Redistricting Added to Special Session
Governor Rick Perry has officially added congressional redistrictingto the agenda for the special legislative session. Republican leaders released a proposed congressional mapyesterday. Texas is getting four new congressional seats.
The map's designed to keep the majority of Texas congressional districts Republican. Democrats and minority advocates say the map would marginalize minority voters at a time when the Hispanic population in Texas is growing. Of the four new open districts, minorities are the majority in two of them.
On Friday the Senate will hold a public hearing on congressional redistricting.
Update on Officer-Involved Shooting
Austin police have released more details about the officer-involved shooting Monday night. An officer fatally shot one suspect and injured another. This happened after a car with two suspects in it struck another police officer, injuring him. The injured officer, Jeffrey Rodriguez, is recovering from a leg injury. He's been with APD three years.
The officer who fired shots, Nathan Wagner, has been placed on administrative leave. He's also been with the department three years. The suspect who was killed was Byron Carter, Jr. The driver of the vehicle was in the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound to the arm. He's 16 years old and facing felony charges.
AISD Free Summer Food Program
Today is the last day of school for students in the Austin Independent School District. AISD will once again be providing free breakfasts and lunches at some schools this summer. Students don’t have to apply for the program. Schools in which at least 50 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced meals will host these free summer meals. They’re open to any student regardless of family income on certain days starting Monday. You can check out the schedule here.
South Congress Resurfacing
City of Austin crews will start repaving part of South Congress from Oltorf to Riverside today. For the first phase of the project some lanes are already closed at Oltorf until 7 at night. At least one lane will be open in each direction. The South Congress repaving project’s expected to last about six weeks.