Austin hospitals welcomed the city’s first babies of 2026 within hours of the New Year, with healthy newborns delivered shortly after midnight at Ascension Seton, St. David’s, and Texas Children’s facilities.
Austin will welcome the new year with a free, city-sponsored celebration at Auditorium Shores, featuring live music, food vendors, a large-scale drone show and fireworks at midnight. Thousands are expected downtown, with road closures, transit changes and safety guidance in place.
A federal judge in Austin has temporarily blocked a new Texas law that would have required age verification for all app downloads, ruling the measure likely violates First Amendment protections for adults and minors.
As the Powerball jackpot surged to $1.8 billion on Christmas Eve, Austin residents shared how they would spend the massive prize—ranging from buying property and helping family to building hospitals—while others said they were content skipping the drawing altogether.
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