More tough talk from the governor’s office
Governor Greg Abbott says he’s fed up with the city of Austin’s homeless policies, which he says have allowed people to leave human waste on the streets and put the public in harm’s way. In a tweet, Abbott says if Austin does not reinstate its camping ban, he will step in and make it happen instead.
Austin will very likely be a big topic of discussion today. As Governor Abbott hosts a public safety roundtable with some of the state’s top law enforcement officials. Abbott has made it very clear that if cities like Austin cut police funding, there will be consequences.
“Defunding cities that defend the police, eliminating annexation powers of cities that defend the police. I have also announced proposals to protect law enforcement officers who were involved in responding to riots,” says Abbott.
Abbott says the loss of the annexation powers would be permanent, and last year he also threatened to freeze property taxes for any city that defunds police.
Manley works with the feds
Austin Police Chief Brian Manley has been in contact with the FBI in the wake of the capital unrest this month. There’s according to The Statesman, which reports that Manley has pledged to work with the feds if it’s determined any Austin police officer was involved in the unrest or has what would be deemed extremist views. Officials say there’s been no indication so far that any Austin officer was actually involved.
Similarly, despite widespread concern among law enforcement that there might be rioting and unrest during Joe Biden’s inauguration, the day did remain very quiet. And that includes at the Texas Capitol, where only a handful of people were seen, many of whom were actually supporters of the new administration.
Mask mandate in federal buildings
Joe Biden is mandating that masks be worn in all federal buildings. Dr. John Carlo, with the Texas COVID-19 task force, is on board with that.
“Putting it into federal buildings really is again a symbolic statement that says look, we’re gonna lead and this is one of the things we’re gonna do, and it hopefully sets the stage that we can all follow,” says Carlo.
As governments from the state, all the way down to its cities, complain about a sputtering supply chain of vaccines from the feds. Carlo says he does hope Biden can find a way to increase those shipments.
COVID-19 update
Travis County hospitals have 15 fewer COVID patients and then this morning than a day ago. Right now, there are 5,914 active cases, 604 of them requiring hospitalization, and that active case numbers also dropped by 72 from this time yesterday. 63,036 cases have been confirmed, 56,501 of those are recoveries.
Austin really has seen another day of some positive trends for coronavirus. Mayor Steve Adler says the number of hospitalizations is headed in the right direction, albeit very slightly.
“604, the seven day moving average is 605. We had been consistently above the seven day average, so that is that that’s good to see,” says Adler
Very similarly, the seven day average for ICU bed usage is 182 and right now there are 181 people in the ICU.19 people have been moved into the convention center for treatment.
6,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered to Williamson County this week. Through two new vaccination sites that have been set up this week, the county has been doling them out pretty quickly. County Judge Bill Gravell tells FOX 7 vaccines are giving people a new sense of hope.
“Within an hour, we were putting shots in arms, and in just the first three hours and 41 minutes at one site, we did over 1,000 vaccinations,” says Gravell.
He thinks all 6,000 doses will be gone in a few days. Gravell’s more recent request to the state is for another 33,000 doses.
Round Rock high school to virtual learning
The Round Rock School District has shifted Cedar Ridge High School back to all virtual learning. The district says virtual classes will continue until January 28 during which time the campus will be cleaned and sanitized. No extracurricular activity will be held on campus during the closure, either.
Pushback against strong mayor system
More central Texas unions are banding together against what is known as a ‘strong mayor’ proposal for the city of Austin. More than a full score of local unions are saying no to the Austinites for Progressive Reforms effort to switch Austin’s government from a 10-1 system into a strong mayor system. Jason Lopez, with Austin Central Labor Council, says this is not the kind of progressive change they could support.
“We don’t see them as genuine Democratic reform. We see it as a strategy designed by a small group of people to concentrate power at City Hall,” says Lopez.
And at a time, he adds, when “wealthy elites” are flocking to Austin.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-1-21-21
