Brush Fire Destroys Alamo Film Set
The Texas Forest Service says the brush fire near Reimer’s Ranch in western Travis County is now 75 percent contained. The fire has burned more than 200 acres. Officials say it destroyed two park structures and about 8 structures from the movie set for the 2003 film “The Alamo. ”
The Forest Service says four homes in the area were evacuated last night for precautionary measures. No homes were lost. The cause of the fire is under investigation but officials say lightning could be to blame.
Bastrop Pets to Go Up For Adoption
KXANreports animals taken to the Austin Humane Society after the Bastrop County wildfires will be up for adoption starting Monday if their owners don't claim them.
In all, 170 pets came into the Humane Society at the beginning of the wildfire. "We open up every available space in our shelter to serve as many animals as we can," said [Lisa] Starr. That includes the conference room and auditorium. They've made it possible with the help of volunteers and donations of medical supplies and food, stacked up in the hallway because there's no other space.
The Humane Society has been treating animals for burns and trying to locate their owners.
Governor Rick Perry Facing Tough Tests on National Stage
Last week wasn’t the best for Gov. Perry’s presidential campaign: He had a bad debate and lost two straw polls. Now the campaign will have to address those disappointments with an eye towards additional pitfalls down the campaign trail.
KUT's political reporter Ben Philpott had a reporton Morning Edition about where the Perry for president campaign stands:
“Perry really did throw up all over himself in the debate,” Fox News’ Brit Hume said after last Thursday’s contest in Orlando, Fla. “At a time when he needed to raise his game — I mean, he did worse, it seems to me, than he had done in previous debates.” The next GOP debate is Oct. 11 in New Hampshire. If Perry attends, don’t expect a dramatic improvement, says Paul Burka, senior executive editor at Texas Monthly. “Perry’s has never been a really outstanding debater,” Burka told KUT News. “He’s never really had to face a tough debate in a race that he could lose.”