Adler travels and apologizes
Austin Mayor Steve Adler admits he went to a wedding and then a trip to Cabo while telling residents to stay put during the pandemic. Mayor Adler says he went to his daughter’s small 20 person wedding back in November and then took a private plane with seven of them to Mexico. Adler says he now regrets that trip.
“I fear that the travel that I did, which took place during a safer period and followed the color coded rules, could lead to some taking riskier behavior now,” Adler says.
He is sorry he took the trip, calling a lapse in judgment, adding he should be setting a more clear example for the city.
City Council run-off elections
Austinites living in City Council Districts 6 and 10 can start voting in their City Council run-off elections starting today. Carol Eckelkamp with the local League of Women Voters says early voting runs now through Friday, December 11. The polls aer open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
In Williamson County voting hours are just a bit different, though. Through tomorrow, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday they’re open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and next week the polls are open from 8 a.m. To 6 p.m. That’s in Williamson County.
State Commission on Law Enforcement
The state agency charged with policing the police isn’t doing a very good job. That’s according to a new report out of the state capital. According to a report from the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, the State Commission on Law Enforcement isn’t doing nearly enough to weed out bad officers, specifically those that have received dishonorable discharges.
“Agency recorded 2,800 discharges over five years, and they only revoked nine of those licenses. And a quarter of those people who were fired for dishonorable discharges were rehired by another agency,” says Hudson.
ACLU of Texas Criminal Justice policy analyst Nick Hudson says the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement hasn’t been given the legal authority to discipline bad officers.
SXSW unlikely to return in 2021
The fate of SXSW in March of 2021 doesn’t look good, according to the interim Austin Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott. He told the media that large events were the first thing that were turned off due to the pandemic and will probably be the last thing turned back on.
“The better compliance we can get with vaccination, the more likely it is that, you know, as we approach April, May, June, that we will be more inclined to start approving those larger events,” says Escott.
Dr. Escott that suggested canceling SXSW back in 2020.
Casino gambling in Texas
Could this legislative session finally be the one that brings casino gambling to Texas? Casino owner and Republican mega donor Sheldon Adelson is planning a major push to get casino gambling in the state. Political scientist Mark Jones says that could unify all the pro gambling forces.
“Or at least force them to either support him and get some of what they want at the risk of not getting anything,” says Jones.
This latest gambling push comes as Texas is facing a budget shortfall because of the pandemic and will be looking for new revenue sources.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-12-3-20
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