The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: Oct. 22-28

Common Election Kiosk Issues: Bexar County election officials released a statement on Friday, Oct. 23, addressing voters’ concerns regarding voting kiosks “switching” their choices for local, state, and federal races. The county’s Elections Department said that it “is something we are monitoring closely. We are asking voters to confirm their selections before moving on to the next screen.” Officials also told voters that they should notify poll workers if a printed ballot does not match their intended selections. Though issues with election kiosks are not unusual, voters on both sides of the aisle have expressed fears over election tampering this election cycle.

Environmentalists Oppose Parmer Lane Highway: As part of a partnership between the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Texas Department of Transportation to improve transportation around the state, the agencies proposed transitioning part of Parmer Lane, between RM 1431 and MoPac, into a four-lane highway. Environmentalists have since pushed back on that idea, claiming that the conversion would lead to increased noise and pollution, making it more dangerous and difficult to walk, bike, and access public transit. At last week’s Council meeting, the dais approved a measure that directs city staff to collaborate with the two agencies to determine how to move forward with plans for the busy street. 

$21 Million for Affordable Housing: Austin approved over $21 million in funding last week to go toward the development of five local affordable housing complexes throughout town – Rowen Vale, the Lenora, the Maven, Jordan II, and the Austin Art Village. According to city staff, all of the developments, other than the Austin Art Village, were approved for 9% low-income housing tax credits from the state. The city said the $21 million to be used for the construction of these developments comes from general obligation bonds, Project Connect anti-displacement funding, density bonus fees-in-lieu, HOME Community Housing Development Organization funds, and Homestead Preservation District tax increment financing. 

Fake APD Calls: The Austin Police Department warned the community last week of unsolicited calls to Austinites from individuals claiming to be APD detectives. The department said that callers were reaching people through a phone number associated with APD, 512/974-2000, and claiming to be “investigating the recipient for child pornography or human trafficking.” APD encouraged the community to request the detective’s name, badge number, and case number if they receive a call, then report that information to Austin 311 to confirm the identity of the dialer.

A rendering of the new convention center slated for completion in 2029 Credit: Image via austinconventioncenter.com

Convention Center to Hire Local: At last week’s City Council meeting, the dais unanimously approved a resolution that directs the city to prioritize local hiring at the Austin Convention Center when it opens in 2029. As part of the resolution, authored by Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, City Manager T.C. Broadnax has also been ordered to evaluate opportunities for locals seeking apprenticeship and training in skilled trades for the convention center, including rigging, technical production, decorating, and carpentry.

Audit Finds Issues With City Contractors: Members of the City Auditor’s Office presented a report to the Audit and Finance Committee last week that shows where Austin is falling short in terms of reviewing hired contractors for compliance with the Living Wage Program, including inconsistent paperwork, inadequate compliance evaluations, and a lack of training and guidance. The audit – which is separate from the third-party, citywide efficiency audit already underway, and an additional, Save Austin Now PAC-backed effort at the polls, Prop. I, to require an independent audit every five years and before any tax rate increase elections – explored 59 city contracts and evaluated compensation for 285 employees, where it found that 15 employees “may not have been paid in compliance with the Living Wage Program, which is a requirement for contractors hired by the city to pay their eligible employees at least the city’s minimum hourly wage.” Austin Financial Services said it plans to take the information provided in the audit to work to improve the city’s relationship with outside contractors, including a new sourcing and contract management system for fiscal year 2027, expanding contract and vendor performance evaluations to all city contracts next year, and more as we head into 2027.

Zilker Park Credit: Zeke Barbaro

Zilker Great Lawn Reopens: After weeks of restoration following the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the western section of Zilker Park’s Great Lawn will reopen Saturday, Oct. 31, according to Austin Parks and Recreation. While outdoor volleyball courts will remain open through Nov. 16, the city will prepare the rest of the lawn for Trail of Lights, the annual holiday celebration held at the park. Stratford Drive remains open, with parking available in the Stratford Lot, though Lou Neff Road will be closed throughout the holiday season. 

Data Center Permits Officially Paused: Last week, news spread that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has continued to process data center development permits, despite Gov. Greg Abbott calling for the state to halt the issuance of further permits for the developments in mid-September. Since then, his gubernatorial opponent Gina Hinojosa and environmentalists throughout the state have criticized Abbott, claiming that his “pause” on the permits was merely a campaign stunt. Late last week, the TCEQ officially shut down the electronic system it uses to issue those permits, according to The Texas Tribune. 

Labor Activist Dolores Huerta Dies: Well-known activist Dolores Huerta died at 96 years old on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at her home in Bakersfield, Calif., after a battle with cancer. Huerta is best known for her decades spent fighting for worker rights, co-founding the United Farm Workers union back in 1962 with Cesar Chavez. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Chavez sexually abused Huerta and other young girls. During her life as an activist, Huerta also stood up for minorities, women’s rights, the LGBTQ+ community, and low-income communities. Her work earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom among many other accolades. 

Credit: Getty Images

Texas SNAP Sees Record Low Enrollment: Only 2.8 million Texans signed up for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program this past September, marking the lowest enrollment rate since August 2009, according to The Texas Tribune. Enrollment rates for every age group have declined, with the number of children 5 years old and under reaching a 20-year low. Experts attribute the drop to last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which increased eligibility requirements to enroll in the program and set penalties for states that have high error rates in paying SNAP recipients. 

Major to Be Released: Major, the 3-year-old Belgian Malinois who has now spent 575 days in isolation after he bit an Austin woman, will be released to a rescue organization in the next 30 days, U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ruled this week. This comes after Judge Ezra delayed a euthanasia order that was placed on the dog due to the incident. Since March 2025, when Major was placed into the city’s custody, his owner Shane Lilly has worked to get his dog back, most recently filing a federal lawsuit that claims the city violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by keeping his dog in holding. 

Paxton, Talarico Make Final Pushes: With less than one week before Election Day, Texas’ chances at having its first Democratic U.S. senator in 30 years seem more likely than ever, as Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Rep. James Talarico continue to make their final pushes for the seat. The final week comes after Talarico, the public, and politicians from both sides of the aisle have battered Paxton for the last several months. From granting a Waco attorney charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a minor an incredibly lax plea deal to partying with American fugitives in Dubai on New Year’s, Paxton has found his way into headlines for all of the wrong reasons during his campaign. Talarico has also remained in the limelight, calling on Paxton to accept multiple requests to debate while the GOP continues to dump money into the race to push their ads claiming Talarico is weird. Austin’s wealthiest resident Elon Musk has been helping fund those latest advertisements, dumping nearly $190 million into the race. Both of the candidates held rallies in different areas of Lubbock – which holds a reputation of being historically red – Tuesday, Oct. 27, with Donald Trump making an appearance at Paxton’s event. Reporting has stated that the crowds were around equal size.

“SECRECY BREEDS SUSPICION. TRANSPARENCY BUILDS TRUST!”: Exiting Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is going out in a blaze of glory. A week after he encouraged Texas to reject Republican nominee Nate Sheets (who beat Miller in the March Republican primary), Miller released a statement urging Gov. Greg Abbott to drop his appeal of a recent court decision that would give state representative and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa access to Abbott’s email communications with megadonor Elon Musk. Abbott’s office previously released only massively redacted files, arguing they were “too intimate and embarrassing” to be made public. Miller ain’t having it: “GIVE ME A BREAK! We’re talking about PUBLIC BUSINESS involving billionaires, taxpayer dollars, and the future of Texas!” He – and his liberal use of all caps – continued: “Governor, what’s truly embarrassing is how hard Texans must fight to see their own government’s business. TEXAS BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE. NOT ABBOTT. NOT MUSK. THE PEOPLE! RELEASE THE RECORDS. NOW!” Read more about the Abbott-Musk emails in Sammie Seamon’s report.

Save Austin Now Finance Reports: Last week, KXAN reported that Save Austin Now, the local PAC in support of an outside city audit known as Proposition I on the ballot this November, received about $755,000 between Jan. 1 and Sept. 24. But, according to those city finance reports, $0 has been spent by the PAC. Finance reports filed on the Texas Ethics Commission website show that the PAC received $492,000 during that time frame, spending nearly $456,000 at the time of filing. Save Austin Now said the TEC reports are accurate and that the group had issues reporting its finances through the city’s website. Since that initial reporting last week, the city has said that the financial discrepancy was due to an error with the city’s site. A corrected report states that the PAC has received a little over $228,000, spending nearly $187,000.

AISD Supports Student-Athlete Safety: Austin ISD announced that it received a donation of more than $100,000 from Ascension Seton dedicated to sports equipment for the district’s student athletes, intended to make the extracurricular activities safer for children. AISD obtained 17 automated external defibrillators, which help identify heart issues and can administer an electric shock during cardiac arrest, and 18 Frio hydration units, water tanks designed to remain cold for extended periods of time to help prevent dehydration during games.

SAFE Brings Back Forensic Services: The SAFE Alliance – a nonprofit that supports survivors of sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence – will give forensic nursing exams at Eloise House starting in early January 2027, according to KVUE. The organization ended forensic services in the spring after losing roughly $4 million in funding back in 2025, but now plans to offer exams in collaboration with Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners: Forensic Center of Excellence, a Houston-based health nonprofit.

City Supports Local Businesses: Austin City Council approved more than $1.2 million in economic development incentives at its Oct. 22 meeting to help longtime local businesses and community spaces survive rising costs and redevelopment pressures. According to Austin Economic Development, the funding will support Esther’s Follies, the longtime Downtown theatre; Escuelita del Alma, Austin’s first Spanish-immersion preschool; and Downtown’s Royal Blue Grocery location. The city also approved funding for Waverly North, a North University neighborhood housing development that will provide affordable apartments and space for nonprofit organizations offering housing stability services. The incentives aim to preserve Austin’s cultural identity while supporting childcare, housing, and neighborhood businesses.    

Austin to Closely Monitor Nonprofits: Austin may focus more on compliance monitoring and establish new rules for nonprofits contracted with the city, amid an in-depth review of its spending on social services for the 2026-27 fiscal year, according to Community Impact. The concentration on these nonprofits comes after a recent city audit found that some organizations were not meeting performance expectations or compliance procedures outlined by the city’s goals. The review process, coined as a social services “reset,” will continue into next year and could prompt funding shifts for the 2027-2028 fiscal plan. 

Paxton Sues OpenAI: The Texas Tribune reported that Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit in Collin County district court against OpenAI, which is behind ChatGPT, claiming that the company has deceived and harmed Texans due to the fact that the chat system has not been properly regulated. The A.G. is requesting an injunction that would direct the company to close off access to ChatGPT for minors, require court-appointed, third-party approval on any new models the company rolls out, and more. Earlier this year, the Chronicle joined over 550 media outlets and publishers in a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft for stealing copyrighted news articles and content without permission or compensation. This might just be the only thing Paxton has in common with us here at our alt-weekly.

Free Rides to the Polls: With Election Day approaching, Central Texas voters will have one less obstacle to reaching the ballot box, as the Capital Area Rural Transportation System is offering free rides to and from polling locations across its 10 county rural service areas on Nov. 3. Residents can book rides through the CARTS Country Bus or on the CARTS NOW app, using promo code VoteTexas2026. Those looking to take advantage of the services can also call 512/478-7433.

Texas Juvenile Justice Director Resigns: Shandra Carter, executive director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, resigned last Friday, Oct. 23, the Tribune reported. Though the reasoning for her resignation remains unknown, her departure comes after the department – which oversees the state’s five youth prisons – was criticized for potentially violating civil rights protections. TJJD Deputy Executive Director Sean Grove is now serving as the interim director while the department’s board begins planning for a new leadership search. Carter held the position since 2022.

Two Injured in Monday’s 71 Crash: On Monday, Oct. 26, a crash occurred on Texas 71 in East Travis County, leaving two people injured, one of whom was in critical condition. One of the vehicles caught fire as a result of the crash. Crews worked for hours throughout the morning to clean up the scene as community members were making their Monday morning commutes. The cause of the crash was unknown on Monday morning.

Ground Delay at AUS: On Friday, Oct. 23, a ground delay was issued at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as travelers shuffled into town for the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix and the Texas Longhorns’ football game against Ole Miss. According to KVUE, the delay was issued around 11am and remained in effect into Friday night due to “special events,” impacting all arriving flights, with delays averaging about 75 minutes.

Credit: Jana Birchum QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Sí, se puede.”

Activist Dolores Huerta, who coined the phrase, which would become the motto of the United Farm Workers of America, in 1972

The post The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: Oct. 22-28 appeared first on The Austin Chronicle.