Austin City Council has approved a budget of $5.9 billion for the 2024-25 fiscal year, its largest budget ever. It includes an increased city property tax rate and higher fees for electricity and water. It also outlines funding for city departments and utilities, detailing everything from police funding to property taxes. Fiscal years in Austin run from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 of the following year. (Austin American-Statesman)
The new budget also addresses rental assistance.
Two Austin City Council members say the Parks and Recreation Department is dealing with staffing shortages and the city needs to do more to fix it. (KVUE-TV)
A controversial rule that lowers the amount of land needed to build one house in Austin goes into effect Friday. Landowners wanting to build a home in some city neighborhoods will now need 1,800 square feet of land, about two-thirds less than the old requirement. (Austin Monitor)
Bruce Mills, the top executive at City Hall overseeing Austin’s public safety departments, is on his way out, ending an interim stint as assistant city manager. (Austin Chronicle)
The Austin Police Department and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office responded to a barricaded subject early this morning in the 4400 block of Airport Boulevard near the intersection of Parkwood Road. The suspect remains at large. (KEYE-TV)
One person is dead after a single-vehicle rollover in west Travis County.
One person was killed after a crash involving a car and a bicyclist in Georgetown last night. (KEYE-TV)
The Austin Police Department provided an update Wednesday after it found a DNA link to separate investigations.
A Hays County grand jury has cleared a San Marcos police officer involved in the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Malachi Williams in April. (KVUE-TV)
A federal judge heard arguments in the case of a former volunteer chaplain with the Austin Fire Department who sued the city and Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, claims he was fired over a blog post about his beliefs. (Fox7 Austin)
Prosecutors tried to halt the trial of former Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and former county prosecutor Jason Nassour on Wednesday, saying the judge’s decision on a federal privacy law meant they could not enter the evidence that proved their case. (Austin American-Statesman)
A Travis County judge warned a murder victim’s mother that the suspected killer’s case is not going to go through the court system quickly. (Fox7 Austin)
Several more area school districts begin classes today.
During a Texas House Public Education Committee meeting this week, experts testified to lawmakers that uncertified teachers who don’t have the classroom experience could create learning gaps for students. (Austin American-Statesman)
The Austin Public Library looks to combat what they call a “summer slide” in students… the phenomenon of students losing academic ground over the summer break, particularly in math and reading. (Austin Chronicle)
How many 100-degree days will Austin get this year? Local forecasters make their predictions. (KXAN-TV)
When will it start to cool down in Texas? (Austin American-Statesman)
The Austin metropolitan area is ranked fifth-highest in the nation for wildfire damage risk…the highest ranking outside of California. (KVUE-TV)
Over 1,000 earthquakes happened in Texas this summer. Here’s what a seismologist says is causing them. (KVUE-TV)
Hurricane Ernesto continued to slowly gain strength from Wednesday to Thursday and has the potential to rapidly intensify while over open waters of the Atlantic. The next encounters for the powerful hurricane will be Bermuda this weekend, then Atlantic Canada early next week. (AccuWeather)
The Round Rock Police Department’s Animal Control Unit is warning the public of recent rabies tests of bats. They say over the past few months several bats have tested positive for rabies. (Fox7 Austin)
Austin officials said the second in a series of detours will soon be put in place along the Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail so crews can construct new pedestrian bridges over Waller Creek and the Lagoon Overlook and the leaf deck for The Confluence, the second phase of the Waterloo Greenway. (KVUE-TV)
Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday he’ll seek legal action if Dallas does not order the State Fair of Texas to reverse its ban on licensed concealed carry at this year’s fair. (KUT 90.5)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vows to keep busing migrants north. One problem: Not enough migrants. (NBC News)
Mauricio Dubón drove in the go-ahead run with a 10th-inning single in Tampa last night as the Houston Astros defeated the Rays, 2-1, for their season-high eighth straight win. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Texas Rangers also went to ten innings last night and managed to come away with a 9-7 victory at Fenway Park. (Yahoo! Sports)
It’s time to bury the Texas Rangers in the AL West race. (Houston Chronicle via MSN)
Texas State announced Wednesday that former Texas baseball coach David Pierce has been hired as an assistant to their head coach, Steven Trout. (Austin American-Statesman via MSN)
Texas Longhorns: After losing a second running back to a season-ending injury, Jaydon Blue is the only scholarship player with significant experience at the position. (US News & World Report)
Ranking the Texas Longhorns’ top five rivals in football. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Boerne Little Leaguers are representing Texas in their quest to win a Little League World Series title. (Austin American-Statesman)
24 hours in Fort Worth…
