Explosive material discovered at a residence in the 2400 block of Vintage Stave Road in south Austin was safely detonated on Wednesday by the Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Authorities responded to a call regarding a potential explosive device on Tuesday just after 3 p.m. and determined on-site detonation was the safest course of action.
In a long-running fraud case, a federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Austin investor Nate Paul to five years of supervised release, including four months of home confinement, a $1 million fine payable within two years, and one day in jail.
More UT Austin students are coming forward after being attacked by a former student who is now in jail facing multiple charges.
According to police reports, Aymen Labidi engaged in a violent rampage last week, assaulting over a dozen individuals. His actions, as detailed in court records, included blocking traffic and punching a driver, swerving his vehicle down Guadalupe in an attempt to hit pedestrians, grabbing and shaking one man, violently manipulating another man’s nose before slapping him, and finally placing another man in a chokehold. Labidi was arrested three times within a three-day period. (Fox7 Austin)
Police are investigating after two people were found dead at a residence in Pflugerville Monday afternoon.
Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) is changing how the department sends paramedics to calls.
Staffing shortages have challenged the Austin Police Department since 2020. A recent report indicates that APD lacks a comprehensive plan to address these shortages and achieve full staffing.
City auditors informed the Austin City Council on Wednesday that the department “does not have an effective strategy” for increasing its officer numbers. However, APD leaders maintain that recruitment efforts are in progress. (KUT 90.5)
Austin firefighters responded to several calls Wednesday including a kitchen grease fire that injured one person.
Austin Public Health informed parents of Del Valle Early College High School students about a confirmed case of pertussis, also called whooping cough, a contagious illness currently increasing in prevalence across the United States. (Austin American-Statesman)
New documents acquired by Fox7 Austin detail the investigation into leadership at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. (Fox7 Austin)
UT Austin professors fear the Trump administration’s funding cuts will derail life-saving research. (KUT 90.5)
Citing federal funding delays and wider budget uncertainties, city staff have requested more time to create a thorough plan for funding and putting the city’s workforce development program into action. (Austin Monitor)
Austin’s NPR and PBS affiliates are facing a future without federal funding. (Austin American-Statesman)
716,000 meals were canceled in the past two weeks by the Central Texas Food bank in Austin after federal funding was cut. (KUT 90.5)
Austin City Council Member José “Chito” Vela (District 4) discusses upcoming city council action with KXAN-TV‘s Grace Reader.
The city of Austin could buy an office building off I-35 to relocate some employees and open the door to redevelop another property it already owns.
The site could serve as a place to relocate city employees that work out of the One Texas Center, which is a city-owned property at 505 Barton Springs Road that could be redeveloped. (Austin Business Journal)
This year, the Travis Central Appraisal District’s valuations show an average decrease of 3.4% in market value for single-family residences compared to last year.
Despite this recent dip, the median market value for a residential homestead in Travis County remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, showing a 46% increase, or $163,841. (Community Impact)
CapMetro is looking to triple the size of its bikeshare program as part of a larger $20.6 million plan.
The Sixth and Guadalupe tower officially opened this month as the tallest building in the city.
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST /AUSTIN, TEXAS
La Niña was short-lived. Now that it’s over, will Texas get more or less rain this spring? (Austin American-Statesman)
The response from Texas Democrats:
The El Paso area is seeing a spike of new measles cases.
What’s the status of marijuana in Texas?
An explainer on THC, CBD, Delta-8 and more. (Austin American-Statesman)
Four international students at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. In their legal action, they claim that the department’s recent moves to revoke their lawful immigration status, stemming from minor and already settled criminal cases, are illegal and intended to force their voluntary departure from the United States. (Texas Tribune)
A Collin County man who was convicted of “grooming, drugging, and repeatedly raping” a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to 60 years in prison, according to the Collin County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
Cody Wayne McCollom, 37, of Princeton, is a “violent repeat offender and confirmed member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. (Fox7 Austin)
The Texas Department of Public Safety has added 21-year-old Rondarrius Davon Idae Evans, of New Boston, to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List.
A cash reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to his arrest, with all tips guaranteed to be anonymous.
Evans has been wanted out of Bowie County since August 2024 for two counts of capital murder related to a double homicide that occurred on July 6, 2024, in New Boston. (My Texas Daily)
A West Texas oil executive will go to prison for violating laws meant to protect workers — actions that led to the deaths of a worker and his wife in 2019. (KXAN-TV)
Samsung executives denied reports that it is delaying its planned $175 million phosphoric acid facility to help with Samsung’s semiconductor plant in Taylor.
“The original article from the Korean ‘The Elec’ has since updated their article to correct the misinformation. We still maintain the end of 2026 as our operational target.” — Samsung, in a statement
The new plant is expected to create at least 10,000 jobs in the cities of Austin and Taylor. (KXAN-TV)
Sen. Ted Cruz is pushing for NASA headquarters to be moved to Texas.
Houston is honoring the late Sheila Jackson Lee by renaming an airport terminal.
SPORTS
NHL: The Dallas Stars ended the regular season in Nashville last night with their eighth consecutive loss, losing 5-1 to the Predators. (Yahoo! Sports)
Dallas is headed to the playoffs with a lot of questions hanging over them.
The Stars activated Tyler Seguin from long-term injured reserve Wednesday after he had missed 58 games since hip surgery in early December. (Associated Press via MSN)
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)
Lars Nootbaar hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning, and Steven Matz pitched five strong innings in his first start of the season to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 4-1 Wednesday. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Astros are off tonight while the Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels.
NBA: Klay Thompson scored 16 of his 23 points in Dallas’ dominant second quarter to get redemption for his dud in Sacramento a year ago, helping the Mavericks beat the Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night to advance in the Play-In Tournament. (Yahoo! Sports)
Up next for the Mavericks…
Stevie Ray Vaughn was responsible for reviving blues music in the 1980’s and he’s on the Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest guitar players of all time coming in at #12.
Vaughn died in a helicopter crash in 1990.
Rhetty for History visits his gravesite and childhood home in the Dallas area.
