Latest news with #CentralTexans
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Following federal announcement, Gary Job Corps to close after 60 years
SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – A large no-cost education and career technical training program in San Marcos will close after 60 years. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra posted to Facebook on May 30 that Gary Job Corps, which opened in 1965, would cease operations by the end of June. The program offered free education and vocational training to hundreds of Central Texans. 'In a major development, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it will halt operations at several Job Corps centers nationwide, including the Gary Job Corps campus just outside San Marcos—long known as the largest of its kind in the country,' said Becerra in his post. The decision to suspend the program drew bipartisan pushback, according to our media partners at The Hill. The U.S. Department of Labor announced it would be pausing Job Corps centers after an 'internal review of the program's outcome and structure.' 'Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,' said DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in a May 29 press statement. 'However, a startling number of serious incident reports and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve. We remain committed to ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate the program's possibilities.' The statement from the department said that the program has faced financial challenges. This decision follows an April analysis of the Job Corps program. A summary of the analysis is a follows: Average Graduation Rate (WIOA Definition): 38.6% Average Cost Per Student Per Year: $80,284.65 Average Total Cost Per Graduate (WIOA Definition): $155,600.74 Post separation, participants earn $16,695 annually on average. The total number of Serious Incident Reports for program year 2023: 14,913 infractions. Inappropriate Sexual Behavior and Sexual Assaults Reported: 372 Acts of Violence Reported: 1,764 Breaches of Safety or Security: 1,167 Reported Drug Use: 2,702 Total Hospital Visits: 1,808 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas heat cramping your outdoor walking routine? Try these shady strolls for hot days.
"Jogging in this midday heat? Are you a crazy person?" Admit it: You've screamed this invective (silently) in the general direction of some ultra-fit runner during Austin's six months of extreme heat. For most of us, if we have not already retreated entirely to air-conditioned houses or vehicles, we run — or at least walk — outdoors strictly before 8 a.m. or perhaps at dusk. Walking during the middle of the day, however, can be less than utterly hellish if one sticks to the shady side of the street. For that matter, it can be downright pleasant if one seeks out the deep shade of mature trees in public places. With that in mind, we've chosen an escalating set of outdoor walks for Central Texans to try during daylight hours this summer. Remember: Wear hats, drink water, monitor your vitals. The well-tended grounds of the 1888 granite Texas Capitol were designed to serve as a gathering place for celebrating or protesting, often at the same time. They also function as a green space or grand public park. (Cattle grazed around the more modest 1853 limestone Capitol that rose at the same location.) Enormous live oaks shade many of the curving pathways, and sycamores, replanted during the 1990s renovation of the Capitol Complex, line the formal processional walk to the south of the baroque domed structure. On the grounds, take time to examine the many monuments, some of which recall darker chapters in the state's history. The newish Capitol Mall to the north of the grounds currently broils in the sun, but should cool off once the landscaping matures. When the Austin Dam on the Colorado River collapsed in the 1900 flood, city leaders realized that without a major source of electricity, Austin was destined to remain a government and college town rather than a manufacturing center. It became instead the "Home City," or "City of Homes." Thus civic energy was applied — unevenly — to the leafy hoods within walking distance of Central Austin. Take to the sidewalk or, if safe, the streets. Shade will guide your way through Holly Street, Hyde Park, Tarrytown, Old West Austin, Foster Heights, Bouldin Creek, Travis Heights, Old Austin, Zilker, North University, Cherrywood, Pemberton Heights, Hancock, Guadalupe, Clarksville, Windsor Park, French Place, Harris Park, Aldridge Place, Hemphill Park, Heritage, East Cesar Chavez, Old Enfield, Travis Heights East, and the original parts of West Campus and Central East Austin. The inner ring of suburbs, built rapidly after World War II, tells a different story, however, because developers planted quick-growing, quick-dying species. The mature shade today is spottier. If you live farther out, try the historic centers of your community. You are not free to wander aimlessly around schools and colleges. Times being what they are, public safety demands tight security on some campuses. Yet a great number of public activities — sporting events, museum exhibitions, musical and theatrical performances, celebrations and receptions, readings and nonacademic research — happen on more than 10 shady Central Texas college campuses. You should tour, for instance, the University of Texas' first-rate collection of public art, overseen by the award-winning Landmarks program. Long ago, UT Regent Lutcher Stark ensured that the 40 acres would be shrouded with Gulf Coast live oaks from his home region in Southeast Texas. Central Texas is blessed with numerous parks, greenbelts and nature preserves. They are not always right where we might want them to be, and scarce public funds mean their improvements are often made possible by do-good groups such as the Parks Foundation, Trail Conservancy, Pease Park Conservancy, and in the case of the rapidly expanding Violet Crown Trail, the Hill Country Conservancy. (A new entryway for that 30-mile trail is under construction at Barton Springs.) Make your summer plans carefully. Austin manages more than 150 miles of trails and many hundreds of acres of parkland. Map out your walks or even hikes — which are like walks, but hiking requires that you pay more attention to your path — carefully based on what you learned about your body from the shorter summer excursions. Take water and use sunscreen. Consider packing bug spray and trail mix. Now you are ready for the crown jewel: The Butler Hike and Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake. While some segments of the 10-mile loop are open to the sun, much of it runs through protective shade. Points of entry are numerous. Construction continues on the "wishbone" bridge that will allow trail lovers to skip the Longhorn Dam, named not for the UT teams, as one might assume, but rather for a Colorado River ford used by cattle drivers on the Chisholm Trail. If it functions like the previous stretches of boardwalk, the bridge will make us see our city differently. More: There are gators in Lady Bird Lake? 6 cool facts about wildlife on Austin's urban trail You are not required to walk the entire 10 miles. Several other bridges allow one to cut back to your original point of entry if so desired. This is a popular path, so practice trail etiquette, which can be boiled down to remaining alert, respectful and kind. The Butler Trail weaves our city together — north, south, east and west. As with almost all other social aspects of Austin, it is seen and employed differently by different individuals and groups. Now, even in the shade, the Butler Trail gets hot. A breeze off the lake helps. Still, early morning or very late afternoon are best times to stroll during the six hot months. Please send questions and tips to mbarnes@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Avoid Texas' excessive heat with shade at parks, trails, hoods, more
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials Urge Water Safety Ahead of Summer Season
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — May is recognized as National Water Safety Month and as summer approaches and temperatures rise, many Central Texans will be looking for ways to cool off — and taking a swim is often the go-to solution. However, experts warn that it's crucial to stay safe and be prepared before heading into the water. Chris Bradford is the associate executive director of the YMCA in Waco. He says drownings happen more often than people may realize. 'The leading cause of accidental death in children between the ages of one and four is drowning,' Bradford said. 'Children are more likely to drown than they are to be in a motor vehicle accident. So if your child cannot learn to swim, the best thing that you can do is put them in swim lessons or make sure that they are in that U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.' This same advice applies to area lakes, including Lake Waco. 'Life jackets only work if you use them, so we highly recommend that you're wearing them when you're out on the water,' said Arianna Jacinto, Lake Waco's lead park ranger. 'We have designated swim beaches here around our lake. We have Twin Bridges and we have Airport Park, and both of them are delineated with swim buoys to help keep boats out, and we also have life jacket loaner stations.' Jacinto said the life jacket loaner stations are free to use, and are available for anyone on the water. Visitors are encouraged to return the jackets after use so others can stay safe, too. Whether you're swimming at home this summer, at a public pool or out on the lake, the message remains the same — stay aware, be prepared, and always prioritize safety, no matter your age. 'You are more likely that your child does not learn to swim if you yourself cannot swim. Fear is transferable to our children. So if you have a fear of the water, your children will have a fear of the water,' Bradford said. Experts agree that enrolling in swim lessons is one of the best investments a family can make to prepare for summer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
21-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
FAA staffing issues lead to Austin airport delays
More than 100 flights were delayed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Wednesday — the second time this month — due to federal aviation staffing issues. Why it matters: Just ahead of a busy travel weekend, the delays point to a wider problem in Austin and elsewhere involving concerns over aviation safety and reliability. What's happening: Citing staffing issues, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground delay at the Austin airport Wednesday, leading to delays for more than 180 flights. At least 120 flights were delayed on May 11, some for more than 90 minutes, over air traffic control staffing issues. In March, the FAA placed a brief ground stop in Austin for incoming flights from all Houston and Dallas airports. What they're saying:"Another ground stop today for flights arriving at AUS means more unnecessary traveler inconvenience due to the FAA failure to correct our air traffic controller shortage," U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, an Austin Democrat, wrote Wednesday on X. "Central Texans can expect more such delays throughout the busy summer months, as the FAA and the Trump administration continue to shrink the FAA workforce and delay proper safety measures for our overwhelmed, overworked local controllers," he wrote. In February, the FAA fired several hundred employees, including those hired for radar, landing and navigational aid maintenance, per the AP. The other side:"A complete modernization is going to soon be taking place," President Trump said this month. "We're beginning the process of fully replacing the technology at more than 4,600 air traffic control sites." Between the lines: FAA staffing shortages in Austin and nationally predated the Trump administration. As of September 2023, facilities overseeing airports and approaching or departing flights were nearly 2,000 controllers short of a staffing goal of 8,966. By the numbers: In January, according to the FAA, only 32 Austin air traffic controller positions had been filled, out of a target number of 60. The intrigue: Officials at the city-owned Austin airport, charged with making the travel experience a positive one, pointed to the FAA for Wednesday's delays.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Astonishing': HIV screening policy change normalizes getting tested, experts say
AUSTIN (KXAN)– An HIV screening opt-out policy suggested by Central Health, a Travis County Hospital District, helped break the barriers that stemmed from HIV testing– and the numbers were astonishing. Central Health Senior Director Megan Cermak told KXAN's Tom Miller, that the campaign helps their patients not 'slip through the cracks' because some Illnesses and conditions were not being properly detected until it was too late. In 2018, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) identified Central Texas as a 'hot spot' for new HIV diagnoses, Cermak said. A policy change in HIV screenings, however, made a difference to save lives. Back in the day a positive HIV diagnosis felt like it was the end of the world- especially during the AIDS epidemic in 1995. However, a press release from Central Health stated in 2025, that fear has been shifted due to the accessibility and lifesaving treatment options made available for patients. 'Today, a person with HIV can manage the condition properly with the right care,' said the release. Although the fear over HIV diagnosis has slightly simmered, life-threatening gaps still continue to exist and a big part of the problem is due to screening. Central Health's implement in policy changes for HIV screening made efforts to raise awareness and increase testing. The health center created a policy that included HIV testing as part of any blood screenings; mandating HIV screening on blood tests unless patients opted out. For more than 30 years the CommUnity Care's David Powell Health Center has provided HIV treatment and prevention for all Central Texans, including Travis County, the release said. Cermak shared with KXAN the impacts Central Health leads through its HIV screening policy and how it combated the stigma around it. 'The HIV screening policy, it's exactly what it sounds, so we make HIV screening a routine part of healthcare. So in your annual exam when you get a blood draw and you're screened for diabetes or cholesterol, you're also screened for HIV,' Cermak said. Cermak added that this helps patients reduce the stigma around HIV screening because it becomes a routine part of healthcare. 'Patients and the providers have responded so positively because it helps reduce stigma, and it makes what could have been an uncomfortable conversation a normal part of healthcare,' Cermak said. Cermak told KXAN the outcome from this policy change to implement HIV screenings as part of the routine exams was 'astonishing.' 'HIV screening rates for our Medical Access Program (MAP) patients in Travis County were 64 percent higher than the state average and 84 percent greater than the national average,' Cermak said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
