ATX PULSE 10/8/24 (free) (sponsored by No Scrubs): APD: LPRs Have Helped Catch 40 Criminals // Jury Integrity Questioned in Taylor Trial // JSX Returns to Austin with Winter Taos Service // Unions Split on Watson Re-elect // Burnet County Church Shooting Fabricated

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024

Compiled by Matt Mackowiak

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TODAY’S WEATHER

H: 94° / L: 62°. Another unseasonably hot day. Latest forecast from Fox 7 Austin’s Leslie London here.

TOP NEWS

“APD says new license plate readers helped police catch over 40 criminals,” KVUE’s Daranehsa Herron — “On Monday, Austin police delivered positive updates on the controversial automated license plate readers installed across the city. 

The installation of license plate readers in Austin has been controversial because of privacy, data retention and discrimination concerns.

During Monday's Public Safety meeting, commissioners said they were happy to hear the Austin Police Department's update.

Since late March, the city has been gradually installing 40 fixed cameras across the city, with the last one going up in August. The department said the new data shows it has helped solve crime.

It includes aiding in the arrest or identification of two murder suspects, the arrest of 40 people for stolen vehicles and helping recover 20 stolen vehicles with no arrests. 

Police said they plan to have all sworn officers trained on using the cameras by the end of this month so they can activate the systems in the patrol vehicles. 

"That will give us the ability, per the resolution, to be able to run the software in the car," said the APD officer. "So as you're driving down the road, the camera's officer doesn't have to do anything. The Axon system automatically reads everything and puts it in the database." 

In the past, APD said running license plates manually is very time-consuming. Police hope this will help alleviate a little bit of the strain from the staffing shortage. As of Monday, the department still has 355 vacancies for sworn officers, which is nearly 20% of that portion of the force.

While commissioners were pleased to hear the progress, they still had some questions. The group requested more information on how much data was shared with other agencies, and the number of false positive stops, meaning how many people were pulled over because the technology misread a license plate. They also want to know the demographics of those people. 

The department is expected to present that information at next month's meeting.” KVUE

“Hours before APD officer convicted, prosecution, defense raised concerns of jury integrity,” CBS Austin’s Michael Adkison — “An Austin police officer was convicted of deadly conduct Saturday afternoon, after four days of deliberations. In the twenty-four hours beforehand, both his defense attorneys as well as the prosecution raised concerns of a compromised jury.

On Friday, a bailiff of the court, Dianna Sanchez, told the court that she walked into the deliberation room to find two jurors on their phones, as well as a third phone and a laptop out on the table. Attorneys for Christopher Taylor made a motion for a mistrial, arguing that the jury may have been compromised by using their personal devices, which was forbidden while jurors were deliberating.

Judge Dayna Blazey rejected that motion for a mistrial and required the jurors' rules to be reprinted and distributed to each juror. That night, Taylor's defense attorneys took to social media and publicly criticized the decision, a move that would raise new concerns about the jury's integrity.

"Still waiting on a verdict in the case of APD Officer Christopher Taylor," the post, sent from the official account for O'Connell West PLLC, the firm representing Taylor, reads. "We're baffled. This is the most clear-cut self-defense case involving an officer we've seen. The jury must be improperly considering the other - unproven allegations made by this same anti-police DA. [sic]"

The following day, just hours before the jury returned its guilty verdict against Taylor, prosecutors from the Travis County District Attorney's office

"They were concerned for the safety of the jury, and then they turn around and make unverified allegations of juror misconduct outside of this court, off of this record, offered in social media," Rob Drummond, one of the prosecutors, said on Saturday. "They had the opportunity to ask questions to determine whether any of these allegations are at all substantiated, and they didn't ask those questions and develop that record. Instead, they took this to the court of public opinion, and I believe that they're doing it in the hope that in some way it would get back to those jurors."

Prosecutors asked the judge to hold the defense attorneys in contempt of court, even asking for those attorneys to be kept, physically, in the court until a verdict was returned. Judge Blazey rejected that request.

CBS Austin reached out to both the Travis County District Attorney's office, as well as the defense attorneys for comment. They were unavailable for comment and did not return our request for comment, respectively.” CBS Austin

“Famous UT Tower will look new after years renovations,” Culture Map Austin’s Briana Caleri — “One of the most famous sights at the University of Texas at Austin, the Tower, is soon undergoing a big renovation. It'll take a few years, estimated through the summer of 2027, but when it comes out the other side it should look like as new as it did in 1937.

The project is called “Our Tower: The Next 100 Years,” and it will start exterior work in November. It is part of a $70 million budget that was improved in August, and it'll include work on the "stone, windows, lighting, clockface, and historic gilding on the facade," according to a press release.

This will mean repainting metal and wood, applying gilding, and reconstructing the east and west entrances, all in their original colors and styles.

Some renovations were announced in 2022, but this announcement gives a more complete look at what will be done — and some of the work is coming as soon as this fall.

“The most iconic symbol of The University of Texas, the Tower represents the long-standing tradition of excellence this great University is known for,” said UT System Board of Regents chairman Kevin P. Eltife in the release. “This restoration is one of the board’s top priorities, and we are thrilled the work is getting underway. We want every UT student, faculty and staff member, and alum to have a sense of pride as they walk across the Forty Acres, and especially when they see the Tower restored to its former glory.”

Some of the work is also to improve how the Tower functions, including updating exterior lights to work with LEDs, replacing some roofs, and fixing up windows for better energy efficiency.

The project will be led by Robert A.M. Stern Architects LLC (RAMSA), which partially specializes in historic renovations and has worked on other university projects, including at Yale, the University of Portland (in Oregon), Georgetown University (in Washington, D.C.), the University of Connecticut, and other stately buildings.

The Tower will keep serving its current purposes throughout the process, including as a commemorative surface for burnt orange lighting, although it will be fitted with scaffolding and a decorative covering, along with the main building, which will be covered first in November. The Tower and the main building's south facade will stay uncovered until after commencement in 2025.” Culture Map Austin

BUSINESS NEWS

“Austin-based AV company collaborating with Uber on delivery robots, rideshares,” KXAN’s Kelsey Thompson — “Austin-based autonomous vehicle company Avride will be rolling out delivery and robotaxi services with Uber, according to an Oct. 3 announcement.

The multi-year partnership includes delivery robots for Uber Eats and autonomous vehicles operating for Uber. Sidewalk robots will deploy in Austin in the coming weeks as part of the Uber Eats delivery partnership before later expanding into Dallas and Jersey City, with the New Jersey launch coming later this year, the release said.

Those operations are expected to expand in 2025, with hundreds of Avride robots to join the Uber Eats fleet, company leaders noted. On the robotaxi end of things, that operation is anticipated to launch in Dallas next year.

“We are excited to partner with Uber as we scale our operations and work together to further improve the delivery experience for both consumers and merchants,” Avride CEO Dmitry Polishchuk said in the announcement. “We plan to expand the total fleet of Avride robots operating within Uber Eats to hundreds in 2025, followed by the launch of our robotaxi service.”” KXAN

“Jet service JSX bundles up for Austin to Taos winter flights,” Culture Map Austin’s Teresa Gubbins — “Hop-on public charter jet service JSX is doing seasonal flights from Austin to New Mexico desert ski town Taos. The premium air carrier is resuming seasonal flight service to Taos (TSM) from four West Coast and Texas cities including Dallas (DAL), Austin (EDC), Burbank (BUR), and Carlsbad (CLD) starting December 9, with introductory fares as low as $219 one-way.

JSX offers the only public charter air service to the Taos Regional Airport, providing crowd-free air travel this holiday ski season, enabling customers to spend more time on the slopes.

Dedicated to servicing smaller secondary airports with streamlined and simplified service, JSX lets travelers check in 20 minutes before their flight with "frictionless" security and crowd-free dedicated hangars.

Their jets have only 30 seats, with business class legroom, high-speed free in-flight StarlinkWi-Fi, in-seat power, and complimentary inflight snacks and beverages. Travelers get at least two checked bags (weight/size restrictions apply), and according to the release, skis and snowboards fly free.

Residents of Taos and surrounding areas can also take advantage of a special JSX flight discount this season aboard the hop-on jet service for flights to and from New Mexico.

The release notes that Taos is one of the best destinations for skiing and other winter activities, with pristine, powder-filled slopes, diverse terrain, and uncrowded trails.

Nonstop flights to Taos Regional Airport (TSM) from Dallas Love Field (DAL), Austin (EDC), Carlsbad (CLD), and Burbank (BUR) will commence December 9, and will operate once a day, 4 days a week, on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday.” Culture Map Austin

THE BLOTTER

“Man arrested for ‘fabricated’ story about shooting at Burnet County church: BCSO,” via Fox 7 Austin — “A man was arrested for reporting a fabricated story to law enforcement after he fired shots near a Burnet County church on Sunday.

According to the Burnet County Sheriff's Office, on Sunday, Oct. 6, just after 10:30 a.m., deputies responded to the Church at the Epicenter on N US 281 for a welfare check due to an unknown 911 call.

"If there’s a thing in you that’s saying this isn’t for real, it is for real," an Epicenter church member told the congregation Sunday morning.

The Epicenter church service in Burnet County was interrupted by a member with an announcement.

"During worship, there were some individuals that were circling the building," the church member said, "Burnet County Sheriff’s Department are outside."

BCSO dispatch reported a man had called 911, gave the address to the church, requested police response, then hung up.

When deputies arrived, it "became clear" that shots had been fired, but that all of them came from someone with the church's volunteer safety team, says BCSO.

The safety team member said he confronted two suspicious men outside the church, one of whom presented a rifle, says BCSO. The safety team member fired multiple rounds, causing both men to get in a white minivan and flee the scene, driving north on US 281.

"A man, we don’t know, wearing a full turban, blocking this door, Jacob shouted, he ran that way, there was a van that way, the individual in the van got out with some sort of rifle," the church member told the congregation Sunday morning, "Jacob opened fire, and then they took off."

During an investigation, it was revealed that the story that came from the safety team member was fabricated.“ Fox 7 Austin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

“Pressure on proposed police contract intensifies; Austin City Council moves vote to Oct. 24,” Austin American-Statesman’s Skye Seipp — “It's been nearly two weeks since the city and the union representing Austin police officers shook hands on a tentative long-term contract — and the public pressure has been building.

Initially, the city negotiators had hoped that after they reached a tentative deal Sept. 23 the Austin City Council would vote on it during its meeting this week. The city announced Friday that it was pushing back the vote to Oct. 24 to allow "more time to review and to gather additional public input."

Council members are set to receive a briefing on the proposed contract at their work session Tuesday.

This decision to delay a City Council vote comes after a week of various advocacy and local organizations, including the employee union representing nearly 4,500 city workers, coming out against the proposed contract, which would cost nearly $218 million over five years while giving officers a 28% raise.

"The proposed $218 million police contract raises significant concerns regarding transparency and equity for the rest of Austin's workforce," AFSCME 1624 said in a statement Oct. 1. "While we support competitive wages for our police officers, we must also address the needs of essential services that keep our city running."

The city and the Austin Police Association have been without a contract for about a year and a half. Reaching a long-term deal is seen by some officials as the best way to increase recruitment and retention at a time when the Police Department has about 350 vacancies.

Disputes in the contract began almost immediately after the city and the Austin Police Association shook hands on the deal and then later in the week when the city released the proposed contract. Many of those differences involved language about compliance with the voter-approved Austin Police Oversight Act.

The city has said the proposed contract complies with the act.

Activists disagree. Specifically, they've pointed to language about the G-file, a confidential personnel file held by the Police Department that had allegations of misconduct and internal affairs investigations that never resulted in discipline.

Local activists have worked for years to get the department to end use of the G-file, believing it was an incentive for the department not to discipline officers. The association has maintained that making these files public would harm officers.

The contract ultimately got rid of the G-file, but disputes came when the city and union first agreed that G-file material from before the contract started would not be public. Activists said this wasn't aligned with the oversight act.

A Travis County civil judge then ruled that the city must discontinue its use of the G-file, per the oversight act, and that led the city to revisit its language in the contract.

When the contract was first released, the American-Statesman reported that those retroactive G-files would not be released, with Michael Bullock, president of the Austin Police Association, stating that's what was agreed to in the contract.

City Council members, led by José "Chito" Vela, began asking for clarity on the G-file language of the contract. Interim City Attorney Deborah Thomas sent a memo last week stating that the contract does not allow for any type of legacy and that the city would release all G-file materials, retroactively and proactively.

Bullock has since reversed his stance and told other media outlets that the association does not believe the tentative contract allows for pre-existing G-file materials to be withheld. Bullock did not return a Statesman request for comment.

Activists with Equity Action, the organization that got the oversight act on the ballot last year, have also said they believe the contract violates another aspect of the charter by allowing officers to file grievances.

Allowing for grievances to be filed is what led to an arbitrator ruling in 2021 that weakened the Office of Police Oversight, causing police reform activists with Equity Action to bring oversight to the ballot last year.” AAS ($)

“Report looks at Austin Water leaks, losses that could fill 12,000 Olympic pools,” Austin Monitor’s Chad Swiatecki — “Leaks and inefficiencies throughout the local water system cause Austin Water to lose more than 8 billion gallons per year – enough to fill 12,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The loss totals were some of the findings from a recent outside analysis by Black & Veatch that looked at Austin Water’s existing programs to track losses and the steps the utility can take to detect problems and fix the system. The report will be discussed today at the Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force and at Wednesday’s Water and Wastewater Commission meeting.

Austin Water’s system loses approximately 6.9 billion gallons per year in real losses, plus another 1.5 billion gallons of “apparent losses,” described as loss due to unauthorized consumption and metering inaccuracies. The lost water means about $12 million in losses each year for Austin Water through a combination of costs for treating water that is lost, and not charging consumers and businesses properly for their actual water usage.

The trend lines for Austin Water were also found to be headed in the wrong direction, with total losses nearly doubling since 2010. The city’s infrastructure leakage index – a measure that compares actual losses against the amount of industry-accepted unavoidable losses – was found to be 4.1, or well over the long-term goal of 3. The analysis showed the city has had an ILI of more than 3 since 2014, with substantial losses growing since at least 2010.

Among the recommendations from the review, Austin Water plans to expand its current program for replacing underperforming water service lines and improve the accuracy of production meters at its treatment plants. The utility is set to pilot district metering areas to reduce water loss through better pressure management. That program is currently testing two DMAs, which are expected to go live by the end of 2024 as part of the My ATX Water initiative.

Other areas for improvement include enhancing leak detection activities, refining estimates for unbilled authorized consumption such as water used for firefighting and system flushing, and bolstering training for staff involved in water loss management. The report also noted the importance of improving data collection and validation, particularly in large meter testing and unauthorized consumption.

“AW should consider additional staff (internal and/or contractor) to focus on distribution main leak detection. This will renew oversight, improve management of the reporting, data collection, and validation completed by leak detection staff,” the report noted. “AW’s leak detection and response efforts should continue incorporating the Real Loss Component Analysis as part of their annual auditing process. An annual component analysis provides the leak detection team with recommendations for improved speed and quality of leak repair, proactive leak detection, and pressure management.”

The utility was also advised to increase its capital investment budget to replace aging water mains and sewer lines. For context, the report found that in 2022, Austin Water experienced 370 water main failures, or one per every 9.2 miles of water lines. For comparison, the American Water Works Association standard is one failure per every 25 miles of water lines.

The city has also been working on reuse projects and more efficient water management as part of its Water Forward 100-year plan, which aims to secure the city’s water future through innovative conservation and reuse techniques.” Austin Monitor

“Travis County enters fray over ‘conservation scale’ development Mirasol Springs,” KXAN’s Eric Henrikson — “Conflict over a development aiming to set the gold standard for conservation in western Travis County is now drawing the attention of the Travis County Commissioner’s Court.

Mirasol Springs, which will include dozens of homes and cottages, a hotel and a lab operated by the University of Texas, has seen pushback from nearby landowners since its announcement.

On Tuesday, members of Save The Pedernales and the Save Our Springs Alliance will host a press conference to go over potential impacts of the development and their concerns.

“Even the experts are saying it could severely affect the springs here that drive Hamilton Pool,” said landowner Lew Adams alongside Hamilton Pool on Monday morning. Adams’ property, the Roy Creek Canyon Reserve, is surrounded on three sides by the Mirasol Springs project.

In December, Travis County Commissioner’s Court issued an order that opposed permits filed by Clancy Utility Holdings LLC, the group responsible for utilities on the Mirasol Springs property.

KXAN reached out to Mirasol Springs for a statement, and it declined to comment.

One of the concerns voiced by Travis County Judge Andy Brown, the impact the property could have on nearby Hill Country “jewel” Hamilton Pool. “

I don’t want to see any developments that are going to be taking away water from what little we get here along Hamilton Creek and into Hamilton Pool,” Brown said.” KXAN

“Boil water notice issued for parts of Taylor after main break,” CBS Austin’s Stephanie Becerra — “Residents in portions of Taylor are advised to boil their water due to a significant pressure drop caused by a water main break on 4th Street.

The City of Taylor has issued a boil water notice for affected customers, who can find the specific areas impacted in a map linked here: Notice Area Map.

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), all water used for drinking, cooking, and ice-making must be boiled for at least two minutes to ensure the elimination of harmful bacteria and other microbes. This precaution is particularly important for vulnerable populations, including children, seniors, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

City crews are currently working to repair the water main, but residents in the affected areas may experience low water pressure until repairs are completed. Until the situation is resolved, individuals may also opt for bottled water or other safe sources for consumption.

Once it is safe to consume the water again, the City will notify residents through similar channels. Officials urge everyone to share this information with those who may not have received the notice directly, such as apartment dwellers and patrons of local businesses.

For more updates and information, residents should visit the City of Taylor’s website at www.taylortx.gov or contact Water Superintendent Sam Thomas at 512-352-3251.” CBS Austin

2024

“Thousands line up in Travis County to register to vote,” Fox 7 Austin’s Jenna King — “Election Day is less than a month away, and Monday, Oct. 7 is the last day to register to vote in Texas.

"We've had a lot of procrastinators today waiting till the last day to register and update their address. And that's fine. We're here for them. We want to make sure that people check to see if they're registered at their current address, because if they're not, today is the day to get that updated," said Bruce Elfant, Travis County voter registrar.

Elfant says as of Monday afternoon, the county has 920,000 voters registered. About 10,000 of them have been added in the last month.

"The growth in Travis County has slowed in previous cycles. We were a rapidly growing community, and we were chasing new residents. And now that our population is stabilized, we probably won't register quite as many people," said Elfant.

It takes minutes to register to vote. You need to be 18, a citizen and a resident.

To fill out the application, you'll need either a Texas driver's license or the last four digits of your social security number.

This year, Elfant says Travis County volunteer deputy registrars agreed to set up voter registration drives at post office locations across the county until midnight Monday, of the voter registration deadline. But at the last minute, that postal service approval was rescinded.

"It's very disappointing that the post office pulled out of our agreement," Elfant said.” Fox 7 Austin

“Labor Unions split on Mayoral race,” Austin Chronicle’s Lina Fisher — “On Sept. 13, Mayor Kirk Watson dropped a long list of labor endorsements for his reelection campaign, with the email subject line “I’m With Labor and Labor Is With Me.” The coalition of organizations was dubbed “Workers for Watson” and included public safety unions Austin EMS Association and the Austin Firefighters Association, service industry union UNITE HERE Local 23, and a slate of trade workers including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 520, ironworkers, insulators, elevator constructors, plumbers, and pipefitters.

Notably, the city employees union, AFSCME Local 1624, was absent. And the Austin Central Labor Council, which consists of 500 state and local labor councils of the AFL-CIO, declined to endorse in the mayoral race at all.

This is surprising given that Watson received a CLC endorsement in 2022 – no small feat. “We have a two-thirds threshold for any political endorsement and none of the candidates were able to achieve that [this year],” Austin CLC President Jason Lopez told the Chronicle. The CLC has added several member unions since 2022, meaning there are more and newer voices that don’t have relationships with Watson. Furthermore, he’s made some enemies in AFSCME, one of the CLC’s largest unions, partly because of the unpopular order to return to work in person in the summer of 2023. That order came from Watson’s former City Manager Jesús Garza. In public protests attended by supportive Council members, the union not only opposed the return due to environmental and quality-of-life impacts, but also said that Garza’s approach to notifying employees was disrespectful, reflecting a larger trend of business done behind closed doors during Garza’s tenure. They told the Chronicle at the time that Garza would send emails at 5pm on a Friday, avoid in-person conversations, and “showed no interest in negotiating” with AFSCME.

Mayoral candidate Doug Greco made much of the lack of endorsement on X, writing, “This is a major vote of no confidence by organized labor,” and attributed some of the discontent to Watson’s unpopular DPS partnership and the scandal over a favor he did for a top staffer of Gov. Greg Abbott’s. Still, Watson has received the most endorsements out of any candidate. He wrote in the campaign newsletter: “My longtime support for Labor is ultimately about supporting ... tradespeople to service workers to healthcare professionals to public servants and so many others that make our city, and our country, tick. I’ll keep working to put affordability first at City Hall.”” Austin Chronicle

SPORTS

TEXAS FOOTBALL: “Texas coach says Quinn Ewers is on track to return for rivalry game against OU,” KVUE’s Britny Eubank — ”Will Quinn Ewers return for the Red River Rivalry game on Saturday? Texas Longhorns' head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to think it's likely.

"If we had to play today, sure," Sarkisian said Monday of Ewers' status as the starter.

Sarkisian said Ewers practiced last week and again early Monday, and that his recovery from an abdominal injury will be monitored all week.

"I thought he looked good," Sarkisian said. “I feel good about him going Saturday, but that remains to be seen.”

The Longhorns had a bye last week, and Sarkisian said if anyone benefited from the time off, it was Ewers. The quarterback missed Texas' previous two games after leaving in the first half of a victory over UTSA with a strained abdomen.

While Ewers has been out, Arch Manning has started in his place, leading Texas to wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State. Sarkisian noted Monday that he has "no hesitation of Arch going into the game" against Oklahoma if it comes to that.” KVUE

TEXAS FOOTBALL: “No. 1 Texas Longhorns feeling refreshed heading into rivalry game against OU,” Fox 7 Austin’s John Hygh — ”For the first time in 40 years, the undefeated Texas Longhorns head into Saturday's rivalry game against Oklahoma University as the nation's number one ranked team.

"We came back refreshed today. We had some guys that were knicked up and needed to get healthy," said head coach Steve Sarkisian.

The top-ranked Horns are feeling pretty good coming off their bye week. Including starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, who has missed the past two-and-a-half games with an abdominal strain.

So, will the former Heisman favorite be good to go for Saturday's rivalry game against OU?

"Quinn worked last week for three practices. He practiced again today. I thought he looked good coming off the bye. I think if anybody benefited from the time off, it was probably him. We're gonna monitor him daily just to see how he continues to progress. But I feel good about how he was today. I feel good about him going on Saturday, but that remains to be seen. And I have no hesitation with Arch going in the game. I think he's proven that to us over two-and-a-half games that he's really played in and competed in," said Sark.” Fox 7 Austin

TEXAS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: “Texas Longhorns speak: What are the goals for the 2024-2025 women’s basketball season?” Austin American-Statesman’s Danny Davis — ”The preseason polls haven't been released yet, but it is likely that much will be expected from the Texas women's basketball team.

Texas has reached the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament in three of Vic Shaefer’s first four years at the school, but UT is still looking for its first Final Four appearance since 2003. After winning either a Big 12 regular season or tournament championship in each of the past three years, Texas will also attempt to make some noise in its Southeastern Conference debut this winter.

Last week, a media day was held with Texas players and Schaefer. Here is how some players responded when asked that the team's goals were for the season:

Senior forward Aaliyah Moore: "The goals for this team, I think to take it game-by-game. Of course, I want to say we want to win SEC, we want to win a natty. But all those things will come if we take care of each game and take care of each practice and just work hard every day. I think we as a team just need to figure out how to play together and to make the right read, and the people that come off the bench, they just need to make sure that when they come in, they're also being productive. If we do that, we'll take care of all the rest of our goals that we have the rest of the season."

Senior forward Taylor Jones: "National championship, that's always a goal. Win the SEC, and I think just win as much as possible. We have an old team, but also a young team. We have a lot of seniors and also a lot of freshmen, and we're just really learning right now how to play together. I think we're just really trying every single day to get 1% better. The national championship is on our mind, but we also know that you have to take it one game at a time, and so just trying to get as healthy as possible and enjoy the process while we're doing it."

Senior guard Laila Phelia: "We all know the ultimate goal, but I feel like as of now, continuing to do what we need to do to create that chemistry right now and eventually take those next steps. Basically taking it a day at the time, but the ultimate goal is to win a national championship."

Junior guard Sarah Graves: "I think really taking advantage of the talent that we have on our team with the returning veterans and the great freshman class we have. We want to make sure that we're teaching the freshmen the standards here and make sure we make an impact in the SEC and the tournament this year."“ AAS ($)

QUICK LINKS

~ Monday is the last day to register to vote in Texas ahead of the 2024 election. Here's how - Austin American-Statesman

~ Northwest Austin shooting broke up fight over parking lot crash, affidavit says - KXAN Austin

~ Cause of death revealed for 19-year-old Texas cadet found dead at U.S. Air Force Academy - KVUE

~ Travis County officials show commitment to eliminating all countywide traffic deaths - Community Impact

~ Q&A: Meet the candidates for San Marcos Mayor - Community Impact

~ Doug Greco brings organizing energy to Austin’s mayoral race - Austin Monitor

~ These 3 Texas cities rank among the best global cities for entrepreneurs - Austin American-Statesman

~ H-E-B introduces new way for customers to pay - KVUE

~ Dua Lipa, Leon Bridges spotted around Austin during ACL Weekend 1 - KXAN Austin

~ Austin FC sporting director Rodolfo Borrell breaks down Josh Wolff firing: - Austin American-Statesman

~ Job fair focused on hiring Bastrop residents with disabilities takes place Oct. 8 - Community Impact

~ Public housing redevelopment now complete with 400 new apartments in East Austin - Community Impact

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ SPOTTED: ”Dua Lipa's Austin City Limits experience included a trip to 'honky tonk heaven'“ AAS ($)

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ LIVE MUSIC: Usher. Moody Center. Show 8pm. Tix $96 and up here.

** Amy and I will be at this show tonight. Say hi if you see us!

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Chief Executive Officer: Marathon Kids / Austin Runners Club. Salary: $100k+. Info / apply here.