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Austin, TX

6 injured, 2 critically, in Texas house explosion

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6 injured, 2 critically, in Texas house explosion


By Theresa Braine
New York Daily News

AUSTIN, Texas — Six people were injured, two critically, in a massive explosion Sunday that leveled a house and damaged at least 23 other homes in Austin, Texas.

Two of the injured were firefighters responding to the blast, both suffering minor injuries in the 11:30 a.m. explosion, officials said Sunday afternoon. One went to the hospital, and the other refused treatment.

Three others hurt in the explosion had to be extricated from under the debris, and at least one “required an extended, advanced extrication effort to get that person out of the debris,” a fire department official said at a briefing.

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Two people were extricated from the primary residence, one in critical condition and the other in serious but stable condition, Austin-Travis County EMS spokesperson Capt. Shannon Koesterer told reporters. Another person, also with critical injuries, was rescued from the partially collapsed house next door, she said. A third suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene, the Austin Fire Department said.

As of Sunday afternoon there were no fatalities, and everyone had been accounted for, officials said.

The explosion was heard in suburbs 20 miles away, officials in surrounding municipalities reported. In the surrounding neighborhood, the blast blew out windows and garage doors in about two dozen homes.

“When Austin Fire Department crews arrived on scene, they found a two-story home that looked like it had suffered an explosion, which was leveled to the ground,” Division Chief Wayne Parrish of the Austin Fire Department said Sunday afternoon at a briefing. “A second house, a neighboring house, had also suffered severe collapse damage.”

A car was on fire outside the house that had exploded, Parrish said. Firefighters extinguished that blaze and a handful of spot fires that flared up in the debris. Power was out for a few hours but was restored by late afternoon to all but the homes that had substantial damage, Austin Fire Department assistant chief Thayer Smith told reporters.

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“Initial reports suggesting a plane crash have been ruled out,” the fire department said in a statement. “The cause of the explosion is currently unknown, and the incident remains under active investigation.”

While the house was not hooked up to Texas Gas Service lines, it did have a propane tank, fire officials said.

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Austin, TX

UT Austin College of Pharmacy Leads Texas in New U.S. News Rankings

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UT Austin College of Pharmacy Leads Texas in New U.S. News Rankings


U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings for colleges, universities and higher education programs across the United States. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy ranked No. 8 in the nation and remains the top pharmacy school in Texas.

UT Austin earned a 4.2 on a 1-5 scale. Respondents represented schools and programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

“As the link between patients and medicine,” says U.S. News & World Report, “pharmacists must be experts on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, understanding use, side effects and interactions.” Texas Pharmacy continues to rank among the nation’s best, remaining rigorously competitive among peer institutions.

“Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are proud to be among the leading colleges of pharmacy in the country,” says Samuel M. Poloyac, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and James T. Doluisio Regents Chair. “We strive for excellence and impact as we shape the future of our profession through innovative care for our communities and groundbreaking health discoveries.”

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View the Best Pharmacy Schools rankings to see how UT Austin stacks up against its peer institutions.



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Austin, TX

Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report

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Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report


AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report by On3Sports, Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump will enter the transfer portal.

On3’s Talia Goodman reported Monday that Crump is headed out of Austin, leaving head coach Vic Schaefer without one of the most coveted recruits of the 2025 class.

Texas guard Aaliyah Crump, center, battles Vanderbilt forward Sacha Washington, left, and guard Aubrey Galvan, right, for the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Crump averaged 17.4 minutes per game over 24 games played this season, missing almost the entire nonconference schedule with a foot injury. She scored 7.9 points per game, with a high of 18 against Texas Southern on Nov. 16, and about one steal per game.

She was one of Texas’ top perimeter shooting threats, making 23 of 73 3-point attempts for 32%.

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Crump, a 6-foot-1 guard from Minnetonka, Minnesota, will have three seasons of eligibility left. She was ranked as the No. 5 recruit in her class by ESPN, and she was on the Team USA U16 squad that won gold at the FIBA Americas Championships in 2023.

Aaliyah Moore, who missed the entire season after having surgery on both knees, also intends to transfer from the Longhorns.



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Austin, TX

Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street

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Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street


AUSTIN, Texas — Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.

According to a memo on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, José Velásquez, Vanessa Fuentes, José “Chito” Vela and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.

“The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said. 

The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.

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For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:

  • Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed.
  • Engage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
  • Assess estimated renaming costs to the city.
  • Assess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
  • Follow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

And the council members said the outreach plan should include:

  • A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session.
  • An online survey for the public.
  • A stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.

The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.

César Chávez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Chávez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.

In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.

Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Chávez. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Chávez.

The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation — the foundation that hosted the nation’s largest César Chávez march in San Antonio for 29 years — announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public’s feedback on renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard.

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Also, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has directed all public schools to suspend any instruction or activities related to Chávez.

Chávez died on April 23, 1993, at the age of 66.



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