Austin&#8217;s once hot housing market is in sharp decline with landlords reportedly offering tenants perks like weeks of free rent to entice them to stay.
Home prices and apartment rents in Austin have seen a steeper drop recently than any other place in the country as the city sees slower jobs and population growth, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/once-americas-hottest-housing-market-austin-is-running-in-reverse-94226027?mod=hp_trending_now_article_pos1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Several years ago, the city saw a glut of new apartment buildings get built while Austin&#8217;s economy grew at close to double the national rate, turning it into the country&#8217;s 10th-largest city, the paper reported.
Companies like Tesla and Oracle established offices in Austin, attracted by lower taxes and fewer regulations. This caused a rush of remote tech workers, who brought their six-figure salaries with them.
From 2020 to the spring of 2022, Austin&#8217;s housing prices spiked over 60%.
Now however, Austin&#8217;s population boom is waning, and prices are dropping.
Housing prices in the city have fallen more than 11% since their peak two years ago, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/once-americas-hottest-housing-market-austin-is-running-in-reverse-94226027?mod=hp_trending_now_article_pos1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Freddie Mac House Price Index. The average value of a home in Austin is now $533,719, <a href="https://www.zillow.com/home-values/10221/austin-tx/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Zillow.
Rents are also down nearly 7% over the last year, <a href="https://www.apartmentlist.com/rent-report/tx/austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Apartment List. The median rent in Austin is currently $1,472.
Meanwhile, offices are starting to empty out.
Google has not moved in hundreds of workers who were supposed to work out of a 35-story building built about two years ago.
Several companies have already moved out of Austin.
In 2021, Elon Musk dramatically moved Tesla&#8217;s headquarters to Austin. Last year in February, Musk announced that the electric car company would be moving back to California in a joint press conference with California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Another tech company, Cart, announced in November that it was moving its headquarters back to Houston after moving to Austin in 2021.
Venture funding in Austin has plummeted as well. In the first three quarters of 2023, venture funding was down 46% to $2.9 billion compared to the $5.3 billion Austin saw during the first three quarters of 2021, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/07/is-the-texas-boom-town-of-austin-losing-its-luster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to TechCrunch.
Meanwhile, nationally, home prices are still rising. Prices were up 4.2% year over year as of February, according to Zillow.
In many areas, concerns are still mount about soaring house prices, rents, and mortgage rates, which have driven home ownership out of reach for many families.
Prices for everyday items such as groceries also remain high due to spiking inflation over the last several years, compounding the troubles for families who may be struggling to pay their rent or mortgage.

Union Pacific Railroad Post Flat Quarterly Earnings, Signaling Slowness And Inflationary Impacts On Economy

Landlords Offering Free Rent In Austin As Once Hot Housing Market Rapidly Cools

Austin

Economy

Housing

Texas

Texas Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/greg-abbott">Greg Abbott</a> on Tuesday responded to music acts pulling out of SXSW, a popular <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/austin">Austin</a>-based <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">entertainment</a> festival. 
Up to 60 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">bands</a> have announced they aren&#8217;t coming due to the festival being sponsored by the U.S. Army and multiple defense contractors, among others. Abbott shared on his personal Twitter account that he doesn’t mind seeing them go. The SXSW Film &amp; TV Festival runs March 8 through March 16.
“Bye. Don’t come back,” the governor <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1767611026671833264">wrote</a>. “Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA. We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Bands pull out of SXSW over U.S. Army sponsorship.
Bye. Don’t come back.
Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. 
San Antonio is Military City USA.
We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas.
If you don’t like it, don’t come here. <a href="https://t.co/t3RyQgLRKN">https://t.co/t3RyQgLRKN</a>
&mdash; Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1767611026671833264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The U.S. Army is listed on the festival’s website as a “Super Sponsor” along with other companies, including Volkswagen, The Austin Chronicle, Porsche, C4 Energy, and Delta.
“SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbott,” the official SXSW X account began in a <a href="https://twitter.com/sxsw/status/1767632974856470991">thread</a> of posts. “We are an organization that welcomes diverse viewpoints. Music is the soul of SXSW, and it has long been our legacy. We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech.”
“Across the globe, we are witnessing unspeakable tragedies, the rise of repressive regimes, and the increasing spread of violent conflict. It’s more crucial than ever that we come together to solve these greater humanitarian issues,” the account continued. “The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives.”
The thread concluded with SXSW saying it would “continue to support human rights for all.”
“The situation in the Middle East is tragic, and it illuminates the heightened importance of standing together against injustice,” the X thread concluded.
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The group Austin for Palestine Coalition encouraged SXSW to disinvite any contractors who aided the Israel Defense Forces and to “use its platform to raise awareness about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and advocate for peace, justice, and the protection of human rights.”
Several musical artists posted about their decision to drop out, including singer Eliza Lamb, who <a href="https://twitter.com/elizamclamb/status/1764786457103729044">wrote</a>, “I will never put my name on or perform my labor for an event in service of the US war machine, and especially not now as they continue to fuel the ongoing violence against Palestinians.”
&nbsp;

SXSW

TX Governor Responds To Bands Pulling Out Of SXSW Over Military Sponsorship: ‘Bye. Don’t Come Back’

TX Governor Greg Abbott Responds To Bands Pulling Out Of SXSW Over Military Sponsorship: 'Bye. Don’t Come Back'

Entertainment

Greg Abbott

Music

U.S.

A vehicle slammed into St. David&#8217;s North Austin Medical Center emergency room in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Austin</a> on Tuesday evening, according to local law enforcement officials.
The Austin Police Department, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, and the Austin Fire Department responded to the crash at 5:38 p.m. CST.
Initial reports said that there were at least 11 people injured during the car crash; however, that number appeared to be revised down to five people. First responders tried to save the driver by administering CPR, but the driver ultimately died.
&#8220;Four victims were transported to other hospitals, including an adult and a child who were in critical condition,&#8221; CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/us/texas-austin-medical-center-crash/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. &#8220;One patient was admitted to St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, where the crash occurred.&#8221;
The Austin Police Department said that they do not believe that the crash was intentional.
&#8220;There is no threat to the general public,&#8221; the department said. &#8220;Based off preliminary information and details gathered at this time, this incident does not appear to be an intentional act. APD officers continue to assist our first responder partners, and the investigation is ongoing.&#8221;
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Eight other patients at the hospital were being transported to other hospitals to &#8220;decompress&#8221; from the stress the incident generated.
Stephen Hughes, who was in the hospital when the car slammed into the emergency room, described the incident to CNN.
“At first I thought it was an explosion,” Hughes told CNN. “Then I heard screaming and saw the smoke coming from the ER entrance.”
Video of the incident shows that the driver likely was incapacitated as the car&#8217;s engine was still going and the tires were generating considerable smoke in the area.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
JUST IN: Video shows scene inside St. David&#39;s North Austin Medical Center in Texas after authorities say a vehicle crashed into the emergency room, injuring multiple people.
Austin police said &quot;this incident does not appear to be an intentional act.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/25ZJjgK1v1">https://t.co/25ZJjgK1v1</a> <a href="https://t.co/WavaVhy7zw">pic.twitter.com/WavaVhy7zw</a>
&mdash; ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1757586614174273946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

hospital

WATCH: Car Slams Into Texas Emergency Room; At Least 1 Dead, Multiple Injured

Car Crash

General

There are not enough police in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austin</a> to handle multiple major emergencies as a result of the 2020 movement to “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/defund-the-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defund the police</a>,” according to a new documentary from The Daily Caller.
The documentary, called “<a href="https://lawless.dailycaller.com/optin1693416044525?sl=dailywire">Lawless</a>,” examines the effects of the anti-police movement across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd in May 2020. One of the cities Daily Caller investigators examined was Austin, Texas, where the city council <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/08/13/austin-city-council-cut-police-budget-defund/">voted</a> to cut the police budget by one third in August 2020 amid a wave of anti-police sentiment.
While Austin later voted to move funding back to the police department, it still faces massive staffing shortages and its chief of police <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/austin-police-chief-abruptly-retires-staffing-shortages-lack-police-union-contract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> in August. As of September, Austin <a href="https://www.kvue.com/article/news/police/new-austin-police-officers-sworn-in/269-99244b89-dcda-4133-9d32-4b2b457b094a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was at least</a> 300 officers short of full staff.
“We are not a city that can handle parallel critical incidents,” Matt Mackowiak, co-founder of Save Austin Now, told The Daily Caller. “If we get to a situation where we have a serious bank robbery in North Austin, and something happening at [Austin City Limits Music Festival] at the same time, we will not have enough police officers to respond to both incidents.”
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Save Austin Now is a nonpartisan group <a href="https://www.saveaustinnow.com/who-we-are" target="_blank" rel="noopener">committed</a> to addressing the challenges facing Austin, including homelessness, high property taxes, and crime.
The budget cuts in Austin came alongside the national push by some Democrat politicians, including Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), to defund and dismantle police departments throughout the U.S.
At the same time, police departments across the country have struggled to stay fully staffed amidst a wave of resignations and a decline in new recruits. The Daily Caller spoke with law enforcement, politicians, and small business owners about the crisis in policing.
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“I want to signal a crisis,” Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2023/10/05/daily-caller-documentary-lawless-defund-police/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “Our profession is dependent on the best and brightest stepping up and taking this job. And because of the actions, and because of the turmoil that has happened in the last two years, we have a crisis right now in manpower.”
The Daily Caller said the film “will expose the true human cost of turning against law enforcement. We are traveling across the country to discover the terror that has been unleashed upon American cities as a result of the &#8216;Defund the Police&#8217; movement. We will uncover how the movement became as powerful as it did and give a voice to the forgotten men and women who bear the brunt of the violence in their daily lives.”
TRAILER: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="LAWLESS: Liberal Policies | American Blood (Trailer)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oy99jQ0IFlU?start=1&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Lawless Thumbnails (3)

New Doc Sheds Light On Dangerous Impact Of ‘Defund The Police’ Movement

New Doc Sheds Light On Dangerous Impact Of ‘Defund The Police' Movement

Defund The Police

Police

The Daily Caller

A Texas woman convicted of killing a professional cyclist as part of a love triangle has been sentenced to 90 years in prison.
Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, was sentenced on Friday to the lengthy prison term for fatally shooting Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson in Austin, Texas, back in May 2022. The same Travis County jury that found Armstrong guilty deliberated for about three hours before recommending 90 years in prison. Judge Brenda Kennedy accepted the recommendation.
&#8220;Other than the prosecution team, there really are no winners here,&#8221; the victim’s father said after the sentencing was handed down, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-jury-sentences-killer-bicyclist-moriah-mo-wilson-90-years-bars-rcna125691" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to NBC News</a>. &#8220;This is not a time for celebration but a time for prayer, a time to pray for our family, her friends and [the] Armstrong family and their friends.&#8221;
Armstrong killed Wilson because the professional cyclist had briefly dated Armstrong’s on-again-off-again boyfriend while the two were on a break. Armstrong’s ex-boyfriend, professional cyclist Colin Strickland, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-boyfriend-testifies-against-woman-accused-of-killing-elite-cyclist-romantic-rival" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified at the trial</a> about Armstrong’s jealousy and their “tumultuous” relationship.
Strickland said that he once loved Armstrong but wasn’t sure about a long-term relationship with her, which caused tension. The couple lived together even though they took breaks in their relationship, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/kaitlin-armstrong-former-boyfriend-testifies/story?id=104623002" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. During these breaks, Strickland said, Armstrong would confront him if she found out he was talking to other women.
In October 2021, Strickland met Wilson at a cycling race in Bentonville, Arkansas. He testified that he and Armstrong broke up shortly after the race.
Strickland began dating Wilson when she was in Austin for a race. He then learned that Armstrong had confronted the other woman about the relationship, which Strickland said was “strange and unnerving” since he didn’t remember telling Armstrong about Wilson. When Wilson left Austin for another race, she and Strickland stopped dating but remained friends.
Strickland and Armstrong got back together by December 2021. During this time, he would text with Wilson on a “professional” basis – discussing gear, races, and sponsorship opportunities, he said. But to “avoid conflict” with Armstrong, Strickland testified that he deleted his messages with Wilson and changed her name in his phone to “Christine Wall.”
On May 11, 2022, Strickland met with Wilson, who was in Austin again for a race. The two went swimming, ate burgers, and drank beer before he dropped her off at a friend’s house. He didn’t tell Armstrong about his day with Wilson but knew Armstrong had access to his Apple account and was able to view his messages with her.
The next day, police arrived at Strickland’s home to tell him Wilson had been murdered. He was brought in for questioning, but police soon turned their attention to Armstrong.
An affidavit filed in relation to the federal case against Armstrong <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woman-accused-of-killing-elite-cyclist-allegedly-planned-escape-for-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described evidence</a> that Armstrong had committed the murder.
“According to a witness, Armstrong expressed a desire to kill [Wilson] in January 2022, based on a personal grievance toward [Wilson],” the affidavit said, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/12/metro/aliases-plastic-surgery-receipt-43-days-run-how-suspect-vt-cyclist-slaying-got-caught-costa-rica/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Boston Globe</a>. “A surveillance camera recorded what appears to be Armstrong’s vehicle near the scene of [Wilson’s] murder at the approximate time the murder occurred.”
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The filing also said that a pistol belonging to Armstrong had been retrieved from her home during a search and that “Laboratory test-firing of Armstrong’s pistol confirmed that it fired the spent shell casings that [Austin police] found at the scene of the murder.”
Wilson was a star skier through college before switching to cycling and gravitating toward “gravel racing,” described as a sport sitting between road cycling and mountain biking. She was favored to win a 157-mile race on May 14 but was shot and killed days earlier, on May 11.
Police quickly honed in on Armstrong and brought her in for questioning. Days later, on May 14, Armstrong flew from Austin, Texas, where Wilson was killed, to Houston, and then from Houston to LaGuardia Airport in New York. From there, she traveled to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and then flew to San Jose, Costa Rica. A homicide warrant for Armstrong’s arrest was issued on May 18, the day she flew to Costa Rica. On May 25, a federal warrant charged her with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Armstrong was found at a hostel in Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, the Globe reported.

Kaitlin Armstrong Mugshot

Texas Woman Sentenced To 90 Years In Prison For Killing Professional Cyclist

Crime

Murder

A Texas woman was found guilty on Thursday of killing a professional cyclist as part of a love triangle gone wrong.
Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, was found guilty of fatally shooting Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson in Austin, Texas, back in May 2022. The jury took less than two hours to come to their verdict, People Magazine <a href="https://people.com/kaitlin-armstrong-found-guilty-murder-professional-cyclist-8402691" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Armstrong faces life in prison.
Armstrong killed Wilson because the professional cyclist had briefly dated Armstrong’s on-again-off-again boyfriend while the two were on a break. Armstrong’s ex-boyfriend, professional cyclist Colin Strickland, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-boyfriend-testifies-against-woman-accused-of-killing-elite-cyclist-romantic-rival" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified at the trial</a> about Armstrong’s jealousy and their “tumultuous” relationship.
Strickland said that he had once loved Armstrong but wasn’t sure about a long-term relationship with her, which caused tension in the relationship. The couple lived together even though they took breaks in their relationship, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/kaitlin-armstrong-former-boyfriend-testifies/story?id=104623002" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. During these breaks, Strickland said, Armstrong would confront him if she found out he was talking to other women.
In October 2021, Strickland met Wilson at a cycling race in Bentonville, Arkansas. He testified that he and Armstrong broke up shortly after the race.
Strickland began dating Wilson when she was in Austin for a race. He then learned that Armstrong had confronted the other woman about the relationship, which Strickland said was “strange and unnerving” since he didn’t remember telling Armstrong about Wilson. When Wilson left Austin for another race, she and Strickland stopped dating but remained friends.
Strickland and Armstrong got back together by December 2021. During this time, he would text with Wilson on a “professional” basis – discussing gear, races, and sponsorship opportunities, he said. But to “avoid conflict” with Armstrong, Strickland testified that he deleted his messages with Wilson and changed her name in his phone to “Christine Wall.”
On May 11, 2022, Strickland met with Wilson, who was in Austin again for a race. The two went swimming, ate burgers, and drank beer before he dropped her off at a friend’s house. He didn’t tell Armstrong about his day with Wilson but knew Armstrong had access to his Apple account and was able to view his messages with her.
The next day, police arrived at Strickland’s home to tell him Wilson had been murdered. He was brought in for questioning, but police soon turned their attention to Armstrong.
An affidavit filed in relation to the federal case against Armstrong <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woman-accused-of-killing-elite-cyclist-allegedly-planned-escape-for-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described evidence</a> that Armstrong had committed the murder.
“According to a witness, Armstrong expressed a desire to kill [Wilson] in January 2022, based on a personal grievance toward [Wilson],” the affidavit said, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/12/metro/aliases-plastic-surgery-receipt-43-days-run-how-suspect-vt-cyclist-slaying-got-caught-costa-rica/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Boston Globe</a>. “A surveillance camera recorded what appears to be Armstrong’s vehicle near the scene of [Wilson’s] murder at the approximate time the murder occurred.”
The filing also said that a pistol belonging to Armstrong had been retrieved from her home during a search and that “Laboratory test-firing of Armstrong’s pistol confirmed that it fired the spent shell casings that [Austin police] found at the scene of the murder.”
Wilson was a star skier through college before switching to cycling and gravitating toward “gravel racing,” described as a sport sitting between road cycling and mountain biking. She was favored to win a 157-mile race on May 14 but was shot and killed days earlier, on May 11.
Police quickly honed in on Armstrong and brought her in for questioning. Days later, on May 14, Armstrong flew from Austin, Texas, where Wilson was killed, to Houston, and then from Houston to LaGuardia Airport in New York. From there, she traveled to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and then flew to San Jose, Costa Rica. A homicide warrant for Armstrong’s arrest was issued on May 18, the day she flew to Costa Rica. On May 25, a federal warrant charged her with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Armstrong was found at a hostel in Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, the Globe reported.

Texas Woman Found Guilty Of Murdering Elite Cyclist Due To Love Triangle

Cycling

A new university in Austin, Texas, dedicated to free inquiry and the &#8220;fearless pursuit of truth&#8221; is opening applications to its very first freshman class.
The University of Austin (UATX) announced Wednesday in a press release that Texas state officials have awarded the school full university status, meaning it can start accepting students for next fall.
To celebrate the university&#8217;s first class, each of the 100 freshmen who matriculate next year will receive full, four-year scholarships, the school said.
“It is only fitting then that we invest in the next generation of builders, innovators, and creators, who deserve an education steeped in academic freedom and oriented towards the pursuit of wisdom,” UATX President Pano Kanelos said.
The university generated excitement — and some <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/164363/university-austin-uatx-myth-illiberalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broadsides</a> — in 2021 when its launch was announced by the school&#8217;s founders, including journalist Bari Weiss, historian Niall Ferguson, Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and founding president Pano Kanelos, formerly the president of St. John’s College.
Nearly two years later, the university says it has raised nearly $200 million so far from thousands of donors.
More than 500 students have already participated in its programs, and more than 6,000 professors across the country have sought teaching opportunities, the school said.
In December, the school will move to its new campus in downtown Austin.
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&#8220;A university with an uncompromised commitment to the principles of free inquiry and academic freedom has struck a chord with educators, parents, students, and donors,&#8221; the University of Austin said in its release Wednesday.
The curriculum begins with a two-year liberal arts program, followed by a two-year fellowship that is research and practice-driven. Each student will also complete a Polaris Project, an “ambitious four-year project to build, create, or discover something that meets a pressing human need or addresses a social, political, or economic challenge.”
Meanwhile, the University of Austin boasts support from a network of hundreds of businesses as well as tech, political, creative, and academic leaders who the school says are eager to mentor and hire graduates.
The University of Austin says it is &#8220;committed to forging a new generation of American founders.&#8221;
&#8220;We are seeking students characterized by grace, grit, and gratitude, with the calling to build, create, and innovate. We believe that attentiveness to the past is essential to establishing a brighter future. We hold that universities in a democratic polity have a special obligation to cultivate dialogue and foster a commitment to the common good. We affirm that the highest purpose of higher education is the discovery, transmission, and preservation of knowledge, and to fulfill these ends, universities must remain committed to open inquiry, intellectual pluralism, freedom of conscience, and civil discourse,&#8221; the school said.
For years, conservatives have criticized higher education institutions for leaning left. In recent years, parents across the country have expressed frustration with &#8220;woke&#8221; themes in K-12 public schools as well.
In Florida, another higher education project is looking to combat the influence of left-leaning universities as well. At New College in Sarasota, Governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2023/08/18/governor-ron-desantis-commends-new-college-of-floridas-transformation-under-newly-appointed-board-of-trustees/">appointed</a> seven conservatives to the board earlier this year in an attempt to rid the school of Critical Race Theory and “woke” ideology

University Of Birmingham Hold Degree Congregations

New University Dedicated To Free Inquiry, Academic Freedom Opens Applications For First Class

New University In Austin Dedicated To Free Inquiry Opens Applications For First Class

Bari Weiss

Education

The ex-boyfriend of a Texas woman accused of killing her romantic rival testified on Friday about the couple’s “tumultuous” relationship.
Kaitlin Armstrong, 35, is accused of shooting elite cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson in Austin, Texas, in May 2022 as part of a love triangle gone wrong. Armstrong’s ex-boyfriend, professional cyclist Colin Strickland, testified about Armstrong’s jealousy and their on-again-off-again relationship.
Strickland said that he had once loved Armstrong but wasn’t sure about a long-term relationship with her, which caused tension in the relationship. The couple lived together even though they took breaks in their relationship, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/kaitlin-armstrong-former-boyfriend-testifies/story?id=104623002" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. During these breaks, Strickland said, Armstrong would confront him if she found out he was talking to other women.
In October 2021, Strickland met Wilson at a cycling race in Bentonville, Arkansas. He testified that he and Armstrong broke up shortly after the race.
Strickland began dating Wilson when she was in Austin for a race. He then learned that Armstrong had confronted the other woman about the relationship, which Strickland said was “strange and unnerving” since he didn’t remember telling Armstrong about Wilson. When Wilson left Austin for another race, she and Strickland stopped dating but remained friends.
Strickland and Armstrong got back together by December 2021. During this time, he would text with Wilson on a “professional” basis – discussing gear, races, and sponsorship opportunities, he said. But to “avoid conflict” with Armstrong, Strickland testified that he deleted his messages with Wilson and changed her name in his phone to “Christine Wall.”
On May 11, 2022, Strickland met with Wilson, who was in Austin again for a race. The two went swimming, ate burgers, and drank beer before he dropped her off at a friend’s house. He didn’t tell Armstrong about his day with Wilson but knew Armstrong had access to his Apple account and was able to view his messages with her.
The next day, police arrived at Strickland’s home to tell him Wilson had been murdered. He was brought in for questioning, but police soon turned their attention to Armstrong.
An affidavit filed in relation to the federal case against Armstrong <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woman-accused-of-killing-elite-cyclist-allegedly-planned-escape-for-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described evidence</a> that Armstrong had allegedly committed the murder.
“According to a witness, Armstrong expressed a desire to kill [Wilson] in January 2022, based on a personal grievance toward [Wilson],” the affidavit said, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/12/metro/aliases-plastic-surgery-receipt-43-days-run-how-suspect-vt-cyclist-slaying-got-caught-costa-rica/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Boston Globe</a>. “A surveillance camera recorded what appears to be Armstrong’s vehicle near the scene of [Wilson’s] murder at the approximate time the murder occurred.”
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The filing also said that a pistol belonging to Armstrong had been retrieved from her home during a search and that “Laboratory test-firing of Armstrong’s pistol confirmed that it fired the spent shell casings that [Austin police] found at the scene of the murder.”
Wilson was a star skier through college before switching to cycling and gravitating toward “gravel racing,” described as a sport sitting between road cycling and mountain biking. She was favored to win a 157-mile race on May 14 but was shot and killed days earlier, on May 11.
Police quickly honed in on Armstrong and brought her in for questioning. Days later, on May 14, Armstrong flew from Austin, Texas, where Wilson was killed, to Houston, and then from Houston to LaGuardia Airport in New York. From there, she traveled to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and then flew to San Jose, Costa Rica. A homicide warrant for Armstrong’s arrest was issued on May 18, the day she flew to Costa Rica. On May 25, a federal warrant charged her with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Armstrong was found at a hostel in Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, the Globe reported.

Ex-Boyfriend Testifies Against Woman Accused Of Killing Elite Cyclist Romantic Rival

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas">Texas</a> woman accused of killing a professional cyclist and attempting to flee custody last week while being taken to a doctor&#8217;s appointment allegedly planned the escape, police say.
According to an affidavit <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/10/13/kaitlyn-armstrong-planned-escape-doctors-appointment-austin-moriah-wilson-murder/71174711007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained</a> by the Austin American-Statesman, Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, had been devising her escape plan for “several months.” All that planning resulted in about a 10-minute chase before Armstrong was caught and returned to custody.
Armstrong is accused of shooting Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson in Austin, Texas, in May 2022 as part of a love triangle gone wrong. U.S. Marshals, working with Homeland Security Investigations, learned that Armstrong boarded a flight in New Jersey by using a fraudulent passport and landed in Costa Rica on May 18 – one week after Wilson was murdered and one day after an arrest warrant was issued for Armstrong, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-texas-murder-elite-cyclist-anna-moriah-mo-wilson-arrested-cost-rcna36150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The arrest affidavit for her new escape charge alleges that Armstrong had been “exercising vigorously” over the past few months in prison. Videos from the Travis County Jail showed her doing squats, yoga, and running.
During the time she was working out, Armstrong complained of injuries. Jail staff provided investigators information showing that &#8220;Armstrong had recently utilized an injury complaint to secure an outside medical appointment as well as a medical request restricting the use of leg restraints,&#8221; the affidavit said.
Investigators also found in her cell a metal pin that had been broken off, &#8220;providing a solid thin metal piece that likely could be used to manipulate a handcuff to be removed.&#8221;
When she escaped, she was able to remove her uniform pants and manipulate her left hand out of her restraints. She remained within eyesight of corrections officers during her escape and was trying to climb a fence when she was caught.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: Video appears to show murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong running from corrections officers. The attempted escape, which lasted around 10 minutes, took place in south Austin Wednesday morning, officials said.<a href="https://t.co/5bvsLufKnI">https://t.co/5bvsLufKnI</a> <a href="https://t.co/H9PcGJGQcl">pic.twitter.com/H9PcGJGQcl</a>
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/KXAN_News/status/1712256787477414128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Armstrong is suspected of killing Wilson because they were both romantically connected to the same man, Colin Strickland, also a professional cyclist. Strickland and Armstrong dated for three years before taking a break. During that time, Strickland began to see Wilson. The relationship lasted just a few weeks, and Strickland and Armstrong got back together a month later.
In January, Armstrong learned about Strickland’s relationship with Wilson and “became furious and was shaking in anger,” a friend of Armstrong told NBC.
An affidavit filed in relation to the federal case against Armstrong described evidence that Armstrong had allegedly committed the murder.
“According to a witness, Armstrong expressed a desire to kill [Wilson] in January 2022, based on a personal grievance toward [Wilson],” the affidavit said, according to the Boston Globe. “A surveillance camera recorded what appears to be Armstrong’s vehicle near the scene of [Wilson’s] murder at the approximate time the murder occurred.”
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The filing also said that a pistol belonging to Armstrong had been retrieved from her home during a search and that “Laboratory test-firing of Armstrong’s pistol confirmed that it fired the spent shell casings that [Austin police] found at the scene of the murder.”
Wilson was a star skier through college before switching to cycling and gravitating toward “gravel racing,” described as a sport sitting between road cycling and mountain biking. She was favored to win a 157-mile race on May 14 but was shot and killed days earlier, on May 11.
Police quickly honed in on Armstrong and brought her in for questioning. Days later, on May 14, Armstrong flew from Austin, Texas, where Wilson was killed, to Houston, and then from Houston to LaGuardia Airport in New York. From there she traveled to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and then flew to San Jose, Costa Rica. A homicide warrant for Armstrong’s arrest was issued on May 18, the day she flew to Costa Rica. On May 25, a federal warrant charged her with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
Armstrong was found at a hostel in Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, the Globe reported.

Woman Accused Of Killing Elite Cyclist Allegedly Planned Escape For Months

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austin</a>, Texas, Police Department asked residents of the growing city to refrain from calling 911 and instead dial 311 — a non-emergency number — if they are robbed at a bank or an ATM. 
The police department, which has been facing staffing shortages, posted a graphic to X last week asking Austin residents to “call 311 or make an online report” if they were victims of a robbery on their way back from a bank or ATM, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/09/05/austin-police-ask-robbery-victims-not-to-call-911-amid-staffing-shortage-crime-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Austin has seen a 77% increase in auto thefts, a 30% increase in murders, and an 18% increase in aggravated assaults since 2020 as the police department struggles to hire the number of officers it needs to protect its streets.    
“Even if you are cautious &amp; follow all the safety advice, you may still become the unfortunate victim of a robbery,” the Austin Police Department posted on X. “Do you know what your next steps should be? Make a police report &amp; provide as much information as possible so we can recover your property quickly and safely.”
The graphic suggested &#8220;mention[ing] in your report that you were coming from a bank when the crime was committed&#8221; and &#8220;includ[ing] the time and date of your money withdrawal.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Even if you are cautious &amp; follow all the safety advice, you may still become the unfortunate victim of a robbery. Do you know what your next steps should be? Make a police report &amp; provide as much information as possible so we can recover your property quickly and safely. <a href="https://t.co/79Cv0RI099">pic.twitter.com/79Cv0RI099</a>
&mdash; Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/Austin_Police/status/1697697243006923207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The city’s police chief, Joseph Chacon, resigned last month after serving two years as the department’s head, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12483149/Austin-crime-surge-defund-police.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> it was the “right time” to retire. Chacon&#8217;s resignation came as the department’s police union and some Austin residents laid into city leaders for “miserable conditions” for officers and for defunding the department following the George Floyd riots in 2020. 
Austin’s city council slashed the police budget by $150 million after the spread of the “defund the police” rhetoric in the summer of 2020. The police cut has led to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/union-says-austin-police-dept-battling-crime-spike-hundreds-of-officers-short-after-defund-the-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shortage of officers</a>, according to the Austin Police Association, which said that the Austin Police Department currently stands at around 1,475 officers, and the growing city needs closer to 2,000 in order to be able to protect the city. 
The city council’s decision to cut police funding also led to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-are-all-cowards-mother-whose-son-was-killed-in-mass-shooting-blasts-austin-for-defunding-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outrage</a> from the mother of a man who was killed in a mass shooting in the city. Julia Kantor, whose son Douglas, 25, was killed in June 2021, wrote an email to the council only days before her son’s alleged murderer went on trial last week, calling councilmembers “cowards” for going along with the police cut. 
“Aug 28th in Austin TX there will be jury selection for the murder of my son Douglas Kantor and the attack on 14 others for the June 12th 2021 mass shooting on 6th street,” she wrote. “I hope you will follow this [trial] as your duty to your citizens. It was you, the city council and others who defunded the police and welcomed these evil people with no regard for life to run and ruin your city.”
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Earlier this year, another Texas city <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dallas-police-will-force-residents-to-report-some-offenses-online-instead-of-calling-911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">required</a> residents to fill out some police reports online instead of calling 911 to free officers to respond to more serious crimes. The new reporting requirements for the Dallas Police Department went into effect in July as the police department has faced an increase in high-priority calls and staffing shortages.

Austin Police

Austin Police Ask Residents To Call Non-Emergency Number If They’re Robbed At Bank, ATM

Austin Police Ask Residents To Call Non-Emergency Number If They're Robbed At Bank, ATM

The mother of a man murdered in a mass shooting in Austin, Texas, in 2021 blasted the Austin City Council, calling them cowards for having defunded the police in 2020.
The budget of the Austin police department suffered a $150 million cut that was <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/08/14/austin-city-council-approves-cut-police-budget-one-third/5582312002/#:~:text=AUSTIN%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Austin%20City%20Council,removed%20from%20the%20department's%20funding." target="_blank" rel="noopener">unanimously approved</a> by the Democrat-run council in mid-August 2020. Council member and now Democratic Congressman Greg Casar said, &#8220;This moment has been born out of a lot of hurt in the community. We know we have a long way to go.” He also <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/austin-police-past-present-sound-alarm-ripple-effects-of-defunding-police-crushing-morale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>, “We did it!! Austin City Council just reduced APD&#8217;s budget by over $100 million *and* reinvested resources into our community&#8217;s safety and well-being. Tens of thousands of you have called, emailed, and testified. You made the impossible into a reality. #blacklivesmatter.”
Julia Kantor, whose son Douglas, 25, was killed in June 2021, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/austin-crime-victims-mother-rips-city-council-cowards-defunding-police-turning-citizens-into-targets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> an email to the council only days before her son’s alleged murderer went on trial. “Aug 28th in Austin TX there will be jury selection for the murder of my son Douglas Kantor and the attack on 14 others for the June 12th 2021 mass shooting on 6th street,” she wrote. “I hope you will follow this [trial] as your duty to your citizens. It was you, the city council and others who defunded the police and welcomed these evil people with no regard for life to run and ruin your city.”
“It&#8217;s time you see what you have done to not only the victims like my son but also to our family and friends and your city,” she continued, as reported by Fox News Digital. “Your irresponsible choices for political gain has put a target on the backs of Austin&#8217;s citizens and all who visit. &#8230; You have killed and ruined thousands of lives and couldn&#8217;t care less as long as you stay in power. Just like the killer, you are ALL COWARDS. NONE OF YOU HAD THE GUTS TO SPEAK UP AND POINT OUT HOW STUPID AND DESTRUCTIVE THAT WAS. I&#8217;M SURE IF YOUR KIDS WERE BEING KILLED YOU WOULD FIND YOUR VOICE.”
She concluded, “Remember what goes around comes around in different ways. Look at the last photo. This is the animal you released on my son and the people of Texas without a thought.”
Douglas Kantor had just bought a new home and was planning on marrying his high school sweetheart at the time of the shooting, in which 13 others were injured.
In her opening statement before the court, state attorney Jean Sullivan said, “Doug died because of these people that he had never seen or met before in his life that brought guns and used them on Sixth Street that night. He went out with them that night to celebrate. He had just graduated. He was here for a good time, a good weekend. [His friends] had no idea that night would be the last time that they would be able to celebrate with Douglas Kantor.”
“Everybody who keeps getting elected here is just further to the left every time, it’s gone from more passively anti-police to, what you’ve really seen since 2020, is just overtly anti-police,” one Austin police officer said in October 2022. “I think that has been a big tipping point for a lot of people and we’ve just had enough.”
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In 2021, Austin set an all-time record for homicides in 2021. Roughly a week and a half ago, Austin Police Department Chief Joseph Chacon announced he was retiring.
And this was the most recent news from Austin:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
TEXAS SHOOTING: Two people were killed and another person was critically wounded Thursday in a shooting at a business in Austin, Texas, officials said. <a href="https://t.co/rITfRlTk1l">https://t.co/rITfRlTk1l</a>
&mdash; NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) <a href="https://twitter.com/NEWSMAX/status/1697582905298428312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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US-CRIME-BOMBINGS-TEXAS-BLAST

‘You Are All Cowards’: Mother Whose Son Was Killed In Mass Shooting Blasts Austin For Defunding Police

Mother Whose Son Was Killed In Mass Shooting Blasts Austin For Defunding Police

Mass Shooting

Austin is battling a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime">crime</a> spike with a police department that is hundreds of officers short, meaning 911 callers are getting left on hold, according to a union representing the cops.
The Austin Police Department currently stands at around 1,475 officers, and the growing city needs closer to 2,000 in order to be able to protect the city, said Thomas Villarreal, president of the Austin Police Association, a union representing officers of the Austin PD.
&#8220;We&#8217;re moving in the wrong direction. There&#8217;s less and less resources to go out and do the job,&#8221; Villarreal <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/austin-pd-hundreds-officers-short-crime-cripples-city-union-warns-resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News on Monday.
Detectives in Austin have been pulled away from their caseload to help answer 911 calls, and some sworn personnel have started answering emergency calls on an overtime basis, Villarreal said.
&#8220;Anecdotally, on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday night when things are hopping, it&#8217;s not unusual for there to be multiple people put on hold for eight, 10, 12 or more minutes before you even get a 911 call taker,&#8221; Villarreal said.
&#8220;And then if it&#8217;s that busy for the 911 call takers, then with limited resources working the streets, it&#8217;s at times hours before officers are getting to some calls, especially the lower priority ones,&#8221; he said.
While overall crime in Austin is slightly down from the highs of 2020 and 2021, certain types of offenses have spiked.
Austin&#8217;s murder rate remains high, with <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-homicide-map-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least</a> 41 homicides in 2023 as of August 8.
Car thefts are up 28% this year, <a href="https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Police/Reports/Chief_Monthly/2023/08142023_Chief's%20Monthly%20Report%20-%20July%202023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to police data through July. Arson is up nearly 40%. Shoplifting is up 13%. Certain types of sexual assaults and human trafficking cases have spiked as well.
Aggravated assaults are slightly down but remain high at 2,098. Simple assaults also remain high at 5,537.
In 2020, Austin&#8217;s city council voted to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/austin-city-defund-the-police-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slash</a> the police department&#8217;s budget by $150 million, more than a third.
Instead, the defund proposal said the saved money would be reallocated to a &#8220;Reimagine Safety Fund,&#8221; violence prevention, mental health, permanent supportive housing, food access, abortion, and an early childhood coordinator position.
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&#8220;We just continue to have a city council that doesn&#8217;t show its police officers that it cares about them,&#8221; Villarreal said.
The police department has lost more than 800 officers in the last six years.
Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-police-officer-faces-2nd-indictment-after-2020-protests-additional-officer-indicted/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least</a> 19 Austin police officers have been indicted for their actions on the job during the riots of 2020. The officers were <a href="https://apnews.com/article/death-of-george-floyd-police-austin-texas-indictments-5bfc57cb72a4cf9691ef49534249086e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicted</a> by a Texas grand jury on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. During the unrest, police shot beanbag rounds into crowds of protesters, and in one case, a protester sustained a cracked skull and brain damage.
Other Democrat-run cities have also dealt with the fallout from their police budget cuts.
In San Francisco, Democratic Mayor London Breed <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/12/15/behind-london-breeds-defund-the-police-turnaround-in-san-francisco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cut $120 million</a> from the San Francisco police and sheriff’s budgets in 2020, even though police warned the cut could affect their ability to respond to emergencies.
By 2021 though, because the police cuts had impacted the San Francisco police department&#8217;s ability to respond to emergencies, Breed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rising-crime-homelessness-leave-residents-of-san-francisco-and-oakland-on-edge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flipped</a> on her decision. She made an emergency request to the Board of Supervisors for more law enforcement money to crack down on crime, including open-air drug dealing, car break-ins, and theft from stores.

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