Inside Austin's Agenda: How national headlines are impacting Austin
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday's Inside Austin's Agenda episode, host Grace Reader will sit down with Austin Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes.
They will discuss how major national news coverage from changes handed down by the new federal administration, aviation concerns, and natural disasters — could influence Austin. They will also talk about actions already taken by the council this year.
Fuentes recently led the way on a resolution that will make homelessness a top financial priority for the city of Austin. She is also one of the most vocal local leaders regarding the Austin Police Department's role, or lack thereof, as federal partners enforce immigration law.
Fuentes serves Austin's District 2, which encompasses the airport. She was first elected to the role in 2021 and was re-elected for a second term. Her colleagues voted to elevate her to mayor pro tem this year.
Inside Austin's Agenda: What to expect from city council in 2025
You can watch the episode and every other at the top of this article, on Facebook, and YouTube. Inside Austin's Agenda goes live every other Wednesday afternoon.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Misleading posts claim Malaysian government 'removed gas subsidies for all businesses'
"The government has lost its mind. Gas subsidies for businesses have been removed. Small business owners feel like they cannot raise prices again after multiple cost increases," reads a Malay-language Facebook post on June 2, 2025. The claims surfaced after the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) announced a five-month operation beginning May 1 to curb the use of subsidised liquified petroleum gas (LPG) by the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as to crack down on illegal decanting activities (archived link). It also said businesses will no longer be allowed to use subsidised cooking gas and will need to switch to commercial gas cylinders, which cost three times the price of household cylinders (archived link). The launch of the operation prompted lawmakers to claim it would cause small businesses to increase prices for consumers, with one opposition lawmaker calling it "robbery" by the government. Similar claims were shared elsewhere on Facebook, and in a group with more than 35,000 members. Users left comments indicating they were misled, with one saying: "The current government is not helping people but adding to the burden." Another said: "The government has gone too far." However, the operation does not target small businesses. KDPN minister Armizan Mohd Ali refuted the misleading claim in a statement released via state news agency Bernama on June 3, saying the main purpose of the operation was to combat illegal decanting activities, smuggling of LPG and the use of subsidised gas by large and medium-scale industries (archived link). "Through this operation, there are no new policies and regulations, let alone cuts and abolishment of LPG subsidies as claimed by certain parties," the statement said. Instead, small businesses using less than three cylinders of the subsidised gas a day are allowed to keep using the cheaper product, while larger commercial operations using more than three at any one time would require a permit and cannot purchase subsidised gas, the minister said. The Communications Ministry's Department of Information issued a similar clarification on Facebook on May 31 (archived link). Penang Hawkers Association chairman Ooi Thean Huat told AFP that small businesses in the northern state typically only need up to three gas cylinders a day, allowing them to use the subsidised 12kg cylinders, which are sold for 26 ringgit ($6 USD). However, Ooi noted that even switching to the unsubsidised cylinders would not lead to price hikes for customers. "If we use the non-subsidised cylinders, two a day should be enough. There will be no changes to the prices of food because you do get more gas with the commercial cylinders," he said.

USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump's travel ban on 12 countries goes into effect early Monday
Trump's travel ban on 12 countries goes into effect early Monday Show Caption Hide Caption What we know now about President Trump's new travel ban taking effect How could President Trump's travel ban or restriction of nearly 20 countries impact you? Here is what we know now. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's order banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on June 9, a move the president promulgated to protect the country from "foreign terrorists." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela — will be partially restricted. Trump, a Republican, said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a "large-scale presence of terrorists," fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers' identities, as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. He cited the June 1 incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which an Egyptian national tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new curbs are needed. But Egypt is not part of the travel ban. 'I caution them not to travel': Expert warns travelers from banned countries to stay home The travel ban forms part of Trump's policy to restrict immigration into the United States and is reminiscent of a similar move in his first term when he barred travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. Officials and residents in countries whose citizens will soon be banned expressed dismay and disbelief. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said he had instructed his government to stop granting visas to U.S. citizens in response to Trump's action. "Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride," he said in a Facebook post, referring to countries such as Qatar, which gifted the United States a luxury airplane for Trump's use and promised to invest billions of dollars in the U.S. Afghans who worked for the United States or U.S.-funded projects and were hoping to resettle in the U.S. expressed fear that the travel ban would force them to return to their country, where they could face reprisal from the Taliban. Democratic U.S. lawmakers also voiced concern about the policies. "Trump's travel ban on citizens from over 12 countries is draconian and unconstitutional," said U.S. Representative Ro Khanna on social media on June 5. "People have a right to seek asylum." (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; writing by Mary Milliken; editing by Sandra Maler)


USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
How the House Settlement will reshape Texas A&M athletics
How the House Settlement will reshape Texas A&M athletics It's time for the universities and colleges to back up the Brinks trucks as they get ready to deal with all the financial obligations as a result of the House settlement approval on Friday evening. After years of lawsuits and the rise of NIL in college athletics, regulation is finally being introduced. However, the legal battles are far from over, and precedent-setting cases will likely continue for years. For now, we can examine how this approval, alongside the Texas bill, will shape Texas A&M athletics, particularly with universities now permitted to directly pay athletes. Financial Impact The most significant factor is money. The landmark case, approved by Judge Claudia Wilken, allocates $2.5–$3 billion to former players from 2016–2024 who were unable to benefit from NIL. Additionally, a revenue-sharing model essentially establishes a salary cap, beginning at approximately $20 million for the upcoming season and increasing annually over the next decade. Scholarship & Roster Changes Another major shift is the removal of scholarship limits, replaced by roster restrictions. Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko has repeatedly highlighted the challenges this presents when shaping a team while awaiting regulatory clarity. These uncertainties complicate roster management as teams prepare for rapid policy implementation. Title IX Implications An unresolved concern is how funding will be allocated across various sports, particularly women's athletics. Even though money is earmarked for women's sports, the exact distribution under the settlement remains unclear. Following their strong season, fans are calling for increased funding for Texas A&M's softball team, led by Coach Trisha Ford. With the sport's popularity on the rise, financial investments may shift in the coming years. Texas A&M's Position Athletic Director Trev Alberts has faced criticism for his early fiscal conservatism, yet he has positioned Texas A&M ahead of the curve. At the annual SEC meetings, Alberts reinforced the university's commitment to expanding scholarships. Current & Future Scholarship Allocations: Overall: 255 → 400+ 255 → 400+ Football: 85 → 105 85 → 105 Men's Basketball: 13 → 15 13 → 15 Women's Basketball: 15 → 15 15 → 15 Baseball: 11.7 → 34 11.7 → 34 Softball: 12 → 25 12 → 25 Men's Track & Field: 12.6 → 45 12.6 → 45 Women's Track & Field: 18 → 45 While changes will impact each university differently, Texas A&M is well-positioned to provide a strong student-athlete experience without cutting sports. However, the future remains uncertain as college athletics enters a new era of free agency, where players may seek better opportunities elsewhere if an opportunity to secure their future financially presents itself. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.