Austin, TX
Austin ISD proposes $6 million cut to district police, eliminating 40 vacant positions
AUSTIN, Texas — Austin ISD’s newly released budget-cut proposal includes nearly $6 million in reductions to the district’s police department, a move that would eliminate about half of the department’s positions.
The proposal calls for cutting 40 officer positions from an 82-person department. While that number appears significant, the 40 positions listed for elimination were already vacant on paper, according to the proposal. The cuts would save the district a little under $6 million.
The proposed reductions come as Texas law requires an armed security guard on all campuses. The requirement was passed by the state Legislature in 2023 in the wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde. The mandate was described as underfunded, allotting about $21,000 per officer, while school districts say officers cost closer to $60,000 or $70,000 a year.
District releases detailed list of proposed cuts across campuses, programs and staffing
Austin ISD did not respond to questions about what the proposed police budget cuts mean in light of the state law.
During the public meeting last night, Superintendent Matias Segura acknowledged the impact of the district’s budget situation, saying, “I just want to acknowledge the pain that our community, that our staff, that really everybody in the city is feeling as we navigate these very difficult budget challenges and decisions.”
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The police department reductions are part of broader, systemwide cuts under consideration as the district works to address a $181 million budget deficit.
AUSTIN, Texas — THC products in Texas will once again be up for discussion during a hearing from state lawmakers today. The hearing will look at the health and public safety impacts of THC. This is the first step in deciding on potential changes to hemp laws when state lawmakers return to the Capitol in January. Currently, the state’s hemp industry remains in legal limbo. Retailers can legally sell many hemp-derived products, but the rules surrounding smokeable hemp like Delta-8 THC remain tied up in court.
Should Texas pass stricter or looser laws on THC products? ANSWER BELOW and see the results LIVE on CBS Austin This Morning from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the summer solstice in the rearview mirror, we are now losing about 20 – 30 seconds of daylight every day in Central Texas, adding up to around 20 – 30 minutes of daylight loss at the end of the month.
Sunrise in Central Texas on Monday [July 6] was at 6:35 a.m. and sunset is at 8:36 p.m. On July 31st, sunrise will be at 6:49 a.m. and sunset will be at 8:31 p.m.
We’ll continue to slowly lose daylight through the summer months, but accelerates in meteorological fall before the winter solstice on December 21st. So the gradual decline in daylight daily won’t do much to combat the extreme heat in the coming weeks.
At the end of August [31st], sunrise in Central Texas will be at 7:06 a.m. and sunset will be at 8:17 p.m. Cooler days are ahead, but not for a while.
Austin, TX — Dinosaur lovers of all ages can travel back millions of years during Dinosaur Day at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum on Saturday, July 11.
The family-friendly event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features a full day of hands-on activities, opportunities to meet paleontologists and plenty of prehistoric discoveries.
One of the day’s biggest attractions gives visitors the chance to **bring their own fossils** for in-person identification by a paleontologist. Fossil identification sessions will be available from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Guests can also:
Meet paleontologists who study dinosaurs
Participate in family-friendly educational and art activities
Complete a dinosaur-themed scavenger hunt
Attend a special story time for younger visitors
Pick up a free dinosaur poster while supplies last
Explore “Epic Encounters,” the museum’s newly reimagined paleontology gallery
Visit the hands-on Discovery Center
See a 33-foot cast replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton along with a variety of fossil specimens
Save 20% on select dinosaur-themed merchandise in the Museum Store
All Dinosaur Day activities are included with regular museum admission.
The Texas Science & Natural History Museum, located on the University of Texas campus, tells the story of Texas’ natural history—from the formation of the planet and the age of dinosaurs to the state’s modern-day ecosystems.
For more information and ticket details, visit the museum’s event page: https://sciencemuseum.utexas.edu/
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