One Thing We All Agree On: If Matthew McConaughey does something, we have to read about it. McConaughey and his pal Woody Harrelson told a group of senators this week they should support SB 22, which would deposit half a billion taxpayer dollars every two years for the next decade into a new Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund. They want to bring more TV and film projects to Texas. Guess what? The senators unanimously approved the idea.
Musk’s Monopoly Money: It’s quite unpleasant, but we also must report on whatever the hell Elon Musk is doing. Which, this week, is losing. Musk’s preferred candidate in Tuesday’s Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Brad Schimel, got beat decisively by liberal judge Susan Crawford, despite Musk’s $25 million campaign donation and rally appearances where he handed out $1 million checks to assholes. Musk’s donation helped make the contest the most expensive judicial race in history but it also turned it into a referendum on him. Keep making it about yourself, Elon!
Pedestrian Paradise: Peeking over the construction fence, it’s looking pretty good! East Austin’s “wishbone” bridge is taking shape near the intersection of Pleasant Valley and Cesar Chavez, KUT News reports. When finished, the unusual three-pronged pedestrian bridge at the east end of Lady Bird Lake will allow walkers, runners, and bikers to circle all 10 miles of the hike and bike trail without ever having to deal with car traffic.
Art Saved: With the Austin Convention Center set to be replaced, a number of large artworks have been under threat, with the artists on the hook to pay the cost to save pieces. But the tide is turning, the Austin Monitor reports. John Yancey, whose Riffs & Rhythms mural was imperiled, informed the Arts Commission that an anonymous donor gave roughly $70,000 to relocate the mural. A city spokesperson said Yancey’s mural will be preserved and reinstalled in East Austin’s African American Heritage Cultural District to help redevelop Blocks 16 and 18.
Register to Vote: Despite our worst fears, voting is far from pointless. April 3 (today) is the last day to register to vote for the election on May 3. In the Austin area, some voters will choose candidates for local school boards, along with bond propositions and more.
The Round Rock-to-Trump Pipeline: Due to his far-right values, County Judge Bill Gravell has been a divisive figure in Round Rock politics during his years overseeing the Williamson County Commissioners Court. However, those values made him a good fit for the Trump administration, and Gravell resigned in March to take a position with the Small Business Administration. The Williamson County Commissioners Court replaced Gravell with Liberty Hill ISD Superintendent Steven Snell last week. Snell told KUT News he’ll stay on as superintendent at Liberty Hill until his replacement is selected.
Remembering Carole Keeton: Longtime public servant Carole Keeton died last week at the age of 85 after a life of firsts – she was the first woman to serve as president of Austin ISD and the first female mayor of Austin, serving from 1977 to 1983. She then moved to the right and won positions at the Texas Railroad Commission and comptroller’s office, and ran for governor in 2006 as Carole Keeton Strayhorn. On learning of her death, Mayor Kirk Watson praised her lifetime of service, saying she was “a powerful personality that filled a room.”
Controversial Cop: Gov. Greg Abbott is trying to get former APD officer Justin Berry appointed to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement but Berry’s confirmation is in trouble. Sen. Sarah Eckhardt and other Democrats are raising objections to Berry over his indictment for aggravated assault for shooting a Black Lives Matter protester in the face with crowd control munitions in 2020. The charges against Berry were eventually dropped but he has remained a very vocal opponent of the DA’s office and Austin’s political culture in general.
Property Tax Priorities: Texans pay some of the highest property tax bills in the country and Gov. Greg Abbott says reducing that bill is an “emergency” item for the 89th Texas Legislature. The House and Senate have both agreed spend $6 billion in state money to provide tax relief, but the Tribune reports they disagree about who should get the bigger break: homeowners or businesses.
The Drag Must Go On: Remember how recently Texas universities banned drag on campus? Well, a federal judge has temporarily blocked Texas A&M University System from enforcing a drag ban at its special event venues. The ruling means Draggieland, scheduled for March 27 at the flagship university’s Rudder Theatre in College Station, happened as planned. What’s Draggieland? An annual pageant where contestants wear clothes or makeup that often, but not always, subverts their gender, the Tribune reports.
Immigration Crackdowns: Immigration bills are starting to move faster at the Lege. The Texas Senate passed a proposal early this week requiring Texas sheriffs in large cities to enter into partnerships with federal immigration authorities to identify undocumented immigrants accused of crimes. SB 8 would also provide $20 million worth of grants for sheriff’s offices in cities of 1 million residents or less that partner with ICE.
No More Marijuana: Lt. Governor Dan Patrick hates grass. Patrick went on record last week threatening to force a special session of the Legislature if lawmakers don’t pass his THC ban and further restrict the rights of Texans to access bail. Of course, Patrick doesn’t have the power to call special sessions – that power is reserved for Greg Abbott – but he can gum up the process, blocking bills and otherwise manipulating the governor. Patrick’s fear and loathing of weed is difficult to fathom for us at the Chronicle, but he seems to think it’s a public health issue, recently telling The Texas Tribune, “You just can’t regulate it. You’ve gotta take it out.”
Austin’s Unvaccinated Kids: Speaking of public health, in the midst of the state’s worst measles outbreak in decades, the city of Austin faces a serious problem due to low vaccination rates among children, the Austin Monitor reports. Data from 2023-2024 show only 83.7% of Austin ISD kindergartners were vaccinated against measles, compared to 93.5% in Houston ISD, 94% in El Paso ISD, and 96% in San Antonio ISD. What’s the plan? The Monitor says Austin Public Health will continue its education efforts and the Mobile Vaccination Program holding clinics every week at schools, senior facilities, and low-income apartment complexes.
Quote of the Week
“There’s going to be a point where we are not going to need financial incentives from the state because the infrastructure will be in place, and that will be a major game changer.”
– Texas-born actor Matthew McConaughey on incentives for the state’s film industry
This article appears in April 4 • 2025.