Austin City Council met Thursday for its regular session and tackled over 100 items on its agenda including the extension of the city’s pilot license plate reader program.
Council also advanced a rezoning plan for ten acres in northwest Austin. The Acacia Cliffs apartment complex currently sits on the land and would be replaced with a much larger building with fewer affordable housing options.
Council once again delayed the approval of Ted Eubanks’ nomination to the city’s Parks and Recreation Board. Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes said she wanted time to address some concerns that had been brought to her attention. (Austin Monitor)
Council discussed updates to the city’s wildfire risk map.
Austin City Council members celebrated the resounding defeat of House Bill 274 on Wednesday, a bill that would have created the “District of Austin” as the state’s official seat of government. (Austin Monitor)
A complete roundup of yesterday’s session…
The 100-plus item agenda listed here.
Watch the entire video of the session here.
Austin’s police union is suing Chief Lisa Davis claiming she is overstepping her position.
Two identical bills before each chamber of the Texas Legislature could ultimately subvert the implementation of Austin’s Police Oversight Act, an ordinance overwhelmingly approved nearly two years ago aimed at granting public access to police records.
The body of a woman was found floating in Lady Bird Lake Thursday morning near the Congress Avenue Bridge.
Yesterday’s discovery was the first of its kind this year. Four deaths were reported in 2022, followed by five in 2023 and five last year.
Austin police are looking for three suspects wanted in a commercial burglary downtown last week.
Authorities are also looking for a robbery suspect.
And finally, Austin police have released more details about the arrest of a man in connection with several indecent exposure incidents in South Austin two weeks ago.
Williamson County authorities are investigating an apparent murder-suicide near Round Rock early Wednesday morning.
Two men have been arrested in Cedar Park in connection with recent “jugging” incidents.
The Williamson County Commissioners Court has appointed Steven Snell as a new county judge.
Snell replaces Judge Bill Gravell who recently resigned to take a role with the Trump administration. (Fox7 Austin)
Due to alleged human trafficking, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has enforced a six-month emergency closure of a massage establishment in Round Rock.
Austin ISD reports that a teacher, now arrested on child pornography charges, had substituted at 20 of its schools. (KXAN-TV)
The Austin Municipal Court will hold their 2025 Warrant Amnesty program.
From March 31 to April 25, people can take care of their unpaid tickets and outstanding warrants without threat of arrest.
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Devastating flooding hit the Rio Grande Valley on Thursday after repeated rounds of thunderstorms dumped as much as a foot of rain in less than 48 hours. McAllen, Texas, took the worst of it, picking up 7.93 inches, good enough for their third-wettest day of all time, and more than one-third of their average annual rain.
The rainfall in the ATX is a good thing.
Thursday’s Senate State Affairs Committee hearing provided Texans their first opportunity in three years to address lawmakers regarding the near-total abortion ban, enacted by Governor Greg Abbott. (Austin American-Statesman)
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that his office is investigating a Texas Medicaid insurance provider for allegedly illegally spying on Texans.
President Donald Trump has called Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) a “lowlife” after she referred to Texas Governor Greg Abbott as “Governor Hot Wheels.” Governor Abbott has been in a wheelchair since 1984. (Fox7 Austin)
Dozens of Texas superintendents met with lawmakers this month in Austin to back a bill some believe could curb violence against teachers in the classroom.
Yolanda Saldívar, the woman serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of Tejano music icon Selena Quintanilla, has been denied parole, according to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Montgomery County authorities say a woman has been found safe after a domestic incident turned into a manhunt.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has launched a new online tool that pinpoints where people can obtain the overdose-reversing drug, Narcan. (Texas Public Radio)
How long until there’s a Buc-ee’s on Mars?
Texas’ role in the modern space race, what the aeronautics industry wants from the Legislature and, of course, Elon Musk.
SPORTS
MLB: Framber Valdez pitched seven scoreless innings and Josh Hader struck out Juan Soto with two on to save the Houston Astros’ 3-1 win over the New York Mets on Thursday. (Yahoo! Sports)
Wilyer Abreu hit a three-run shot in the ninth inning for his second homer of the opener, powering the Boston Red Sox past the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Thursday. (Yahoo! Sports)
Both the Astros and Rangers return to the field tonight.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Darrion Williams scored the go-ahead basket with 7.3 seconds left in overtime after tying the game with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation to lead Texas Tech to an 85-83 win over Arkansas on Thursday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Red Raiders will face Florida tomorrow.
The Houston Cougars face Perdue tonight.
NBA: All three Texas teams were on the court last night.
All three have the night off tonight.
NHL: Casey DeSmith made 46 saves, Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist and the Dallas Stars beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Thursday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
Dallas is off tonight.
COLLEGE BASEBALL: The Texas Longhorns (20-3) begin a weekend SEC series at Missouri tonight at 6:00 p.m.
Today we discover some history in Texarkana.
