Category: Things To Know

Here’s what you need to know to start off your weekend informed:

1. $91 million advertising assault awaits Trump.

Hillary Clinton’s leading super PAC Priority USA has reserved around $91 million to go toward television advertising that will begin next month and last through the entirety of the election, the Associated Press reports. The ads, many of which will cast Republican rival Donald Trump in a negative light, will test his proven ability to thrive when targeted with attack ads.

2. Austin police release new drunk driving numbers ahead of Prop 1 election.

Ahead of this Saturday’s vote, the Austin Police Department released numbers that show the city hasn’t seen a major drop in the number of drunk driving-related incidents since ride-hailing services began in Austin, contradicting statistics released by Uber and Lyft showing the opposite, the American-Statesman’s Nolan Hicks reports.

3. Images capture devastation of burning Canadian city.

The extent of the damage caused by the Fort McMurray still ongoing wildfires is captured in these images compiled by BBC. The fire has ravaged around 328.2 sq miles and required the city’s almost 90,000 residents be evacuated earlier this week.

4. Unlike father, Kim Jong Un to speak publicly during party congress.

Despite being an “omnipresent dictator”only one of Kim Jong Il’s public statements was ever recorded, as he rarely gave public speeches. His son Kim Jong Un, however, is expected to give a speech during this weekend’s formalization of his leadership at North Korea’s first party congress held in nearly 40 years, NPR reports.

5. Will this bird delay an Austin highway?

Tweet. A major South Austin highway project could be delayed by one endangered bird’s song. Austin biologists reported hearing the golden-cheeked warbler in the proposed area in April, a finding that could require habitat protection, the American-Statesman’s Asher Price reports.

Here’s what you need to know to stay informed this Thursday:

1. Bernie Sanders says he’s still in.

In a Thursday episode of “Morning Edition,” Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders told NPR that he plans to stay in the race until the final primary and believes that his decision will be good for the party because it increases “the level of political activity.” Sanders also admitted that his path toward winning the nomination was “narrow.”

2. North Korea to hold biggest party meeting in 36 years.

North Korea will hold its first party congress in nearly 40 years when the country’s elite political figures meet in Pyongyang Thursday, at which time Kim Jong-un is expected to announce the country’s nuclear weapon capabilities, Vice reports.

3. George W. Bush will not endorse in presidential race.

Both former president George H.W. Bush and son George W. Bush have confirmed that they do not plan on endorsing Donald Trump as the Republican nominee in the presidential race, The Texas Tribune reports. George W. Bush has endorsed the Republican nominee during each of the last five elections.

4. We’ve got your 2016 ACL lineup right here.

Who can you expect to see at this year’s 15th anniversary of the Austin City Limits Music Festival? The lineup was released early this morning and includes headliners Radiohead and LCD Soundsystem. Check out the full list here.

5. Today you’ll learn…

The “Today I Learned” portion of entertainment and news site Reddit has a few interesting and bizarre facts about Austin that you may or may not be better off knowing. Flip through the gallery here. You just might learn something.

 

Here’s what you need to know to start off this Wednesday informed:

1. How did we get here?

Last night’s news that, following Donald Trump’s sweep in the Indiana primary, Ted Cruz would drop out of the 2016 presidential race and Trump will most likely clinch the Republican nomination, might have you wondering exactly where Trump went right and Cruz wrong. Politico takes a close look at the failings in Cruz’s campaign, and the Hill has a timeline guiding you through the moves that landed Trump the leading spot in the GOP race.

2. Wildfire forces mass evacuation in Canadian city.

All of Canadian city Fort McMurray’s 80,000 residents were forced to evacuate last night due to a raging, unchecked wildfire that was expected to worsen with Wednesday’s hot, dry forecast, Reuters reports. The fire in the oil sands town was estimated to have consumed around 6,540 acres.

3. Facebook pays 10-year-old $10,000 for exposing Instagram flaw.

Toying around on Instagram earned one 10-year-old his age in thousand of dollars after he discovered and reported a flaw in the app that allowed users to delete any comment, including those made by other users, the Washington Post reports. Facebook has paid some $4.3 million to other researchers who have reported similar failings.

4. Early voting for Prop 1 wraps up with heavy turnout.

Voter turnout for Austin’s Proposition 1 could wind up surpassing 20 percent of Travis County’s registered voters, or around three times what the last May municipal elections garnered, the American-Statesman’s Ben Wear reports. Early voting closed Tuesday ahead of the May 7 election day.

5. Changes to look out for on MoPac tonight.

Lane and ramp configurations on North MoPac will change Tuesday night in a move that is expected to affect Wednesday morning rush-hour traffic, the American-Statesman’s Katie Urbaszewski reports. The same number of lanes will remain open.

Here’s what you need to know to stay informed today:

1. A guide to the possible outcomes in tonight’s primary.

According to analysis by FiveThirtyEight there are three possible outcomes in tonight’s Indiana GOP primary: Donald Trump, polling at 46 percent, wins the state and accordingly, probably the nomination; as was originally projected, Ted Cruz takes the culturally conservative state, proving the Trump train can be stopped (or at least slowed); an ambiguous result would both show Trump has not won over the majority of the Republican party, while simultaneously fueling Trump momentum stories. Read more about what’s expected tonight here.

2. U.S. serviceman killed by ISIS in Iraq.

An American serviceman was killed after ISIS fighters broke through Kurdish defense lines in northern Iraq, NPR reports. Two other Americans have been killed during the war against ISIS.

3. Prop. 1 ad on third of Austin cabbies gives only a fraction of story.

As the American-Statesman’s Ben Wear reports, a Ridesharing Works for Austin ad claiming “One-third of fingerprinted Austin taxi and chauffeur drivers failed Uber’s tough background check process,” doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Of the 53 drivers who applied to work for Uber and failed the background check, only 19 had been convicted of “serious crimes.”

4. President Obama not offended by Larry Wilmore’s language at White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

For those who were concerned, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has said that President Barack Obama was not offended by comedian Larry Wilmore’s use of the “n-word” during his White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech Saturday, the Washington Post reports. Earnest said Obama “appreciated the spirit of Mr. Wilmore’s expressions on Saturday night.”

5. Tiff’s Treats plans first location outside of Texas.

You no longer have to be in Texas to get a sweet Tiff’s Treats delivery. The fast-growing business has announced its plans for an Atlanta location to debut this June, the American-Statesman’s Gary Dinges reports.

Here’s what you need to know to start off your week informed:

1. Too much ice could cost Starbucks.

What’s a little extra ice cost? If one Illinois woman is successful in her lawsuit against coffee giant Starbucks, about $5 million, Time reports. Stacy Pincus has brought a lawsuit against the chain claiming it purposefully underfills cold beverages and deceives customers about the amount of ice and liquid they’re receiving.

2. Retired firefighter brings complaints against city council members in code compliance war.

When his efforts to bring Austin City Council’s attention to major failings in code enforcement weren’t enough, retired firefighter Dale Flatt decided to try something new. As the American-Statesman’s Andra Lim reports, Flatt has filed code complaints against council members and their noncompliant property to try to get his “foot in the door so I can go talk.”

3. Australian claims to be Bitcoin creator.

Australian tech entrepreneur Craig Wright revealed to BBC that he has access to blocks of bitcoins thought to be created by the founder of the digital currency, who has gone by the name Satoshi Nakamoto, as proof that he is its creator. Reuters reports that not everyone is convinced. The Economist, which was denied further proof of Wright’s claims, says it”may never be possible to establish beyond reasonable doubt who really created bitcoin.”

4. Malia Obama to attend Harvard after taking gap year.

She’s made her decision, but Harvard is going to have to wait. President Barack Obama’s daughter Malia, who was 10 years old when the family first moved into the White House, announced plans to attend Harvard in 2017 after taking a gap year, Slate reports.

5. Showers possible throughout the day.

Austin is kicking off the month of May in unseasonable fashion. According to the American-Statesman’s Robert Villalpando’s forecast, scattered showers are possible throughout Monday and will be accompanied by below-average temperatures, with an evening low of 53 degrees.

Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend off informed:

1. He’s just not that likeable.

Although former House Speaker John Boehner’s comments calling GOP presidential candidate “Lucifer in the flesh” were extreme, as Slate writes, “it’s not like the world was unaware of Cruz’s powerfully repellent qualities” — including, even, Cruz himself. Read more about Cruz’s history of unlikability, and the reasons for it, here.

2. City Manager Marc Ott’s absence irks council members.

Still facing backlash for punishing Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, City Manager Marc Ott’s absence from a City Hall meeting Thursday irked members who expressed open discontent over Ott’s selected list of finalists for a new Austin Energy boss, the American Statesman’s Nolan Hicks reports.

3. Severe storms forecasted during rush hour.

You might not be in as much of a rush as you’d like come rush hour Friday. As the American-Statesman’s Robert Villalpando reports, the Austin metro area is expecting severe storms, with the possibility of hail and damaging winds. Unfortunately, the weather has already warranted the cancellation of Levitation Fest.

4. Why Facebook continues to excel.

After majorly exceeding its expected earnings, Facebook’s stock hit its highest value Thursday morning. With competitors like Google, Apple and Twitter all suffering falling numbers, Wired takes a closer look at what Facebook is doing right — and it usually wears a grey T-shirt.

5. Gene found to make people look younger than they are.

Ever wondered why redheads appear to have a better hold on their youth? A new study about the perception of youth discovered a gene that, in attempting to help protect the body from UV radiation, keeps people looking “on average two years younger than they actually are, Newsweek reports. This gene is the same responsible for red hair and lighter skin.

Here’s what you need to know to stay informed this Thursday:

1. How Ted Cruz picking Carly Fiorina could backfire.

According to analysis by Forbes, GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz’s announcement yesterday that he had chosen Carly Fiorina as his possible running mate could backfire in driving moderate Republicans, who have up until now sided with candidate John Kasich, even further away, in turn assuring Trump the nomination.

2. Text message says staffer’s raise covered errands for Rep. Dawnna Dukes.

A text message from State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, who is under criminal investigation for an unusual rent-free living arrangement she had with a staffer in exchange for personal favors, shows Dukes clarifying the reason she had awarded the staffer a raise was to “compensate for gas” used when transporting her daughter, the American-Statesman’s Sean Collins Walsh reports.

3. Austin city manager met with backlash over police chief suspension.

Austin City Manager Marc Ott has come under fire after punishing Police Chief Art Acevedo for insubordinately speaking out on the controversial police shooting of unarmed teenager David Joseph, the American-Statesman’s Philip Jankowski reports.

4. 14-year-old with BB gun shot by police in Baltimore.

14-year-old Dedric Colvin was shot by a Baltimore police officer in the shoulder and leg after his BB gun was mistaken for a firearm, the Baltimore Sun reports. “No police officer in Baltimore wants to shoot a 13-year-old, but police officers here and elsewhere are charged by us, by our community, with going after bad guys with guns,” Police Commisioner Kevin Davis said of the incident.

5. Scans show brain groups words with similar meanings together.

A study that appeared in the journal “Nature” shows that scans reveal different parts of our brain respond to different groups of words with similar meanings, NPR reports. The finding contradicts two common beliefs about the brain: Only the left hemisphere handles language, and different regions handle specific tasks.

Here’s what you need to know to stay informed today:

1. Nation’s Report Card shows most seniors aren’t college or career ready.

Although the nationwide high school graduation rate in 2015 was 82 percent, the scores of just under 40 percent of students who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2015 indicated that they were college or career ready, NPR reports. In both the math and reading sections, the average test scores were one point lower than they were in 2013, when the test was last given.

2. Police Chief Art Acevedo punished for misconduct.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo was penalized by City Manager Marc Ott for insubordination, specifically failing to stop discussing the police shooting of unarmed teen David Joseph, the American-Statesman’s Tony Plohetski reports. Acevedo was warned that his job may be in jeopardy and stripped of five days of pay.

3. Thousands without power after early morning storms.

If you woke up to a power outage you weren’t alone. About 22,000 Austin Energy customers experienced an outage after Wednesday morning’s severe storms, the American-Statesman’s Roberto Villalpando reports. 60 percent of those affected had their power restored by 5 a.m., and the rest should expect the same by this evening. Keep up with Austin weather developments here.

4. Tuesday’s primary results in numbers.

Looking for a quick breakdown of what wound up being a good night for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? Politico has last night’s mid-Atlantic primary results in five numbers, including the percentage of voters who said they would be “concerned/scared” if Ted Cruz was elected president.

5. How climate change affects indigenous communities.

Climate change does more than affect the environment. According to analysis by Eurasia Review, the increased stress placed on indigenous communities by the affect climate change has on existing problems, especially struggling to meet basic needs, results in higher conflict levels. In these communities climate change is a “threat multiplier” and leads to a more violent way of life.

Here’s what you need to know to stay informed today:

1. Chernobyl 30 years later.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear plant that resulted in what is widely considered the worst nuclear disaster ever. While the majority of people who lived in the Ukrainian city where the accident took place have long since left, as the Washington Post reports, plant and animal life has flourished and reclaimed the area.

2. Mayor Adler comes out against Prop. 1.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who had previously taken no position on the upcoming Proposition 1 election, came out against the ballot measure Monday, the American-Statesman’s Ben Wear reports. If Prop. 1 passes it would block the city from requiring drivers be fingerprinted. Adler said that by opposing Prop. 1 he hopes to “sit down” with ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft.

3. Severe storms possible Tuesday.

Austinites can expect scattered and possibly severe thunderstorms to hit Central Texas starting this afternoon and lasting into the evening, the American-Statesman’s Robert Villalpando reports. With the storms comes the possibility of hail, tornado warnings and winds up to 60 mph. Many areas in the U.S. have similarly been promised severe weather throughout the day.

4. Officer suggest Tamir Rice’s family use settlement to educate kids.

The head of the Cleveland police union has been heavily criticized for comments he made suggesting the family of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot and killed when an officer mistook his toy gun for a weapon, use money from the $6 million settlement reached this week toward educating kids about look-alike firearms, Cleaveland.com reports.

5. What widening highways did for Texas traffic.

Although it sounds like an appropriate fix, widening highways to reduce traffic is notoriously a solution that doesn’t work and can even make the problem worse, Wired reports. However, Dallas has recently doubled the speed of rush hour traffic along one stretch of highway leading into Fort Worth by spending $4.25 million to widen the highway. Could something similar serve Austin well? Read more about the phenomenon here.