Austin’s Top News – June 10, 2020

Austin leaders agree on police reform

Several Austin City Council members expressed visible joy as they came to the realization that the entire council and mayor are in lock step on the issue of police reform. In closing out this week’s work session, Mayor Steve Adler made it clear the votes tomorrow will be unanimous. 

“It feels like we took a vote today, but of course we did not as we are not allowed to take votes during work sessions,” says Adler.

Five resolutions go up for a vote tomorrow, including changes to police use-of-force tactics, a mandated goal of zero deaths caused by police by 2023 and a full block on funding of any new police officer positions in the next budget.

County Commissioner demands investigation on Live PD death

The plot thickens in the case of Javier Ambler, who died last year after being tased by Williamson County deputies. County Commissioner Cynthia Long is demanding an investigation. 

“Deputies involved should be fired immediately, and all involved must cooperate fully with the investigation,” says Long.

This was all captured on network television cameras because crews with the show, Live PD, were on scene. According to the Statesman, Live PD now says all recordings of that have been destroyed. Ambler died in Travis County, and District Attorney Margaret Moore claims Live PD and the sheriff’s office were stonewalling the release of that footage.

Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody says he has no plans to step down, and he’s looking forward to continuing his tenure as the county’s top cop. A Texas state representative and two county commissioners called for his resignation as a scandal unfolded over a year old in-custody death in the Travis County jail. It involved a black man being tased after he told Williamson County deputies he had a heart condition. Austin City Council Member Jimmy Flannigan praised the commissioners.

“I am so proud of them standing up for that because they are not in the same party,” says Flannigan. 

The commissioner says Sheriff Chody has not been forthcoming in the case. Chody says the commissioners are misinformed as his office has participated with the investigation and is available if the Travis County DA would only ask.

More people are getting tested for COVID-19

People who have attended protests are heeding the warnings from state and local leaders to get tested for COVID-19. Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott says the numbers are beginning to show the impact of mass gatherings. 

“We’ve had a 9.2% overall rate of positivity, which is a substantial increase from a few weeks ago, at around 3 to 4% positive,” says Escott.

About 4,000 people have signed up for testing in the past four days. Escott thinks that increase is also attributed to more businesses opening up. 

Austin Public Health is still working to get more COVID-19 testing available to the public. Two free testing sites this week had to be closed down because Austin Public Health said it was too hot outside. The I-35 site and the Northeast Austin locations were both closed. The public testing enrollment form crashed on the city’s website, further adding to the difficulty people were having scheduling a test. 

COVID-19 update

The gap between Travis County’s total number of coronavirus cases and  number of recoveries has grown significantly smaller in recent weeks. Austin Public Health has officially confirmed 3,976 cases since March. 3,182 are recoveries and 99 people have died. Hospitalizations continue to fluctuate between the mid-eighties and mid-nineties; this morning that number is at 91.

Williamson County has seen a noticeable jump in active COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. There were 163 cases yesterday and are up to 294 this morning. 522 people have made recoveries. Williamson County hospitals are still not feeling the pinch from coronavirus. Eight people are hospitalized today, and 50% of county hospital beds are still available.

COVID-19 continues to impact A.I.S.D.

The Austin Independent School District is still trying to figure out what the fall semester will look like. Chief of Business and Operations Nicole Conley Johnson says COVID-19 has accounted for a $10 million loss for the district already. This is from things like food, Chromebooks and transportation. 

“We won’t know the real cost of COVID-19 until we land on a reopening model or models, because we know one size isn’t gonna fit all.” Conley says coronavirus has “rocked the district’s world.” 

It’s estimated the virus will leave at least a $45 million impact on A.I.S.D when all is said and done. 

This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:

https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-6-10-20