Stairway to Having a Stable Economy: A Downtown Austin Alliance biannual retail report found 85% of Downtown retail storefronts in business, the highest percentage since the pandemic began.
Fool in the Campaign: The Daily Beast reported Monday that Ted Cruz may be the “biggest loser” of the 2022 midterms. Of the 25 candidates pulling from his joint fundraising committee, 15 lost their races (and the Cruz-tied PAC Truth & Courage only won one of the three races that it funded.)
Since I’ve Been Legislating You: On Monday, state legislators had filed hundreds of bills for the upcoming 88th legislative session, which will kick off Jan. 10. House Speaker Dade Phelan reserved the first 20 House bills and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has reserved Senate Bills No. 1 through 30 for their priorities.
Delayed and Confused: On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott called on the Texas Rangers, Texas secretary of state, and Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate Harris County voting practices after delays and confusion at polling locations on Election Day, which Abbott claimed could’ve been the result of “malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct.”
Going to Colorado: Among the Texans fleeing new conservative policies, Katie Laird and her family, including her transgender son, Noah, fled Houston for Colorado last June after officials threatened to separate parents and kids who seek gender affirming care. Laird’s family is the focus of a short-form documentary available now on Peacock and NBC News NOW.
Cycle On: Austin Energy is set to double rebates for customers’ electric bike, scooter, and moped purchases starting on Jan. 1 of next year. The several-hundred-dollar rebates are even larger for people with low incomes who participate in Austin Energy’s Customer Assistance Program (which provides utility bill discounts.)
No Quarter (No Problem): Texas Harm Reduction Alliance announced this week they’d secured thousands of free 31-day bus passes for Austin’s homeless population. Cap Metro also plans to launch a permanent free fares program next year.
Whole Lotta Narcan: The NICE (Narcan in Case of Emergency) Project has opened its second Narcan vending machine at the Sahara Lounge on Webberville Road. The machine’s individual doses of the overdose-reversing medication are free.
When the Psyche Breaks: Last week, The New Yorker wrote a deep dive on the murder of cyclist Mo Wilson, who was killed in Austin this May. The story pointed to suspicion around her ex-boyfriend, gravel racer Colin Strickland.
Quote of the Week
“I’m going to interrupt Mr. Musk, because we can all listen to this all day. It’s very interesting, but I don’t think it was responsive to the question, which I’ve now forgotten.”
– Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, in response to Elon Musk’s testimony in a case on a massive compensation package he received
This article appears in November 18 • 2022.