The 2025 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K takes place this morning throughout downtown Austin.
Seventeen thousand runners are expected to participate in the race. It starts at 7 a.m. on South Congress Avenue, where it also finishes.
Rolling closures will be put in place Sunday, which means streets will begin to open as runners pass. All streets are expected to reopen by 2:00 p.m.
Notable road closures are as follows:
- Congress Ave Bridge between Riverside Dr to Cesar Chavez from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Congress Ave between Riverside Dr & Ben White from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Westbound Ben White Frontage Rd between Congress Ave & 1st St from 5 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
- 1st St Bridge between Riverside Dr to Cesar Chavez from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
One Austin runner is going for the record books:
One woman is running to raise awareness of sexual assault. (Austin American-Staesman)
It was reported yesterday that an accused murderer, 19-year-old Stephon Martin Morson, had his bond dramatically reduced and was released. His bond was originally set at $800,000 but it was recently dropped to $100.
The Austin Police Association denounced the move as did private citizens on social media and the governor of Texas:
Michael Bullock, president of the Austin Police Association:
“It’s a convoluted system where multiple people could bear the responsibility for this, but the bottom line of it is no matter what decisions are being made or who is ultimately responsible for it, the people who are going to pay the price are Austinites.”
Fox7 Austin looks at the week’s news in crime and public safety:
Emergency responders had a busy Saturday night.
The city of Bee Cave claims its former city manager received improper gifts and was involved in a fraudulent scheme to mislead local officials about the development of the controversial West Austin Business Park. (Austin Business Journal)
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office has a new podcast. In its latest episode, they look at the impact of fentanyl in Hays County, explore efforts to prevent its spread in local school districts and highlight essential information parents need to know.
Despite voter approval, Lockhart and Bastrop won’t decriminalize marijuana. Is that legal? (KUT 90.5)
Many of Austin’s biggest projects and programs will be severely affected if President Trump’s federal funding freeze is allowed to proceed. Specifically, transportation and public health sectors would be the most immediately affected. (Austin Monitor)
Round Rock-based Dell Technologies Inc. has secured a deal worth more than $5 billion, according to Bloomberg. Dell is expected to provide Elon Musk’s AI startup company Grok with servers to optimize “artificial intelligence work.”
“I think my goal as a native Austinite is that we don’t want to completely change the identity of Sixth Street. We just want it to be a more accessible and inviting environment for people all day.” — Stream Senior Vice President Paul Bodenman
A Dallas-based real estate firm is redeveloping parts of Austin’s historic and iconic 6th Street and says he wants to attract more daytime visitors while keeping its history and character alive.
The new project will result in a section of the district looking very different soon. (MySanAntonio)
A reminder:
The City of Austin is opening its cold weather shelters tonight as temperatures are forecasted to drop into the 30’s. Anyone looking to register to stay at the shelters can do so by visiting the One Texas Center at South 1st Street and Barton Springs Road from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Shelters open overnight when temperatures at Camp Mabry are forecasted hit 35 degrees or colder. (CBS Austin via MSN)
WEATHER
This pretty much says it all…
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted that La Niña will be short-lived, persisting only through the next few months (February-April), making little impact on our weather. (Austin American-Statesman)
As Education Savings Accounts move closer to becoming Texas law, Texas parents have questions.
From this week’s episode of State of Texas.
Continuing the trend of tech migration to Texas, electric vehicle manufacturer Envirotech Vehicles Inc. has announced its move from Osceola to Houston. (Houston Chronicle)
Dallas Love Field is using jet wind energy to power car and power phone chargers. (Texas Public Radio)
Winners and losers: Who came out on top — and who didn’t — in the Texas House’s committee assignments. (Texas Tribune)
Gov. Greg Abbott met with members of the Texas Congressional delegation and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson this past week.
Republicans support the governor’s request for reimbursement for years of costs associated with securing the border, but Democrats in Congress they spoke with sharply oppose it.
This week’s episode of Eye On Politics.
Texas school superintendents want state lawmakers to change a 30-year-old Texas law to make classrooms safer.
This week’s episode of Inside Texas Politics.
One of Texas’ Ten Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants was arrested in Houston after an anonymous tip. (My Texas Daily)
Dallas could soon have two stock exchanges. (Texas Public Radio)
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: A big SEC win at home Saturday for the Texas Longhorns.
Freshman Tre Johnson recorded a career-high 32 points, while graduate guard Tramon Mark added a season-high 26 points to lead Texas (16-10, 5-8 SEC) to an 82-78 win over No. 15/18 Kentucky (17-8, 6-6 SEC) on Saturday evening before a sellout crowd inside Moody Center. This marked UT’s third victory over an AP Top 25 opponent this season, as the Longhorns previously defeated No. 22 Missouri and No. 13 Texas A&M. (Texas Longhorns)
Texas has given women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer a three-year contract extension.
#3/3 Texas (25-2, 11-1 SEC) vs #5/5 LSU (25-1, 10-1 SEC)
Game time is 2:00 p.m. at Moody Center.
Texas is 13-0 at home this season and 45-5 all-time at Moody Center. Going back to last season the Longhorns have won 20 games in a row at home.
Wade Taylor IV scored 18 points and No. 8 Texas A&M extended its winning streak to five games with a 69-61 victory over Arkansas on Saturday. (Yahoo! Sports)
Milos Uzan scored 19 points, L.J. Cryer added 15 and No. 6 Houston took firm control of the Big 12 Conference race with a 62-58 win over No. 13 Arizona on Saturday. (Yahoo! Sports)
JT Toppin had 32 points and 12 rebounds to help No. 12 Texas Tech rout Oklahoma State 93-55 on Saturday. (Yahoo! Sports)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Former Texas wide receiver Johntay Cook II was arrested for a second time in two weeks. (Houston Chronicle)
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Left-handed pitcher Luke Harrison shut down Ole Miss (1-1) and Texas (1-1) used a seven-run fourth to run-rule the Rebels, 10-0, Saturday evening at Globe Life Field.
The win marked the Longhorn’s first victory under head coach Jim Schlossnagle.
Texas concludes its play in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington tonight at 6:30 p.m. when they face Oklahoma State. (Texas Longhorns)
Austin locals are embracing a new form of transportation: pedicabs.
