The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: Oct. 8-14

Texas Sued Over Voter Registration Foul-up: In mid-September, election officials reported that the Texas Department of Public Safety failed to send voter registration applications to county election sites, resulting in hundreds of thousands of applications that had yet to be processed. Election officials throughout the state have since been working tirelessly to process those applications before early voting begins next week. And it looks like Texas may not be off the hook for the kerfuffle, as the League of Women Voters of Texas and MOVE Texas Civic Fund filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing that the DPS’s error prevented Texas from meeting its obligation of providing online access to voter registration, which the group sued over back in 2016 and 2020. The plaintiffs are requesting that a judge order DPS and the Texas Secretary of State’s Office to facilitate a functioning registration process, supply records documenting registration failures, and display proof of compliance to the court in the next month.

Make Your Voice Heard: It’s almost time for Texans to decide their future. Next Monday, Oct. 19, early voting opens in the state, allowing Texans to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. Voters can head to their nearest polling location between Oct. 19 and Oct. 30, and on that last Thursday and Friday before early voting closes, seven locations will remain open until 10pm to help process more ballots. The deadline to apply to vote by mail is Oct. 23 and the application is available on the Texas Secretary of State’s website. Sample ballots for Travis County can be found on the Travis County Clerk’s website. Voters can also find the Chronicle’s endorsements for local, state, and federal races in this week’s issue.

Attorney General Ken Paxton Credit: Jana Birchum

Paxton Digs Deeper Hole: It seems like every day, new recordings surface, exposing Texas Attorney General and U.S. Sen. candidate Ken Paxton. This past week, multiple clips of audio were leaked and a video from New Year’s Eve 2024 surfaced showing the A.G. celebrating the holiday with two American fugitives. One of the leaked audio clips reveals Paxton privately suggesting cuts to federal benefit programs to balance the national debt: “Making some reasonable cuts to mandatory spending – you’re gonna have to do it. Or there is no solution. That’s just the reality. We have to suck it up.” The other recording reveals Paxton telling attendees at a private donor event that “Abbott is struggling” in his gubernatorial race against Democrat Gina Hinojosa and that the race is “still close.” In the NYE video taken in Dubai, Paxton is seen alongside Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, who faced charges related to embezzlement of $15 million from a Chicago hospital where Ahmed – who has donated nearly $200,000 to Paxton – was CFO. He later faced additional charges in relation to a scheme in which the government paid him $195 million for fraudulent COVID tests. Additionally, The Texas Tribune reported that since he assumed office in 2015, Paxton has gone on almost 1,000 trips using a state-funded security detail with a total cost of $3.3 million. Only 138 of those trips and $553,000 in security costs were related to state business, the Tribune found. After a San Antonio rally last week, Donald Trump said that his Democratic opponent James Talarico “should immediately report to a Debate Stage against Ken Paxton,” despite the fact that he has accepted multiple debate invitations while Paxton has remained silent. While Talarico took a step back last week as he battled an illness, conservatives spewed conspiracy theories across social media. He was later seen over the weekend at Austin City Limits greeting festival attendees. 

Council Candidate’s Termination Records Surface: On Oct. 13, KXAN reported that it had received 34 pages of disciplinary and performance review documents related to Katie Kam’s termination of employment with the city in 2025. Kam is currently one of five candidates running for City Council District 9. The documents reveal concerns outlined by Kam’s superior, including her communication style and actions with departments outside of her role. Since KXAN obtained the documents, Kam has said that she is “actually glad this came to light,” and that it is why she decided to enter the D9 race and supports Proposition I, which would require the city to hire an outside company to conduct regular audits of city finances. She also alleges that her firing was retaliatory. 

Lions Municipal Golf Course Credit: Jana Birchum

City Works to Purchase Muny: The debate over what to do with Lions Municipal Golf Course, better known as Muny, has been ongoing for decades. The course became the city’s first public golf course in 1924 when it was constructed on University of Texas-Austin land. It’s also the first public course in the South to allow people of color to play and is now on the National Register of Historic Places as a civil rights landmark. Now, the city has said that it is working on an agreement with UT to claim ownership of the course and preserve the historic green space. Amendments will be made to the 1989 Brackenridge Development Agreement, a deal between the university and the city that outlines how UT can use the land on either side of Lake Austin Boulevard for private development. City staff will soon brief the Environmental and Planning commissions on the proposal before bringing the amended BDA to Council in mid-November.

Fetus Found at East Austin Park: Austin Police Department officers were responding to an urgent welfare check call on Monday, Oct. 12, at Roy. G. Guerrero Colorado River Park in East Austin where they found what appeared to be a fetus inside of a bag in a box, under a tree in the park. An APD investigation in consultation with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office remains ongoing.

UT-Austin campus Credit: Getty Images

UT’s Right-Wing Events Spark Criticism: As the University of Texas-Austin’s University Democrats chapter worked to get its event featuring left-wing social media influencer Hasan Piker booked at a venue suitable for a couple thousand attendees who RSVP’d, the university was in the process of helping book conservative commentator Ben Shapiro in the Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium. (Piker’s event ended up being held in the William C. Powers Jr. Student Activity Center and did not reach max capacity, despite the overwhelming number of people who said they planned to attend.) A week later, on Oct. 7, Shapiro’s event was held. Multiple reporters have said that the university’s Turning Point USA chapter – which organized the event – told journalists that they could not cover the event; a Texas Monthly journalist said he was removed from the event despite having a general admission ticket. On the same day, manosphere influencer Myron Gaines hosted a debate in partnership with the university’s chapter of Uncensored America on campus grounds, in which he made sexist, racist, and homophobic remarks, as captured on video. UT police ended up shutting the event down after Gaines began directing expletives at members of the audience. Since the incident, Black student organizations have criticized the institution for not speaking out against Gaines’ comments.

Burnet, Webb Closure Petition: Austin ISD is in a difficult position at the moment, currently facing a potential takeover by the state after both Webb and Burnet middle schools received a fifth consecutive F accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency. After the schools received their scores, Mayor Kirk Watson proposed a petition in early September to close the two schools, which would require signatures from a majority of parents at each campus. With today, Oct. 15, being the deadline to submit the petition to AISD, parents from the two schools are split and upset that the issue has reached this point, the Statesman reported. If enough valid signatures are submitted to AISD, the district will then submit the petition to TEA by Dec. 1.

Credit: John Anderson

Duchen’s Bond Proposal Passes: As Austinites head to the polls this November, they will see two bonds on the ballot: one that would allocate $260 million for park improvements and another that would put $35 million toward a new library in Northeast Austin and fund renovations at a standing location. Whether the community will give those ventures a stamp of approval is yet to be seen, but how the city will handle bond elections moving forward is set to change after City Council Member Marc Duchen brought forward a proposal at last week’s Council meeting. The resolution, which was approved by the dais, calls for a six-year cycle for all future municipal bond elections, beginning in fiscal year 2028.

Joe Long Dies: Highly respected lawyer and benevolent philanthropist Joe Long – a namesake of the Long Center for the Performing Arts and the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio – died on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 96 years old. He and his wife were well-known throughout the entire state for their philanthropic footprint, donating more than $150 million to nonprofits and universities in the state. The couple also helped generate a $10 million permanent fund for scholarships for Hispanic students in Texas. Before passing, Joe requested that individuals make donations to the Long Center, Caritas of Austin, SAFE Alliance, Texas Interscholastic League Foundation, or any legal aid program or charity, rather than honoring him with flowers, according to the Statesman.

September’s 11 Animal Cruelty Warrants: The Austin Police Department announced that its Animal Cruelty Unit filed 11 arrest warrants in September, slightly more than in a typical month. In North Austin, law enforcement responded to a report of a loose dog, in which officers discovered three dogs – one of which was already dead – inside a hot garage with animal waste covering the space. The owner was arrested while the two dogs are expected to recover and will be put up for adoption. APD and local advocates urge Austinites to report non-emergency animal abuse or neglect concerns by calling Austin 311 or 512-974-2000.

Elon Musk Credit: John Anderson

Musk’s AI Miscue: As Elon Musk tried to demonstrate his artificial intelligence chatbot’s ability to help users find the best deals for online purchases, he made a pretty big mistake, posting a screenshot of the conversation with the chatbot that displayed his shipping and billing information, payment method, the email address used for the purchase, the order number, and more. For the average person, that post would have been taken down moments after realizing the sensitive information had been made public, but for Musk, our trillionaire neighbor, the post remains active. He later said that the addresses listed are where he receives mail, rather than where he resides.

East Austin History Preserved: Austin City Council designated the Doris Miller Auditorium at Rosewood Neighborhood Park a historic landmark on Oct. 8, recognizing its architectural and cultural significance. According to Austin Parks and Recreation, the park opened in 1929 as the city’s only segregated park serving Black residents. Named after Navy hero Doris “Dorie” Miller, the auditorium, opened in 1944, became part of the Chitlin’ Circuit, hosting legendary performers including Louis Armstrong and Little Richard. Beyond entertainment, the venue served generations of East Austin residents through community celebrations, political rallies, and neighborhood gatherings.

Power Outage at AUS: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport experienced a partial power outage on Tuesday, Oct. 13, impacting parts of the Barbara Jordan Terminal. The outage lasted a few hours before all power was restored. Still, flight arrivals and departures were delayed and baggage claim carousels and the ticketing hall were impacted as a result. The cause of the power outage has not been reported.

City Releases Report on HIV Stigma: A new report reveals how discrimination and stigma continue to prevent people living with HIV from accessing essential health care in Central Texas. According to Austin Public Health, the first-of-its-kind study in Texas surveyed 113 people living with HIV across five counties, finding that internalized stigma, fear of disclosure, and confidentiality concerns remain significant barriers. Conducted by interviewers living with HIV themselves, the two-year project will help shape community advocacy plans aimed at reducing discrimination and supporting people living with HIV throughout the region.

County Requests Recommendations for Park Renaming: The Travis County Commissioners Court is asking for the public’s assistance in renaming East Metropolitan Park, located off Blake Manor Road. The commissioners will formally announce the call for recommendations at its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The court will then review the submissions and hear public comment on the proposal during its voting session on Tuesday, Oct. 27. County residents are directed to prepare a short memo supporting their proposed name change and submit their recommendations through email to [email protected] by 5pm on Monday, Oct. 26.

Credit: Image via austintexas.gov QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“We’ll save Muny forever.”

Mayor Kirk Watson on the city’s plan to purchase Lions Municipal Golf Course

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