Hundreds of people gathered in Heritage Square Park in Taylor on Saturday for the city’s fifth annual Pride Music & Arts Festival, marking the end of Pride Month with music, vendors, and celebration — even as city officials withheld formal recognition of the event for the first time in years.
Saturday’s festival, hosted by Taylor Pride, featured live entertainment, food trucks, and dozens of booths from local organizations and businesses, drawing a crowd estimated in the thousands. Organizers and attendees said the event was not just a celebration of LGBTQ+ identity, but also a powerful display of community solidarity in the face of political resistance.
Resistance came earlier this year when Taylor’s newly elected mayor, Dwayne Ariola, declined to sign a Pride Month proclamation — a tradition upheld by his predecessors since 2021. Ariola cited concerns that Pride had become “too political” and said he preferred to issue proclamations that “unify the community.” In his place, the city issued proclamations for Juneteenth and the birthday of Dan Moody, the Taylor-born former Texas governor.
The decision sparked public backlash. A petition urging the mayor to reverse his stance gathered more than 1,400 signatures, and several residents voiced frustration at City Council meetings. LGBTQ+ advocates and community leaders, including former Council Member Denise Rogers and current Council Member Robert Garcia, criticized the move as a step backward for inclusion in the growing Williamson County town.
“We’re not going away. This celebration belongs to the people, not City Hall.” — Taylor Pride President Ben Morgan
The festival went on without city endorsement, bolstered by grassroots support. Though a small group of protesters stood near the park with anti-LGBTQ+ signs, the atmosphere inside the event was festive and peaceful.
Organizers emphasized the importance of visibility and belonging, especially in a year marked by increased political and cultural tensions around LGBTQ+ rights.
“Our message is clear: love is louder. And Taylor showed up to prove it.” — Taylor Pride Chair Melanie Goss
Although Austin’s official city celebration and Pride parade are scheduled for August, the city is still celebrating Pride throughout June with a range of events. (Austin American-Statesman)
On Saturday, the Travis County Clerk’s Office held a community vow renewal ceremony.
New data released during Pride Month is shedding light on a rise in violence targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.
Three people aree dead following an overnight crash on I-35 in Round Rock, in the 1200 block of northbound I-35, just north of Palm Valley Boulevard near the Wingate Hotel.
One person was taken into custody for DWI.
More details as they become available.
Austin firefighters successfully put out an apartment fire Saturday.
A 26-year-old Hutto woman has been charged with murder in the fentanyl-related death of 30-year-old Michael Ackerman. According to an arrest affidavit, Crystal Perez faces up to 99 years in prison if convicted of the first-degree felony. (Austin American-Statesman)
Friday was Day 5 of the civil trial stemming from a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the parents of Alex Gonzales, Jr., who was shot by former Austin police officer Gabriel Gutierrez following a road rage incident between the two men.
A former Austin Police Department forensic analyst testified in the trial Friday that she faced retaliation after reporting her supervisor for falsifying training records. The analyst, who helped investigate a 2021 off-duty police shooting, said her supervisor inflated her qualifications. (Austin American-Statesman)
According to data from the Travis County Criminal Data Dashboard, there was a 17% increase in misdemeanor theft filings—cases involving stolen goods valued under $2,500—in the first half of 2025. This rise is often associated with incidents like shoplifting or other small-scale property crimes.
Austin retailers are reporting an increase in theft, leading them to spend more on private security. They feel there are no meaningful consequences for low-level crimes, which they believe is driving the trend.
A self-driving Tesla Model Y successfully delivered itself to its owner in Austin, without human occupants or remote operators, marking a significant advancement in Tesla’s autonomous delivery testing program.
A new neighborhood in Marble Falls with a lagoon and a monorail? (Austin Business Journal)
4th of July celebrations in Austin are being held Friday.
Austin’s largest Independence Day celebration on July 4 at Auditorium Shores and the Long Center.
But a new WalletHub study, “Best & Worst Places for 4th of July Celebrations (2025),” deems Austin the 88th-best U.S. city for celebrating Independence Day, a steep decline from last year’s ranking of No. 39. It ranked No. 21 in 2023. (Austin CultureMap)
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT PURCHASING AND USING FIREWORKS IN CENTRAL TEXAS
In the city of Austin, it’s “illegal to possess or use fireworks inside the City limits” unless you have a permit issued by the Austin Fire Department Special Event Division. Anyone who violates that law could receive a citation and a possible fine of up to $2,000. (KXAN-TV)
- Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworks.
- Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.
- A responsible adult should supervise all fireworks activities. Never give fireworks to children.
- Be sure other people and pets are out of range.
- Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.
- Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away.
- Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area; away from buildings and vehicles.
- Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning “dud” fireworks. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
- Always have a bucket of water and charged water hose nearby for emergencies and for pouring on misfired or spent fireworks.
- Never carry fireworks in your pocket or shoot them into metal or glass containers.
- Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
- Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and place in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials until the next day.
WEATHER
Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French sparked outrage by posting a poll comparing Jews and Muslims as threats to America, leading to calls for his resignation from prominent figures like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Pressure for him to step down grows.
State Rep. James Talarico, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke held a town hall at San Antonio’s Stable Hall on Friday.
The three Democrats held the town hall amid reports that it was unclear whether they would each campaign for different statewide seats or compete against each other in a primary for one post. (Texas Tribune)
Beto O’Rourke has been holding town hall events across the state. While he hasn’t yet announced that he’s running, O’Rourke confirms meeting with other Democrats who are considering statewide runs in the March 2026 primary. Politics reporter Adam Schwager speaks one-one-one with O’Rourke to find out more about his plans and how they mesh with those of other Democrats weighing options for 2026.
Texas Republican State Senator Charles Perry of Lubbock discusses Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of the bill banning THC, which he authored. He also tells Jack Fink about Senate Bill 7, the water infrastructure bill he wrote that was passed.
“Jugging” will now become a felony in Texas starting September 1. Jugging is the act of following a person from a bank or ATM with the intent to steal the funds at another location from the victim’s vehicle or person. (FOX7 Austin)
Tarrant County teenager Karmelo Anthony was indicted for first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo revealed that county agencies, including the toll road authority, spent millions of dollars without following proper procurement processes or maintaining documentation. The revelations came during a tense commissioners court meeting focused on the county’s flood control programs. (Texas Scorecard)
The discovery of 300 bodies in a Juarez crematorium represents a six-fold increase from the 50 bodies found just one day earlier.
A large area of Saharan Dust is moving west from the Gulf of Mexico, on a crash course toward the Texas coast today. Some of the dust arrived early morning, but the greater concentration of dust particles won’t get here until tonight and into Monday. (MSN)
SPORTS
MLS: Austin FC fell in a 2-0 defeat against Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday night at Lumen Field.
Seattle took the lead with the final play of the first half when Paul Rothrock found Jesús Ferreira with a cross on a counterattack. Danny Musovski added another for the hosts on the other side of halftime. (Austin FC)
NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE: Friday, Jul 5th at Q2 Stadium…Austin FC hosts Los Angeles FC.
MLB: The Texas Rangers walked it off last night.
Marcus Semien had an RBI single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Saturday. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Houston Astros saw their five game winning streak halted by the visiting Chicago Cubs.
Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
TODAY:
NBA: The San Antonio Spurs held a press conference on Saturday to introduce the team’s selections in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Dylan Harper, selected 2nd overall, embodies the Spurs’ values with his confident yet humble attitude, strong work ethic, and eagerness to learn from teammates.
The Spurs drafted Carter Bryant, a deaf player from Riverside, California, with the 14th pick, showcasing the team’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the NBA.
We’re taking a day trip to “Cowtown”.
Buckle up as we head to Fort Worth.
