Austin, TX

Texas version of DOGE got to work at Capitol

Published

1 year ago

March 5, 2025

Texas version of DOGE got to work at Capitol

Texas DOGE committee got to work

The Texas version of DOGE got to work on Wednesday. The Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency was created by House Speaker Dustin Burrows. It is modeled after the controversial federal team led by Elon Musk.

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas version of DOGE got to work on Wednesday. The Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency was created by House Speaker Dustin Burrows.

It is modeled after the controversial federal team led by Elon Musk.

What is the Texas DOGE program?

What they’re saying:

The House Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency (DOGE) got underway Wednesday with a promise from Committee Chairman Giovanni Capriglione.

“For too long, government inefficiency has been tolerated, accepted and ignored. That ends now,” said Chairman Capriglione (R) Southlake.

This Texas twist on the federal DOGE program is similar in name to the one led by Elon Musk. But the chairman denied it was a political copycat.

“This is going to be different. This is, as I say, everything in Texas, a little bit bigger and a little bit better. And that’s what we’ll be doing here in this committee will be looking at using scalpels, and we’ll also be able to look at sledgehammers,” said Chairman Capriglione.

Chairman Capriglione was asked if there is waste in the Texas government. Did he think the state has been mismanaged for the past 20 years by Republican leaders?

“It hasn’t, but we only meet every two years. So, this is an opportunity for us to go and look at what’s been done over the last two years and possibly longer,” said Chairman Capriglione.

Dig deeper:

The committee’s initial focus on Wednesday was on the state’s IT department, the newly formed Space Commission, and even the Sunset Advisory Commission.

Committee member Tony Tinderholt (R) Arlington asked the Executive Director of the Sunset Advisory Commission, Eric Beverly, how often the organization determines that an agency should be eliminated.

“I can tell you that we have just, in the last 12 years, recommended abolishing eight different agencies,” said Beverly.

Most state agencies not only go through a Sunset review, all go through a review during the Legislative Budget process. Despite that, Chairman Capriglione does not believe his committee is redundant.

“You always need an independent a third party, if you will, to go and look at what’s been done and what’s going on. And that’s what this committee is going to do,” said Chairman Capriglione.

During the hearing, committee member Ana-Maria Rodriguez Ramos indicated House Democrats will embrace being part of the Texas DOGE.

“I would love to learn more about exploring waste, fraud, and abuse under Operation Lonestar and I hope that, you know, our legislature would really be committed to transparency there, knowing how much we’ve spent billions and billions over the past few years,” said Rep. Rodriguez Ramos (D) Richardson.

The Texas DOGE committee will not issue pink slips. But members are expected to make recommendations about staffing and file legislative reforms that could reassign staff.

“We’re going to go and point out wherever we see inefficiencies. Right. And so, obviously, that goes to each individual agency to decide. But we already have bills that are coming to our committee that are going to talk about how to make sure that what people want and the services they need align with the resources that we’re putting into it,” said Chairman Capriglione.

Local perspective:

There is the potential for scoring political points beyond Operation Lone Star, according to Brian Smith with St. Edwards University.

“Democrats might be able to make something of this,” said Smith.

High-profile cuts, according to Smith, may be more difficult to accomplish.

“Everybody’s going to justify their program under the Dome as being very efficient,” said Smith.

Smith also noted that Texas runs a lean budget unlike the federal budget. Chairman Capriglione is confident reforms can be made.

“The goal of this is to make sure that the government’s working for the taxpayers, not the other way around,” said Chairman Capriglione.

What’s next:

The state has almost 270,000 different rules and regulations on the books.

Based on the hearing on Wednesday, it appears the committee’s initial focus may be on that, as well as contracts and property management, rather than the state workforce.

The Source: Information from the Texas legislative session

Texas PoliticsAustin

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Austin, TX

Texas’ Gorgeous State Park Northwest Of Austin Is A Rustic Haven With Caves And A Stunning Waterfall – Islands

Published

12 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Texas’ Gorgeous State Park Northwest Of Austin Is A Rustic Haven With Caves And A Stunning Waterfall – Islands

Billy McDonald/Shutterstock

The landscapes around Austin are a natural wonderland for outdoor adventures, from diving into pristine swimming holes to kayaking on the beautiful lakes of the Texas Hill Country. But one destination northwest of the city is a particularly gorgeous escape. Colorado Bend State Park, about two hours away by car, is home to ethereal caves and a 70-foot spring-fed waterfall.

The 5,300-acre park has 35 miles of hiking trails, including one that leads to the park’s most famous feature, Gorman Falls. The rugged 3-mile round-trip hike is considered moderately challenging to difficult, with steep, rocky sections, slippery areas, and little shade from the sun. The trek is worth it for the chance to view the cascades, towering high above the river and fed by a mineral-rich spring. “The falls were beautiful, natural, and peaceful!” said one hiker on AllTrails. If you’re interested in other nearby adventures, be sure to check out all the breathtaking waterfall destinations tourists can find in Austin.

Sometimes the water at Gorman Falls is rushing, and other times the waterfalls are quieter, according to traveler reviews. “This is a beautiful trickling fall that is right out of a storybook about fairies,” said one review on Google. Many agreed that the hike itself isn’t easy. “Very rocky and challenging but worth the effort,” commented another. Several people mentioned that the trail may not be appropriate for beginners, kids, or dogs, that it gets very busy on weekends, and that it’s important to bring more water than you think you’ll need.

Plan an escape to Colorado Bend State Park

Gorman Falls Trail and the Colorado River at Colorado Bend State Park

David Wayne Radzieta/Shutterstock

Another of the park’s key attractions is its system of underground caves, which visitors can explore on a guided tour with Nichols Outdoor Adventures. The intermediate-level Adventure Tour ($25 per person), billed as “an introduction to what Texas caving is all about,” is a 1.5-hour excursion that takes participants deep underground to crawl through cavernous passageways. “It was a fabulous experience,” said one recent guest on TripAdvisor. “[The guide] did a great job of explaining the topography, how the caves were formed, and answering any and all questions throughout the tour.” The activity is only for travelers ages 8 and up, and though long pants, headlamps, and closed-toe shoes are required, helmets and knee pads are provided. You can book your tour online.

Whether you’re touring the caves or hiking to waterfalls, you’ll need to pay a day-use fee ($5 per person) to access Colorado Bend State Park. It’s smart to reserve your pass online, since the park has a limited capacity and often fills up. If you’re hoping to camp in the park, you’ll want to make arrangements even further in advance. Simple campsites (without hookups) start at $10 per night, while larger group sites start at around $35.

Colorado Bend State Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s less than a two-hour drive from Austin’s international airport. If you love Colorado Bend, consider a detour to the secluded Inks Lake State Park, an idyllic getaway with shady trails and peaceful waters.

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Austin, TX

Sunday storms expected in Austin. Here’s how long rough weather could last.

Published

24 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Sunday storms expected in Austin. Here’s how long rough weather could last.

While we saw severe weather across parts of the state on Saturday, the bulk of the action happened in North Texas but don’t let your guard down yet. That system will influence our weather in Central Texas throughout much of next week, bringing daily chances for rain and thunderstorms.

Saturday’s cold front has stalled across South Texas, and the next weather feature to watch is a closed system of low atmospheric pressure lingering near the Baja California coast. That system will send several atmospheric disturbances into Texas that will keep rain chances high across the region.

Overcast skies, spotty showers, light north winds, and cooler temperatures will welcome us Sunday morning. Temperatures will be in the middle and upper 50s through mid-morning and then climb about 10 to 15 degrees by the afternoon. Afternoon temperatures will remain closer to climatological normals for early March, in the upper 60s and low 70s.

While we do expect to see some thunderstorms across the region at times on Sunday, severe weather is not on the menu. Rain chances are about 50% with rainfall totals between a half-inch to an inch.

The comfortable temperatures and north winds will not hang around long once low pressure develops to our north and opens the door to winds from a more southerly direction by Monday. We’ll have a small rain chance, about 30% to 40%, on Monday with a few afternoon thunderstorms possible. Temperatures will be warm, though, with the morning near 60s degrees and the afternoon reaching the low 80s.

Rain chances look to ramp up again from Tuesday through Thursday with the potential for some strong and severe thunderstorms.

“For now, it looks like late Tuesday into Wednesday will be favored as a closed low (pressure system) moves across West Texas into Central Texas,” the National Weather Service wrote in a forecast bulletin. “We will likely see some changes in the path of this upper low, but the current latitude looks favorable for a line of convection (storm activity) along a Pacific cold front to accompany the passage of this system.”

“The latest guidance shows a 60 to 90% chance of at least 1 inch of rain for most of our area with a 40 to 60% chance of at least 2 inches for areas north of I-10,” the weather service said. “There is a potential for multiple inches across some areas.”

Once this storm heads east by Thursday afternoon, cooler and drier weather will filter in with temperatures closer to our March normals of 50 degrees and 71 degrees.

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Austin, TX

Austin weather: Cold front, storm risk to roll in mid-afternoon

Published

2 days ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Austin weather: Cold front, storm risk to roll in mid-afternoon

AUSTIN, Texas – It’s cold front day and storm day! The front is slowing down and not entering Central Texas until the afternoon during the warmest part of the day.

Austin weather risk

This will make the atmosphere unstable and more likely to generate isolated severe storms. The main concern will be with 1 to 2″ diameter hail.

Also a high risk of lightning and moderate chance of heavy rain with the highest flood threat staying in East Texas. Damaging wind and tornado risk remains very low. The first round of storms will happen by early to mid afternoon.

Risk for Saturday night

The second round will occur late tonight and into early Sunday. For now, a half to one inch of rain is likely for much of the area, with isolated spots getting over an inch.