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Austin, TX

Canceled Texas Eclipse Festival leaves travelers scrambling

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Canceled Texas Eclipse Festival leaves travelers scrambling


Hours before totality, the Texas Eclipse Festival at Revielle Peak Ranch was canceled, leaving a surge of travelers scrambling. 

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On Monday afternoon, traffic was backed up for miles on SH 29 going from the venue to Burnet.

FOX 7 Austin caught up with Frankie Bernard III, from California, in Burnet, who says he paid thousands of dollars to go to the festival. 

“We woke up this morning, they’re like, ‘you’ve got to go, the storms are coming, like go,’ it’s like, ‘go where?’” he said. “You could tell everyone started to freak out, so we got ahead of it, but we could see it happening.”

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He was able to beat the crowds heading out, but says it was a poorly planned event with too many people and not enough resources. 

“They literally had bulldozers out there, and they’re bulldozing trees down, so people could park, more people, more people, more people [kept coming], [there needed to be] better security, more water, more water, food,” he said. 

FOX 7 drove to the ranch entrance and spoke to visitors from Washington, D.C. and Italy who were frustrated by the lack of communication and cell service. 

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In terms of traffic conditions, it took FOX 7 Austin 50 minutes on RM 2341 to get from the venue back on to SH 29. Our crew went west to Llano to put this story together, otherwise it would’ve taken us more than two and a half hours to get back to our station in downtown Austin on Monday evening.

Festival organizers say safety is their top priority, and they made the decision to cancel in conjunction with public officials, due to the risk of severe weather during the eclipse, Tuesday and Wednesday.

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They urged people to leave early to beat traffic, and that all programming was canceled. Guests could stay to watch the eclipse if they packed and left right after.

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In a list of FAQs online, organizers said:

“We are all heartbroken. None of us wanted to be in this situation. We came here for the eclipse from around the country and the world. We know you have all gone to great lengths to be here. Now we’re getting severe storm forecasts and a clouded eclipse. It sucks. We ask that you please cooperate with us to move to safety.”

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“I think it was more of a money thing for them, they’re like how much money can we generate before people freak out,” Bernard said. 

He says once he got into Burnet, he was still able to see the eclipse, before heading back home to California.

“We figured this would be a good spot to try and see it, the cloud coverage was perfect, being able to experience it was beautiful,” he said.

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Festival organizers say there will be communication going out about refunds. 

For more information and updates, click here.



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Austin, TX

Austin opens cold weather shelters ahead of freezing temps

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Austin opens cold weather shelters ahead of freezing temps


As the Austin area prepares to plunge into freezing temperatures Sunday night, the city is initiating its Cold Weather Shelters protocol.

Those wanting to use the emergency shelters, which open when overnight temperatures reach 35 degrees or lower, must register between 6-8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC) on Barton Springs Road, according to a release from the city. Those interested and in need of transport can reach the OTC via bus lines 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105 and 801. Anyone who can’t pay bus fare but needs shelter will still be allowed to ride, a Facebook post from the city said.

Following registration, CapMetro shuttles will take guests from the OTC to a cold weather shelter. The addresses for these shelters are kept confidential due to “safety, privacy and capacity concerns,” according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The Statesman also reported that shelters provide meals and allow leashed, friendly pets.

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All parks and libraries are meanwhile serving as warming centers during regular operating hours, except for Austin Public Library’s Old Quarry Branch and Willie Mae Kirk Branch.



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Austin, TX

Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin

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Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin


A Downtown Austin building was cleared after a bomb threat was made Saturday night.

Police say that the call came in at 9:38 p.m., after which officers arrived to the scene and cleared a nearby building at 311 E 6th St.

ALSO: H-E-B delights Austin airport travelers with surprise gift vending machine pop-up

The threat was found to not be credible, and no one was injured.

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Police say no one is in custody and they will be clearing the scene shortly.



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Austin, TX

The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories

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The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories


Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson held a press conference Friday to discuss a new deal with Southwest Airlines and its expected impact on the city.

The deal, approved Thursday by the Austin City Council, awards Southwest $2,750 for each new Austin-based hire over the next five years. In exchange, the airline plans to add 2,000 high-paying jobs with an average salary of $180,000 and invest in local workforce initiatives, including the city’s new Austin Infrastructure Academy.

Officials say the deal will strengthen Southwest’s presence at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where the carrier already handles more than 40 percent of all passenger traffic.

The partnership is expected to bring in nearly $20 million in local tax revenue, and the incentive program will last for five years and pay Southwest up to $5.5 million.

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Mayor Watson said the agreement will not only create new jobs in Austin but will improve the overall experience at AUS.

“We’re building lives and careers at the same time we’re building tarmacs and terminals,” Watson said. “Southwest is choosing Austin because our people, our workforce, and our future make us a smart investment. This deal creates thousands of good-paying jobs, improves the passenger experience, and ensures the benefits flow directly to Austin workers, families, and tourists. This agreement is proof that Austin means business and cares about the success of its people.”

Read the full story at KVUE.com.



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