Texas baseball pitcher Dylan Volantis said he didn’t change his mentality as he transitioned from reliever to starter over the offseason. But he did alter his arsenal.
Austin, TX
Drop in Texas building permits indicates slowdown, shift
AUSTIN, Texas – At first glance, Austin seems to be in the midst of a building boom, but the boom apparently has lost some of its pop, according to a report by real estate tracking company Point 2 Homes.
Building permits in the Austin metro totaled just over 38,000 in 2023. While that’s a big number, permits are actually down 10 percent. Analyst Doug Ressler spoke to FOX 7 Austin about what’s happening.
“So basically, what we’re seeing is a slowdown, if you will. Couple things. First, slowdown in migration patterns. And the interest rate. The higher mortgage rates are really inhibiting, you know, the building and buying of homes,” said Ressler.
Compared to other metro areas across the nation, most in Texas are doing a better job weathering the current economic storm. Houston and Dallas led the nation in the number of permits in 2023, while Austin came in 5th, edging out the Atlanta metro. Ressler noted the tech industry and business-friendly state policies for providing a buffer.
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The Point 2 Homes report also indicated San Antonio had the biggest permit drop in Texas, by more than 30%. On the upside, several small metro areas saw increases, with the big winners being Sherman, Waco, Midland, and Texarkana.
“I don’t think there’s a bubble. I think what you’ll see is a stabilization, if you will, between supply and demand,” said Ressler.
That begs the question: should a buyer beware or buyer be choosy?
“I think it’s Buyer Be-Wait for the Fed to come out and start dropping the interest rates,” said Ressler.
The mortgage loan rate spike is providing home contractors like Jose Marcano with extra work.
“I think the interest rates are too high, and they want to just pretty much stay in their house, remodeled, and not sell it to go ahead and buy a new one because it will be more expensive for them,” said Marcano.
Inflation and supply chain problems can also make remodeling expensive.
“The prices on materials are too high right now. Even the price of the service to give the service call to the customer are outrageous right now,” said Marcano.
Austin real estate sales pause is not a bust
The Austin Board of Realtors can provide a comparison from a year ago. June 2021 had less than a month of housing inventory.
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The Point 2 Homes report also points to a shift in what’s being built.
In 2023, contractors broke ground on fewer single homes compared to the previous year, but there was a 22% increase in multifamily units. This indicates builders are betting on the rental market, even if interest rates drop by early 2025. And when the market improves, the type of client is also expected to change.
“So, what there is, is this market niche, this growing market in is called build rents, single family rentals. And they’re typically built, in the, what we call the X-urbs, border areas around urban cores and suburbs. And they look like a house, and they rent, and people love them. And so, what we see is that’s a growing market that will absorb what you’re talking about in terms of a lot of the demand that’s pent-up right now, that will be either moving from a interim rental to a buy position over the course of the next ten years,” said Ressler.
State and local leaders should use this downtime to invest in more infrastructure projects, suggested Ressler, and do things like what’s being done around the new Samsung plant in Taylor.
Austin, TX
Texas student walkouts: AG launches investigation into 3 districts
AUSTIN, Texas – Three Texas school districts are now under investigation by the Texas Attorney General over recent student walkouts in protest of ICE operations and immigration policies.
AG Ken Paxton announced the investigations into North East ISD, Dallas ISD and Manor ISD on Monday.
This comes after Paxton’s previously announced investigation into Austin ISD over similar walkouts.
What they’re saying:
Paxton’s office says that the investigations are due to “concerns that ISD administration and faculty orchestrated the protests.”
“It appears that these ISDs have taken little to no action to ensure the safety of students and to stop large-scale interruptions of classroom instructional time,” says Paxton’s office.
The ISDs have been ordered to hand over information regarding policies related to students leaving campus, excused absences, and security protocols, as well as internal communications regarding the protests.
The AG’s office says it will be investigating the use of public funds and whether any laws were violated.
The other side:
Manor ISD responded to FOX 7 Austin with a statement, saying:
Manor ISD is aware of the Attorney General’s announcement regarding an investigation related to student walkouts that occurred on our campuses and is confident the review will show that staff followed district procedures and Texas Education Agency guidance, including ensuring attendance guidelines were followed and keeping student safety as the top priority during the days the walkouts occurred.
North East ISD provided a statement as well, saying:
We are aware of the Attorney General’s investigation, which is focused on Churchill High School. We are fully cooperating and gathering documentation to provide to the AG’s Office. In fact, in the spirit of transparency, we are providing additional documentation for other schools as well. NEISD gave guidance to staff before the TEA issued its guidance and it was substantially similar. Staff was informed to follow our policies which dictate that their role is to supervise students, maintain a safe learning environment, and remain professionally neutral. Staff was reminded to not encourage, endorse, discourage, or attempt to persuade students about participating in a walkout or protest.
NEISD also provided information that was given to parents ahead of the protests:
NEISD is aware of student protests going on this week. Here is how our schools are handling the situation:
While the campus respects our students’ rights to express their individual views, our highest priorities are to maintain students’ safety on campus and preserve a rich learning environment accessible to all of our students.
Should students participate in a walkout, we want to be clear that students will be considered truant from class resulting in an unexcused absence. Additionally, if the event creates a significant disruption to learning or creates any type of physical danger to others such as bringing weapons or inciting violence, students will receive disciplinary consequences ranging from detention or In-school suspension to Out-of-school suspension or recommendation to an alternative educational setting.
Campus administration will maintain vigilance about the potential of a walkout; communicate with NEPD and NEISD campus safety about any needs for support; communicate with faculty about response practices, and with families about new developments. We also want to encourage families to speak with your student(s) about the potential dangers and/or consequences of participating in an event of this nature.
FOX 7 Austin has reached out to Dallas ISD for comment as well.
Paxton’s previous investigation in Austin ISD
Dig deeper:
Paxton previously announced an investigation into Austin ISD after students from 14 campuses walked out of class and off campus to protest ICE on Jan. 30.
Paxton claimed in the announcement that reports indicated district personnel were aware of the walkouts and had in some instances facilitated students leaving campus.
AISD Superintendent Matias Segura has said those walkouts were not sponsored or endorsed by the district.
Austin ISD has since developed more detailed protest protocols to “ensure the safety of our students and staff while maintaining our focus on on-campus instruction.” The district also addressed staff expectations after the TEA released new guidelines concerning political activity on campus and involving students, teachers and staff.
The Source: Information in this report comes from Texas AG Ken Paxton’s office, Manor ISD and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin
Austin, TX
Already a star, Dylan Volantis now has a new pitch for Texas baseball
Volantis rode a uniquely dynamic sinker and borderline unhittable slider to a remarkable freshman season pitching out of the bullpen. Now the Longhorns’ Sunday starter, the 6-foot-6 Californian added a changeup to give him a third option that can help him manage multiple trips through the opposition’s lineup.
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Texas Longhorns infielder Adrian Rodriguez (24) slides home for a score during the game against UC Davis at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-StatesmanHe broke it out for the first time in Sunday’s 9-1 victory over UC Davis. Nine of the 78 pitches he threw were changeups. Four of those missed the zone, three generated swings and misses and one was taken for a strike. The only hit Volantis surrendered in seven sparkling innings came on a changeup that Aggies leftfielder Zach Story tagged for a double.
“It felt really good,” Volantis said afterward. “Threw it in the strike zone. So really happy with where it’s at.”
The pitch, Volantis said, is meant to generate weak contact. Fading down and away from righthanded batters, the diminished velocity can keep hitters honest and help keep them off his sinker.
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“Get the hitters out in front, make them roll over, swing and miss kind of deal,” he said.

Texas Longhorns pitcher Dylan Volantis (99) throws a pitch during the NCAA D1 Baseball Tournament Regional against UTSA at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, May 31, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Sometimes, adding an extra ingredient can throw the recipe out of balance. Volantis’ changeup, at least on Sunday, acted like a bit of whipped cream atop a mug of hot chocolate or a dab of ketchup on french fries.
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Volantis allowed one unearned run in seven innings. He gave up just one hit and a walk while striking out eight Aggies. If there were any concerns about how his profile might play as a starting pitcher after he pitched to a 1.92 ERA out of the bullpen last year, Sunday’s outing calmed them.
“He had full control of the game,” Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Felt like once he kind of found himself there in the second inning, found his breaking ball, he really looked like himself from the last year.”
The true difference maker, as usual, was Volantis’ sinking fastball.
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Texas pitcher Dylan Volantis (99) celebrates a strikeout to win the game as the Longhorns play the Texas A&M Aggies in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, April 26, 2025. Texas won the two first games, clinching the Lone Star Showdown victory.
Sara Diggins/American-StatesmanBecause of Volantis’ height, hitters say, the sinking action on the pitch appears more dramatic. Volantis missed plenty of bats, but he also generated loads of soft contact as hitters failed to lift his sinker. Ten of the 21 outs Volantis secured came from ground balls.
NO. 3 TEXAS VS. LAMAR
“It’s deception,” Texas shortstop Adrian Rodriguez said. “He’s so over the top. He’s just one of a kind. He’s one of the best pitchers in the country.”
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One of the best pitchers in the country, using Rodriguez’s words, is starting on Sundays, where many programs often find themselves short of viable options after exhausting them on Fridays and Saturdays. Just ask No. 23 Vanderbilt and No. 2 LSU, who gave up 11 and 7 runs, respectively, to unranked teams Sunday.
Factoring in strong outings by Ruger Riojas on Friday and Luke Harrison on Saturday, Texas’ starting pitchers allowed three earned runs in 17⅓ innings of work on the weekend.
“We got three really good starts,” Schlossnagle said. “Luke had to pitch around some traffic, as did Ruger in the first game. Dylan was obviously awesome. So I feel really good about that.”
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Austin, TX
Live updates from Texas baseball series finale against UC Davis
The Longhorns have ridden two strong starting pitching performances from Ruger Riojas and Luke Harrison to a pair of victories over the Aggies. Now, they’ll turn the ball over to last year’s SEC Freshman of the Year, Dylan Volantis, who is making the move to the starting rotation after excelling in relief last season.
Texas’ lineup has shown well through two games, too, with 18 runs against UC Davis pitching. Second baseman Ethan Mendoza has been the standout performer so far, ending Friday night’s game with a three-run home run that triggered the mercy rule before smashing a two-run shot Saturday.
Follow along with our live coverage of Sunday’s game, below:
Dylan Volantis completed his fourth consecutive hitless inning, working around his own error with a strikeout and a ground-ball double play.
The Longhorns sent 11 men to the plate for a six-run explosion in the third. Adrian Rodriguez delivered the biggest blow with a three-run double, while Aiden Robbins, Ashton Larson and Casey Borba each also drove in a run.
On the mound, Dylan Volantis faced the minimum through three innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Ethan Mendoza gave the Longhorns the early lead with a sacrifice fly to center field. Just like in the first inning, though, Texas loaded the bases and could not come through with the key hit.
Dylan Volantis needed just six pitches to retire the side in the top half of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Texas loaded the bases on Ethan Mendoza’s single and a pair of walks, but could not cash in.
Where: UFCU Disch-Falk Field
TV Radio: SEC Network+, 1300 AM
LHP Dylan Volantis (4-1, 1.94 ERA in 2025)
RHP Carter Speights (0-1, 7.71 ERA in 2025)
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