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Judge approves mistrial motion in APD officer murder case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A judge granted the defense's motion Friday for a mistrial for an Austin police officer accused of murder in a 2020 deadly shooting, according to a defense attorney involved in the case. The trial was supposed to begin Wednesday, but there were several snags with the jury selection process. Christopher Taylor, 31, is accused of shooting and killing Michael Ramos, 42, during a confrontation with police in a south Austin apartment complex parking lot in April 2020. Taylor is on administrative leave with the department. The Travis County District Attorney's Office released the below statement about the mistrial Friday afternoon. Our hearts go out to the Ramos family, who have to wait even longer for the trial of Christopher Taylor. Due to the release of Monday’s jury panel because of a constitutional violation, the parties were not able to select a jury this week. The judge will reset the case to a future date, and the state will be ready to try the case then.Travis Co...

How students can get into Typhoon Texas for free

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Typhoon Texas Waterparks announced students with good grades can get into its Austin and Houston locations for free from May 30 through June 2.The waterpark said its Great Grades Days event was dedicated to recognizing and rewarding students for exceptional academic achievements during the previous school year.According to Typhoon Texas, in order to join, the student must show their report card with 3 ore more As, along with the matching Student ID for free admission.Discount tickets are also offered to parents or friends of the student as part of the promotion. The $17.99 ticket must be purchased at the ticket window, according to the waterpark.Here are the opening times for Typhoon Texas Austin:Tuesday, May 30th: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.Wednesday, May 31st: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.Thursday, June 1st: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.Friday, June 2nd: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Post-Uvalde transparency bill moves forward after late-session hold up by Lieutenant Governor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 26, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Despite hitting a last-minute snag in the final full week of the legislative session, a years-long fight to close a controversial legal gap known as the "dead suspect loophole" is still moving toward the Texas governor's desk. This development comes days after the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers, which put a spotlight on the importance of public records, transparency and the truth."We've agreed to the changes that would make this bill operational and the House conferees have signed off on that," Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, who authored the bill and has been trying to close the loophole for years, said earlier Friday. "So, we're simply waiting to see what happens."The hold up had been Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, according to several sources with inside knowledge. KXAN reached out Friday to his office to ask about the statu...

Bill to rid Texas of paper license plates goes to governor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Sparked in part by KXAN's "Risky Rides" investigations, a bill to rid Texas of its paper license plates received final approval in the House on Friday with a vote of 137-0. It now goes to the governor. If signed into law, metal plates would replace temporary dealer plates. For years, KXAN has investigated what became a $200 million black market. Criminals were able to not only counterfeit paper plates but also infiltrate the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle's system to print and sell real ones with phony information. EXPLORE: "Risky Rides" KXAN investigates Texas' paper license plate problem Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, holds up a paper plate that reads "CONCUR" on the House floor May 26, 2023 as he announces the bill's passage (Texas House Photo)"This was a major deal," said Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, as he picked up a piece of paper and turned it over so his fellow lawmakers could see it."And with that Mr. Speaker, I concur with senate amendments," ...

Two Austin students head to Scripps National Spelling Bee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – On Tuesday, 231 children aged 9 to 14 will face off in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C, perhaps leading to many of us feeling ashamed of our over-reliance on spell-check. Two Austinites – Shrethan Botla,14,  and Tarini Nandakumar, 12 – will compete to be this year’s spelling champion. Bolta, who said this is his first and last entry into the national competition, said he feels both nervous and excited ahead of the trip.“I'm feeling really happy because I've never been to an event, a big international level,” he told KXAN. Other spelling contestants beware if the word “onomatopoeia” is called as it is Bolta’s favorite. “It’s just a very unique and perplexing word overall,” Bolta said on why he finds the word compelling. “And words that kind of stumped me are probably words that just don't follow the language pattern. If they're of an unknown origin, it just makes it harder to spell [because] I can't follow any of the r...

Patient safety bill, sparked by KXAN, goes to governor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A major bipartisan bill aimed at protecting patients from dangerous doctors — filed in direct response to KXAN's "Still Practicing" investigations — received final approval from the House on Friday with a vote of 120-16. It now goes to the governor."I am pleased that we were able to achieve meaningful reform to the Texas Medical Board," said the bill's author, Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmer's Branch. "We have closed a loophole that allowed for situations like Dr. Death cases to happen and gave the TMB necessary tools to propely credential and investigate physician malpractice. Texas patients will have greater protection and transparency going forward." READ THE BILL: The final version of HB 1998, inspired by KXAN's investigations What the bill doesThe bill was championed for its strong patient safety measures and received overwhelming support from Republicans, Democrats and even the Texas Medical Board. If Gov. Greg Abbott signs it into law, it will address many of...

Body recovered near where missing teen fell into St Croix River

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

A group of people canoeing on the St. Croix River south of Taylors Falls reported a body floating in the water Friday morning, not far from where a teen went missing after he fell from a rock ledge into the swollen river in April.The group reported the body at 11 a.m. Friday in an area south of Taylors Falls. The body was recovered and was taken to the Midwest Medical examiner’s office, which will do an autopsy and positively identify the person, according to a press release from the Chicago County sheriff’s office.The press release said the sheriff’s office has been actively searching for a person believed to have drowned earlier this spring in that same area.Just after 6 p.m. on April 11, DAndrea Sanvig, 18, of Luck, Wis., apparently lost his footing and fell from a rock ledge into the swollen and swiftly moving river at Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls, Minn.An extensive rescue effort involving multiple area agencies and spanning several days was launched,...

Nuggets’ 10-day wait for NBA Finals started with rowdy flight home from Los Angeles: “I stayed away from the back”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

The party in the back of the plane wasn’t nearly as fun for Michael Malone as the party on a screen right in front of him.While Nuggets players and staff were living in the euphoric moment, the head coach couldn’t help but relive the immediate past, just to make sure it wasn’t fantasy.“Felt like it took forever to take off, and the front of the plane had some music playing. Sounded pretty lively,” Malone said. “But the back of plane was — I was nervous to go back there. They said, ‘Coach, you don’t want to go in the back.’ So I stayed away from the back and kept my head down.”“It was a good flight,” point guard Jamal Murray said.Instead, Malone spent that first portion of the Nuggets’ victorious flight home from Los Angeles watching the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.Malone watched Nikola Jokic’s one-legged circus 3-pointer and wondered, “have we come up with a ...

Denver weather: Thunderstorm watch in effect until 9 p.m.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

3:11 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning for Aurora, Brighton and the area near the Denver International Airport is in effect until 4 p.m. Potential hazards include half-dollar-sized hail and 60 mph winds.Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Aurora CO, Denver Intl Airport CO and Brighton CO until 4:00 PM MDT pic.twitter.com/GP3qF90RLs— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 26, 2023A severe thunderstorm warning also has been issued for Nunn and Hereford, which also is in effect until 4 p.m.Potential hazards include winds of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail.Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Nunn CO and Hereford CO until 4:00 PM MDT pic.twitter.com/DCW8FeuqtJ— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 26, 20233:01 p.m.: A  severe thunderstorm warning is in effect in Greeley, Windsor and Evans until 3:45 p.m.Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Greeley CO, Windsor CO and Evans CO until 3:45 PM MDT pic.twitter.com/tchHxBRwtO— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 26, 20232:50 p.m.: A s...

Raccoons throw 'pool party' in Huntington Beach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:56:00 GMT

Memorial Day Weekend is a great time to take a dip in the pool. Just ask these raccoons.Jimmy Sena of Huntington Beach says he woke up to his chocolate Lab, Hank, “going crazy” around 5:45 a.m. Friday morning. He looked outside and saw one raccoon on a wall in his backyard. No big deal."I tried to calm Hank down and went back to bed, and then he went even crazier!" said Sena. "I looked out back again and saw three Racoons all standing by the edge of the pool, and they were either playing or fighting."Moments later, he says, one raccoon fell into the pool and the other two jumped in.Sena recorded over two minutes of the critters swimming around and generally having a good time (and getting clean), and then sent the video to KTLA with the fitting subject line, “Raccoon Pool Party.”Jimmy Sena recorded over two minutes of the raccoons swimming in his Huntington Beach, Calif. pool. May 26, 2023. (Jimmy Sena)Sena says the raccoons stayed in the pool for around 20 minutes and "weren’t conc...