ATX PULSE 8/8/24: Austin ENergy to Upgrade Decker Dam // AISD to Discuss Tax Increase for Nov. Ballot // Arsonist in Custody // Mail Thief Sought // Large Fire in East Austin Extinguished // UT Starting RB Baxter Out for Season

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Today’s Weather: H: 102° / L: 78°. Sunny and hot. Latest forecast from Fox 7 Austin’s Zack Shields here.

TOP NEWS

“Austin Energy announces major upgrades to Decker Dam at Lake Walter E. Long,” Austin American-Statesman's Skye Seipp — “The Decker Dam at Lake Walter E. Long is set to undergo major upgrades, Austin Energy announced on Tuesday.

Austin Energy, which manages the water levels at the 1,200-acre lake in partnership with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, said the project will replace the dam's gates and anchors. The utility uses the lake's water as part of its operations at the nearby Decker Power Plant.

"Decker Dam has helped create a beloved natural space for decades and our focus is on making sure that it does so for generations to come," said Lisa Martin, Chief Operations Officer for Austin Energy.

The dam and gates were originally installed in 1967, and the upcoming project aims to bring the equipment up to current regulations and specifications, improving safety.

In preparation for the work, the lake level will gradually be lowered through natural evaporation to 550 feet. This will protect the existing gates and create better conditions for the upgrades, which are expected to last from spring 2025 into 2027.

As the lake level drops below 554 feet, the park's boat ramps will close until the project is completed. However, access will remain available for shore-launched watercraft like canoes and kayaks. Other park amenities, such as volleyball courts, picnic sites and walking trails, will stay open.

Austin Energy said periodic updates on the project's progress will be posted on the city's website." CBS Austin

THE BLOTTER

~ “1 in custody after reportedly setting multiple fires in North Austin,” KVUE’s Morgan McGrath – “A person is in custody after multiple fires were started late Wednesday night in North Austin. 

According to the Austin Fire Department (AFD), a person reportedly started at least three outdoor fires at approximately 11 p.m. near Interstate Highway 35 and Rundberg Lane. 

The fires were all put out, and the suspect is reportedly being held the Austin Police Department, according to AFD. 

Crews examined the scene further last night. No additional information is available at this time.” KVUE

~ “Austin police searching for woman with ‘multiple offenses of mail theft’,” KVUE’s John Diaz – “Authorities need help finding a woman they believe is stealing mail in Central Austin.

Police say the woman has multiple offenses, with the most recent one happening at the Villas on Guadalupe apartments on July 17.

According to Austin police, the woman was spotted breaking into the mail room in the complex and forcing open mailboxes. She's then seen stealing several pieces of mail and giving them to a man who acted as a "lookout."

Police said they've identified the man, who is also a known mail thief, and have a warrant out for his arrest. However, police still need help identifying the woman.

The woman appears to be in her early to mid-30s with a tattoo on one of her shoulders and a Texas tattoo on her inner left wrist. She was last seen wearing glasses with jeans and a blue "Texas CASA Distinguished Speakers" shirt.

If you know who she is, you're asked to contact the Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information that leads to an arrest.” KVUE

~ “Medical examiner updates Austin teen’s autopsy amid KXAN scooter death investigation,” KXAN’s David Barer & Josh Hinkle – “Monica Plummer’s apartment is filled with proud and painful reminders of her youngest daughter, Treysuhr Carter, 14. Months after she died, pictures, mementos and letters of condolence still crowd the kitchen table so completely there’s no room left to eat.

Some reminders, though, push Plummer forward, like Treysuhr’s favorite piece of headwear – her signature durag – often worn out of the house and at basketball games.

“When I smelled it, I knew it was hers,” she told KXAN, standing in her kitchen, holding up a Ziplock bag. “I know, because I know her smell.”

Plummer protects the black cloth – still holding the knot the teen tied her final day at home – sealed in that clear plastic. She collected the durag during her own search down Farmhaven Road just blocks from their northeast Austin apartment. Treysuhr was discovered lying there in the street – barely alive – on Dec. 30. For Plummer, the durag is among evidence police failed to collect in a crime her family believes must have been committed – despite investigators originally labeling what happened an “accident” and shelving the case. It’s also proof they insist shows the Austin Police Department botched the case from day one.

“I don’t trust them,” Plummer said.

When Plummer got the call from Dell Seton Medical Center that day, details were scant. She was told her daughter was in critical condition, and she soon learned police weren’t sure why.

Within hours, Treysuhr was transferred to Dell Children’s Hospital. Doctors there would later note her injuries were caused by a “presumed hit and run.”

The next week at her daughter’s bedside would be overwhelmingly heavy. Doctors conducted test after test, confirming a grim reality. Treysuhr was brain-dead. Her catastrophic injuries were insurmountable.

The family had to let her go.

The machines hooked to Plummer’s energetic and athletic girl were withdrawn. The beeps that signaled life-sustaining support for Treysuhr’s wounded body ceased. Then, as Plummer held her, the heart that powered Treysuhr through a childhood on playgrounds and stardom on her middle school basketball team took its final beats.

For loved ones, the baffling loss would become intertwined with increasing frustration and anger over an investigation they felt police mismanaged and a conclusion defying logic: Treysuhr died after accidentally falling from a Razor-type push scooter.

Tough, agile and standing nearly 5 feet 2 inches, Treysuhr had been the lone girl on the boys’ football team at school. She could handle a gas-powered dirt bike. She was also a standout on her basketball team. A ball signed by her teammates sits among the apartment shrine, right next to the program from her funeral.

She was fit and had no history of medical problems. So how could this teen suffer a traumatic brain injury with brain bleeding, a broken and dislocated neck, a shattered shin bone, and lacerations of her kidneys, liver and spleen – all from a scooter fall on a flat road? Treysuhr’s sister, Emani Carter, called it “a bunch of bull.”

“I mean, way too many injuries to fall off a scooter. It was not an electric scooter. It was a push scooter,” she said. “What evidence proves that it was an accident?”

Treysuhr’s family has never doubted she was hit by a car. Now in response to their calls for answers, KXAN has uncovered confusion on that night, missteps by police and crucial evidence missing from the scene.

For the most part, APD officials have defended their work, saying they followed the available evidence – as well as the determination of the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office – before ending the investigation and closing the case as an accident rather than a criminal act.

Now, KXAN’s discoveries have altered the trajectory of the suspended case.

In July, the medical examiner’s office opted to re-evaluate its work – after KXAN shared new information, including police records and expert opinions from multiple independent forensic pathologists who called into question the original autopsy result.

Upon review, the medical examiner’s office released to KXAN an amended report. In it, a deputy medical examiner clarified her opinion, which changed a keystone in the case that police had heavily relied on.

The revised autopsy provides further confirmation to Treysuhr’s family that someone out there knows what happened to Treysuhr, and a driver, not a simple fall, killed her.” KXAN

~ “Two fire departments extinguishing large fire at East Austin metal recycling plant,” Austin American-Statesman’s Bianca Moreno-Paz – “Firefighters are working to extinguish a large blaze at a metal recycling plant off U.S. 290, in East Austin, according to the Austin Fire Department's post on X.

The fire was first reported after 2:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Austin Metal and Iron Company, located at 10506 Decker Lane, city records show. Travis County Emergency Services District 12 and the Pflugerville Fire Department are managing the fire, the Austin Fire Department said. The Travis County sheriff's office is assisting with traffic flow, spokesperson Kristen Dark said. Old Decker Road between U.S. 290 and Decker Lane has been closed, she said.

No patients have been treated or transported, Captain Christa Stedman, an Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services spokesperson said, however, the unit would likely stay onsite to assist firefighters in case of injuries or dehydration due to the excessive heat. EMS reported the smoke was visible from over 15 miles away.

Travis County Emergency Services District 12 and Pflugerville Fire Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.” AAS ($)

~ “San Marcos PD, Texas Rangers investigating in-custody death after I-35 incident,” KXAN’s Kelsey Thompson – “The San Marcos Police Department and Texas Rangers are investigating an in-custody death after an incident Tuesday evening, according to a Wednesday release.

Police responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls regarding a man on Interstate 35 near mile marker 200. Numerous callers said the man — described as white and in his 40s — was “acting erratically,” yelling and possibly throwing objects while on top of the overpass over Posey Road. The man was identified as Dennis Thornton, a 43-year-old Leander resident.

San Marcos PD said when officers approached Thornton, he initially didn’t respond but then began moving toward officers. Officers used a stun gun on Thornton, who then fell to the ground, per the release.

Police said there was a brief struggling while restraining and handcuffing Thornton, adding he “did not coherently respond verbally to questions or commands.” Officers said they thought he might be having a medical emergency and took him to Christus Santa Rosa Hospital, where he died.

In a briefing held Thursday morning, SMPD said after interviewing Thornton’s girlfriend they learned Thornton had left their home the night before to consume alcohol and drugs. The next day they both went to a hospital in New Braunfels for an appointment for her. The girlfriend then requested the hospital staff to call the police after seeing that Thornton was still acting erratically.

Thornton then left the hospital and officers say it is still unclear how Thornton then ended up in San Marcos. Once officers arrived at the scene they say Thornton was running in and out of traffic. “Possibly contemplating jumping off of the overpass”.

Once Thornton was taken into custody and then transported to a San Marcos hospital, he was treated for 51 minutes before he was pronounced dead. Medical personnel reported he arrived with a body temperature of 108 degrees.

San Marcos EMS said a combination of mental health issues, dehydration and use of alcohol and drugs may have led to his behavior. They also believe he was undergoing excited or hyper delirium.

San Marcos Assistant City Manager, Lonzo Anderson said the city will work together to assist in the investigation. “We will work hard to make this a place where everyone can live, work and play.”” KXAN

2024

~ “AISD board to discuss putting tax rate election on Nov. 5 ballot,” CBS Austin’s Fred Cantu – “Austin school board members are facing a critical deadline to help address the district's growing budget deficit. They have only until August 19 to put a tax rate election on the November 5th ballot. Austin school board members will be talking about that proposed tax rate election tonight.

You may have heard of this topic before. It's called a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election or VATRE (pronounced Vader.) Asking the voters to approve raising their own taxes is a big ask, but Austin ISD is currently facing a $78 million deficit heading into the new school year. If the VATRE is successful the budget shortfall could go down to $41 million by raising the average tax bill by about $400 per year.

Austin is not alone facing red ink going into the new school year. Despite recent inflation, the state is refusing to increase the per-student funding for Texas public schools, so the local districts are looking hard for additional cuts to balance their budget.

Teachers are worried cutting deep too deep could eventually hit the classroom.

Ken Zarifis, president of Education Austin says, “Because of what the legislature and the governor insist on doing by holding funds hostage for vouchers, school districts across the state are struggling with their budgets and are in deficit budgets, and that’s what we have here in Austin.”

Austin ISD also has a unique additional financial constraint. Thanks to some creative accounting at the state level, Austin ISD is required to hand over half the money it collects from local taxpayers to the state to redistribute to other school districts. It's a program the state calls "recapture."

Even the VATRE money-- if it’s approved-- would have to be shared with the state. Austin ISD board members have given themselves until August 16 to decide whether they'll put it before the voters.” CBS Austin

CITY HALL

~ “Police Contract, Court Ruling to Settle Lingering Police Oversight Questions,” Austin Chronicle’s Austin Sanders – “The protracted fight over how much power civilians should have to investigate Austin police officers for misconduct is finally drawing to a close – more than one year after voters overwhelmingly approved the Austin Police Oversight Act.

District Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel could, any day now, issue a fateful ruling in a lawsuit filed by Equity Action, who authored the Oversight Act. That decision will settle a lingering question over how much access civilian investigators within the city’s Office of Police Oversight should have to the Austin Police Department’s own investigative records. Without that access, Equity Action says, effective oversight will be impossible.

Meanwhile, in the bargaining room, negotiators for the city and the Austin Police Association are nearing an agreement on a long-term labor contract that regulates not just pay and benefits for officers but also oversight measures. While the Oversight Act lays out what kind of monitoring should exist, those measures are only legal once they’re written in the police labor contract. Both sides say they are working diligently toward a contract (officers have been out of contract for more than a year) and hope to reach a tentative agreement soon.

If Cantú Hexsel rules in favor of Equity Action, the city would have to eliminate the secret police personnel file known as the “G file.” That would mean the city could no longer block civilian investigators from accessing some records of investigations into officer misconduct. Crucially, the records would include those relating to allegations against officers that were substantiated but did not result in discipline.

But even if Cantú Hexsel does rule that way, the city and APA have already agreed to contract language that would partially shield those records. Under a new proposal revealed in the bargaining room July 24, investigative files produced after the new labor contract is signed would not have G file protections, but anything produced before the new contract would remain under lock and key.

The proposal has incensed criminal justice advocates, who see it as undermining a key transparency provision of the Oversight Act. One that is beneficial to the city and APA (in numerous criminal court cases, the city’s legal team has fought to block even prosecutors from accessing G file records; the APA has long opposed eliminating the file) but detrimental to the public’s interest. “That’s not a compromise,” said Chris Harris, president of Equity Action. “A compromise implies two opposing sides reaching agreement. This is two accomplices conspiring to never show the public where they buried the bodies.”

The two sides of the negotiation appear to have reached an agreement on another oversight provision that must be included in the labor contract. Under the new contract language, Austin’s police chief would have one year to discipline an officer for misconduct after becoming aware of allegations against the officer – currently, the time limit is 180 days. Negotiations have not yet touched the final piece of the Oversight Act that must be bargained over – powers granted to members of the currently dormant Community Police Review Commission. The Oversight Act calls for the CPRC to have similar records access as OPO so that the former can function as an oversight body for both APD and OPO.

Contract negotiators have also begun bargaining over wages for officers, another signal that negotiations are concluding. APA’s initial offer, unveiled July 31, asks for a 10% increase to the starting wage paid to patrol officers in year one of the contract, followed by 5% increases in each of the contract’s remaining four years. APA is also asking for a slew of financial incentives aimed at boosting officer recruitment and retention.

It’s unclear how much the pay package would cost the city, but financial incentives twice approved by City Council (which included a 4% raise) while APA has been out of contract cost more than $15 million. It’s unlikely Council would approve such an expensive pay proposal as they prepare to adopt a city budget amid increasing fiscal constraints and a looming budget deficit.

APA President Michael Bullock acknowledged the price tag, but said paying officers high wages is the best way to attract more applicants to APD amid a competitive national job market. “Public safety is the most essential function that local government can perform,” Bullock said. “And we have to compensate the professionals who perform it for the level of risk that they’re incurring.”’ Austin Chronicle

~ “Message board shows some of Council’s budget wish list,” Austin Monitor’s Jo Clifton – “Although Tuesday’s City Council work session focused almost exclusively on gaps in the city’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget for services related to homelessness, Council members have highlighted a variety of needs in their message board posts.

Today, Council will once again talk about its proposed changes to the budget. Here is a selective list of some of the items proposed by Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool and Council members Natasha Harper-Madison and Alison Alter.

EMS overtime

Pool has proposed adding $142,000 in one-time funds from overtime for EMS to launch a pilot program for a demand unit at the Domain entertainment district.

“This pilot program would serve the needs of the Domain entertainment district in the North Burnet/Gateway area over the next year, ensuring timely response to the Domain area without drawing EMS resources away from the surrounding communities,” Pool wrote. “Under this program, EMS is able to deploy a weekend Demand Unit during FY25 to gauge whether an additional unit or full Command Unit is needed for response. This FY25 pilot is intended for potential implementation in FY26 based on the results of the pilot.”

Council members Zo Qadri and Alter indicated they would like to be shown as co-sponsors of the amendment.

“Sustaining Austin’s unique cultural fabric”

Harper-Madison wrote on the City Council Message Board: “As we navigate greater limits on resources than we’ve seen in recent times, it is still our hope to ensure that every investment we make fosters opportunities for greater self-sufficiency and agency for our community. For this budget cycle, I want to ensure we deliver efficient and effective services for all Austinites, while also supporting and sustaining Austin’s unique cultural fabric.”

Among her proposed amendments are funds for the Downtown Austin Community Court and support for the celebrating Juneteenth with fireworks, plus support for the African American Cultural Heritage District and the Texas Music Museum.

According to Harper-Madison’s post, the community court mobile program was very successful “and demonstrated the valuable and extensive role that the DACC has in our city’s response to the homelessness crisis in Austin. The Mobile Court’s success was centered around meeting community needs and meeting people where they are, with lower operational costs by avoiding the necessity of a permanent facility.”

The projected cost of this program is about $984,000. Her co-sponsors on this include Mayor Kirk Watson and Council members Paige Ellis, Mackenzie Kelly and Pool.

On the fireworks proposal, Harper-Madison wrote, “Juneteenth is a national holiday and one of the historic Austin legacies that define our city’s cultural identity, encourage community pride, and stimulate the local economy. It’s crucial that we solidify funding to continue our traditions, including the iconic Juneteenth fireworks display. Austin’s Juneteenth is for everyone, and we should work to sustain and enhance this amazing event for all Austinites to enjoy.” There was no dollar amount for this proposal.

Harper-Madison is also seeking an unspecified amount of funding for community-based organizations within the African American Cultural Heritage District. She wrote that “continued investment within our cultural districts is vital to sustain our vibrant music and arts atmosphere in Austin. This includes maintenance of our community spaces, such as the Texas Music Museum, for storage, preservation, and display of our arts and music culture. These organizations are a significant component of our unique identity, and we need to ensure we sustain quality spaces for our creative culture to thrive.”

Parks maintenance, climate research and more

Council members Ellis and Alter are both pushing for adding maintenance employees to the Parks and Recreation Department.

Alter is also sponsoring a $350,000 amendment that would continue the city’s partnership with the University of Texas the City Climate Co-Lab. She wrote that this funding will help produce “Austin-specific climate information, data products, tools, and assessments to inform municipal decision making on issues such as urban heat trends and securing our water supply. The partnership is mutually beneficial and helps drive innovation in research, policy, funding, and education with Austin at the center. UT is currently providing $550,000 in funding, with an additional similar amount invested from faculty generated research funds.”

Alter explained, “Our previous investment enabled the pursuit of grants for over $5 million to advance climate-related projects with $2,050,000 in grant funding already approved. Many departments stand to potentially benefit from this climate data / science infrastructure, with strong interest already evident from the Austin Fire Department, Austin Energy, Austin Water, Austin Public Health, the Office of Sustainability, Office of Resilience, Transportation & Public Works, and Watershed Protection. We thus propose funding this climate infrastructure investment from the Support Services budget.” Council Member Ryan Alter and Ellis are co-sponsoring this proposal.

Among her other proposals are an amendment to add 10 weeks of paid maternity leave for firefighters to be negotiated in an upcoming labor agreement. The co-sponsors on this proposal include Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Kelly, Ellis and Harper-Madison. The projected cost is about $75,000.

She is also proposing hiring a retired detective to work in the Austin Police Department’s domestic violence unit at an estimated cost of about $120,000 per year. The co-sponsors of this item include Harper-Madison and Council Member José Velásquez.

Mayor Kirk Watson and every Council member except Kelly has proposed some budget amendments that would raise the overall costs to taxpayers. Kelly has proposed some cuts and a budget that would not raise taxes. The Austin Monitor will report on other proposed budget amendments on Friday.” Austin Monitor

BUSINESS NEWS

~ “Bitcoin mining company Core Scientific in line for extra $2B in revenue for computing power,” Austin Business Journal’s Brent Wistrom – “Austin-based bitcoin mining and computing company Core Scientific Inc. is poised to get an extra $2 billion in revenue over the next 12 years as part of an expansion of an existing contract.

The company is expanding its relatively new partnership with CoreWeave, a cloud infrastructure startup that provides graphics processing units to other companies. Core Scientific said Aug. 6 that New Jersey-based CoreWeave exercised its option to contract for additional high-performance computing power. As part of the deal, Core Scientific will upgrade its systems to provide an additional 112 megawatts of compute power for CoreWeave's NVIDIA GPUs. 

The modifications will start later this year and are expected to be operational by the first half of 2026. The expanded contract is expected to add to $4.7 billion from earlier contracts, for a total of $6.7 billion in projected revenue. 

The CoreWeave deals represent a relatively new line of business for Core Scientific, which has previously been known mostly for its bitcoin mining activities, which remains a key part of its business. 

In July, the company reported earning 411 bitcoin from its fleet of 172,000 miners. To support the expansion of its HPC hosting business, the company said its bitcoin miners will be migrated from data centers designated for HPC hosting to bitcoin mining data centers, such as the one it is currently expanding in Pecos, a small town near the Davis Mountains in West Texas.

“We have now contracted with CoreWeave for a total of 382 megawatts of HPC infrastructure, reflecting the strong demand for high-power data center infrastructure and the unique ability of our team to deliver it,” Core Scientific CEO Adam Sullivan stated. “The latest contract also validates that our strategy for developing application-specific data centers aligns with the increasing energy density requirements for high-performance computing that legacy data centers do not typically satisfy.” ABJ ($)

OTHER NEWS

~ “Del Valle ISD opens early college, career campus as students return,” Austin American-Statesman’s Keri Heath – “David and Stephanie Williams felt like they were leveling up in the world of parenting Wednesday morning as they dropped their two daughters, Yvelise and Yimora, off for school at Newton Collins Elementary School in the quiet Easton Park neighborhood in South Austin.

The girls, decked out in Minnie Mouse and Disney movie “Wish” backpacks, were entering prekindergarten and kindergarten and would be attending school together for the first time.

“I feel like we’re in the big leagues,” Stephanie Williams said.

Across town, Del Valle High School student Danika Siv, 16, was also preparing to begin a new chapter in her K-12 career: the last.

Siv sat in the cafeteria of the gleaming, new Early College High School building on the high school campus Wednesday morning, excited for her senior year.

“My mom is beyond proud,” said Siv, who is on track to graduate with her associate degree. “That’s all she ever wanted for us: to have a good education. She made a lot of sacrifices for us to be where we are.”

Del Valle students returned to class Wednesday for the start of the 2024-25 school year as the 11,000-student district opened the Early College High School and Pathways to Technology, or P-TECH, building, which is the last major construction project of its 2019 $284 million bond.

District officials hope the building will provide students in the early college path and in technical career tracks with a more suitable space and necessary equipment needed to prepare for in-demand jobs.

“The workspaces here allow our students to receive the training here rather than go offsite,” said Jonathan Harris, acting superintendent.

The building comes equipped with a cybersecurity room, where students can use built-in servers to learn about network security, and with a cavernous, advanced manufacturing lab.

“It creates a more collegiate environment for the students,” English teacher Mackenzie Mayer said. “They can come over to this campus specifically for college courses and for P-TECH courses.”

The 2019 bond also built two new elementary schools, a new middle school and an early childhood care center, among other projects.

Del Valle voters also approved a $300 million bond in 2022 that will fund a new high school and other projects.” AAS ($)

SPORTS

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “Texas starting running back CJ Baxter will miss the 2024 season with a knee injury,” Austin American-Statesman’s Danny Davis — “With just weeks to go before its season opener against Colorado State, Texas has lost a key contributor on its offense.

Texas announced Wednesday that sophomore running back CJ Baxter will miss the season. He was expected to help lead the Longhorns' rushing attack this fall. Baxter injured his knee during Tuesday's first full-pads practice of the season.

Baxter will need surgery, according to UT's press release. Orangebloods reported that Baxter had torn his PCL and LCL ligaments.

What the Longhorns are losing in Baxter

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Baxter, who was a five-star prospect during the 2023 recruiting cycle, has dealt with a series of injuries since he arrived at Texas. He left a game against Rice with a rib injury and his game against Texas Tech was cut short by a hip pointer. A foot injury also sidelined Baxter for a game. Baxter started last year's season opener — the last true freshman to have done that as a running back at Texas had been Ricky Williams in 1995 — but those injuries opened the door for Jonathon Brooks’ breakout campaign.

Baxter still rushed 138 times for 659 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. Both he and Jaydon Blue were placed on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, and Baxter earned a second-team nod on the SEC's preseason team.

"I've just seen a lot of growth and a lot of maturity," UT center Jake Majors said of Baxter last week. "I really appreciate him stepping into that role with Blue and just taking it head on and embracing the fact that we've had all these great running backs come through and he wants to live up to that standard."

Next man up: Jaydon Blue

Without Baxter, Texas' running game now will lean more on Blue and sophomore Quintrevion Wisner. Last season, Blue averaged 6.1 yards over his limited carries while Wisner mostly contributed on special teams. More carries could also become available for incoming freshmen Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark. 

Blue recorded only 80 carries and 14 receptions over his first two years at Texas. But on Tuesday, he noted that Brooks patiently waited behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson for two years before he took advantage of his opportunities last year.

"I always use JB as the example," Blue said. "He didn't play much his first two years and he played a lot last year and he went to (NFL) after one year. I always look back at that and it puts a lot of belief in me that if I just stay patient and work, then everything I want (will happen)."“ AAS ($)

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ DINING: “The Best Things Eater Austin Editors Ate Last Week: Great Cocktail Snacks and Drinks Edition” Austin Eater

~ DINING: “12 Great Bets for Chick Fried Steak in Austin” Austin Eater

~ DINING: “Chef with Michelin credential opens new Italian restaurant in South Austin” Culture Map

~ DINING: “Valentina’s Tex Mex won’t reopen in Buda Mill & Grain” ABJ ($)

~ AMUSEMENT PARKS / WATER PARKS: “Schlitterbahn New Braunfels launches passes to 42 parks, including Six Flags” Culture Map

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

~ LIVE MUSIC: Blue October / Switchfoot / Matt Nathanson. Whitewater Amphitheater (New Braunfels, TX). Doors 5:30pm. Show 6:30pm. Tix start at $70. Tix here.

COOL JOB ALERT

~ DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: Texas Rural Water Association (Austin, TX). Compensation: $90k-$100k. Info / apply here.