Austin Police announced Thursday the arrest of 66-year-old Steven Aldrich, who they suspect possessed a significant quantity of homemade explosives. According to authorities at a news conference, the Police Department’s bomb squad had to detonate these explosives inside a South Austin residence. Aldrich also has a prior conviction for manufacturing explosives and was on probation at the time of his arrest.
CBS Austin spoke with Aldrich’s sister who expressed concerns about her brother.
Construction has already begun on the new Austin Convention Center. Austin leaders hosted an official event Thursday.
“Austin is not closed for business just because the convention center is not here, the tourism will still happen. It’s just going to look more spread out and different.” — Trisha Tatro, the director of the Austin Convention Center Department
This project aims to significantly expand Austin’s rentable event space, nearly doubling it from the current 365,000 square feet to 620,000 square feet. Furthermore, the addition of a flexible 90,000-square-foot hall will greatly improve the center’s ability to host large keynote addresses, a capability that the existing facility struggled with. (Austin Business Journal)
A serious two-car collision near Bee Cave early Thursday sent four people to the hospital.
Austin police have released more information about a fatal accident earlier this week that killed a person riding a moped.
A survivor of a fatal chain-reaction crash on I-35 a few weeks ago is suing Amazon for $100 million but Amazon says it had no connection to the truck driver involved and wants a jury trail.
AFD responded to a structure fire late last night in South Austin.
The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest of a volleyball coach in the Lockhart area for “sexual performance of a child.”
A man was arrested and charged after several drugs and untraceable guns were found in his possession in Kyle.
X user Austin Justice (@justictracking) posted on the city’s current murder rate for 2025.
The Round Rock Police Department is seeking public help to find a suspect wanted in connection with an assault that happened in January in Round Rock.
A raccoon in San Marcos tested positive for rabies, city officials announced Thursday. (CBS Austin)
X user @TheATX1 reports a new apartment complex on South Lamar Boulevard will begin construction in four months.
Austin’s Museum of Ice Cream has lost its lease in The Domain and will close July 20. (Austin Business Journal)
A new entertainment venue featuring duckpin bowling lanes has opened in South Austin. (Community Impact)
Austin-based contract electronics manufacturer Virtex Enterprises LP is shutting down its local production facility, resulting in the layoff of all 84 employees working at that location. (Austin Business Journal)
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Current drought monitor….
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched two new lawsuits, filed on Thursday, challenging firearms restrictions at Dallas’ Fair Park Music Hall and Majestic Theatre, claiming these venues are illegally prohibiting guns at their events. (Austin American-Statesman)
The Texas Senate passed a comprehensive higher education bill encompassing several key changes: it would regulate faculty senates, mandate reviews of core curriculum, require training for university system regents, eliminate degree programs deemed to have poor investment returns and create an ombudsman office to handle compliance investigations and public complaints against universities. (Austin American-Statesman)
Community activists are launching a public engagement campaign to counter what they perceive as the growing “militarization” of the Texas-Mexico border. (KXAN-TV)
Collin County is issuing warnings about potential exposure to measles after an individual with measles spent time in Plano during April.
New cases have been confirmed in East Texas.
Texas hemp farmers fear a full THC ban in the state would nip the industry in the bud. (Texas Tribune)
Texas lawmakers are moving toward stricter regulations on Botox and similar cosmetic injectables. A proposed bill, if enacted into law, would establish more stringent requirements for who is authorized to administer these procedures, with an effective date of September 1, 2025. (My San Antonio)
The Beaumont Police Department Narcotics Unit and K-9 RHIP have made one of the largest drug seizures on record in this area, seizing nearly 1,300 pounds of cocaine following a traffic stop on Interstate 10 and arresting a Florida woman.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASEBALL: First baseman Kimble Schuessler hit a go-ahead solo shot in the seventh, as No. 1 Texas rallied for a 3-2 win against No. 8 Auburn on Thursday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. (Texas Longhorns)
BASEBALL: Populous, a renowned global design firm, will spearhead the architectural design of the San Antonio Missions’ new downtown ballpark, slated for an April 2028 opening. The San Antonio Missions and their ownership group, Designated Bidders, made the announcement on Thursday. The Missions are the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. (Texas Public Radio)
MLB: Corey Seager and Jake Burger each had three hits, and the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Houston Astros were off Thursday. Both Houston and Texas play tonight.
NBA: The Dallas Mavericks attempt to stay alive in the postseason tonight.
Scenes of spring on the Duval Ranch.
