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The Austin Chronicle •

Texas Creates a New Path for Rape Kit Testing • The Austin Chronicle

Nationally, about one in three survivors of sexual assault ever report their experiences to law enforcement, according to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. Texas is betting that gap is partly about what comes after a report, and a new state program now allows rape kits to be tested for DNA without filing a police report.


Texas lawmakers say that gap is what House Bill 1422 was designed to address. The new law took effect in December through a “limited consent for DNA testing program...
The Austin Chronicle •

San Marcos Lets License Plate Reader Contract Expire After Deadlocked Vote • The Austin Chronicle

For months, San Marcos has been circling the question that’s reshaped policing debates across Central Texas: What do we really get from a citywide network of license plate scanners? On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the discussion finally came to a head – though not in the clean yes-or-no way people expected.


The majority of San Marcos City Council members didn’t technically vote to end its contract with Flock Safety. Instead, members deadlocked 3-3 on whether to extend the agreement for another year. One...
Austin American-Statesman •

Cambridge Dictionary names 'parasocial' 2025 word of the year, citing Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan

If you’ve ever sworn it feels like you know Taylor Swift on a personal level, Cambridge Dictionary has a word for that feeling: "parasocial."

If you’ve ever sworn it feels like you know Taylor Swift on a personal level, Cambridge Dictionary has a word for that feeling: "parasocial."

That’s the publisher’s 2025 word of the year, announced Tuesday, and it’s less about grammar nerds and more about how we latch onto famous people, influencers and even AI. Cambridge says interest in one-sided paras...
Austin American-Statesman •

6 places to get free groceries, meals around Austin this Thanksgiving

This year may be a tough Thanksgiving for a lot of Austin families. If you’re stretching groceries, sharing the holiday with neighbors instead of relatives or just need a plate you don’t have to cook, several Austin-area groups are offering free food in the days before and on Thanksgiving. Most events are first-come, first-served and require no ID.

This year may be a tough Thanksgiving for a lot of Austin families. If you’re stretching groceries, sharing the holiday with neighbors instead of re...
Austin American-Statesman •

Man wanted for 2020 Georgetown homicide arrested in Temple, officials say

A man wanted in a 2020 Georgetown homicide was arrested Monday morning in Temple after years on the run, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

A man wanted in a 2020 Georgetown homicide was arrested Monday morning in Temple after years on the run, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Hernan Perez Juarez, 41 — also known as Patricio Perez — was wanted in the killing of a woman found in a bathtub with a deep abdominal laceration on May 8, 2020, at a home on Tower Drive. Georgetown police in...
Austin American-Statesman •

Northern Taurids could light up Austin’s sky this week

Central Texas skies could put on a small show again this week as the Northern Taurids return for another round of slow, bright meteors over Austin.

Central Texas skies could put on a small show again this week as the Northern Taurids return for another round of slow, bright meteors over Austin.

The Northern Taurids are a long-running meteor shower that produces just a few meteors per hour — but they’re famous for the occasional fireball. The stream stays active from late October through early...
Austin American-Statesman •

Where can you see 'Wicked: For Good' in Austin? Here are some options

Oz is officially back. "Wicked: For Good," the second half of the blockbuster two-part musical, picks up with Elphaba in exile, Glinda glowing in palace gold and the rest of Oz on the brink of mob-level chaos. The finale promises flying, fighting and a full-circle ending for the most famous roommates in Emerald City history.

Oz is officially back. "Wicked: For Good," the second half of the blockbuster two-part musical, picks up with Elphaba in exile, Glinda glowing in palace gold and the rest o...
Austin American-Statesman •

Where to volunteer or donate for Thanksgiving in Austin

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 27 this year. Maybe you’re spending the day solo. Maybe because 43-day federal shutdown and the freeze on SNAP benefits pushed more families to food banks, you're feeling the need to give back to your community. Whatever your reason, there are plenty of ways to show up, meet people and plug into real community this holiday week.

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 27 this year. Maybe you’re spending the day solo. Maybe because 43-day federal shutdown and th...
Austin American-Statesman •

Fall foliage to peak in Austin soon. Where to see autumn colors

A regional fall foliage map projects that Central Texas will slide into its first real hint of color around Nov. 17, with Austin’s best reds, oranges and golds arriving closer to the end of the month.

A regional fall foliage map projects that Central Texas will slide into its first real hint of color around Nov. 17, with Austin’s best reds, oranges and golds arriving closer to the end of the month.

Austin’s trees usually hit fashionably late on the fall calendar, and this year is no different....
Austin American-Statesman •

San Marcos animal shelter overwhelmed with dogs and running out of space

They shouldn’t be there. The room isn’t designed to house animals, but the kennels are full, the overflow spaces are packed, and last week, there are roughly three dozen more dogs than the facility was built for.

They shouldn’t be there. The room isn’t designed to house animals, but the kennels are full, the overflow spaces are packed, and last week, there are roughly three dozen more dogs than the facility was built for.

When people walk into the shelter, the overcrowding hits them before any...
Austin American-Statesman •

21-year-old man sentenced in Austin for elder fraud, laundering scheme

A 21-year-old citizen of India who came to the United States on a student visa has been sentenced in Austin to more than eight years in federal prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar elder fraud and money laundering scheme, federal prosecutors said.

A 21-year-old citizen of India who came to the United States on a student visa has been sentenced in Austin to more than eight years in federal prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar elder fraud and money laundering scheme, federal prose...
Austin American-Statesman •

Starbucks Red Cup Day strike hits Texas. See what cities.

More than 1,000 Starbucks baristas at 65 unionized stores across the country went on strike Thursday, turning the company’s high-traffic Red Cup Day on Thursday, Nov. 13, into what organizers are calling a “Red Cup Rebellion.”

More than 1,000 Starbucks baristas at 65 unionized stores across the country went on strike Thursday, turning the company’s high-traffic Red Cup Day on Thursday, Nov. 13, into what organizers are calling a “Red Cup Rebellion.”

No Austin locations were on Thursday’s strik...
Austin American-Statesman •

San Marcos police ID suspect in Halloween weekend shooting that left one dead

San Marcos police have identified a suspect in a deadly shooting on the downtown square over Halloween weekend and announced an arrest in a separate shooting at an apartment complex on Post Road.

San Marcos police have identified a suspect in a deadly shooting on the downtown square over Halloween weekend and announced an arrest in a separate shooting at an apartment complex on Post Road.

City officials said three separate shootings happened in San Marcos on the night of Nov. 1 and 2, leaving...
Austin American-Statesman •

Haven’t spayed or neutered your pet? Austin is offering free surgeries this week

For the next five days, Austin pet owners can get their dogs and cats spayed or neutered for free at a pop-up clinic in northwest Austin.

For the next five days, Austin pet owners can get their dogs and cats spayed or neutered for free at a pop-up clinic in northwest Austin.

Registration and drop-off are first come, first served. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. and continues until 10 a.m. or until capacity is full each day.

Registration and drop-off are first come, first served. Check-in begins...
Austin American-Statesman •

Matthew McConaughey turns to AI to bring his voice to Spanish listeners

The Austin actor teamed up with AI audio company ElevenLabs to launch a Spanish-language audio version of “Lyrics of Livin’,” using a cloned version of his voice to narrate each edition. The technology translates his words and recreates his trademark tone, drawl and pacing in Spanish. A sign-up link for the Spanish edition is already live on the newsletter’s website.

The Austin actor teamed up with AI audio company ElevenLabs to launch a Spanish-language audio version of “Lyrics of Livin’,” usi...
Austin American-Statesman •

APD trainers, officials say officer followed use-of-force rules

That was the message the Austin police officer's defense attorneys sought to drive home Wednesday as they opened their case in a jury trial stemming from Sanchez’s fatal shooting three years ago of tech entrepreneur Rajan Moonesinghe.

That was the message the Austin police officer's defense attorneys sought to drive home Wednesday as they opened their case in a jury trial stemming from Sanchez’s fatal shooting three years ago of tech entrepreneur Rajan Moonesinghe.

Testimony from various witne...
Austin American-Statesman •

Texas' favorite convenience store is heading to this East Coast state

Beloved Texas convenience store Buc-ee’s turned the dirt on its first North Carolina location in Mebane after the project cleared key local approvals in May 2025. The plan on file calls for a 74,000-square-foot store, roughly 120 fueling positions and room for a serious road-trip crowd. Think football-field big, with a brisket line to match.

Beloved Texas convenience store Buc-ee’s turned the dirt on its first North Carolina location in Mebane after the project cleared key local approvals in Ma...
Austin American-Statesman •

People are losing interest in moving to Austin, study shows

Austin is no longer the must-move destination it was five years ago. A new forecast from moveBuddha shows a 40 percent drop in move interest since 2019, one of the steepest declines among large American cities. The report analyzed searches for potential movers across 79 cities over the past five years. Using that data, the study predicts Austin will reach an in-to-out move ratio of 0.95 in 2026, meaning more people are expected to leave the city than arrive next year.

Austin is no longer the mu...
Austin American-Statesman •

The Taurids meteor shower peaks this week in Austin. Here's how to see it.

The Northern Taurids are a long-running meteor shower that produces a few slow, bright meteors per hour with a higher chance of eye-catching fireballs. The stream is active from late October to early December and does not have a sharp peak, but Tuesday into Wednesday is the best window this week.

The Northern Taurids are a long-running meteor shower that produces a few slow, bright meteors per hour with a higher chance of eye-catching fireballs. The stream is active from late October to early D...
Austin American-Statesman •

Here are Austin's most used dog and cat names in 2025

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 17: Leo, dog owned by Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari and Alexandra Saint Mleux, walks in the paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 17, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images)

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 17: Leo, dog owned by Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari and Alexandra Saint Mleux, walks in the paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of T...
Austin American-Statesman •

Student arrested with gun at Crockett High School, officials say

A student at Crockett Early College High School in South Austin was arrested Monday after officers found the student carrying a gun after a fight on campus, according to a letter sent to families.

A student at Crockett Early College High School in South Austin was arrested Monday after officers found the student carrying a gun after a fight on campus, according to a letter sent to families.

The school, at Menchaca Road and Stassney Lane, said an individual reported that one of the students inv...
The University Star •

TXST cancels transportation for social work advocacy trip

In the wake of previous controversy over Texas State shuttles transporting individuals to a political rally, the university canceled buses for social work students headed to Social Work Advocacy Day (SWAD), leaving dozens without transportation less than 24 hours before departure.
SWAD brings students from across Texas to the Capitol for a day of policy education, advocacy training and legislative engagement, including workshops, a rally and legislative office visits. The advocacy day operated u...
The Austin Chronicle •

Bill Would Ban Teaching DEI Topics in Many College Classrooms

Stella Flores has built her academic career on studying educational equity. She teaches students about systemic inequality, public policy, and how education systems can serve or fail diverse communities. But under a proposed Texas bill, much of her expertise could soon be off-limits in the classroom.

House Bill 2548, introduced by Republican Rep. Cody Harris, would ban public universities in Texas from requiring or funding any course content that touches on topics like systemic racism, whitenes...
The University Star •

A conversation with an immigration attorney: What TXST international students need to know

Two international students at Texas State University have experienced sudden changes to their immigration status, as part of a broader federal crackdown.
“To protect student privacy, we are not sharing individual details,” Jayme Blaschke, a university spokesperson, wrote in an April 11 email to The Star. “However, we are assisting the affected students by connecting them with appropriate resources. TXST is committed to supporting our international students while complying with all state and fede...
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