ATX PULSE 12/17/25 (free) (sponsored by The Rundown AI): One Dead in MoPac Crash in North Austin // ERCOT: Grid Will Be Stable for Winter // Hit-and-Run Driver Sought for Crash on N. Lamar Blvd // Lake Austin Disannexations Costs $290M from Austin Tax Base // Tourism Taxes Tapped to Fund Homeless Services // #2 UT Women at Home at 8pm Tonight

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2025

Compiled by Matt Mackowiak

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WEATHER

Wednesday: H: 65° / L: 60°.

Thursday: H: 76° / L: 42°.

Friday: H: 69° / L: 50°.

Saturday: H: 75° / L: 52°.

Sunday: H: 74° / L: 58°.

TOP NEWS

"One dead in crash on MoPac, all southbound lanes reopened" KEYE's None – One person is dead after a crash on MoPac Tuesday morning, police said.

Austin police responded to the crash in the 8100 block of North MoPac southbound around 9:14 a.m., according to the department. One person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Vehicular homicide detectives are investigating the circumstances of the collision, police said.

Southbound lanes of MoPac at U.S. 183 were closed due to the investigation, along with all on-ramps and toll lanes in the area, police said on X. The lanes reopened just before 12:30 p.m., according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

(KEYE)

"Nearly 5 years after Uri, ERCOT says Texas power grid will be stable this winter" Community Impact | News's Hannah Norton – The Texas power grid is expected to hold up this winter, officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said during the grid operator’s Dec. 9 board meeting. This is due in part to “tremendous supply growth on the ERCOT grid,” Pablo Vegas said, amid an influx of data centers and large businesses coming to the Lone Star State.

Since last winter, over 11,000 megawatts of generating capacity have been added to the ERCOT grid, Vegas said.

(Community Impact | News)

THE BLOTTER

"Man arrested for DWI after allegedly crashing car into east Austin tattoo studio" via KEYE – John Kim was arrested for DWI after allegedly crashing his car into an east Austin tattoo studio. According to authorities, the incident occurred late Saturday night when Kim lost control of his vehicle and drove into the front of the business. No injuries were reported, but the studio sustained significant damage. Kim was taken into custody at the scene and charged with driving while intoxicated. The investigation is ongoing.

(KEYE)

"Austin police seek driver of silver sedan in hit-and-run on North Lamar Boulevard" via KEYE – Austin police are searching for the driver of a silver sedan who fled the scene of a crash that injured multiple people last month.

The collision occurred around 4:45 a.m. Nov. 24 in the 8900 block of North Lamar Boulevard, police said. A silver four-door sedan struck a red Ford Focus, then drove off northbound on North Lamar without rendering aid to the victims, according to police.

All occupants of the Ford suffered injuries, police said.

The suspect vehicle is described as a silver four-door sedan with damage to the front and front left area, police said.

Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program at austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.

(KEYE)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

"Lake Austin disannexations cut at least $290M from city tax base" Austin American-Statesman's Chaya Tong, Karina Kumar – Multiple properties along Lake Austin have been officially removed from the city of Austin after the City Council approved the disannexations last week, stripping more than $290 million in taxable value from the city.

The move follows years of controversy dating back to the 1800s, when the Texas Legislature added thin strips of land along the Colorado River to Austin’s city limits. In 1986, the council declared the properties “limited-purpose jurisdiction," meaning the city could not tax the shoreline properties and the properties would not receive full municipal services such as water, wastewater service and fire hydrants.

In 2019, the City Council voted to add the properties to the city’s tax rolls through an ordinance declaring that the properties had been within the city’s jurisdiction “at all times since the 1891 Act of Incorporation.”

(Austin American-Statesman)

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