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AM Update: Last Day to Register for Run-offs, 'Sit and Lie' in East Austin, Longhorns to London

KUT News

Deadline to Register to Vote in Run-off Elections

Today is the last day to register to vote in the July 31 Primary Run-off election.

You can find a registration form at VoteTexas.gov or at local libraries or post offices. Forms must be post-marked by today.

If you are already a registered Texas voter but have moved to a new county since the last time you voted, you need to re-register. If you’ve moved within the same county, you can make changes online.

If you voted in the May Primary, you can vote in the same party’s run-off election. If you didn’t vote in the primary, you can vote in either party’s run-off.

Among the races on the ballot, there is a run-off in both the Republican and Democratic primaries to determine who will be the party nominee in the race to replace retiring U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Besides U.S. Senate, Republicans will also vote for Railroad Commissioner and Justice Supreme Court Place Four.

Click here to find a complete list of what's on the ballot.

Public Safety Commission Meets Today

The Austin Public Safety Commission will meet to today to discuss a host of issues including the expansion of the Sit and Lie ordinance to the 12th Street and Chicon Street area.

The ordinance prohibits people from sitting and lying down in front of buildings or on sidewalks. Opponents of the ordinance say that while the physically disabled are exempt, the mentally disabled are not. Mentally disabled people make up a sizeable portion of the homeless population.

The Commission will also hear briefings and updates on the wildfire risk and the PERF patrol utilization study. The PERF (Police Executive Research Forum) is a non-profit that has been conducting a survey of Austinites about the performance of the local police force.

Commissioners will also hear an update on the Austin Police Department's efforts to purchase another helicopter. On Friday the Austin City Council gave initial approval of the purchase. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo cited the Bastrop Complex Fires and a deadly police pursuit as reasons for the purchase.

Also on the agenda are the EMS budget, EMS staffing configuration and reduction of response times, and the dispatch of Austin Fire Department on medical calls. 

The meeting will begin at 4 p.m.

UT Athletes Make Olympic Team

The UT Longhorns have a long and impressiveOlympic history.

With the London games just around the corner, KUT wanted to round-up a solid list of current and former Longhorns who have qualified – but that turned out to be more complicated than expected. Comparing all the different lists, here is what we found:

In Men’s Swimming, Brendan Hansen (100m breastroke), Ricky Berens (800m freestyle relay, 400m freestyle relay), and Jimmy Feigen (100m freestyle) have clinched spots on the team. Jimmy Feigen is also still competing for a spot in the 50m freestyle event. Christian Schurr will be swimming the 200m breaststroke for Mexico. Michael McBroom finished 5th in the 1500 freestyle preliminaries.

In Women’s Swimming, Kathleen Hersey (200m Fly) has a ticket to London. Susana Escobar (800m freestyle)  will be swimming for Mexico.

Leonel Manzano (1500m), Marquise Goodwin (Long Jump), and Trey Hardee (Decathlon) have made it to the Men’s Track and Field team so far.

Women’s Track and Field will see the most Longhorns. Shanay Briscoe (High Jump), Victoria Lucas (High Jump), Michelle Carter (Shot Put), Sanya Richards-Ross (200m Dash), Alexandria Anderson (200m), Chalondra Goodman (200m), and Bianca Knight (200m) are all headed to London. Allison Peter (100m, 200m) will be running for the U.S Virgin Islands, Sanya Richards-Ross (400m) for Jamaica, and Christy Udoh (200m) for Nigeria.

Troy Dumais (3m, 3m Synchronized) will be diving for the men’s team.

Finals rounds are still taking place. For more updates, check out UT’s athletic website.

Laura first joined the KUT team in April 2012. She now works for the statewide program Texas Standard as a reporter and producer. Laura came to KUT from the world of television news. She has worn many different hats as an anchor, reporter and producer at TV stations in Austin, Amarillo and Toledo, OH. Laura is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, a triathlete and enjoys travel, film and a good beer. She enjoys spending time with her husband and pets.
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