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The Austin City clerk says a group seeking to reinstate Austin's bans on sitting, camping or lying down in public doesn't have the requisite 20,000 signatures to force a referendum on Election Day.

Five of the Texas Legislature’s most conservative members are suing Gov. Greg Abbott and state health officials, claiming Texas leaders overstepped their bounds when they awarded a major contract for tracking Texas’ coronavirus outbreak to a little-known technology firm.

Most Americans support Trump administration efforts to stop immigrants from coming to the United States as long as it's done in the name of slowing the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll.

But Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric during the pandemic has done little to budge public opinion on other immigration policies, the poll found. Most of Trump's policies, including his border wall, remain unpopular except among Republicans.

The top doctor at Austin Public Health says he’s concerned there could be a rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

During a media briefing Wednesday, Dr. Mark Escott stressed the importance of wearing masks and social distancing in all situations, not just public outings. He and APH Director Stephanie Hayden said they’ve seen an increase in cases among gatherings of family and friends. 

This post has local news on the coronavirus pandemic from Wednedsay, Aug. 5. If you have a news tip or question, email us at news@KUT.org.

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Members of the Austin Independent School District community had the opportunity to learn more about the lone finalist to be the next superintendent during a virtual discussion Tuesday night.

The Austin Transportation Department has unveiled a new tool for the public to track the number of traffic crashes, injuries and deaths in the city. The Vision Zero Viewer allows people to see where the most crashes are happening and how the numbers this year compare to years past.

Updated at 6:10 a.m. ET Wednesday

A huge explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, killing at least 100 people and shattering windows and damaging buildings across a wide swath of the city, according to officials. The blast sent a huge mushroom cloud into the sky, seemingly emanating from a spot close to where a large fire had been burning.