ATX PULSE 7/15/24: President Biden's ATX Visit Postponed // Shots Fired Near UT on Sat // 2 Die on MoPac Sun AM // Council Responds to Proposed $5.9B Budget

ATX Pulse

Everything YOU NEED TO KNOW about Austi5.

Monday, July 15, 2024

By Matt Mackowiak

ATX PULSE UPDATE: After 5 editions, we have surpassed 130,000 views! Thank you! Please consider becoming a paid subscriber at ATXpulse.com for $5/month or $50/year.

PRESENTED BY

All Texas News, Quick 5-Minute Reads, Always Free!

Join over 200,000 Texans who start their day with The Texas Flyover. A quick 5-minute read. Crafted by Texans, for Texans, we capture the unique spirit of the Lone Star State. Always free! Don't miss the fastest-growing daily newsletter in Texas.

Subscribe with one Click HERE!

SPONSORED BY

SPONSOR OPPORTUNITY: Want to sponsor ATX Pulse? We’ve had over 130,000 opens in our first 5 editions alone! Email James for rates and availability.

Today’s Weather: H: 97° / L: 74°. Latest forecast from Fox 7 Austin’s Leslie Logan here. Wetter, cooler weather later in the week, per KXAN here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT FRIDAY

~ FAN SUPPORT GROUP FOR MLB EXPANSION IN AUSTIN LAUNCHES ATXMLB.com WEBSITE: “Bring Major League Baseball to Austin” — “A group of Austin residents has created the Austin Baseball Commission to build fan support for Major League Baseball (MLB) to come to Austin.

MLB has expressed an interest in adding two teams to bring the league from 30 to 32 teams, and it is believed that one will be in the East (Nashville) and another will be in the West (Salt Lake City or Austin, most likely).

Expansion will not begin before 2029, but there is a lot of work to be done to make the case that it is time for Austin to have a major sports franchise. Fan support groups have already launched in other cities.

Here’s a recent assessment of expansion markets from ESPN.

> Why Austin? Read here.

> Fill out a season ticket interest form (no financial info provided) here.

> Sign up for emails here.

> Follow our Facebook here.

> Donate to support our effort here.

Join the Austin Baseball Commission to Bring MLB to Austin: “Austin is on the brink of embracing America’s favorite pastime at the highest level. We are thrilled to introduce the Austin Baseball Commission’s proposed Major League Baseball team that promises to bring the spirit and excitement of MLB to our great city. Join our growing movement to turn this effort into reality.”

** Learn more: ATXMLB.com

** Questions? Email [email protected].

TOP NEWS

~ “President Biden postpones Austin visit following Trump assassination attempt,” via KVUE — “President Joe Biden’s trip to Austin set for Monday, July 15, has been postponed, the White House announced on Sunday.

It comes after former President Donald Trump was injured in an assassination attempt on Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left one person dead and two others critically injured.

Biden had been scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the LBJ Presidential Library to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. He was scheduled to participate in a one-on-one interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt from Austin. A fundraiser hosted by LBJ's daughter, Luci Baines Johnson, was also planned for the day.

The LBJ Library said the event will happen at a later date this month. A new date will be announced this week.

“Given the unfortunate events of the last 24 hours, we anticipated that the president's schedule could change anytime,” said Mark K. Updegrove, president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation and a presidential historian. “We are honored President Biden remains committed to joining us at the LBJ Library to mark the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act and we look forward to hosting him later this month.”” KVUE

~ “‘Had my rosary beads’: Austin man describes Trump rally from VIP view,” KXAN’s Josh Hinkle — “When Ben Shrader, 25, picked up the phone this week, he thought someone was playing a joke. The caller claimed to be from the campaign team of former President Donald Trump, inviting him to a weekend rally in Pennsylvania.

“I didn’t believe that it was real at first,” Shrader said. “I found out Friday. I was on a plane, and then here.”

The Austin man spoke to KXAN’s Josh Hinkle via Zoom late Saturday night in his hotel room just miles from the rally in Butler, slightly sunburnt and disheveled after the previous several hours of chaos.

“It went from a great day to – well, not,” he recalled.

Through Shrader’s participation in various Republican events in Texas, he believes the campaign had learned not only of his support for the man now running for a second term leading the country but also of Shrader’s own fight two years ago – a 12-hour surgery, 61 stitches and a heavy round of radiation to remove a large tumor that left him deaf in his right ear.

“I had a golf ball-sized acoustic neuroma growing underneath my brain and pushing up against my brain stem,” he explained, turning away from his web camera to reveal a long scar stretching from the base of his neck into his upper scalp. “If I didn’t get it out, I would’ve had a stroke.”

Attention surrounding his survival story would eventually lead him to another close call Saturday – nearly a half-hour after meeting Trump face-to-face with other VIPs invited to the rally.

“I walked up – little old me – and he put out his hand,” he recounted, smiling. “And I said, ‘It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. President.’ And we talked for a few moments, and we got some pictures. It’s kind of crazy to be talking to somebody and then see them get shot a few moments later.”

Shrader’s seat was to the left of the stage at the front of the crowd in a section for special guests. He remembered seeing the mayor of Butler, Congressional leaders and even Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller around him As Trump took the stage, Shrader said he stood and pulled out his phone to document one of the most exciting moments of his life.

“We were close to him, I mean, maybe 50 yards, probably less than that,” he said, adding that his back was to a warehouse-type building away from the rally where he would later learn a suspected shooter had climbed on the roof to take aim.

“And I hear a quiet pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,” he detailed, pausing for a moment. “I don’t know, my best guess is it was eight or nine shots. It was a lot, and I know what a gunshot sounds like. And so, I got on the ground, and I made sure that I was the smallest target possible.”

Video Shrader captured on his phone in those moments shows his perspective, quickly falling to the ground, shakily focusing on the grass as someone nearby screams, “One’s shot! We need an ambulance!” Another person cries, “Oh, my God!” Confusion and questions blur into one another as Shrader steadies himself to figure out what was happening.

“I turn and look behind me, and I just see – I couldn’t tell man or woman, but I just see a lot of blood,” he said. “Because about maybe four or five meters behind me and to my left in the bleachers, somebody got hit.”

On the phone video, which Shrader shared with KXAN, he periodically tilts the camera to his face, almost as if verifying he is still there. At one point, he utters, “Shot at the president… someone shot at the president.” Then cheers and applause take over.

“I look up to where the president is, and I see him kind of do like this motion,” he tells KXAN, as he puts his hands over his ears. “Then I see him just hold up a fist in the air.”

With Trump standing and apparently wounded, Shrader said he watched as Secret Service members rushed the candidate offstage. He later learned the injury to the top edge of the president’s ear was not serious. Shrader’s thoughts quickly shifted to his own family back home watching the scene unfold live on television.

“I immediately texted my parents and told them that I’m OK because it could’ve been bad,” he said, reflecting on those injured and killed nearby. “Afterwards, you’re like – I almost got shot today. I was really close. The person [in the stands] was maybe a little bit farther than the wall behind me [in the hotel room], and I was also directly in the line from where that building was to the president. That was right where I was sitting, standing up with my phone up. It could’ve been a very different day for me.”

After the suspected shooter was killed on that rooftop not so far away, he said law enforcement began clearing the crowd. Shrader continued snapping photos, as he left. They show dozens of fear-struck supporters, clutching campaign signs for an event he had hoped earlier would be a lifelong memory.

“I definitely have to go say some prayers, because I had my rosary beads in my pocket – and maybe that helped out,” he said, as his voice broke briefly. “I’ve never seen somebody who’s been shot before… I think that it’s probably a day, sadly, that I will try to forget.”” KXAN

» RELATED: “Austin leaders react to apparent assassination attempt,” CBS Austin’s Andrew Freeman — “Leaders from all over the nation and world are reacting to the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump Saturday, including leaders here in Austin.

The message is a rare one of unity: there's no place for this kind of political violence in America.

Travis County G.O.P. chair Matt Mackowiak says as he gets ready to leave for the Republican National Convention, he expects the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally Saturday will change the conversation.

"It's absolutely shocking. It's scary, it's disorienting." Mackowiak said. "We have to try to understand how on earth this possibly could have happened. It's unthinkable, whether it's Joe Biden or Donald Trump or Robert F Kennedy Jr, or anyone."

He says no matter where you align politically, this kind of violence on a presidential candidate is unacceptable and un-American.

"You can criticize ideas, sharply, with sharp language, but we cannot use language that can lead to incitement." Mackowiak said.

And he's not alone. From the Travis County Democratic Chair Pooja Sethi, who partially said in a statement...

"We condemn the violence at the recent Trump rally and are heartbroken by the tragic loss of life involved. Violence has no place in our democracy."

To social media posts from Democratic Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar. Doggett wrote:

"Violence begets violence, whether directed at Trump or inspired by him."

While Casar posted:

"Political violence — against Trump or anyone else — has no place in our politics or our country.”

Mackowiak says this should be a reminder to everyone to dial back the rhetoric, and lower the dangerously hot political temperature in the country.

"It's unthinkable that we could be in a situation where a presidential candidate of a major party could survive an assassination attempt by a millimeter," Mackowiak said. "That's what happened today."“ CBS Austin

THE BLOTTER

~ “Shots fired near UT Austin; police search for suspect, urge public caution,” CBS Austin’s Monique Lopez and Isabella Bass — “Officers responded to a report of shots fired on the University of Texas at Austin campus Saturday evening.

The incident happened near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Robert Dedman Drive.

No injuries were reported, the suspect appears to have fled the area.

Officers are currently searching the area for a suspect described as a White male with long black hair, last seen wearing a white and black flannel shirt and a black backpack.

Authorities warn if you see the individual, do not approach and call 911 or message police on LiveSafe. The investigation is ongoing.” CBS Austin

~ “Fatal crash closes N. MoPac heading south; 2 dead,” KXAN’s Julianna Russ — “Officers with the Austin Police Department responded to a fatal crash in north Austin on Sunday morning.

Austin-Travis County EMS said medics responded to a reported pin-in collision involving two vehicles. Two adult patients were pronounced dead at the scene.

According to first responders, the crash occurred at approximately 5:40 a.m. near the 12000 block of N. MoPac Expy. heading South.

“All of Southbound Mopac will be closed while police investigate,” APD said.” KXAN

CITY HALL

~ “Council gives first thoughts on $5.9B draft budget for 2025,” Austin Monitor’s Chad Swiatecki — “The early draft of the city’s 2025 budget weighs in at $5.9 billion, a $400 million increase over the current budget. City Manager T.C. Broadnax said the balanced budget offers increases in city staff compensation and benefits despite lower-than-expected sales tax revenues that in recent months had raised concerns that the city may run a budget deficit or have to dip into reserve funds.

The draft budget was delivered during a special City Council work session on Friday, when Broadnax and financial staff expanded the budget timeline to include detailed projections of possible 2026 budget revenues and expenditures. That shift was welcomed by Council members, who said the two-year view offers a better road map for city spending and long-term projects.

The budget is expected to be approved by mid-August.

Budget officer Kerri Lang offered a detailed look at the many discrete sections of the budget – including the General Fund, utilities and the major cost drivers for the next two years. With the city’s annual property tax increases capped at 3.5 percent by state law, Lang said contributions from Austin Energy and other utilities will need to increase relative to the rest of the budget for the city to keep up with funding its many needs and priorities.

Related to long-term debt, she said payments for general obligation bonds are expected to begin dropping in 2028 when the bond packages approved by voters in 2016 and 2018 will be paid off.

Council members with differing views on the city’s financial strategy expressed their opinions during the presentation, signaling more inquiries in the weeks to come.

Council members Vanessa Fuentes and Chito Vela discussed the need for ongoing support for rental assistance and other programs to curb homelessness, with Fuentes saying the $4.9 million used to increase the city’s budget reserves to 17 percent could be used to fund other needed programs.

“When I think about how our budget is reflecting our commitment – not just to addressing the symptoms of homelessness, but to the root causes – I think we can be doing a lot more. I want us to have a conversation about what it would look like if we maintain the reserve policy at its current (level), at the level that we ended at last year,” she said, noting the prior reserve rate was 16.7 percent. “I’m unsure that we’re adequately investing not only in priorities as it relates to homelessness, but also to the priorities that we’ve received through the Community Investment Budget.”

Council Member Mackenzie Kelly said she’ll ask staff to run the numbers on what the budget would look like with no increase in the city’s portion of property tax levies and no increase in utility fees.

“These increases hit our middle- and low-income residents the hardest … homeowners, renters and small businesses alike,” she said. “Over the next few weeks, I’d like to see a strong effort to finalize a budget that includes no increase in property taxes and utility bills, giving people a break from the irregular cost-of-living hikes that are making Austin more unaffordable.”

Kelly said she also plans to ask for an analysis of the city’s expenditures for contracted professional service workers, with goal of reducing those costs.

Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo said that over the past 10 years the city budget has grown in specific areas to reflect Council priorities such as animal services, libraries and the parks department, with those areas’ allocations growing relative to the overall budget, or $75.6 million total. As context, Van Eenoo said the state’s 3.5 percent cap on property tax increases have put limits on spending for other community priorities. He said without the state caps and the ability to increase the tax rate by up to 8 percent, the city could easily fund everything asked for in the Community Investment Budget without reaching the previous maximum increases.

Council will have a comprehensive Q&A session with staff about the budget on July 24, with questions due by July 22. A July 30 session will focus on the enterprise funds that cover major entities such as Austin Energy, with those questions due by July 26.

On Aug. 1, Council will hold a public hearing on the budget and will also set the maximum tax rate for property taxes.” Austin Monitor

OTHER NEWS

~ “Rainey Street Trailhead opens, enhancing the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail experience,” CBS Austin’s Monique Lopez — “The Trail Conservancy celebrated the grand opening of the Rainey Street Trailhead Saturday morning and invited the community.

The trailhead is a new addition to the Ann & Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.

The Butler Trail is a 10-mile path in the heart of Austin that gets nearly five million visits a year.

“The Trail Conservancy has been working in partnership with the city of Austin since 2019 to be able to bring this trailhead to the community, and that started with extensive community engagement, and then we all know COVID, and then all of the design and the construction bidding processing, so we’re really excited to open this space, although it’s been a five year project,” said Trail Conservancy chief executive officer Kimberly McNeeley.

The goal of the Trail Conservancy is to protect, enhance, and connect the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake for the benefit of all.” CBS Austin

~ “Austin Fire Department celebrates 34 new graduates from ‘Pass the Torch’ program,” CBS Austin’s Andrew Freeman — “More than 30 cadets graduated from the Austin Fire Departments spring Pass the Torch program, designed to give those who sign up a taste of what the fire academy - and training to be a firefighter - is like.

For Pass the Torch cadets like Victoria Kelly, Saturday was bittersweet.

"I really, kind of, had to discover myself during this program, Kelly said. "I'm excited, but also again sad that this is the last time I'm going to be with some of these guys."

She and 33 others graduated from the Austin Fire Department's spring training program, Pass the Torch.

"It was a brutal, brutal task," Kelly said. "The physical training aspect of it was hard, especially in this heat, but it was a lot of fun."

Pass the Torch was designed to give potential recruits a preview of what the Austin fire academy is like, and help with the department's recruitment and retention.

"What the work is like, how hard it is, how rewarding it is," A.F.D. Assistant Chief Tom Vocke said. "So it's great opportunity for us to bring folks in and let them really know what they're getting themselves into."

For four months the cadets spend their Saturdays training, earning a C.P.R. certificate and learning the ins and outs of fire equipment.

"We did a lot of search and rescues, we worked with ladders, hoses..." Kelly said.

It doesn't guarantee them a spot in the academy, but it certainly doesn't hurt their chances either.

"Their time and their energy that they're willing to donate to us, to experience this, says a lot about them." Vocke said.

Victoria was even recognized by her class as something like a pseudo-Valedictorian, and was given the prestigious Honor Award.

Victoria says she's taken the exam and has been approved to take the next steps towards joining the Austin Fire academy. She wishes her classmates the best too, who she says she'll miss very much.

"It's time to stay focused and keep working hard at what I really want." Kelly said. "You guys are amazing people and I hope that life takes you where you want it to go."

If you're interested in becoming a firefighter yourself and what to give Pass the Torch a shot, you can fill out an online interest form on the Austin Fire Department's website.” CBS Austin

SPORTS

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: Golden: “Texas football enters the SEC with expectations that might be too high,” via Austin American-Statesman — “In “Great Expectations,” Charles Dickens wrote: “Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but — I hope — into a better shape.”

Chuck never watched a Texas football game, but his words ring true more than 150 years later. The Longhorns’ return to national prominence last season wouldn't have happened without struggle, and now that oddsmakers are projecting a smashing debut for them in the Southeastern Conference, it would be easy to believe it’s going to happen without acknowledging the work it took to get here.

So Texas goes 11-1 in the regular season and plays for a conference title in its first season in the SEC? Sounds about right to many in the fan base.

Slow down.

Longhorn Nation doesn’t need to prick a finger to believe there’s blue blood coursing through those veins even if the Horns have won only one national championship since 1970. Meanwhile, new conference mates Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Auburn and Florida have combined to win 14 of the last 21 titles, six coming from the Crimson Tide, which enters its first season without legendary coach Nick Saban.

It could happen, but let’s see how the Longhorns handle their first real prosperity since the 2018 team won the Sugar Bowl over the Georgia Bulldogs, the same night Bevo nearly sent Uga X to the Rainbow Bridge well before his time.

Sure, the Longhorns aren’t quietly entering America’s scariest conference like the new kid in a new town, but should the oddsmakers all take a cue from head coach Steve Sarkisian and pump the brakes before declaring Texas is going to march through the SEC like Sherman through Atlanta?

As Sark said at the SEC Celebration: “Easy. Easy.”

There’s lots of football to be played.

Looking to carry that 2023 momentum into 2024

With that said, the Longhorns checked nearly every box in their Big 12 farewell, smoking Oklahoma State in the conference title game and making the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance, and while the past is the past, it does matter that Texas is carrying some nice momentum into the most anticipated season since the 2005 championship campaign.

When Sarkisian leads quarterback Quinn Ewers, defensive back Jahdae Barron and left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. into Wednesday’s afternoon session of SEC media days in Dallas, it will be with the same confidence we witnessed during last season’s 12-2 run and first Big 12 title since 2009.

History says to bet the under, not over

Confidence aside, the scenery has changed, and somehow the expectations are even larger than usual. 

Las Vegas has projected Texas’ over/under regular-season win total at 10½. In layman’s terms, that means the Horns will win a minimum of 10 games. An "over" bet means Texas will finish either 11-1 or 12-0 while the "under" simply means the Horns will win 10 or fewer games.

Texas and Georgia are two of only six FBS teams that are projected to win at least 10 games, along with Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Liberty. It’s amazing how often these bookmakers are right on the money, but in Texas’ case, they’ve gotten it wrong more often than not in recent years.

After the Horns went 25-2 in Mack Brown’s last two dominant seasons — 2008 and 2009 were the last time Texas registered consecutive double-digit win seasons — they were 30-21 over his final four seasons, including a mediocre 18-17 record in the Big 12. We all know that Charlie Strong didn’t get it done as Mack's replacement and that Tom Herman never won 10 games in a regular season in four tries, though grace should be given for the 2020 pandemic season, when the Horns played only 10 games and were 7-3.

This is all to say even though the big wins haven’t been there in the past decade-plus, the expectations haven’t changed. The current odds represent the first time the Horns are entering a season expecting to clock double-digit wins since 2013, Mack’s last season. That team went 8-5 and tied for second in the Big 12.

Now, if you ask me — and I know you haven’t — a 9-3 debut in the SEC would be a fine start with the understanding that Texas will play Georgia, which has gone 42-2 over the past three years with a pair of national championships, along with a road game against defending national champion Michigan, the annual neutral site game against Oklahoma, and roadies against Arkansas and Texas A&M.

The Horns don’t have a middle-of-the-road look about them. They will make plenty of noise because the talent is there, albeit without 11 players who will be cashing NFL paychecks this fall. Saban and Georgia’s Kirby Smart made an art form of producing huge draft classes and continuing to win big. It’s time to see if Sarkisian can reload instead of rebuild.

Great expectations are one thing.

Tex-pectations are quite another.

SEC media days

This year's SEC media days will be in Dallas from Monday through Thursday. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and three players will speak on Wednesday. Follow our staff and network coverage of media days all week on hookem.com.

Teams schedule: Monday — LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Vanderbilt; Tuesday — Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee; Wednesday — Alabama, Florida, Mississippi State, Texas; Thursday — Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Texas A&M“ AAS ($)

~ AUSTIN FC: “Austin FC falls to Seattle Sounders amid fan protests,” Austin Chronicle’s Eric Goodman — “The Seattle Sounders may not have donned their typical neon green kits Saturday night, but they still found a way to remain Austin FC’s kryptonite at Q2 Stadium.

The Verde and Black stumbled to a 1-0 defeat against the Sounders, worsening their record hosting the Seattle squad to zero wins, three losses, and one draw.

A distinct lack of finishing ability in front of goal, a well-taken chance from Sounders star Jordan Morris, and a sending-off for ATX center back Brendan Hines-Ike all worked against Austin FC in a frustrating loss that saw the club dip below the Western Conference playoff line.

Austin had the better of play in the first half, spending extended time in Seattle’s attacking third, but never seriously threatened Stefan Frei’s goal.

At halftime, Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer, perhaps sensing a vulnerable Austin FC, subbed on two attacking aces in Morris and designated player Albert Rusnak.

In the 63rd minute, Morris calmly finished off a beautiful bit of line-breaking team play from Seattle, carving through the Austin FC defense.

“The goal is, obviously, poor defending,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said. “There's a number of guys that could have dealt with that, and that's the difficult part. It's an individual dribbling and gets by three guys. We can deal with that much, much better.”

Then, in the 77th minute, Morris once again got loose behind the Austin FC back line, forcing Hines-Ike – already on a yellow card for a challenge earlier in the 2nd half – to clumsily foul Morris from behind. That earned the ATX center back a second yellow card and a sending-off, reducing the hosts to 10 men for the remainder of the match.

Austin, impressively, managed to create a flurry of late scoring chances in search of an equalizing goal, but were unable to direct any past Frei.

The loss dropped ATXFC into 10th place in the West, one spot outside the playoff places. That, clearly, isn’t sitting well with a large portion of the ATX fanbase, who apparently crowd-funded an airplane to fly above Q2 Stadium throughout the evening towing a banner that read “Austin DESERVES BETTER #WOLFOUT” (indeed misspelling the coach’s name). Chants of “Wolff out” also emanated from the supporters’ section on at least two occasions during the match.

“Our fans are awesome. They're some of the best fans in the league,” Wolff said. “I think we’ve got to focus on doing our part. They certainly do their part. So we’ve got to keep pushing forward. It's a challenging season, we knew that from the beginning.”

Next up for Austin FC is a midweek matchup against FC Dallas in Frisco, which could mark the debut for summer signings Osman Bukari and Mikkel Desler, potentially providing some much-needed reinforcements to the ATX cause.” Austin Chronicle

~ TEXAS BASEBALL: “Texas Longhorns extend MLB draft streak after Colorado Rockies select Jared Thomas,” Austin American-Statesman’s Danny Davis — “Once again, a Texas Longhorn has been selected in the MLB draft.

Texas sophomore Jared Thomas was taken by Colorado in the draft's second round on Sunday. Thomas was the 42nd overall pick.

Thomas will have until Aug. 1 to decide if he will sign with the Rockies or return to Texas for another season. According to MLB.com, the assigned value for the 42nd overall pick's signing bonus is $2,224,700 although that number is negotiable.

A Waxahachie product who swings from the left side of the plate, Thomas hit .336 with 76 RBIs and 115 runs over his two years at Texas. This past season, Thomas showcased both his speed and power from the leadoff spot in UT's batting order as he hit 16 homers and was successful on all 18 of his attempted steals. Thomas' .349 batting average in 2024 led Texas and ranked eighth in the Big 12.

A mainstay at first base as a freshman, Thomas spent much of his time at that position and in centerfield this season. He made a few appearances in left field and also pitched once.” AAS ($)

~ TEXAS BASEBALL: “Detroit Tigers select Texas signee Bryce Rainer during MLB draft’s first round,” Austin American-Statesman’s Danny Davis — “The Detroit Tigers used a first-round pick on Texas signee Bryce Rainer in the MLB draft on Sunday.

Rainer is a shortstop who attended Harvard-Westlake High in California. He was selected with the draft's 11th overall pick.

Rainer signed with Texas this past November, but it is unlikely that he'll ever play in a Longhorns uniform. According to MLB.com, the assigned value for the 11th overall pick's signing bonus is $5,712,100 although that number is negotiable.

Each of the 62 high school standouts who were selected in the MLB draft's first round over the past five years opted for a professional career. A first-round pick out of high school last failed to sign in 2018 when Carter Stewart (Eastern Florida State), Matt McLain (UCLA) and J.T. Ginn (Mississippi State) all ended up in school.

Rainer is ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 3 talent in the 2024 recruiting cycle. A MaxPreps All-American, Rainer hit .511 during his senior year while scoring 36 runs and stealing 17 bases.” AAS ($)

~ TEXAS / WESTLAKE BASEBALL: “Westlake graduate Theo Gillen drafted by Tampa Bay Rays in first round of MLB draft,” Austin American-Statesman’s Colby Gordon — “Theo Gillen is a Tampa Bay Ray.

Probably.

Gillen, a 2024 Westlake graduate who played shortstop for the Chaps and was a two-time first-team All-Central Texas pick, was taken by Tampa Bay with the 18th pick of the first round in the MLB Draft Sunday.

Also a Texas signee, Gillen will now choose whether to go pro or stay in town and play for the Longhorns. (As the Statesman's Danny Davis reported earlier Sunday, no high school first-round pick has failed to sign since 2018.)

A four-year starter for Westlake who has been on the radar of scouts for the past three years, Gillen hit .415, compiled an on-base percentage of .579, and tallied seven home runs, 30 RBIs and 29 stolen bases this past spring while rarely being pitched to.

He helped Westlake to the District 26-6A title and Class 6A state tournament in 2023.

According to MLB.com, the approximate value -- basically the signing bonus for the player -- for pick No. 18 is $4.37 million.

It’s the second straight year an Austin-area product has been chosen in the top 75, with Round Rock’s Travis Sykora going to the Washington Nationals at pick No. 71 last summer.” AAS ($)

CULTURE

~ “Why venues are struggling to stay open in the Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin Chronicle’s Carys Anderson — “Outdoors at Mohawk, hardcore kids mosh on the ground floor while elder emos look on from the multilayered top deck. A UT-launched indie band plays on the smaller indoor stage, and a couple of sly students use their tickets to the local show to sneak over to the other. Next door, Cheer Up Charlies hosts Challengers raves, Cowboy Carter listening parties, and Dolly Parton drag shows. A few blocks down, DJs and psych rockers congregate at 13th Floor, goths skulk around Elysium, and rock & roll oldheads sip cheap beer at Valhalla. Some 2,200 tickets signal a sold-out show at Stubb’s just steps away from Chess Club, which caps at 100.

It’s easy to forget how rare this is. To have musicians playing original tunes – not just corny classic rock cover songs – seven nights a week. To have a dozen clubs dedicated to music, not just drinking, in one walkable epicenter.

This is the case every evening in Austin, Texas, but especially during Hot Summer Nights, the Red River Cultural District’s annual high-temp music festival. Dropping cover charges to organize free shows only, the 2017-launched event, returning July 18-20, drives thousands of Austinites Downtown on the hunt for homegrown live music – and gives musicians and venue workers a job when most folks retreat into their A/C-blasting, utility bill-skyrocketing homes.

“I think it’s a hub that a lot of us take for granted, especially being so immersed in what happens in Austin. We kind of forget how privileged we are to have so many spaces,” says Dallas transplant Jamie Weed, whose band Proun plays the festival July 19. “Even though they’re always at risk of closing and always having to deal with whatever bullshit.”

The bullshit’s been building for a while. Austin codified its most dense music venue arena as the Red River Cultural District in 2013, when it became clear that gentrification and population growth were threatening the city’s status as “Live Music Capital of the World.” Since then, the district has expanded its physical boundaries – it now encompasses the stretch between Fourth and 15th Streets to the north and south and I-35 to Trinity Street from the east and west – and its recognition, having received state cultural district certification by the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2020.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Red River has secured city-funded safety advancements, like improvements to fencing, sidewalks, and lighting, and aesthetic enhancements, including the creation of street banners, murals, and an official RRCD neon sign. When the pandemic hit, the organization co-authored policy recommendations like the Austin Creative Worker Relief Fund, Austin Musician Disaster Relief Fund, and the Austin Creative Space Disaster Relief Fund, which provided millions in financial aid to the shut-down entertainment industry.

Now, key players in Austin’s music scene are ringing the alarm again. For the last six months, the Red River Cultural District has urged the local government to provide the organization with an immediate aid package, citing rising costs across the industry as a threat to the creative community. Efforts culminated in the May Ordinance No. 20240530-169, which created a Red River Cultural District Special Revenue Fund.

Yet with those funds not available until the new fiscal year starts in October, RRCD interim Executive Director Nicole Klepadlo says, “We’re not ready to celebrate yet.” Austin Chronicle

~ “Austin barbecue restaurant LeRoy & Lewis is closing its Truck,” Eater Austin’s Nadia Chaudhary — “An acclaimed Austin new-school barbecue restaurant is closing its South Austin food truck this summer. Garrison Park smoked meats restaurant LeRoy & Lewis will be closing its Dawson neighborhood food truck parked at Cosmic Coffee & Beer Garden at 121 Pickle Road on Sunday, July 21.

When the LeRoy & Lewis team — co-owners pitmaster Evan LeRoy, Sawyer Lewis, Nathan Lewis, and Lindsey LeRoy — opened the food truck in March 2017, their goal was to always open a physical restaurant. (The truck won Eater Austin’s award for the best food truck of that same year.) That finally happened in February 2024 in the Garrison Park neighborhood. The truck at temporarily closed for a little bit from late February and then reopened in mid-March. But then it was time for them to permanently close the food truck so they can turn their attentions fully to the restaurant.

With the impending shutter of the truck, the restaurant team is going to focus on creating packaged foods and expanding LeRoy’s grab-and-go retail section. That means adding items like flat iron steaks, citra hop sausages, beef cheeks, beef-fat tortillas, cornbread mix, pimento spread, the bacon-onion dip, pickles, kimchi, and much more.” Eater Austin

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ LIVE MUSIC: The Band Camino. ACL Live. 7:30pm. Tickets start at $39.50. Tickets here.

~ GRAB A MARTINI. “8 Austin bars serving excellent icy cold martinis” Eater Austin

~ COOL OFF: Play hooky today! No reservations are needed at the brand new Cabana Club (IG here), a day club in East Austin. Go see Cabana Club Owner Matt Napoli and tell him ATX Pulse and Matt Mackowiak sent you.

COOL JOB ALERT

~COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Texas Space Commission, Austin. Apply here.