Austin police were aware and ready.
Reportedly, nothing happened.
Authorities were on standby because of recent precendent.
December 2023: Three people were arrested for organizing a street takeover involving up to 100 vehicles on December 8, 2023. Lukas Castro, Jonas Gonzales, and Aiden Rojas faced charges ranging from engaging in organized criminal activity to deadly conduct.
March 2024: Multiple street takeovers occurred on March 30, 2024, including one at around 4 p.m. involving approximately 50 cars on East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Pershing Lane, where police declared an unlawful assembly.
February 2023 (Major Incident): Four separate street takeovers occurred on February 18, 2023, with crowds blocking intersections, setting off fireworks, and attacking police vehicles. One officer was injured, several police vehicles were damaged, and two Travis County Sheriff’s Office cruisers had to be towed after their windows were shattered.
From 2023:
In 2023, Governor Greg Abbott launched a statewide street takeover task force in response to the incidents, with the Texas Department of Safety noting officers faced fireworks, laser pointers, and drivers reaching speeds over 130 mph.
The problem has been complicated by staffing challenges that prevent APD from creating specialized units, with the department stating in 2023 that staffing levels weren’t sufficient to create a dedicated street racing task force.
A reported stabbing occurred downtown overnight.
No other information was provided.
East Wilco Highway in Hutto has reopened after a crash last night.
Bexar County authorities are still searching for 19-year-old Camila Olmos who vanished outside her home on Christmas Eve.
AUSTIN MAN who shot and killed another at a downtown gas station walks free.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) December 27, 2025
Months after Zion Singleton was arrested for murder, prosecutors rejected the case. No trial. No jury.
Prosecutors accepted a self-defense claim. His victim was unarmed.
Now his mother spends the… https://t.co/iOdONIvTxA pic.twitter.com/TaPmxOZxfW
The peak number of homicides in Austin hit in 2021 with 89 homicides. This year, the number of killings will see a decline of about 20 from last year.
Two cases that haven’t been cleared yet:
March 16: Edward Espino was shot and killed on I-35 near Braker Lane.
April 25: Gabrielle Williams, who was homeless and was staying in a tent off Rundberg Lane, was shot and killed. (FOX 7 Austin)
One year ago, the owner of Lotz of BBQ had his food truck was stolen and later recovered. However, no one has been arrested in connection with the crime.
Businesses at the corner of Lamar Blvd. and 6th Street are about to move as their building is soon to be demolished.
The City of Austin and Visit Austin are hosting “Austin’s New Year” at Auditorium Shores on December 31, featuring a night of entertainment headlined by The Head and the Heart, as well as local favorites Chaparelle, Tameca Jones, and The Point, local food and beverage vendors, and a midnight fireworks show.
CNN’s Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will be live at Austin’s countdown as part of the network’s “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.”
Unseasonably hot and dry conditions have led Hays County to extend its burn ban through Jan. 20, raising concerns about wildfire risks as residents prepare to celebrate the New Year with fireworks.
“…the reality of fires across Austin — they can happen anywhere, anytime. From South Austin to every corner of our city, our firefighters are always on alert, ready to respond. Whether it’s an industrial blaze, a house fire, or an accident, we’re here to protect and serve.” — Austin Firefighters Association
WEATHER
SATURDAY’S HIGH /LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
Snow in El Paso? It looks like it.
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
The rediscovery of an ancient settlement site, sandwiched between industrial complexes on Corpus Christi Bay, has spurred a campaign for its preservation by Native American groups in South Texas. (Texas Tribune)
Two people were rushed to a hospital with respiratory issues after a sulfuric acid leak at a facility near the Houston Ship Channel in the Channelview area early Saturday morning, according to Harris County officials.
A North Texas substitute teacher was arrested and charged with inappropriate sexual contact with a child and possession of child porn, according to officials. Later, a second person was arrested in connection with the incident. (CBS Austin)
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Texas dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 16,327 in the week ending December 19, down from 16,334 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 214,000 last week, down 10,000 claims from 224,000 the week prior. (Yahoo! News)
A quick-thinking father in Montgomery County heroically rescued his kidnapped teen daughter by tracking her cell phone shortly after she was snatched by a knife-wielding man on Christmas Day. (New York Post)
An unusual partnership between an environmentalist and a Republican megadonor began with a fight on Twitter. It ended up in the creation of a $1 billion state fund to expand Texas park land. (New York Times)
Donald Trump Jr. is involved in the data mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data center sectors primarily through his investment in and role as an advisory board member for American Data Centers Inc., a venture he co-founded with his brother Eric. This company partners with Hut 8 to operate a large-scale bitcoin mining facility in the Texas Panhandle.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_Jr.How does Texas feel about Eric Trump opening the American Bitcoin mining facility in Texas which will end up costing the taxpayers more on their electricity among other things! I wonder where all the money for this came from because it seems like the Presidency has paying off! pic.twitter.com/KrBBCuZMm2
— Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) December 27, 2025
Nine members of Congress from Texas — six Republicans, three Democrats — have announced they will depart at the end of this term. In addition, four incumbents are facing serious primary challengers. (My Paris, Texas)
Republican candidate for Texas Attorney General, Chip Roy, discusses his campaign and priorities. He says his track record and courtroom experience make him the best choice.
It’s almost time to turn the page on 2025, but we’re stretching out Texas Standard’s 10th birthday celebration a little longer with our 10 favorite book interviews from the past decade.
(Episode from December 26, 2025)
Judge Michele Garcia, Bexar County justice of the peace for Precinct 4, has died, county officials said Saturday morning.
SPORTS
The Houston Texans turned their season around after a poor start and are headed to the playoffs.
NFL: C.J. Stroud threw for two long touchdowns on Houston’s first two drives of the game, and the Texans went on to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 on Saturday to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth for the first time in franchise history. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Conner Weigman threw for 236 yards and four touchdowns as Houston rallied from an early deficit for a 38-35 victory over LSU in the Texas Bowl on Saturday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Cougars, who finished No. 21 in the CFP rankings, had a six-win improvement from coach Willie Fritz’s first season to his second.
The Texas Longhorns are in Orlando preparing for Wednesday’s Citrus Bowl battle against Michigan.
Got some reps in 🤝 pic.twitter.com/0DMjA5waRf
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 27, 2025
Both teams have gone through major changes since the CFP rankings came out on December 7. (24/7 Sports)
Updated tracker: Who’s in, who’s out for the Michigan Wolverines in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl #HookEm https://t.co/Ts4zyRxx7b pic.twitter.com/7fjE9L8USE
— Horns247 (@Horns247) December 28, 2025
The Wolverines will have a new head coach on the sidelines Wednesday.
NBA: The San Antonio Spurs had their 8-game winning streak snapped. The Dallas Mavericks also came up with a loss. The Houston Rockets got a win at home.
ON THE SCHEDULE
No games for the three Texas teams today.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Texas Tech sees action at home today against Winthrop.
NHL: Rookie Nick Lardis scored in the fourth round of the shootout to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
In post-Civil War Texas, the war didn’t end when the soldiers went home. It just changed targets. The Sutton–Taylor Feud was one of the deadliest and most chaotic family wars in Texas history a violent conflict fueled by revenge, lawlessness, Reconstruction politics, and frontier justice. What began as a single accusation spiraled into years of ambushes, executions, courthouse murders, and vigilante killings across DeWitt, Gonzales, and surrounding counties. Entire families were wiped out. Lawmen became killers. Killers became lawmen. Even the Texas Rangers were pulled into the violence and accused of taking sides. This is the true story of how post-Civil War Texas descended into open warfare… not between armies but neighbors.
