Austin, TX
Hospice Choices: VITAS® Healthcare Expands in Austin, Texas
AUSTIN, Texas, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Responding to the growing demand for high-quality hospice care in Central Texas, VITAS Healthcare has expanded its reach in the Austin area by opening a new administrative office in Pflugerville. With the addition of this North Austin location, VITAS now serves the entire metro area and surrounding counties, bringing greater access to compassionate, expert end-of-life care for patients and their families.
A trusted national hospice provider with a 45-year history, VITAS has served South Austin since 2022. The Pflugerville expansion enhances service accessibility across the region and creates new job opportunities for healthcare professionals in Travis and Williamson counties.
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.
“Texans have relied on VITAS for more than four decades, and we’re proud to strengthen our presence in Austin to serve even more families,” said Joseph Brickner, vice president of operations. “This second homebase location for our care teams helps ensure that patients, families and healthcare partners in northern communities have seamless access to the specialized support they need at the end of life.”
Grand opening celebrations for the Kyle and Pflugerville offices are scheduled for late June.
VITAS hospice care is delivered wherever a patient calls home—including private residences, nursing homes, assisted living communities and inpatient settings such as the VITAS Inpatient Unit at Villa Rosa. Each patient is supported by a full-service interdisciplinary care team that includes:
- Physicians, nurses and hospice aides for skilled medical care and symptom management
- Social workers and chaplains offering emotional and spiritual support
- Trained volunteers providing companionship and additional assistance
- Bereavement specialists supporting families through loss and grief
As part of its continued investment in Central Texas, VITAS is hiring compassionate professionals for clinical and non-clinical roles, including registered nurses, hospice aides/CNAs, social workers, patient care secretaries, chaplains and community representatives. With a reputation for stability, support and personal growth, VITAS is proud to be a best-in-class employer for those called to care.
VITAS provides specialized support and training for clinicians to enhance end-of-life care expertise. Physicians, nurses and case managers can download the VITAS mobile referral app for quick access to hospice eligibility guidelines, seamless referral tools, educational resources and more. The company also offers free monthly continuing education webinars for CE/CEUs credit for the medical community.
With locations in North and South Austin, VITAS now proudly serves patients throughout Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Gillespie, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties.
About VITAS® Healthcare
Established in 1978, VITAS Healthcare is a pioneer and leader in the American hospice movement. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS (pronounced VEE-tahs) operates 56 hospice programs in 15 states (Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia. VITAS employs 12,001 professionals who care for patients with advanced illness, primarily in the patients’ homes, and also in the company’s 30 inpatient hospice units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the first quarter of 2025, VITAS reported an average daily census of 22,336. Visit www.vitas.com.
Media inquiries contact: media@vitas.com, 877-848-2701
Austin, TX
Man charged with murder in connection with deadly East Austin shooting
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, TX
Austin weather: Intense storms in West Texas could make it to Hill Country
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, TX
Texas AG to investigate Austin Police’s new policies related to ICE warrants, city says
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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