KUT News

Nonconservative Groups Say IRS Scrutinized Them, Too

Brian Naylor, NPR — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:50:25 +0000

The IRS was in the hot seat Friday, with its outgoing acting commissioner testifying before a House committee. A Senate panel is scheduled for Tuesday. Congress is prodding to find out why the agency singled out conservative groups for special scrutiny.

Attention has focused on the IRS' flagging of these groups starting in 2010.

UT Football Great Vince Young Graduates

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:54:33 +0000

Former Longhorn quarterback Vince Young graduated from the University of Texas at Austin Friday with a bachelor’s degree in Youth and Community Studies. He Tweeted a blurry photo of himself receiving his diploma and thanked "everyone who supported me through the good and bad."

Weather Service Bracing for Furloughs

Trey Shaar, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:52:22 +0000

Federal agencies are still dealing with the effects of across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration.

The National Weather Service was already under a hiring freeze and now faces furloughs -- mandatory unpaid days off.

Weather Service meteorologists are concerned about the effect that could have on their ability to keep the public informed.

Budget Bill Gets Tentative Approval from Texas Lawmakers

Veronica Zaragovia, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:33:06 +0000

Lawmakers left a vote on the toughest and most important bill to the week's end. At the start of today, Democrats remained unhappy with funding for public education.

"They did an increase in the budget for the [Texas School for the Blind and Texas School for the Deaf]. Well you can’t count that as new money in the budget towards public education. So it’s just a sham of a proposal in my judgment."

Agenda Texas: Daily Drama at the Capitol

Ben Philpott, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:30:00 +0000

There is nothing quite like the end of a Texas Legislative session. There’s drama, suspense, violence! OK - maybe just a little yelling. It’s almost like the end of an action movie.

All hope is lost, disaster is just a moment away,but then…a miracle saves the day.

The Ever Changing Session

After Deadly Chemical Plant Disasters, There's Little Action

Daniel Zwerdling — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:58:37 +0000

You might think that everything would have changed for the chemicals industry on April 16, 1947. That was the day of the Texas City Disaster, the worst industrial accident in U.S. history. A ship loaded with ammonium nitrate — the same chemical that appears to have caused the disaster last month in West, Texas — exploded. The ship sparked a chain reaction of blasts at chemical facilities onshore, creating what a newsreel at the time called "a holocaust that baffles description."

Or you might think everything would have changed on Dec. 3, 1984.

This Austin Community's 'Bike Train' Means Safety in Numbers

Kate McGee, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:44:00 +0000

When you drive around Austin, it's hard not to notice the growing number of cyclists next to your car.

Austin Jobless Rate Dips to 5.1 Percent

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Austin’s economy added 30,500 jobs over the last year. The latest employment report shows the jobless rate dropped to 5.1 percent last month from 5.6 percent in April 2012.

The recent job growth happened as more people were moving to the Austin-area looking for work. The civilian labor force grew by more than 27,000 in the past 12 months.

Report Asks: Why Aren’t Hispanics Sharing in Austin's Boom?

Joy Diaz, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:55:09 +0000

A five-year effort from a group of Hispanic community leaders is about to wrap up. In 2008, the Austin City Council asked the group to evaluate the quality of life for Hispanics in the city. They found big disparities between Hispanics and their peers in areas including education, health care, even access to cultural institutions.

Last night, about fifty people came together at City Hall to share ideas on how Hispanics in Austin could bridge those gaps.

Video: Austin Celebrates National Bike to Work Day

Marissa Barnett and Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:49:12 +0000

You may have noticed more bikes on Austin roads today. That’s because it’s the annual Bike to Work Day across the country.

End-of-Life Bill Sparks Anger, Accusations

Becca Aaronson, Texas Tribune — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Political powerhouse Texas Right to Life is working overtime to try to defeat a compromise measure aimed at improving state laws governing “end of life” medical decisions.

Honor Flight Austin Departs Today With Texas' Oldest Living Vet Aboard

Marissa Barnett — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:32:51 +0000

35 Central Texas World War II veterans, including Texas’ oldest living veteran, are flying to Washington D.C. today as part of the Honor Flight program.

The flight leaves Austin Bergstrom International Airport at 12:30 p.m. after a ceremonial send off from Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell. Honor Flight Austin Chairman Allen Bergeron, a flight nurse and one guardian per veteran will also be on the flight. The trip is just one day, but the itinerary is packed with memorial visits and a trip to Arlington National Cemetery.

Drought Eases In The East, But Still Worrisome Out West

Howard Berkes — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:31:44 +0000

The federal agencies saddled with doom-and-gloom forecasts have mixed news (PDF) for the vast regions of the country that have been suffering from drought.

The good news is reserved for Easterners and Midwesterners: Your drought pain has eased notably, the forecasters say, and the summer promises above-average heat but more precipitation.

Go West for the bad news: A parched, pork chop-shaped region that extends from western Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, through Wyoming,

Austin's Bike-Sharing Program Delayed

Andrew Weber — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:59:26 +0000

Austin is full of bike lovers. But not everyone has the wheels with which to whip around town. Enter: bike sharing.

Just not yet.

Annick Beaudet of the Public Works department tells KUT News that the program has seen “complications,” and that a launch planned for this spring – which would’ve coincided with May as National Bike Month – will be delayed.

Cause of Blast in West Fertilizer Plant Explosion Still Unkown

Kate McGee, KUT News — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:49:32 +0000

State and federal fire officials say it’s still unclear what caused a fire that led to the explosion at a fertilizer plant in the town of West. The investigation will remain open. Despite many unknowns, residents are trying to move forward.

On North Reagan Street, the only sounds you hear are screeching grackles and the occasional resident returning to what’s left of his or her home. Nearly every house on this street is destroyed. Windows and doors are blown out. Roofs caved in. Broken furniture is scattered across lawns. There is a stench in the air that originates from a fly covered refrigerator. Someone has written "Do Not Open, Spoiled Meat" on the front.