State Election Results: Election day, and the days leading up to it, were historic for Democrats in the state, setting record numbers for primary voter turnout. Despite both Williamson and Dallas counties seeing voting result delays due to the Republican Party in both counties disallowing voting at countywide sites, the results began to slowly roll in toward the end of Tuesday night. The U.S. Senate race remained at the forefront of voters’ minds as the state awaited results late into the night, ultimately showing James Talarico as the Democratic Party winner with Republicans John Cornyn and Ken Paxton heading to a runoff. Looking into some of the other state races, both Gina Hinojosa and Greg Abbott dominated their primary elections for governor; Democrats Nathan Johnson and Joe Jaworski, as well as Republicans Mayes Middleton and Chip Roy, head to runoff elections for the attorney general seat; Don Huffines and Sarah Eckhardt pull away in the comptroller race; Republican Dan Patrick easily claimed the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, as Democrats Vikki Goodwin and Marcos Vélez will compete in a runoff.
Sixth Street Shooting: In the early hours on Sunday, March 1, a tragic mass shooting occurred in Austin’s Downtown entertainment district leaving three dead and at least 14 injured. One of the injured victims was later taken off of life support and died on Monday. According to the Austin Police Department, the gunman circled the area in an SUV before rolling down the window and shooting patrons of Buford’s, a popular West Sixth Street beer garden. He then exited the vehicle with a rifle and headed east before encountering APD, where they shot and killed the man. In collaboration with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, APD identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, a Senegal native who came to the States in 2000 and later became a naturalized citizen in 2013. At the time of the shooting, Diagne was wearing a sweatshirt that read “Property of Allah” with an undershirt that had an image of the Iranian flag. Law enforcement has not yet confirmed whether or not the attack was an act of terrorism. According to APD, the three deceased individuals are 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, 21-year-old Savitha Shan, and 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, both college students in the state. Since the catastrophe, multiple events happening around the city have been postponed as the community mourns. City Council Member Zo Qadri and We Are Blood held a blood drive donation outside of City Hall to support the victims. The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement continues to search for Diagne’s motive. Read more about the days that followed the violent incident in Lucciana Choueiry’s report.
DPS Encourages iWatchTexas Program: The Texas Department of Public Safety is encouraging Texans to report suspicious activity or behavior through the iWatchTexas program. Originally launched in 2018, the program gives Texans access to confidentially report activities and behaviors that could potentially indicate a threat to the community. These reports can be made through the program’s mobile app, iwatchtx.org, or by calling 844/643-2251.
City Offers Resources for Victims: Following the Downtown mass shooting on Sunday, March 1, the city opened a Victim Assistance Center for those impacted by the traumatic event. The center, operated by Austin Emergency Management, Austin Police Victim Services, and FBI Victim Services will stay open, 10am-8pm, through Thursday. The city department and local law enforcement provided spiritual care, crisis counseling, behavioral and mental health services, and therapy animals, as well as returned personal items to individuals who lost property at the crime scene.
Former HUB Business Owners Sue: After Comptroller Kelly Hancock eliminated minority- and women-owned businesses from the Historically Underutilized Business program in December, four business owners and a trade association have sued the state. After they were unable to land potential government contracts due to the dismantling of the program, the individuals are hoping to reverse the comptroller’s actions through the lawsuit, according to The Texas Tribune. While the lawsuit makes its way through Travis County, the plaintiffs hope they will be temporarily reinstated into the HUB program. The business owners and other advocates claim that Hancock overstepped his authority by redesigning the program to only include some disabled veterans.
UT Alumni Raise Concerns About Department Closures: After UT-Austin administrators announced that the university will shift its gender and ethnic studies programs into one department in mid-February, alumni from the institution gathered on Wednesday, March 4, to deliver an open letter to the UT president, provost, and board of regents. It is one of several protests that have resulted from the institution’s decision. Signed by more than 115 alumni of the American Studies graduate program at UT-Austin, the letter condemns the institution’s move, stating “the decision to consolidate these departments is a betrayal of the most fundamental ideals of the American university. … It makes the University of Texas into an institution that lets politicians, bureaucrats, and a few very rich people decide which ideas students can handle, rather than allowing them the freedom and giving them the tools to think for themselves.”
City Employees Protest Consolidations: On Wednesday, March 4, city of Austin employees with AFSCME Local 1624 gathered at City Hall to protest City Manager T.C. Broadnax’s plan to consolidate more than 1,000 IT employees into Austin Technology Services. Individuals who are employed by the city have been expecting the changes since January. In a press release announcing the event, which the group calls the “Stop One ATS” campaign, it states that the consolidation will “degrade critical emergency and infrastructure operations and destabilize essential services that Austinites rely on.” The group’s president, Brydan Summers, plans to deliver an open letter to Broadnax that explains the employee’s concerns.
City Breaks Ground on Burnet Road: One of Austin’s most vital stretches of roadway is set to undergo major improvements. The public is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony of the Burnet Road Corridor Project at Q2 Stadium today, March 5, where city leaders will speak on the planned upgrades. A section of Burnet Road from Koenig Lane to MoPac Expressway will see improvements focused on safety and mobility as well as drainage upgrades aimed at reducing potential flooding.
AISD Campus Turned Mixed-Income Housing: Last Friday, Feb. 27, developers broke ground on the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility that previously housed AISD’s Alternative Learning Center. What once served as one of the district’s campuses will now be repurposed into mixed-income housing. The development was approved by the AISD Board of Trustees in 2023. The first phase of the project that will include the development of 341 affordable units is scheduled to be complete by late 2027. By its completion, the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility is set to have 700 apartment units and other nonprofit space.
AISD Budget Balloons: Following the November decision to close 11 Austin ISD schools after the school year, the district has been working to combat budget deficits by selling former campuses. Now, AISD leaders say that the budget’s deficit, which was originally estimated at $20 million, has risen to $49 million, according to the Austin Current. This estimate is contingent on the district cutting $39 million by June, which district administrators have said is possible. With enrollment currently a few thousand lower than projected when the budget was initially adopted, administrators have estimated that $823 million will be available for expenses with $989 million in costs, and are planning ways to save money.
Waymo on Highways: According to Statesman reporting, Waymo’s autonomous vehicles have begun offering employee-only rides on highways in Austin and around the country. Employees will give feedback on the highway experiences before the service is open to the public. The company’s move comes after Waymo has been scrutinized for illegally driving by AISD school buses and blocking an EMS ambulance during the recent mass shooting on West Sixth Street. The National Transportation Safety Board has said that at least one of the over 24 instances where the autonomous vehicles drove by parked school buses was due to a human remote assistance agent.
City Continues to Balance Budget: At last week’s City Council meeting on Feb. 26, Council members approved a new ordinance that will create a series of ongoing audits of all of the city’s departments, called the Comprehensive Efficiency Assessment Program. Overseen by the city auditor’s office, independent consultants will execute the audits, searching for inefficiencies. The ordinance comes after the failure of Proposition Q and continuous conversations surrounding best possible routes to combat budget cuts. Next year’s budget is expected to see nearly $17 million in cuts. Read more about how Austin plans to balance its budget in Brant Bingamon’s report.
New Convention Center Interim Director: The Austin Convention Center, in the middle of an expansion and redevelopment project, has named an interim director following the retirement of longtime Director Trisha Tatro. Katy Zamesnik, the Convention Center’s former deputy director, will step into the role, stating that she aims to “continue delivering exceptional service and creating meaningful experiences” for visitors and members of the Austin community. According to an Austin Convention Center press release, the space is projected to reopen in spring 2029, with total construction costs reaching $1.6 billion. Supporters of the project, including Mayor Kirk Watson, say the upscaled facility will help Austin compete with other major cities for large-scale events. Critics argue the funding could be better spent on public services for Austinites and point to what they describe as a declining convention center industry.
Conflicts Overseas: TheU.S. and Israel continue to wage war with Iran, escalating the conflict on Saturday, Feb. 28, when the two launched a joint strike that targeted military and leadership sites in the country. The targets included the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died as a result of the bombings. In response, Iran has launched multiple missiles and drone strikes in Israel, as well as on foreign U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and more. Estimated hundreds of individuals have already died as a result of the war. Trump has said that he expects the war to last around a month, though officials from both the U.S. and Israel have said that it could be a months-long conflict. Mixed reactions have come from both lawmakers and residents in Texas, as supporters gathered outside of the state Capitol on Saturday, Feb. 28, to celebrate the end of the regime. The recent mass shooting at West Sixth Street over the weekend is being investigated by the FBI to determine if the war with Iran was a motive for the suspect’s actions.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Gun violence is preventable. This devastating loss of life was preventable. Until Republicans find the courage to say no to the NRA, our country will be plagued with more tragedies.”
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett in an X post regarding the West Sixth Street shooting
This article appears in March 6 • 2026.