Headlines / Quote of the Week
Fri., Feb. 12, 2021
Springtime Special Elections: Austin City Council has ordered special elections and agreed on ballot language for eight propositions that will go before voters on May 1. Prop B addresses the reinstatement of criminal penalties for public camping, solicitation, and sitting, sleeping, or lying down on sidewalks Downtown and around UT-Austin. Prop F, if approved by voters, would eliminate the city manager position and transition Austin's form of government to "strong mayor-council." Read more.
Down Another Notch: On Tuesday, Feb. 9, Austin Public Health announced that the city and county have moved to Stage 4 of Austin-Travis County's COVID-19 Risk-Based Guidelines. This is the first time that local health officials have lowered the local pandemic precautions since Austin entered Stage 5 – the highest risk level – the day before Christmas Eve.
In Other Pandemic Milestones: Last Friday, Feb. 5, marked one year since APH's Department Operations Center was activated to monitor COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County, which at the time was still more than a month away from confirming the first local case of the novel coronavirus. As of Feb. 9, APH has reported 72,625 total cases; 695 residents have died from COVID-19 complications.
Forensics Flies Free: Last week City Council voted to create a new independent Forensic Science Department outside the control of the Austin Police Department. The move comes almost five years after APD's DNA crime lab was forced to shut down after an audit from the state Forensic Science Commission found issues with staff training and analysis methods. More online and in next week's issue.
Get Ready to Redistrict: Today (Feb. 11) the 2021 Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will meet for the first time. The commission will redraw Austin's Council district boundaries for the 2022 election, their first revision since a prior ICRC drew the current 10-1 district lines in 2013.
Nate Paul Owes MITTE: As his special friend Ken Paxton got grilled at the Lege this week (read more), the Austin Business Jounal reports the World Class Holdings boss has been ordered to pay nearly $2 million to the charitable foundation it defrauded. Paxton's clumsy effort to intervene in this case helped lead to the scandal and FBI probe now dogging the A.G.
Loose Cannon on Deck: The Austin-based right-wing think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation launched its new conservative commentary website, called The Cannon Online. TPPF senior writer Roy Maynard will serve as the editor, and Sarah Silberstein, who is TPPF's director of media relations, is the managing editor.
Quote of the Week
"It's really key to understand this is not just four walls – we are providing the support and services there that really will be needed for folks to stay housed and truly exit their homelessness."
– Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Grey on the city’s hotel conversion strategy to create permanent supportive housing
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