The demolition of the Austin Convention Center continues on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.
Austin Convention Center Expansion Faces Legal Challenge Over Petition Signatures
A legal battle over Austin’s proposed downtown convention center expansion moved to Travis County District Court on Wednesday, where attorneys clashed over whether citizens collected enough valid signatures to force a public vote on the project. (Austin Free Press)
Good morning ☀️! We’re in court this morning following the lawsuit the Austin United PAC filed against the city over the PAC’s denied convention center petition. pic.twitter.com/FenydqQSfr
— Luz Moreno-Lozano (@LuzMorenoLozano) January 28, 2026
The Austin United PAC is seeking to halt construction of the new convention center unless voters approve it first. The case, heard by District Court Judge Jessica Mangrum, centers on a fundamental question: did the grassroots effort gather the required 20,000 valid signatures to trigger a referendum?
The Petition Challenge
Bill Bunch, representing Austin United PAC, framed the dispute as narrowly focused on whether City Clerk Rosa Rios properly performed her duties when reviewing the petition. Bunch argued that Rios improperly excluded signatures based on voter jurisdiction issues and various technicalities.
Crucially, Bunch dismissed the city’s broader arguments that the petition ordinance itself violates Hotel Occupancy Tax law. He contends those constitutional questions aren’t relevant yet—they would only become “ripe” if and when the petition is validated and either adopted by council or put before voters.
The City’s Defense
The City of Austin, represented by attorney Paul Trahan of Rose Norton Fulbright, painted a different picture. Trahan insisted the case boils down to a simple matter: whether Austin United PAC actually secured 20,000 legal signatures. His answer? They fell short.
Austin United's petition effort to halt the convention center redevelopment appears to have failed.
— Ben Thompson (@BThompson_CI) November 14, 2025
After a month of review and sampling 25K+ submitted signatures, the city clerk finds the petition fell just short of the 20K mark needed to force an election: https://t.co/XkcuJbF4X3 pic.twitter.com/6qleEwicOj
Trahan defended the clerk’s office, arguing they “bent over backwards to count every signature she legally could.” A key point of contention involves signatures from residents living outside Austin’s city limits but within its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The city argues these signatures are invalid under the law.
The city plans to present testimony from the clerk’s office asserting their review process was thorough and beyond reproach.
What’s at Stake
The convention center expansion represents a significant investment in Austin’s downtown infrastructure and tourism economy.
However, Austin United PAC argues such a major project deserves direct input from voters rather than proceeding solely through city council approval.
The outcome of this case will determine whether Austin residents get a say on the convention center’s future or whether the city can move forward with construction as planned. Judge Mangrum’s eventual ruling on the validity of the petition signatures will be decisive—either clearing the way for a public vote or allowing the project to proceed without one.
For now, the legal wrangling continues, with both sides confident in their interpretations of election law and the clerk’s obligations.
ICE activity was reported early Wednesday near North Lamar and Rundberg.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza is joining a coalition of prosecutors across the country, vowing to hold federal agents accountable if they break the law.
Several Texas lawmakers went to Dilley yesterday, the site of an ICE detention facility that has been a focal point for scrutiny lately.
Rep. Joaquin Castro met Wednesday with Liam Conejo Ramos, the 5-year-old Minnesota boy taken from his family’s suburban Minneapolis driveway last week after federal agents apprehended his father, the congressman said after visiting the South Texas facility where the pair is held.
Just visited with Liam and his father at Dilley detention center. I demanded his release and told him how much his family, his school, and our country loves him and is praying for him. pic.twitter.com/9a2pCuapYd
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) January 28, 2026
I will be putting in notice Friday morning with DHS to return to Dilley to check on Liam again and the many other children and families there. Liam did not look well. My staff and I are very concerned about him.
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) January 29, 2026
I ask my colleagues in Congress — House and Senate — to join me.…
Protesters gathered outside the Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement facility in Dilley, Texas, were met with chemical irritants during clashes with law enforcement.
Texas lawmakers are holding an anti-ICE rally in Austin this Saturday.
Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy says there is a way for ICE to continue its work without harming Americans.
Several detainees at a Texas immigration detention facility claim in sworn court declarations that they heard a Cuban immigrant, whose death was later ruled a homicide, being slammed to the ground before his death. https://t.co/pG8mnWNFYI pic.twitter.com/6AHpKM3c3X
— ABC News (@ABC) January 27, 2026
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
U.S. citizen tells ICE to stop and leave his property — and they do. 👏🔥
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) January 28, 2026
This happened in Bryan, Texas.
Know your rights.
You don’t have to surrender them because someone shows up with a badge. pic.twitter.com/tbMHqoKFTh
The Austin Police Department is set to revise its cooperation policies with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), focusing on individuals deemed dangerous criminals. The proposed changes aim to add new protections for officers handling ICE administrative warrants. (CBS Austin)
PODCAST
City officials announced that overnight Cold Weather Shelters will open each night through Sunday.
Travis County is also providing shelter from the cold.
According to recent campaign finance reports, Austin City Council member Paige Ellis has again accepted campaign contributions that appear to exceed city limits. (Austin American-Statesman)
PODCAST
A reality TV star recently announced her candidacy for Austin mayor, only to learn that the seat isn’t quite open yet. Now, Farrah Abraham is set to run for city council — but can she? Plus, since voters shot down Austin City Council’s request for more taxes, the city has shifted its focus to saving money. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Amy Stansbury of The Austin Common for the latest on Austin City Hall, including what the city’s austerity plan actually looks like, and a new proposal to provide more affordable housing for middle-class Austinites.
Pflugerville authorities arrested and charged a man with sexual assault at a local massage parlor.
Police in Round Rock helped arrest a man wanted in connection with a double homicide in the Houston area.
Austin police and Capital Area Crime Stoppers are looking for a burglar.
An East Austin business owner says repeated arrests haven’t stopped the same woman from coming back and trashing his store, again and again.
Newly released body camera video shows a takedown by APD officers in an alleged use of excessive force incident in 2024.
This week’s Crime Watch from FOX 7 Austin:
A new portion of the U.S. 183 Express Lanes is set to open Saturday in North Austin, connecting drivers from the northbound MoPac express lane.
The ongoing I-35 expansion project could disrupt a local food forest which provides free produce to the community.
Finally!
The IRS is hosting a hiring event in Austin this morning, looking to fill over 400 positions on the spot. According to a recent agency announcement, qualified candidates can expect immediate interviews and job offers. This local recruitment surge follows a significant shift in the agency’s workforce; in early 2025, the IRS lost roughly 7,000 employees—about 7% of its total staff—as part of a broader federal headcount reduction initiative under the Trump administration. (KXAN-TV)
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
At least nine people have died in Texas as a winter storm continued to grip the state Wednesday, with a majority of the victims being children. (Houston Public Media)
The Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District announced on Wednesday that it could soon declare a ‘Stage 4 Emergency Response Period’ drought declaration. This would be the first time the district has ever had to make the declaration.
TEXAS DROUGHT MONITOR
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has executed 55-year-old Charles Victor Thompson. He had been on death row for over 30 years.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the comptroller can exclude private schools from the state’s new voucher program if they violate laws banning material support for foreign terrorist organizations or restricting certain foreign ownership. (Texas Standard)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expanded the state’s list of technologies barred from use on state networks and government-issued devices. He added dozens of companies and products linked to China as state officials escalate efforts to limit foreign access to Texans’ data.
Reports indicate that a massive one-million-square-foot warehouse in Hutchins, is being eyed as a potential immigration detention center with a capacity for 9,500 people.
Located off I-45, the PointSouth Logistics & Commerce Centre was reportedly purchased by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While the scale of the facility suggests a significant shift in regional operations, federal officials have yet to publicly confirm the purchase or detail their specific plans for the site. (Houston Chronicle)
According to data compiled by the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project, from the time Trump took office last January, to July 29, ICE made approximately 138,000 arrests nationwide — almost a quarter of them in Texas.
Daily arrests jumped about 30% in the ICE regions that include Houston and Dallas. (Texas Public Radio)
(Episode from January 28, 2026)
Will there be a Texas GOP U.S. Senate debate? It’s not likely — at least not yet.
President Donald Trump is looking down the road at a possible opening on the U.S. Supreme Court, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz could be a potential nominee to the high court. (Texas Public Radio)
A Southwest Airlines plane made a wrong turn on a busy San Antonio airport runway yesterday.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Junior guard/forward Dailyn Swain recorded a team-high 30 points, but Texas (12-9, 3-5 SEC) dropped a hard-fought 88-82 decision at Auburn (14-7, 5-3 SEC) on Wednesday night in Neville Arena. This marked UT’s first contest at Auburn since Feb. 11, 1911, when the Longhorns played their first game east of the Mississippi River in program history. (Texas Longhorns)
UP NEXT FOR THE HORNS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31
In other action last night:
Houston freshman Kingston Flemings scored 25 points, Emanuel Sharp had 23 and the 10th-ranked Cougars overcame an extended shooting slump in a 79-70 win at TCU on Wednesday night. (Associated Press)
NBA: Only the Spurs came away winners last night.
Victor Wembanyama had 28 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks to help the San Antonio Spurs rally for a 111-99 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. (NBC Sports)
Julius Randle scored 31 points, Naz Reid added 23 and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 118-105 on Wednesday night. (NBC Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
Houston and Dallas return to action tonight while San Antonio gets a night off.
NHL: Dallas is in Sin City tonight.
Episode 117: San Antonio During The Texas Revolution
In a frontier town like San Antonio de Bexar, a framework of ordinances helped maintain law and order. In the run-up to the Revolution, those ordinances kept the town organized – even with Mexican troops marching toward it.
We reveal how San Antonio’s government functioned, how key players in the Alamo story fit into the town structure, and why understanding all this helps inform the historic events that soon unfolded. Featuring the Alamo’s Exhibit Developer and historian Dr. David Carlson.
