Austin, TX
Will Minneapolis vote drive Uber, Lyft to leave Minnesota? Here's how their departure and return played out in Austin, Texas
Uber and Lyft are threatening to stop service in the Twin Cities. And they’ve done it before in Austin, Texas — only to return a year later.
The Minneapolis City Council on Thursday overrode a veto by Mayor Jacob Frey on an ordinance guaranteeing rideshare drivers a boost in pay and protections beginning May 1. While it’s a boon for drivers, the rideshare companies argue the cost is too high.
While other cities states have raised driver pay, it was only Austin in 2016 where Uber and Lyft opted to leave. There, however, their departure was prompted by the city council approving a measure requiring drivers to submit to fingerprint background checks, which could reveal criminal records. Texas lawmakers later signed off on a law putting rideshare regulation under state, not city, jurisdiction.
Sergio Avedian, with the website “The Rideshare Guy,” believes Minneapolis’ fate will be different. Your gift today creates a more connected Minnesota. MPR News is your trusted resource for election coverage, reporting and breaking news. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone – free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
“I’m pretty sure a lot of passengers are going to get stranded,” Avedian said. He pointed to a study, ordered by Gov. Tim Walz, which recorded 18 million rideshare trips in the metro in 2022. “Obviously, the cabs are not going to replace the Uber and Lyft demand that exists.”
Avedian believes with more than a month until the ordinance’s start date, there’s hope for negotiation. Without an agreement, Lyft says it will end service in Minneapolis; Uber plans to cease operations in the entire metro area.
Walz joined Frey this week in condemning the ordinance. He instead suggested a statewide solution might be the answer, which is up for discussion at the Legislature. Last Spring, Walz vetoed a bill setting minimum pay requirements and enhanced protection for drivers.
In the interim without Uber and Lyft, smaller companies cropped up in Austin, Texas, to meet demand — though they were later undercut by the duopoly. Avedian believes something similar could happen in the Twin Cities within a few months. “It’s not an easy thing to do. Obviously, they have to onboard a lot of drivers and they have to onboard all the passengers. I don’t think it will reach the scale immediately,” he said.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man walking his dog with his son was fatally shot by a neighbor Friday evening in Northwest Austin, police said.
Billy Carlisle, 41, was shot at the intersection of Gardenridge Hollow and Wallace Drive at approximately 6:06 p.m. May 8. Austin-Travis County EMS attempted lifesaving measures, but Carlisle was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m.
Hunter Buchmeyer, 36, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
According to APD, Carlisle was walking his dog with his son when he and Buchmeyer, also walking his dog, got into a verbal altercation. The two neighbors had “prior history,” APD said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | APD investigating deadly shooting in NW Austin; suspect in custody
The dispute escalated to the point that Buchmeyer called 911 to report the altercation before shooting Carlisle. According to police, Buchmeyer yelled at someone to “get back” before the call disconnected.
Buchmeyer remained at the scene and attempted CPR on Carlisle before officers arrived.
No charges have been filed. APD said the investigation remains open.
The case is being investigated as Austin’s 23rd homicide of 2026.
Anyone with information is asked to contact APD at 512-974-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.
There was a significant reduction in the number of antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island in 2025, according to a national Jewish advocacy group.
According to the Anti-Defamation League’s latest Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, there were 26 antisemitic incidents in the state last year. That’s down from the 52 incidents counted by the group in 2024.
Samantha Joseph, New England regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, says a big reason for the reduction is a steep decline in antisemitism on college campuses.
“It shows that campus administrators are taking their responsibilities very seriously to provide a safe environment for all of their students,” said Joseph.
Brown University had over $500 million in federal funding frozen by the Trump administration last year following investigations into alleged antisemitism on campus. The funding was restored after Brown reached a settlement with the administration.
The reduction in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island reflects a wider trend in New England as a whole. According to the ADL’s report, there were 400 antisemitic incidents in the region in 2025, compared to 638 the previous year.
While she’s pleased about the overall drop in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island, Joseph says a number of concerning trends continue to persist. In particular, the state is still seeing more anti-Jewish incidents than it did prior to the October 7 attacks on Israel that launched the Gaza War in 2023.
Joseph is also concerned about the violent nature of local incidents of antisemitism.
“Even though overall incidents are down, assaults are up and assaults with a deadly weapon are up significantly,” said Joseph. “Our communities remain concerned for their safety, and our work is far from done.”
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday evening as a cold front arrives in Central Texas. KXAN’s First Warning Weather Team will keep you updated on the weather coverage.
Risks to be aware of are damaging wind gusts that could reach as high as 60 to 75 mph and large hail up to quarter size.
Weather Resources:
Live Updates:
5:22 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued for all counties except for Milam County.
3:51 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for Mason, San Saba, and Lampasas County until 9:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.: The primary risk for Sunday’s severe weather is damaging wind gusts which could cause power outages.
3:26 p.m.: Storms will likely move toward the I-35 corridor around 6 p.m. Most of the storms will enter the Hill Country around 6 p.m. and the Austin metro counties after 8 p.m.
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