ATX PULSE 8/7/24: Lisa Davis Unanimously Approved as Next Austin Police Chief // Austin Pets Alive! Seeks Fosters ASAP // Another Dead Body Found in Lake Austin // City Council Seeks More $ for Homelessness

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TOP NEWS

“Austin City Council confirms Lisa Davis as next police chief,” Austin American-Statesman's Skye Seipp — “Lisa Davis is officially the next Austin police chief after the City Council confirmed her appointment in a special meeting Tuesday.

Davis, an assistant chief with the Cincinnati Police Department, will be the Austin Police Department's 11th chief and the second woman to lead the department permanently. She will have an annual salary of $275,000, said Michele Gonzalez, spokesperson for the city manager's office.

City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced Friday he had selected Davis to be the next police chief. The choice was between Davis and Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. Broadnax said he's still working on the next steps but expects to have her in the position by early September.

The City Council unanimously voted to confirm Davis' position, except for Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who was not present during the meeting after suffering a medical emergency earlier in the day.

Davis, who was at City Hall for the vote, said she was "humbled" to be selected to lead the Police Department. She added that during her first 100 days, she plans to listen to the officers and community about what struggles they are facing and how to address them.

Davis committed to the members of the Police Department and the community that she would be a "visible" presence in the workspace and at public events.

"I want the city of Austin to know that anything I implement, any strategy that is implemented, will be done through the lens that it has to be effective, it has to be equitable, and it has to be ethical," she said.

The Police Department had been without a permanent chief for nearly a year after former Chief Joe Chacon announced his retirement last August. The department was then led by interim Chief Robin Henderson, who decided not to apply for the permanent role.

Mayor Kirk Watson thanked Henderson for her 26 years of service to the department at Tuesday's meeting.

During a news conference after the confirmation, Henderson said Davis is a "true community advocate and leader." She advised that Davis take the time to learn from community members as she steps into the role to learn what the department and city need to move forward.

Hiring a permanent police chief was a top priority for the new city manager. Applications for the chief's position opened in May, with 32 people applying. Residents decried the process and said the applicant pool was weak, with some stating that Austin's policies toward policing in recent years, such as slashing the department's budget in 2020, kept people from applying.

Davis arrives as the department struggles with ongoing vacancies and a morale "crisis" among the sworn officers. The city and the Austin Police Association, the union that represents officers, have been without a long-term contract for over a year, although recent bargaining sessions indicate a deal is forthcoming.

To boost morale in the Police Department, Davis previously said she would listen to the concerns of both sworn and civilian staff while remaining open and transparent with them. Davis noted that officers are generally a department's best recruiters, and making them happy will help increase the number of people who want to join the department.

Davis is a U.S. Navy veteran and started working as a police officer in Cincinnati, her hometown, more than 30 years ago. She was previously a finalist to be the police chief in Cincinnati and Oakland." AAS ($)

“Austin Pets Alive! seeks fosters as triple-digit temps strain old facility,” CBS Austin’s Tara Brolley — “As temperatures climb into triple digits, Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is urgently seeking foster homes and adopters for shelter animals struggling in the extreme heat.

The animal shelter, operating out of a 70-year-old facility, is grappling with worn-out infrastructure ill-equipped to handle the scorching temperatures. Fans and misters run constantly in an attempt to keep animals cool.

"Our pets need relief right now," said an APA! spokesperson.

Spinach, a dog who has been at the shelter for 432 days, exemplifies the plight of long-term residents facing another sweltering summer in kennels.

The shelter spends over $225,000 annually on facility operations, excluding maintenance personnel. Plans are underway to rebuild the Town Lake Animal Center in the next three to four years, but immediate action is needed to address the current crisis.

APA! is also seeking donations for cooling supplies, repairs and to keep air conditioning running around the clock. Anonymous donors have pledged to match contributions up to $28,000.

Those unable to foster or adopt can support the shelter by purchasing items from its Amazon wish list, including cooling mats and shade cloths for play yards.

For more information on fostering, adopting, or donating, visit the Austin Pets Alive! website.” CBS Austin

THE BLOTTER

~ “Death investigation launched into body found floating in Lake Austin, police say,” Austin American-Statesman’s Bianca Moreno-Paz – “Police initiated a death investigation Tuesday evening after a body was found floating in Lake Austin, near Tarrytown, the Austin Police Department said at a press conference.

Authorities received a "check welfare urgent call" reporting an unresponsive person in the water at 2008 Scenic Drive, and responded to the scene after 7:50 p.m., officer Austin Zarling said. The person was pronounced deceased at 8:15 p.m., he said.

Zarling did not provide the person's age or gender, or the cause of death.

Police have launched a "deceased persons investigation," and encouraged anyone with information to contact the department's homicide tip line at 512-477-3588 or the Austin Crime Stoppers tip line at 512-472-8477.” AAS ($)

~ “Austin police search for suspected serial burglar in Manor Road area,” CBS Austin’s Stephanie Becerra – “Austin police are searching for a suspect linked to a series of business burglaries in East Austin along the Manor Road area.

Police say they have received numerous reports of business burglaries on Manor Road stretching from Interstate 35 to Springdale Road.

Police noticed the suspect had a distinct modus operandi (MO) and description and eventually identified a lone suspect, who had been observed on surveillance video multiple times since July 2023.

The suspect is described as a man in his 20s, 5' 5" tall, thin build, and is commonly seen wearing a black or dark grey hooded long-sleeve shirt with a green hooded undershirt. The suspect was last seen wearing black jogger-type pants with a small “Nike” symbol on the left thigh and slide sandals with a Longhorn logo and socks.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the suspect or any potential accomplices to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or by calling 512-472-TIPS. A reward of up to $1,000 may be offered for information leading to an arrest.” CBS Austin

~ “18-year-old charged with murder in teenage girl’s fentanyl overdose,” Austin American-Statesman’s Bianca Moreno Paz – “An 18-year-old man was charged with murder in connection with the April fentanyl overdose of a 17-year-old girl, an Austin Police Department press release said Tuesday.

A Texas law passed last year allows steeper charges for fentanyl-related crimes, including the option to bring murder charges against those who are suspected of manufacturing or delivering fentanyl that results in death. The case announced Tuesday is among the first such cases in Travis County.

Authorities responded to a 911 call from the victim's father in the 1200 block of Knollpark Circle in North Austin at about 10:55 a.m. April 13, the release said. According to police, Sienna Rae Contreras' father told responding officers he had last seen his daughter alive the night before, and when he went to wake her in the morning, she was deceased in her bed, the release said. She was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m. Investigators determined that Xavier Alexzander Buentello sold fentanyl to Contreras, causing her death hours later. The Austin Police Department charged Buentello with murder, under Texas Penal Code 19.02, which was enacted in September 2023.

Buentello has been at the Travis County Jail for several months, where he was held for other charges, the release said.” AAS ($)

~ “Months after spate of fatal overdoses, Austin police haven’t made any arrests. Here’s why,” Austin American-Statesman’s Ella McCarthy – “It was the kind of public health crisis local officials hadn't seen since a rash of synthetic marijuana overdoses nearly a decade ago.

Emergency calls to downtown Austin surged on the morning of Monday, April 29. Ambulances and first responders flooded an alley near a nightclub on East Seventh Street to treat people for overdoses that law enforcement believes were caused by fentanyl — a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin that kills an estimated five Texans each day.

One person died in the alley, two were hospitalized, at least three more died in Southeast Austin later that Monday, and emergency personnel responded to dozens more overdoses.

When officials declared that overdose "outbreak" over on May 3, 79 people had overdosed in multiple locations across the city. Nine people had died, the Travis County medical examiner's office said in May.

Just over three months later, the Austin Police Department has yet to make any arrests or file any charges in direct connection to the overdoses, a Police Department spokesperson told the American-Statesman in an unsigned written statement Monday. But investigating and making arrests in such cases depend on several factors, some of which can draw investigations out for months.

The availability of medical examiner's reports — which locally take an average of 30 to 90 days to complete — access to cellphones, witness cooperation and the initial state of the scene of the death all play key factors in investigating, filing charges and later prosecuting suspected overdose deaths, law enforcement officials told the Statesman.

"Each case varies, but the Austin Police Department strives to complete full and thorough investigations to present to the Travis County District Attorney," a statement from the Austin Police Department provided July 31 said. "Overdose cases typically take time based on receiving a complete toxicology report from the Medical Examiner."

These reports are needed to file charges against someone directly tying them to a fentanyl-related death, which in some cases can now be prosecuted as murder under a new Texas law.

The reports for the nine individuals who died during the spate of overdoses have been completed, Hector Nieto, a spokesperson for Travis County, said, but the county is unable to release them to the Statesman due to a "law enforcement hold."

As of midday Tuesday, Austin police said they had received one of the nine reports from the medical examiner's office. The cause of death listed on the report is “toxic effects of fentanyl and cocaine," the department said in a written statement.

The Police Department told the Statesman on Monday that if a medical examiner's report shows the cause of death was fentanyl exposure, "detectives work to establish a link between the victim and the narcotics dealer." AAS ($)

~ “Here’s why you might see more police on major Texas highways Aug. 6-8,” Community Impact’s Hannah Norton – “Texas motorists may see more Texas Department of Public Safety officers patrolling Interstates 10, 20, 35, 40 and 45 from Aug. 6-8.

The agency is participating in a multi-state campaign called Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement, also known as SafeDRIVE. The effort is meant to eliminate accidents involving commercial vehicles, such as semitrucks and buses, on highways, according to a news release.

The details

The campaign focuses on both passenger and commercial vehicles, the DPS said. State troopers will look for aggressive drivers, people who are speeding or tailgating, distracted drivers, people not wearing seatbelts and those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Many of the nation’s fatal commercial vehicle crashes occur along I-10, I-20, I-35, I-40 and I-45, according to the release.

Safety tips

Drivers should never tailgate large vehicles, which have blind spots on all four sides, the DPS said. To safely pass a commercial vehicle, drivers should ensure they can see the other driver in their side mirror, use their turn signal and ensure the other vehicle is visible in their rearview mirror before pulling in front of it.

It takes a semitruck driving at highway speeds the length of two football fields to stop, the release said.” Community Impact Austin

CITY HALL

~ “City of Austin looking for more money to address housing needs,” KVUE’s Melia Masumoto – “In about a week, the Austin City Council will formally vote on the city's proposed $5.9 billion budget. But on Tuesday, council members had a lot to talk through before they get to that point.

The main topic on the agenda: finding more money to address homelessness and housing resources.

Putting more money toward the Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) has been a hot topic from many public commenters during the council's budget work sessions. Some people have criticized the fact that the HSO only accounts for 0.2% of the General Fund in the proposed budget, while the police budget represents 35.1%.

The HSO has a $30.3 million proposed budget that accounts for several different areas:

• Homeless shelter: $13.8 million

• Rapid Rehousing: $4.5 million

• Street outreach: $300,000

• Permanent supportive housing: $6.3 million

• Basic needs: $1.4 million

• Homeless response system support: $700,000

• HSO operating fund: $3.3 million

Mayor Kirk Watson proposed two amendments related to housing needs. The first would mean more money for permanent supportive housing support services. The proposed budget for that is currently $6.3 million, but with all the wraparound services – including mental health support, substance abuse treatment and medical care – the HSO identified a $4.2 million budget shortfall.

Other council members, like José “Chito” Vela (District 4), expressed their concerns about not being able to adequately provide all the support services for that type of housing with the current proposed budget.

“What I don’t want to do, given that the support services are so critical in the long-term success of folks in permanent supportive housing, I don’t want to cut that off,” Vela said.

The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) also said the city has a major deficit in its permanent supportive housing stock. Currently, ECHO said there are more than 4,500 people who qualify for it.

“We need to be able to provide that for them,” ECHO Executive Director Matt Mollica said.

Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes (District 2) also proposed an amendment to add $2 to $4 million more toward the Rapid Rehousing Program. ECHO said it currently has capacity in its system for about 1,369 Rapid Rehousing units, but it needs about 3,100 units, so it has a gap of more than 1,700.

ECHO estimated that the cost for one individual for Rapid Rehousing for one year would cost about $35,000, so for a full year of service for those 1,731 individuals, ECHO would be looking at a cost of about $60.06 million.

“Colleagues, as you can see, that is a significant funding gap, I think, that just underscores the level of need we have,” Fuentes said.

Staff with the HSO said in addition to just the city putting more money toward these efforts, it may be time for Austin to start looking to other organizations and create partnerships that could provide more funding. The office said in other cities, like Houston and Dallas, a large majority of funding for housing comes from partnerships and private entities.

“Figuring out potentially better partnerships with HHSC [Texas Health and Human Services] and Central Health and Integral Care to help fray some of the city’s direct costs in our permanent supportive housing projects will be really important,” said Gary Pollack, the HSO's lead for Police and Planning.

Councilmember Alison Alter (District 10) also expressed concerns about the large monetary responsibility for addressing homelessness falling entirely on the city.

“I’m concerned about just putting more and more money without getting some commitments from others to be a part of the solution that are effective and working because, you know, this can take over our entire budget,” Alter said.

On Thursday, the council will meet again to work through more amendments to the proposed budget. Council members will take their formal vote on Aug. 14.” KVUE

~ “How much money is in Austin’s proposed budget for addressing homelessness,” KXAN’s Grace Reader – “In our coverage of Austin’s budget process in years prior, we’ve highlighted for you specifically how much the city spends to address homelessness. But this year, that number wasn’t as clear in the city manager’s proposed budget.

“We are not tracking the aggregate number any longer. There were too many times where programs that served the homeless had overlaps into other areas, making apples-to-apples year-over-year comparisons very difficult,” a city spokesperson for the financial department said.

After city council members requested more information about homelessness spending Tuesday during a budget work session, we’re getting a better idea of what the city plans to spend next fiscal year.

Overall, council could allocate $30.3 million of its $5.9 billion budget to the newly-created Homeless Strategy Office (HSO). Most of that will go toward contracts for emergency shelters and longer-term housing solutions.

“$27 million is social service contracts over the service areas or programs of focus listed there [see graph below]. And then the $3.3 million that is listed is for their operating, that’s for staff and the operating functions of the office,” Budget Officer Kerri Lang told council members.

The City of Austin budgeted nearly $180 million on homelessness assistance from fiscal year 2019-2021, according to a city auditor’s report. For fiscal year 2022-23, the city budgeted $79 million for homelessness and for the most recent fiscal year $81 million, we previously reported.

That number looks so much lower this year not because the city dramatically cut services — in fact, financial staff have said they didn’t cut any services this fiscal year — but because this is the first budget process in which the HSO has operated independently. Homelessness operations used to happen underneath Austin Public Health.

“As part of HSO being created, they are taking over responsibility for developing a consistent methodology for tracking these expenditures going forward, but that work is still in progress,” a city spokesperson said.” KXAN

BUSINESS NEWS

~ “$48M project to bring retail, restaurants, office space and more to fast-growing Leander,” Austin Business Journal’s Sahar Chmais – “A $48 million mixed-use project is coming to Leander to serve the fast-growing suburb northwest of Austin.

Topo, previously known as Central Austin Management Group, will develop Leander Union with 155,000 square feet of space for retailers, restaurants and offices, as well as a church.

The property at 10880 Crystal Falls Parkway is owned by Northpoint Austin, a church in Cedar Park. Craig Friedson, vice president of development at Topo, said the church's owners approached the development group about building a church and commercial real estate on the property.

The project will have 10 buildings, one of which will be an approximately 40,000-square-foot church. The church is the only entity on the property that will receive tax exemptions. The developer hasn't decided how the square footage will be split between office and retail space.

Construction is slated to begin in the fourth quarter this year and finish in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Friedson. He said the project will have a mix of commercial uses, but pre-leasing efforts have been focused so far on food and beverage operators.

Daryl Kunik, founder of Topo, has a deep background in Austin’s retail and hospitality sectors and was a founding partner in Hai Hospitality, which is the parent company to Uchi, Uchiko, Uchiba and Loro.

“With that background in food and beverage and hospitality, there are some really long-standing and great relationships with various regional concepts,” Friedson said. “And that's how we think that a lot of great real estate projects are anchored by those uses."

The development team could seek financial incentives and has been working with economic development officials in Leander regarding those conversations, Friedson said. A city representative declined to confirm whether incentives were being discussed.” ABJ ($)

OTHER NEWS

~ “LIST: When Central Texas students head back to school,” CBS Austin’s Tara Brolley – “As summer winds down, Central Texas school districts are preparing for the new academic year with start dates ranging from as early as Aug. 6 to as late as Aug. 26.

CENTRAL TEXAS BACK-TO-SCHOOL DATES

ACC - Aug. 26

Austin ISD - Aug. 20

Bastrop ISD - Aug. 14

Bartlett ISD - Aug. 19

Blanco ISD - Aug. 14

Burnet CISD - Aug. 14

Cameron ISD - Aug. 14

Cherokee ISD - Aug. 8

Coupland ISD - Aug. 14

Del Valle ISD - Aug. 7

Dimebox ISD - Aug. 12

Doss CCSD - Aug. 26

Dripping Springs ISD - Aug. 13

Eanes ISD - Aug. 14

Elgin ISD - Aug. 14

Fayetteville ISD - Aug. 12

Flatonia ISD - Aug. 14

Florence ISD - Aug. 14

Fredericksburg ISD - Aug. 14

Georgetown ISD - Aug. 15

Giddings ISD - Aug. 14

Granger ISD - Aug. 14

Harper ISD - Aug. 15

Hays CISD - Aug. 13

Hutto ISD - Aug. 14

IDEA Academy Austin - Aug. 12

Jarrell ISD - Aug. 14

Johnson City ISD - Aug. 21

La Grange ISD - Aug. 15

Lago Vista ISD - Aug. 15

Lampasas ISD - Aug. 8

Lake Travis ISD - Aug. 14

Leander ISD - Aug. 14

Lexington ISD - Aug. 14

Liberty Hill ISD - Aug. 14

Llano ISD - Aug. 8

Lockhart ISD - Aug. 20

Luling ISD - Aug. 14

Manor ISD - Aug. 14

Mason ISD - Aug. 14

Marble Falls ISD - Aug. 14

McDade ISD - Aug. 14

Pflugerville ISD - Aug. 13

Rockdale ISD - Aug. 13

Round Rock ISD - Aug. 13

Round Top-Carmine ISD - Aug. 14

San Marcos CISD - Aug. 13

San Saba ISD - Aug. 6

Schulenburg ISD - Aug. 13

Smithville ISD - Aug. 14

Taylor ISD - Aug. 14

Texas State - Aug. 26

Thorndale ISD - Aug. 15

Thrall ISD - Aug. 14

Wimberley ISD - Aug. 14

University of Texas - Aug. 26” CBS Austin

~ “Lake Travis ISD cracking down on cellphones in the classroom,” KXAN’s Erica Pauda – “The Lake Travis Independent School District is cracking down on cellphones in the classroom this upcoming school year.

The new rule is that elementary and middle school students can still have their cellphones on them, but they must be turned off and stored in their backpacks, according to the district.

While Superintendent Paul Norton said the response from parents has been largely positive, some are still concerned about safety.

“They would want to have access to their child, and obviously I completely understand that. But I’ve explained to the parents that if there were to be an emergency situation on campus, our district police department would immediately respond and be involved in that,” Norton told KXAN Tuesday.

In case of a family emergency, parents can call the school’s front office, who will get a note to the child, the district said.

On a first offense, teachers simply confiscate the phone until the end of the school day. However, if a student is caught with their phone out too many times, it could land them in detention, according to LTISD.” KXAN

SPORTS

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “Texas football RB CJ Baxter reportedly suffers an injury in practice. What it means for Texas,” Austin American-Statesman’s Thomas Jones — “CJ Baxter, a sophomore projected as the starting running back for the Texas football team, suffered a knee injury during Tuesday's practice and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, according to reporting by Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com.

A former five-star recruit in the 2023 class from Florida, Baxter earned the starting job as a freshman last season before a rib injury in the season opener limited his playing time and opened the door for Jonathon Brooks to seize the starting job. After Brooks' season ended with a torn knee ligament in November, Baxter and Jaydon Blue shared the bulk of the carries for the final four games of the season, including a loss to Washington in a College Football Playoff semifinal.

What would Baxter’s absence mean for Texas?

Last season, Baxter tallied 138 carries for 659 yards and five touchdowns to go with 24 receptions for 156 yards while Blue added 398 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 65 carries and another 135 yards on 14 receptions. The two were expected to again carry the load in the backfield this season; both Baxter and Blue earned a spot on the preseason Doak Walker Award list, a postseason honor for the nation's top running back.

Blue, a third-year junior who has played in 23 games, would likely get most of the carries if Baxter misses any time. One of the fastest players on the squad, the 6-foot, 200-pounder from the Houston suburb of Klein boasts game-breaking ability but only has 80 carries in his career.

Sophomore Tre Wisner is expected to handle some third-down duties for Texas this season but could see extended snaps with the absence of Baxter. Freshmen Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark could also be in line for expanded roles.” AAS ($)

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ DINING: “Austin’s 21 Most Iconic Dishes” Austin Eater

~ METAL / PUNK LIVE MUSIC: “East Austin Metal and Punk Bar the Lost Well is Going to Close” Austin Eater

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ LIVE MUSIC: The Pretenders. ACL Live. Show 8:30pm. Tix start at $59. Tix here.

~ FREE SUMMER ACTIVITIES: “Looking for something free to do in Austin this summer? We’ve got you.” AAS ($)

COOL JOB ALERT

~ MANAGING COUNSEL, ENERGY PRODUCTS: Tesla (Austin). Competitive pay and extensive benefits. Info / apply here.