Central Texas top stories for July 18, 2025. Austin police response times continue to lag, according to a new study out this week. The recovery process for the Sandy Creek neighborhood after the floods will take some time. The LCRA is asking people to be careful when visiting the Highland Lakes. Federal funding cuts are forcing Austin area school districts to make tough decisions ahead of the school year.
LCRA
KUT Afternoon Newscast for July 17, 2025: Flood recovery efforts in Travis County continue more than 12 days since devastating floods
Central Texas top stories for July 17, 2025. Recovery work is not letting up in the Big Sandy Creek community. Floodgate operations have ended for now along the Highland Lakes system. Williamson County is opening a disaster recovery center to provide in-person support for people affected by the flooding. The City of Austin is considering a budget proposal that includes cuts to overtime for Austin Firefighters.
KUT Morning Newscast for July 17, 2025: The LCRA closed all floodgates to dams after releasing storm runoff from recent heavy rains
Central Texas top stories for July 17, 2025. The Lower Colorado River Authority finished closing all floodgates at all dams along the Highland Lakes last night. State lawmakers will begin a special legislative session next week; one of Gov. Greg Abbotts priorities is police personnel transparency. The City of Kyle’s Mayor announced he’ll be stepping down from his position. More people can now use SNAP to buy hot and ready to eat meals
KUT Afternoon Newscast for July 15, 2025: The Lower Colorado River Authority opened floodgates at Lake Buchanan this week for the first time since 2019
Central Texas top stories for July 15, 2025. The Lower Colorado River Authority has one gate open at Buchanan Dam, sending water down into Lake Travis. Catastrophic flooding in Austin would have happened again if not for that system of up-river lakes and dams. Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax is proposing a $6.3 billion budget. Women over the age of 40 can get free mammograms at Ascension Seton Primary Care through July 25th.
KUT Morning Newscast for July 15, 2025: Austin City Manager proposed a $6.3 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year
Central Texas top stories for July 15, 2025. The Austin area is still under a Flood Watch until 1 p.m. today. Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax released a proposed budget of $6.3 billion for the 2026 fiscal year. AISD is working on a plan to close certain campuses to reduce its multimillion-dollar budget deficit. Travis County opened a Volunteer Reception Center for those who want to help people affected by the July 4th weekend floods in the Austin area. Lake Travi is now 83 percent full, four feet above its average for the month of July.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for July 14, 2025: Mexican volunteers rushed in to help after floods in Texas. Some want to continue recovery efforts
Central Texas top stories for July 14, 2025. A Flood Watch has been extended until tomorrow morning at 7:00 for the Austin area and west into the Hill Country. The Lower Colorado River Authority opened four flood gates this afternoon at Buchanan Dam. Debris pickup services in the northwest Travis County neighborhood near Big Sandy Creek started today. Travis County officials are working to restore access to homes near Big Sandy Creek after flooding in the area severely damaged a bridge and left some people in the neighborhood trapped on one side of the creek. Mexican volunteer teams helped with recovery efforts in Kerr County.
KUT Morning Newscast for March 6, 2025: Low humidity today will result in near critical fire weather conditions in the Austin area.
Central Texas top stories for March 6, 2025. The National Weather Service says wind gusts as high as 30 miles per hour and low humidity will create near critical fire weather conditions today. The Lower Colorado River Authority is entering tougher drought restrictions. As the city of Austin works to redevelop some of its buildings, works of art housed inside them could be destroyed.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for January 29, 2025
Central Texas top stories for January 29, 2025. Trump administration policy changes have caused some confusion among scientists. Daniel Perry will go back on trial on a charge for deadly conduct. Austin Water and the Lower Colorado River Authority are working to get Lady Bird Lake back up to its normal level. Rain chances will rise tonight into tomorrow.
A year of travel across Texas
Every corner of Texas holds a certain kind of unique magic. We’re hitting the road, exploring hidden history and checking out plans for some new trails.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 4, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 4, 2024. Austinites will have a chance to meet the candidates running for the city council in November. Lake Travis ISD has rolled out new parental controls for its online library catalog. Austin Independent School District students who are caught with e-cigarettes on campus will have to take an anti-vaping course. Llano got 6 inches of rain on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for July 25, 2024
Central Texas top stories for July 25, 2024. Budget discussions are underway at Austin City Hall. Dell Seton Medical Center is celebrating the opening of an expanded unit to treat neurological conditions. Lake Travis has been benefiting from this week’s rain. The impact of recent rain on the local drought picture.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for July 24, 2024
Central Texas top stories for July 24, 2024. How this week’s rain affects Austin’s water supply. Austin’s City Council is looking into capacity issues at the Austin Animal Center at today’s budget meeting. A Hays County Judge has dismissed a lawsuit Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed against the City of San Marcos over its ordinance decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession. A break from the rain and the heat today.
KUT Morning Newscast for July 10, 2024
Central Texas top stories for July 10, 2024. Officials are advising people and pets to avoid all contact with algae in the Highland Lakes. How come hurricanes rarely make it to Central Texas? The LCRA is expanding its rebate program for water conservation projects.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for July 2, 2024
Central Texas top stories for July 2, 2024. Congressman Lloyd Doggett is calling on President Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee for president. The Austin Community College Board of Trustees has signed off on a 4-point-5 percent across-the-board raise for employees. The Austin Animal Center is pausing animal intake to help ease overcrowding. The Austin Police Department may finish out 2024 with more cadets than departures in its ranks for the first time in years. The Lower Colorado River Authority is offering grants of up to 50 thousand dollars. Potential weather changes inbound.
Looking ahead to the eclipse day weather forecast
A Texas public health expert explains what bird flu means after a case of the illness was found in a worker on a dairy farm.
The effort to expand high-speed broadband in North Texas slows down as a company doing the work pulls out.
Could clouds obscure eclipse day in Texas? We’ll take a look at the latest forecast for next Monday.
Exploring Texas parks that are off the beaten path … and away from crowds.
Plus, one of the fiercest wildcats in the world is only eight inches tall. A Texas-based wildlife center is working to save the black-footed cat.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for February 22, 2024
Central Texas top stories for February 22, 2024. Reactions from the AT&T outage. The City of Austin will not move forward with a plan to conduct a comprehensive review of its homeless services and programs. New water rules to fight drought conditions. Sarkisian gets a raise.
Texas frackers are going electric – but can the grid handle it?
With a push from Texas Republicans, the U.S. House moves a step closer toward a vote to impeach the head of Homeland Security.
Amid a shortage of teachers statewide, a move in Dallas to get more men of color in the classroom.
In the Texas oilfields, how a push for greener drilling has some worried about the effects on the power grid.
A browser update for the ages? Why new features in Google Chrome have one tech writer warning of the end of the human internet.
And Temu takeover? Why U.S. giants like Amazon and Walmart are rethinking their strategies as a China-based retailer turns up the heat.
KUT Morning Newscast for February 1, 2024
Central Texas top stories for February 1, 2024. New Austin police officers to get more money amid record-breaking departures. The Texas Attorney General is suing Austin over marijuana policies. The City of Austin is set to approve a tree trimming contract. Lower Colorado River Authority proposes new outdoor watering restrictions.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for August 14, 2023
Central Texas top stories for August 14, 2023. Excessive heat warning. Calls for water conservation. Parmer lane fire relief. CapMetro service disruptions. Hot school buses. University of Texas at Austin Medical Center. Longhorns 11th in AP rankings.
KUT Morning Newscast for January 25, 2023
Central Texas top stories for January 25, 2023. Travis County supportive housing. New power plant in Central Texas. Eanes ISD Fentanyl awareness. Hays CISD school repairs. UT Basketball. Austin FC academy first pro.