ATX PULSE 3/19/25 (free) (sponsored by No Scrubs): Suspected Fentanyl Overdose Death in Williamson County // Fmr. APD Officer Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor // CoA Moves Toward Creating Downtown Strategy Office // RRISD Facing $16M Shortfall for ’25-26 // March Madness: UT Men’s Bball vs. Xavier at 8:10pm Tonight // RIP Charles Heimsath

PRESENTING SPONSOR: No Scrubs

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2025

Compiled by Matt Mackowiak

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TODAY’S WEATHER

H: 80° / L: 45°. Cold front moving through, per Fox 7 Austin. 'Extreme' fire danger for Central Texas on Wednesday, per KVUE.

TOP NEWS

“Barton Springs Pool bathhouse renovation aimed for summer completion” KVUE

“Charles Heimsath, Austin's longtime real estate soothsayer, dead at 74” ABJ ($)

THE BLOTTER

“4-year-old girl dies from injures after 3-vehicle crash in North Austin” Fox 7 Austin

“Austin woman killed by drunk driver in Kyle” Fox 7 Austin

“4-year-old girl dies after crash involving Austin police patrol car” CBS Austin

“Woman dead in suspected fentanyl overdose in Williamson County” CBS Austin

“Austin police identify man with fatal gunshot wound after highway crash” CBS Austin

“Former Austin police officer pleads guilty to misdemeanor” Fox 7 Austin

“Pflugerville police seek public's help in locating missing 39-year-old woman” CBS Austin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

“City moves toward starting downtown strategy office” Austin Monitor

“Round Rock ISD forecasts preliminary $16M shortfall for 2025-26 budget year” Community Impact Austin

BUSINESS NEWS

“Meta strikes deal to power its growing Texas operations” ABJ ($)

“Austin robotics company Apptronik piles on more funding, bringing series A round to $403M” ABJ ($)

LOCAL SPORTS

TEXAS MEN’S BASKETBALL: “Longhorns basketball feeling a ‘breath of fresh air’” KXAN

TEXAS MEN’S BASKETBALL: “NCAA Tournament: 3 reasons why Texas basketball will advance (and 3 reason why it won't)” AAS ($)

QUICK LINKS

~ APD under fire after video shows trans woman slammed to ground - Austin American-Statesman

~ Austin I-35 crash victims identified, include family of four - Austin American-Statesman

~ Austin police officer pleads guilty to assault under deal struck in use-of-force case - Austin American-Statesman

~ Resource, funding needs will delay South Shore cultural district until 2027 - Austin Monitor

~ Planning Commission reverses city rejection of university-area site plan in an unusual case - Austin Monitor

~ Austin infrastructure career fair to be held March 26 with launch of workforce initiative - Community Impact

~ Strategic plan and school funding: Pflugerville ISD updates to know - Community Impact

~ Wild Gift Coffee brings coffee and culture to Austin - Community Impact

~ Zell Miller III tapped to serve as Austin's inaugural poet laureate - Community Impact

~ Spring Fling at Restoration Ranch to support veterans, offer family fun - Community Impact

~ Charleys Cheesesteaks & Wings location opens in North Austin community - Community Impact

~ West Lake Hills seeks to improve roads through county grant funding program - Community Impact

~ I-35 to shut down as investigators probe unsolved shooting death - MySA

~ Some victims of the deadly crash on I-35 in North Austin have been identified - KVUE

~ Former Corpus Christi resident killed in road rage accident in Austin - KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi

~ ATCEMS: 1 dead after vehicle, motorcycle crash on Loop 360 - KXAN Austin

~ Travis County officials identify three victims in fatal I-35 pileup - KEYE

~ Mexican Ramen? It's a thing in Austin, Texas - MICHELIN Guide

~ Austin leaders calling for investigation after video appears to show APD officer throwing a trans woman to the ground - KVUE

~ Tech giant confirms move into Downtown Austin 'sail' skyscraper - KVUE

~ APD addresses widely-spread video of interaction on 6th street - KXAN Austin

~ 'Such a senseless crime' | Man pronounced dead after crash on I-35 had been shot, Austin police say - KVUE

~ Exclusive: Survivors of Austin deadly pileup crash seek justice amid recovery challenges - KVUE

~ APD: 1 arrested, 1 at large after officer injured in crash prompted by police chase - KXAN Austin

~ Despite construction-related disruptions, developers expect light rail to be a boon to downtown Austin - ABJ

~ This Austin barbecue spot was named the best in Texas - KVUE

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ DINING: “Austin Restaurant Openings to Know Right Now, March 2025” Eater Austin

~ DINING: “Grab lunch at these 3 new food spots at Fareground Hall in downtown Austin” AAS ($)

~ BBQ: “From a food truck to a brick-and-mortar with a Michelin star” ABJ

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ TEXAS MEN’S BASKETBALL: #11 Texas vs. #11 Xavier (Dayton, OH). 8:10pm tip off. Airs on truTV (Spectrum: Channel 57).

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Site Leader - Logistics Operations). Applied Materials. Salary: $180,000-$248,000/annual. Info / apply here.