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Sen. Ted Cruz touts bipartisan aviation package to invest, improve ABIA, Texas’ airports

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Sen. Ted Cruz touts bipartisan aviation package to invest, improve ABIA, Texas’ airports


Amid bustling passengers and busy ticket counters, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Tuesday laid out details of a federal appropriation to introduce upgrades to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and billions to strengthen air travel in the Lone Star State.

The ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which shepherded the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024, Cruz touted the $105 billion package as an effort to bolster on-the-ground technology at airports across the country, modernize equipment and infrastructure and protect passengers.

Signed into law May 16 by President Joe Biden, the legislation will fund the FAA through 2028 and will begin an initial series of safety investments at airports across the country, including Austin.

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More: Austin airport to consolidate PreCheck, CLEAR to one TSA checkpoint. Here’s why

The biggest wins, Cruz said during a news conference Tuesday, will be new runway tracking technology soon to be introduced in Austin, a new direct flight between San Antonio and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and provisions to ensure airports have enough air traffic controllers.

“This bill is not overtly partisan on one side or the other. We didn’t go with any crazy right-wing or crazy left-wing ideas,” Cruz said. “Listen, everybody wants aviation safety, everyone wants their kids to arrive safely where they’re going. Everyone wants the aviation sector to be more efficient, to be more effective, for consumers to have lower prices, and so we focused on areas of agreement.”

In total, Texas’ airports from Midland to Corpus Christi will receive $4 billion in federal funds through the bipartisan package for infrastructure projects and improvements, Cruz said.

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Last year, more than 22 million passengers traveled through Austin’s airport — over 1 million more passengers than the previous record of just over 21 million in 2022, a record Cruz said influenced the investment in Central Texas’ airspace.

“This airport moves in designation from what’s considered a midsized airport to a large airport because of the volume of traffic,” Cruz said, complimenting Austin airport officials for handling the travel influx. “And that’s directly driven by all the people coming to Austin, coming to Central Texas, all the companies moving their headquarters here and the traffic that is coming in.”

‘Close calls’ in Austin

Specifically, the FAA Reauthorization Act will deploy “surface situational awareness technologies” — a technology known as Airport Surface Detection Equipment, or ASDE-X — to track runway activity in hopes of avoiding collisions and the near misses experienced in Austin.

“We are grateful to our partners at the FAA for prioritizing Austin airport as one of the first airports in the nation to receive this equipment,” said Ghizlane Badawi, CEO of Austin-Bergstrom, during the news conference.

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The installation of the technology is expected to begin in July, Cruz said.

Austin has seen multiple “close calls” over the past year, including a Southwest flight waiting for takeoff in February 2023 that was nearly hit by a FedEx cargo plane, which came within 100 feet of the passenger plane on the runway upon landing.

More: Federal safety officials publish findings, interviews from close-call at Austin airport

In September, the pilot of a Cessna Citation jet took evasive action after receiving an onboard proximity alert about a nearby F/A-18 fighter. The fighter also flew near a light, propeller-powered plane that was preparing for takeoff on a nearby runway. The pilot of the private jet made an evasive maneuver to steer clear of the fighter as both tried to land at the Austin airport, an FAA spokesperson said in October.

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Cruz highlighted those near “utterly tragic” incidents as an issue lawmakers and federal officials were focused on addressing through the aviation omnibus bill.

More: Get real-time Texas primary runoff election results for key Austin area races

“I can’t count how many thousands of times I’ve sat on a Southwest plane getting ready to take off, and I don’t think it’s ever once occurred to me that a jet might land on top of us,” Cruz said, emphasizing the need for new tracking technology.

Women in aviation, right to refund

Outside of safety concerns, the bipartisan package creates a new Women in Aviation Advisory Committee within the U.S. Department of Transportation to encourage more women to join the aviation industry.

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Additionally, Republicans and Democrats have touted the legislation’s provisions tied to passengers, which ensures those who experience delays during travel are entitled to ticket refunds. Mirroring language recently introduced by the Transportation Department, passengers now have a statutory right to a hassle-free refund when an airline cancels or significantly delays a flight.

Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than three hours domestically and six hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability, according to the Transportation Department.

The new law also prohibits airlines from issuing fees for those seeking family seating arrangements.

“Passengers shouldn’t have to jump through endless hoops just to get the refunds that they are owed, and corporations shouldn’t rip off hardworking Americans through hidden junk fees,” Biden said in a statement celebrating the bill’s passage this month. “I want to thank members of both parties who worked together over many months to pass this long-term reauthorization”

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More: Severe thunderstorms, excessive heat expected in Central Texas on Tuesday, NWS says

Further earmarks under the FAA Reauthorization bill include:

  • $66.7 billion for FAA operations to fund key safety programs, from aircraft certification reform to air carrier oversight, and enable the hiring, training and retention of safety-critical staff like air traffic controllers and engineers.
  • $17.8 billion for facilities and equipment modernization of key technologies and systems to “ensure the resilience and development of the world’s most complex airspace system.”
  • $19.35 billion for airport infrastructure improvement grants to support more than 3,300 airports nationwide. 
  • $1.59 billion for research, engineering and development to help America keep competitive in the global race for innovative and sustainable aerospace technology.
  • $738 million in appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board for fiscal 2024 through 2028.



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Austin, TX

Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs

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Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs


AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.

Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That

When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.

“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”

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Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.





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Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond

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Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond


AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.

After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.

Texas Volts Logo (Courtesy Athletes Unlimited Softball League)

It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.

They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.

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Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.

“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”

Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.

“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”

Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.

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The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.

Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.



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Investigators seek clues in small jet crash that killed 1 in Texas, where bystanders rushed to help

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Investigators seek clues in small jet crash that killed 1 in Texas, where bystanders rushed to help


(AP) – Investigators combed through wreckage Wednesday for clues to why a business jet crashed on a Texas highway, killing one person on board after its pilots reported mechanical problems while requesting an emergency landing at a nearby airport.

The fiery crash late Tuesday in Laredo near the Mexican border sent bystanders racing from their cars to help police rescue passengers and crew from the burning aircraft. The crash killed Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors, the president of Baer’s company told the Austin American-Statesman.

Video from the frantic scene showed someone trying to smash the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer, while others used makeshift levers as they worked to open the plane’s door. Local officials said a firefighter entered the smoke-filled jet to extract one person still inside after the rest had escaped.

“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño told a news conference Wednesday.

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The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating along with the National Transportation Board.

Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez Jr. said investigators working to reconstruct the crash were at the crash site Wednesday.

Crash victim worked to help entrepreneurs launch startups

Baer was the founder and chief executive of Austin-based Capital Factory, which helps entrepreneurs connect with investors and others to launch their businesses.

“Joshua was a fearless leader, a brilliant partner, and a dear friend to so many of us,” Capital Factory President Bryan Chambers told the Austin newspaper.

Capital Factory executives did not immediately return phone messages Wednesday from The Associated Press.

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Baer lived in Austin with his wife and three children, according to his LinkedIn page. He recently taught a student entrepreneur class at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I help people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs,” Baer said on his LinkedIn page.

In a social media post, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called Baer “one of the most significant figures driving innovation and entrepreneurship across America.”

Police did not release the name of the person killed, citing a request from family members. Rodriguez said those on the plane included two pilots and three teenagers.

Pilots reported low fuel, electrical issues, airport director says

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement.

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The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement it was cooperating with authorities.

The jet went down at about 10 p.m. Tuesday on the Loop 20 highway, just a few minutes after its pilots radioed the local airport seeking to make an emergency landing. Their call to air traffic controllers “mentioned low fuel and a power outage,” Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez said.

“They had mechanical issues and they lost communication with the tower,” Sanchez said Wednesday, “and that’s when the accident happened.”

Dashcam video posted on social media showed the aircraft careening down the highway and knocking down a light post before coming to a stop near the airport. The jet also barreled into a car, sending one motorist to a hospital in stable condition, said Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza.

Video posted to social media showed the plane on its side, smashed into a highway barrier with the tail ripped from the fuselage.

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“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” said Zayra Garza, an esthetician who was driving her co-workers home when she came upon the crash.

Garza, who shot video of the scene as her husband ran to help, saw motorists leave their cars to try to help smash the cockpit glass. She said the plane’s door opened and three people who looked like teenagers rushed out, followed by someone who appeared to be a pilot. Another crew member tried to pull out a person who seemed to be unconscious.

Smoke billowed from the plane as a firefighter climbed into the aircraft to rescue the remaining passenger. Police officers helping prop open the door had to back away as they doubled over coughing because of the intense smoke. Police said five officers were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation.

“What was worrying me was the fire,” Garza said. “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

This was the third significant aviation accident in as many days. A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

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Golden reported from Seattle; Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut; and Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP journalists Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.



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