The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: Sept. 10-16

Pardon His (Racist) French: After Texas Longhorn football’s thrilling come-from-behind win over Ohio State on Saturday, Republican railroad commissioner candidate Bo French launched a flagrantly racist attack on University of Texas students. “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this,” French wrote in response to an image of students of South Asian descent celebrating at DKR stadium. “I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.” Despite an immediate outcry, including from U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and state House Speaker Dustin Burrows, other Republicans were more tepid in their condemnation. Gov. Greg Abbott, limply stating “that is not my message,” has not rescinded his endorsement as of press time, despite French’s well-documented history of racist, antisemitic, and Islamophobic beliefs. 

SCOTUS Nixes Mail-in Voting Plan: On Monday, the Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s request to implement a series of new mail-in voting rules that would have thrown the upcoming midterm elections into more chaos, something Justice Brett Kavanaugh alluded to in a concurring paragraph, noting “state and local election officials do not have sufficient time to reasonably implement the rule before the elections.” Trump’s push to dramatically change mail-in voting rules – despite voting by mail himself – is part of his administration’s ongoing crusade against supposed voter fraud, which critics say is a smoke screen for their true aim of voter suppression. On a related note: Monday, Oct. 5, is the last day to register to vote. Not sure if you’re registered? Or if you’re one of the million Texan voters listed in “suspense” status? Check your registration status at VoteTexas.gov. 

Petition to Avoid Takeover: Austin ISD faces imminent risk of state takeover after North Austin’s Burnet and Webb middle schools received their fifth consecutive F rating in mid-August. But last Wednesday, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson suggested an alternative route: a community petition from Burnet and Webb families addressed to the Texas Education Agency and Commissioner Mike Morath to close the two schools in lieu of a complete takeover of the district. In a Monday letter to families, AISD Superintendent Matias Segura confirmed that the petition is an option Webb and Burnet families have by state law, though it’s unclear to what degree such a petition would sway Morath’s decision about the future of AISD. “Austin ISD will not participate in gathering signatures or advocacy of the petition as we continue our student-focused work and allow impacted families to use their voice without our guidance,” Segura added.

Credit: Getty Images

Taking the Measure of TRUST: A city memo posted Friday provided an inventory of existing surveillance tools used across public safety departments, marking, as the Statesman noted, “the first substantive update from city officials on implementation of the Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology, or TRUST Act, since it was enacted four months ago.” Passed amidst rising pushback against Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers, the TRUST Act requires city departments to compile and submit a complete inventory of surveillance technologies. The memo totaled inventories submitted for Austin Fire (29), Austin Forensic Science (1), Austin Police (89), and Austin-Travis County EMS (7), and noted since adoption of the act, no new surveillance technologies have been submitted by public safety departments.

Report Calls for Foster Care Funding Transparency: A new state report found Texas needs more transparency on foster care spending, according to The Texas Tribune. The 2026 Strategic Fiscal Review identifies the costs of temporary housing for foster children, and how much private contractors spend on foster care services, as areas needing more financial detail. The report comes after the state fired its largest foster care contractor this summer after two children died in its custody. In 2017, the state first started moving foster care services from the Department of Family and Protective Services to private contractors, which aren’t required to report spending.

Second Measles Case in Travis County: Austin Public Health confirmed Travis County’s second measles case of 2026, involving an unvaccinated infant likely exposed while traveling internationally. The child visited Vik Complete Care Lakeway on Sept. 5 and Texas Children’s Pediatrics Hill Country on Sept. 8 while infectious. APH and the clinics are contacting patients who may have been exposed. Measles is highly contagious, spreading through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Up to 9 in 10 unprotected people exposed to the virus can become infected, according to APH. Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, rash, red or watery eyes and a runny nose. Health officials recommend two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, or MMR, as the best protection against the virus. Read more about MMR vaccination rates in Travis County in Erika Gonzalez’s story this week.

Hundreds of Thousands Face Medicaid Delays Statewide: More than 200,000 Texans are waiting for Medicaid approval after new legislation changed eligibility requirements, per The Texas Tribune. Though the state improved its application approval times by the end of 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill’s passage in July 2025 required Medicaid recipients to reapply every six months and prove they were employed, were seeking employment, or participated in volunteering. The efforts were designed to address fraud, which the Health and Human Services Commission found is not widespread. The legislation, along with outdated technology and a lack of permanent staff, caused an application backlog.

Mental Health Funding Boost: On Tuesday, Travis County Commissioners Court approved the 2026-27 budget for Central Health, Travis County’s hospital district, which provides care for low-income residents through such partners as CommUnityCare Health Centers, Sendero Health Plans, and Integral Care. Per Community Impact, the $1.015 billion budget includes $54 million in new mental health investments to strengthen crisis care and community stability through psychiatric emergency and inpatient services, a new mental health crisis care center and sobering center, community-based care, crisis response, and expanded access to medications and treatment. 

A Major Reprieve: A federal judge has temporarily blocked the euthanization of Major, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, while his owner pursues legal avenues, the Statesman reports. The dog, who has been in the city’s custody in isolation since he bit an Austin woman over 500 days ago, has captured Austin animal lovers’ attention; tens of thousands have signed a petition to urge Austin Animal Services to not euthanize Major.  

UT Kicks Off Robot Research: The University of Texas at Austin is launching a $30 million, five-year research project studying how humans and robots interact in real-world settings – dormitories, hospitals, assisted-living facilities, and even cafes, according to KXAN. The National Science Foundation will fund UT’s Center for Human and Robot Co-Adaptation, aimed at integrating robots into human life. Researchers across the Forty Acres and five other universities will team up with industry partners, including NVIDIA, Amazon, and Austin-based company Diligent Robotics, which programs robots to assist hospital staff. So the next time you grab coffee, don’t be surprised if your barista seems a little … mechanical. 

Credit: Getty Images

But About That AI Apocalypse … : An artificial intelligence researcher who quit Anthropic issued a dire warning: “The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.” Amidst rising panic and pushback against AI – and the data centers required to power them – industry leaders acknowledged the risks of the rapidly advancing technology and signaled agreement that they should collectively slow the pace at which AI is developed. President Trump, always one to fail to read the room, rejected calls for regulation, arguing we simply need “a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT.” Call us when you find one.

Credit: image via utexas.edu QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Our students are exceptional. All of them are Longhorns.”

UT President Jim Davis responding to railroad commissioner candidate Bo French’s racist attacks against UT students

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