English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Austin, TX

The cost of living has risen significantly in nearly all major U.S. cities over the past few years. But for those seeking to live comfortably in Texas' capital city, prepare to budget your money.

Austinites need to make over $122,000 to live comfortably in the state's capital city, according to a new GoBankingRates report. The total annual cost of living in Austin is $61,000.

Out of the 50 U.S. cities ranked from highest to lowest in affordability, five Texas cities made the banking website's list, and Austin was considered to the most expensive.

GoBankingRates researchers analyzed data from Zillow's Home Value Index, the Federal Reserve, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey and others to find out how much people are spending on expenses like housing, groceries, healthcare, transportation and miscellaneous necessities. That amount was doubled to indicate how much you’d have to earn to live comfortably using the 50/30/20 budget breakdown.

El Paso (No. 45) was the most budget-friendly city in Texas with residents needing to make $74,721 for the total annual cost of living being $37,360. San Antonio (No. 39) was the second least-expensive where the cost of living comfortably is $80,175 for a total annual cost of living of $40,087.

This means Austinites need to make nearly $42,000 more in order to comfortably live in the state's capital city.

Other Texas cities that were considered pricier, but not as expensive as Austin to live in were Houston (No. 35) where the average cost of living is $86,000, Fort Worth (No. 32) where residents must make $90,000, Arlington (No. 30) where the cost of living is $92,000 and Dallas (No. 27) where the average income needed to live comfortably is nearly 93,500.

While Austin took the 14th spot for the highest income needed to live comfortably in the nation, it was still behind bigger California cities like San Jose (No. 1), San Francisco (No. 2), San Diego (No. 3) and Los Angeles (No. 4) where the cost of living is highest.

GOBankingRates found that the gap between the lowest and highest incomes needed to live comfortably is huge. In Detroit, you need about $65,000, while in San Jose, it’s nearly $260,00, about four times more.

GOBankingRates said your budget goes furthest in the South and Midwest since all cities within the top five for budget-friendliness are located in those regions, and two are located in the same state: Oklahoma. To read the full report, visit GOBankingRates.com.

How do you unwind after wooing hordes of Texans during a massive Austin City Limits set? Well, if you're Dua Lipa, you head to one of the most historic honky tonk bars in Central Texas. The London-born popstar made stops at several local favorites as she was in town for weekend one of her headlining shows at Austin City Limits Music Festival.

Lipa got the full Texas experience getting her country dancing on at the Broken Spoke, a 60-year honky tonk staple in the live music capital of the world. Broken Spoke shared photos of Lipa at the bar on social media writing, "Grammy Award winning artist, DUA LIPA, dropped by the 'Last of the True Texas Dancehalls, to do a little two-steppin’!"

The "New Rules" and "Don't Start Now" singer visited Broken Spoke after her ACL set on Saturday, October 5, according to the bar's Instagram. In a TikTok Lipa posted the next day, she is seen having the time of her life learning how to two-step with a real Texas cowboy while a live band plays in the background.

As the video progresses, Lipa becomes even more comfortable on the dance floor being whisked away into twirls and swings led by the cowboy while her friends cheer her on. Lipa ends the video saying, "I love this, it's my f***ing fave" as she jams out to the music while recording her friend whose also being taught how to two-step by a bargoer.

Broken Spoke, also known as the "Last of the True Texas Dancehalls," has been in Austin since 1964 hosting historic performances by country music artists like George Strait, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and more. Austinites in the bar and Lipa's comment section were glad she visited as many noted how she blended right in as a local.

"I’m so glad she got to experience this place !! I love the broken spoke!!" an Instagram user wrote while another noted, "Honestly, line dancing to Dance The Night Away is kind of a bucket list item."

A TikToker said, "Why does no one at this bar seem to understand that Miss Dua is dancing next to them" and another wrote, "she's just one of us (smiling emoji)."

WATCH: Dua Lipa dancing at the Broken Spoke Honky Tonk bar in Austin

Austin, TX (October 5, 2024) – A significant structure fire broke out late last night at approximately 11:00 p.m. at 9013 Elroy Road, prompting a rapid response from emergency services. The Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) and the Travis County Fire Rescue team arrived on the scene to manage the situation.

Initial reports indicated a serious incident, leading ATCEMS medics to declare a trauma alert for an adult patient who sustained serious, potentially life-threatening injuries. This individual was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center via air ambulance provided by STAR Flight. Fortunately, no other patients were found at the scene, suggesting that the situation may have been contained to this one individual.

Our thoughts are with the injured individual and their family during this challenging time.

Structure Fires in Texas

Structure fires can have devastating effects on individuals and communities across Texas. Each year, numerous incidents occur, resulting in injuries and significant property damage. The rapid response of emergency services is crucial in mitigating the effects of such fires and ensuring the safety of all involved.

Fires can arise from various causes, including electrical failures, cooking accidents, and negligence. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), many structure fires are preventable with proper safety measures and awareness.

In Texas, community support often plays a vital role in helping those affected by such tragedies. Local fire departments and emergency services work tirelessly to provide assistance and resources to victims and their families.

If you or someone you know has been affected by a fire incident, it is essential to seek legal guidance to understand your rights and options. Legal professionals can assist in navigating the complexities surrounding insurance claims and potential compensation for damages.

Being seriously injured in a fire incident can be a traumatic and overwhelming experience. Victims may face extensive medical treatments, emotional distress, and financial burdens as they recover. It is crucial for those affected to have access to the necessary resources and support to help them navigate this difficult time.

Local Accident Reports is your trusted resource for post-accident support. We’ve compiled essential information and resources for accident victims like you. Our comprehensive database provides key details and support options for those affected by accidents. Let us help you understand your options and find the support you require during this difficult time. Contact us today to learn how we can assist in your recovery journey.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The day dawned under a clear sky with comfortable temperatures and humidity. Low temperatures dropped to mostly 60s, including Camp Mabry. There the low of 68° is 4° above normal. The low at Austin-Bergstrom fell to 64°, 3° above the 30-year normal.

Highs will remain in the low to mid 90s tomorrow and Tuesday.

The humidity will fall to the 30s this afternoon, then drop to the 20s tomorrow afternoon. A weak frontal boundary slips in Tuesday to reinforce northeast winds AND lower dew points to the 40s especially Wednesday and Thursday.

No rain is forecast between today and Saturday. Yesterday marked the 30th consecutive day of no rain measured at Camp Mabry. What’s worse is the drier-than-normal forecast the Climate Prediction Center has for Central Texas from the 13th through the 19th.

Checking the Tropics

The latest tropical storm in the Gulf is T.S. Milton. What was an area of low pressure early Saturday rapidly increased from a low to a tropical depression to a tropical storm.

It’s slow movement in the western Gulf will give it sufficient time to strengthen to a hurricane some time tonight/very early Monday morning.

It is expected to become a major hurricane some time Tuesday afternoon as it heads to Florida. Both coasts will be affected by the-then hurricane with some of the west coast, including Tampa, taking the biggest hit.

Rain totals of 5 to 8″ are forecast with localized totals reaching one foot.

Currently there are no Watches/Warnings for Florida’s west coast.

Hurricane Kirk and Hurricane Leslie are in the Atlantic, both expected to not impact the states.

Read more about the three named storms in our updated blog below.

MISS THE COLD? Remembering Austin’s heaviest snowstorm

Stay up-to-date with the First Warning Weather team

Follow the KXAN First Warning Weather team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our meteorologists’ individual accounts for livestreams and a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes:

A third lawsuit has emerged against Texas-based Children's Courtyard daycares. An Austin mother has filed a lawsuit of her own after catching caregivers mistreating her child on camera.

Janese Milivojevic claims her 18-month-old suffered serious physical, emotional, and mental harm after an incident at the South Austin Children's Courtyard in May 2023.

The lawsuit details how the mother was checking on her daughter on the daycare live feed when she saw an employee repeatedly push a little girl to the ground, causing her to fall. The employee then allegedly walked away, leaving the young girl crying on the floor without checking on her.

Already alarmed, the mother then claims she saw an employee yank her daughter by the arms before dropping her onto a nap mat. The employee is allegedly seen yanking the mat in frustration, which caused her daughter to fall face first, and failed to check on her. In another attempt to get Milivojevic's daughter to lie down, the caregiver was seen lifting the baby with one arm and tossing her on top of another child lying on a different mat.

The behavior did not stop there, as the mother says she witnessed another child being tossed with "great force" onto his mat and covering him entirely with a blanket by another caregiver.

Milivojevic says she pulled her daughter out of the daycare and was told the Children's Courtyard would investigate. She was later told "corrective actions" were taken but that neither employee was fired and the center did not report the incident to the state as required by law.

The mother is suing for $1 million in damages. She joins another Austin mother, Alexis Dominguez, whose son Milivojevic unknowingly watched being tossed onto the mat. The Dominguez family filed their lawsuit after an incident in July 2023 but the complaint has since been amended to include the incident two months prior.

None of the families have received an apology from The Children's Courtyard.

“My heart sank when I saw my daughter and other children being harmed at The Children’s Courtyard by the adults who were supposed to protect them,” Milivojevic said in the release. “My daughter was only at The Children’s Courtyard for two days. Working parents should not have to balance doing their job and watching a daycare center’s livestream to ensure their child is not being harmed.”

Daycare and childcare injury lawyer Russell Button of The Button Law Firm spoke to MySA about the motives behind filing the lawsuit. He explained how they are looking to uncover all of the evidence as to the "qualifications of these caregivers and, quite frankly, the management and directors who were all responsible for supervising the caregivers to ensure that no harm was done to a child."

He added how they are also filing to unveil the "training or lack thereof" for the facility. Button says in most cases, it is a qualification issue, a training issue, and a supervision issue, amongst other things

"That's the evidence that we filed the lawsuit for, so we can figure out why and make sure this doesn't happen again," Button said.

A spokesperson for the Children's Courtyard previously issued a statement to MySA regarding a separate lawsuit involving its New Braunfels-based facility.

"Children's Courtyard is committed to providing a safe, nurturing learning environment for the children in our care. We take our responsibility as caregivers very seriously and strive to uphold our high standards of care through our ongoing safety and training practices," the statement read.

In response, Button says, "Actions speak louder than words when it comes to these sorts of situations."

From abuse to lack of supervision, Russell says they all need to be reported to the state, but in most cases, they are either not reported at all or lack information. He encouraged other parents who simply removed their child from negligent day cares to take the next step and help protect future kids.

"All I can say to that is if you see something, say something... it's not a matter if it'll happen again. It's a matter of when and how bad, so do it if not for your family, at least do it for the future ones," Button said.

Button's law firm has several resources available online for parents to properly vet daycares by checking their incident reports, including a guide on the steps to take after their child is injured at a facility.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission cited The Children’s Courtyard in South Austin 25 times for safety deficiencies between October 2018 and March 2023, just two months before the incident involving Milivojevic’s daughter. The Children's Courtyard in South Austin also received an additional 50 citations for the same safety failures, including having unqualified and untrained caregivers charged with watching over children, using prohibited discipline tactics, neglecting to report incidents to the state, and not following basic hygiene requirements from July 2023 through August 2024.

Oct 5, 2024