Austin Signal

We are continuing to follow developments after Sunday’s shooting at Buford’s that killed three people. We’ll hear the latest update from the Austin Police Department that just wrapped up in the last hour…we have an update on the number of people shot and victims still in hospital, and there was a vigil last night on […] The post UT students hold vigil for victims of Buford’s shooting appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Election Night is over in Texas, but we’re still figuring out exactly what happened yesterday in Williamson County. Some voters waited in line for hours, only to be told they’d have to go to an entirely different polling site to vote. Others made an after-hours trip to cast a ballot, only to find out their […] The post How the primaries played out amid Williamson County confusion appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

We’re getting more information about the three victims from Sunday morning’s shooting at Buford’s. We’ll have the latest from the KUT newsroom. It’s primary Election Day here in Texas. Four Austin-area Texas legislators are vying for the Democratic nomination of various positions. In addition to the statewide offices, there’s lots going on in the Central […] The post Central Texas voters head to the polls on primary Election Day appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Three people are dead and many more are hospitalized following a deadly shooting over the weekend at a popular West Sixth Street bar. The incident is being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism, but authorities say it’s still too early to determine a motive. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Police Chief […] The post More details emerge following West Sixth Street shooting appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There are still a few hours left to vote early ahead of Tuesday’s Texas party primaries. We’ll tell you what you need to know before heading to the polls to vote today or Election Day on Tuesday. We’ll also have closer look at races for two Travis County Commissioner seats and go over what exactly […] The post A Central Texas voters’ guide as primary Election Day nears appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

We’ve all seen it: People speeding down Mopac or neighborhood streets in Austin. Maybe you’ve thought, “shouldn’t they be getting a speeding ticket?” Well, new data shows Austin Police may be handing out more of those. Austin’s Live Music Fund is about to grant another round of funding after two years of controversy and complaints […] The post Austin Police may be handing out more speeding tickets appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Early voting in the March 3 primary wraps up Friday. Turnout is trending upward across Central Texas, with more voters casting ballots in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties compared to previous primaries. We’ll taking a closer look at who’s showing up and what patterns are beginning to emerge at polling locations locally and across the […] The post What’s driving Central Texas early voters to the polls appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas, where there are often fewer licensed therapists and longer travel distances to mental health care. But hotlines like 988 give people access to the help they need. Today, we’ll find out why the support for that lifeline is stronger in some states than others. Daniel Johnston […] The post New Daniel Johnston exhibit celebrates Austin artist’s enduring impact appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A growing body of evidence shows that doulas can improve health outcomes; especially for Black women, who have a maternal mortality rate 2.5 times higher than white women in Texas. Birth workers want their services to be accessible and understood by more folks. We’ll delve more into the practice. And the Texas DREAM Act gave […] The post Doula services growing, becoming accessible in Austin area appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Four men accused in one of Austin’s most infamous murders have been declared officially innocent; two of them were convicted, one was sentenced to death. 34 years later, their records have been cleared. We’ll have more from Thursday’s exoneration hearing. An Austin-area congressional seat is up for grabs for the first time in nearly a […] The post Four accused of yogurt shop murders are officially exonerated appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The four men wrongly accused in Austin’s yogurt shop murders were exonerated today in a Travis County courthouse. More than three decades on their records have been cleared. We’ll hear from family members who attended today’s hearing. The University of Texas Board of Regents has approved a policy limiting from classrooms “controversial topics.” What the […] The post Four accused in yogurt shop murders now exonerated appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The Austin Independent School District has regained control of its special education program. The Texas Education Agency assigned a pair of monitors to the program for the last three years as AISD worked to address a backlog of evaluations. We’ll have the latest from Austin’s school district. A San Marcos City Council meeting went into […] The post San Marcos residents sound off on proposed data center appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s the first day of early voting in the Texas primaries and there are many statewide races for consideration: comptroller, lieutenant governor, governor, as well as lots of eyes on the Democratic and Republican races for U.S. Senate.We’ll have an overview, plus plenty more on the ballots in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties, as well. […] The post Early voting begins for the 2026 primaries appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A $25 million contract between the City of Austin and the Long Center is under scrutiny over how the public money is being spent. The contracts and the fees inside it are tied to the city’ cultural arts grants program, raising questions about transparency and oversight. We’ll dig into the details of the contract and […] The post Austin’s $25 million Long Center contract draws scrutiny appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Five years on from the winter storm that caused blackouts across much of the state of Texas, what’s been done to address the failures of the blackout? And is Austin and Texas ready for the next big winter test of the power grid? More about what has and has not happened since February 2021. There’s […] The post For couple affected by dementia, a love song keeps memories alive appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The University of Texas at Austin is restructuring departments in the College of Liberal Arts. The decision was announced today, but it’s a move that students and staff have been worried about for months. We’ll hear more about the departments affected. Police in Austin are still using license plate reader data months after city council […] The post UT Austin consolidates ethnic and gender studies departments appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Pregnant migrant girls are being sent to a South Texas shelter, where both the region and the facility lack the necessary care. The decision from the Trump Administration was made against objections from officials inside the administration. The story is a collaborative effort between The Texas Newsroom and The California Newsroom, and we’ll have from […] The post Probe finds pregnant migrant girls lack adequate care in Texas shelter appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An affordable housing complex planned for the Travis Heights neighborhood is one step closer to becoming a reality. Neighbors around the proposed site say they aren’t opposed to the idea – more so the scale of it. We’ll hear more about the complex and the neighborhood it could be built in. The Austin Independent School […] The post Travis Heights housing project scale draws some concerns appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The parents of an 8-year-old Austinite still missing after last July’s flooding in Texas have filed a lawsuit against Camp Mystic. It’s the fifth such lawsuit against the camp in the Hill Country where campers and counselors drowned in the floodwaters. We’ll have more about that lawsuit. Early voting in the primaries gets going next […] The post Parents of missing Austinite file lawsuit against Camp Mystic appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and members of the Austin City Council met with community members this week to talk about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and the city and police’s role in them. The meeting was billed as a conversation but turned into a shouting match that laid bare the community tensions around […] The post APD, councilmembers hear from public about ICE enforcement in tense meeting appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Teachers and students in the Round Rock school district say they’re seeing benefits from a statewide ban on cell phones in public school classrooms. The ban went into effect at the beginning of this school year, and some students say they feel more engaged inside the classroom and outside of it, too. We’ll have more […] The post Some students and teachers see benefits from cell phone ban appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs to “recalibrate” its tactics, and he isn’t the only member of the Texas GOP to comment on the operations and the rhetoric around it. The messaging comes a few weeks before early voting begins in the Texas primaries ahead of the midterms. We’ll have […] The post Texas GOP reexamines ICE messaging amid crackdown controversies appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Student walkout demonstrations in the Austin area continued this week in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Texas and across the country. The Austin Independent School District has come under fire from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton over such actions. We’ll hear from some of the students who participated […] The post Austin area students stage walkouts over ICE actions appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Nighttime temperatures in Austin won’t be cold enough this week to warrant the opening of warming shelters, but last month’s prolonged freeze did highlight the lack of nutritious food being served at one refuge in town. We’ll hear from someone who’s taken shelter there and the people helping to fill the need. Travis County District […] The post Austin warming shelter’s lack of nutritious food draws concern appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There are about 43,000 people experiencing homelessness in Texas, and more than 3,000 of them are Austinites. We’ll take a look at the programs and services helping people get back on their feet here in the city. https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/esperanza-community-austin-ged-classes-adult-education-texas/ Most people have gone down a one-way street before – and downtown Austin is full of them. […] The post Nonprofit starts new Austin music industry fund appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Local nurses led a peaceful vigil last night in Austin for Alex Pretti, the Minnesota ICU nurse shot and killed over the weekend by U.S. immigration officers. We’ll hear about the latest instance of local folks protesting ongoing customs and border patrol activities in Minneapolis. Three Austin ISD middle schools could get a fifth failing […] The post Austin nurses hold vigil for Alex Pretti appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations have been happening in Austin and Central Texas in recent week. During the past weekend’s weather event, local officials had to dispel rumors fueled by the operation. The lack of information and communication around these operations is causing panic and anxiety that can boil beyond social media. Gov. Greg Abbott […] The post Gov. Abbott targets new H-1B visa applications at state universities, agencies appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota have caught the attention of the nation and the world in recent weeks. Meanwhile, such operations in Texas have been taking place at the same time. We’ll check in with folks from Elgin, just outside of Austin, to hear how it’s impacting them. The City of Austin paid […] The post City of Austin paid out $143 million in overtime in 2025 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An arctic cold front brought freezing precipitation to the Austin area over the weekend. Classes were cancelled today at UT Austin and most school districts in Central Texas. Still, the area made out much better this time than in ice storms of years past. We’ll have more about the situation locally and this week’s forecast. […] The post How the Austin area fared amid arctic front appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The forecast continues to evolve as an arctic cold front heads towards the Austin area this weekend. Temperatures are forecast to remain below freezing starting Saturday night in Central Texas and could stay that way through Monday. We’ll have the latest forecasts and updates from city officials. Austin Community College’s free tuition pilot program ballooned […] The post The latest on the freeze heading towards Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An arctic cold front is approaching Austin and Central Texas. The National Weather Service has already issued an Extreme Cold Watch and a Winter Storm Warning for the weekend. We’ll have more about the latest forecasts and the ways for you to be prepared. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations have continued in Central Texas. KUT […] The post Arctic front bears down on Austin, Central Texas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Early voting for the upcoming primaries in Texas begins next month. Up in Williamson County, things are going to be a little different this election cycle. Voters there will no longer be able to vote at any polling site on Election Day. We’ll talk about why that is, and the impacts it could have. Protests […] The post Why bats in Austin may be living rent-free in your apartment appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Hundreds of private schools in Texas are being shut out of the state’s new school voucher program because of alleged ties to some organizations or foreign governments, and that includes dozens of schools in the Austin area. We’ll have more about the voucher program and its continuing rollout. Plus, hobbies can lead to rewarding experiences, […] The post Alleged outside ties shut some area schools out of voucher program appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A person was detained last week by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Kyle. The man had to be transported to the hospital, according to local police, and the KUT Newsroom is working to get more details on the story. An attorney for the student who was deported while flying back to Austin for […] The post ICE operations in Hays County lead to detainment, injury appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Complaints against Austin Police could be worked out through a new city program focused on mediation. We’ll hear more about what these types of guided conversations to address community concerns could look and sound like. There is a downtown fixture close to Rainey Street that has somehow avoided becoming yet another Austin skyrise – the […] The post New program aims to address complaints against Austin Police appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The Austin Police Department is changing its rules over how officers report people to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The change comes after the detention and apparent deportation last week of a Honduran mother and her 5-year-old daughter.We’ll go over the changes and the reaction from Austin City Council members.And Austin voters could once again be […] The post APD changes ICE cooperation policy appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Text messages from officials in Kerr County reveal confusion amid the July 4 Hill Country floods last year. Information and misinformation spread amid the flooding that killed more than 130 people. We’ll talk about those messages.More changes are coming to I-35 as work continues on overhauling the highway at the center of Austin. We’ll dive […] The post Texts show officials’ confusion amid Hill Country floods appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Earlier this month, the CDC reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children. The change has flummoxed some parents and pediatricians in the Austin area. We’ll listen to some of the questions they’ve been asking. It’s been more than six months since deadly flooding killed more than 130 people across Central Texas and the Hill Country. Recovery is […] The post New CDC childhood vaccine guidance raises questions appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Demonstrations against ICE continued in Austin this weekend after an officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good last week in Minnesota. We’ll hear about the activity around town and its aftermath. We’ll also hear about an Austin mother and her five-year-old daughter who were taken into ICE custody last week after police responded to a disturbance call […] The post Demonstrations against ICE continue in Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

People in the Austin area joined with many thousands of others across the country in protesting after an ICE officer fatally shot a woman this week in Minneapolis. Demonstrators gathered outside a Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville. We’ll bring you some of those voices. After a U.S. military operation in Caracas last weekend, […] The post Austinites join nationwide protests after ICE shooting in Minneapolis appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The state health agency in Texas has proposed new rules for hemp products. Those rules could mean higher fees for businesses, more testing for products, and could effectively outlaw access to hemp flower. We’ll look at what’s being proposed and how Texas business owners are feeling about it. Plus, after oak wilt claimed a tree […] The post New rules for hemp products proposed appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austinites aren’t the only ones who are bringing some change to the new year. The airport in Austin will be undergoing some modifications in 2026. More gates, more flights – and more construction.We’ll take a closer look at the changes happening at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Plus, a major milestone has been reached in the construction […] The post Austin-Bergstrom bringing big changes in the new year appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

As we embark on the new year, many are expecting higher costs for the health care they need to live their best lives. That’s after Congress failed to extend subsidies to the Affordable Care Act during last year’s government shutdown and ahead of the new year deadline. We’ll talk about how Austinites and Texans will […] The post How Austinites may be affected with Affordable Care Act subsidies expired appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Crime statistics for Austin trended downward in 2025, with the city experiencing the lowest number of murders this decade. We’ll talk about the trends, both locally and nationally, and discuss why the sentiment that crime is rising still persists. Also, the city has released an updated design plan for a revamped Sixth Street. What will […] The post Crime statistics for Austin trended downward in 2025 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The start of 2026 brings a bevy of new laws across the state, with a focus on taxes. Other new legislation focuses on artificial intelligence and how sheriff’s offices will work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. New toll lanes have opened on 183 North, and the additional access could mean increased traffic on your drive […] The post New year, new Texas laws on the books appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s the final day of 2025, and we’ve been taking some time to listen back and reflect on the year that was here in Austin. Austinites love supporting local shops and restaurants, but the hard truth is that running any kind of business is the city is a difficult and expensive pursuit. A look back […] The post Reflecting on the year in Austin as 2025 winds down appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

This year, Austinites reached out to 311 with 285,000 requests, covering everything from garbage and loud music to animal bites and scooters. We’ve got more about those requests — and some coyotes. KUT News launched a new desk in 2025: the Art Beat. We’re talking about the year in arts in Austin, including the return […] The post What Austin called 311 about in 2025 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s the last week of 2025, and we’re reflecting on the year of news here in Austin, including:Resolution in a decades-long cold case known as the Yogurt Shop Murders.The summer’s deadly flooding in Austin and Central Texas.School campuses set to shutter across the city. We’re also taking a look at the status of Austin’s housing […] The post Reflecting on the year of news in Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s been a busy year, and KUT’s multimedia team has been capturing the moments that defined Austin in 2025. So which ones stood out most?  Visuals Editor Deborah Cannon takes us through the year in photos. The Paramount Theatre is known for hosting unforgettable events — but have you ever wondered how audiences find their […] The post What it’s like to work as a Paramount usher appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An Austin doctor is using vinyl records to help patients cope with serious illnesses and difficult treatments. KUT’s Olivia Aldridge has a look at how music is helping in the healing process. Texans have access to some of the best bird-watching opportunities in the country. We’ll go behind the scenes of an annual census of […] The post Austin doctor spins vinyl to bring music therapy to patients appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.