Headlines / Quote of the Week

Dry Hot American Summer: Despite a slower start to scorching temps, this summer could be one of Texas' hottest. And don't blame El Niño – climate scientists warn severe heat will be common as climate change progresses.

I'd Like Not to Be Pregnant, Actually: The FDA approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. last week – the Opill, known as a "mini-pill."

Jesús Garza (image via City of Austin)

Hell Outta Dodge::The Texas Tribune reported that many doctors are leaving the state, frustrated with the law blocking gender affirming care for minors. Dallas' Dr. Ximena Lopez, planning a move, said at least once a day a parent cries in her clinic.

Shhhhhhhhh::Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has applied a gag order to the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, in the name of impartiality. According to the order, any involved party that speaks about the expected proceedings will be in contempt of court and face up to six months in jail.

No Thanks::Following a proposal to fold the city offices of Equity and Civil Rights and a business department into one, community groups say the changes will diminish the offices' autonomy and undo years of work to advance their goals. The proposal is part of an early draft of the city budget. For more, see p.12.

Dougherty Arts Center rendering (image via City of Austin)

Quicker Code Changes::City Council has received an accelerated timeline for housing code amendments in response to community concern that the process was moving too slowly. Under the new timeline, the Planning Department will move up a number of scheduled deadlines and continue to search for ways to streamline the process.

Kids Eat Free::About 1,800 additional Austin ISD students will eat breakfast for free in the coming school year following an increase in funding from the Texas Legislature.

The Little Problem of Carbon::The Environmental Commission and the Joint Sustainability Committee approved resolutions in June asking Interim City Manager Jesús Garza to reconsider his protested return-to-office policy. Both bodies want to see research on the environmental impact of driving to work over working remotely.

Identifying the 95::Due to lack of funding and exclusivity claims, little progress has been made on research into the identities of the Sugar Land 95, a group of convict laborers whose remains appeared during construction of a Fort Bend ISD school.

Bus Stops Ahead::Construction of new bus stops will begin on Barton Springs Road between South Lamar and Azie Morton this week. City crews will overlay the street with a smoother surface through of August.

Put Your Money Where Your Art Is:: With designs in the works for cultural arts infrastructure projects, the city now has a short list of critical needs totaling $65 million. The full request is $300M. Projects like the Dougherty Arts Center will likely require a bond passing.

image via Getty Images

"I believe we have stepped over a line into the inhumane."

– A DPS trooper, who described troopers' practices at the border to the Houston Chronicle. He said they were ordered not to give water to migrants in the heat. He said troopers found a pregnant woman miscarrying while caught in razor wire the state spread, and when troopers found a 4-year-old girl passed out from heat exhaustion after trying to get through the wire, they just pushed her back.