Texas Hemp Sellers Take a Hit Amid Legality of Delta-8 THC

byJaxie Pidgeon

Nov. 9 Update: District Court Judge Jan Soifer granted a temporary injunction Monday against the Texas Department of State Health Services, making delta-8 THC temporarily legal in Texas. Soffer’s ruling said in part: After considering the pleadings on file, the admissible evidence, and the arguments of counsel, the Court GRANTS the Plaintiffs’ Application for a […]

Students Protest UT’s Contribution to Climate Change

byCassidy Ellison

AUSTIN, Texas – Climate change is a hot topic for some students at the University of Texas at Austin, prompting one organization to visit the office of the university’s president to voice its concerns over climate change.  Students Fighting Climate Change (SFCC) continues to try to meet with President Jay Hartzell. The group had a […]

UT Buys Campus-Adjacent High-Rise Apartments

byLucy Lopez

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin purchased Dobie Twenty21 in an effort to expand affordable student housing and dining services, according to the university’s media relations director. The long-standing apartment complex at the corner of Guadalupe Street and 21st Street has amenities such as a food court, Target and other stores underneath. […]

Reporting Texas TV – October 28, 2021

byReporting Texas TV Staff

Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their second newscast of the semester on October 28, 2021. This week student journalists report on new services from the university’s Counseling and Mental Health Center, planned development at Zilker Park, small business struggles during the pandemic, and the university’s purchase of a 27-story […]

Businesses on The Drag Struggle Since the Pandemic

byElexa Sherry

AUSTIN, Texas — The Drag, which was once the heart of student life off campus, became a vacant, lifeless street. When students returned to campus for in-person classes this fall, many were disappointed to find their beloved shops and restaurants closed. Since the start of the pandemic, over 1,500 businesses in the Austin area have […]

UT Makes Additions to Counseling and Mental Health Services, Addresses Student Concerns

byMegan Fee

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin’s Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) is expanding its mental health resources through a partnership with My Student Support Program. The partnership with the third-party vendor, announced earlier this month by Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly, offers students 24/7 real […]

Zilker Vision Plan Aims to Overhaul Visitor Experience at Zilker Park

byJack Starks

AUSTIN, Texas – Austin’s green gem may be forever changing. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department is developing the Zilker Metropolitan Park Vision Plan to establish direction for Zilker Park’s growth. The plan will address changes to the park’s ecology, environmental sustainability, historical preservation, inclusivity and accessibility. “We wanted to develop a vision plan to […]

Students Adjust to New UT Athletics Ticketing Procedures

byJake Herman

AUSTIN, Texas — Leave your student ID but bring a fully charged phone battery. Texas Athletics implemented a new mobile entry procedure this fall at all sporting events which made stadium gates paperless and contactless. “A lot of people like the new ticketing system more. It’s a little different, but I can’t complain,” Longhorn Hellraisers […]

UT Students Voice Concerns Over Student Emergency Services Protocol

byCassidy Ellison

AUSTIN, Texas — Students face a variety of unexpected emergencies in their personal lives every semester, with some crises taking tolls on both physical and mental health. The University of Texas at Austin offers Student Emergency Services as a resource to assist students during unprecedented times. Emergencies that fall under these services include, but are […]

UT Police Department Opens Satellite Office in West Campus

byJaxie Pidgeon

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin Police Department (UTPD) opened a new satellite office in West Campus called UTPD West in response to an uptick in crime last year. The office is located at 405 W. 25th St. on the first floor of Walter Webb Hall at 25th Street and Guadalupe Street. […]

Austin Police Forward Non-Emergency Calls From 911 to 311

byElexa Sherry

AUSTIN, Texas — Starting this month, the Austin Police Department’s 911 line began to forward all non-emergency calls to Austin 311’s ambassador line. Non-emergency calls include incidents like stolen bikes and cars, as well as vandalism, attempted burglary of residences and verbal disturbances. University of Texas student Skyler Quait recently noticed several bikes destroyed and […]

Proposition A Faces Scrutiny for Potential Impacts on City Budget

byJack Starks

AUSTIN, Texas – With early voting in Austin beginning Oct. 18 ahead of the Nov. 2 general election, debate over Proposition A is increasing. The proposition would restore funding pulled from the Austin Police Department and reallocated last year, but critics call it an irresponsible use of the city’s budget. “Who is Prop A going […]

Texas Businesses Confused After Governor Bans Vaccine Mandates

byCassidy Ellison

AUSTIN, Texas — On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order that bans Texas businesses from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for its employees or customers.  There is a $1,000 maximum fine for those who do not comply with the order. Abbott’s new order came a month after the Biden administration issued an executive order […]

Goodbye Trucks, Hello Cars: Co-Op Food Court to Become Parking Lot

byJake Herman

AUSTIN, Texas — Local food trucks are looking for a new place to park after the University Co-Op announced it is closing the food court behind its Guadalupe Street retail store. In a letter sent Sept. 23, Co-Op Chief Operating Officer Kristen Huffman informed food truck owners that they will have to vacate the lot […]

Q2 Stadium Hosts First World Cup Qualifier in Texas

byJaxie Pidgeon

AUSTIN, Texas – Q2 Stadium in Austin hosted the first World Cup Qualifying match in Texas on Oct. 7 as the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) faced Jamaica. Thanks to Ricardo Pepi’s two goals in the second-half, the USMNT grabbed a 2-0 victory. The USMNT is hoping to bounce back by making it to the […]

Contactless Food Option Offers Safer Alternative for UT Students

byMegan Fee

AUSTIN, Texas – Students at The University of Texas at Austin have experienced crowded restaurants in West Campus for months throughout the pandemic, but a new food option offers a contactless alternative.  “Sometimes, the line [at one of my favorite restaurants] is backed all the way out to the door, and it’s not spaced out, […]

Reporting Texas TV – May 6, 2021

byReporting Texas TV Staff

Journalism students from Moody College at the University of Texas made their sixth  and final newscast of the semester on May 6, 2021. This week student journalists report on preparations for the spring commencement ceremony and the return to in-person classes for the fall, efforts to protect Austin’s bats, and concerns about gerrymandering as the […]

UT Prepares for its First In-Person Commencement Since 2019

byDominique LaVigne

AUSTIN, Texas — In January, The University of Texas at Austin announced plans to host its first in-person graduation ceremony since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unlike traditional UT graduation ceremonies in front of the UT Tower, the spring commencement will take place at Darrell K. Royal Stadium on May 22 at 8 p.m. […]

Texas Redistricting Prompts Gerrymandering Concerns

byClark Dalton

AUSTIN, Texas — As a result of the 2020 census, Texas gained two congressional seats due to its population growth.  The state will have 38 seats in the House of Representatives in the 2022 election and 40 electoral votes for the 2024 presidential election. New York and California each lost one seat and one elector. […]

Protecting Palm Trees to Protect Bats

byMaggy Wolanske

AUSTIN, Texas — After a year in which they were scorned as the source of the coronavirus, bats continue to have a rough time in 2021. Many of the mammals are losing their Austin homes. The Austin Bat Refuge works to protect the local bat population and ensure the animals are loved. Co-founders Lee Mackenzie […]