ATX PULSE 9/23-24/25 (free) (sponsored by Superhuman AI): KXAN: Austin City Council Staff Play ‘Constituent Bingo’ During Meetings // Tito’s Vodka Acquires Lalo Tequila // UATX in Year 2 // I-35 Accident Driver Indicted on 22 Charges // Online Petition Launched Against New Sunrise Location // Cisco Opens Downtown ATX Office

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 & WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2025

Compiled by Matt Mackowiak

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WEATHER

Today: H: 90° / L: 64°. Cooler temperatures arrive, per Fox 7 Austin.

Friday: H: 93° / L: 63°

Saturday: H: 94° / L: 62°

Sunday: H: 92° / L: 63°

TOP NEWS

“‘Mocked’: Austin City Council staff playing constituent ‘bingo’ during meetings, former staffer says,” KXAN’s Grace Reader — “While constituents are expressing comments and concerns in front of their elected officials, a former staff member for an Austin City Council member said some council staff are playing constituent ‘bingo’ behind the scenes.

That former staff member snapped a photo of one of those bingo cards, which was shared with KXAN. It included tiles like “MAGA hat,” “‘Do your job,'” “Israel Palestine” and “Sassy mayor.”

Steven Brown, a District 1 resident, first brought the bingo card to KXAN. He had posted on social media about the general feeling that city council members were not listening to constituents during the public comment period of council meetings.

He then got a message from a former city council staff member, who told him staff were actually playing constituent bingo during that time in what’s called the “bullpen” (which is where staff sit behind chambers).

“For a community member to come down to City Hall, they often have to take off of work, make arrangements, miss time with their family members and to literally see that city council and staff are playing a game with our concerns is very disparaging,” Brown said. It’s worth noting that in KXAN’s research, it appears staff members were the ones playing the game, not council members themselves.

KXAN was also able to get in touch with that former staffer, who confirmed they saw the game being played firsthand during the budget process this year and that the photo represented one of those bingo cards. That person asked not to be identified.

“I was in there and was handed a bingo card and I was like ‘what is this?’ and they said ‘it’s a bingo card, and it’s played just like regular bingo’ and it had some things on it that I thought were kind of rude,” that former city council staff member told us.

KXAN received a response from every city council district with the exception of District 6 (Council Member Krista Laine) and District 7 (Council Member Mike Siegel). We reached out first on Wednesday, Sept. 17. We then followed up again on Friday and again Tuesday.

“I just heard about the Bingo game yesterday,” Sharon Mays, Austin City Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison’s chief of staff, told KXAN on Friday. “I’m in Chambers during the meetings and usually only go into the bullpen for lunch. I don’t know when the game is played because when I go in for lunch there aren’t any Bingo cards in there, so I wasn’t aware that this was going on. I talked to my team about it yesterday, and they have seen the cards, but they don’t participate in the game.”

Similarly, representatives for Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, Council Members José Velásquez, Chito Vela, Ryan Alter, Paige Ellis, Zo Qadri and Marc Duchen told KXAN they were not aware of the game and their staff members had not participated.

“This is really disappointing and disrespectful. Serving the people of Austin as members of council staff is a privilege — not a right. The Office of the Mayor does not have knowledge and has not participated in these “games” and believes this sort of activity is inappropriate,” said Rebecca Szeto, spokesperson for Mayor Kirk Watson.

Brown and the former city council staffer both expressed concern that, while some district representatives told us some staff members had seen the bingo cards, nobody took responsibility for the game.

“To see our comments and concerns being mocked, just was very [dis]heartening,” Brown said.” KXAN

“Tito’s Vodka acquires Lalo Tequila as tequila revenue grows” AAS ($)

“Power generators working to keep up as demand grows, ERCOT says” KVUE

“University of Austin embraces ‘rebellion’ as second year begins” AAS ($)

“Austin FC, Q2 support community with $50K grants for 3 local nonprofits” KVUE

THE BLOTTER

“I-35 deadly multi-vehicle crash: Driver indicted on 22 charges“ Fox 7 Austin

“Pflugerville ISD student allegedly brings knives to Dessau Elementary“ CBS Austin

“Austin police arrest man suspected of Fox 7 bomb threat after chase Fox 7 Austin

“3 teens arrested in connection with shooting that left another teen injured in Kyle” Fox 7 Austin

STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT

“TABC bans retailers from selling consumable hemp products to minors, mandates ID checks’“ CBS Austin

“Petition against proposed homeless center location in South Austin’“ Fox 7 Austin

“Williamson County move $25M towards ‘East WilCo highway project’“ KXAN

BUSINESS NEWS

“Cisco opens new office in downtown Austin“ AABJ ($)

“Delta to launch new Austin-Miami nonstop route in November“ KXAN

QUICK LINKS

Man arrested for FOX 7 bomb threat following police chase - Austin American-Statesman

Texas' best public university is No. 7 in US: See UT Austin's top programs - Austin American-Statesman

Target coming to Dripping Springs, per permitting documents - KXAN Austin

Hello Kitty Cafe truck coming to Austin Sept. 27 - KXAN Austin

Lockhart woman sentenced to prison for human smuggling operation - KXAN Austin

Mama Duke ready to duke it out during AGT final performances Tuesday night - KXAN Austin

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission adopts rules to regulate hemp-derived THC products - KVUE

Movies and TV shows casting in Austin - KTEN

UT Austin ranked No. 1 public university in Texas: US World & News Report - KVUE

It went from bad to worse for the Sounders in Austin, Texas - OneFootball

Inside Wise's Austin, Texas office expansion - Yahoo Finance

UT Ranks As No. 1 Public University in Texas, No. 7 Nationally in U.S. News & World Report Rankings - UT News

Which university came out on top as the No. 1 school in Texas? - MySA

Networking and security tech company Cisco opens downtown Austin offices - Austin American-Statesman

Planning Commission OKs upzoning of Rosewood Elementary site - Austin Monitor

Austin, Monitored: Rosewood Elementary and Downtown - Austin Monitor

Austin protest urges Congress to protect housing assistance funds in national movement - KEYE

61st ANNUAL AUSTIN TRAIL OF LIGHTS, POWERED BY H-E-B, ANNOUNCES BOX OFFICE OPEN - PR Newswire

Larry Ellison's agriculture technology company buys Lockhart site - ABJ

Tito's Handmade Vodka makes its first acquisition - ABJ

Eggman brings East Coast breakfast classics to Mueller, East Austin - Community Impact

New rules for Austin short-term rentals going into effect this fall - Community Impact

WilCo continues to preserve historical records ahead of county staff move - Community Impact

Ida Mayes Floral Design House now open in downtown Round Rock - Community Impact

Georgetown, Hutto ISDs provide workforce training for young adults with disabilities at Kalahari Resorts - Community Impact

Me Land Georgetown undergoes expansion on indoor playground - Community Impact

Newborn baby recovering in the hospital after being found in North Austin dumpster - KVUE

Infant found in dumpster at Austin apartment complex; investigation continues - FOX 7 Austin

Austin builds waste collection fleet facility - Axios

Police seek parents of newborn baby found in Texas dumpster - MySA

Huston-Tillotson University receives historic $150M donation - Spectrum News

'She was covered in blood': Baby found abandoned in dumpster in Texas - KTVB

English Teacher at The Ballroom in Austin, TX - Loud Hailer Magazine

Space tech, advanced manufacturing groups team up on rocket lab - ABJ

Austin looking for input on East Sixth Street traffic redesign - ABJ

The power of connection: How increased mobility enhances quality of life - ABJ

Central Texas universities rank among top schools in nation - ABJ

9 local BBQ joints rank among best in US on Southern Living list - ABJ

Liberty Hill getting more homes thanks to water agreement with Georgetown, Round Rock - ABJ

Georgetown plans to review housing codes to make homes more affordable - ABJ

Third lawsuit filed against display of Ten Commandments in schools - Austin American-Statesman

Austin-based tech giant Oracle names co-CEOs on heels of strong earnings report - Austin American-Statesman

Victim identified in deadly wrong-way crash in North Austin - KVUE

Woman who died in southwest Austin crash identified by APD - KXAN Austin

City to demolish historic ruins at Bluff Springs, citing threat to public safety - Austin Monitor

Austin, Monitored: Demolition and Rate Cut Impact - Austin Monitor

Fed rate cut could help city jump start stalled redevelopment projects - Austin Monitor

Lava Leander Cafe & Hookah Lounge opening Sept. 23 - Community Impact

Meet the Kyle City Council Place 2 candidates - Community Impact

Meet the Buda City Council Single-Member District C candidates - Community Impact

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ DINING: “One Austin restaurant makes the Eater All Time 38” Eater Austin

~ SPORTS BAR: “Huge new sports bar in Cedar Park opens with popular burger truck” Culture Map Austin

~ FREE MUSIC: “Renovated East Austin brewery hosts 11 weeks of free concerts” Culture Map Austin

~ PADEL: “New amateur padel league launching nationwide seeks Austin players” Culture Map Austin

~ GOOD CAUSE: “Austin’s HAAM Day features more than 250 shows to support musicians' health care needs” KVUE

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ LIVE MUSIC: Alabama Shakes. Moody Center. 8pm. Tix $68 and up here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: Seth Walker. The 04 Center. 8pm. Tix $27 and up here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: Haim. Moody Center. 7:30pm. Tix $74 and up here.

WHAT TO DO TOMORROW

~ COMEDY: Matt Rife. Creek and Cave. 9:30pm. Sold out. Limited re-sale tix here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: Gary Allan. Buck’s Backyard (Buda, TX). 8pm. Tix $62 and up here.

~ LIVE MUSIC: Buckcherry. Haute Spot (Cedar Park, TX). 7pm. Tix $32 and up here.

~ FESTIVAL: Sound Camp (Music, Art, Community). Sept. 26-28. New Braunfels. All info here.

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Public Policy Manager. Meta. Salary: $183k - $253k / annually + bonus + equity + benefits. Info / apply here.