Gov. Greg Abbott says he’s using state police to clear homeless encampments across Austin – including on parks and trails maintained and owned by the city. That was news to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. Watson said Tuesday that the order from the governor came, partly, as a shock – and it came as Austin was rolling out […]
Gov. Greg Abbott
Posted inLocal Politics
Austin faces a 30-day deadline to remove its Pride crosswalk, ‘Black Artists Matter’ roadway art
Austin’s roadway art, including the rainbow crosswalk at Fourth and Colorado streets and the “Black Artists Matter” painted on 11th Street could soon be gone. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered cities and counties Wednesday to remove displays like these or risk losing state and federal money for road projects. He said this order will comply with a federal […]
Posted inEducation
Austin public education advocates blast Trump’s order aiming to close Education Department
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday to phase out the U.S. Department of Education – an agency that provides loans and grants to college students, distributes federal funding to schools and is tasked with protecting students’ civil rights. The move follows significant layoffs at the department, including staff at a regional office in Dallas. In […]
Posted inAustin
Following Trump’s lead, Abbott orders state workers to return to offices
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office has quietly directed heads of state agencies to phase out hybrid-work schedules and require all employees to return to the office five days a week “as soon as practicable” under state law, according to multiple accounts from state employees. Abbott’s mandate comes as President Donald Trump doubled down during his Tuesday […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin/Travis County require businesses to post whether they require masks, Covid-19 tests or vaccinations
Starting Monday, businesses in Travis County and the city of Austin will have to post a sign indicating whether employees and customers need to wear a mask, show a negative Covid-19 test or be vaccinated against the virus. City of Austin/Travis County. A template of the notice Austin and Travis County are asking businesses to […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Governor’s order in August took millions from local public service projects
In August, following a meeting between the Capital Area Council of Governments and the governor’s office, 15 projects and nonprofits, including the SAFE Alliance and Asian Family Support Services of Austin, lost funding they were offered in April. Because of the strict timeline of this particular competitive process – projects apply in February and receive […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Here’s what’s in Texas Republicans’ new voting law
Editor’s Note: Senate Bill 1, Texas’ restrictive new voting bill, was the law of the Lone Star State for barely an hour when civil rights groups launched a slew of lawsuits aimed at striking down the law. A federal lawsuit filed by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund says the law “intentionally targets and burdens methods […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin and Travis County officials mandate mask-wearing in city and county property, public schools
Austin and Travis County officials are mandating people over the age of 2 wear a mask on public property, including in buildings owned by the city and county and in public schools. “Today’s order to require masks in certain places is both to support Austin ISD’s decision to protect children and the city’s duty to […]
Posted inAISD
AISD requires masks for all, despite Abbott’s order
Facing spiking Covid cases and a fast-approaching fall semester, the Austin Independent School District has made the decision to require face masks in defiance of an executive order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott. “I am responsible for the safety, the heath and welfare, of each and every one of our students and our staff,” Superintendent […]
Posted inPublic Health
Mayor, manager at odds over requiring vaccinations
On Wednesday, Mayor Steve Adler urged City Manager Spencer Cronk to require all city employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, with a few exceptions. His comments came in an emailed press release. A few hours later, a city spokesperson released the following statement by email: “The Governor’s Executive Order GA-35 prohibits the city from requiring […]
Posted inAustin
Texas is lifting its mask mandate and Covid restrictions on businesses. Here’s what that means.
Lee esta historia en español. Texas is reopening 100 percent, ending the statewide mask mandate and lifting Covid-related restrictions on businesses. Here’s a rundown of Gov. Greg Abbott’s order and what it means for local officials, schools and businesses. What does the order do? It pretty much does what you think it does – lifts […]
Posted inPublic Health
‘It is now time to open Texas 100 percent,’ Gov. Greg Abbott says
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he’s lifting statewide executive orders that limit occupancy for businesses and require Texans to wear masks in public spaces. “Effective next Wednesday, all businesses of any type are allowed to open 100 percent,” Abbott said. The governor said businesses can limit capacity or “implement additional safety protocols” if they wish […]