The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: May 14-20

Austin Musicians Against AI: Austin musicians gathered on Tuesday, May 19, to call for tighter regulations on artificial intelligence within the music industry, arguing that the technology is putting artists’ livelihoods and human creativity at risk. Led by Austin Texas Musicians, the group of artists is calling on lawmakers to put legislation in place to help prevent further encroachment from AI into their line of work. 

South Austin Shooting Spree: On Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, a series of random and targeted shootings and stolen vehicles took place throughout South and East Austin as law enforcement worked to track down suspects, whom they were able to arrest on Sunday evening. The three suspects were all under the age of 18. The string of crimes began when one of the suspects stole a firearm on Saturday morning before taking off in a stolen vehicle. The individuals then went on to commit 12 separate shootings throughout the city, including at two fire stations where both the stations and three vehicles were struck by gunfire, stealing five vehicles along the way. According to the Austin Police Department, four individuals were shot, one of whom sustained critical injuries, and five other vehicles were also struck. While law enforcement worked to find the suspects, an emergency alert was issued on Sunday afternoon, calling for shelter in place on South Slaughter Lane, East McKinney Falls Parkway, North Ben White Boulevard, and West Escarpment Boulevard. One of the suspects has been identified as 17-year-old Cristian Fajardo Mondragon. The other two suspects’ identities were not released because they are 16-year-old and 15-year-old juveniles.

Summer Camps Scaled Back: Following last year’s July floods that left a total of 27 children and counselors dead at Camp Mystic, the state tightened regulations on the summer camp industry as the weather gets warmer, now forcing some to close before summer kicks off. Of those new state requirements are weather warning systems, optimal internet access, and increased licensing fees. According to The Texas Tribune, multiple camps throughout the state have chosen to reduce their hours of operation in order to avoid paying those increased fees. Other camps have scaled back activities due to the safety plan requirements, while some have chosen to close entirely. Back in April, a group of camps filed a lawsuit against the state over the implementation of mandatory fiber-optic internet. The Texas Department of State Health Services, which oversees licensing for these camps, announced that it would not require the internet hardware to be installed for the upcoming season.

Credit: Getty Images

ALPRs Back for Discussion Following Shooting: Following the weekend’s shooting spree that took place across Austin, the idea of installing automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology throughout the city is circulating once again. Some city leaders and law enforcement advocates have come forward, saying that the technology could have potentially helped law enforcement track down the suspects sooner. After the individuals fled city limits, they took to Manor, where the Manor Police Department used Flock Safety ALPR Technology to locate and arrest the suspects. Last year, the city ended its partnership with Flock and in April, City Council passed new guidelines for surveillance technology called the TRUST (Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology) Act.

Gene Wu Keeps Seat: Gov. Greg Abbott has been working to remove Houston Rep. Gene Wu, along with other Democrats, from office, after Wu and others broke quorum at last summer’s legislative session. Their quorum break came as the GOP tried to push the gerrymandered map – which has since been allowed for this year’s midterms – and the Dems attempted to stall its movement. Abbott’s attempts to have Wu, the House Democratic leader, removed from office failed last Friday, May 15, after the Texas Supreme Court denied his requests, with Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock saying that “it is not [the court’s] role to resolve disputes between the other two branches that those branches can resolve for themselves.”

Data Centers in City Limits: On Friday, May 15, on City Council’s message board, Mayor Kirk Watson and some Council members wrote that City Manager T.C. Broadnax has been tasked with evaluating the presence of data centers within city limits. Broadnax has until July to bring forward a proposal for regulating data centers in Austin. While city leaders want to welcome businesses to the area and advance economic growth, they are also considering the centers’ strain on water and energy resources. 

Attorney General Ken Paxton Credit: Jana Birchum

Trump Endorses Paxton: Donald Trump has finally issued his endorsement in this year’s U.S. Senate race, choosing to back Attorney General Ken Paxton, a day after early voting started. Trump’s support for Paxton comes after the president said he would like to see whichever candidate he didn’t endorse drop out of the race. Now that ball is in Cornyn’s court. By next Tuesday, May 26, we will have a clear picture of who state Rep. James Talarico is up against heading into November’s election to claim one of the U.S. Senate seats up for grabs.

Texas Lottery Commission Out of Luck: The Texas Lottery Commission, along with former Director Gary Grief, have been charged in connection to a 2023 $95 million Lotto Texas draw, according to the Statesman. The commission allegedly helped international gamblers engineer a win of the $95 million lottery by virtually purchasing every possible six-number combination, totaling over 25 million tickets being claimed. Grief has been ordered to appear at a Travis County court on June 26, with penalties of up to 99 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for an individual. For an agency, the penalty is a $20,000 fine or the amount of currency accrued or lost due to the actions.

Big Bend Wall Protest: Texans gathered outside of the Capitol on Tuesday, May 19, to protest the implementation of a border wall within Big Bend National Park along the Rio Grande that federal and state lawmakers have been pushing for, according to the Statesman. The protest comes days after the DHS published new rules that would allow the potential build.

Gov. Greg Abbott Credit: John Anderson

Abbott Sets Sights on Garza: At a press conference last Thursday, May 14, Gov. Greg Abbott announced his plans for next year’s state legislative session, presenting four criminal justice policies that he claims he will prioritize. Of those four policies, two would make district attorneys in counties around the state eligible for impeachment and create a new statewide prosecutor role, which would be allowed to pursue charges not brought forward by district attorneys, according to KUT. At the press conference, Abbott jabbed at Travis County D.A. José Garza, criticizing him for missing the 90-day indictment deadline in over 200 criminal cases in 2024. Garza responded saying that Abbott’s plans are an attempt to distract Texans from the “litany of failures” that he has made.

Detained AISD Student’s Graduation: In early May, 18-year-old Luis Fernando Cabrera Chavarria was detained by ICE agents after a Texas state trooper conducted a routine traffic stop. He is now being held at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center a little south of San Antonio. Local lawmakers and advocates got together last Monday, requesting the release of Cabrera Chavarria. The Austin Current has since reported that a new agreement that was struck by a local attorney representing the student is allowing the Northeast Early College High School senior to complete his schoolwork while in the detention center, as AISD sends the remaining work to the detention center for Cabrera Chavarria’s completion. A federal judge ordered the agency to release the student by Friday, May 22, before his June 2 graduation.

Austin City Hall Credit: John Anderson

City Staff Recommend Delaying Bond Election: City Council is scheduled for two regular meetings before they break for the summer: today, May 21, and next Thursday, May 28. Before their month-and-a-half hiatus, Council will discuss a potential bond package; however, according to the Statesman, city staff are encouraging Council to wait until 2028 before asking voters to approve the bond. With the city facing a major budget deficit, partially due to the rejection of Prop Q, which would have helped fund essential city services and alleviate the deficit, Adriana Castaneda, capital delivery services director, is urging that the city wait two years before presenting a new bond election due to the fact that Austin still has over $1 billion in unissued bond funds tied to projects that date back two decades. Current city policies prohibit the city from holding bond elections until there are less than two years remaining on previous bonds. 

Mailed Abortion Pills Remain Legal: Last Thursday, May 14, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to uphold the legalization of mail-order mifepristone, an abortion medication commonly used in Texas, across the nation. The decision comes after the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals temporarily froze the 2023 federal law that has made way for these pills to be virtually prescribed and shipped around the country. The 7-2 decision from the Supreme Court that sided against the 5th Circuit Court came after two manufacturers of the pill, Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, filed an emergency request that granted a temporary stay on access to the medication.

Zilker Loop Returns: The free Zilker Loop will be returning on Saturday, May 23, to shuttle Austinites from the Stratford Parking Lot to popular areas around Zilker Park, including Zilker Botanical Garden, Barton Springs Pool, and Zilker Hillside Theater. The bus will run every Saturday, Sunday, and certain holidays from noon to 6pm, continuing through Sept. 7. Residents using the Zilker Loop will have the ability to have the first two hours of parking fees in Stratford Lot waived by using a code in the Park ATX App. The Loop will pick up and drop off passengers about every 20 minutes.

St. Edward’s Appoints Interim President: Following St. Edward’s University’s current president Montserrat Fuentes’ announcement stating that she would be stepping down this summer, the university has named Matthew Shank, former president of Virginia’s Marymount University, as the interim president. For up to two years, Shank will serve an interim term after he takes over the position on July 1. According to the Statesman, the university’s board of trustees landed on Shank with help from the national higher education firm AGB Search, as well as discussions with faculty, students, staff, and alumni. 

Austin Recognized for Veteran Support: Austin Human Resources announced on Thursday, May 14, that the city has been named a 4 Star Employer in the 2026 VETS Indexes Employer Awards, national recognition for organizations that support veterans, service members, and their families. The program analyzes practices across five categories: veteran job candidate recruiting and hiring; veteran employee development and retention; veteran-inclusive policies; support for National Guard and Reserve members; and support for military families.

City Acquires Onion Creek Parkland: Austin Parks and Recreation announced on Tuesday, May 19, that the city has acquired 50 acres of parkland along Onion Creek, preserving open space in Southeast Austin that advance Austin’s goal of ensuring every resident lives within a 5- or 10-minute walk of a park. The newly purchased property will operate as a land-banked passive park, accessible to Austinites and maintained in its natural state until future development. According to Austin Parks and Recreation, the city has invested 92% of the 2018 bond program’s land acquisition funds with the purchase of the property.

Public Library Opening, Closure: The Old Quarry Branch Library in West Austin is set to reopen on June 22 after being closed for two years as the site underwent renovations, according to the Statesman. Among the improvements, the library will feature a more modern interior, a new reading patio, youth learning spaces, and an upgraded HVAC system. The renovations were funded through Austin’s 2018 bond package. Just before that branch opens, the Menchaca Road Branch Library will close on June 14 for improvements, estimated to take around a year, also funded through the 2018 bond package. 

Upcoming Sales Tax Holidays: The comptroller’s office is reminding Texans about potential savings this weekend, May 23-25, as the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR sales tax holidays take place. Products – such as showerheads, sink faucets and fixtures, and landscape irrigation equipment – displaying a WaterSense label or logo will be available for tax-free purchases throughout the weekend through the Water-Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday. Products – such as air conditioners priced below $6,000, refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less, ceiling fans, dishwashers, and other electrical appliances – displaying the ENERGY STAR logo can be purchased tax-free through the ENERGY STAR Sales Tax Holiday.

Credit: Candidate's Facebook QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“When Greg Abbott threatened to arrest and expel us for denying him a quorum, we told him he should ‘come and take it.’ … Abbott was wrong, weak, and after all his bluster, he couldn’t come and take a damn thing.”

state Rep. Gene Wu regarding the Supreme Court’s decision to allow him to stay in office

The post The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: May 14-20 appeared first on The Austin Chronicle.