REGULAR EDITION
A police-involved shooting occurred overnight in North Austin after an officer witnessed a drive-by shooting, resulting in what will be the city’s 46th homicide of the year.
Meanwhile, a police officer with the Austin Police Department has been removed from patrol and placed on restricted duty after video of an incident on 6th Street according to APD.
Following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to deploy hundreds of Texas National Guard troops to cities outside the state—a response to the federal government’s immigration crackdown—a major boycott is circulating online. Organizers of the “Governor Abbott Boycott” are urging people to shun Texas-based giants such as Tesla, American Airlines, and Exxon Mobil, aiming to financially pressure the state’s largest corporations and force a reversal of the deployment. (San Antonio News-Express)
National Guard troops in Illinois (including from Texas) are on stand-by as the issue of the legality of the movement is played out in the courts.
PODCAST
City and county leaders received a notice from TxDOT this week stating that decorative pavement markings—including crosswalks, murals, and other messages—are banned. Compliance with this directive is required within 30 days. Governor Abbott specified that failure to comply could result in the forfeiture of state or federal funding and the cancellation of TxDOT contracts.
An industrial park on 1,200 acres of land is in the planning stages south of Austin in Caldwell County. (Austin Business Journal)
The Mobility Authority is working with the Texas Department of Transportation on a schematic design and an environmental study with other partners, including:
- Travis County
- Bastrop County
- City of Manor
- City of Elgin
- Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
The approximately 15-mile stretch of Hwy. 290 under evaluation is among the top 100 most congested road segments in Texas, according to TxDOT. (Community Impact)
REMINDER
A burn ban is still in effect in Travis County.
WEATHER
SATURDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
A powerful nor’easter storm has the Mid-Atlantic region on alert.
The Texas GOP Executive Committee voted to censure 10 Republican state lawmakers for not adhering to party principles, but stopped short of banning them from primary ballots.
Texas’ highest criminal court has once again denied a Dallas County man’s appeal challenging his death sentence for a 1998 Farmers Branch murder that relied on what his attorneys say was flawed eyewitness testimony involving hypnosis. (Texas Public Radio)
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker slammed Gov. Greg Abbott for allowing Texas National Guard soldiers to be deployed in the Windy City without their permission. Reporters Benjamin Wermund and Bayliss Wagner join host Jeremy Wallace to break down the tension and dig into how Abbott is responding.
Plus, political reporter John Moritz joins the program to assess the latest in the red-hot U.S. Senate race in Texas. Does Wesley Hunt really has a shot in the GOP Primary and why is Jasmine Crockett doing so well in polls on the Democratic side, despite not being in the race?
(Episode from October 11, 2025)
Congressman Wesley Hunt joins an already heated Republican primary. Capitol Correspondent Adam Schwager looks into how Hunt’s campaign is already changing the equation for Republicans. Plus, we dig into polling that shows how someone who’s not in the race could shake things up for Democrats.
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Tami Pierce to fill the Harris County state district court seat left vacant by Judge DaSean Jones’s recent resignation. Pierce is a lawyer who challenged Jones, a Democrat, for that very same seat in the 2022 election and was involved in a legal dispute over the election results. Pierce took the bench in the 180th District Court on Friday, replacing Jones, who announced his unexplained departure in September. (Houston Chronicle)
Tomorrow is Columbus Day and Texas is bracing for possible delays this holiday weekend due to staffing shortages. Increased sick calls from air traffic controllers and TSA agents — linked to the ongoing government shutdown, now in its 11th day — are impacting operations at airports nationwide.
San Antonio has the highest rate of delinquent mortgages of any large U.S. metro area, according to data released this week by software firm Construction Coverage. (San Antonio Current)
Black bears are making a comeback in Texas.
Once wiped out in Texas by hunters in the 1950’s…they’re back and state officials are warning that encounters with humans may increase. (My San Antonio)
Full article from the Washington Post.
SPORTS
SEASON SAVED?
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Texas Longhorns found the perfect remedy for their recent struggles, securing a 23-6 victory over 6th-ranked Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday. After a loss at Florida had sent the preseason No. 1 team spiraling out of the AP Top 25, Texas needed a statement win. They got it thanks to a 75-yard punt return touchdown by Ryan Niblett in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal. Quarterback Arch Manning also delivered, completing 21 of 27 passes for 166 yards, including the go-ahead 12-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. on the opening drive of the second half.
ON THE SCHEDULE
Both Texas A&M and Texas Tech remain undefeated after victories Saturday.
ON THE SCHEDULE
MLS: Austn FC hosts Los Angeles this evening at Q2 Stadium. It will be their next-to-last game of the regular season before postseason action begins.
NFL: The 2-2-1 Dallas Cowboys are in Charlotte today in Week 6 of NFL action.
The Houston Texans do not play this week as they have the bye.
Once again, KVUE-TV has opened their vault and today provides us with a look back at the celebration of the Texas Longhorns defeating Texas A&M on December 1, 1990.
The Drag around the UT Austin campus was quite the scene.
