Federal shutdown begins after lawmakers fail to reach deal

News and updates from Austin's news in your inbox Email not displaying correctly? [View Online]( [Statesman]( MORNING HEADLINES Start your day with a fresh roundup of news, features and commentary. Saturday's Top Story [Federal shutdown begins after lawmakers fail to reach deal]( [Federal shutdown begins after lawmakers fail to reach deal]( WASHINGTON (AP) " A partial federal shutdown took hold early Saturday after Democrats refused to meet President Donald Trump's demands for $5 billion to start erecting his cherished Mexican border wall, a chaotic postscript for Republicans in the waning days of their two-year reign controlling government. [Read More »]( Local News [City manager picks one familiar face, one newcomer for executive team]( [City manager picks one familiar face, one newcomer for executive team]( Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk named his first two executive team hires Friday, passing over two interim assistant city managers in favor of one alternate in-house hire and one newcomer. [Read More »]( [Barton Springs Pool to reopen at 5 a.m. Saturday, Austin officials say]( [Barton Springs Pool to reopen at 5 a.m. Saturday, Austin officials say]( Barton Springs Pool will reopen Saturday at 5 a.m. after city officials closed it Wednesday to investigate the source of increased cloudiness in the water. [Read More »]( [Austin police targeting drunken drivers in run-up to Christmas]( [Austin police targeting drunken drivers in run-up to Christmas]( Austin police said they will be targeting suspected drunken drivers starting Friday through Christmas Day under their "no refusal" initiative. [Read More »]( [Austin lawmaker pitches online voter registration again]( [Austin lawmaker pitches online voter registration — again]( Texas voter registration might be heading to the internet if one of several bills filed for the upcoming legislative session finds its way to the governor’s desk. [Read More »]( [Cruelty suspect described killing girlfriend s cats in diary, police say]( [Cruelty suspect described killing girlfriend’s cats in diary, police say]( A woman who became suspicious of her boyfriend after both of her healthy cats died unexpectedly this year told Austin police she found out her boyfriend had described killing her pets in his diary, according to court documents filed Friday. [Read More »]( [JUST IN: Police responding to fatal crash on MoPac in North Austin]( [JUST IN: Police responding to fatal crash on MoPac in North Austin]( One person has died Friday night in a two-vehicle crash that has shut down MoPac Boulevard in North Austin, Austin police said. [Read More »]( Business [What you really need for the holidays: A tech purge]( [What you really need for the holidays: A tech purge]( I propose you carve out some time from your holiday schedule to take a look at the technology you’re not using and consider selling, donating, recycling or just tossing what’s no longer needed. But what should you purge? [Read More »]( [Lottery.com moves headquarters from Silicon Valley to Austin]( [Lottery.com moves headquarters from Silicon Valley to Austin]( Lottery.com, the massive digital lottery provider, said Thursday that it has moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Austin. [Read More »]( [Austin jobless rate down to 2.7% as businesses staff up for holidays]( [Austin jobless rate down to 2.7% as businesses staff up for holidays]( Hiring in advance of the holiday shopping season helped drop last month's unemployment rate in the Austin metro area to a tie for its lowest point of 2018 and to a level for the month of November last seen 18 years ago. [Read More »]( [Austin insurance startup Life by Spot raises $6 million to fuel growth]( [Austin insurance startup Life by Spot raises $6 million to fuel growth]( Austin-based life insurance startup Life by Spot announced that it has raised nearly $6 million in seed funding led by Silverton Partners. [Read More »]( [Dell executives: Don t expect big changes after company goes public]( [Dell executives: Don’t expect big changes after company goes public]( Don't expect big changes in how Dell Technologies does business after it returns to the public markets, company executives said Friday. [Read More »]( Sports [Shooting woes return for Texas in loss to Providence]( [Shooting woes return for Texas in loss to Providence]( Alpha Diallo scored 20 points and Isaiah Jackson scored 12 to send the Friars to a tough 71-65 victory over Texas men's basketball team at the Erwin Center. [Read More »]( [Future Longhorn Jordan Whittington scores six touchdowns, sets record in state title win]( [Future Longhorn Jordan Whittington scores six touchdowns, sets record in state title win]( Arlington – It was a memorable week for Cuero athlete Jordan Whittington. [Read More »]( [Liberty Hill s Kyle Harrison sets rushing record in loss]( [Liberty Hill’s Kyle Harrison sets rushing record in loss]( ARLINGTON — Fittingly, Liberty Hill senior Kyle Harrison broke the Austin area’s record for rushing yards in a season with a hard-fought 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter of the Class 4A Division I title game against Waco La Vega. [Read More »]( [Big-play La Vega beats Liberty Hill, earns state football title]( [Big-play La Vega beats Liberty Hill, earns state football title]( ARLINGTON — Liberty Hill’s bid to win its third state football championship vanished during the first 16 seconds of the third quarter. [Read More »]( [Grayson Schirpik flashes all-around skills to earn spot on All-Centex volleyball team]( [Grayson Schirpik flashes all-around skills to earn spot on All-Centex volleyball team]( LEANDER — Grayson Schirpik takes pride in her versatility. [Read More »]( Opinion [Texas lawmaker wants law defending holiday lights, decor from HOAs]( [Texas lawmaker wants law defending holiday lights, decor from HOAs]( You know what’s great about the festive holiday season, including the festive holidays? The festive holiday decorations that we all enjoy on each other’s homes. [Read More »]( [Susan Sparks: Sun Mo manger]( [Susan Sparks: Sun Mo manger]( “There’s no room here or at the Holiday Inn, the Days Inn, or the C’mon Inn,” the desk clerk said, shaking his head. [Read More »]( [Looking Up: Rangifer the Reindeer once pranced the sky]( [Looking Up: Rangifer the Reindeer once pranced the sky]( Christmas Eve is the "big night" to all those who celebrate Christmas around the globe. Most traditions pick Dec. 24. [Read More »]( [Today s Workout: Keep your balance doing this front lunge]( [Today’s Workout: Keep your balance doing this front lunge]( Variations help add a little spice and pizzazz to life. Today we are switching up our fitness routine. [Read More »]( [Shayne Looper: Mary, Mother of Jesus sleeper agent?]( [Shayne Looper: Mary, Mother of Jesus – sleeper agent?]( A staple of spy novels and movies is the sleeper agent. [Read More »]( Nation [Spain awaits the results of The Fat One Christmas lottery]( [Spain awaits the results of ‘The Fat One’ Christmas lottery]( MADRID (AP) " Spaniards are looking to strike it rich when the bumper Christmas lottery takes place Saturday. [Read More »]( [Woman names baby after medic who saved her during wildfire]( [Woman names baby after medic who saved her during wildfire]( SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " In his 20 years as a paramedic, Mickey Huber assisted in two emergency deliveries. [Read More »]( [Nicaraguan authorities raid, shut down critical TV station]( [Nicaraguan authorities raid, shut down critical TV station]( MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) " Nicaraguan authorities have raided the offices of a critical television station and shut it down, a week after raiding the offices of non-governmental groups and a newspaper. [Read More »]( [New asylum policy comes with few details, many questions]( [New asylum policy comes with few details, many questions]( TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) " The Trump administration's decision to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases wind through clogged U.S. courts was announced with crucial details still unknown " a move that creates uncertainty along the border and possibly an incentive for people to cross illegally before the change take effect. [Read More »]( World [Ukraine s leader orders Orthodox Church to change its name]( [Ukraine’s leader orders Orthodox Church to change its name]( KIEV, Ukraine (AP) " Ukraine's president has signed a bill that orders the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to change its name to reflect its ties to Moscow. [Read More »]( [Cancer the latest health woe for resilient Justice Ginsburg]( [Cancer the latest health woe for resilient Justice Ginsburg]( WASHINGTON (AP) " Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is resting in a New York hospital following surgery to remove two malignant growths in her left lung, the third time the Supreme Court's oldest justice has been treated for cancer and her second stay in a hospital in two months. [Read More »]( [Granddaughter works to save Barry Goldwater photo collection]( [Granddaughter works to save Barry Goldwater photo collection]( SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) " In Alison Goldwater Ross' earliest memories of her grandfather Barry Goldwater, there's always a 35mm camera hanging from his neck. [Read More »]( [The Latest: Negotiations expected to resume over shutdown]( [The Latest: Negotiations expected to resume over shutdown]( WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the government shutdown (all times local):8:50 a.m. Negotiations are expected to continue in Washington to try to end the partial government shutdown, and the House and Senate have scheduled rare Saturday sessions. [Read More »]( [Respite in Paris as yellow vest movement abates]( [Respite in Paris as yellow vest movement abates]( PARIS (AP) " The yellow vest protests, which have brought particular chaos to Paris over the past few weeks, abated Saturday, though one small gathering around the presidential palace did lead to police firing tear gas and using batons. [Read More »]( Austin360 [If you love Michael Martin Murphey s Wildfire, this one s for you]( [If you love Michael Martin Murphey’s ‘Wildfire,’ this one’s for you]( Earlier this week we published an extensive interview with Michael Martin Murphey, whose annual "Cowboy Christmas" show pulls into the Paramount Theatere tonight (Friday, December 21). [Read More »]( [Seafood restaurant Guild moving downtown; former space will convert to new concept]( [Seafood restaurant Guild moving downtown; former space will convert to new concept]( Upmarket seafood restaurant Guild is leaving its spacious digs off North Lamar Boulevard near Central Market and headed to more intimate, but undisclosed, location in downtown. [Read More »]( [Photos: A-List: Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Erwin Center]( [Photos: A-List: Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Erwin Center]( The Trans-Siberian Orchestra performed at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin on Dec. 20, 2018. [Read More »]( [Photos: A-List: Shakey Graves at ACL Live]( [Photos: A-List: Shakey Graves at ACL Live]( Shakey Graves performed at ACL Live at the Moody Theater with Moon Taxi on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. [Read More »]( [Things to do in Austin on Christmas Eve 2018]( [Things to do in Austin on Christmas Eve 2018]( Things to do in Austin on Christmas Eve 2018 [Read More »]( [Manage Account]( | [Contact Us](mailto:customercare@statesman.com) | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Newsletters]( We have an app for whatever you want - news, weather, entertainment and more. Statesman Live: [iPhone®]( [Android]( Statesman Weather: [iPhone®]( [Android]( Austin360: [iPhone®]( [Android]( Statesman does not participate in unsolicited email. This is a recurring email and was sent to you because you subscribed to receive promotional emails and updates from Statesman during a previous program, promotion or contest. © 2018 GateHouse Media, LLC and Austin American-Statesman. All rights reserved. 305 S. Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78704 (512) 445-3500