Austin is close to finalizing a $120 million plan to consolidate and move public safety headquarters for police, fire and EMS to a state-of-the-art facility in South Austin. (Austin American-Satesman)
A fire that broke out in the exterior of an apartment building in southeast Austin Friday night is now under control. (CBS Austin)
Photos: Austin Fire Department
A brush fire that broke out in east Austin that threatened several structures has been fully contained at 55 acres. Two firefighters were hurt battling the blaze.
Austin Police continue to see phone thefts rise during Austin City Limits Music Festival. During the first weekend of ACL this year, APD said they received 44 reports of theft– 42 of which were for cell phones. (CBS Austin)
On Friday, surprise guest Willie Nelson joined Chris Stapleton on the stage at Austin City Limits Music Festival. (KXAN-TV)
The Federal Aviation Association issued a temporary flight restriction through Monday, Oct. 14, for areas around ACL Fest. All unmanned aircraft system drone flights are prohibited within a one nautical mile radius of Zilker Park between 9 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. (KXAN-TV)
After the state’s highest criminal court on Friday declined to halt the execution of an East Texas man condemned in 2003 for killing his 2-year-old daughter, a bipartisan group of lawmakers hurriedly scheduled a hearing seeking to invoke a state law that prohibits the death penalty for convictions based on “junk science.” (Austin American-Statesman)
Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger has been denied parole.
A Texas man who sued three women for helping his ex-wife obtain abortion pills agreed to drop the lawsuit just days before a trial was set to start, marking the end of a key test case for private enforcement of state abortion bans. (Austin American-Statesman)
Legal proceedings intended to cement the financing plan for Project Connect—Austin’s proposed multibillion-dollar transit system—may be back on track. (Community Impact)
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after reports that a plane traveling from Austin to Houston lost power mid-flight.
The department that oversees approval of new construction in Austin will begin using artificial intelligence to evaluate building plans as early as next summer. (KUT 90.5)
In Travis County, there are two taxing entities that apply to all properties: the Travis County government and the county’s hospital district, Central Health. Both entities have approved tax increases for the upcoming year. (Community Impact)
Beginning January 1, vehicle safety inspections will no longer be required for most drivers in Texas.
In Travis County, a man was sentenced in connection with three 2023 charges related to sexual abuse. (KXAN-TV)
Gold’s Gym is expanding in Austin, opening their 16th area location with plans to possibly add several more in the next few years. (Austin Business Jounal)
Communities in Tennessee and the Carolinas are still recovering from Hurricane Helene. A Texas-trained drone team is there taking part in search and recovery efforts. (Fox7 Austin)
Hurricane Milton has claimed at least 17 lives in Florida and recovery and clean-up efforts continue this weekend.
It looks like we’ll see one final blast of summer heat (possibly breaking a few records for mid-October) this weekend before big changes occur later next week.
There’s another chance to view a historic event in the sky this weekend: Comet A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS. (Lonestar Live)
Texas lawmakers are joining the push to add a new “green amendment” to the state constitution. The movement aims to protect people’s rights to “clean air, clean water, healthy soil, fauna, etc…”
Two billionaires, Elon Musk and vodka kingpin Bert “Tito” Beveridge, own enough land in Bastrop County to build cities. (Austin Business Journal)
SpaceX wants to go to Mars. To get there, environmentalists say it’s trashing Texas. (Texas Public Radio)
Texas students can now see which state public universities would accept them before they apply. (Texas Tribune)
A new report from the Texas Department of Public Safety indicates the state should do more to make medical marijuana accessible.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has removed a federal district judge from a 13-year case against Texas’ foster care system. (Texas Public Radio)
Students from immigrant families appear to have lost out on state grant money for college because of a glitch with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. (Texas Tribune)
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred will face off in their first televised debate on Tuesday, October 15, at 7 p.m. at WFAA’s studios in downtown Dallas. (KVUE-TV)
How Ted Cruz and Colin Allred are putting on another big US Senate battle in Texas.
Former President Barack Obama gave his support Friday to Democratic Senate candidate Colin Allred in his campaign against Ted Cruz. (Fox4 Dallas/Ft. Worth via MSN)
In addition to the obvious races on this year’s ballot, there are several down-ballot races being decided including county clerks, constables, Justice of the Peace, judges and commissioners. (KXAN-TV)
Former president Donald Trump continued his anti-immigrant rhetoric Friday at an appearance in Colorado.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told veteran journalist Bob Woodward that Donald Trump is “a fascist to the core.”
Swing state polls: Trump and Harris are close in all seven battlegrounds. (Forbes)
Back-to-back hurricanes have jumbled the presidential campaign schedules of Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. (Associated Press)
SPORTS
Texas and Oklahoma meet today at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for the first time as SEC opponents in the annual Red River Rivalry. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Complete game program (.pdf file).
The Sooners are playing Texas without its top-five wide receivers. (Lonestar Live)
The governors of Texas and Oklahoma have engaged in a friendly bet ahead of today’s game between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
All the scores from the area’s Friday night high school football games. (KXAN-TV)
In the NHL, the Dallas Stars (1-0) host the New York Islanders (0-0-1) tonight. (Yahoo! Sports)
Texas-Oklahoma Rivalry: History of the Red River Showdown
