Austin

Austin World War II veteran Bernard Snyder marked his 100th birthday at a family-organized celebration in Austin, Texas, where relatives, friends and community members honored his life and military service with tributes, photos and birthday festivities.

City of Austin records show officials settled 80 civil lawsuits involving Austin Police Department officers over the past five years, paying out millions of dollars in police-related claims. Some of the largest settlement amounts arose from lawsuits connected to APD’s response to the 2020 George Floyd protests in Austin, including cases alleging injuries from crowd-control tactics and less-lethal munitions. The documents detail case numbers, parties, approval processes, and funding sources, and they show an increase in settlement costs following the 2020 protest period compared with earlier years within the same five-year span.

Hays County officials in Texas publicly criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement over recent immigration raids in Kyle and Buda, citing a lack of coordination, “zero respect” toward local authorities, and concerns about a filmed arrest that left a detainee injured. Local leaders requested detailed information from ICE on the number of people detained, the locations of operations, and the circumstances of the injury incident, while residents reported confusion and alarm over the unannounced federal activity. County and city officials are collecting witness accounts and video evidence as they press for clearer communication protocols and a formal explanation from federal immigration authorities.

The Austin Police Department in Austin, Texas, will update its policy governing cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with leadership reviewing and revising guidelines on when and how officers coordinate with federal immigration agents, share information, and document interactions, before issuing new directives to all sworn personnel.

Bartlett Independent School District in Bartlett, Texas, announced the closure of all campuses for the remainder of the week following an increase in flu and illness cases among students and staff. District officials said they will use the closure to conduct deep cleaning and disinfection of facilities and will suspend classes and on-campus activities during this period. Administrators notified families through official channels and advised parents to monitor children for symptoms and follow public health guidance. The district plans to coordinate with local health authorities and review illness and attendance data before confirming the resumption of normal school operations.

Hays County residents are calling for more transparency from the PAWS Shelter of Central Texas after the nonprofit nearly closed last fall due to financial troubles.