Austin, TX

Texas Rattlers had ‘extra motivation’ in win over Austin Gamblers following Oleson’s fall

Published

2 years ago

August 25, 2024

Press Room

Texas Rattlers had ‘extra motivation’ in win over Austin Gamblers following Oleson’s fall

Alex Lowe
| Special to Austin American-Statesman

What a difference a year makes.

The Austin Gamblers continued their midseason swoon, losing 174.25-0 to the Texas Rattlers on night two of Gambler Days weekend Saturday at the Moody Center in Austin. Queensland, Australian native Brady Fielder led off by scoring 88 points aboard Miller Time.

“I’m really happy with my ride tonight,” Fielder said. “I got a great bull in Miller Time. I felt like he tried me on. I’m just thankful I got the job done.

“Being in this spot after winning the championship is an unfamiliar spot for us. We just have to come together as a team, and I think we are doing that. We’re getting better and better each time. A win like this can build confidence, I suppose, and make you better heading into the next one.”

It was all the Fort Worth-based Rattlers would need as the Gamblers’ struggles to produce points continued. The Gamblers could not produce a qualified ride in five chances, six when counting Jose Vitor Leme’s re-ride attempt, extending a streak of nine consecutive efforts without points. The Rattlers applied pressure when Claudio Montaha Jr. scored 86.25 points aboard Off The Tracks giving Texas 1 174.25-0 lead with just two riders remaining for the Gamblers.

No. 4 rider Lucas Divino came ever so close to getting the Gamblers on the scoreboard. He appeared to successfully ride Hoobastank, but Rattlers coach Cody Lambert challenged the ride and after review, Divino was found to have slapped the bull with his free hand, resulting in a no score.

“I thought I had a good ride,” Divino said afterward. “I didn’t know that I had touched him. I didn’t feel it.”

Even Leme, the star rider, failed to score for Austin. He was unable to cover aboard Homeboy, then when granted a re-ride the two-time league MVP failed to cover again. The match was billed as a battle for bragging rights in the Lone Star State between the defending league champ Rattlers and the two-time regular season champion Gamblers.

In reality, it was a battle between two struggling teams, each hoping to gain some momentum for a stretch run. The Rattlers may have had extra motivation after a scary injury to rider Brady Oleson.

Oleson a night earlier was thrown from Fast Flow. He was taken from the arena via stretcher and spent the night in a hospital.

“It gives you some extra motivation, I think,” Fielder said. “To see a teammate take a fall like that and come out for tonight’s match a man down, I think that is in the back of your mind a bit. It makes you want to perform all the better.”

The Rattlers improved to 5-8 on the season. The Gamblers, after having won four in a row, dropped their fourth straight and now stand at 6-7 on the year. They will try to rebound Sunday against the Missouri Thunder.

Saturday’s action started off with a matchup between the top two teams in the league. The undefeated Carolina Cowboys, whose streak of 11 games without a loss was a PBR record, were challenged by the second pace Kansas City Outlaws.

It was no contest. The Outlaws dominated and put an end to the Cowboy win streak with a 264.75-89.5 victory.

Qualified rides came from leadoff rider Sandro Batista (88.5 points) atop Shameless and Heitor Goiano (88.25 points) aboard Modified Ride. Carolina answered when Daylon Swearingen earned 89.5 points for covering Mr. Right Now. But Outlaw closer, Cassio Dias — one of the best in the business — put it out of reach with an 88-point ride atop Powerstroke.

Dias would prove to be the star of Saturday, capping the night with a win in the individual shootout (77 points riding Do Dat Eddie). The win moved Kansas City to 9-4 on the year while Carolina remains in first place at 10-1-1.

The Friday night darling New York Mavericks took on fellow expansion team the Oklahoma Wildcatters in the second game of the evening. The Mavericks took the early lead when Leonardo Castro successfully rode Don’t Come Easy for 86 points.

Former Gambler Cort McFadden closed the gap for Oklahoma when he posted a score of 85.75 atop Hunting Trip. But Oklahoma closer Josh Frost came up short, lasting just 7.46 seconds aboard Bandito Bug, clinching the win for the Mavericks.

New York’s closer Mauricio Gulla Moreira then added 88 points by successfully making the eight atop Body Roc for a 174-85.75 victory. The win was the sixth in their last nine games for the Mavericks, who started the year 0-4. They now stand at 6-7. Missouri slides back to 6-7.

The Missouri Thunder bested the Nashville Stampede 174.5-173.5. The two teams started out like gangbusters with three straight qualified rides to begin the game. Cody Jesus (89.50 on Jam Jam) and Alan de Souza (84 points atop Hard Candy) produced the points early for Nashville. Andrew Alvidrez (88.25 points on Whiplash) got the Thunder off to a good start.

Then the bulls took over, bucking six straight riders and putting the game in the hands of Missouri closer Paulo Eduardo Rossetto. Needing 85.5 points for the win, Rossetto came through with a qualified ride aboard Sweet John, good for 86.5 points and the win. Missouri improved to 6-7. The 2022 champion Nashville Stampede fell to 7-7.

Gambler Days weekend concludes Sunday with full slate of games at the Moody Center.

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Austin, TX

Austin Police Department updates procedures after controversial deportation

Published

37 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Austin Police Department updates procedures after controversial deportation

AUSTIN, Texas — An update to the Austin Police Department’s (APD) procedures outlines that officers are not required to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when a person is found to have an ICE administrative warrant if they have no other arrestable charge.

The update follows a controversial deportation from January, when a woman’s disturbance call to APD led to her detainment, alongside her 5-year-old child, who is a U.S. citizen.

The incident led to questions from the community regarding the way APD is supposed to interact with ICE.

In a March 4 memo, APD Police Chief Lisa Davis said that the directives provided by ICE administrative warrants could be confusing in their wording.

According to Davis, officers have not historically regularly encountered administrative warrants while using the National Crime Information Center database, which is used to conduct identity checks. However, in 2025, federal agencies began entering a large volume of administrative warrants into the system.

According to the memo, administrative warrants are formatted in a way that looks similar to criminal warrants in the system.

The APD General Orders have been updated to clearly define the difference between criminal warrants and ICE administrative warrants, as well as specific instructions for how ICE administrative warrants should be handled moving forward.

“APD recognizes the sensitivity of this issue, not only within our city but across the nation. These policies were updated to provide clarity to our officers, ensure compliance with state law, and maintain officer discretion guided by supervisory oversight and operational consideration,” Davis said in the memo.

The updated procedures instruct officers to contact their supervisor when a person is found to have only an ICE administrative warrant, but no other arrestable criminal charge. From there, the officer or their supervisor may contact ICE, but is not required to.

“Austin Police and City of Austin leadership share a paramount goal for Austin to be a safe city for everyone who lives, works, or visits here,” Davis said in the memo. “We particularly want to ensure that anyone who witnesses or is the victim of a crime feels secure in contacting the police for help.”

According to the memo, the entire APD staff will be required to complete new training regarding these updates.

“In concert with the policy updates, APD is launching a public webpage to help people understand their rights and provide links to resources available from the City of Austin and community organizations, such as Know Your Rights training,” Davis said in the memo. “The webpage will also include information on the option of using APD Victim Services as an alternative to calling 9-1-1, when appropriate, and links to all general orders and policies related to immigration.”

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Austin, TX

Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

Published

13 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Texas Plans Second Execution of the Year

Cedric Ricks spoke in his own defense at his 2013 murder trial, something most defendants accused of a terrible crime do not do. Ricks confessed that he had killed his girlfriend, Roxann Sanchez, and her 8-year-old son. He admitted he was aggressive and had trouble controlling his anger, stating that he was “sorry about everything.” […]

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Austin, TX

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.

“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:

Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
Take a shower before going to bed.
Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
Vacuum and sweep regularly.
Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Clean out the vents in your home.
Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.

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