Did Texas Governor Greg Abbott host the developer of a controversial enclave and then accept a large donation all the while securing federal tax breaks for its investors?
Journalist Spencer Lundquist of the Daily Beast:
What is Colony Ridge and why is it controversial? (Houston Chronicle via MSN)
Allegations of Gov. Abbott being “bought” by developers in Liberty County have been floating for a while.
Reaction online…
Austin’s Catholic population mourned the death of Pope Francis early Monday.
Father James Misko, Diocesan Administrator in Austin:
Millions of Texans are mourning. (Texas Tribune)
Charles Collins worked at the Vatican from 2001-2017. He was born in Dallas and worked for the Diocese of Austin from 1996-2001.
After prolonged discussions, the City of Austin and the Austin Firefighters Association have successfully forged an agreement regarding the Austin Firefighter Retirement Fund. This resolution ensures the fund’s adherence to state regulations and secures retirement benefits for both current and future firefighters. (Austin Monitor)
Austin police have released more information concerning the double shooting that left two men dead Easter Sunday at the Aldrich51 Apartments.
The incident was reportedly started over a custody dispute.
Detectives released new information about the body found below a bridge in east Austin Friday. Police said they were investigating his death as a homicide.
For the first time since 2019, Travis County has seen a decline in drug-related deaths, as indicated by the medical examiner’s latest annual report. The data, released on Monday, reveals a significant 22% drop in total drug fatalities between 2023 and 2024. Notably, deaths involving fentanyl experienced an even steeper decrease of 36%. This positive shift contrasts sharply with the previous year’s report, which documented the highest number of accidental overdose deaths ever recorded in the county. (KUT 90.5)
Local authorities announced the arrests of two wanted fugitives from justice.
The Round Rock Police Department is asking for public assistance in identifying a suspect in an aggravated robbery that occurred at 7-Eleven last week.
The Austin Police Department is looking for a 62-year-old man who was last seen on Friday.
Steven Snell was sworn in as a Williamson County judge on Monday.
Early voting for the May 3 election begins today in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties.
Over a dozen mayoral and city council seats are contested across multiple cities, including Cedar Park, Round Rock and West Lake Hills.
School board positions are up for grabs in several school districts, including Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Liberty Hill ISD and Dripping Springs ISD. (KUT 90.5)
A Travis County sample ballot.
Map of area voting locations:
An outdoor patio at the east end of the Barbara Jordan Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport reopened to the public Monday after being restricted to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders for the past two years. (KUT 90.5)
Potentially toxic algae has been discovered at a park along Austin’s Lady Bird Lake just south of the Tom Miller Dam.
Construction of Austin’s new Waterloo Greenway is taking shape. (Austin Business Journal)
Some portions of Bastrop County could see disruptions to their water service.
The four regional climate centers that lost federal funding late last week are “in the process of going live again” after going offline. (KXAN-TV)
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
The threat of severe weather will jump farther to the west as a disturbance rolls eastward from the Rockies.
Locally severe thunderstorms will extend from northeast Kansas to western Texas and extreme eastern New Mexico from later Tuesday afternoon to Tuesday night. (AccuWeather)
Weather officials confirmed nine tornadoes touched down in North Texas over the weekend.
Ryan Mindell, the executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, has resigned effective immediately.
The Texas House and Senate have both passed Senate Bill 14, which would create a new Texas Regulatory Office. The office aims to streamline state regulations and eliminate unnecessary rules.
Late Monday, a Texas state employee testified to lawmakers that preliminary data indicates Texas hospitals have recently provided care costing millions of dollars to “tens of thousands” of patients not “lawfully” present in the United States. (Texas Tribune)
A West Texas sheriff reports a rise in migrant activity, a park in Eagle Pass reopens after months of closure for border security operations and the DPS director gives an update on what troopers are seeing in South Texas.
WGXA-TV’s Texas Border Watch…
Patrick Crusius pleaded guilty to murdering 23 people and wounding 22 others in an anti-Hispanic assault on an El Paso Walmart in 2019.
A Texas city commissioner was stabbed and her husband was killed at their home early Monday—and their grandson was charged in the slaying. (Houston Chronicle)
Texas could get a new state park.
Following a four-week trial, a Houston federal jury convicted former Houston Independent School District (HISD) Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby and HISD contractor Anthony Hutchison on multiple charges, including conspiracy, bribery, filing false tax returns, and witness tampering. (My Texas Daily)
SPORTS
NHL: Colin Blackwell scored 17:46 into overtime and the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in Game 2 on Monday night to even up their first-round Western Conference series. (Yahoo! Sports)
The series shifts to Colorado tomorrow night for Game 3.
MLB: Hunter Brown struck out a season-high nine in seven innings, and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-0 on Monday night. (Yahoo! Sports)
The two teams play again tonight. The Texas Rangers were off Monday and begin a series in Sacramento tonight against the Athletics.
COLLEGE BASEBALL: The top-ranked Texas Longhorns (33-5) play in San Marcos tonight versus Texas State (19-20). (Texas State)
The latest SEC Conference rankings show Texas still at the top.
Today we’re visiting the Texas coastal town of Freeport in Brazoria County to check out a delicious crawfish boil.
