The Project Connect public transit plan gets a multibillion dollar green light
Both the board and the Austin City Council unanimously approved the near $10 billion plan that would run light rail and subways in and around the Austin area. The board’s Wade Cooper says the plan is transformational.
“That really opens up the whole city to all of our citizens. If you look at the demographics around each of these projects, I think up and down the income scale of our community, we’re opening doors,” says Cooper.
Following this approval comes an Austin public vote in November to fund the project with an 11 cent tax rate.
Austin leaders vote to decrease police power
The Austin City Council has voiced unanimous support for a vote today to dramatically decrease the power of the Austin Police Department, change its tactics and cut deeply into its finances. But dissenting voices are growing in number, and among them is Cary Roberts with the Greater Austin Crime Commission. He takes particular issue with the elimination of police jobs
“So that basically could result in eliminating as few as 165 police positions and as many as 195 police positions,” says Roberts.
He says the decision to eliminate that many sworn officers is highly questionable.
Social justice groups continue putting pressure on officials
Multiple social justice groups send word to Austin I.S.D. Superintendent Dr. Paul Cruz calling for the dismantling of the District Police Department. Texas Appleseed is one of those groups. Its director, Andrew Hairston, tells KVUE they want to seize on the national momentum.
“Racist and oppressive systems need to be really dug into at the root and pulled out,” says Hairston.
Another group is the Children’s Defense Fund, which says money spent on district police departments deprives kids of councillors and support services. A.I.S.D. says it will examine the issue more closely.
If you plan on getting out on the roadways this morning, be warned. Anti-police protests are planned along parts of North Lamar near downtown around Whole Foods. According to a Facebook event page, today’s protest is called “Disruption Series: Part One” and protesters will read aloud from “radical texts.” The group specifically says no police will be welcome.
Live PD is officially canceled after police killing
In the wake of Javier Ambler’s death, the A&E Network has canceled the show Live PD. The show featured the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. Ambler died following a police chase from Williamson County into Travis County last year. Williamson County Commissioner Valerie Covey says the show never should have been allowed back after the contract was cancelled last year.
“We have voted multiple times on Live PD and perhaps those that have supported it can see why now,” says Covey.
The Ambler incident was caught on Live PD cameras, but producers say it was deleted. Sheriff Robert Cody has faced multiple calls this week for his resignation.
Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients show success
More evidence is pointing to recovered COVID-19 patients as key elements and getting a hold on the virus. UT researchers say blood plasma from recovered people continues to show a lot of success in treating very ill patients through transfusions. Plasma has been key and many viral treatments throughout history, including polio in the Spanish flu.
COVID-19 update
New coronavirus cases have been rising more sharply in Travis County recently. Officials previously warned that more cases would be found as more testing became available and as more businesses began opening. Also, public health says 4,109 cases have been confirmed since March. 3,248 have recovered. 104 people are now in the hospital and 99 have died.
As local coronavirus cases rise, a lot of critics of the governor’s reopening plan are saying I told you so. Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott says you can’t pin the blame on that alone.
“People are less cautious; they’re not wearing masks as much, they’re not social distancing as much,” says Escott.
He says it’s too early at this point to point to the protest as a cause, although it is widely believed there will be another significant jump in new cases because of the protest within about a week or so.
The number of recovered patients in Williamson County continues to outpace its 201 active cases. 533 people have made recoveries since the pandemic’s beginning. 29 people have died and ten are currently in the hospital. There’s been an overall total of 763 confirmations since March, and 103 required a hospital stay.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-6-11-20
