Austin, TX
Weekend Events to Impact Austin Traffic
A couple of events could change how Austin residents move around this weekend. Here’s what drivers need to know in order to plan ahead.
The city of Austin’s Transportation and Public Works department alerted residents to the upcoming events on Friday.
Cupid’s Undie Run
The first event is the Cupid’s Undie Run on Saturday, Feb. 21. And it’s exactly what the name would indicate: Participants nationwide get together to run a mile in their underwear for charity. The cause is raising funds to study the group of genetic conditions known as NF.
A chunk of West Avenue from 6th to 9th streets will be closed from noon until 3 p.m. Be advised that neighborhood parking restrictions will be in full effect (not to mention actively enforced) during this time. So plan ahead and use Capital Metro or the parking garage at City Hall.
Austin FC vs Minnesota
The second event that will impact traffic on Saturday is the Austin FC vs Minnesota game at Q2 Stadium from 7:30-10:30 p.m. in North Austin. The area is accessible by Capital Metro’s McKalla Station rail station and bus service as well as MetroAccess. Visitors can also use walking routes, bicycles and micromobility devices, and rideshare.
ATX Open
And, finally, women’s-only tour-level tennis tournament ATX Open kicks off on Saturday and will run through March 1. The event will close West 35th Street from Mount Bonnell west to the end of the road through March 1. Additionally, the event will close Mayfield Park until March 1.
When it comes to alternative transportation, the city recommends Capital Metro, bicycling, taking a rideshare or a scooter, or even taking one of the city’s many trails.
Austin, TX
Judge Albright, who oversaw patent litigation boom in Texas, to resign
Austin, TX
Appeals court rules Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in class
DALLAS (AP) — Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools.
WATCH: Texas school board approves new course material that includes Bible passages
It sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said in the decision that the law did not violate the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom and prevents the government from establishing a religion.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, called the ruling “a major victory for Texas and our moral values.”
“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,” Paxton said.
Organizations representing the families who challenged the law, including the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement that they were “extremely disappointed” by the decision.
“The court’s ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court authority. The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights,” the statement said.
The law is among the pushes by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to incorporate religion into public schools. Critics say it violates the separation of church and state while backers argue that the Ten Commandments are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law.
The ruling, which reverses a district court’s judgment, comes after the full court heard arguments in January in the Texas case and a similar case in Louisiana. The appeals court in February cleared the way for Louisiana’s law, requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 12-6 to lift a block that a lower court first placed on the law in 2024.
Texas law took effect on Sept. 1, marking the largest attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. About two dozen school districts had been barred from posting them after federal judges issued injunctions in two cases against the law but went up in many classrooms across the state as districts paid to have the posters printed themselves or accepted donations.
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Austin, TX
Texas DMV launches authorization system for automated commercial vehicles
Waymo self-driving car navigating city traffic, San Francisco, California, August 20, 2024. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is launching a new authorization system for companies looking to operate automated motor vehicles.
A new goes into effect next month that requires companies using automated vehicles to be authorized by TxDMV with the following requirements:
- Complies with all applicable Texas traffic and motor vehicle laws
- Is equipped with a recording device
- Uses an automated driving system that complies with federal law
- Can achieve minimal risk condition in the event of a system failure
- Has a proper title and registration
- Maintains motor vehicle insurance
The process allows companies to submit their applications online through the Texas Motor Carrier Credentialing System.
The new laws outlined in Senate Bill 2807 go into effect on May 28.
Automated vehicles in Texas
The backstory:
Autonomous driving services are already operating in major Texas cities. Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio are all serviced by the driverless ride-share company Waymo.
In Austin, the service has received dozens of complaints about vehicles stalling, speeding and crashing.
There have also been complaints of vehicles illegally passing school buses.
In March, Swedish company Einride announced plans to bring autonomous freight trucks to Central Texas.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and previous FOX Local reporting.
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