BG Reads | News You Need to Know (April 13, 2021)
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BG Podcast EP. 137: Q1 2021 Review: Austin Transit Partnership with Sam Sargent, Director, Program Strategy
This BG Podcast Episode (137) features a Q1 2021 review with Sam Sargent, Director, Program Strategy, at the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP).
Formed following the passage of Project Connect in November 2020 (an historic $7.1 billion comprehensive overhaul of Austin's transit system) ATP was established as an independent organization to guide the Project Connect investment with transparency and accountability throughout the program.
You can listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. New content every Wednesday. Please like, link, comment and subscribe!
[MEETING/HEARINGS]
[THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE]
LINK TO FILED HOUSE BILLS (5,520)
LINK TO FILED SENATE BILLS (2,535)
[AUSTIN METRO NEWS]
Austin health officials won’t relax Covid-19 guidance this month (Austin Monitor)
Numbers tracking the coronavirus pandemic in the Austin area have stopped improving and could worsen, new projections show.
The projections, released Friday by UT’s Covid-19 Modeling Consortium, show lines flattening in the weeks ahead and possibly rising. The consortium reports a 32 percent probability that the pandemic will worsen here and a reproduction number of 0.91. A rate above 1 would mean the pandemic is growing in severity.
“We’re seeing plateauing of the projections for hospital admissions, ICU admissions and hospital utilization,” Austin Public Health interim Medical Director Dr. Mark Escott said in a briefing. “And as of today, entering the stage 2 is off of the projections through the first week of May.”
APH had earlier suggested restrictions could be eased as soon as the end of this month if new hospitalizations averaged fewer than 10 per day. But daily hospitalizations have remained closer to 20, the threshold for the current stage 3 level of risk.
Escott urged increased precautions to prevent the pandemic from getting worse.
“It means we have to work harder to continue those protections: the masking, the distancing, the hand hygiene, staying home when we’re sick, getting tested and isolating from other individuals when we have any of the symptoms of Covid-19,” he said, “and we’ve got to work on getting more vaccines out.”
APH is opening its vaccine availability to anyone 18 and older starting Monday and urging people at higher risk, including public-facing workers, to get an appointment.
Escott also announced some brighter news Friday: Since last month, hospital stays have been shorter and mortality rates have been lower. He credited vaccination efforts and the use of monoclonal antibody treatments, which help to reduce severity of the disease… (LINK TO STORY)
Search is on for Waterloo Greenway CEO; Kathy Miller named interim leader (Austin Business Journal)
Kathy Miller has been named the interim CEO of Waterloo Greenway Conservancy as the organization launches a national search for a permanent leader.Miller took on the role March 15. She formerly served as the executive director of the Texas Freedom Network for 16 years, plus headed the nonprofit Every Texan in an interim capacity. Miller is stepping in as former CEO Peter Mullan starts his new role at the Austin Transit Partnership as chief of architecture and urban design, according to an April 8 announcement.
Founded in 2010, Waterloo Greenway is creating a 1.5-mile urban park system through downtown Austin and maintaining a restored Waller Creek, in partnership with the city of Austin, according to its website. Once complete, the 35 acres of green space will connect 15th Street to Lady Bird Lake.
A national search for a permanent CEO is expected to take six months to a year, according to an announcement.
“While we take the necessary time to thoughtfully identify Waterloo Greenway’s next great trailblazer, the position of interim CEO is an incredibly important one, and we are pleased to welcome Kathy and look forward to benefiting from her wealth of experience working with nonprofits,” Cotter Cunningham, chairman of Waterloo Greenway and RetailMeNot founder and former CEO, said in a statement… (LINK TO STORY)
UT report finds disparities in COVID-19 vaccine and infection rate between East and West Austin (KVUE)
Although East Austin has historically suffered the most infections from COVID-19, it's West Austin that has so far received the most vaccines, according to a report from the COVID-19 Modeling Consortium at the University of Texas.
The report, released Monday, estimated the spatial distribution of COVD-19 infections and vaccine administration across Austin. Researchers marked geographic differences in the outcomes and noted that, in particular, ZIP codes on the western side of Austin tend to have higher vaccine coverage and lower estimated cumulative infections than ZIP codes on the eastern side.
The differences mirror disparities in social vulnerability, as measured by the CDC's social vulnerability index. These tend to be higher in eastern ZIP codes than in western ZIP codes.
The report notes that the population compositions used in the study do not account for annual fluctuations in ZIP codes. Fluctuations could occur due to the seasonal migration of university students.
The researchers also noted that the estimates for age groups and ZIP codes with small numbers of hospitalizations also have a high level of uncertainty and that the case and hospitalization data does not include individuals who were tested or required hospitalization for COVID-19 while traveling outside of Austin or whose addresses were not correctly recorded.
The CDC social vulnerability index was calculated for Texas at the census tract level using the 2014-2018 American Community Survey, according to the report.
"Our report is meant to, for the first time, provide a yardstick of equity, of distribution of the vaccine. And what we, what we find is that places where there is [the] highest levels of social vulnerability and highest number of infections, that these are places that are lagging behind the city average in terms of getting vaccines into people's arms," said Spencer Woody, a post-doctoral fellow with the COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. "We're meaning to provide this report as, as a report card, as a yardstick to measure equity of distribution."
Overall, researchers said the disparities are noticeable in the report, and the goal is to have this research help local health officials figure out how to better provide services that allow more equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine… (LINK TO STORY)
The Zebra achieves unicorn valuation with $150M funding (Austin Business Journal)
Austin has its second homegrown unicorn in the past four months.
The Zebra announced April 12 it had closed a $150 million series D funding round, giving it a valuation of more than $1 billion.
The vaunted unicorn status refers to privately held startups valued at $1 billion or more. In December, health testing company Everlywell Inc. announced it had raised $175 million at a $1.3 billion valuation. While such companies have proliferated in the San Francisco Bay Area in recent years, they are rare in Austin, making the appearance of two in a short time a significant sign of strength in the startup ecosystem.
New and former investors participated in The Zebra's latest round, including Florida-based Weatherford Capital, a family-owned investment firm, and Accel, a California-headquartered venture capital firm. Other investors include Austin-based venture capital firm Silverton Partners, Ballast Point Ventures, Daher Capital, Floodgate Fund and KDT.
The Zebra, which has built a digital platform for comparing insurance plans, reported generating $79 million in net revenue in 2020, a nearly 114% increase from $37 million generated in 2019. The company currently has an annual run rate of $150 million and has raised a total of $250.5 million to date. Its legal name is InsuranceZebra Inc.
“As one of the earliest investors in The Zebra, this inflection point in the company’s history is something I've been eagerly anticipating,” said Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank investor, in a statement. “‘Startup’ isn’t the right word anymore. The Zebra is a full-fledged tech company that is taking on — and solving — some of the biggest challenges in the $638 billion insurance industry.”… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS NEWS]
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is 'very close' to herd immunity. Health experts disagree (Austin American-Statesman)
Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas is "very close" to reaching herd immunity, an assessment that runs counter to recent comments by health experts and his own medical adviser.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Abbott touted the state's relatively low COVID-19 numbers. After dropping below 3,000 hospitalizations statewide on March 31 for the first time since June 17, the number of hospitalizations has hovered just above 2,800.
"We absolutely are not declaring victory at this time," he said when asked about how numbers remain low despite his decision last month to lift the statewide mask mandate and pandemic business restrictions. Health experts warned the move could lead to spikes in cases and hospitalizations. "We remain very vigilant and guarded and proactive in our response."
"There's simple math behind the reason why we still continue to have success," Abbott said Sunday, adding vaccinations have increased and there are a number of people who have some level of natural immunity through a previous infection, which means, "very simply, it’s a whole lot more difficult for COVID-19 to be spreading to other people in the state of Texas.”
More than 70% of seniors have received a vaccine in Texas. More than 50% of Texans between 50 and 65 years old have received a shot, Abbott added.
"I don't know what herd immunity is but when you add it to the people who have acquired immunity, it looks like it could be very close to herd immunity," he said.
Estimates vary on what percent of the population must be protected from the virus to reach herd immunity, the point at which each infected person transmits the disease to an average of fewer than one other person, and it starts to die out… (LINK TO STORY)
As Texas Legislature considers anti-trans bills, NCAA announces it will not hold events in states that discriminate against trans students (Texas Tribune)
The National Collegiate Athletic Association Board of Governors said it will only hold college championships in states where transgender student-athletes can participate without discrimination. The Monday warning sets the stage for a political fight with multiple states, including Texas, that are considering bills in their legislatures that would require students to play sports with only teammates who align with their biological sex.
“Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all student-athletes, including transgender athletes, at all levels of sport,” the NCAA statement said. “Our clear expectation as the Association’s top governing body is that all student-athletes will be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to ensuring that NCAA championships are open for all who earn the right to compete in them.”
Texas lawmakers have filed six bills that target transgender students’ sports participation — but only two of those bills would affect colleges and university sports in addition to K-12. While most of the proposals have not yet received a hearing, one bill, which was named a Senate priority, recently advanced out of a Senate State Affairs Committee to the full chamber for a vote. It would require the University Interscholastic League, which runs K-12 sports, to amend its rules to only let students play sports with students who match their biological sex as determined at birth or on their birth certificate. If passed, it would go in effect Sept. 1… (LINK TO STORY)
Texas Senate revives push to block cities' paid sick leave ordinances (Texas Tribune)
The Texas Senate has revived a push to ban cities and counties from requiring companies to provide specific employee benefits like paid sick leave.
Supporters say Senate Bill 14 will prevent regulatory confusion in a way that helps businesses regain their footing as the economy tries to recover from the pandemic’s devastating financial effects. But opponents say it reduces workers’ access to paid sick leave after they’ve been navigating the pandemic for more than a year.
“You have people on TV saying the most important thing to protect yourself from this virus is to stay at home if you don’t feel well, but we’re not going to do sick leave, so you can choose between going to work and eating,” said Rick Levy, the president of the Texas AFL-CIO.
The Senate gave the bill initial approval in a 19-12 vote Monday. It targets attempts by several Texas cities to mandate benefits for employees. In the past three years, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio passed paid sick leave ordinances, but court rulings have kept them from being enforced. Last session, business leaders fought for similar legislation on the basis that it would eliminate confusion for businesses operating across cities and leave decision making to employers… (LINK TO STORY)
Thompson & Knight in merger talks with larger firm (Tampa Business Journal)
Dallas-based Thompson & Knight could be merging with a law firm based in Florida.
Holland & Knight announced April 9 that it was in discussions with Thompson & Knight to possibly merge and create a new, larger firm. The new firm would have almost 1,600 attorneys working in 30 offices.
Both firms have offices in Austin — 13 lawyers each here — as well as London, Mexico City, New York, Houston and Dallas, which would presumably be merged should the deal go through.
The managing partners of the two firms — Thompson & Knight's Mark Sloan and Holland & Knight's Steven Sonberg — issued a joint statement.
"This proposed combination would expand significantly each firm’s presence in important geographic markets," the statement read. "It would also improve the depth and breadth of the services offered to clients in key industries. Most importantly, the combination would bring together two firms who share similar cultures and who are focused on providing excellent client service in a collaborative and diverse environment. This is an exciting opportunity for both firms."
According to the announcement, the two sides are in the process of doing due diligence and expect to complete the process in the next 90 days, with a possible closing set for some time this summer. No additional details were provided.
Holland & Knight is the larger of the two firms, with 27 offices and more than 1,300 attorneys across its footprint, according to American City Business Journals research. Although the firm has offices across the United States and three international locations, it's based in Miami and has more offices in Florida than any other state.
It is the fourth-largest firm based in Florida, with 366 attorneys and eight offices based in the Sunshine State. The firm has 210 attorneys working in its three South Florida offices, making it the fourth-largest law firm in South Florida, according to the South Florida Business Journal's List of Law Firms.
According to the announcement, Holland & Knight had revenue of approximately $1.045 billion in 2020, whereas Thompson & Knight brought in $200 million last year. Thompson & Knight has nine offices, most of which are in Texas… (LINK TO STORY)
An open Texas power grid would boost reliability and renewables, experts say (Houston Chronicle)
Since the February power outages, Texas legislators have been busy weighing a host of improvements for the state’s grid, from weatherizing equipment to shaking up oversight to partnering with the billionaire investor Warren Buffett on new emergency-use power plants. But hardly any of them have focused on what some believe could be a more widespread fix: plugging into other U.S. power supplies. While Texas has long opposed opening its grid to avoid federal oversight, and ostensibly to keep prices low, energy experts say the calculus is not what it once was and that the benefits of connecting to the outside world are at least worth examining, especially as renewable energy is poised for a major expansion under the Biden administration. Not only is the state missing out on a potential lifeline in future blackouts, they warn, it also risks passing up billions of dollars in new investments for clean, marketable electricity.
“We export every form of energy you could imagine except electrons,” Michael Webber, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, told reporters recently. “This is ridiculous,” he said. “Let’s at least study the option.” Texas is the only contiguous state with its own grid, a decision prompted by the creation in 1935 of a federal commission to oversee interstate power transactions. Today, the state has just a handful of transmission lines linking to neighboring power supplies.
Though a more integrated grid would probably not have prevented outages in February— surrounding states were also struggling to meet demand — it could have helped shorten them substantially, according to Dan Cohan, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University. The blackouts left 4.5 million Texans without power and water for days and contributed to at least 197 deaths. Most importantly, Cohan said, having outside power supplies would strengthen the grid’s reliability during the state’s most frequent natural disasters. “The vast majority of our crises are more often a summer drought, or a summer hurricane, or a summer flood that hits Texas more strongly than other states, where we would have plenty of power that we could have been importing in,” he said. Some question, though, whether joining other grids would be worth the cost, especially because building new transmission lines is expensive and obtaining permits can take years. Without a robust build-out, the state would be giving up its autonomy without gaining substantial backup capacity… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Top Republicans work to rebrand GOP as party of Working Class (NPR)
A growing number of working-class voters were drawn to Donald Trump's Republican Party, and now top Republicans are searching for ways to keep those voters in the fold without Trump on the ballot.
"All of the statistics and polling coming out of the 2020 election show that Donald Trump did better with those voters across the board than any Republican has in my lifetime since Ronald Reagan," Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told NPR. "And if Republicans want to be successful as a party, win the majority in 2022, win back the White House in 2024, I think we have to learn lessons that Donald Trump taught us and how to appeal to these voters."
Since 2010, the most significant growth in the Republican coalition has been white voters without a college degree — an imperfect but widely used metric to quantify the working-class voting bloc — along with some marginal growth among similarly educated Black and Hispanic voters. Banks believes the only winning path forward for the GOP is to permanently reimagine itself as the party of the working-class America… (LINK TO STORY)
Businesses encounter hiring challenges as demand surges (The Hill)
Restaurants and bars say they are struggling to hire enough workers to keep up with surging consumer demand even though more than 8 million Americans are still unemployed.
As COVID-19 vaccinations increase and states ease pandemic-related restrictions, examples of a labor shortage in the hard-hit food and beverage service industry are becoming commonplace across the U.S. In short, many customers are ready to come back, but few job candidates are available to serve them.
While fears of a labor shortage are most pressing for the restaurant and bar industry, Google searches for job openings fell sharply in March and have just begun to level out, according to Daniel Zhao, senior economist at job posting and employer review website Glassdoor.
Zhao found Google searches for jobs fell as much as 15 percent since March 1 and settled roughly 10 percent lower as of last week.
“There are a lot of factors that are affecting labor supply right now, but none of them quite fit the pattern that we’re seeing since the beginning of March,” Zhao said.
“There isn’t one clean explanation for why this is going on.”
Many business owners and several economists argue that the March extension of enhanced unemployment benefits through President Biden’s stimulus bill is the primary force behind the apparent labor shortage.
Biden’s bill extended a $300 boost to weekly jobless benefits, an unemployment insurance (UI) program for gig workers and contractors, and additional weeks of unemployment insurance through September to help get tens of millions of households to the other side of the pandemic-driven recession.
Several studies from last summer — when millions more were jobless and the weekly boost was $600 — showed that the additional aid did little to disincentivize unemployed workers from taking jobs even if they would have made less money working. The primary factor suppressing the labor market then, economists found, was COVID-19 depressing consumer demand and making major parts of commerce unsafe.
A year later, some economists say that while generous jobless benefits made sense during the depths of the pandemic, they could be an emerging — but serious — restraint on the recovering economy.
“I don’t think that expanded UI has been much of a constraint on job growth for basically the entirety of the pandemic, because demand was so weak that it didn’t really matter that most workers didn’t want to come back,” said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at job recruitment site Upwork.
He added that the expanded unemployment aid likely benefited the economy by keeping consumer spending high, along with the obvious humane benefits of keeping households afloat.
“But things are starting to change now as the economy begins to head back to normal,” Ozimek continued.
“As demand for in-person businesses has increased, I think we are going to increasingly see that reduced supply because of UI going to be a pain point for the economy.”
Restaurants, bars and retailers are among the first of the hardest hit industries to see both jobs and consumer demand come back with the U.S. on the cusp of a boom… (LINK TO STORY)