Smokable hemp products can be legally sold in Texas at least through May 1. A temporary restraining order had been set to expire Friday. It's now extended.
A hearing on a temporary injunction of new state rules is now set for April 28-30.
Background: www.kut.org/business/202...
Smokable hemp products can be sold again in Texas for now.
A Travis County judge today granted a temporary restraining order against some of the new hemp regulations that took effect March 31.
The order leaves in place sharply higher annual fees for businesses.
www.kut.org/business/202...
Texas hemp businesses hope a Travis County judge issues a temporary restraining order allowing smokable cannabis to be sold as soon as this weekend.
The hearing is on Friday.
More about the lawsuit: www.kut.org/business/202...
The Texas ban on smokable hemp takes effect today.
Can consumers still buy online from out-of-state?
State regulators say no. Cannabis attorneys say yes, but acknowledge it's a legal gray area.
www.kut.org/business/202...
The Texas Newsroom has obtained videos of an immigration operation last summer in East Austin. It involved the arrests of five workers near a construction site. We wondered what the tapes said about how state police and ICE work together in Texas. 1/
www.kut.org/crime-justic...
The Barbara Jordan Terminal has 22 TSA screening lanes across four checkpoints. All lanes don't open at once at 3 a.m.
But many early morning travelers may arrive around the same time for the first wave of flights.
More in the story: www.kut.org/transportati...
Even though the TSA lines at Austin's airport usually only spill out the front doors and onto the sidewalk in the mornings, the hours with the most flights are actually in the afternoon.
The number of departing passengers from Austin's airport was significantly higher as Spring Break approached and SXSW began.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, (in a statement): "Our airport is not experiencing any significant impact from the few TSA officers, who aren’t arriving for their shifts. The long lines are the result of SXSW coinciding with Spring Break families with multiple carry-on’s."
U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas: "I just talked to the head of the TSA here in Austin, and thankfully, these brave men and women are doing their job and not calling in sick and not quitting."
KUT: Then why the long lines?
Cornyn: "It's called spring break. It's called SXSW."
The long TSA lines at Austin's airport are being seized upon by both Republicans and Democrats as proof of why the other side should compromise in the government shutdown.
Both sides also say ABIA's lines are not being caused by the government shutdown.
www.kut.org/transportati...
Buda approves new H-E-B location north of Main Street (on former landfill site) that will include drive thru BBQ and garden center.
Story by KUT’s Leigh Walden: www.kut.org/community/20...
Patrick says he'll be replaced by Mayor Watson's new appointee: Austin real estate attorney Spence Howden. The City Council will vote on that appointment and others tomorrow.
Patrick Rose says he will resign as chair of Austin's Airport Advisory Commission at 6 p.m. today. Rose said he has other civic duties that will take up his time.
This is an unpaid, volunteer position. Members are appointed by City Council. Rose was appointed by Mayor Watson.
Starting May 21, Canadian carrier Porter Airlines will fly nonstop from Austin to Toronto.
Right now, only Air Canada covers that route. This is Porter's first time in Texas.
Porter claims to operate "one of the world’s most environmentally-sustainable aircraft fleet."
Texas is banning the sale and manufacture of smokable cannabis effective March 31. The rules have now been adopted by DSHS.
The annual fee for hemp stores will go from $150 to $5,000.
The annual fee for hemp manufacturers will go from $250 to $10,000.
www.kut.org/business/202...
Emails obtained by KUT News show TxDOT and a nonprofit managing the Butler Trail spent months trying to steer $25 million for a new Lady Bird Lake Boardwalk around city government and the city council.
There was one problem: state rules didn't allow it.
www.kut.org/transportati...
TxDOT is warning Austin's City Council: approve the deal for a $25 million boardwalk on Lady Bird Lake or the money disappears.
Almost three years after the boardwalk was announced, construction hasn't even started.
Internal emails obtained by KUT News help explain why.
www.kut.org/transportati...
More details on detours in this press release from TxDOT.
MAJOR I-35 CLOSURE THIS WEEKEND:
The northbound mainlanes of I-35 will be closed from Slaughter Lane to Ben White Boulevard — four miles — on Friday night and Saturday night, lasting from about 11 p.m. till 9 or 10 a.m.
This is for construction work on the new elevated lanes.
As of 8:25 a.m., no wait to vote and a smooth process at this polling location at 8601 South 1st Street in Austin.
Tickets for speeding and distracted driving have more than doubled in Austin since 2024, according to city data.
KUT’s Luz Moreno Lozano reports APD is putting more emphasis on traffic enforcement.
www.kut.org/austin/2026-...
Austin removed three federally approved experimental crosswalks this week after the FHWA terminated a safety study.
The FHWA said the colorful crosswalks posed "safety concerns."
We obtained the city's report to Washington showing results were mixed.
www.kut.org/transportati...
NEW: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport says it had 21,666,852 departing and arriving passengers last year, the third-highest total on record.
Smokable cannabis remains legal in Texas for now.
Today, a spokesperson with the Department of State Health Services said they received hundreds of public comments on the proposed rule, and they’re still reviewing them.
Background: www.kut.org/politics/202...
The Cesar Chavez on-ramp was closed in July 2025 so TxDOT could excavate a drop shaft for a massive drainage tunnel under the highway and Cesar Chavez.
Starting Monday, they'll begin work on their ninth drop shaft at Edgewood.
More details about the tunnel here: www.kut.org/transportati...
TxDOT says the ramp closures starting Sunday, Feb. 1 are for work to rebuild the I-35 bridges over Lady Bird Lake.
They've said they'll keep at least three lanes open in each direction during construction.
mailchi.mp/mobility35/m...
MAJOR I-35 RAMP CLOSURE: Starting Sunday, the northbound I-35 exit at Riverside Drive and the northbound Holly Street entrance ramp and exit will permanently close.
Detour: Woodland exit.
In early February, the northbound I-35 entrance ramp at Cesar Chavez will reopen.
