Your Daily Guide

Austin ISD to Cut Over 200 Salaried Positions

The school district announced Thursday that it plans to cut 215 full-time educator salaries for the 2026-27 school year to address a $181 million budget shortfall. Officials say that while layoffs are likely, not all 215 teachers will be laid off. Instead, the district will be adjusting the student-teacher ratio at each school based on enrollment. [KUT 90.5]

• Parents and educators voiced their concerns on Thursday, saying the new ratios could lead to staffing shortages and burnout. Teachers also called for more transparency in the budget process. [KVUE]
• More on AISD’s deficit: Why it keeps getting worse. [🎧 City Cast Austin]
• Meanwhile, State Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating Austin ISD for its compliance with the Ten Commandments law, which requires schools to display privately donated copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. [KUT 90.5]

Austin Teen Detained by ICE at Traffic Stop

The Northeast Early College High School community has been shaken by the detainment of 18-year-old Luis Fernando Cabrera this month, as they rallied in support of their friend on Thursday. Cabrera was turned over to ICE by a state trooper while he was leaving his shift at a Popeyes in Northeast Austin. The high school senior has been waiting for a ruling on his asylum case. [Austin American-Statesman]

• Concerned about ICE? Here’s what you need to know about ICE operations in Austin. [🎧 City Cast Austin]

County Reports First 2026 Measles Case

Austin Public Health officials confirmed Thursday that an unvaccinated man in Travis County tested positive for measles after traveling internationally. This is the first local case since 2025; in August, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced an end to a measles outbreak that reached 762 cases. [KUT 90.5]

• Contact Austin Public Health to report a suspected case. [Austin Public Health]

County Jury Orders Waste Management to Pay $24M in Damages

A Travis County jury ruled that the CEO of Texas Disposal Systems, Bob Gregory, owes his brother, Jimmy Gregory, almost $24 million in damages for improper actions that led to unjust personal profits. Jimmy filed a lawsuit against his brother, alleging Bob took actions to harm Jimmy’s minority owner stake in the Creedmoor-based waste management company. I guess taking out the garbage really can be expensive. [🔐 Austin Biz Journal]