moving forward. Travis County approved its highest budget in its history. Williamson County has formed partnerships with Austin-based non-profits to address the county’s growing homeless population. The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with Hays County Buda is raising its property tax rate and other fees. Senator Ted Cruz and his challenger, Congressman Colin Allred, have agreed to face off in a debate next month.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for September 18, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 18, 2024. Travis County is giving 15 million dollars to nonprofit organizations to build more housing. Hays County Commissioners have approved a new budget. Central Texas education officials say the state has not provided enough money to implement school safety legislation passed last year. An Austin police officer who was charged twice with murder will face a lesser charge. The Austin History Center is hosting conversations with the community to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The Texas Volleyball team is headed up to Waco tonight to face former Big 12 foe Baylor.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 17, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 17, 2024. Texas high school students will need to rank in the top five percent of their graduating class to be automatically admitted to UT Austin starting with the fall 2026 semester. Hays County Commissioners are set to vote on a new budget today. Texas is changing its rules for annual vehicle inspections, get the details here. The Austin Police Department is cracking down on aggressive driving, speeding, and other traffic violations in one part of the city.
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.