Austin, TX
Agbonkonkon is UT Austin's track star and author
AUSTIN, Texas — Osawese Agbonkonkon has always had a good balance between sports and school in his life.
“Childhood was sports and reading really,” says Agbonkonkon. “Everything from t-ball, swimming, soccer, basketball then to track and field. Of course, education was paramount in my family.”
Agbonkonkon tried plenty of different sports, but it was while he was playing basketball that he actually found what he was best at. A coach at his high school saw him dunking in warmups one game and asked if he wanted to come try out for track. Initially, he said no, but eventually, he gave it a try.
“Came out for one practice and so far it’s taken me here,” says Agbonkonkon.
He was already in his junior year at Frisco Wakeland High School, when Agbonkonkon began learning how to high jump. It didn’t take long to get pretty good. In 2023, Agbonkonkon finished fourth in the high jump at the Class 5A state meet. His success on the track led him to Oregon for his freshman year of college. After competing one season for the Ducks, Agbonkonkon decided to come back closer to home, and he transferred to Texas.
“It’s amazing to compete for UT. I love the history, I love the tradition,” says Agbonkonkon. “I’m a Texas kid, so to be competing for my home state’s flagship school it’s a great honor for me.”
Not only is he competing, but he’s excelling. Agbonkonkon jumped a personal best (7-1.50) at the NCAA West Regional and qualified for the NCAA Championship starting June 11. He’s developed a specific approach over the years when it comes to jumping.
“Before the jump there is a lot of thinking but once I get onto the line, I try to clear my mind,” says Agbonkonkon. “It’s such a technical event, the slightest thing going wrong can knock off the bar.”
While Agbonkonkon spends a lot of his time training and competing in track, he has another passion. Ever since he was a little kid, he’s loved to write, and that led to a big project a few years back.
“This is a project I’ve been working on for about six years,” says Agbonkon. “Started in about 2018 and something I’m passionate about.”
That project is a book that Agbonkonkon wrote, called Psychic Suit.
“When I first came up with the idea for this I was taking notes on paper for it, just little different ideas,” says Agbonkonkon. “Once I actually started writing it I think the first draft was about 40,000 words, this final draft is about 90,000 or so.”
The book is a science fiction novel is which he created an entire world and new characters but also used elements of his life to put into those characters.
“One of the biggest themes for me was talking about mental health,” says Agbonkonkon. “How does the world look at people who have mental health challenges and it’s OK to have those challenges.”
Agbonkonkon is looking into options of turning his book into a movie. He also says he’s about halfway done writing the sequel.
AUSTIN, Texas – A man was charged with murder in connection to a deadly East Austin shooting last week, police said.
This is the Austin Police Department’s 20th homicide of the year.
What we know:
Police said on April 10, around 8:40 p.m., officers responded to a call of a shooting at the Cabana Club at 5012 East 7th Street.
When officers arrived, they found a victim, Richard Barr, with gunshot wounds to his body. He died from his injuries.
The investigation showed there had been a fight in the parking lot outside the club that escalated into the suspect, 21-year-old Ryan Lara, shooting Barr in the back.
Barr had been moving away and across the parking lot from Lara when he was shot. Police said Lara had also shot two other people in the group. They were taken to a local hospital for their injuries. One victim remains in critical condition while the other victim was released.
Ryan Lara, 21 (Austin Police Department)
Lara was charged with murder.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Austin Police Department 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. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.
The Source: Information from the Austin Police Department
AUSTIN, Texas – We will be on storm watch tonight.
Local perspective:
More of the same today with a cloud/sun mix, warm, humid and breezy conditions.
Highs heading for the 80s with wind gusts of 15 to 25 mph.
The backstory:
The West Texas dryline will be the storm machine. This is where the Gulf moisture meets up with dry air coming off the mountains.
As the two different air masses collide the air will be forced up.
The heating of the day and upper low will provide even stronger lift to generate numerous and more intense storms in West Texas.
There is a chance a few of the storms will survive their journey away from the dryline and reach the Hill Country starting this evening and overnight.
By the time they enter Central Texas, most of the storms will drop below severe limits.
The highest threat of severe weather remains west of the Hill Country.
What’s next:
Could we get redevelopment with the storms late on Wednesday?
The jury is still out because not all the models agree, so we will have to play the wait and see game.
The next game-changers will be a stronger Western Low and a cold front with bite to it entering the picture this weekend.
Expecting increasing rain chances on Saturday followed by a cooler and drier breeze the rest of the weekend.
What you can do:
Track your local forecast for the Austin area quickly with the free FOX 7 WAPP.
The design gives you radar, hourly, and 7-day weather information just by scrolling.
Our weather alerts will warn you early and help you stay safe.
The Source: Information from meteorologist Zack Shields.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed concern Monday about two items on the Austin Transit Partnership Board agenda later this week, one to negotiate an office lease in a downtown office building for up to $32 million for roughly 8 years and another to furnish the space for $15 million. READ MORE: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/inappropriate-mayor-pushes-back-on-47m-light-rail-office-relocation-plan/
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