Oversight office rebukes Austin police over changes to handling of officer misconduct complaints

News and updates from Austin's news in your inbox Email not displaying correctly? [View Online]( [Statesman]( MORNING HEADLINES Start your day with a fresh roundup of news, features and commentary. Saturday's Top Story [Oversight office rebukes Austin police over changes to handling of officer misconduct complaints]( [Oversight office rebukes Austin police over changes to handling of officer misconduct complaints]( The head of the city's police oversight office harshly criticized the Austin Police Department for policy changes that she says will limit her office’s ability to be transparent about reported officer misconduct. [Read More »]( Local News [Fact-check: Has a pandemic occurred every 100 years?]( [Fact-check: Has a pandemic occurred every 100 years?]( This piece was originally published on PolitiFact.com on April 9, 2020.According to this post on Facebook, pandemics like COVID-19 strike with eerie precision, every 100 years:"1720 — Plague; 1820 — Cholera outbreak; 1920 — Spanish flu; 2020 — Chinese coronavirus. [Read More »]( [South Austin Lowe s employee with coronavirus dies, officials say]( [South Austin Lowe’s employee with coronavirus dies, officials say]( Lowe’s Home Improvement officials on Friday said an employee at a South Austin location has died of COVID-19, the illness linked to the coronavirus.“Lowe’s is devastated to learn of our associate’s passing, and we will work closely with the family to ease this tragedy however we can,” Lowe’s officials said in a statement Friday. [Read More »]( [Coronavirus in Texas: Judge weighing merits of Abbott s ban on personal bonds for violent suspects]( [Coronavirus in Texas: Judge weighing merits of Abbott’s ban on personal bonds for violent suspects]( A Travis County state judge will soon weigh in on the controversial executive order by Gov. [Read More »]( [Williamson County reports 7 new confirmed coronavirus cases; total at 110]( [Williamson County reports 7 new confirmed coronavirus cases; total at 110]( The Williamson County Cities and Health District reported seven new confirmed cases of coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 110.Four people have died from confirmed coronavirus cases in Williamson County and 55 people have recovered, according to a new release from the district. [Read More »]( [Coronavirus slows investigation into Austin police racism allegations]( [Coronavirus slows investigation into Austin police racism allegations]( The findings of an independent investigation into allegations of racism within the leadership of the Austin Police Department initially expected in February have been delayed further by the coronavirus. [Read More »]( [More rain possible in Austin this weekend before temperatures dip]( [More rain possible in Austin this weekend before temperatures dip]( More thunderstorms will likely hit Austin this weekend, and Central Texans could see a repeat of the severe weather that swept through the area Thursday. [Read More »]( [Cedar Park offers grant, loan program to help small businesses during coronavirus]( [Cedar Park offers grant, loan program to help small businesses during coronavirus]( The Cedar Park City Council has approved a program to provide small businesses in the city that meet certain guidelines with grants and loans to help with the coronavirus pandemic. [Read More »]( Business [UT study: Construction activity can raise coronavirus risks for workers, community]( [UT study: Construction activity can raise coronavirus risks for workers, community]( New research from the University of Texas finds that construction work can undermine efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus and lead to larger numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, both among industry workers and the public at large. [Read More »]( [Software firm Airbrake raises $11M, plans Austin HQ]( [Software firm Airbrake raises $11M, plans Austin HQ]( San Francisco-based software company Airbrake has closed on an $11 million funding round and says it is in the middle of establishing its headquarters in Austin. [Read More »]( Sports [All-Central Texas boys soccer team: Senior leadership helps Lake Travis star Ben Arney earn honor]( [All-Central Texas boys soccer team: Senior leadership helps Lake Travis star Ben Arney earn honor]( PLAYER OF THE YEARBen Arney, senior, Lake TravisThe numbers speak for themselves. [Read More »]( [All-Central Texas girls soccer team: Defense wins titles and MVP award from Dripping Springs Emma Jones]( [All-Central Texas girls soccer team: Defense wins titles – and MVP award from Dripping Springs’ Emma Jones]( PLAYER OF THE YEAREmma Jones, sr., Dripping SpringsA four-year starter at centerback is the key to a Tigers’ defense that allowed only four goals and 16 shots on goal while cruising to a 21-1 record, a lofty state ranking and the District 25-5A title. [Read More »]( [For minority coaches in Central Texas high schools, basketball sets tempo]( [For minority coaches in Central Texas high schools, basketball sets tempo]( Celester Collier has seen and been a part of many things during his coaching career, which just entered its fifth decade. [Read More »]( [NCAA exec says robust changes to be proposed on athlete names, image and likeness]( [NCAA exec says ‘robust’ changes to be proposed on athlete names, image and likeness]( A top NCAA executive says representatives of the association’s top-level schools will be presented with a “very robust set of proposals” concerning changes to rules governing athletes’ ability to make money from their names, images and likenesses. [Read More »]( [Report: Brees to move to NBC after playing career]( [Report: Brees to move to NBC after playing career]( NEW YORK — Drew Brees might have secured his plans once his playing career has ended. [Read More »]( Opinion [Editorial: In a pandemic, voting by mail protects lives]( [Editorial: In a pandemic, voting by mail protects lives]( We shouldn’t have to put our health, even our lives, on the line to exercise our right to vote. [Read More »]( [Commentary: Books can help life during the coronavirus lockdown]( [Commentary: Books can help life during the coronavirus lockdown]( Literally every American — and everyone on the planet — has been affected by the health emergency caused by the novel coronavirus. [Read More »]( [Abbott: Texans are helping Texans and we re saving lives]( [Abbott: Texans are helping Texans and we’re saving lives]( We are saving lives. That is the bottom line. [Read More »]( [Douthat: The road to normalcy]( [Douthat: The road to normalcy]( There will be three stages to the coronavirus era. [Read More »]( [Blow: Social distancing is a privilege]( [Blow: Social distancing is a privilege]( People like to say that the coronavirus is no respecter of race, class or country, that the disease COVID-19 is mindless and will infect anybody it can. [Read More »]( Nation [Libertarians debate: How to respond to coronavirus pandemic?]( [Libertarians debate: How to respond to coronavirus pandemic?]( NEW YORK (AP) " Steve Baker, one of the British parliament's leading libertarians, was nearly in tears as he addressed the House of Commons in support of a bill that once seemed unthinkable: a massive economic aid package in response to the coronavirus pandemic. [Read More »]( [South Korea plans tracking wristbands, US virus deaths rise]( [South Korea plans tracking wristbands, US virus deaths rise]( SEOUL, South Korea (AP) " South Korea announced plans Saturday to strap tracking wristbands on people who defy quarantine orders and Christians were urged to stay home on Easter weekend as the global coronavirus death toll passed 100,000. [Read More »]( [Congo, weary from Ebola, must also battle the coronavirus]( [Congo, weary from Ebola, must also battle the coronavirus]( BENI, Congo (AP) " Congo has been battling an Ebola outbreak that has killed thousands of people for more than 18 months, and now it must also face a new scourge: the coronavirus pandemic. [Read More »]( [Italy begins to grapple with how to ease virus restrictions]( [Italy begins to grapple with how to ease virus restrictions]( SOAVE, Italy (AP) " With warmer weather beckoning, Italians are straining against a strict lockdown to halt the coronavirus that is just now showing signs of ebbing at the end of five weeks of mass isolation. [Read More »]( [Europe grapples with Easter sun, next steps; US deaths rise]( [Europe grapples with Easter sun, next steps; US deaths rise]( BERLIN (AP) " European countries sought Saturday to keep people from traveling in sunny Easter weather and grappled with how and when to start loosening weeks-long shutdowns of much of public life. [Read More »]( World [`Don t do silly things : Europe tries to stop Easter travel]( [`Don’t do silly things’: Europe tries to stop Easter travel]( BERLIN (AP) " European countries Saturday sought to keep people from traveling in sunny Easter weather and grappled with how and when to start loosening the weeks-long shutdowns of much of public life. [Read More »]( Austin360 [Photos: Today in History, April 10]( [Photos: Today in History, April 10]( Photos: Today in History, April 10 [Read More »]( [Photos: Good Friday observed in Austin amid coronavirus pandemic]( [Photos: Good Friday observed in Austin amid coronavirus pandemic]( Photos: Good Friday observed in Austin amid coronavirus pandemic [Read More »]( [Coronavirus in Austin: Tell us what you re creating]( [Coronavirus in Austin: Tell us what you’re creating]( Coronavirus in Austin: Tell us what you're creating [Read More »]( [Coronavirus in Austin: Photographers find new purpose with portrait project]( [Coronavirus in Austin: Photographers find new purpose with portrait project]( Coronavirus in Austin: Photographers find new purpose with portrait project [Read More »]( [A beer for the times: Zilker Brewing releases new Stir-Crazy Hazy IPA]( [A beer for the times: Zilker Brewing releases new Stir-Crazy Hazy IPA]( Austin breweries may not be able to host you in their taprooms, but that doesn't mean many of them have stopped brewing fun new beers. 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