Grants for APD
Austin City Council has approved some grants to help out the Austin Police Department, but some Austinites are still very much against any financial support for APD. Among them is Jenny Thomas, who tells the council they need to remember their decision to cut APD funding just a few short weeks ago.
“That was really step one and I think this would step us back in a really big direction,” says Thomas.
Nevertheless, the council did approve some of these grants, including $310,000 that will be put toward new rifle resistant body armor for 400 officers. A separate grant of just over $157,000 will fund new mapping and searchlight technology for APD helicopters.
Governor Greg Abbott is once again expressing his interest and possibly stripping the Austin City Council of its authority over the police department. In a tweet this week, Abbott says the proposal to let the state take over APD is still a strategy he’s considering. He says the mayor and council of disrespected law enforcement, endangered the public and invited chaos into the capital city.
City of Austin leases another La Quinta Inn
The City of Austin agreed to spend $864,000 on a 60 day lease of 120 coronavirus isolation rooms at another La Quinta Inn of I-35. It’s a second La Quinta Inn the city has acquired its one of a half dozen motel properties that the city has its hands in. Now, council member Kathie Tovo says they shouldn’t be leasing, the city should just buy more of these.
“Just want to again urge that that be uppermost in mind, as we’re looking for facilities that would qualify,” says Tovo.
Since March, Austin spent more than $4 million just on isolation facilities.
Shoal Creek homeless camps
Another homeless camp is encroaching on an Austin neighborhood, Many who live nearby say the city is not doing anything to help. Misty Reed tells CBS Austin the camps on Shoal Creek are filled with needles, propane tanks and feces.
“I feel like we’ve sort of gotten left behind, and no one’s really listening at this point,” Reed says.
Multiple city departments have told her they can’t do much to help out because of the homeless camping ordinance passed last year. The watershed department says, as of now, the city has stopped relocating people out of those camps because the shelters air currently full.
COVID-19 update
There’s been a slight bump upward for Travis County’s number of hospitalized coronavirus patients. 129 people are in the hospital this morning. That’s up by four from a day ago. Ventilator usage is still below 30l that’s far lower than we’ve had in previous weeks. Overall, 26,726 cases have been found over the past several months and 25,588 of those are recoveries.
In Williamson County, after seeing a slight increase in active cases between Wednesday and Thursday, the county has seen another good drop in that number as of today. There were 137 cases this time yesterday, now there are 118 active cases, 74 of those involved somebody who’s in the hospital. 8,006 cases have been discovered. In total, 7,770 have recovered, and that’s up by 48 from just a day ago.
Parks require reservations
If you’re hoping to visit parks around Austin this weekend, the city will require you to make a reservation in some cases. Passes will be needed to enter the Barton Creek Greenbelt, the Commons Ford Ranch Park, Emma Long Park and Walter E. Long park. Passes for the Greenbelt and the Commons Ford will be free while passes for both Long parks will be $10 for vehicles and $1 for bikes.
Beto O’Rourke supports MJ Hegar
Former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke is playing a key role in fundraising for Senate candidates. Thursday night, Democratic Senate hopeful MJ Hagar teamed up with former presidential candidate Beto O. Rourke in an online grassroots fundraiser.
“We are the cavalry. We’re gonna ride with MJ in this. We’ve gotta win,” sayss O’Rourke
Incumbent Senator John Cornyn also used Beto in a fundraising email blast. Cornyn said Hegar and Beto, both want the same thing: big money to enrich the liberal mob. That got a response from Hegar.
“I take offense to him calling a grassroots movement of regular working Texans, his constituents, calling them a mob,” says Hegar.
This news and more on News Radio KLBJ:
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-9-4-20
