ATX Pulse 4/6-7/26 (free): NTSB Probing Waymo for Passing AISD Bus // NW Austin Shooting Victim ID’d // Murder Trial Begins for Fentanyl Dealer // COA Seeks to Use Eminent Domain for New Radio Tower Downtown // UT MBB Star Swain Declares for NBA Draft

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MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2026 - TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2026

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TOP NEWS

"NTSB investigating another incident of Waymo passing Austin ISD school bus" via KVUE – Federal regulators are investigating another instance of a driverless car passing a stopped Austin ISD school bus.

On Friday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that it launched an investigation into an incident that occurred on March 25. The agency said that it was contacted by Austin ISD, who reported that a Waymo vehicle had passed a bus that was stopped to load and unload students. It is currently unclear where the incident happened.

In Texas, all cars must stop until the lights stop flashing and the arm is retracted, even if the car is on the other side of the road, if there is not a physical lane divider. In December, KVUE first reported that several cars in the company's fleet were shown on camera illegally passing Austin ISD school buses. In each scenario, the buses were stopped with their red lights flashing and stop arms extended.

The NTSB launched a safety investigation into Waymo in January, following reports that the company's autonomous vehicles had passed stopped Austin ISD school buses while students are loading and unloading. (KVUE)

"Rare ‘albino’ bluebonnets discovered in Central Texas state park" — “Albino” bluebonnets were spotted Friday at Inks Lake State Park in Burnet. Inks Lake said park rangers found the unique bluebonnets beside the park’s headquarters. Bluebonnets, or Lupinus texensis, in the U.S. are found in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Florida. The species is one of the six Lupinus species that are collectively designated the State Flower of Texas, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

“This rare variation is the result of a recessive gene that must be carried by both parent plants, so it’s pretty cool to see,” the park said. (KXAN)

THE BLOTTER

"Man killed in Northwest Austin shooting identified; suspect at large" via FOX 7 Austin – The man killed in a deadly Northwest Austin shooting has been identified by police. The Austin Police Department said this is their 18th homicide investigation of the year.

The Austin Police Department is investigating the death of a man near the 10900 block of Brazoria Lane. Police said on April 3, around 12:42 a.m., officers responded to a shots fired call in the 10900 block of Brazoria Lane. The caller said her boyfriend had been shot.

When officers arrived, they found a man, later identified as Joshua Williams, with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made at this time. APD is investigating the death of a person and a suspect remains at large. (FOX7)

"Trial starting for man charged with murder for dealing fentanyl" via KXAN — In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed a law to increase punishments for dealing fentanyl. House Bill 6, which allowed dealers to be charged with murder if they sold a fatal dose of fentanyl to a user, was signed into law in June 2023 and implemented on September 1.

“Fentanyl is an epidemic that very simply, is taking too many lives,” Abbott said during the bill signing ceremony. “Because of the courageous partnership of grieving family members Texas legislators and our office, we are enshrining into law today new protections that will save lives in Texas.”

A few months later on Dec. 16, 2023, 16-year-old Zarek McMeekin died of a fentanyl and heroin overdose in his Leander home. Now, his case is being tried as a murder.

"I think it's great that they passed a law," McMeekin's mother Martha Ledezma said. "Hopefully it sends out a message to others to think twice before they get involved in selling this type of drug because it's just killing people. I mean, what is the point?" (KXAN)

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