Local COVID numbers continue improving - we could hit Stage 4 this week, and Travis County is near 70% vaccination of those eligible. However, Texas school kids are still seeing a major spike in cases, while political wars over masking in Texas schools continue. Tanya Tucker has cancelled her U.S. tour and will thus not appear at the ACL Festival, while the Kerrville Folk Festival cancels its mid-week shows. Tropical Storm Nicolas is set to drench Houston and East Texas, but effects locally should be minimal. Mayor Steve Adler appeared on CNN on Sunday to blast the new Texas abortion law. Austin has seen more murders this year than in any year prior, but our murder rate is less than half of prior peaks. Texas Longhorns football gets routed at Arkansas, leading to doubts about the team's readiness to join the SEC - while Austin FC officially hits the bottom of the MLS West with a loss to also-dismal Houston.
