Austin police were busy Wednesday night into early this morning with two incidents requiring the use of the department’s SWAT team.
The first call came after 8:00 p.m. last night in Del Valle.
Later in the evening, in a second incident, a man barricaded himself inside the M Station Apartments. SWAT crews eventually forced entry into the unit. It was the second SWAT situation that APD reported in 12 hours.
The suspect was placed in custody at around 3:20 a.m. this morning after about five hours of negotiations, but his identity has not been made public.
Officers said he had warrants out for strangulation and aggravated assault and he will be placed in the Travis County Jail after a medical evaluation.
Following the presentation earlier this week of Austin’s proposed $6.3 billion 2025-2026 budget, some members of the City Council are sharing concerns that deep cuts to other city programs could leave Austinites without key services and set the city up for a worsening financial outlook in 2027. (Austin American-Statesman)
Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, who represents District 2, called it a “Band-Aid budget,” and said she worries that it’s “kicking the can down the road.” Councilmembers Ryan Alter, District 5, and Mike Siegel, District 7, echoed some of Fuentes’ concerns. — KXAN-TV
The first council budget work session and community input session is scheduled for next Wednesday, and there are council work sessions planned every week until the adoption deadline on Aug. 15.
Meanwhile, the city’s Mobility Committee meets today at City Hall.
Complete agenda.
Dozens of officers will be reassigned to street patrol under a reorganization plan announced Wednesday by Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. The shake-up comes as the department struggles with staffing shortages and the city faces a projected $33 million budget deficit.
“This community needs help. There’s hundreds of us every single day out here in the heat not going to work, getting things done for these neighbors and no officials are stepping up to help us.” — Annette Sponseller, volunteer in the Sandy Creek area clean-up
Travis County, together with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Texas Military Department, is conducting door-to-door assessments with residents to connect them to recovery resources and assistance.
Travis County Judge Andy Brown sat down with CBS Austin to discuss the county’s flood response as frustration mounts among people living along Sandy Creek in Leander.
Travis County established a volunteer center at Inside Lane Elementary School to streamline relief efforts for flood-affected areas like Sandy Creek.
Ten people have now been confirmed to have died in Travis County due to the flooding.
How to get disaster relief after the Central Texas floods. (Austin American-Statesman)
Williamson County, in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), announced it will soon open a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Williamson County EMS North Campus.
Federal aid is coming to Williamson County.
Travis County has not yet been added.
Travis County should be eligible for public assistance funding soon, according to Chief Nim Kidd of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. At a news briefing earlier in the week, he said the state was still waiting on necessary documentation of damages. — Austin American-Statesman
City of Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell announced his resignation on Tuesday.
Bastrop Independent School District has named Dr. Kristi Lee as interim superintendent, effective August 1, following the retirement of longtime district leader Barry Edwards. (CBS Austin)
A “major gas leak” was reported in Marble Falls, which prompted a road closure Wednesday afternoon, according to city officials.
Starting Sunday, July 20, the Far West Boulevard exit on the southbound MoPac Expressway will be closed until approximately the end of the year.
This closure is a necessary part of the 183 North Mobility Project. This project involves adding two express lanes in each direction along a 9-mile section of U.S. 183, specifically between State Highway 45 North and MoPac.
A neighbor who was seriously injured after a home explosion in April is now seeking accountability from the home builder and propane companies involved.
A Travis County woman, Virginia Gonzales, accused of repeatedly locking her child in a closet for weeks, had her bond significantly increased to $250,000 during a Tuesday hearing. Previously, Gonzales was held on a $75,000 bond with conditions that included no contact with minors and a mandatory mental health evaluation. The new, higher bond reflects the severity of the allegations made by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. (KXAN-TV)
Court hearing for Kendrex White, convicted of a 2017 stabbing attack at UT Austin, has been postponed to September 17th to assess his potential release from a forensic mental health facility.
A woman was found dead in her home in Del Valle Wednesday evening.
No other details were provided.
In real estate news, Meta appears to have secured another subtenant at the new Sixth and Guadalupe tower downtown. (Austin Business Journal)
Sandwich maker JewBoy Sub Shop will be closing its North Austin location this month, the last day of service July 20. (Community Impact)
The newly renovated Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool in Zilker Park is neraly complete and set to open to the public soon. A lucky few got a first look at the facility Wednesday.
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Kerr County may implement a property tax increase of up to 8% without voter approval to fund $8.5 million in estimated flood disaster recovery costs for road repairs.
Texans continue to help in recovery efforts after devastating Kerr County flooding.
Authorities in Caldwell County announced a major drug seizure and arrest.
Eddie Garcia, a former Dallas police chief who now serves as Austin’s assistant city manager for public safety, is among four top contenders for the job of Fort Worth Chief of Police. (Austin American-Statesman)
A state appeals court on Wednesday ordered the release of records and documents related to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting by Uvalde County and the school district.
A judge has set a new execution date for Robert Roberson, a Texas man who could become the first person in the U.S. to be put to death for a case of “shaken baby syndrome.”
A North Texas man in federal custody in connection with a coordinated 10-person attack on an ICE detention facility on July 4 in Alvarado was among the 40 people arrested during the August 2020 protests in downtown Austin.
Bexar County officials say a man who was facing a capitol murder charge after a shooting in a San Antonio H-E-B parking lot died in prison this week. (My San Antonio)
Former Galveston mayor, Houston-area attorney and longtime progressive activist Joe Jaworski is running for Texas Attorney General in 2026.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and California Governor Gavin Newsom exchanged barbs online Wednesday.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn outraised Attorney General Ken Paxton by $1 million in the latest fundraising quarter through his campaign and joint fundraising committee, according to federal campaign finance reports. (Texas Tribune)
Some Texas PBS television and NPR radio stations will likely be forced to make cuts in programming or be shuttered altogether after the Senate approved the Trump administration’s $9 billion rescission package aimed at clawing back money already allocated for public radio and television — a major step toward winding down nearly six decades of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (Texas Public Radio)
Two thirds of people incarcerated in Texas’ prisons face another summer without air conditioning after lawmakers again declined to pass legislation that would mandate a timeline for installing climate control in state facilities. (Texas Tribune)
Five Texas suburbs make the list of richest in U.S. — three land in top 10. (KVUE-TV)
SPORTS
MLS: Austin FC claimed a 2-1 away victory over LA Galaxy on Wednesday night, fueled by a goal and an assist from forward Myrto Uzuni. (Austin FC)
ON THE SCHEDULE
The MLS All-Star Game will be held at Q2 Stadium in Austin next week, featuring the MLS All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars, with organizers recommending rideshare, Cap Metro, or other transportation services for attendees.
MLB: Major League Baseball is still on their All-Star break. No games on the schedule today.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEC Media Days are this week.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian emphasized that “championships are won on defense”, highlighting Texas’ deep and talented defense with key players like Anthony Hill, Michael Taff, and Manny Muhamd.
Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning:
Another stunning video postcard via Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Today, scenes from the new Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River State Natural Area in Del Rio.
