Austin, TX

Filling You In on the Atrium Infill

Published

9 months ago

April 18, 2025

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is making the best use of its existing space—by filling it in! Currently, there is a lot of open space above the baggage claim area at AUS. With record-breaking passenger and airline activity growth over the last three years, AUS needs to transform from a medium-sized airport into a large airport. One critical step in our journey is to give more queuing space for ticket counters and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints as soon as we possibly can.

The Atrium Infill project will do just that — by expanding the departures level of the Barbara Jordan Terminal by 12,000 square feet! This is important because “AUS was originally designed for 11 million, and we’re at 21 million,” said Van Thompson, one of the project managers working on the Journey With AUS expansion program.

Van Thompson

The Atrium Infill project is one of many construction projects that make up the Journey With AUS program, a multi-year construction plan allowing for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to grow its terminal, parking and taxiways. This project is specifically aimed at solving the long TSA checkpoint lines that can sometimes extend outside the terminal doors.

This new floor expansion on the departures level will also give the arrivals level a new ceiling! The new ceiling will feature lighting that will enhance the visibility of baggage on the baggage carousels. It will also have new state-of-the-art sprinkler systems. “We are coordinating with the fire marshal and fire engineer,” said Thompson. The Atrium Infill will also allow for a new paging system for public addresses and emergencies. “It will be more efficient and easier to maintain,” said Thompson.

A more efficient heating and cooling system will be installed as well, allowing for a more comfortable indoor climate at TSA checkpoints. “Air handling units need to be replaced every 20-25 years, and AUS is 25 years old,” said Thompson.

The Atrium Infill project brought on the project’s designer and contractor together at the same time at the beginning, allowing for seamless coordination and collaboration between teams. “This way, the builder has input into design, cost control and constructability, and they can collaborate through the entire project,” said Thompson.

Thompson is no stranger to airport construction. He was the Chief Airport Engineer at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and has worked for airports and transit systems throughout the country.

Thompson is most excited about the design of the upcoming Atrium Infill, “The beams are designed so that no additional columns will need to be added to the baggage claim area.” This will allow for passengers to still enjoy the guitar sculptures and Barbara Jordan sculpture on display from many angles.

During the Atrium Infill construction, the Barbara Jordan statue will be out of the public’s eye because she will be protected by construction walls showcasing her glass ceiling-breaking life as a public figure here in Texas and on the national stage. Visitors and passengers to the arrivals level of the Barbara Jordan Terminal at AUS will be able to enjoy museum-quality photography illustrating her many accomplishments including being the first black female state senator in Texas, the first black congresswoman elected from the South, and the first black and woman keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention. The construction walls surrounding the Barbara Jordan statue will also feature photography of the actual sculpture, so that visitors can still see what the sculpture looks like, while it is protected during the Atrium Infill construction.

Five guitar sculptures will be relocated from Baggage Carousel 3 to Baggage Carousels 5 and 6. That way, the beloved artwork can still greet passengers to AUS as they gather their baggage at the carousels. “They are so well-loved,” said Thompson. The five guitars will be brought back to Baggage Carousel 3 once the Atrium Infill construction is complete.

Rendering of the departures level of the Atrium Infill

New artwork will be installed as part of the Atrium Infill. Thompson is working closely with the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places program to coordinate a new art piece that will be installed in the ceiling of the departures level of the Atrium Infill. It will be brand new art that is currently still being developed by the artist.

As the project manager overseeing both the designer and the contractor, Thompson works closely with other stakeholders too, including those interested in sustainability. “We are coordinating closely with the sustainability group, using best practices and guidelines. Low-carbon concrete is being used,” said Thompson, “We are as much as possible going to recycle material that’s being demolished.”

Passengers traveling after midnight and before 8 a.m. will hear loud construction noises — and as noisy as it can be, we hope you’ll understand that it’s the sound of progress as we move forward with improving our airport. “We need an 8-hour shift to be productive,” said Thompson, “Employees and passengers will see a lot of walls and barriers. The work will be phased and done at night. We are trying to build this without disruption to operations.” Thompson added, “Bolting and welding will be going on. Contractors are mandated to keep noise below a certain level. We’ll be monitoring to make sure they comply.”

Passengers can look forward to the Atrium Infill’s completion — and more room to roam — in 2026.

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Austin, TX

Austin activists hold anti-ICE protests following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis

Published

4 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Austin activists hold anti-ICE protests following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis

Chants of “shame” and “ICE out of Texas” rang through the street as Austin-area activists joined thousands across the nation in protesting the killing of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot Wednesday by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

The protest was held in front of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville.

Good, 37, was shot in her SUV while attempting to drive away from several ICE officers who ordered her to exit her vehicle.

Scarleth Lopez with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the organization that led the protest, said the videos of the shooting in Minneapolis were “sickening.”

“Trump has lied and and said that Renee was a terrorist. She was a mother. She was an innocent bystander,” Lopez said. “We must organize to stop these people from kidnapping and murdering.”

Lorianne Willett

KUT News

Spray painted messages appeared outside of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville

Elizabeth Bope, a retired Pflugerville ISD teacher, said the claims from federal and state lawmakers that Good was attempting to strike the ICE agent with her vehicle inspired her to attend the protest.

Such claims were posted online by Vice President J.D. Vance and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Attorney General Ken Paxton reposted a statement from DHS on X, formerly known as Twitter, that said the ICE agent “relied on his training and saved his own life.”

“It’s beyond really any words that they killed this woman for no reason, but also that they’re lying about it,” Bope said. “I’m not even a radical left person, I’m just a regular old Democrat.”

Other key Texas leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have not commented on the shooting.

A group of protesters holding yellow signs reading "ICE Out of our Communities" gather during a night time protest. — Protesters gathered and held signs during a protest against ICE.

Doug Tickner, who said he works for a home building company in Austin, said he felt it was important to show up in person for Good.

“I don’t really think of Minneapolis as being that far from here, and it’s not like what happened in Minneapolis was some sort of one off unique event,” Tickner said. “This is part of a pattern, and I feel folks better wake up and realize that this is becoming more and more serious.”

The news that federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people in Portland, Oregon, broke hours before the protest.

The gathering in Pflugerville is among the first of four anti-ICE demonstrations planned across the Austin area over the next few days.

Earlier on Thursday, protesters gathered at the intersection of 45th Street and Lamar Boulevard during rush hour. A protest on Friday will be held at the Capitol and another will be held Saturday at City Hall.

Protesters bang on the outside of a building built of metal. — Protesters bang on the outside of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville.

State and federal leaders are now sparring over who should conduct an investigation into the Minneapolis shooting, according to NPR.

Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which was originally asked to conduct a joint investigation with the FBI, said in a statement it was later told the investigation would be led solely by federal authorities.

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Austin, TX

Flesh-eating screwworm may be moving closer to Texas on its own, ag commissioner says

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Flesh-eating screwworm may be moving closer to Texas on its own, ag commissioner says

article

AUSTIN, Texas – A Texas agency is concerned that the flesh-eating New World screwworm could be getting closer to Texas without commercial livestock movement.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is sounding the alarm again for livestock owners to remain vigilant in watching for signs of the parasite in their animals.

Screwworm sighting near Texas

The latest:

Miller said in a Thursday release that a screwworm had been detected in a cow in González, Tamaulipas, a little more than 200 miles from the southern Texas border.

According to the commissioner, the cow had no reported history of movement outside Tamaulipas, and is the third active case reported there.

Officials in Mexico have not reported a known population of the worm in Tamaulipas. They’re working with U.S. authorities to investigate further into the new case.

What they’re saying:

“The screwworm now may be moving closer on its own, with no apparent link to commercial animal movement,” Commissioner Miller said. “Texas producers must act now—stay informed, stay vigilant, and prepare immediately. We cannot drop our guard for even a moment.”

Inspect livestock for screwworm

What you can do:

Miller urged immediate action from ranchers along the Texas border.

“Inspect your animals daily,” Miller said. “Check every open wound. If anything looks suspicious, report it right away. Better a false alarm than a delayed response—early detection and rapid reporting are our strongest defenses against this devastating pest.”

U.S. plan to fight screwworm in Texas

Big picture view:

The threat to cattle has been deemed so potentially devastating to the U.S. food supply that the federal government is committing $850 million to fight it.

Most of that money will be spent on building a sterile male fly production facility near the border.

The facility will produce 300 million sterile male flies a week to be dropped into target areas where the screwworm is now. Those male flies help to reduce the population size through mating without reproducing.

A much smaller portion of the funding will be used for screwworm detection technology.

In addition, the federal government has already spent $21 million on a sterile fly production facility in Mexico.

What are New World screwworms?

Dig deeper:

The insect gets its name because it’s only found in the Americas.

It lays its eggs in the open wounds of animals, and its larvae become parasites, threatening livestock, domestic animals, and even people.

The screwworm was mostly eradicated in Texas and the rest of the United States in the 60s. But now, it’s moving north up from Panama and has a known presence a little over 300 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border.

The Source: Information in this article comes from Sid Miller.

Texas

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Austin, TX

LD Systems expands Texas Footprint with Austin Location and welcomes ILIOS Productions — TPi

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

LD Systems expands Texas Footprint with Austin Location and welcomes ILIOS Productions — TPi

For over two decades, ILIOS Productions has been a key part of the live events community in Austin, TX, transforming spaces and audience experiences with a vast range of lighting and video design, as well as event production services across a diverse client portfolio. Now, with the backing of parent company Clair Global, LD Systems, a Houston-based premier provider of audio, video, and lighting for event production and installed technology solutions, is welcoming ILIOS Productions to the team, marking the group’s fourth location in Texas. ILIOS Productions will now operate under the LD Systems brand.

LD Systems will further resource ILIOS’ existing Austin operation to include additional services such as audio and rigging for live events, as well as integration solutions and services. This addition helps round out LD Systems’ ability to locally serve major metropolitan areas across Texas, including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Austin and reflects Clair Global’s continued focus on offering global resources while maintaining strong local-market expertise and responsiveness.

ILIOS Productions’ experience spans the concert and festival sector, corporate and activations, and high-end private, philanthropic and charitable events. The company’s commitment to critical event delivery has established trust with major brands including Lollapalooza, SXSW, Austin City Limits, Google, YouTube, the University of Texas System and many more.

Founder, President & Sr Ops Manager of ILIOS Productions, Bryan Azar, said: “After many years of working alongside LD Systems in Austin and beyond, we are delighted to be joining their world-class organisation. This is an exciting new chapter for a bolder future together.”

Zach Boswell, General Manager, ILIOS Productions, added: “We are passionate about the work we do, and the community and business culture found at LD Systems is the ideal next step for our dedicated employees to progress as a united workforce.“

LD Systems co-founder and President, Rob McKinley commented: “We are delighted to amplify our service offerings in Austin with the addition of Bryan and his exceptional team of technology professionals. They have made a significant difference to many Texans with the work they undertake, and LD Systems is proud to welcome both their talent and ethos to the company.”

Building on this momentum, LD Systems also announced plans to expand its San Antonio facility into a new location in January 2026. Together with the addition of ILIOS Productions in Austin, this investment reinforces the organisation’s long-term investment in Texas and its dedication to meeting growing client demand with enhanced capacity and infrastructure.

www.ldsystems.com

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