Camping ban into effect today
Austin’s camping ban officially goes back into effect today, but plans released by city officials show it will be a months long, multi phase rollout. Today starts with Phase one, which will involve community engagement and education. Save Austin Now’s Cleo Petrice says this slow rollout is the fault of city council not planning ahead when they rolled back the ban.
“We begged the city council at the meeting, please do not vote on this until you have a viable plan,” says Petrice.
Under the release plan, police officers would be allowed to start making arrests for breaking the ban starting in phase three, 60 days from now,
Vandals at Ken Casaday’s home
Vandals spray painted a pig’s head with “X” eyes and the word “pig” on the truck of Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday. This reportedly happened at his home. Casaday says his house has been targeted before, but that doesn’t make it right.
“Because myself, City Manager Kathie Tovo, all had protesters at our house all summer long. Some people standing outside our home and the city manager’s home with AK 47 standing in front of your house,” sats Casaday.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler is condemning the vandalism, saying the ability to demonstrate and convey such a message is fundamental to who we are but it doesn’t include threatening people and it doesn’t include destroying property. He says that crosses a line that we shouldn’t be crossing.
COVID-19 update
COVID numbers have taken a slight tick back upward over the past day. For Travis County with 744 active cases reported this morning. Of those, 109 people are hospitalized. 81,400 people have recovered from the 83,000 confirmed cases since March of last year.
The new health authority for Travis County will take over at the end of this month. Dr. Desmar Walkes has been serving throughout the pandemic as the health authority for Bastrop County. She’ll take over May 31. Current Travis County Health Authority, Mark Escott, will then shift to his new role as Austin’s Chief Medical Officer.
Vaccination numbers have slowed down for Williamson County but vaccinations have continued going up nevertheless. The county says about 44% of the population is fully vaccinated against covid. At least about 60% have gotten at least one dose.
Legislative oversight bill
The Texas House votes in favor of legislation that would take powers away from the governor during a pandemic. The governor would retain executive powers, but there would now be legislative oversight.
“This pandemic oversight committee gets almost immediately formed and has veto power, can kind of go through everything, and the idea is that they can meet remotely,” says State Rep Dustin Burrows who authored House Bill three.
Some of the more significant orders like business shutdowns and mask mandates would come under committee review after 30 days. One of the more controversial amendments would have taken the mask mandate power away from the governor, but it failed by one single vote.
House Bill 3270
The Austin School board has come out against House Bill 3270 which would give the state more authority to seize control of the district if it has failing schools, even one school. And for that matter. The district wouldn’t be able to appeal either. Board Member Lynn Boswell says it gives the education commissioner far too much power.
“Make something as fundamental as a local school board’s operations and decisions, final and unappealable based on the decision of one unelected official, I think is very counter to our values,” says Boswell.
She and others on the board say it would completely erode local control. Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde says a punishment like that would be far too severe.
Up for reelection
The very early stages of next year’s gubernatorial election are already getting underway. Former President Donald Trump this week, has endorsed Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick for reelection. He’ll go for a third term next year. Governor Greg Abbott will also be up for reelection and former State Senator Don Huffines this week has announced his plan to challenge Abbott in the primary.
AFD exposed to asbestos
A fire at some city owned property this week may have left a lot of Austin firefighters exposed to asbestos. That blaze erupted Thursday at a warehouse near the Home Depot in the Saint John’s area. Linda Rosenstein is with the Asbestos Disease Awareness nonprofit. She spoke with CBS Austin.
“When these fibers become airborne, you can inhale or ingest them because they’re small and spindly, they can embed themselves into lung and other tissues.”
And AFD says as many as 115 firefighters may have been exposed.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-5-11-21
