Thursday, March 19, 2026 – A Hero No More
A Street, a Holiday, a Legacy: Austin and Texas Grapple With César Chávez Fallout
The name César Chávez is woven into the geography of Austin — literally. The road stretching from MoPac through downtown to U.S. 183 has carried his name for more than three decades. By Wednesday, city officials and community leaders were moving to change that, as explosive new allegations upended one of the most celebrated legacies in American labor history.
The crisis erupted when the New York Times published an investigation detailing allegations that Chávez abused and molested multiple women over the course of decades — some of them minors — including longtime activist Dolores Huerta, a legend of the farmworker movement in her own right. Huerta, now 96, issued a statement on social media saying she had remained silent for decades out of concern for the farmworker movement she helped build with Chávez. She revealed she had two children from encounters with Chávez and arranged for them to be raised by other families.
The fallout in Austin was swift.
Local nonprofit El Concilio de East Austin — which led the movement in the early 1990s to rename First Street in Chávez’s honor — is now pushing to rename the street again.
“It is very hard and difficult for our whole community because this was a person we looked up to as a valiant hero. But at the same time, what is more paramount to us are the victims.” — El Concilio’s Gavino Fernandez
His group is asking that the road revert to its original name, 1st Street.
Cesar Chavez Street
East–west corridor through downtown Austin, Texas
Council Member Vanessa Fuentes told KUT News that the city should respond quickly, saying she liked the idea of naming the road after Huerta instead. To rename a street, City Council would have to approve it, and the process would include public input. Fuentes was joined by Council Members José Velásquez and Chito Vela, along with Travis County Attorney Delia Garza, in a joint statement: “The center of our city and the heart of East Austin should reflect our commitment to justice. We support the renaming of Cesar Chavez Street and will begin the discussion with the community at the forefront.”
The city’s annual march honoring Chávez, scheduled for March 28 at the Austin Public Library’s Terrazas Branch, was called off.
HABLA, PODER, and LULAC canceled the event, citing “caution and respect for all parties.” Similar events were scrapped in Houston, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi.
Gavino Fernandez with El Concilio led the 1993 fight to change the name of 1st Street to Cesar Chavez Street. He saved letters and newspaper clippings documenting the struggle to get Austin businesses on board.
Lots of fall out from abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez.
— Lauren McGaughy (@lmcgaughy) March 18, 2026
El Concilio in Austin, the group which originally got East 1st Street renamed for Chavez in 1993, now wants the name reverted. They'll ask the city council to change it.
More reactions here: https://t.co/DW9CyFw4OM
At the state level, the response cut across political lines — though for different reasons.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas will no longer observe César Chávez Day and directed all state agency heads to comply.
The state of Texas will not observe the Cesar Chavez Day holiday. I am directing all Texas state agency heads to comply. In the upcoming legislative session, I will work with Texas lawmakers to remove Cesar Chavez Day from state law altogether.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 18, 2026
Reports of the horrific and widely…
He also pledged to work with the Legislature to remove the holiday from state law altogether. In a statement, Abbott said the allegations “rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration.”
The Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) reached a parallel conclusion from a very different vantage point. MALC called for removing Chávez’s name from the state holiday, saying the allegations represent “a profound betrayal” of the values he claimed to champion, and suggested honoring other figures such as Dolores Huerta instead.
Huerta herself said in a public statement: “The farmworker movement has always been bigger and far more important than any one individual. Cesar’s actions do not diminish the permanent improvements achieved for farmworkers with the help of thousands of people.”
The controversy also landed in Austin’s schools. Austin ISD observes March 31 as César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Day — a holiday that has already been the subject of a separate dispute after the district removed Good Friday from the calendar to accommodate it. Texas Values, a conservative advocacy group, called on AISD to cancel the holiday in light of the new child sex abuse allegations. AISD had not responded as of Wednesday, with most students on spring break.
In Lubbock, the local Democratic Party called on city leaders to rename César Chávez Drive to honor Dolores Huerta.
At the federal level, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and said it would work toward renaming streets, post offices, and holidays bearing Chávez’s name.
This is the way. https://t.co/gL3vPZVQ2t pic.twitter.com/SIuOyUe1rz
— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (@HispanicCaucus) March 18, 2026
North Texas Latino leaders say they feel “disheartened” and “betrayed”.
In South Texas, Rep. Veronica Escobar expressed support for survivors and the movement itself.
The credible allegations against Cesar Chavez for rape and sexual abuse are horrific. My heart is with the survivors who, for decades, have seen their abuser lauded as a hero.
— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) March 18, 2026
As one of them says: “The movement — that’s the hero." https://t.co/tgxJaHsbIY
The speed and breadth of the response in Austin and across Texas reflects how deeply Chávez’s name had been embedded in the civic fabric — and how quickly that is now being reconsidered. Whether the street becomes 1st Street again, or something new, will ultimately be decided by the Austin City Council. For now, the community that once fought to honor Chávez is leading the effort to undo it.
Sources
- The New York Times (via CNN): Investigation into allegations against César Chávez, March 17–18, 2026 — cnn.com
- KUT News: “Austin leaders want to rename Cesar Chavez Street,” March 18, 2026 — kut.org
- CBS Austin: “Austin officials call for renaming Cesar Chavez Street, march canceled amid allegations,” March 18, 2026 — cbsaustin.com
- CBS Austin: “Gov. Abbott ends Texas observance of César Chávez Day,” March 18, 2026 — cbsaustin.com
- KVUE (ABC Austin): “Austin city leaders voice support for renaming Cesar Chavez Street,” March 18, 2026 — kvue.com
- Texas Tribune: “César Chávez Day events in Texas canceled in wake of report,” March 18, 2026 — texastribune.org
- Texas Public Radio: “Allegations emerge against César Chávez, marches and events canceled,” March 17, 2026 — tpr.org
- Texas Values: Statement calling on Austin ISD to cancel Chávez/Huerta Day, March 18, 2026 — txvalues.org
- Associated Press (via U.S. News & World Report): “César Chávez Day events renamed, postponed or canceled,” March 18, 2026 — usnews.com
- Texas Border Business: “MALC Proposes Renaming State Holiday After Allegations Against César Chávez,” March 18, 2026 — texasborderbusiness.com
Yesterday, Pflugerville city crews repaired a fifth break in the troubled 30-inch raw water pipeline connecting the Colorado River to Lake Pflugerville, according to the city’s Facebook page, restoring water flow to the lake after the break was discovered just days after crews finished installing a third temporary bypass line.
A check-in with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this morning:
TRAFFIC ALERT: Howard Lane at I-35 will close Thursday night, March 19, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for bridge work, weather permitting. Eastbound traffic will detour to Parmer Lane. Westbound traffic will detour to Wells Branch Parkway. #my35 #atxtraffic pic.twitter.com/LWQEHEyNM3
— TxDOT Austin (@TxDOTAustin) March 18, 2026
The city of Kyle has officially begun construction on a project aimed at improving safety for students and families traveling along Blanco Street.
All lanes of US 183 were closed for several hours Wednesday afternoon and evening after a multi-vehicle crash. One person was rescued and taken to a hospital by Starflight.
Meanwhile, Austin police have released the identity of the person killed in a South Austin crash last month.
Austin is launching its annual program to help people settle outstanding tickets and warrants.
The City of Austin is launching an updated website today. A total redesign.
Much of the removed content will be PDFs that do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, pages with inconsistent tone, or pages with formatting issues, staff said. (Austin American-Statesman)
Austin’s new homeless strategy plan is not to end homelessness but to "pursue new public/private funding" so that Austin's homeless industry can expand.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) March 17, 2026
The plan is to build 650 new shelter beds, two new "navigation centers," create a larger bureaucracy, hire more more outreach… pic.twitter.com/rJa08ZyAnv
Williamson County authorities announced the arrest of a man in connection with the fentanyl-related death of another man in 2024.
Austin police and Capital Area Crime Stoppers are looking for a known sex offender.
Here’s the situation:
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) March 18, 2026
An Austin cop is on trial related to conduct during the 2020 protests.
His lawyers just accused DA José Garza's office of hiding evidence and holding secret meetings with the City of Austin – meetings never disclosed to the defense.
The lawyers are asking… https://t.co/UlBUsfFe5L
More from KXAN-TV.
An Austin American-Statesman review found the Austin Police Department has sharply reduced the number of in-person “compliance checks” on the city’s roughly 2,200 registered sex offenders — visits in which officers typically knock on doors to verify addresses. (Austin American-Statesman)
Veteran Austin defense attorney and former judge Charlie Baird was arrested Tuesday night on a charge of driving while intoxicated after allegedly causing a crash in South Austin, according to a police affidavit.
South By Southwest 2026 concluded its seven-day run Wednesday.
In Travis County, a series of construction-related blasting operations atop the sensitive Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone has sparked a wave of complaints from local residents, who say the recurring subterranean explosions are rattling both their homes and their nerves.
The second phase of ecological restoration work at Zilker Park has begun.
Two wildfires of note right now.
One is in Armstrong County near Amarillo, known as the Bright Lights fire. It is 70% contained with 300 acres burned.
The other blaze is further south in Jack County. As of Wednesday, evening, the Land fire covered just a couple acres and was near full containment.
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
We’re not done with astronomical winter yet, but temperatures are already way warmer than they should be for March. Highs this past Sunday were dangerously close to triple digits. On Sunday, we reached 97º in Austin (Camp Mabry) — just one degree shy of the hottest day ever in March history.
New polling suggests trouble for Texas Republicans in the U.S. Senate race as internal party divisions take center stage.
On Newsmax Tuesday night, Sen. John Cornyn criticized Ken Paxton, explaining why he believes Paxton is unfit for office.
If John Cornyn cared as much about helping President Trump pass the Save America Act as he did helping Biden destroy the 2nd Amendment, it would already be law.
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 16, 2026
He still refuses to call out his best friends like McConnell for opposing the bill.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is facing calls for her to resign after her recent incident at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Republicans Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt have both called for Lina Hidalgo to resign.
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar is among a number of elected officials in Congress calling for more regulation of prediction markets. Casar is among a number of elected officials in Congress calling for more regulation of prediction markets.
No state agency tracks the number of so-called post-conviction over-detentions, and no state law prevents or punishes it. State agencies, including the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, also do not formally track the number of over-detention cases. (Texas Tribune)
The Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced Wednesday a test impacting Texans statewide to evaluate and analyze the strength and functionality of public warning system tools. The test is scheduled for Thursday, April 2. (KVUE-TV)
Texas is set to tighten rules on hemp products at the end of the month, including changes that could affect smokable hemp.
The Texas Education Agency has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by one of the state’s largest teachers’ unions over the agency’s investigations into educators who made negative comments about Charlie Kirk after his assassinations. (Austin American-Statesman)
Promising medical news out of the University of Texas:
UT Austin researchers may have found a new way to turn the immune system against cancer.
— UT Austin (@UTAustin) March 18, 2026
A chemotherapy therapy option can make cancer cells mimic a viral infection, prompting the body to attack. The discovery could potentially reduce the need for high-dose chemotherapy… pic.twitter.com/aSJvVDAwie
A 2023 law that restricts some public drag shows went into effect on Wednesday after a federal appeals court reaffirmed it in a February ruling. (Texas Tribune)
Nearly three weeks into the war in Iran, the United States and Israel have largely decimated the regime’s missile capacity, taken out key leaders and disrupted its central command. Yet, the regime in Iran has become more hardened and is wreaking more havoc than ever.
Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times, discusses the state of the war and President Trump’s options for getting out of the conflict.
A ranking of America’s fattest cities has been released.
Where do Texas cities rank?
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The Texas Longhorns tip off against the BYU Cougars tonight at 6:25 p.m. in NCAA Tournament action, as the Longhorns look to punch their ticket to the next round.
No. 11 seed TEXAS (19-14, 9-9 SEC) vs. No. 6 seed BYU (23-11, 9-9 Big 12)
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
The Texas Tech Red Raiders face Akron tomorrow.
NBA: The Houston Rockets are fading as the regular season winds down.
Luka Doncic had 40 points and LeBron James added 30 as the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to seven games with a 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. It’s the 10th win in 11 games for the Lakers, who also beat Houston 100-92 on Monday night. (Associated Press)
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks are…the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas and Houston are off tonight while the San Antonio Spurs host Phoenix.
NHL: A big win on the road.
Jake Oettinger made 33 saves through overtime, Wyatt Johnston scored the shootout winner and the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Wednesday night to tighten the race for first place in the division, conference and league standings. (Dallas Morning News)
STANDINGS
Dallas has the next couple of days to rest before a road game at Minnesota on Saturday.
Laurence Seymore Granted Waiver for 2026 | How Much Does Texas Offensive Line Improve? https://t.co/jt9mSOBCZj
— OnTexasFootball (@ontexasfootball) March 19, 2026
What lies beneath San Antonio?
Why do some locals fear they might sink into the ground… with their house and all?
