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Overnight storms may bring gusty winds, hail and lightning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Isolated severe thunderstorms early Tuesday evening brought quarter to egg size hail to Jonestown, with the top hail report measuring 2 inches in diameter. Those storms have since weakened, but we are focused now on an additional round of severe weather possible overnight. BLOG: Summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect for San Saba and Lampasas counties until 2 a.m.After midnight, a second complex of strong to severe thunderstorms will enter the northwestern Hill Country. Hail is possible, but gusty winds and lightning appear to be the main things to watch for.Tonight's severe storm riskClouds/radar forecast at 4 a.m. with storms in the Hill CountryThe complex of storms will likely weaken below severe criteria as it enters the Austin Metro area, most likely between 4-6 a.m. Wednesday. Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected in some areas. The rain will likely clear by your morning commute.Clouds/radar forecast at 6 a.m....

Pflugerville police identify man found dead in home, identify person of interest in case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The Pflugerville Police Department is investigating after a man was found dead inside a home on Saturday. Officers responded to a welfare check call around 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Campfire Trail. When they entered the house, officers found a man dead.In a news release Tuesday, police identified the man as Jesse Fraga, 80, of Pflugerville.Pflugerville PD said it was an isolated incident, and there is no known threat to the public. Image of Raul Meza Jr. provided by the Pflugerville Police DepartmentImage of Raul Meza Jr. provided by the Pflugerville Police DepartmentPolice also identified the person of interest in the case as Raul Meza Jr. Meza was last seen driving a gray Toyota Tundra owned by Fraga, which has since been recovered by police, the release said.Anyone with information about this incident should contact Pflugerville PD at (512) 990-6700, [email protected], or by visiting its website.

New flood mapping tool to give Williamson County residents more warning during heavy rain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Williamson County's commissioners court Tuesday approved its emergency management department to acquire its first-ever real-time flood mapping application. This in an effort to improve emergency responses in the event of severe weather and flooding.Michael Shoe, emergency management director for the county, said the FloodMapp system provides data that predicts where and how much rain will fall at any given time. It also provides real-time flood updates and looks ahead 72 hours to what areas would be affected most by a flood.He said the system will be incorporated into his department's storm-tracking arsenal within the week and will later be integrated into the county's emergency alert system, WarnCentralTexas."We have a lot more people to warn. New residents of the county and other cities, we don't want to fail them," Shoe said.The price tag of getting the data-system is about $750,000 to be paid using funds from a 2019 road bond, Shoe said.Juliette...

In-depth, legal look at the first Austin police officer to stand trial in Travis County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Over the years, Austin police officers have been indicted on charges stemming from deadly shootings, but none have gone to a criminal trial.Officer Scott Glasgow was indicted by a Travis County Grand Jury in the 2003 shooting death of Jessie Owens. Jurors still needed in trial of Austin police officer accused of murder That indictment was thrown out because it lacked criminal charges.APD Officer Christopher Taylor is the first to stand trial for murder in Travis County.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 July 2020. His trial was expected to start Wednesday, but when KXAN checked in on jury selection Tuesday evening, Taylor’s attorney Ken Ervin said they did not end the day with enough jurors to proceed to trial, and will have to bring an additional jury panel in Wednesday morning.“I was thinking back on my time at the DA’s office, and I don't recall m...

St. Paul school surveys after stabbing death show desire for tougher student consequences

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

Students, staff and parents want tougher consequences for student misbehavior, along with more mental health support and perhaps the return of school resource officers, according to St. Paul Public Schools surveys conducted following a fatal stabbing at Harding High School.For now, district administrators are recommending only modest changes, such as promoting a tip line, establishing calming rooms in schools and restoring as many yellow bus routes as possible so that high school students don’t have to use Metro Transit.Through surveys and listening sessions about school safety, the district has heard from more than 9,000 people since the Feb. 10 stabbing.Jackie Turner, executive chief of administration and operations, said some may have expected the district to propose immediate changes based on the survey results, such as bringing back school resource officers, but the surveys produced no obvious mandates.“What we thought we were going to see we didn’t necessarily see,...

Loons bow out of U.S. Open Cup with a 4-0 loss to Houston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

Minnesota United’s 4-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 could be chalked up to bad luck.But there’s also the adage of creating your own luck, and the Loons didn’t do themselves any favors at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston on Tuesday.Kervin Arriaga suffered two yellow cards in the first half, and his cumulative red card Tuesday put his team down to 10 men when they were already down a goal.Between Arriaga’s bookings, Loons winger Bongi Hlongwane’s handball in the box led to a penalty kick from Corey Baird, which he converted past Clint Irwin in the 34th minute.The Dynamo broke it open in the second half, with Baird registered a hat trick with goals in the 68th minute and 88th minute. Aliyu Ibrahim scored on a breakaway in the 80th.Houston will face Austin FC or Chicago Fire in the quarterfinals June 6-7. Those two MLS sides will play their round of 16 match at 8 p.m. Wednesday.As the Loons won two straight in the national tournament, manager Adrian Heath a...

Alex Cobb outlasts Sonny Gray as Giants beat Twins in battle of aces

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

In a battle of aces on Tuesday, Minnesota’s Sonny Gray outdueled San Francisco’s Alex Cobb for five innings, taking a 3-0 lead into the sixth at Target Field. It wasn’t enough.Cobb outlasted Gray, pitching long enough to pitch with a lead earned against three Twins relievers to earn the victory as the Giants beat the Twins, 4-3, in front of an announced crowd of 20,790.Michael Conforto was 2 for 5 with a go-ahead two-run home run off reliever Jorge Lopez (1-2) in the seventh inning. Patrick Bailey and Bryce Johnson drove in runs with bases-loaded walks in the sixth.Camilo Doval struck out the side in the ninth inning for his 13th save.The Giants can sweep the series with a win in Wednesday’s 12:10 first pitch. The Twins have lost six of eight games and fell to one game over .500 (25-24) for the first time since they were 11-10 on April 22.Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Cobb (4-1), and Michael A. Taylor’s solo shot in the fifth sent Gray into the sixth innin...

Lynx blow 19-point second half lead, fall to Atlanta

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

Early in the season, process is a focal point for the Minnesota Lynx, with wins wanted but results potentially secondary.Chalk Tuesday night up to a massive learning experience.Up by 19 in the third quarter, the Lynx collapsed across the board, falling to Atlanta 83-77 at Target Center.Napheesa Collier finished with a team-high 20 points before fouling out with 2:23 left. Tiffany Mitchell and Aerial Powers added 10 points, and Jessica Shepard ended up with eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds.Tied 77-all with just over a minute to play, Mitchell intercepted an Atlanta pass, but the Lynx quickly committed one of their 16 turnovers.Aari McDonald countered with a basket from outside the arc with 42.5 seconds left for the Dream’s first lead.Diamond Miller and Kayla McBride missed 3-point shots for Minnesota before Allisha Gray sealed the win with a couple of free throws.Entering the game, coach Cheryl Reeve said it was “massive” that Minnesota not allow Atlanta to clean up on the of...

Local leaders, business owners react to NAACP Florida travel advisory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to prevent the state’s public colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. It was the latest in what the NAACP calls "aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools."Now, the civil rights organization has issued a formal travel advisory for the state of Florida.“When it comes to travel advisories, my response to people is one, understand why they were put into place," said Adolphus Pruitt, president of the NAACP chapter in St. Louis. "Understand what the issues are and make decisions based on that information.” St. Louis County man charged after crashing truck near the White House Pruitt said he believes DeSantis’ decisions in Florida are rooted in the quest for political power.“The governor of Florida wants to be president. Based on his track record in Florida, I don't think he would make th...

Southern California mother killed in DUI crash, children hospitalized

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:24 GMT

The family of a Hesperia mother is devastated after a DUI driver slammed head-on into her vehicle and killed her while leaving her children hospitalized.On May 11, 36-year-old Lisette Villasenor and two of her children were driving along Highway 395, just north of Poplar Street, when an SUV driver swerved into oncoming traffic, striking Lisette's car, authorities said.The SUV driver was identified as Jose Vargas, 41, from Adelanto, by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.The collision killed Lisette and left her two children with serious injuries. Police discovered Vargas had several prior DUI convictions before the fatal crash that killed Lisette.Lisette's family remains devastated and believes the crash could’ve been prevented.“Her kids, her husband, her home, her family was everything to her,” said Krystal Giron, Lisette’s sister-in-law. “Everyone was trapped in that car so they had to pull off a piece of the car to get them out.”Lisette Villasenor in a family photo. Th...