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Free Narcan vending machine available in Bastrop
BASTROP, Texas — Bastrop County now has more resources to save lives from opioid overdoses. UT Health Houston recently helped place a naloxone (Narcan) vending machine outside Bastrop County Cares, located at 806 Water Street in Bastrop. Anyone can pick up free Narcan, which is the medication that can...
'People should not worry about what the governor said' | Election official reacts after Gov. Greg Abbott announces voters removed from voter rolls
AUSTIN, Texas — The recent announcement made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that the state has removed more than a million people from its voter rolls over the last few years has raised questions from a number of citizens across the state. According to Abbott, those removed from the...
New Bastrop trash company, pickup changes start Sept. 1
Texas Disposal Systems offers an app called Waste Wizard, where residents can schedule reminders, receive delay alerts, get answers to questions and more. (Courtesy Texas Disposal Systems) Residents living within the Bastrop city limits will notice a change to their trash and recycling collection services, including a new company, bins...
Option to nearly triple EMS units in Bastrop area heads to Nov. 5 election
The Emergency Services District No. 3 proposition election will be on most Bastrop city and county ballots in November. (Courtesy Adobe Stock) Two years after noticing Bastrop County and its municipalities have outgrown the current setup for emergency medical services, three medics have proposed a solution that most residents will see on the ballot Nov. 5.
Travis County mental health diversion committee offers resources for those in need
TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Central Texas is finding new ways to support those suffering with mental illness. This week, Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Sheriff Sally Hernandez implemented a new Mental Health Diversion Steering Committee to help people with mental illnesses who are accused of committing minor offenses.
County to fully staff lawyers at bail hearings beginning Oct. 1
Justice advocates have been calling for Travis County to instate Counsel at First Appearance (CAFA) – an integral part of the justice system that ensures everyone access to a lawyer at their initial bail hearing – for years. In the summer of 2022, the county implemented a pilot program that lasted only nine days because of a lack of staff and space at the jail. After mounting calls highlighting the importance of the right to legal counsel and an ACLU lawsuit for the lack of it, the county finally implemented CAFA test shifts this spring. Now, they’re planning to ramp up the program permanently – to one shift a day, seven days a week – by Oct. 1.
Election Day in Austin: Travis County polling locations now available
AUSTIN, Texas - Election Day is a little more than two months away, and in the Austin area, there will be a couple of changes voters should know about ahead of Nov. 5. Travis County officials approved which sites will be available to cast your ballots. In total, there are...
Federal funds put peer support for drug addiction in Austin hospitals, courts
Two Travis County pilot programs could help people with opioid addiction. With $932,000 in federal funding, Travis County will launch peer support programs at a hospital emergency department and in courthouses. Peer support programs employ people with lived experience who have special training. The county will use the funds primarily to add six...
ICYMI: Plans underway for a complex dedicated to Black history, local veterans share support services and more Bastrop government news
Bastrop County African American Cultural Center board officials signed a 30-year lease with city officials. (Courtesy Bastrop County African American Cultural Center) Learn more about some of the biggest stories coming out of local government coverage in Bastrop County. A local nonprofit is one step closer to seeing its dream...
Travis County officials authorize 5% increase in pay for employees
Travis County commissioners have, for the third year in a row, opted to increase employee pay, which includes elected official salaries. (Haley McLeod/Community Impact) Travis County commissioners approved a 5% increase in pay for all county employees—including elected officials—Aug. 27. This is higher than the average expected increase nationally, which is estimated between 3.78% and 3.98%, according to county documents.
Travis County in need of over 100 new hires
Following recent approval from Travis County commissioners to boost employee compensation, the minimum wage for county employees will now start at $21.84 an hour, which equates to an annual salary of $45,427. (Courtesy Pixabay) Travis County will host a job fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sept. 4 on the...
Petitioners trying to recall Bastrop Mayor Nelson given Sept. 3 deadline
The Bastrop City Council received an update on Tuesday from the city secretary about a recall petition against Mayor Lyle Nelson, which she had deemed insufficient at the council’s meeting on Aug. 13. City Secretary Irma Parker, whose appointment the council also approved Tuesday, said the recall petitioners have until Sept. 3 to...
Changes to Austin election rules are no longer up for vote on November ballot
Austin will remove more than a dozen charter amendments from the November ballot following a ruling from a Travis County judge on Thursday. Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ruled that the city violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, calling the violation blatant and intentional. She issued a temporary injunction that kept the city from moving forward with the charter amendment election unless the city filed an immediate appeal.
Austin, Travis County leaders look to expand pretrial counsel program
An expanding legal program could soon ensure comprehensive counsel at first appearance offerings for those arrested in Austin and Travis County. (Community Impact staff) A local program aimed at ensuring Austin and Travis County residents have legal representation following an arrest is poised to expand, with renewed support from both city and county officials.
$7.5M food pantry is underway to battle Bastrop food insecurity
Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry volunteers help provide nutritious food for their Bastrop neighbors. (Amanda Cutshall/Community Impact) Food insecurity in Bastrop is growing at a rapid rate, and Kelly Manfredini, director of marketing and communications with the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry, said officials have a plan. The BCEFP team...
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