Matt Largey, KUT News

Cap Metro Board Nears Bus Operation Vote

The board of directors of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority will vote today on whether to abolish StarTran, the subsidiary company it formed in 1991 to manage its bus driver and maintenance crews.

AISD Makes Gains On TAKS

More than 80 percent of students in the Austin Independent School District passed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test, according to district data released to the Statesman. The district's board of trustees is expected to receive the data at  its meeting tonight. 

The Wall Street Journal puts another log on the fire of speculation over whether Texas Gov. Rick Perry will run for the GOP nomination for president. In an article published this afternoon, the Journal points to conversations Perry has had over the last couple weeks about the GOP's chances against President Obama in 2012.

The article quotes unnamed sources, who say Perry has said he thinks the current field of GOP candidates are uninspiring:

The head of Mexico's state-run tourism board is in Austin today to meet with Texas' Secretary of State and law enforcement officials. 

Among the things he wants to discuss: Texas' warnings about traveling to Mexico.

The City of Austin is warning drivers to be aware of lane closures and detours beginning this Saturday, due to water main work in the area of Walsh Tarlton Lane and Loop 360 - near the Barton Creek Square Mall. The detours will last through the rest of the summer, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. 

From the City:

Austin City Council members heard a presentation today on Formula One Austin, that asks the city to contribute $4 million per year to a fund that would be managed by the group.  The money would come from additional tax revenues generated by people visiting Austin for F1 events.

ACC Buying Last Tract of Highland Mall

Austin Community College is in the process of buying the last piece of the Highland Mall property that it doesn't already own, the Statesman reports this morning. 

ACC also says it is working with a partner, who will develop a mix of retail, residential and office space at the mall, which has fallen on hard times recently. The College's leadership appears upbeat about what the acquisition means for the insitution.

Town Lake Animal Center is putting out a call for foster homes, after a greater-than-expected number of kittens have been taken into the shelter.

The kittens generally need to housed for at least two weeks. Fosters are asked to provide bedding and care for the animals, while the shelter pays for medical treatment and food.

Authorities are warning of potentially severe thunderstorms in Central Texas tonight.

National Weather Service meteorologist Amanda Fanning says there's a 20% chance of severe thunderstorms in the Austin area. She says there's a slight chance of showers, but large hail and damaging winds are also possible. Any storms that do occur are likely to be severe.

Chances for severe weather are greater to the west of Austin, in Blanco, Burnet and Gillespie counties. 

Austin City Council Member Randi Shade has filed another ethics complaint against challenger Kathie Tovo.

It’s the second complaint based on an email sent by a Tovo supporter.  The Shade campaign says the email should have contained a disclaimer announcing it was from Tovo’s campaign. The city’s ethics commission tossed out a similar complaint last week, saying it did not have jurisdiction over the matter.

In the new complaint, Shade says the value of the address list the email were sent to exceeded the maximum contribution allowed under city ordinance.

Governor Rick Perry signed held a formal signing ceremony today for the state’s so-called “sonogram bill. ” It requires women seeking an abortion to undergo a sonogram before terminating their pregnancy. Doctors will have to make an image of the fetus and the sound of its heartbeat available.

Houston Republican, Senator Dan Patrick, says if this new procedure changes the mind of 20% of women who go in for an abortion, it would mean 10,000 - 15,000 additional births in Texas each year.

The law goes into effect September 1st.

The Texas House has given its approval to a bill that formalizes landowner’s full ownership of groundwater below their land.

Property rights advocates had pushed for the bill, which allows landowners to pump and sell groundwater, though the state would still be able to impose some restrictions.

Texas is one of the few states that still gives landowners control over the water underneath their property.

Doctors at Seton Medical Center in Austin say they expect to discharge Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad today.

Fayyad was hospitalized Sunday, after complaining of chest pains. He was in Austin to attend his son’s graduation at UT-Austin.

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees has approved a timeline for finishing the district’s controversial Facility Master Plan. At a meeting Monday night, the board okayed the timeline set out by Superintendent Meria Carstarphen. 

A report presented to the board in March by a citizens’ task force suggested closing as many as nine schools.

Governor Perry and President Obama aren't meeting during Obama's visit to Texas today. And, perhaps not surprisingly, each side is blaming the other. 

The White House says Perry refused to meet the President in El Paso earlier today.

The Associated Press reports Perry's office said Obama declined an invitation to tour areas of the state scorched by wildfire or to meet in Austin.