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Thank You, Martha: Honoring 17 Years of Service as an AUS Airport Ambassador

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Thank You, Martha: Honoring 17 Years of Service as an AUS Airport Ambassador


Most people look forward to retiring with plans to kick back, relax, and—let’s be honest—avoid dealing with people. However, that wasn’t the case for Martha. After retiring from her position as director of medical records at Austin Diagnostic Clinic, she still had a strong desire to help others. While searching for an interesting part-time opportunity, she discovered the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s Ambassador Volunteer Program and began her volunteering journey in 2008, continuing until this year, 2025. As we bid her farewell on her next journey, we want to take a moment to recognize her remarkable 17 and a half years of service to travelers from all around the world.

Saying that Martha was just a friendly face at the Visitor Information Center in Baggage Claim would be an understatement. She consistently went above and beyond, assisting travelers with everything from navigating the airport to providing support during medical emergencies. For many travelers, her warm demeanor and willingness to help were the shining light at the end of the tunnel they had been seeking.

Reflecting on her time as a volunteer, Martha shared, “It was a great experience for me, and I also had fun people-watching. One of the perks I really appreciated was the ‘free’ parking when I was traveling from the airport.” As she prepares for her second attempt at retirement, Martha said that she will miss her coworkers most of all. Without a doubt, she will always remain a beloved member of the AUS community.

Martha’s story of finding joy in helping others may inspire you to volunteer as well. In case you didn’t know, the AUS Airport Ambassadors Program is a volunteer initiative designed to provide exceptional customer service and assist visitors on their journey. As a volunteer, you’ll become an expert on all things airport-related and provide timely updates from the Department of Aviation to travelers. Benefits of volunteering include discounts at airport stores and restaurants, free Cap Metro I-Ride cards for commuting, special recognition at social events, and, Martha’s favorite, free airport parking for both work and vacation! If you’re interested, contact the Visitor Information Center Supervisor for more information at VolunteerAtAUS@flyaustin.com or call 512-530-2414.

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Once again, thank you, Martha, for the many years of service you’ve dedicated with your smile, patience, and expertise at AUS. Your contributions have made a meaningful impact on everyone you’ve helped, and after 17 ½ years, those impacts are truly countless.



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Austin, TX

Man arrested, charged for deadly shooting at downtown Austin hotel

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Man arrested, charged for deadly shooting at downtown Austin hotel


A 20-year-old was arrested and charged with murder for a deadly shooting at the Cambria Hotel in downtown Austin, police said.

What we know:

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Police said on Monday, Jan. 5, around 6:55 a.m., officers responded to a report of a gunshot at the Cambria Hotel at 68 East Avenue #824. The caller said a person had been shot.

When officers arrived, they found a man with injuries. He later died at the scene. He was identified as Luke Bradburn.

The investigation revealed that Bradburn drove and crashed a car that belonged to 20-year-old Maximillian Salinas. After the crash, Bradburn and the other people in the car left and went to the Cambria Hotel. 

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Salinas went to the hotel and shot Bradburn.

On Jan. 6, Salinas was arrested and charged with murder.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact the Austin Police at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.

The Source: Information from the Austin Police Department

DowntownCrime and Public Safety
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Austin, TX

Austin activists hold anti-ICE protests following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis

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Austin activists hold anti-ICE protests following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis


Chants of “shame” and “ICE out of Texas” rang through the street as Austin-area activists joined thousands across the nation in protesting the killing of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot Wednesday by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

The protest was held in front of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville.

Good, 37, was shot in her SUV while attempting to drive away from several ICE officers who ordered her to exit her vehicle.

Scarleth Lopez with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the organization that led the protest, said the videos of the shooting in Minneapolis were “sickening.”

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“Trump has lied and and said that Renee was a terrorist. She was a mother. She was an innocent bystander,” Lopez said. “We must organize to stop these people from kidnapping and murdering.”

Lorianne Willett

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KUT News

Spray painted messages appeared outside of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville

Elizabeth Bope, a retired Pflugerville ISD teacher, said the claims from federal and state lawmakers that Good was attempting to strike the ICE agent with her vehicle inspired her to attend the protest.

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Such claims were posted online by Vice President J.D. Vance and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Attorney General Ken Paxton reposted a statement from DHS on X, formerly known as Twitter, that said the ICE agent “relied on his training and saved his own life.”

“It’s beyond really any words that they killed this woman for no reason, but also that they’re lying about it,” Bope said. “I’m not even a radical left person, I’m just a regular old Democrat.”

Other key Texas leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have not commented on the shooting.

A group of protesters holding yellow signs reading "ICE Out of our Communities" gather during a night time protest.

Lorianne Willett

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KUT News

Protesters gathered and held signs during a protest against ICE.

Doug Tickner, who said he works for a home building company in Austin, said he felt it was important to show up in person for Good.

“I don’t really think of Minneapolis as being that far from here, and it’s not like what happened in Minneapolis was some sort of one off unique event,” Tickner said. “This is part of a pattern, and I feel folks better wake up and realize that this is becoming more and more serious.”

The news that federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people in Portland, Oregon, broke hours before the protest.

The gathering in Pflugerville is among the first of four anti-ICE demonstrations planned across the Austin area over the next few days.

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Earlier on Thursday, protesters gathered at the intersection of 45th Street and Lamar Boulevard during rush hour. A protest on Friday will be held at the Capitol and another will be held Saturday at City Hall.

Protesters bang on the outside of a building built of metal.

Lorianne Willett

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KUT News

Protesters bang on the outside of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville.

State and federal leaders are now sparring over who should conduct an investigation into the Minneapolis shooting, according to NPR.

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Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which was originally asked to conduct a joint investigation with the FBI, said in a statement it was later told the investigation would be led solely by federal authorities.





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Flesh-eating screwworm may be moving closer to Texas on its own, ag commissioner says

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Flesh-eating screwworm may be moving closer to Texas on its own, ag commissioner says


A Texas agency is concerned that the flesh-eating New World screwworm could be getting closer to Texas without commercial livestock movement.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is sounding the alarm again for livestock owners to remain vigilant in watching for signs of the parasite in their animals.

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Screwworm sighting near Texas

The latest:

Miller said in a Thursday release that a screwworm had been detected in a cow in González, Tamaulipas, a little more than 200 miles from the southern Texas border. 

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According to the commissioner, the cow had no reported history of movement outside Tamaulipas, and is the third active case reported there. 

Officials in Mexico have not reported a known population of the worm in Tamaulipas. They’re working with U.S. authorities to investigate further into the new case. 

What they’re saying:

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“The screwworm now may be moving closer on its own, with no apparent link to commercial animal movement,” Commissioner Miller said. “Texas producers must act now—stay informed, stay vigilant, and prepare immediately. We cannot drop our guard for even a moment.”

Inspect livestock for screwworm

What you can do:

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Miller urged immediate action from ranchers along the Texas border.

“Inspect your animals daily,” Miller said. “Check every open wound. If anything looks suspicious, report it right away. Better a false alarm than a delayed response—early detection and rapid reporting are our strongest defenses against this devastating pest.”

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U.S. plan to fight screwworm in Texas

Big picture view:

The threat to cattle has been deemed so potentially devastating to the U.S. food supply that the federal government is committing $850 million to fight it.

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Most of that money will be spent on building a sterile male fly production facility near the border.

The facility will produce 300 million sterile male flies a week to be dropped into target areas where the screwworm is now. Those male flies help to reduce the population size through mating without reproducing.

A much smaller portion of the funding will be used for screwworm detection technology.

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In addition, the federal government has already spent $21 million on a sterile fly production facility in Mexico.

What are New World screwworms?

Dig deeper:

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The insect gets its name because it’s only found in the Americas. 

It lays its eggs in the open wounds of animals, and its larvae become parasites, threatening livestock, domestic animals, and even people.

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The screwworm was mostly eradicated in Texas and the rest of the United States in the 60s. But now, it’s moving north up from Panama and has a known presence a little over 300 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border.

The Source: Information in this article comes from Sid Miller.

Texas
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