For a day that had Austin shivering in record-breaking cold, several intense fires occurred in the area including a three-alarm blaze at the Talisman condominium complex on Barton Springs Road near Zilker Park that has displaced more than a dozen residents.
No injuries reported after a structure fire north of the city Wednesday evening.
For a second night, below freezing temperatures and windchills near zero forced many of Austin’s homeless to seek shelter.
A line for shelter registration began late Wednesday afternoon at One Texas Center.
Photos: Frank Strovel III
Registration at One Texas Center will happen every evening between 6 and 8. But the Homeless Strategy Office says transportation to a shelter will still be available until 1 a.m. for those who aren’t able to make it to registration on time.
The shelters are expected to be open again tonight.
Central Texas broke a record for high temperatures yesterday. Many areas never made it out of the 20s.
This morning started off the same…
ERCOT reported a new record for power demand last night.
A look at demand this morning on the power grid.
ERCOT
More on the record-setting cold and the extended forecast, which includes a nice warming trend early next week, can be found further down this post in WEATHER.
A Travis County judge has increased the bond for a 19-year-old man accused of first-degree murder.
Travis County DA Jose Garza acknowledges mismanagement in the case of Stephon Morson.
Criticism of DA Jose Garza continues online…
Williamson County authorities are warning residents of a phone scam.
The Austin Police Department identified the victim in a fatal crash between a vehicle and a pedestrian that happened Tuesday morning in southeast Austin.
Police in Cedar Park provided more information about a fatal car crash over the weekend that resulted in the death of a teenager.
Residents in the southwest part of the city can meet up with Austin Police this evening as part of the department’s “Community Connect” events.
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax is seeking community input for the 2025-26 city budget. To facilitate this, he will host a series of town halls. (KVUE-TV)
Gannett Co. has sold the Austin American-Statesman to Hearst Corp., the companies announced Wednesday. The sale, part of a larger divestiture from Gannett’s USA TODAY Network, is expected to be finalized by March 31. Hearst, which already owns the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News, will expand its Texas media presence with this acquisition. The purchase price was not disclosed. (Austin American-Statesman)
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is investigating a lottery store in Austin that sold the $83.5 million winning Lotto Texas ticket for Wednesday’s drawing.
A new lounge space is coming to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as part of its expansion. The planned new facility will be located in the revamped Barbara Jordan Terminal after the airport’s West Infill expansion project is finished. (Austin Business Journal)
City crews have completed construction on a number of mobility safety improvements at the intersection of Stassney Lane and First Street in South Austin, an area in the past prone to auto crashes. It’s part of the city of Austin’s plan to reduce traffic injuries and deaths. (Community Impact)
Jim Davis, the University of Texas at Austin’s chief operating officer, has been unexpectedly named interim president of the flagship university by the UT System leadership.
WEATHER
The Extreme Cold Warning ends at noon today. Overnight lows tonight and tomorrow morning will again be below freezing but not as extreme.
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
The Texas Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Wednesday that would allow for the detention of certain criminal defendants pending the outcome of their cases.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded online:
A Republican Texas senator introduced legislation to ban government entities from funding abortion travel support, targeting programs already operating in Austin and San Antonio. (Lonestar Live)
At the epicenter of the West Texas measles outbreak, one hospital in Gaines County works towards containment. (Texas Standard)
Robert Roberson, a Texas death row inmate, has filed a new appeal. Roberson, who has autism spectrum disorder, claims innocence after 22 years on death row.
After being told to brace for impending layoffs, employees at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston are breathing a sigh of relief with news that they will be spared from the cuts. (Houston Chronicle)
The Trump administration last week approved plans for a second deepwater oil loading terminal off the Texas coast, opening another door for continued long-term growth in American crude production and exports. (Texas Tribune)
A Houston Police Department supervisor is facing charges of possession of child pornography.
A Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested for attacking inmate in a restroom and then attempting to wash blood evidence off his uniform to hide signs of the altercation.
SPORTS
MLS: Austin FC introduced recently acquired forward Myrto Usuni.
NBA: The San Antonio Spurs host the Phoenix Suns tonight at Austin’s Moody Center as the NBA resumes its regular schedule after a break.
Unfortunately for fans, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is unlikely to play.
The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets remain idle tonight. They both resume play tomorrow night.
A journey through Space Center Houston, the museum and visitor’s center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
