Full recreational access to Lake Travis reopened Thursday.
Jacob’s Well, the spring-fed swimming hole in Wimberley, is flowing with water in a way park staff say they have not seen in years. (KUT 90.5)
Search and rescue teams in Travis County have ceased operations after nearly three weeks of searching for missing individuals following the deadly flooding over the Fourth of July weekend, as confirmed by a county spokesperson.
Despite soaring temperatures, local volunteers continue to help clean flood damage debris in northwestern Travis County in the Sandy Creek neighborhood. (CBS Austin)
“I was looking at the TV and I saw the devastation. I said, I got to do something to do my part to help out.” Carlos Torres, volunteer from Houston
A Sandy Creek man died of cancer back in January. The floods on July 5 swept away many of his belongings, leaving his daughter and volunteers to sift through the rubble to search for anything salvageable. (KUT 90.5)
The Disaster Outreach Center at Round Mountain Baptist Church in northern Travis County is providing assistance with FEMA and US Small Business Administration applications for flood-affected residents, but today is the last day.
Video of the destruction and cleanup in the Sandy Creek area is being shared on social media by Alli Winn:
In Burnet County…
Austin City Council met Thursday for its regularly scheduled meeting with a comprehensive range of city business from infrastructure investments to public safety improvements and community development projects.
• Airport Art Projects: Authorized multiple artwork agreements for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport totaling over $2 million, including projects for mobility assistance lounge, sensory lounge, restroom entries, and children’s spaces.
Council unanimously passed a resolution demanding the Federal Aviation Administration remedy a shortage of air traffic controllers at ABIA and expand the footprint of protected airspace around the airport.
• Austin Energy: Approved $288 million battery tolling agreement with Balcones Ridge Resiliency for up to 100 megawatts of electricity storage over 20 years
• Major Bond Issuances: Authorized several large bond sales including:
- $290.9 million in Certificates of Obligation for fire stations, EMS facilities, park improvements, and infrastructure
- $442.5 million in Public Improvement Bonds for transportation, flood mitigation, parks, libraries, and public safety
- $85 million in taxable bonds for affordable housing
• Water Infrastructure: Approved $59 million loan application for Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion
• Major Construction Contracts: Authorized numerous construction projects totaling over $150 million, including water treatment facilities, roadway improvements, and airport baggage handling system ($320 million)
• Housing: Approved consent for $40 million in multi-family private activity bonds for Cameron HiLine affordable rental development
• Grant Funding: Accepted various federal and state grants totaling over $12 million for safety improvements, emergency management, and community programs
• Public Safety: Approved robotic vehicle purchase for Austin Police Department and extended line of duty injury leave for firefighter
• Zoning Actions: Conducted multiple public hearings and approved various rezoning requests and neighborhood plan amendments throughout the city
• Real Estate: Authorized several property acquisitions and lease agreements for city operations and park development
City Council approved two measures related to Convention Center development. One item advances the multibillion-dollar reconstruction of the downtown Austin Convention Center, while the other enables the construction of a privately financed convention center and resort hotel near the Circuit of the Americas to qualify for state tax rebates. (Austin Monitor)
Watch the entire meeting:
Texas Legislature Day Four: Democrats Resist Off-Cycle Redistricting Push
As the Texas Legislature entered its fourth day of special session on Thursday, Democratic lawmakers mounted fierce resistance to Republican plans for off-cycle congressional redistricting, calling the effort politically motivated and poorly timed.
The Redistricting Controversy
Republicans have been tasked by President Donald Trump to create five new Republican congressional seats in an off-cycle redistricting effort, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic members who argue the timing is inappropriate given more pressing state needs.
Gov. Greg Abbott has added congressional redistricting to the state legislature’s upcoming special session at President Trump’s request to create new Republican seats, making this a rare step of considering a mid-decade redrawing of district lines.
The push comes after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sent Governor Abbott a letter identifying four congressional districts, TX-9, TX-18, TX-29, and TX-33, as unconstitutional coalition districts that must be redrawn.
District 18 congressional candidate Isaiah Martin was forcibly removed by Capitol security after refusing to yield the microphone when his two-minute time limit expired.
Democratic Opposition Intensifies
On the fourth day of the session, Democratic lawmakers voiced strong opposition to the redistricting effort. San Antonio-area Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer criticized the timing, stating that bringing redistricting now, when the state needs to respond to flooding disasters, “is absolutely just, it’s a shame, and I think every voter and taxpayer out there should be appalled.”
Martinez-Fischer emphasized that flood relief and prevention legislation is the biggest item on the legislature’s special agenda following devastating floods across the Hill Country that left at least 137 dead.
Quorum-Breaking Threat Returns
Democrats are once again considering breaking quorum to block the redistricting effort, despite new rules implemented after their 2021 walkout. After Texas Democrats broke quorum to prevent a restrictive voting law in 2021, the legislature instituted new rules to prevent repeats in the future — a $500 daily fine and a reduction in the amount of money legislators have to hire staff among them.
“I don’t think anybody should underestimate the collective will of Texas House Democrats when it comes to defending democracy.” — Texas Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer
Racial Gerrymandering Concerns
State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, a San Antonio-area Democrat serving on the Texas House redistricting committee, expressed particular concern about the potential impact on Black representation. She warned about “trying to take away particularly African American seats, iconic, historic seats” and characterized the federal intervention as divisive.
Committee Schedule Set
Despite the opposition, redistricting committees are moving forward with public hearings. The Senate Special Committee on Redistricting will meet in Austin to hear public testimony on the 2025 legislative redistricting process with regional focuses: South and Central Texas today, July 25; North Texas on Saturday, July 26; East Texas on Monday, July 28; and West Texas on Tuesday, July 29.
National Stakes
The Texas redistricting effort has national implications, with Democratic lawmakers and governors in other states — most notably California — saying they would retaliate with their own redistricting to boost Democratic House members from their states if Texas goes forward with its plan.
Competing Priorities
There is far less agreement on redistricting, which Democrats argue will further silence the voices of the state’s marginalized communities as the GOP tries to gain seats in the U.S. House. This issue has diverted attention from other major agenda items including flood relief, THC regulation, and education reforms.
As the special session continues, the redistricting battle appears set to dominate proceedings, with both parties preparing for what could be a prolonged political fight with national ramifications for control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
WATCH THE ENTIRE DAY 4 SESSION ON REDISTRICTING:
A 20-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he accepted a plea deal for a murder charge connected with an October 2022 homicide, according to Travis County court documents. (KXAN-TV)
A jury convicted a 48-year-old man on a murder charge connected to an October 2023 shooting, according to a Thursday press release from the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. (KXAN-TV)
A man has been arrested in connection to multiple business burglary cases in Austin. 34-year-old Jarvis Henderson was arrested for six burglary cases. On July 23, he was arrested again for a seventh burglary case. (FOX 7 Austin)
Waterloo Records is reopening at a new location on North Lamar Boulevard on August 30th, approximately five miles from its current spot, offering more space for larger events and shows.
Austin record store End of An Ear closed for business Thursday after the building was struck by a car in the morning. (Austin American–Statesman)
The historic Austin City Limits music program is facing new challenges after $3 million was federally slashed from its parent, Austin PBS. (CBS Austin)
On Thursday, the Eanes ISD Board of Trustees approved a contract with Dr. Tom Trigg to serve in the role of interim superintendent to lead the district. (KVUE-TV)
/
WEATHER
Thursday was the first triple-digit day in Austin since a mid-May heat wave.
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
A stretch of the Gulf Coast from the Florida panhandle to the central Texas coast could see heavy rain this weekend due to a broad area of low pressure currently over the north-central Gulf. (USA Today vis MSN)
Texas Governor Greg Abbott:
Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas and his now-estranged wife, Angela, declared three separate Texas homes as their primary residence in mortgage documents.
The Trump administration is investigating Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Leticia James for similar mortgage fraud allegations, raising concerns about partisan bias in prosecutions.
Texas’ AG claims the story is made up.
The federal government has extended SNAP replacement benefits for recipients in over 24 Texas counties, including Travis, Burnet, and Williamson, to help replace food lost due to flooding, with applications available through August 18.
Another Texas county is officially eligible for federal disaster relief.
The Texas Department of Safety announced the arrest of a wanted sex predator.
Hays County officials released details on the arrest of two murder suspects in connection with an incident last week in San Marcos.
A proposed Texas bill would mandate that all city police departments and county sheriff offices statewide, including those in Austin suburbs like Round Rock, Georgetown, and Pflugerville, keep records of specific internal misconduct investigations confidential from both the public and other government agencies. (Austin American-Statesman)
Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson is asking the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals to stay his October execution.
(Episode from July 24, 2025)
While Texas-based importers and exporters have largely sidestepped the most severe impacts of the trade war initiated by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, that reprieve may soon end. A significant shift could occur as early as Monday. (Texas Tribune)
Sir Paul McCartney announced he’s bringing his latest tour to San Antonio.
SPORTS
MLB: The Texas Rangers had the day off Thursday. The Houston Astros probably wish they did too.
Luis Severino struck out eight in seven innings and Luis Urias homered to lead the Athletics to a 5-2 victory over the AL West-leading Houston Astros on Thursday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The 2025-26 University of Texas Men’s Basketball non-conference schedule was released Thursday and features eight non-conference home games in the fourth season of Moody Center, including a marquee matchup against Virginia as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. The slate also features a season-opening neutral-site contest against Duke in Charlotte, three games in Hawaii as part of the Southwest Maui Invitational, and a road game at UConn. (Texas Longhorns)
The Daytripper continues his Texas BBQ tour.
Chisholm Trail BBQ in Lockhart— a hometown favorite known for its huge menu, fast drive-thru, and downright delicious smoked meats.
