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3 years later: These are healthcare lessons learned in Austin from the COVID-19 pandemic

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — This month marks three years since the coronavirus pandemic led to wide-scale closures and public health protocols in the Austin-Travis County region and beyond. Since then, Austin-based healthcare entities and public health officials have adapted their business models and responses, informed by lessons learned during the pandemic.How COVID testing companies have adapted healthcare approachesAustin-based Curative rose to prominence during the pandemic as a mass-COVID-testing facility and, later, assisted with vaccinations, said its CEO Fred Turner. The business began with seven employees and scaled up to more than 7,000 in its first year in operations, in a response to testing demands, Turner said. From his experience during the pandemic, Turner said COVID-19 revealed flaws in the healthcare system. Now that Curative has shuttered its testing operations, the company has pivoted and launched a new Curative health plan, available in Austin. TOP STORY: City of Austin ...

Remarkable Woman Anne Drane builds sustainable connection between women in Kenya and Central Texas

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — About 30 miles outside of Austin, in a quaint Dripping Springs neighborhood, a transformative project is taking place that is changing the lives of women in Kenya. It’s happening in Anne Drane’s home. She’s the co-founder and CEO of non-profit Sawa Sawa.  “It’s one of those things you say all the time in Swahili. It means 'it's going to be OK' or 'equal equal' — Sawa Sawa,” Drane said. The organization’s mission is to empower artisan women in Kenya to make a sustainable living by harnessing ancient craftmanship in weaving, beading and art. A woman in Sawa Sawa making products for the non-profit. (Courtesy Sawa Sawa)Sawa Sawa started as a hobby in 2014, when Drane moved to Texas from her native Kenya. “I wanted a few things from home, so I told my mom to go to the villages and get me the authentic Kenyan stuff,” Drane explained. She said the women, from poor, remote villages in Kenya, would walk for miles to sell th...

Motorcyclist pronounced dead after crashing in west Austin

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 8, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A motorcyclist died after crashing in west Austin Wednesday morning. Austin-Travis County EMS and the Oak Hill Fire Department responded to the crash shortly after 8 a.m. on Southwest Parkway between Hwy. 71 and Barton Creek Boulevard. The crash involved a single motorcycle with one patient who was unresponsive when first-responders arrived, according to ATCEMS. The patient was pronounced dead on the scene. ATCEMS said drivers should expect delays and road closures in the area and choose alternate routes.

Pipeline providing drinking water could fail again, official says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) -- An underwater pipeline that is vital in the process of converting raw water from Lake Travis to drinkable water for three cities could continue to experience disruptions, the general manager for the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority said. "I sincerely wish we were not here tonight once again to talk about the pipeline failure in our raw water line," Karen Bondy, the general manager for BCRUA, said during a board meeting on Feb. 22. The 36-inch pipe separated on Feb. 14, causing the water treatment plant to stop its output of drinkable water to Leander, Round Rock, and Cedar Park. The disruption caused residents in Leander to face water restrictions as the problem was being fixed. A history of failures The pipeline was installed in 2011 and did not have its first disruption until December 2020. The problem was fixed and the utility initiated a survey on the pipe. The survey found there were vulnerable areas along the pipeline, and the utility started c...

Police tag dozens of abandoned cars in east Austin neighborhood

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department (APD) has issued violations to multiple auto shops, mechanics and tow companies for abandoned vehicles in east Austin. After the APD district representative for the area received a complaint about the vehicles - which included cars, trailers and boats - officers went to the area of Hudson and Darby Streets and found the vehicles in the right-of-way.The public right-of-way is defined as any public thoroughfare such as a street, road or alley. It typically also includes medians, sidewalks, and any area immediately adjacent to a street. APD tagged dozens of cars in the area of Hudson and Darby Streets on March 1, according to the department. (KXAN Photo/Bri Hollis)A boat was among the vehicles tagged by APD on March 1 in the area of Hudson and Darby Streets. (KXAN Photo/Bri Hollis)APD tagged dozens of vehicles in the area of Hudson and Darby Streets on March 1, according to the department. (KXAN Photo/Bri Hollis)According to APD, the follow...

Frisco approves zoning for Universal theme park

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

FRISCO, Texas (KXAN) -- Plans are moving forward for Universal Parks and Resorts to develop a new theme park in Frisco. The City of Frisco on Tuesday approved zoning to allow Universal to move forward with its "one-of-a-kind theme park," which is designed specifically for families with young children, according to a press release from the city. The plans for the park were announced in January. It will sit on 97 acres of land at the northeast corner of the Dallas Parkway at Panther Creek Parkway. Related: New Universal theme park coming to Texas On Tuesday, Frisco’s Planning & Zoning Commission approved the Special Use Permit, or SUP, establishing development standards for the theme park project.  The vote was followed by City Council approving the permit and a development agreement.    According to the release, Frisco also approved a development agreement providing $12.7 million in performance-based economic incentives, all funded from sales tax colle...

APD looking for suspected porch pirate who threatened victim with a knife

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 8, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Police are looking for a package thief who they say threatened the victim with a knife. According to APD, a man stole several packages off the victim's porch around 5:30 p.m. on March 3 near the intersection of West 35th Street and Fruth Street in the North University neighborhood. As the suspect walked away with the stolen merchandise, the victim followed the suspect to try to recover the property, police said Tuesday.According to APD, the suspect pulled out a knife and threatened the victim when they confronted the suspect.Police describe the suspect as:Suspect in package theft in North University neighborhood. (Photo from Austin Police)Young Hispanic manSkinny buildMedium heightTattoo on the upper right armLast seen wearing a blue “Brxtn” logo baseball cap, bright green neck gaiter, dark green shirt, red belt, black pants and black shoes.Police say the the suspect was ca...

Comedy club tied to Joe Rogan lands in downtown Austin

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin local Joe Rogan just landed a new project in downtown Austin.The 55-year-old polarizing podcaster, UFC commentator and comedian is behind the launch of the new comedy club, Comedy Mothership.Rogan announced the launch with a post on social media. It shows Rogan wearing an astronaut suit, holding a cardboard sign that says "Austin Texas." He's also standing next to an alien and located somewhere in space.The post also shared the dates of the shows starting March 7. Tickets for the shows sold out quickly.Comedy Mothership took over the iconic The Ritz Theater on East Sixth Street. The venue was built in 1929 and was one of the first theaters in the country to show movies. The shape was revamped in 2007 and turned into a downtown location for Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse. A group of theaters used to line Congress Avenue. Here’s what’s left of Austin’s ‘Show Row’ After filing for bankruptcy, Alamo Drafthouse closed the downtown location citing it was underperf...

Drag story time puts state funding in jeopardy for Texas libraries

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hosting a reading event with drag performers could put state funding in jeopardy for Texas libraries if a newly-filed bill becomes law. Texas Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, introduced a proposal on March 3 that would bar the state from providing money to a municipal library for having someone dressed in drag read books to children. Report: Texas had most anti-LGBTQ protests, threats against drag events in 2022 The bill's text reads, "A municipal library may not receive state funds if the library hosts an event at which a man presenting as a woman or a woman presenting as a man reads a book or a story to a minor for entertainment and the person being dressed as the opposite gender is a primary component of the entertainment." If it's ultimately signed into law by the governor, it would go into effect on Sept. 1. It also stipulates that a library would lose its state funding during the fiscal year following its drag story time event. LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Tex...

Alligator returned to Central Texas zoo 20 years after volunteer allegedly stole it as an egg

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:17:01 GMT

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — An alligator that was reportedly stolen from a New Braunfels zoo as an egg was returned recently after being located by Texas Parks and Wildlife in a woman's backyard. A post by the Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo, which is roughly an hour from Austin, said a former volunteer at the zoo appeared to have pocketed an alligator hatchling or egg at least two decades ago, according to its post. "We got a call from Texas Parks and Wildlife department that someone apparently has had in their possession for over 20 years now, interesting part of this story is evidently they volunteered here," the video said. "Either the egg or the hatchling alligator at the time...put it in their pocket and took off and actually kept this thing as a pet," it continued. 🐊🐊An alligator that was reportedly stolen from a New Braunfels zoo as an egg (20 YEARS AGO) was returned to the zoo after being located by Texas Parks and Wildlife a couple weeks ago. Story tonight on @KXAN_New...