The Week’s Biggest News in Brief

ICE Protests Around the Nation: On Jan. 7, an ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good. Good, along with others, was protesting ICE operations in the city when the incident occurred. After ICE agents began surrounding her SUV, she attempted to drive away when agent Jonathan Ross fired three shots into the vehicle, killing Good. The Department of Homeland Security and other MAGA officials and supporters, including Trump, JD Vance, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, have claimed that Good was attempting to run over the officer and that Ross’ actions fall under self-defense, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, along with other Democratic officials, vigorously oppose that conclusion. Since the shooting, countless individuals have gathered at over 1,000 different protests throughout the nation, including the Austin area, calling for justice for Good and for ICE to end operations in various states and cities, particularly Minneapolis.

Alamo Drafthouse on the Phone: If the Alamo Drafthouse was famous for one thing, it was its clear “Don’t talk, don’t text” policy that defended the audience and films from distractions. Now it’s making phones mandatory by putting all food orders and payments on the app, including orders made during screenings. Drafthouse management has said that they’re training staff to differentiate between “good” phone use (ordering nachos) and “bad” (pirating movies, texting your mom), but audiences are unconvinced, with a massive online backlash against what many see as a betrayal of the core principles of the Alamo experience.

Democrats Call for Grok Investigation: Texas House Democrats are calling on Attorney General Ken Paxton to conduct an investigation into Elon Musk’s X AI chatbot, Grok. In a letter issued on Monday, Jan. 12, led by Texas House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Mihaela Plesa, the group is urging the A.G. to examine if the social media app – which is headquartered in the Austin area – complies with the state’s age verification and child safety laws after the app’s built-in artificial intelligence program has continuously generated sexually explicit images. “Grok will undress any photo you give it,” Plesa said in a press release. “A classmate, a coworker, a child. Elon Musk knows this and won’t stop it. Ken Paxton knows this and hasn’t acted.”

Credit: John Anderson

Possible Changes to the Hemp Industry Coming: While the Texas hemp industry continues to combat Texas lawmakers, the Texas Department of State Health Services published a proposal for drastic changes to the industry in December 2025. According to The Texas Tribune, the changes would require consumers to be 21 years or older to purchase hemp products, which would be enforced through age verification requirements. Along with the age restriction, the rules call for mandatory product recalls and testing procedures. Testing of THC levels would throw a dramatic wrench in the plans of hemp distributors, as many retailers sell consumable products containing well above the legal limit. On top of all of these changes, licensing fees would increase to $25,000 per manufacturing facility each year and $20,000 per location each year for retailers. According to the Statesman, these rules could go into effect as early as Jan. 25, although modifications and delays could also emerge before changes occur. 

Texas Eliminates ABA Oversight: After 42 years of partnership, Texas becomes the first state to disassociate from the American Bar Association, which once oversaw the state’s law schools. According to KERA News, the Texas Supreme Court issued an order that no longer prioritizes the ABA to oversee which law school grads can take the bar exam in order to become a licensed lawyer in Texas. Now, the state’s highest civil court has the authority to approve or deny which law schools meet the requirements to practice law in Texas. The dissolution of the partnership comes after the Texas Supreme Court made a decision last September to cut ties with ABA.

Crockett, Talarico Schedule First Debate: On Saturday, Jan. 24, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, the two leading Democratic candidates for the state’s U.S. Senate seat, will face off in a one-hour debate held by the Texas AFL-CIO. Held at the Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel & Conference Center in Georgetown, the debate will begin at 2pm and will be streamed throughout Texas. The discussion will be moderated by KXAN anchor Daniel Marin and Dallas Morning News writer Gromer Jeffers. 

New AISD food pantry in partnership with Central Texas Food Bank Credit: Central Texas Food Bank

AISD Opens Food Pantries: On Tuesday, Jan. 13, Austin ISD opened six on-campus food pantries in partnership with the Central Texas Food Bank, where parents will be able to access free frozen protein, produce, and pantry staples. They’ll be located inside Barbara Jordan, Cook, Ortega, Padrón, Pérez, and Walnut Creek elementaries, expanding upon the first AISD Feeding Futures School Pantry at Galindo ES. The food pantries are not limited to the six campus communities, but open for all AISD families to access 10 days’ worth of food every week within AISD, according to Noelle Newton of the CTFB. 

TX Voter Roll in Trump’s Hands: According to KUT, the state’s voter roll, made up of 18.4 million registered voters, is now available to the U.S. Justice Department. The passing of information comes after the Trump administration demanded states provide access to their complete list of registered voters. The request, the department said, is to ensure that election laws are being enforced. Now, the dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers of all registered Texan voters are on hand for the Trump administration’s access. Despite concerns regarding the legality of the efforts, the Justice Department says that it has a right to the information under federal law. So far 23 states and Washington, D.C., have been sued by the department for withholding the information.

CapMetro Bus Hit and Kills Pedestrian: Last Wednesday, Jan. 7, a pedestrian in Downtown Austin was hit by a CapMetro bus. According to reporting from the Statesman, the accident took place just after 7pm near West Sixth and Rio Grande.While first responders attempted to save the individual, their efforts “unfortunately proved unsuccessful,” said Christa Stedman, spokesperson for Austin-Travis County EMS. APD has since said that the incident is currently under investigation as a suicide. 

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Credit: John Anderson

AUS Set to Add 32 Gates: On Jan. 7, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport announced that 32 gates are scheduled to be added to the airport as part of a larger expansion plan. The airport entered into lease agreements with airline providers Southwest, Delta, United, American, and Alaska, as well as cargo companies FedEx and UPS, for 10 years of service at AUS. 26 of the gates will open in the early 2030s as part of the Concourse B development, with the other six possibly opening in 2027 within Concourse M, according to KUT.

Know Your Rights Focus Groups: Austin Police Oversight has invited Austinites to join in Know Your Rights focus groups throughout the month. The sessions are designed to raise awareness on community members’ rights when interacting with local law enforcement. Open to residents 18 and older, the groups are intended to provide transparent updates to KYR resources. Sessions will be held on Friday, Jan. 16 on Zoom, as well as in person on Thursday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 24. Attendees will be able to provide feedback on the information presented. “These focus groups allow residents to share their experiences and perspectives so that Know Your Rights resources truly serve the people they are meant to support,” said Gail McCant, director of Austin Police Oversight.

Austin Crime Dropped Significantly in 2025: According to KUT, 2025 saw the city’s lowest number of murders since before the COVID pandemic in 2020. With only 55 homicides this past year, APD Assistant Chief Angie Jones said that homicide rates are down 23% compared to 2024, which saw 66. Not only did homicides decline, but property crimes, aggravated assaults, and robberies also had a significant dip. Jones attributes the declines in crime to better collaboration between police department units, along with city department partnerships.

New Texas Portal Allows for College Complaints: Following multiple incidents of professors being terminated from their positions for allegedly violating Senate Bill 37, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has launched its Office of the Ombudsman website. The portal allows the public to file complaints against state public colleges and universities. Mandated by SB 37, which took effect on Jan. 1, state control over public higher education has increased, granting governing boards authority over faculty governance and curriculum, and requiring academic program reviews. Brandon Simmons, who has served on the Texas Southern University Board of Regents, was appointed as ombudsman in October by Gov. Greg Abbott. According to the Statesman, the Office of the Ombudsman has five days to make the institution aware of the complaint, with the institution having 175 days to respond.

AISD Says Waymo Still Putting Students at Risk: Following numerous complaints and evidence that showed Waymo vehicles illegally driving by parked school buses, both in Austin and other large cities, the company decided to conduct a voluntary recall in early December. According to KXAN reporting, following the company saying that it has updated software within the vehicles to resolve the situation, there have been two more violations that occurred on Dec. 12 and 19, Austin ISD says. The school district has requested that the company halt operations during hours when school buses are picking up and dropping off students, with the first instance occurring in October. 

CapMetro Adjusts Routes: This past weekend, on Sunday, Jan. 11, CapMetro’s adjusted routes went into effect, as part of the company’s triannual service change. It also made updates to the Night Owl service, which began on Monday, Jan. 12. The changes include realignment of the Route 485 Night Owl Cameron line and realignment of Route 935 Tech Ridge Express. The company also said that CapMetro Access vehicles – buses equipped with lifts or ramps for disabled riders – will begin servicing routes 490, 491, 492, and 493. “These adjustments are part of CapMetro’s ongoing effort to improve service reliability, respond to evolving travel patterns, and enhance connectivity for riders across the region,” the company stated in a press release.

ASDS, UTGWU Hold Student Defense Rally: According to a press release from Austin Students for a Democratic Society and UT Graduate Workers Union, seven UT students have been charged in correlation with protesting the Trump Compact and potential consolidation of the College of Liberal Arts, stemming back to late November 2025. The press release states that all seven students have been charged with disruptive conduct and unauthorized entry. It also says that SDS and UTGWU have video evidence that proves the students were demonstrating peacefully in a public area. On Tuesday, Jan. 13, the two organizations held a student defense rally at the UT Student Services Building. “SDS and UTGWU believe that these charges are an attempt to scare students from speaking out against the UT administration,” the press release states.

Austin Public Health Encourages Flu Vaccines: It’s not too late to receive a flu vaccination, Austin Public Health says. In a press release issued on Tuesday, Jan. 13, the organization said that it “continues to follow long-standing, evidence-based vaccine recommendations.” For youth who have not yet received their vaccine, Austin Public Health provides free or low-cost access for those who are uninsured and underinsured. “Our recommendations come from decades of scientific research,” said Dr. Desmar Walkes, health authority with Austin Public Health. “We regularly review new studies, and the science continues to support our current guidance.”

Free Tax Assistance for Texans: Foundation Communities is launching its annual Prosper Tax Help program, calling for Texans to join state and city leaders at Prosper Center South on Friday, Jan. 16, at 10am to kick off the 2026 tax season. Joined by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and City Council members Ryan Alter and Chito Vela, Foundation Communities will raise awareness about this free resource that is available to Texans – an initiative that the nonprofit has been spearheading for over 20 years, saving more than $558 billion, according to a press release from the nonprofit.

Austin Recognized for Government Transparency: On Wednesday, Jan. 14, the city of Austin announced that the city has received gold certification from Bloomberg Philanthropies through its What Works Cities Certification program, which began in 2017. According to the city’s press release, Austin has been recognized for “establishing exceptional data capabilities to inform policy, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate programs, and engage residents.” Austin is one of over 100 cities that have been certified through the group’s program.

Credit: minneapolismn.gov QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“To ICE: Get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressing the public after the Renee Nicole Good shooting

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