Connect with us

Austin, TX

Texas Senate narrowly confirms formerly indicted Austin cop to police watchdog agency

Published

on

Texas Senate narrowly confirms formerly indicted Austin cop to police watchdog agency



The vote is a show of strength for Texas Republican leadership after several members of the Senate Democratic Caucus sought to block Justin Berry’s nomination.

play

With one Democrat giving Republicans the margin they needed to advance a controversial nomination, the Texas Senate narrowly confirmed the appointment of a previously indicted Austin law enforcement officer to the state agency that governs police conduct in Texas.

Just reaching the two-thirds threshold, the 21-10 Senate vote Wednesday evening was a show of strength for Texas Republican leadership after Democrat Caucus members in the upper chamber sought to block Justin Berry’s nomination to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, the state regulatory agency that sets standards for peace officers. Berry, an active-duty Austin Police Department senior patrol officer, was indicted alongside several colleagues in 2022 for shooting less-lethal munitions at racial justice protesters in 2020. The charges were later dropped.

State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa of McAllen was the sole Democratic senator to vote for Berry’s appointment.

Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock said the police union “wholeheartedly supports Officer Berry’s nomination to TCOLE,” sending records of Berry’s commendations and performance evaluations to back up his support of the “dedicated” officer.

“He has led community policing efforts, built relationships, and helped his fellow officers all across the state in times of need,” Bullock wrote in an email to the American-Statesman on Wednesday.

Advertisement

But several lawmakers felt Berry’s actions during the social justice protests nearly five years ago were too damning. During the Senate floor debate before the vote, Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, warned that Gov. Greg Abbott’s choice to tap Berry for the commission is “evidence of a growing intolerance to dissent” in state government.

“The symbolism of Officer Berry’s nomination is unmistakable. Of the more than 8,000 peace officers in Texas, the governor chooses Officer Berry not in spite of the fact that he shot into protesters, but because he shot protesters,” Eckhardt said.

The senator invoked Abbott’s recent pardon of Officer Daniel Perry, who was convicted of murdering Austin racial justice protester Garrett Foster in 2020, and his support of Kyle Rittenhouse as similarly symbolic. She also cited several other allegations of excessive use of force or misconduct against Berry as reasons why another candidate would have been better suited for the role. Ultimately, Berry’s charges were dropped.

Sen. Borris Miles, a Houston Democrat and former police officer, drew on his commonalities with Berry to explain his opposition to the cop’s appointment.

Advertisement

“We all took an oath to protect the welfare of our citizens,” Miles said on the Senate floor. “I cannot, in good conscience, support the appointment of Justin Berry to the commission … whose motto is ‘ethical law enforcement’ when he has been shown to be unethical.”

‘A political victory’

A Travis County grand jury indicted Berry in February 2022 for aggravated assault against racial justice protesters. The investigation determined that either Berry or one other officer shot a demonstrator in the face with a less-lethal munition, fracturing her jaw. The protester, wildlife biologist Christen Warkoczewski, later won $850,000 in a settlement with the city of Austin.

In 2023, Austin district attorney Jose Garza dropped the charges against Berry and 18 other officers who were indicted over their conduct during the May 2020 protests. Bullock, the Austin police union president, said the dismissal should have taken Berry’s indictment off the table when considering his confirmation.

“The fact that an incident investigated by the Austin Police Department and the Travis County District Attorney, where both said no policy or law was violated, is now being used against him for political purposes is alarming and disappointing,” Bullock said.

Advertisement

No Republicans gave remarks on Berry’s confirmation during the debate. Hinojosa, the lone Democratic senator to vote for Berry, did not respond to the Statesman’s requests for comment Wednesday but told the Texas Tribune that he felt voting against Berry’s confirmation would make him a “scapegoat” for the officer’s superiors’ failures. An attorney for eight of the indicted officers, Ken Ervin, told the Statesman in 2022 that the order to use beanbag munitions came from “the highest levels of APD command.”

“I didn’t feel there was any criminal behavior that would rise to the level of rejecting his nomination,” Hinojosa told the Tribune.

Berry has already served on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for nearly two years but had avoided confirmation until Wednesday. Abbott first appointed him in September 2022, while the officer was still under indictment, but Berry resigned in May 2023 after senators signaled he would not be confirmed before a deadline. 

Berry — who has unsuccessfully run as a Republican candidate in two Texas House primary races — then served 14 more months as a TCOLE commissioner after Abbott reappointed him in January 2024. The officer’s term is set to end in August 2027.

Wednesday’s debate touched on held-over tension over Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s decision to deny Democrats’ request to question Berry during a Nominations Committee hearing, a move that Eckhardt said was unprecedented as far as she knew.

Advertisement

“Minority senators should have the same rights and rules as majority senators,” Eckhardt told her colleagues on the floor Wednesday.

While the Austin Democrat’s effort to block the nomination did not succeed, Eckhardt can still “claim this as a political victory,” said Brian Smith, a professor of political science at St. Edward’s University who specializes in Texas politics.

“If you’re in the minority party … you’re not going to win a lot of legislation, but you want to make sure that the other party is going to have to be held accountable for their vote,” Smith said in a phone interview with the Statesman.

Wednesday’s vote also reflected a decision on the part of lawmakers about whether this was a “hill worth dying on,” Smith said.

“Democrats have to look and say, ‘Is there something that I’m going to want later in the session where I’m going to need Republican support?’” Smith said. “It’s a very important position, but it’s not a very visible position.”

Advertisement

Berry did not immediately respond to the Statesman’s request for comment.



Source link

Austin, TX

Texas’ Fastest-Growing City Is An Austin Suburb With Shops, Classic Barbecue, And Ample Outdoor Adventure – Islands

Published

on

Texas’ Fastest-Growing City Is An Austin Suburb With Shops, Classic Barbecue, And Ample Outdoor Adventure – Islands






If it seems to Austinites like their city keeps growing year by year, they’re not wrong. Barring a minor dip from 2019 to 2020, the Texas capital not only continues to keep it weird, but also attracts more people day by day — especially from California. New residents join the nearly 2.5 million Texans within the Austin metro area (as of 2023) in enjoying Austin staple Torchy’s Tacos, pronouncing the neighborhood of Manchaca as MAN-shack, and taking a dip in Barton Springs in Zilker Park. And while the Austin metro area now spans past Round Rock in the north and the food-and-booze-infused San Marcos to the south, another Austin suburb is growing even faster than its parent city: Leander, along Route 183 about half an hour from downtown Austin.

A mere 7,600 people called little Leander home in 2000. In 2025, that number has exploded to nearly 93,000. Much of this completely bananas population growth can be attributed to the obvious, namely, Leander’s proximity to Austin. Owning a home in Austin is more expensive, making Leander an attractive alternative.

Advertisement

But Leander’s got a lot going for it, aside from cheaper prices. Though definitely a spread-out, decentralized suburb, Leander still has some of the same top-notch Texas barbecue places that folks can expect from Austin or anywhere else in the Lone Star State, some of which live along the gloriously-named Hero Way. Leander’s also got its fair share of independent boutiques that have absorbed some of Austin’s nearby quirk, like Wildfire Artisans, which operates out of an old train car. Then there’s Leander’s natural spaces, which are possibly its standout attraction. From the sprawling Garey Park to the picnic-perfect Devine Lake Park, Leander’s got no shortage of outdoor activities at the ready.

Dig into Leander’s extensive barbecue and shopping options

Any Texan or would-be Texan worth their salt — or sauce — will die on the hill of Texas barbecue being the greatest of barbecues. Super slow-cooked and juicy brisket stands at the forefront of Texas barbecue offerings, and a Leander barbecue joint like Stubblefield’s is no exception. Located right off Route 183, which runs all the way down the length of Leander, Stubblefield’s has a near-5.0 rating on Google. In a place like Texas, this is quite the high bar. And because we’re living near food truck heaven in Austin — a city with over 2,000 food trucks (although Hawaii takes the food truck crown) — Stubblefield’s is, naturally, a truck.

Stubblefield is also just five minutes away from two more barbecue places, Smoky Mo’s BBQ and Blue Corn Harvest Bar and Grill, on the aforementioned Hero Way. This is all on the north side of Leander, by the way. The south side has a similar barbecue strip along Whitestone Boulevard with four more barbecue places right in a row. One of them is even another Smoky Mo’s.

Advertisement

After swelling up with so much meat, why not poke around some of Leander’s quirky, cool, rustic, and sometimes twee shops? Leander Marketplace sits at the top of the list, an antiques-meets-oddball-goods flea market only open on the first Saturday of the month. It makes a perfect pair with the Hill Country Community Ministries Thrift Store, a short six-minute drive away. The women-focused boutique Turquoise Peacock Boutique, meanwhile, offers some beautiful, curated goods for customers, while The Hobby Shop is basically a brain-melting dream for any fan of high-quality model cars.

Explore Leander’s copious natural spaces

Leander is so festooned with natural spaces of all sizes and types that it’s almost more accurate to think of the city as Texan countryside with human habitation sprinkling within it. This is where we see the additional benefit of choosing to live in Leander rather than Austin, one enjoyed by its massive influx of residents. For potential residents who don’t mind the daily trade-off of city culture for nature (but keeping the barbecue and some of the shops, mind you), Leander is for you. And for travelers wanting a break from cities, but wanting to stay close enough to the city not to get lost in the wilderness, Leander is also for you.

Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most prominent outdoor offerings around Leander, about 30 minutes west of the city. Around 1,000 acres of the 27,000-acre preserve are open to the public, acres that illustrate that Texas’ natural environment is way more complex than mere sand in the desert. Hiking and wildlife watching are the most obvious draws for visitors, as the park is home to 245 bird species (and brought the black-capped vireo back from being endangered). Ranger-led activities are also an option, as is limited hunting with a permit and via lottery.

Advertisement

Folks sticking directly within and around Leander will have no problem finding natural spaces, either. A small spot like Quest Village Park is basically a neighborhood park with a playground suitable for family ventures, dog walking, and so forth. Brushy Creek Lake Park, on the other hand, is a 90-acre, trail-focused, waterside park with a boat launch, exercise area, pavilions with grills, and more. Such options make it clear why Leander continues to grow so rapidly.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Austin, TX

Federal investigators call for stricter enforcement of seatbelt regulations

Published

on

Federal investigators call for stricter enforcement of seatbelt regulations


AUSTIN, Texas — Federal investigators are urging Leander school officials to ensure the proper use of seat belts on school buses following a review of an Aug. 13 school bus crash.

In an “urgent report” issued Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board found few students were wearing seatbelts despite the bus being equipped with passenger lap and shoulder belts. Investigators concluded the Leander school district “did not take sufficient action to ensure passengers were properly belted.”

The rollover crash occurred when a Leander school district bus veered off the road along Nameless Road near Palomino Drive. 46 elementary and middle school students and one adult were aboard the bus. Following the accident, seventeen people were taken to the hospital, but all were released the next day.

Texas code requires passengers on school buses equipped with seat belts to wear them; however, video footage showed that of 42 visible students, only six were wearing their seat belts, according to investigators.

Advertisement

The section of Nameless Road where the bus crashed is curved, and weather conditions at the time were rainy; however, investigators said the bus left the road “for an unknown reason,” according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Students who were unbelted or wore only the lap portion of a seat belt were more susceptible to injuries than those who wore a seat belt across their lap, the report said.

Investigators urged Leander schools to implement enforceable policies and procedures to ensure proper seat belt usage by every student and driver on a school bus equipped with seat belts. The report recommended mandatory driver instructions and routine audits to ensure passengers are properly wearing seat belts.

In a statement to families, Tracie Franco, the district’s senior director of transportation services said Leander “appreciate(s) the NTSB’s thorough review, which offers important lessons for school districts nationwide about ensuring consistent seat belt use on school buses,” according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The recommendations follow statewide initiatives to improve student transportation safety.

Advertisement

All Texas buses must carry seat belts, but currently many older buses don’t.

A new law enacted this year, Senate Bill 546, eliminated an exception for buses built before 2018 and required districts to report by the end of the year how many buses they operate or contract lack seat belts, have only two-point seat belts or have three-point seat belts. Districts must also report the cost of transitioning their bus fleets to three-point safety belts, seat belts that cover a rider’s lap and chest.

By Jan. 1, 2027, the Texas Education Agency must outline a report for the cost to equip all state school buses with seat belts.

This conversation follows a deadly bus crash in Bastrop County on March 22, 2024, that left a prekindergarten student and a 33-year-old man dead. The school bus did not have any safety belts.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Austin, TX

UIL bans foreign exchange students from Texas varsity sports

Published

on

UIL bans foreign exchange students from Texas varsity sports


09 May 2014: Spectators assemble during the Texas state UIL meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The University Interscholastic League is making changes to who is eligible to participate in varsity high school athletics.

UIL’s legislative council met Sunday and Monday to discuss rule changes in high school athletics across Texas. Among the changes coming is a ban on foreign exchange students from participating in UIL varsity athletics beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. The change comes in response to concerns about competitive advantage and fairness to Texas student-athletes.

Advertisement

What they’re saying:

“Our Texas kids are not allowed to go to a town, a neighboring town, without moving there and play at the varsity level, but they are allowed to get on a plane and come across to our state and play immediately, taking the place many times of a community kid that has worked hard to get that position on an athletic team,” Dr. Aaron Hood, Robert Lee ISD Superintendent, said.

Advertisement

Some, like Barbers Hill ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Poole, agreed on the decision to ban foreign exchange students from varsity sports, but hopes the measure leads the way to closing open enrollment.

“You can tell teams that have a higher percentage of foreign exchange. You can also tell teams that have a higher percentage of open enrollment athletes,” Poole said. “I understand that’s not politically popular, but I throw it out there for the sake of the coaches that I have that feel like it’s unfair. I guess I would just say I hope we pass this, and I hope it opens the door for other motions.”

The rule only applies to varsity athletics and not other areas that the UIL has policies for, like academics and music.

Advertisement

Other policies passed by UIL

  • The council approved a two-year pilot program to allow optional water polo spring training that begins immediately. The program would allow for 15 practices in a 30-day period after the state swimming championship. The athletic committee said this would allow the sport’s practice time to be more inline with other sports.
  • The pilot status is being removed from a policy that allows coaches to coach up to two players in state association all-star games. The program was given initial approval in 2024 and is being made a rule following two years of positive feedback.
  • An amendment that would require all schools in a competitive district to be included in the district schedule.
  • An amendment that would require all scrimmages for boys and girls soccer to be completed before the “first day for games.”
  • An amendment that would modify the current requirements that a coach must be a full-time employee or a student teacher to allow for student coaches completing field-based coaching hours as part of a university program to volunteer as assistant coaches.

The Standing Committee on Athletics will continue to study some other proposals

  • A proposal to add girls’ flag football
  • A proposal regarding softball and baseball noisemakers
  • A proposal to add an Ambulatory Adaptive Division for UIL Track and Field
  • A proposal to award points for Adaptive Track and Field events at the UIL Trackand Field State Meet.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Oct. 27, 2025, meeting of the UIL Legislative council.

Advertisement

SportsTexas



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending