Is it just me, or was Austin taking a lot of hits from the state in 2023? As the brightest blueberry in the tomato soup, being the target of the Texas GOP’s ire is nothing new, but looking at the biggest news stories of the year, it’s hard not to feel like we spent much of the year defending against the state of Texas. The Texas Education Agency all but forced Austin ISD to accept a monitor, the Texas Department of Transportation kept pushing for the expansion of I-35 that Austinites very vocally oppose, and the governor finally succeeded in sending in the literal troop(er)s. Meanwhile, the Legislature passed bills targeting our queer community and our local ordinances (the latter through the “Death Star” bill, which didn’t make it onto this list). But there have been some serious wins along the way, too. Here’s hoping 2024 brings more of those and fewer kicks in the teeth.

This article appears in December 15 • 2023.

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Maggie Quinlan worked as an editor and news writer at The Austin Chronicle from 2022 to 2025, focusing especially on criminal justice, environmental issues, and the Texas legislature. She is now freelancing as she studies journalism in a European master's program.