Pflugerville Neighbors, Officials Concerned About Mysterious Homeland Security Facility

byAlex Lamb

Behind a gas station and row of small businesses near a Pflugerville neighborhood sits a freshly renovated warehouse boxed on three sides by tall blue fencing and shiny new razor wire. 
Leaders of the Austin chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation say they have information the facility will be used as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center as the new Trump administration ramps up deportations. They received photos of the interior of the building showing holding cells and what appears to be an interrogation room. 
“We want answers from the local leaders who are supposed to know about this,” said Peishi Cheng, a PSL representative who spoke during a Feb. 1 protest.

With New Swim Coach, Longhorns Say They’re Having Fun, Ready to Return to National Glory

byLuke Lawhorn

Bob Bowman took over for longtime Texas swim coach Eddie Reese last April after nine years at Arizona State and winning the men’s national championship last season. Though his primary role is the men’s head coach, Bowman is serving in a newly created position as the director of swimming and diving, meaning he oversees the women’s side as well. 
Veteran swimmers like Sticklen have felt his influence across both teams. 
“Having Bob here and having his energy and competitiveness and the fire that he brings, it does seep over in our side,” Emma Sticklen said. “I always think that we are a better team when both teams are having fun.”

Plonsky’s Decades of Dedication to Texas Athletics to be Honored in Sports Hall of Fame

byLuke Lawhorn

Chris Plonsky, UT’s executive senior associate athletics director, is set to be inducted this month into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco for her 48 years in college athletics, including 37 at Texas.

Behind the Horn Documentary

byMiriam Belmonte

In the fall of 2024, Texas Hockey kicked off its season in the Texas Collegiate Hockey Conference, determined to make an impact. The Longhorns season is packed with weekly 6am practices as they push themselves to face fierce rivals like Texas A&M. Kyle Galloway, head coach, strives to guide the team into regionals and nationals. […]

In Rural West Texas, Measles Outbreak Signals Concerns over Federal Changes

byMadeline De Figueiredo

Amid concerns that Trump administration policies have reduced access to public health data, the Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed a measles outbreak in Gaines County, which borders New Mexico, with six cases reported so far.

Texans Join Nationwide Protests Against Trump Administration

byMeredith McKelvey

As protests erupted in state capitals around the country Wednesday, hundreds of protesters marched through downtown Austin to voice their anger at the Trump administration. 
Enraged by President Donald Trump’s far-reaching actions during the first two weeks of his second term, protesters waved signs and chanted in unison at the Texas Capitol and on the streets of downtown Austin. While protesters had varied reasons for demonstrating against the Trump administration, they shared a common fear: the demise of democratic institutions in the United States. 
“At some point, you can only step on people’s necks for so long,” said Benny de la Vega, an American who immigrated from the Philippines in 1985 and said he is seeing similarities to the dictatorship he fled. “At some point, everyone will have a common, shared understanding that their rights are being taken away. When we lose representation, then things need to change.”

They provide for others. Now community attendants want the Legislature to provide a livable wage.

byMadeline de Figueiredo

Thomas Greenwell wakes up each morning and gets ready twice — he goes through the motions of brushing teeth twice, doing hair twice and getting dressed twice — once for himself and once for his client, Edgar. But Greenwell doesn’t know how much longer he will be able to afford to take care of Edgar as a community-based care provider under Medicaid. “The attendant care wages are not sustainable at all,” he says. The Legislature will revisit attendant wages in this spring’s legislative session as caregivers and advocacy groups push for more competitive and livable wages.

‘We’re the First’: Spacecraft En Route to Conduct UT’s Search for Water on Europa

byAlex Lamb

Scientists working for the University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Geophysics in the Jackson School of Geosciences have developed airborne radar equipment capable of seeing through Europa’s thick layers of ice to determine whether water is present. They call this equipment REASON, and it launched in October aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft on a five-year journey toward the distant orbit of Jupiter.

Korean Students at UT Call for President’s Impeachment Back Home

byShunya Carroll

Soo-Hee Kang has traveled 7,000 miles to media at the University of Texas school of radio, television and film. The distance made Kang feel hopeless when the president of South Korea placed her country under martial law. 
“After the martial law ended,” Kang said, “I became very angry and felt like I had to do something — even from far away.” 

Fields, Farms and Factories: How a Foreign Company Is Changing a Rural County Near Houston

byRebecca Butler

Waller County saw a population increase of over 42 percent during the 2010s after the arrival of several large companies, most notably the Japanese air conditioning manufacturer Daikin Comfort. Although the city of Waller’s population is only about 4,000, Daikin employs over 9,000 people.
In 2014, the Texas-themed convenience store chain Buc-ee’s moved into the town, bringing new job opportunities and more tax revenue to the city. Three years later, Daikin built a 4.23 million square foot factory, roughly the size of 65 football fields — making it the third-largest factory in the United States at the time of its opening. Daikin’s technology park serves as its American headquarters. 
Daikin will soon increase its Texas presence. It announced in November that it has bought the naming rights to Minute Maid Stadium, home of the Houston Astros baseball team. 

Tacos Around Austin

byUT students in Food Journalism Class

Students in School of Journalism and Media’s J337L Food Journalism reported on and wrote this guide to tacos in Austin (and one place in Buda). They paid for their own meals and ate anonymously.  CJ’s Tacos Taco de Pescado ($4.50)  Who knew a fried fish taco could be dripping in color? The Taco de Pescado […]

Plans for New Dougherty Arts Center Move On Despite Increased Costs, Funding Uncertainty

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department is moving forward with replacing  the Dougherty Arts Center in South Austin despite uncertainty over funding for the two-phase development plan, the parks department said in a recent memo. The proposed arts center’s campus would include a Smithsonian-caliber gallery space, a 2,600-square-foot black box theater and studio spaces and […]

Operation Gratitude: How One Nonprofit Is Making This Holiday Season Special for Military Members

byMichael Karlis

Brennan Avants was completing his final tour in Iraq when a care package from nonprofit Operation Gratitude arrived at his base. “It just meant so much at the time,” Avants recalled. 
After 21 years in the U.S. Army as an artillery gunner, Avants teamed up with the group that had sent him that care package all those years ago. The group recently packed new care packages in San Antonio for shipment around the globe.

Reporting Texas TV – Dec 5, 2024

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their final newscast of the Fall 2024 semester.

Texas Lawmakers Refile Bill to Legalize Fentanyl Test Strips

byCashmir Khawaja

Texas lawmakers are reintroducing a bill to decriminalize fentanyl test strips after similar efforts stalled last legislative session. These strips, which can detect the deadly opioid in drugs, are seen as a simple and effective tool to prevent overdose deaths. Despite broad support, the bill failed to make it past the Texas Senate last year. […]

Longhorn Lights bring Holiday Spirit to Campus

byAbby Chapman

Bright orange and white lights flash in sync to songs like “Jingle Bells” and “Wabash Cannonball” The University of Texas campus will stay bright for the holidays.  The annual “Longhorn Lights” display kicked off on Nov. 9 with an elaborate show that included the Longhorn Band, UT Mariachi, President Jay Hartzell, and star quarterback Quinn […]

Reporting Texas TV – Nov 21, 2024

Journalism students at the University of Texas at Austin produced their third newscast of the Fall 2024 semester on Nov 21.

Student Recovers from Injury at UT vs. UGA Football Game

A University of Texas student is recovering after a severe injury sustained during the UT vs. University of Georgia football game on Oct. 19. Knox Vacek’s last memory from that day is of students throwing bottles onto the field in protest of a controversial referee call. After the call was reversed, Vacek jumped on the […]

The George Morales Dove Springs Gym has Been Renamed

As the new name, D’Wayne Anderson Gymnasium was revealed on a sleek sign above the entrance, applause and cheers filled the air, mingling with a few tears. “This is not just deserved, it’s well earned,” said Tiffany Cabin, a long-time friend and coworker of Anderson. “He put his heart and soul into ensuring that this […]

Austin Welcomes the Holiday Spirit with A Christmas Affair

byDesiree Marque

The holiday season is here, and one of Austin’s favorite traditions, A Christmas Affair, has returned to the Palmer Events Center. Hosted by the Junior League of Austin, this five-day holiday market is a mix of festive shopping and giving back to the community. With over 200 vendors, shoppers can find everything from handcrafted gifts […]