Headlines / Quote of the Week
Fri., Nov. 13, 2020
COVID-19 for the Holidays: Austin Public Health officials said Austin could be heading into a second surge of COVID-19 as we approach Thanksgiving, but it's avoidable if Austinites get serious about doubling down on social distancing and wearing face masks right now.
Went to a Halloween Party? Then you should get tested for COVID-19, recommends APH. Sign up for free testing at covid19.austintexas.gov or call 512/972-5560.
Not to Get Litigious, But ... The Travis County GOP has executed a legal agreement with county election officials that requires poll watchers be allowed in the central vote counting room for all future elections. The agreement was reached in an effort to avoid litigation, said the party. The Travis County GOP had asked the Texas Supreme Court to order Travis County to let poll watchers into the central vote counting room instead of watching from an adjacent room through a window, but the court declined to intervene earlier this week.
The Lege Is Coming: This Monday (Nov. 9) marked the beginning of bill prefiling for Texas' 87th legislative session. Close to 550 bills had been filed in the House and Senate as of Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 11).
Javier Ambler's Law: State Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) filed House Bill 54, which if passed would ban law enforcement departments from working with reality TV shows. The bill comes after Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody was indicted on a felony evidence tampering charge in the death of Javier Ambler, whose death at the hands of WilCo deputies was captured on A&E's now-canceled show Live PD.
Danny Boy, The Bribes Are Calling: Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is offering up to $1 million to "incentivize, encourage and reward people to come forward and report voter fraud" in Texas, despite there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election ... unless Patrick's counting certain Texas lawmakers' baseless claims of voter fraud, in which case, we know some guys.
Another "Less-Lethal" Lawsuit: Sam Kirsch, who was shot with a so-called "less-lethal" round by an Austin Police Department officer during a protest this summer, is suing the city over APD's use of less-lethal rounds. Two other Austinites injured by such rounds at summer protests are also suing APD for excessive force.
Life's a Pitch: Members of the media (including the Chronicle) toured the near-completed Austin FC stadium in North Austin to see the recently installed pitch (aka soccer field). A start date for the team's inaugural Major League Soccer season remains unclear, but club leadership has said it still expects to host a slate of home games next year. See more in "Soccer Watch."
Quote of the Week
"I got a dude in Forty Fort, PA who tried to have his dead mom vote for Trump."
– Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in a tweet mocking Dan Patrick’s $1 million election fraud reward (see above)
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