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'Priced out:' Texans fed up with the politics of property taxes

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — After more than two decades in Liberty Hill, Lyndon Ebright and his wife have built a good life in their forever home."I've got a lot of sweat labor involved on the property," Ebright said. He works on wood and metal projects in his backyard shop while his wife tends to a vegetable garden just under the patio he built.But those improvements, and the furious development of the greater Austin area, are taking their toll on their tax bills."I'll be priced out of the house," Ebright said. "I'll be forced to sell, and I don't want to be forced to sell just because I gotta pay my taxes."Ebright is recently retired and on a fixed income. They have no debt and have paid off their house, but Ebright is still concerned about their long-term stability because of one creeping cost — property taxes.In 2018, the Williamson Central Appraisal District valued Ebright's home at $71,506. This year, that value has ballooned to $137,971."It's a massive increase in five years. An unrea...

Contributions to Austin Energy could go toward students experiencing homelessness

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Energy is working with the City of Austin to help some of the community's most vulnerable.While paying their bills, Austin Energy customers can contribute to public education. The contributions would then get handed out to school districts to provide support to students who are experiencing homelessness."It was decided that basic needs, any funds, that came into the school districts would be spent on basic needs," advocate and volunteer Scott Johnson told KXAN.Furthermore, he said those funds would go toward school uniforms, as well as other types of assistance, such as shelter and food.Austin Energy said the program is still in the early stages. Austin City Council approved its launching in December 2022.

June heatwave builds, but storms are possible this weekend

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin recorded a 100° high temperature Friday afternoon nearly one month ahead of schedule, tying 2020 for our 10th-earliest start to triple-digit heat in any given year. Triple-digit heat is typically first recorded in Austin in early July, according to the 30-year average.A ridge of high pressure will build further over the next week, leading to dangerous levels of heat and humidity, and even several daily record high temperatures next week.Riding around the periphery of the ridge, however, is a compact but potent disturbance that will bring scattered thunderstorms late Saturday.The severe thunderstorm risk has increased locally late Saturday to 2 out of 5, even 3 out of 5 northeast of Austin. Very large hail, damaging winds, and an isolated tornado are possible. The main storm chance comes between 5 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Sunday.Severe storm threat late Saturday "The future is smoky": Northeast U.S. air quality problems linked to climate change Rain chances ...

Texas higher education changes strengthen, weaken power of campus admin

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Republican-led effort to reshape Texas' higher education during the regular legislative session was a partial success: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices will be shut down under SB 17, but the attempt to ban tenure for professors (SB 18) only garnered restrictions on the practice. SB 16, an attempt to ban "critical race theory" (CRT), stalled out in the House of Representatives higher education committee.SB 17 weakens the power of university administration, while SB 18 increases the power of administration over professors' jobs.Unless vetoed by Governor Greg Abbott, SB 17 goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and SB 18 on Sept. 1, 2023.NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) assistant counsel Antonio Ingram said his team is monitoring the impact of SB 17 and SB 18, as well as watching for a potential resurgence of SB 16 during a special legislative session. The LDF doesn't currently have plans to litigate against Texas over the bills."It shows that there is a pref...

Class 4A state softball: Paige Zender delivers again as Rosemount caps perfect season with another championship

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

NORTH MANKATO — Paige Zender provided the exclamation point for Rosemount’s softball state championship in 2021.On Friday, the senior slugger delivered the spark.With the Irish unable to solve Forest Lake hurler Avery Muellner through the first three innings, Zender came to the plate with a runner on and Rosemount trailing the defending champion Rangers 1-0 in the fourth of the Class 4A state championship game.Two years earlier, it was Zender who hit the fifth-inning grand slam that essentially clinched Rosemount’s title game victory over Forest Lake.History does tend to repeat. That was the case Friday at Caswell Park. The first baseman crushed a laser that zoomed over the left-field fence — with clearance of perhaps a couple of feet — to put Rosemount up 2-1.Deja vu.“A little bit,” Zender concurred. “It’s just kind of weird. It’s amazing.”The home run ignited Rosemount’s offense, which tacked on four insurance runs in the sixth en route to its 6-1 victory over Forest Lake to secur...

Nicholas Kristof: Mississippi is offering lessons for America on education

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. — The refrain across much of the Deep South for decades was “Thank God for Mississippi!” That’s because however abysmally Arkansas or Alabama might perform in national comparisons, they could still bet that they wouldn’t be the worst in America. That spot was often reserved for Mississippi.So it’s extraordinary to travel across this state today and find something dazzling: It is lifting education outcomes and soaring in the national rankings. With an all-out effort over the past decade to get all children to read by the end of third grade and by extensive reliance on research and metrics, Mississippi has shown that it is possible to raise standards even in a state ranked dead last in the country in child poverty and hunger and second highest in teen births.In the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a series of nationwide tests better known as NAEP, Mississippi has moved from near the bottom to the middle for most of the exams — and near the top when adjusted ...

Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Denver to highlight climate work

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Denver next week to highlight the Biden administration’s work on the climate crisis, a White House official said Friday.Harris will deliver remarks on June 16 about the administration’s climate and clean energy economy efforts, the official said, and she will also speak with Denver Public School Students about their work to adopt a school district-level climate action plan.Harris will also speak at a Democratic National Committee “finance event.”Related ArticlesPolitics | With first-of-its-kind law, Colorado officials can now block you on social media Politics | Despite sheriff’s plea, ban on ICE lockup agreements becomes Colorado law Politics | Polis vetoes bill that would cut down on ticket scalping: “The governor chose scalpers,” sponsor says Politics | Colorado will cap the cost of EpiPens at $60 starting in January Politics | ...

Nuggets vs. Heat: Live updates and highlights from NBA Finals Game 4

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

Pre-game updatesGuess the stat line pic.twitter.com/mKhHcnkUje— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 9, 2023Nuggets-Heat Game 3: Must readsNuggets’ Jamal Murray playing through “nasty” wound on left handMIAMI – It’s a good thing history isn’t fragile.As Jamal Murray walked onto the podium ahead of Thursday’s practice, his left hand was wrapped in protective tape to cover a nasty floor burn he suffered in Wednesday’s Game 3 victory.During the open portion of practice, most of Murray’s time was spent dribbling two basketballs at once. After 30 minutes, he unwrapped his hand and showed the wound to several courtside reporters.“It’s nasty,” he said of the raw skin exposed at the base of his left palm, which is Murray’s non-shooting hand. Read more…Keeler: If Nuggets have to step on Michael Porter Jr.’s ego to win NBA Finals, know what you do? Keep stepping.MIAMI — Nikola Jokic has one foot in Bam Adebayo’s nightmares and the other on the Larry O’Brien Trophy. And you’re worried ab...

'Breaking Bad' actor Mike Batayeh dead at 52

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

Mike Batayeh, an actor and comedian perhaps best known for his role in "Breaking Bad," has died at 52.A representative for Batayeh told PEOPLE that he died from a heart attack while asleep at his Michigan home on June 1.He had no history of heart problems, a family member told TMZ."He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many,” his family said in a statement.Batayeh played the role of Dennis Markowksi, the manager of Gustavo’s laundromat/meth lab, in several episodes of "Breaking Bad." His acting credits also included roles in "Sleeper Cell," "CSI: Miami," "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia," and over 30 other television productions.According to his obituary, Batayeh is survived by his great nieces and nephews, Ella, Dominic, Olivia, Sophia, Kai, Maze, and Codi.

Letters: Urban canopies | Taxing STRs | Diversify Congress | Viable candidates | Foster kids

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:02:11 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Urban canopies canhelp mitigate warmingIt’s time for Bay Area cities to recognize that “Cutting emissions isn’t enough in climate fight.” (Page A6, June 6)We are facing a future with extreme heat, endangering public health.  It is time to address urban climatology with urban design, planning and policy approaches to protect people from extreme heat and adopt an equitable climate policy that promotes healthier and more engaged communities.Disadvantaged communities are deeply affected by climate change, rising temperatures and poor air quality.San Jose’s Smart Climate Plan focuses on cutting greenhouse gases, which is only part of the solution. Reducing carbon emissions ignores the need to plan for a sustainable future locally.  A robust climate change plan protects against rising temperatures.A baseline monitors seasonal ambient air temperature in neighborhoods and correlates with local urban canopies. Th...