The spike in local COVID hospitalizations accelerates - we are well on our way to Stage 5 territory - but the State is unmoved, and will not allow cities or school districts to require masking, while also refusing to fund virtual options for Texas school districts, thus AISD's new plans for remote K-6 will be on their own dime. Pandemic concern about gatherings builds in Austin's sports and live music industries as well. The University of Texas formally requests admission into the SEC alongside the University of Oklahoma. UT's Moody Center marks a construction milestone with an ancient Scandinavian ritual. Two Austin City Council members suggest scrapping Austin's plans for homeless encampments, which may be illegal anyway under a new State law. And heat continues, with a potential short and slight break next week.
