Austin’s top cop is keeping his job, at least for now
Police Chief Brian Manley will continue to lead the department even after city council members asked him to resign. They also said they lost confidence in his ability to lead following the department’s actions during the George Floyd protests. Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk told the council he had very pointed conversations with the chief. He has been assured of Manley’s commitment to making the reforms necessary. Meantime, Cronk says everything should be on the table as the city council discusses changes to the Austin Police Department and the council’s idea of adopting a public safety system.
“What I’m seeing is areas in which we can think differently about functions that had been allocated within the police department in a new way,” Cronk says.
Among other things, he is looking at changes to 911 dispatch, as well as victims services and forensic services.
Students will return to classrooms this fall
Texas students will be returning to the classroom in the fall under a plan being finalized by the Texas Education Agency. Governor Greg Abbott tells KEYE-TV that the goal is to ensure kids are learning again.
“The goal is to make sure that, as much as possible, we have students in classrooms, at desks, with teachers, with fellow students, engaged in activities like they were just like when school began last year,” says Abott.
Secondly, he wants to beef up online learning capabilities. More details of the return-to-school plan will be released next week by the Texas Education Agency.
Hays and Travis counties now requiring face coverings in businesses
The City of Austin is now joined by both Hays and Travis counties in requiring face coverings for businesses for both employees and customers. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra says the county must do something to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“I feel it is necessary to issue an order to slow the aggressive spread of this relentless virus. This is not a fight we can give up on. This pandemic is far from over. It’s always better to be safe than sorry,” says Becerra.
Becerra says this is not about taking away people’s rights, this is about public safety.
Juneteenth discussed as a federal holiday
Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is the goal of legislation being drafted by Texas Senator John Cornyn. On Thursday, Senator Cornyn took to the floor of the US Senate to make his case that Juneteenth should be celebrated in all 50 states.
“That was the day that Major General Gordon Granger and the union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and shared the news to all formerly enslaved people that they were now free,” says Cornyn.
That day was June 19, 1865; more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. On Monday, Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee also introduced a resolution in the US House to recognize the significance of the day.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-6-19-20
