Austin City Council convenes today (May 20) for its last regular meeting before the Memorial Day holiday. Council members will most likely approve a downtown mixed use rezoning request from the owners of the Delta Kappa Gamma house located at 12th and San Antonio. Find the story here.
Anti-Choicers Notch Win This Week: Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law one of the most extreme abortion bans in the U.S., Senate Bill 8, barring abortion around six weeks of pregnancy, which is effectively a near-total ban as most people don’t know they’re pregnant that early. The law also gives any private individual the sweeping authority to sue anyone that “aids or abets” abortion care. Reproductive rights attorneys have vowed to stop SB 8 from taking effect before it’s scheduled to be enacted on Sept. 1.
A SAFE Haven: Council will vote today (May 20) on a multiyear, $8.1 million investment in a new family violence shelter with the SAFE Alliance. Last summer Council approved a budget amendment redirecting $1.5 million from the Austin Police Department to fund shelter operations.
This Week in COVID: Austin Public Health and Travis County surpassed administering 400,000 total COVID-19 vaccine doses on Monday, May 17. According to Texas Health and Human Services data, nearly 50% of Travis County residents who are 12 years of age and older are fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, May 19.
The Kids Are (Almost) Vaxxed: The Central Texas Counties Vaccine Collaborative drive-through clinic at the Travis County Exposition Center (7311 Decker) is now open to ages 12 and up. In addition, AISD is hosting several pop-up clinics for ages 12 and up today (May 20), 2-6pm, at Anderson High (8403 Mesa); Saturday, May 22, 9am-1pm, at Pecan Springs Elementary (3100 Rogge), and 10am-2pm, at Dobie Middle School (1200 E. Rundberg). Dobie clinic requires appointments; see austinisd.org/calendar for info.
Medicaid Expansion Sure Sounds Nice: Texas accounts for the second-highest number of Affordable Care Act enrollments since the special enrollment period opened in February, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The deadline is Aug. 15.
Footie on the Mind: Austin’s Q2 Stadium was awarded one of two 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal matches to take place this July.
Retiring From the Bench: 403rd District Court Judge Brenda P. Kennedy announced she is retiring at the end of her current term of office on Dec. 31, 2022, after serving for more than 35 years as a member of the Travis County judiciary.
Quote of the Week
“We did not get to this stage by luck.”
– Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott on relaxing masking rules for fully vaccinated residents
This article appears in May 21 • 2021.