“It’s so sad and very scary. It’s a shame. It’s a shame to target worship places that way.” — Austin’s Council on American-Islamic Relations Operations Manager Shaimaa Zayan
After three Austin mosques were spray-painted with Stars of David overnight, the city’s Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling on the Austin Police for increased security.
The mosques involved were the Nueces Mosque in West Campus and the Turkish Center and IABA Mosque, both in northwest Austin.
Under Texas law, these acts are considered hate crimes.
“It’s kind of saddening to have someone do this, but we’ll keep doing what we have been for the past 50 years: spreading peace, educating people and continue to serve our community and the students here at UT.” — Fathia, property manager of the Nueces Mosque.
What is Islam? (Islamic Center of Greater Austin)
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of two men on drug charges after officials executed a search warrant on a home near Georgetown.
Authorities in Caldwell County made a major drug seizure during a routine traffic stop.
Austin firefighters responded to a crash last night.
“I would say, since COVID, I don’t know what’s in the water, but it’s pretty bad out there. You got a lot of mentally ill people or people that are a little off, and they’re riding our buses, and our operators who should be focusing on the safety of operating their buses got to be counselors, got to be therapists.” — Austin Amalgamated Transit Union President Brent Payne
CapMetro bus drivers say they’re afraid to go to work and they’re calling on the transit agency to make changes.
In a 10-7 decision, a federal appeals court has ruled that Llano County’s removal of books from a public library is constitutional.
Funding for up to 1,000 new slots for child care may be coming soon for Travis County residents following a tax rate increase approved by voters last November. (Community Impact)
The city of Kyle’s water utilities department has launched a digital meter-reading upgrade that will give residents more accurate water usage data and help detect leaks. (Community Impact)
A Travis County man was convicted earlier this week on two counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted sexual assault. (CBS Austin)
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating how an inmate at the Travis County Correctional Complex managed to slip under an interior fence and access an unauthorized area on May 15th. The incident is currently under review by the Internal Affairs division. (KXAN-TV)
In April, new home sales saw a decline in two of Texas’ four major metropolitan areas compared to April 2024: the Austin metro experienced a 15.7% drop, and San Antonio saw a 2.37% decrease.
Conversely, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro reported a 2.6% increase in new home sales year-over-year, while Houston saw a 7.6% rise. (Austin American-Statesman)
An Austin company working on new cancer drugs has ceased operations. Molecular Templates faced a stock market delisting and bankruptcy. (Austin Business Journal)
Terry Black’s BBQ, a well-known name in Texas barbecue, is expanding its reach by opening its first out-of-state location in Nashville. (Houston Chronicle)
A massive new Amazon facility is under construction in Round Rock that was scheduled to open in September, but that date is now uncertain. (MySanAntonio)
Low water levels and boat ramp closures are not stopping some businesses on Lake Travis.
WEATHER
Weather data from MyPerfectWeather shows our recent spate of hot temperatures is well above the norm for May.
Forget about being “comfortable” in June, July or August (or January) in the ATX.
Dangerous conditions from flash flooding and severe thunderstorms will lurk from the southern Plains to the interior Southeast on Memorial Day. (AccuWeather)
The Edwards Aquifer Authority has implemented Stage 5 water restrictions, their most stringent level. This severe stage is activated when the J-17 index well in Bexar County falls below 625 feet above mean sea level. As of Friday, the well’s 10-day average measured 624.7 feet.
Ten years after deadly floods swept through Wimberley over Memorial Day weekend, scars remain — but so does the strength of a town that refused to be broken.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson issued a proclamation, designating Sunday, May 25 as “2015 Austin Flood Remembrance Day.” (KVUE-TV)
Texas’s consumable THC industry, a market estimated to generate between $3 billion and $8 billion annually, faces an impending ban. Despite hopes from industry stakeholders that the House would resist the Senate’s push for a complete prohibition during the current legislative session, those prospects now appear to be dashed. The Texas House has advanced legislation that would ban the sale and possession of most THC products, aligning with the Senate’s earlier approval. This move, championed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, aims to close a loophole created by the 2019 hemp legalization that allowed for the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products. If signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, most provisions of the ban are expected to take effect on September 1, 2025, potentially leading to significant economic impacts and criminal penalties for non-compliance.
Gov. Greg Abbott has the power to veto it, but he has not made public statements about hemp.
Local attorney Adam Loewry believes the governor won’t sign it.
State Representative James Talarico, a Democrat representing Williamson County, said that the Legislature’s passing of SB 3 is going to hurt the state economically while simultaneously giving cartels a “gift”. (Newsweek)
Some reaction online:
If signed, the ban on THC products in Texas is written to take effect on September 1. That has potential to change if hemp industry advocates convince a judge to pause the ban while they litigate it in state court.
A statewide ban on most consumable THC products in Texas would impact over 8,500 licensed businesses, including supermarkets, liquor stores, vape shops, and gas stations. Specialty hemp stores, which heavily rely on THC product sales, are expected to face significant closures. While vape shops might be able to stay in business by focusing on non-THC products, the broader impact on the industry, estimated to be worth billions annually, is expected to be substantial.
But Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the ban won’t impact the Texas hemp industry much because the state’s focus is on biomass hemp.
A bill that would permit periods of prayer or Bible readings in Texas public and charter schools has moved closer to becoming law. On Friday, the measure passed its final reading in the Texas House with a vote of 88-48. It now proceeds to Governor Greg Abbott for his final approval. (KUT 90.5)
Texas public schools are on the verge of receiving an $8.5 billion funding boost, as the Senate unanimously approved a package on Friday. This agreement, the result of extensive negotiations with the House, comes in the form of House Bill 2. The bill allocates an additional $55 per student to districts’ base funding and establishes a new fund to cover school expenses such as insurance, transportation, and utilities. (Texas Tribune)
Texas lawmakers are nearing a significant restriction on abortion pills, with Senate Bill 2880 having successfully cleared a committee on Friday. This crucial step occurred just two days before the deadline for bills to advance to the House floor. The legislation, which has already passed the Senate, is considered a comprehensive effort to crack down on the distribution and use of abortion-inducing medications in Texas. If enacted, it would allow private lawsuits against those who manufacture, distribute, mail, prescribe, or provide abortion-inducing drugs, potentially carrying significant financial penalties. (Fox7 Austin)
The Texas House on Friday backed away from a legislative proposal that critics said would make it easier for landlords to evict renters. (Texas Tribune)
The number of cases reported in Texas’ historic measles outbreak has risen to 728 cases, 10 more cases over the past week. Of those, 94 patients have been hospitalized, and two school-aged children have died since the outbreak began in January.
But, overall, the outbreak is slowing down.
Hays County reported their first confirmed case of measles earlier this week.
A three-day tax holiday runs today through Monday for energy efficient appliances in Texas.
SPORTS
NHL PLAYOFFS: Stuart Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back again, and go home even in the Western Conference final.
Skinner made 25 saves for his third shutout of the postseason, two nights after giving up five goals, Connor Brown scored after getting hit in the mouth by a skate and the Oilers beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 on Friday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
The action moves to Canada for Game 3 tomorrow afternoon.
MLS: Austin FC will head north for an away trip night when the VERDE & Black take on Minnesota United FC at 7:30 p.m. CT at Allianz Field. (Austin FC)
MLB: Not a great day yesterday for baseball’s two teams in the Lone Star State.
Both teams will try to rebound this afternoon.
We’re visiting Granbury, Texas, today, named after Confederate General Hiram B. Granbury.
