Austin Signal

TxDOT is pouring billions of dollars into I-35 through Central Austin, adding more lanes and eventually sinking parts of the highway up to 60 feet below ground level. This could make it possible to build parks above the highways — but that comes with a hefty price tag. We’ll dig into why Austin city staff […] The post Why some Austin city staff are urging against plan for parks above I-35 ap...

Temperatures are on the rise and Hays County is bracing for a fourth year of drought. On top of familiar water restrictions and limitations, there are now new severe issues with the county’s water wells. In a viral clip heard around the world, actor Timothée Chalamet questioned the relevance of opera and ballet. The clip […] The post What’s in store for Hole in the Wall after historic venue...

Affordable housing is top of mind for many Austinites, but especially for educators working in our local schools. Now, a former AISD elementary campus is being transformed into housing — with some units set aside specifically for teachers. Acacia Coronado from the Austin Current takes a closer look at the East Austin project. Brown water […] The post AISD campus transforms into affordable ho...

We’re learning more about the tactics and technology used by police in Texas during deportation proceedings. The Texas Newsroom has accessed body and dashcam videos from an incident last summer in East Austin that ended with five people in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll discuss the tactics and technology being deployed in […] The post How traffic stops turn i...

The Republican Party in Williamson County has agreed to let voters cast a ballot at any polling location available in the upcoming primary runoff. A move to precinct-specific voting made for a confusing process for many voters last month in Williamson and Dallas counties. We’ll have more about why the party is reversing course. Rent […] The post Williamson County Republicans reverse course o...

Lake Pflugerville’s water levels remain low after a series of waterline breaks, the most recent of which was fixed on Wednesday. Local officials have issued water conservation calls while the man-made lake gets back to normal levels. We’ll have more about those water issues. Libraries are havens for many Texans, especially those living in rural […] The post Waterline breaks promp...

In the wake of public sexual assault and abuse allegations against union organizer Cesar Chavez, organizers of the annual parade in Austin honoring him canceled their upcoming event. Now, local activists and politicians are calling for the City of Austin to change the name of Cesar Chavez Street, the East-to-West thoroughfare running through the heart […] The post Cesar Chavez Street, local...

It’s been more than two weeks since the deadly shooting at Buford’s in downtown Austin that killed three, wounded more than a dozen, and affected countless others. For mass shooting survivors, recovery can be a slow process. We’ll have the story of a mother and daughter going through that very thing following a shooting last […] The post It’s been more than two weeks...

Many Republican-led states like Texas require police officers to cooperate with federal immigration agents. That’s left liberal cities like Austin debating how to respond when they don’t want spend resources on immigration enforcement. ICE operations are deterring immigrants from participating in routine parts of their lives. Here in Austin, one clinic has seen its demand […] The...

South By Southwest has brought many travelers into Austin to enjoy the city’s music, food and culture, but getting out of town via the Austin airport has turned a bit chaotic as TSA agents go without pay amid a partial government shutdown. We’ll have the latest from the airport and from local officials. Carmen Mejia […] The post SXSW, partial government shutdown impacting Austin-...

The University of Texas at Austin is consolidating seven ethnic and gender studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. That consolidation was announced in February. We’ll look more into these changes. South By Southwest 2026 is in full swing. On this episode, we’ll bring you the director and stars of the film “STAGES.” It’s […] The post New film ‘STAGES’ brings iconic Aus...

We kicked off South by Southwest 2026 with a special, live one-hour show at Scholz Garten. We’ll speak with Austin artists Shakey Graves and Kydd Jones about the things they’re working on this year. We’ll also be joined by the director and producer of the upcoming Netflix documentary “The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson,” about […] The post A special SXSW 2026 show from Scholz Garte...

Board members for the Austin Independent School District are considering an outside nonprofit to handle three of its middle schools with chronic failing grades. Another failing grade for these campuses would give the Texas Education Agency the authority to take over the district as a whole. We’ll have more about community meetings happening this week. […] The post Paxton targets Austin ISD o...

George Davis Jr. is one of the victims who had to be hospitalized after the deadly shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street. He reached out to 911 for assistance, but had to turn to help of strangers to get him to the hospital. Davis is recovering now and trying to find the people who […] The post New changes to smokeable hemp rules could be coming appeared first on KUT & KUTX Stu...

Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was open for business over the weekend, just days after a shooting left three people dead and more than a dozen injured. Some Austin residents felt the opening was rushed after such a tragedy. We’ll hear from others who felt showing up was the right thing to do. The Austin Police […] The post Buford’s reopens a week after deadly shooting appeared first on...

We’re learning more about the alleged shooter in Sunday morning’s deadly incident at a West Sixth Street bar. The suspect had no prior interactions with police in Austin, but that wasn’t true for other agencies in Texas. We’ll share more about that history, and why it wasn’t enough to keep him from legally acquiring firearms. […] The post More background on Buford’s s...

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’...

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...

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...

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 shoo...

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 o...

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 han...

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...

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 enduri...

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 A...