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Saturday, Dec 13

01

Man who stabbed Palestinian American near UT Austin is sentenced to one year in jail

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Bert James Baker pleaded guilty after yelling racial slurs at a group of friends before stabbing one of them last February.

Friday, Dec 12

21

Austin is giving Southwest Airlines $5.5 million to open crew base at airport, create local jobs

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The city will pay Southwest Airlines $2,750 for each hire in the next five years up to a max of $5.5 million. Texas is kicking in another $14 million.

18

Tickets are on sale now for the next ATXplained Live in May 2026

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Join us at Bass Concert Hall on May 21, 2026 for our 10th show! We'll have brand-new stories, told live on stage.

13

Anti-trans bathroom policies go into effect at UT Austin, Texas Capitol

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Public entities are required to “take every reasonable step” to ensure people are using the bathroom designated for the sex they were assigned at birth. But what counts as “reasonable” across publicly owned buildings in Austin is still…

01

Travis County district attorney moves to exonerate wrongfully accused yogurt shop murder suspects

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The district attorney filed paperwork on Thursday to formally clear the names of four young men accused of the 1991 murders.

Thursday, Dec 11

13

Austin's light-rail is on the verge of clearing a major hurdle with the Trump administration

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The federal decision would unleash the city's power to push forward by awarding major contracts and using eminent domain to clear a path for the 9.8-mile system.

Wednesday, Dec 10

22

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to increase the homestead exemption for school property taxes again

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The lieutenant governor also doubled down on his stance that property taxes can’t be totally eliminated, putting him at odds with Gov. Greg Abbott.

13

TownLake YMCA expansion would add housing, office and restaurant space to downtown Austin property

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The redevelopment plans also include on-site services such as mental health counseling, youth programming and support for elderly residents.

Tuesday, Dec 9

00

Austin Energy employee defrauded the utility of nearly $1 million, audit says

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The longtime employee is accused of exploiting Austin Energy's contracting process to pad his own pockets and pay fake vendors with addresses tied to his family.

21

Texas’ 2026 midterms will shape the U.S. House, Senate and more. Here are the biggest races.

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From the Texas battle for U.S. Senate to who’s running to be the state’s next governor, here are the key races — and candidates — to be watching as we head into 2026.

18

Remembering Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee

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On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. speaks with the late Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.

12

UT Austin community hears a story of hope from Israeli hostage survivor

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Noa Argamani was abducted by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023. She spent eight months in captivity before she was rescued.

Monday, Dec 8

23

'The E(XMAS)IST' is a campy, queer, holiday comedy making its regional debut

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The E(XMAS)IST premiered last holiday season in Detroit and this year comes to Austin. Will this a campy, queer, Christmassy parody of The Exorcist become a new holiday tradition?

22

Austin Democrat Sarah Eckhardt announces run for Texas comptroller

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Eckhardt said she was running for Congress earlier this year, but she has since changed her mind.

Patients could lose in-network care if Ascension and Blue Cross don’t reach a deal by Jan. 1

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The insurer and the hospital chain are locked in negotiations for a new contract.

13

Facing future water shortages, Williamson County invests in $500K study to find solutions

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Several cities, including Georgetown, have struggled to keep up with customers' water demand in recent years.

12

Austin's youth homelessness quadrupled in 5 years. This program helped some kids stay housed.

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The privately-backed pilot program provided a one-time payment to young Austinites — and helped keep them in stable housing.

Sunday, Dec 7

21

Texas Longhorns left out of playoffs after starting the season ranked No. 1

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As a consolation prize, the Longhorns will play the University of Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31 in Orlando.

Friday, Dec 5

23

Austin Rep. Lloyd Doggett will not run for reelection after Supreme Court upholds congressional map

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The new map eliminates one of Travis County's two Democrat-held seats and pits Doggett against Rep. Greg Casar.

13

Austin EMS had plans to make calls more efficient. Prop Q's failure puts those plans on hold.

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Across Travis County, medics are working to respond to emergency calls while dealing with budget challenges after voters rejected a property tax increase that would have brought in more funding.

03

Texas Republicans claim victory in Supreme Court ruling allowing congressional map to go into effect

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The state’s top Republicans swiftly praised the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas to use its controversial congressional map for the 2026 midterms. The map was designed to give Republicans as many as five new seats in the U.S. House.

Thursday, Dec 4

21

Austin doctors say it's not too late to get your flu shot ahead of an active season

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Flu cases and other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and RSV, are all ticking upward in Texas.

13

Austin musician Qi Dada addresses Black maternal health with 'Black Divas' showcase

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Ghislaine Jean describes the performance as a space where Black women’s voices don’t project outward for affirmation, but can instead turn inward for self recognition. It's taping Saturday at Austin PBS.

Wednesday, Dec 3

21

New health report identifies affordability, mental health among top concerns for Austin residents

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The report's authors said affordability issues in Austin caused residents to make tradeoffs that could be detrimental to their health.

03

A Tribute to the late Congresswoman Shirley A. Chisholm

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On this edition of In Black America, producer/host John L. Hanson Jr. presents an encore presentation of a conversation he had with the late Shirley A. Chisholm.

Tuesday, Dec 2

22

She was deported after boarding a flight to Austin. Her attorney says that violates a judge's order.

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Ana López Belloza's lawyer says the student is fighting her deportation.

11

This Is My Thing: Dragon Boat Racing!

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On this week's episode, we're talking with Beth Rowan about her love of dragon boat racing, a sport she took up as a form of physical therapy and which grew to mean much more to her.

Monday, Dec 1

23

‘Bathroom bill’ targeting trans Texans is now in effect. It’s unclear how it'll be enforced.

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Texas lawmakers passed the bill, referred to as the “Women’s Privacy Act” by supporters, earlier this year. It requires a person in publicly owned buildings to use restrooms, locker rooms, and similar facilities associated with the gender…

22

Zilker tree lighting kicks off Austin's holiday season

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The 155ft moon tower, one of the last existing in the USA, stands lit with lights during the 59th annual Zilker Tree Lighting.(Lorianne Willett / KUT News)

13

Austin's HOPE Outdoor Gallery returns near the airport, offering walls for the public to paint

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The 17-acre site is part art park, part cultural events center. Visitors can paint freely on the outside walls, but there are also curated exhibits and an events space.