COVID-related hospitalizations in the area continue dropping, and are now in the lower half of Stage 4 range, while the City of Austin remains officially under Stage 5 precautions - nationally new COVID case reports have dropped 90 percent since the peak of the Omicron wave in January. It got cold there didn't it? This cold snap will stick around longer than that last one, highs stay below 50 until Sunday, overnight lows will be close to freezing tonight and Thursday night. Former Austin Mayor and State Senator Kirk Watson has announced he's running for Mayor again as current Mayor Steve Adler approaches the end of his term. Nine of the 19 Austin police officers indicted in the George Floyd protest response are connected to injuries suffered by one protester, and eight of them were released after posting bond of just one dollar. Austin ISD is considering a reduction in music and arts instruction for elementary kids in favor of more time engaged in physical education. A reduction in proactive traffic enforcement results in an all-time low in tickets for driving infractions, but is also accompanied by all time high death rates on Travis County roads. An Austin AirBNB owner is under investigation after a guest found a hidden camera in one of the property's bathrooms. University of Texas senior Jaskaran Singh wins the Jeopardy! National College Championship, taking home a quarter of a million dollars. Texas men's and women's basketball are set to play their final games in the Frank Erwin Center before that facility is retired. Austin City Limits announces tapings with the Foo Fighters, Arlo Parks, Japanese Breakfast and Cimafunk. Austin is named both one of America's friendliest cities, and also one of the best for Black professionals. Next Tuesday is Fat Tuesday - we've got a guide for where you want to be to celebrate.
