Austin City Council met Thursday and the issue of short-term rentals in the area topped the agenda.
To combat tax loopholes that have enabled thousands of unlicensed short-term rentals to operate without paying Hotel Occupancy Tax, the city will require platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo to collect and remit these taxes, starting April 1st. This is the first of several planned changes to the industry.
Many of the regulatory changes were delayed until Oct. 1, when the Legislature is expected to have concluded.
Video of yesterday’s council meeting can be viewed here.
The Hutto Police Department said Thursday it was investigating an apparent murder-suicide that resulted in the deaths of three people.
A woman was shot outside of a gym early Thursday morning in northeast Austin, according to police. (KVUE-TV)
Texas gun violence prevention groups gathered at the State Capitol on Thursday. They are advocating for what they call ‘common sense gun safety reforms.’
The Austin Police Department said a 24-year-old woman died Tuesday after a hit-and-run that occurred Feb. 21.
Authorities provided details about the arrest of a man who allegedly stole an SUV from a South Austin car dealership on Wednesday and apparently had plans to rob a bank.
The City of Kyle is launching a new 3-1-1 service on March 11th, providing an easier way for residents, businesses, and visitors to report non-emergency issues. (City of Kyle)
Austin firefighters responded to a vehicle rescue alarm Thursday.
Amid the onslaught of cuts in federal grants and budgets, many Austin-area refugee organizations are in a panic. (Austin American-Statesman)
Leander ISD held a special board meeting Thursday to discuss their budget and were met with angry students upset over cuts to the International Baccalaureate, or IB program.
The Social Security Administration is planning layoffs of at least 7,000 employees, with potential cuts reaching 50% of its 60,000-person workforce, according to anonymous sources.
Leases for dozens of Social Security sites across several states, including Texas, have been or will be ended. (KVUE-TV)
An Austin ISD executive was arrested Wednesday for allegedly manipulating records related to the theft of thousands of dollars in district gift cards. (KXAN-TV)
Over the next two years, Bastrop ISD plans to add seat belts to all school buses and give drivers a 3% pay raise. (KVUE-TV)
City officials have been clearing some of Austin’s largest and most notorious homeless encampments.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is preparing to start the next phase of its I-35 expansion project through downtown Austin.
Construction on the first phase of a large East Austin mixed-use development, featuring a music venue, civic center, hotel, retail, apartments, and office space, is nearing commencement. (Austin Business Journal)
A San Francisco-based electric mobility infrastructure company announced an expanded partnership with Austin’s public transit provider CapMetro. The company received a $4.3 million contract for the installation of new large-scale charging infrastructure as the city continues to convert its entire fleet of buses to electric-only. (Community Impact)
CapMetro’s secret fight to fix a broken fare system. (KUT 90.5)
Austin’s airport will be see high volumes of passengers this weekend mainly due to the NASCAR event being held at the Circuit of the Americas.
Travis County officials conducted a prescribed burn Thursday at Pace Bend Park in Spicewood to demonstrate the importance of wildfire preparedness.
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
The first significant threat of severe weather for March will build across portions of the southern Plains and the lower Mississippi Valley on Tuesday. (AccuWeather)
A stunning “planet parade” will illuminate the night sky tonight, with seven planets—Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn—aligning just after dusk. (Austin American-Statesman)
Current drought monitor for Texas:
The latest case numbers in the Texas measles outbreak:
Health officials are expected to provide an update and new numbers today.
As a measles outbreak in West Texas continues to raise concerns throughout the state, Austin ISD’s vaccination rate for incoming kindergarteners remains well below pre-pandemic levels.
In the 2023-24 school year, 83.67% of Austin ISD kindergarteners received the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, according to data from the state’s Department of Health Services. (KUT 90.5)
Neither Gov. Greg Abbott nor lawmakers from the hardest hit areas of Texas’ measles outbreak have addressed it publicly in press conferences, social media posts or public calls for people to consider getting vaccinated. (Texas Tribune)
After initially dismissing the measles situation in Texas as “not unusual”, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., offers to help the Lone Star State.
A new poll found more than half of Texans skipped medical care due to cost in 2024. (Lonestar Live)
Capitol Roundup: A look at what’s happening now in the Texas Legislature including a new ban on online lottery sales and courier services in the state.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will implement 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Tuesday, adding punishing restrictions on Texas’ biggest trading partners. (Texas Tribune)
PODCAST: The latest episode of NPR”s Texas Standard looks at what tax season might look like after mass layoffs at the IRS…More than a million Texas kids have been kicked off Medicaid rolls since 2023. What’s happening?…Is Houston in East Texas or Southeast Texas? Texas Monthly publishes its ultimate map of Texas’ regions…and more…
Texas Game Wardens stopped two men attempting to illegally transport “ghost deer” from East Texas to South and Southeast Texas earlier this month. The investigation has since expanded, resulting in 22 suspects and 1,200 pending charges related to statewide white-tailed deer operations. (Houston Chronicle)
Two people are dead after a helicopter crashed off U.S. Highway 90 in Kinney County.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda recorded a season-high 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, while Shay Holle tied her season-high with 16 points, all scored in the second half on 6-for-8 shooting. Rori Harmon and Madison Booker combined for 22 points, as the top-ranked Texas women’s basketball team earned a 68-64 road win at Mississippi State. (Texas Longhorns)
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Texas is set to play in the 2025 Las Vegas Classic at Las Vegas Ballpark.
The Longhorns will face a trio of Power 5 teams (Washington, Texas Tech and Illinois) starting with a matchup against Washington at 8 p.m. tonight. (Texas Longhorns)
NBA: Kyrie Irving scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 103-96 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Poppovich made it official:
All three Texas teams in the NBA…the Mavericks, Spurs and Rockets are idle tonight.
NHL: The Dallas Stars resume play tonight as they host the Los Angeles Kings at 7:00 p.m. (Yahoo! Sports)
The latest episode of Texas Country Reporter introduces us to a highly regarded artist best known for his iconic concert posters…see how every bike is getting a second chance thanks to a special group…stop by the Texas State Fair for some fried collard greens.
