ATX PULSE 8/21/24: Burn Ban in Effect in Travis County // AISD Tax Increase Requested to Fund Raises, Reduce Deficit // Kealing M.S. Canceled Thru Wed // APD Seeks 6 Suspects for 6th St Robbery // APD Seeks Suspects in Mueller HEB Drive-By Shooting // Sal (2024)

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TOP NEWS

“Burn ban in effect for Travis County,” KXAN’s Esmerelda Zamora — “Travis County commissioners voted to issue a burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county.

On Tuesday, Travis County Commissioners Court voted to implement a burn ban for the county. The burn ban went into effect right away, and commissioners voted that it remain in effect for the next 14 days, unless said otherwise by the Travis County judge and or fire marshal.

“This week, we’re experiencing dangerous levels of heat and decreasing humidity, which is a troubling combination for wildfire risk,”said Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Gary Howell.

Howell shared that these next few days the county will be experiencing extremely high temperatures in the 100s and low humidity. These conditions together create the right environment for environmental fires occur.

“I urge everyone in Travis County to abide by the burn ban, so we can all work together to minimize the risk of fires and ensure our public’s safety,” said Howell.” KXAN

“Austin ISD is asking voters to approve a new tax rate to help fund raises, reduce deficit,” KUT’s Becky Fogel — “The Austin ISD school board is asking voters to approve a higher property tax rate in November that would increase the district’s revenue by tens of millions of dollars. That money would be used to give more than 60 percent of employees a raise and reduce the district’s budget deficit to $78 million. Austin ISD officials have said the main reason the district has a deficit is because state funding for public schools has not kept up with inflation.

Trustees voted 8-1 on Monday to call what’s officially known as a voter approval tax rate election (VATRE) to get permission from voters to raise the tax rate beyond what the state says it should be.

School Board Vice President Kevin Foster was the lone dissenter. He said Texas has a budget surplus but “systematically starves public education.”

Foster pointed out that a successful VATRE would generate about $171 million in new revenue for Austin ISD, but the district would keep only $41 million. The rest would be subject to recapture, also known as the Robin Hood program, which was set up to send what the state considers excess revenue from property-wealthy districts to those with low property values.

“When we vote for this tax rate election, what we are voting to do is to fill the coffers of the state to do things that don’t serve us,” Foster said.

Other trustees said while they understood Foster’s stance, Austin ISD needs financial help and fast. The district is currently staring down a $119 million deficit without a tax rate increase or other budget cuts officials plan on making.

“I’ll be voting in favor of (the VATRE) for a lot of the same reasons you’re voting against it – that we have a state that is choosing to starve our public schools in a city that deeply values our public schools,” Board Secretary Lynn Boswell told Foster.

Trustee David Kauffman said he also supports the tax rate increase but thinks it is important that the public ultimately decides whether to approve it.

“What I’m voting for today is an election to allow our voters in Austin to make that decision,” he said. “I’ve heard from enough people who oppose and I’ve heard from enough people who are in favor, to tell me that this is something that is, thankfully, a direct vote of our community.”

The Austin ISD school board is asking voters to increase the tax rate by 9.1 cents, from nearly $0.86 to $0.95 per $100 of a home’s taxable value. District officials said this would mean that the owner of a home worth $553,493 would see their property taxes increase by an additional $34 per month.

According to the district, homeowners who have property tax exemptions because they’re 65 and older or have disabilities will not be affected by the tax rate increase.

School Board President Arati Singh underscored that Austin ISD will also make budget cuts and not just rely on property owners to shoulder the burden of the deficit. She said if the VATRE is successful, the district plans to cut $2 from the budget for every $1 it gets in revenue from the higher tax rate.” KUT

“Kealing Middle School cancels classes for second day after fire,” Fox 7 Austin’s Jessica Rivera — “Classes were canceled on the first day of school for Kealing Middle School due to a fire.

On Tuesday afternoon, the school district gave an update saying classes would also be canceled on Wednesday, August 21.

Classes have been canceled on the first day of school for Kealing Middle School after the Austin Fire Department responded to a second alarm fire late last night. …

Officials say it appears that the fire was related to an overloaded outlet in a classroom and the fire department does not suspect arson.” Fox 7 Austin

THE BLOTTER

~ “6th Street robbery: Austin police searching for 6 suspects,” via Fox 7 Austin– “The Austin Police Department (APD)is asking for help identifying six people involved in a robbery on 6th Street.

Austin police said on July 20, around 12:58 a.m., a robbery that happened in the 300 block of East 6th Street was reported.

The six people involved assaulted victims and stole property, police said.

Austin police described the suspects as:

Anyone with any information should contact APD's Robbery unit at 512-974-5092.You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visitingaustincrimestoppers.orgor calling 512-472-TIPS.A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.” Fox 7 Austin

~ “APD investigating drive-by shooting outside Mueller H-E-B,” KVUE’s Jeff Bell – “One person is injured following a shooting outside an H-E-B store in the Mueller neighborhood on Saturday night.

According to the Austin Police Department, officers responded to the scene at 1801 E. 51st St. around 10:10 p.m. after reports of shots fired.

Officers arriving on the scene found two victims, APD said.

Investigators say two suspects drove by and fired multiple shots and then left the scene. One victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made.

APD said this was an isolated incident and there was no active threat to the public.

No other information is available at this time.” KVUE

~ “1 dog dead, 8 others found in Manor inside cages outside with no food or water: police,” via Fox 7 Austin– “Manor police are investigating a severe case of animal cruelty after nine dogs were found left in cages outside in the Texas heat. One dog has died.

Police said nine dogs were found left in cages outside in the heat in Manor, allegedly, with one dog later dying.

No substantial food or water was provided by the owner, and two of the dogs had sweaters on.

Police said when the dogs were found, the temperature was at 104 degrees with a heat index of 108 degrees.

The owner of the dogs was arrested and taken to the Travis County Jail.

The dogs are now safe and in the process of being placed in animal rescues.” Fox 7 Austin

~ “6 people arrested after shooting during Liberty Hill car chase,” via Fox 7 Austin– “Six people were arrested after a stolen vehicle pursuit turned into a shooting in Liberty Hill, the sheriff's office said.

According to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, on August 17, around 2:15 a.m., deputies received a report of a stolen vehicle in the 200 block of Yellow Senna Place in Liberty Hill. The victim told deputies his car was stolen from his home and he began following the suspects toward SH 29.

During the pursuit, the suspects fired multiple shots at the victim, hitting his car three times. The victim then stopped following them after the gunfire.”

When deputies responded, they found the stolen car that was unoccupied and still turned on in the 100 block of Jonathan Way.

While investigating, deputies saw another car leaving the area at a high speed on Stonewall Parkway.

After a traffic stop, six people were arrested on unrelated charges.

This is still an active investigation.

Anyone with further information, please contact the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Contact: Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Phone: 512-943-1311 Email: [emailprotected]Gracie Perez Public Information Officer Phone: (737) 240-0514.” Fox 7 Austin

~ “$25K worth of bikes stolen from Austin recreation center,” KXAN’s Kelsey Thompson – “An Austin recreation center is grappling with thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen property after thieves targeted it early Sunday.

Numerous bikes were stolen from the Lorraine “Grandma” Camacho Activity Center Sunday morning, the recreation center shared in a Monday Instagram post. The bikes taken were used as part of the center’s cycling programming, including youth cycling, summer and spring break camps, youth biking sessions and other outreach efforts, a spokesperson for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department said.

The spokesperson added these programs will still operate at the center, but stressed “some adjustments to schedules and availability may be necessary.” PARD officials also confirmed 16 bikes were stolen during the incident, amounting to approximately $25,000 in lost property.

The Austin Police Department confirmed officers are investigating the theft but added the department doesn’t have any suspect descriptions available at this time.” KXAN

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

~ “‘We are pretty much stuck’: Most Central Texas school districts face budget shortfalls,” KXAN’s Kelly Wiley, Nabil Remadna and Christopher Adams – “Spanish teacher Shaun Hopkins watched from his laptop as the Austin school board discussed hypothetical budget cuts that would impact his kids, his classroom, and his friends.

In the July workshop, livestreamed on YouTube, Austin Independent School District leaders said the district would need voters to approve a tax increase and trim millions from its budget to close a $119 million deficit.

According to Superintendent Matias Segura, it was fair to assume Texas lawmakers would not act on increasing public school funding.

The district could save millions if it stopped busing kids across town to magnet schools. Another $3 million if they got rid of nurses. An additional $1.4 million if the district changed librarians into aides.

Hopkins, who runs the dual language program at Small Middle School, felt a gut punch when district officials mentioned the $20 million the district could save if it stopped offering special education and bilingual teacher stipends—two roles consistently vacant across the state. …

School boards across Texas are having conversations around potential budget cuts as they deal with inflation, an attendance rate that never quite bounced back after the pandemic, and the Texas Education Agency’s forecast of flat enrollment over the next five years.

Our team found that 18 of the 24 Central Texas school districts that have already adopted budgets for this school year are in deficit. School budgets show shortfalls ranging from $374,000 at Rockdale ISD to $119 million at Austin ISD, the area’s largest school district.

KXAN collected 2024-25 budget data from all the school districts in Central Texas. Scroll over an area to see information on a district’s recapture amount, general fund expenditure and its deficit percentage. KXAN interactive/Christopher Adams

The shortfalls extend beyond Central Texas. Houston ISD is facing a $211 million deficit. Dallas ISD confirmed it’s $187 million in the red. Fort Worth ISD is $17 million, and El Paso ISD is $12 million.

The impact of the budget shortfalls is already apparent in some districts.” KXAN

OTHER NEWS

~ “Salvation Army Austin 'Day of Giving’ asks for help for families experiencing homelessness,” CBS Austin’s Fred Cantu – “We may often see an individual out on the street experiencing homelessness, and as a community we still struggle with what to do to help. But Salvation Army Austin is tackling an often unseen and growing crisis: family homelessness.

Today, you can help Salvation Army Austin in their effort to make a local family's experience with homelessness brief and non-recurring.

Salvation Army Austin operates two family shelters, the Austin Shelter for Women and Children and the Rathgeber Center for Families. But you may not know that both of these shelters are at capacity every night, and each has an extensive waitlist of hundreds of parents and children. Right now 86% of those sheltered in their facilities are women and children.

The need is great, consequently so is what they're asking for. Salvation Army Austin is hoping to raise one million dollars today with their 4th annual Day of Giving campaign.

Area Commander Major Lewis Reckline says, “This community has been fantastic. We ask that you continue to support us. Help us reach our goal."

Each year Salvation Army Austin successfully case manages hundreds from crisis to stability and self-sufficiency. You can be a part of this success story. Visit their Day of Giving web site or call 512-605-1410. The phone bank will be staffed August 21 from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.” CBS Austin

~ “Austin Pets Alive! gets grant from PetSmart to help transport pets from overcrowded shelters,” KVUE’s John Diaz – “Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is getting a big boost to ease concerns around overcrowding.

The organization announced Tuesday that it's one of the animal shelters receiving a $100,000 grant from PetSmart to help transport pets for adoption.

The grant will support the APA! pet transport program, which moves adoptable pets to other shelters nationwide so those animals have a better chance of finding their forever home.

The funding aims to reduce overcrowding at shelters and strengthen programs that have a larger impact on animal welfare.

“Transport programs are vital to increasing pet lifesaving efforts in Texas,” Clare Callison with APA! said. “With the help of the PetSmart Charities grant, we can help close the gap and connect under-resourced shelters in Texas with communities up north, saving the pets most at risk of euthanasia.”” KVUE

SPORTS

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “Shoring up pass defense is critical to the Longhorns 1st SEC season,” KXAN’s Billy Gates — “A big knock against the Texas Longhorns last year was their pass defense. They ranked No. 116 in FBS allowing more than 254 yards per game and were torched through the air by Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., for 430 yards in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

The defense is on a mission this season to not let another quarterback light them up like that again.

Sophomore defensive back Malik Muhammad said focusing on “the details” is something they’ve “honed in on.”

“Tackling and getting our drops right, knowing our opponent and playing together and communicating,” he said. “We’ve got a great defense this year. We know how to play together as a whole defense.”

Muhammad said he’s become more of a vocal leader for the secondary this year after playing in all 14 games of his true freshman season, notching 31 tackles with an interception and a blocked punt return for a touchdown.

“I’m just trying to bring the other guys along and show them what I know,” he said.

The Longhorns ranked No. 52 in FBS averaging 2.29 sacks per game last season, but Muhammad thinks that number will go up because of the talent coming in. A better pass rush means the defensive backs don’t have to cover as long, making their job substantially easier.

“Those guys have been doing a great job getting to the football, and I’ve been feeling that during the scrimmages,” he said.” KXAN

~ TEXAS ATHLETICS: “12 included in 2024 Texas Athletics Hall of Honor class,” KXAN’s Billy Gates — “Six men and six women are headed to Longhorns immortality with their inductions into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor.

The men’s selections are headlined by five of the best athletes to put on burnt orange and one legendary coach. Reggie Freeman, Marquise Goodwin, Colt McCoy, Alex Okafor and Omar Quintanilla earned their way in as athletes this year, along with a special selection for men’s golf coach John Fields.

The women’s field includes athletes Julie Cooper Bliemel, Farley Taylor Lansing, Mira Topic Losert, Lexy Bennett Skaggs and Karen Nelson Walters with a special selection of former rowing head coach Carie Graves. Graves will be honored posthumously after her death in December 2021.

The ceremony is at 7 p.m., Sept. 20 at the LBJ Auditorium and Conference Center, 2313 Red River St., and tickets are $25 per person. The new inductees will also be honored during the Longhorns football game Sept. 21 against Louisiana-Monroe.” KXAN

» Buy tix to the Hall of Honor ceremony here.

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “University of Texas unveils new stadium food lineup for SEC debut,” CBS Austin’s Andrew Freeman — “A new conference and a new partnership, with the University of Texas at Austin unveiling its new food and drink options set to be sold at DKR Memorial Stadium for its debut season in the NCAA Southeastern Conference.

At the Frank Denius Family Hall of Fame Tuesday, some lucky Longhorns fans got a sneak peek of new menu items for upcoming University of Texas home games.

"The food's amazing," Amrit Babu, who came with his wife, said. "Like, the brisket? I'm so glad I didn't eat before coming here."

Hand-breaded chicken tenders, Barbecue paella, and Barbecue pulled pork sandwiches to name a few, are all part of a new partnership with Sodexo, a food service company that also partnered with the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"This is the big show now, right?" Executive Chef Mark Krystopa said. "So there's other stadiums we're up against."

Krystopa says 26,000 pounds of brisket is expected to be prepared every home game, along with the introduction of dozens of additional grab-and-go digital ordering devices to get fans back in their seats faster.

"What we're really trying to do is bring a lot of fresh, local flavors to our menu and reimagine stadium food," Krystopa said.” CBS Austin

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ DINING:”The Best Things Eater Austin Editors Ate Last Week: Korean Tofu Stews and Downtown Lunch Tacos” Austin Eater

~ DINING:”Austin’s Hopsquad Brewing Co. opens agave-led cocktail bar” Culture Map Austin

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ LIVE MUSIC: Primus with Fantastic Negrito. ACL Live. Show at 8pm. Tix $49.59 and up here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: 311 with AWOL Nation and Neon Trees. Moody Amphitheater. Doors at 5:30pm, show at 7pm. Tix $42.50 and up here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: Megadeath. Germania Amphitheater. Doors 5:30pm, show 6:30pm. Tix $22 and up here.

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Local News Editor: Austin American-Statesman (Gannett). No salary info provided. Info / apply here.