Michael A. Cantu
News Reporter
Lubbock, Texas
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Michael A. Cantu is the morning News Now reporter for KCBD NewsChannel 11. For the past year, he worked in Central Texas at KCBD's sister station KWTX.
Before moving to Central Texas, Michael worked as a digital content producer and later flourished into a news reporter at KCBD NewsChannel 11.
He is a graduate of Texas Tech University and formerly wrote for its college newspaper, The Daily Toreador.
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Campuses at the Killeen Independent School District are now considered Safe Place locations and can provide any community member with help or safety.
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This follows a decision made last week by the City of Temple, which would do away with finding outside help to promote more equity for minority communities within city government.
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Of the many concerns about emergencies popping up, one of the more prominent right now, is wildfire danger.
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Many fire departments are putting in more hours than they have in the past and for the most-part Central Texas has been spared from any major damage.
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The Temple Independent School District is in its initial phase of rolling out a bus monitoring system aimed at making sure its students get on and off at the right times. It is a step to add more safety for the students.
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Though gas prices are still high, they are not as high.
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This follows a move earlier this week by the mayor and city manager to not contract with a Chicago-based group.
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If the Tuesday Bulldog Fire highlighted anything, it is water can be drained quickly if any emergencies arise.
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A citizens coalition in Temple, angry about a contract the city never approved, was out in front of city hall Tuesday night.
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Called its “comprehensive plan,” it outlines how Killeen can better manage its growth. And there is lots of emphasis on what it could do downtown
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Throughout the week, KISD’s campus police force has been going through active shooter training, using a decommissioned campus to run through drills.
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First Cedar Valley Baptist Church in bell county continues was completely flattened after a tornado tore through the area in April. Now, the roof is on and the walls are up, a sign of more progress for the church.
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A citizens petition to put the marijuana ordinance in place was started earlier in the year.
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This upcoming year, there is more emphasis on making sure everyone on Killeen Independent School District campuses is prepared for anything to happen.
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So, when a Lometa-area woman found out she owed around $3,000 to her water company, Corix, she was shocked. Because she cannot pay it off, she has been doing without running water this week.
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After receiving numerous complaints about the color of the water at the beginning of the month, Corix President Darrin Barker said, the company found its treatment process was not working as it should.
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Area developers say home-building demand is down, which means less housing is being put up. As if it is not already a struggle to buy a house now, things may soon get tougher.
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The first phase of the Bell County plan is being worked through, and city officials and others are nearly complete. This will help specifically determine what issues need to be prioritized when it comes to fixing the homeless issue in bell county.
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The City of Lott was supposed to decide on an official date to disband its police department Monday night. Instead, the city council pushed to revise its budget and look keep its officers.
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The owner of a food truck in Killeen says the triple digit weather lately has forced her to temporarily shut down and change some hours.
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The Copps, a family of four, all caught COVID after trying extremely hard to stay away from the virus… mostly because of the two boys rare disorders.
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There is lots of economic trouble today as a new report shows inflation is at a 41-year-high. Many at home are feeling it and so are those running small businesses.
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The Killeen Independent School District’s board of trustees were presented with an overview of its current security protocols and some upcoming training changes.
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Called BA.5, it is now the dominant strain across the nation. And places like McLennan and Bell counties are seeing higher risk levels for COVID cases.
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Though cases are few-and-far between people are asked should still consider some swimming alternatives.
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Many people stayed inside with the cool air conditioning, but for a lot of other area residents, keeping the tradition of celebrating a week-long festival was no reason to stay in.
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What was supposed to be a simple fix more than a month ago has become a hot-button issue for a Killeen household.
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That is something people should expect when preparing for those Fourth of July cookouts. At this point in the year, though, people may be used to high prices.
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To thwart this, the City of Temple offered some signage, encouraging people not to do that. And for one Temple resident, he hopes everyone follows the warning.
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An extension to school meal waivers is in effect, called the Keep Kids Fed Act, which President Joe Biden signed on Saturday.
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Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion in Friday’s ruling opened up the possibility of legal challenges when it comes to the right to privacy. That is what rulings related to contraception and same-sex marriage are centered around.
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Hundreds gathered around the Bell County Courthouse to listen to some live music, play some games and get a taste of local vendors. All around people had their choice of local brews, sweet treats and some eats.
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There was a rejoicing for the hundreds of people who gathered Saturday to celebrate the life of Waco’s most influential figure in the African American community.
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Abortion access is now in the hands of individual states and reactions are strong for those for and against.
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Extremely dry conditions throughout Coryell County in Central Texas is causing some worry for those who plan on popping fireworks leading up to Independence Day.
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With drought conditions hardly improving, now may be the time to start being more mindful of water usage. As of now, most of Central Texas is not under any extreme conservation notices.
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The main water supplier for Bell County, the Water Control Improvement District, is working on a project to provide back-up power to one of its most critical distribution points.
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A Killeen man is facing a slew of charges after he allegedly shot two dogs during an argument with his wife.
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It was not easy, though. They searched in quite a few places, but could not find the right fit until now.
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What started off as a kind gesture for the people of Uvalde snowballed into a city-wide donation from Killeen.
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For three weeks, he was on the run after escaping a prison bus in Centerville. Authorities believe before a shootout with police, he murdered five people in a Centerville home, then escaped.
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They gathered for a prayer vigil, with the fear of gun violence high on their minds
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Beneath Monday’s cloudy sky, family members, friends and military members gathered to pay respects who have gone before them.
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“You’re loved, your cared for,” said Janek. “They’re simple words, but they mean a lot to kids and they need to hear it.”
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“And I was like, see this is a gift from Dennis,” said Kaycee Lee. “And I’ll always feel like I feel him watching over us. That was very touching.”
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In Killeen, the Killeen Educators Association president said many of its members are weighing out some ideas they have for school safety. Many members are openly concerned about it and want to find some more comfort in the classroom.
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A photo of a man standing guard outside a Killeen elementary school has gone viral on social media.
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Lydia Robinson died in mid-April after a fight with breast cancer. Not only was she working full-time and helping raise a family, she was also a student at Texas A&M University Central Texas and close to finishing her degree.
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New data shows in all 50 states gas is now more than $4 per gallon. This comes right before summer travel season kicks into gear.
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A Killeen city council member, who lost the May 7 election by 26 votes, has officially submitted paperwork to get things scanned over once again. This is coming from at-large councilwoman Mellisa Brown.
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