Austin Free Press Reliable independent news for Austin, Texas
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Running dry: Data centers, growth collide with a deepening water crisis
by Piper Guinn on August 21, 2026Texas’ data center boom could consume hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of water as AI drives demand, intensifying pressure on an already strained supply.
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Austin-area residents are pushing for data center bans. State leaders are divided on what to do next
by Kailey Hunt, Katy McAfee, Leigh Walden | Kut News on August 20, 2026As Texas embraces AI development, Austin-area residents are calling for stricter data center regulations, citing concerns over water, power and neighborhood impacts.
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Teachable moment: Who’s missing from Austin’s classrooms affects the teacher pipeline
by Manny Gonzalez and Mark Rogers on August 19, 2026Austin's teacher shortage isn't just about numbers. A more representative educator workforce could strengthen schools and the future pipeline.
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Incentives: City of Austin revisits development policies that subsidize world’s richest companies
by Andrew Wheat on August 19, 2026Austin has paid $29 million in economic development incentives since 2023, with nearly 85% going to Samsung and Apple as the city rethinks its policies.
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Debt financing: Austin issues $645 million in low-risk convention center bonds
by Andrew Wheat on August 18, 2026Austin recently issued $645 million in convention center bonds, backed largely by hotel taxes, as an expert warns of competition from other expanding Texas convention centers
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‘Impressionable moments’: Austin musician SaulPaul asks kids to imagine futures ‘worth building’
by Chad Swiatecki on August 17, 2026Austin musician SaulPaul uses music to help young people imagine bigger futures, drawing on his own journey from prison to a career in music.
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Track switch: Austin light rail lawsuit diverted to appeals courts — again
by Jo Clifton on August 14, 2026Project Connect and the lawsuit that challenges it have something in common – delays that drag on for years.
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Register here: New website puts Texas voter registration on the map
by Ellington Tough on August 13, 2026Looking to register to vote? Gateway to Vote helps Texans find nearby voter registration events through one easy-to-use statewide map.
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Underground railroad: Remembering when Mexico was a ‘North Star’ to Texas slaves
by Destini Ambus on August 13, 2026Silvia Webber, the “Harriet Tubman of Texas,” inspires a movement to preserve Afro-Mexican history in Austin.
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Harm reduction: City of Austin scrounges for funds to aid unhoused people
by Destini Ambus on August 12, 2026Austin’s social service cuts could hit the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, which says its work helps reduce demands on police and EMS.
