The Austin City Council has chosen to discontinue its automated license plate reader (ALPR) program amid growing criticism regarding data privacy. This decision follows City Manager TC Broadnax’s announcement that the council would no longer consider a vote to extend the program, removing it from their agenda.
San Marcos officials are grappling with the use of ALPRs. (CBS Austin)
Austin City Council meets today for its regularly scheduled meeting.
The main topics on its agenda:
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) Board of Directors also meet today. On its agenda:
- Grove Development Payment – Approving a $467,405.41 payment to Milestone Community Builders for constructing 36 affordable rental units (32 units for households at/below 60% median family income, 4 units for households at/below 80% median family income) within the Grove Planned Unit Development.
- Doris-Hathaway Construction Contract – Authorizing a construction services contract with Constructinople, LLC for $747,554 plus $74,755.40 contingency (total not to exceed $822,309.40) for the affordable residential development at 8404 Hathaway Drive.
- Sunset Ridge Nonprofit Formation – Approving the creation of AHFC Sunset Ridge Nonprofit Corporation to serve as general partner/managing member for a large multifamily rental development (364-444 units) at 8413 Southwest Parkway. This includes approving corporate documents, appointing board members, and authorizing a ground lease.
Both meetings can be viewed live via ATXN.
Jackie Goodman, a former Austin City Council member and prominent environmental advocate, died Tuesday afternoon. She was 79.
Before her election to City Council, Goodman served on the Planning Commission and the Parks and Recreation Board. After leaving the Council in 2005, Goodman continued her service to the city through various community groups, including 30 years as a board member of the Save Barton Creek Association. (Austin Monitor)
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis provided new details Wednesday about an incident over the weekend in North Austin where officers returned fire on a man following a traffic pursuit.
An investigation is underway after an inmate at the Travis County Correctional Complex died while in custody.
Austin police have identified the two people who died Monday in a house fire in East Austin. (Austin American-Statesman)
A stolen truck was recovered and two people were taken into custody in Hutto after a citizen reported seeing people pulling on door handles, police say.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office is moving into the 21st century.
Austin officials reported $2.5 million in savings from electrifying the city’s fleet and outlined plans to nearly double the electric vehicle fleet size by 2030 as part of a broader push to cut emissions and grow citywide charging infrastructure.
The city currently operates 373 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in its fleet, which collectively logged 1.8 million miles over the past year. The city aims to double its BEV fleet to over 700 by 2030. (Austin Monitor)
Tesla’s Robotaxi launch in Austin is planned for next week despite concerns stemming from a fatal accident in 2023 involving a pedestrian and a Tesla using full self-driving technology.
Meanwhile, another “Tesla Takedown” has been scheduled.
A federal judge has issued a permanent injunction against Texas’ long-established policy granting in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants, following a swift settlement by Attorney General Ken Paxton of a lawsuit brought by Trump Administration attorneys.
During the legislative session that concluded Monday, Texas legislators had weighed eliminating this practice—as they have in past sessions—but approximately six proposed bills stalled and failed to advance through either the House or Senate. (Newsweek)
Texas Minute: “No More College Aid For Illegals”
Austin ISD is expected to decide on some changes for the upcoming school year during a virtual meeting today.
The district said it planned on consolidating schools beginning in the 2026–27 school year, which could include school closures, boundary changes and more.
Hays CISD has locked in land deals for new elementary school campuses in Kyle and Buda.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has been in London as that city hosts its version of SXSW.
Photos: Baker Botts via X
Taylor Pride will hold its fifth annual music-and-arts festival later this month, despite a decision by Mayor Dwayne Ariola not to issue a proclamation recognizing the event. (KUT 90.5)
“For four years they’ve issued a proclamation. They’ve always been very supportive and very present at all of our events. So yeah, to receive a denial from the new mayor was very surprising and disappointing.” — Denise Rodgers, the president and founder of the LGBTQ+ nonprofit Taylor Pride
The pool at The Hamilton Pool Preserve in Western Travis County is closed due to high bacteria levels, a result of recent heavy rains. Officials are hoping the harmful levels will drop enough to reopen Friday. (CBS Austin)
On Wednesday, May 28, a microburst spawned by a supercell thunderstorm swept across Austin.
After conducting a damage assessment, the National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio office concluded that a “long-track microburst” had impacted portions of the city, analyzing both the storm’s origin and intensity. (KXAN-TV via MSN)
WEATHER
Gov. Greg Abbott is expected sign several bills today. One will protect oil fields from theft.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed into law House Bill 2, providing roughly $8.5 billion in new funding for Texas public schools, offering relief to districts for teacher and support staff pay, operational expenses, special education, educator preparation, early childhood learning and campus safety.
There were also many other consequential education-related bills lawmakers passed in addition to the marquee legislation. Barring a veto from Gov. Greg Abbott, these will soon become law in Texas. (Texas Standard)
Senate Bill 568 – Increasing special education funding
Senate Bill 12 – Ban on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in K-12 schools
Senate Bill 13 – More oversight for school libraries
House Bill 1481 – Limits on personal communication devices in school
A look at the wins rural Texas scored in this year’s legislative session. (Texas Tribune)
Some lawmakers from the Austin area joined KVUE’s Ashley Goudeau to discuss the 89th Texas Legislative Session.
The Fight to Save Hemp in Texas: Inside the Controversial THC Ban
Lawmakers in the state house and senate approved Senate Bill Three (SB3) this week. Now, it needs a Greg Abbott signature is all that stands between Texas and the ban.
Texas is slated to spend $51 billion on property tax cuts over the next two years. Some worry that’s unsustainable. (Texas Tribune)
Texas’ explosive population growth is putting immense pressure on the state’s largest cities and metropolitan areas. So, nearly 200 researchers and business leaders produced a plan to build better cities in the future and presented it to lawmakers before the start of the 89th Regular Legislative Session.
The man accused of killing King of the Hill voice actor Jonathan Joss in San Antonio has been released from jail after posting bond.
Texas Department of Safety is offering reward money for information leading to the arrest of this month’s Featured Fugitive.
A Texas woman died from a rare brain infection after using tap water from an RV water system, according to a report from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (Chron)
SPORTS
COLLEGE SOFTBALL: The Texas Longhorns are now one win away from securing the program’s first WCWS championship in the best-of-three series.
In a 2-hour, 7-minute classic that featured two of the best pitchers in all of Division I softball, it was Texas’ two-time All-American Reese Atwood swinging at a 3-0 pitch nearly eye-leveled that provided the difference in the Longhorns’ 2-1 win over Texas Tech in the first game of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series on Wednesday night. (Texas Longhorns)
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Texas head baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle appears to have deactivated his X account in the wake of online criticism over the team’s postseason performance. (Chron)
MLB: Losses for both the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.
Both teams play again tonight.
Astroworld in Houston opened on June 1, 1968.
The Texas Archive of the Moving Image has some old footage from the late 1960s.
