Andrew Weber

Austin-based grocer Whole Foods is in talks to be acquired by ecommerce giant Amazon for $13.7 billion. According to a statement from Whole Foods, Amazon would acquire the organic grocer in an all-cash deal that would pay $42 per share.

Gov. Greg Abbott this morning signed House Bill 100, which establishes statewide ride-hailing regulations in Texas and preempts city regulations that drove out Uber and Lyft last year.

With just days left in the Texas 2017 regular legislative session, the fate of a so-called “bathroom bill” is still uncertain.

Just after 1 a.m., state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) attached an amendment to a House bill in an effort to extend the life of the Senate’s controversial proposal.

Austin City Council members voted today to challenge the state’s so-called sanctuary city law in court. The council passed a resolution, 10-1, instructing the city manager to “pursue effective litigation and defense” for a legal battle against Senate Bill 4, which was signed into law last week by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Council Member Ellen Troxclair was the sole opponent.  

Texas Senators have approved a bill that creates statewide regulations for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft. House Bill 100 would preempt regulations on the so-called transportation network companies in cities like Austin. The Senate passed the bill on a 21-9 vote.

Today is the first day of early voting for the May 6 election. Here’s everything you need to know for races all across Central Texas.

But, before we get into the breakdown of what’s on the ballot, here are the early and Election Day voting locations for Travis and surrounding counties:

Monday, the Austin Department of Transportation released the winners for its contest to write the best caption for dynamic message signs – those blinking road signs along Austin's roads that warn of impending (or ongoing) construction, lane merges and general roadway shenanigans. 

In the end, only 15 were given the satisfaction of having their work seen by throngs of gridlock-bound Austinites, but there were plenty more submissions – 341, to be exact. Most of them were objectively not great, but there were some real gems in there, as well.

"Our community is violating no federal laws," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in response to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' remarks today that the Justice Department would go after "sanctuary" jurisdictions that don't cooperate with immigration authorities.

During surprise remarks at the White House, Sessions urged these jurisdictions to reconsider their policies.

The Texas Senate has given preliminary approval to a bill that would penalize jurisdictions with so-called “sanctuary” immigration policies. The 20-11 vote fell along party lines.

Turns out, Tom Brady can’t have everything.

The New England Patriots’ quarterback cemented his place in NFL history last night – becoming the first quarterback to win five Super Bowls and bringing the Pats back from a historic deficit to defeat the Falcons in the first overtime Super Bowl ever.

But, while Brady was celebrating the team’s win, his jersey was stolen at NRG Stadium in Houston. 

Thousands are protesting President Donald Trump’s executive order banning refugees from seven predominately Muslim countries. While federal judges have temporarily stayed parts of that order across the country, notably a provision that would deport some refugees detained at airports, demonstrators have staged protests at airports across the country, including at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

Update (Jan. 23) – Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez today, outlining potential penalties for the county and calling Hernandez’s policy “shortsighted.”

Thousands of people turned out in Austin today to march in solidarity with the Women's March on Washington. Austin's march was one of more than 600 marches around the world organized to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump and rally around a variety of issues, including reproductive rights, civil rights, immigration and the environment. 

Donald Trump officially became the 45th president of the United States on Friday. Given the reaction to Trump’s election in Austin, there’s sure to be plenty of reaction to his ascendance to the presidency.