HIGHLIGHTS TEXAS A new rule adopted by the Public Utility Commission of Texas ensures public water and sewer companies can no longer shut off service during extremely cold weather. The new rule applies to nonmunicipal public utilities in emergencies when temperatures do not exceed 28 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 24 hours. The new rule was required under Senate Bill 3, which passed in May 2021. Austin City Council Will meet Dec. 1 and 8 at 10 a.m. at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St., Austin. 512-974-2250 www.austintexas.gov/department/ city-council Travis County Commissioners Court Will meet Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, 13 and 20at 9 a.m. at the Travis County Administration Building, 700 Lavaca St., Austin. 512-854-4722. www.traviscountytx.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court Will meet Nov. 22 and Dec. 6, 13, and 20 at 9:30 a.m. at the Williamson County Courthouse, 710 Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER
TAKING ACTION
Justice program receives $1M grant
County commissioners called for the creation of several programs aimed at gun violence in Travis County.
Create a hospital-based intervention program to steer victims from retaliation or committing a crime themselves Redirect gun violence offenders to community resources Apply for a grant to fund the National Integrated Ballistic Intelligence Network program, a machine that can help identify guns used in previous crimes to close cases faster
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
WILLIAMSON COUNTY The county was awarded a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for its Transformative Justice Program in October, four years after starting the diversion initiative meant to keep young people charged with nonviolent felonies from reoffending. The program was first funded through a grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission in 2019 with matching funds from Williamson County, and the $1 million grant will fund the program for another three years, 277th District Judge Stacey Matthews said. The program provides mental health services, life skills education and training to offenders ages 17-24. Case managers work to address substance use issues, education chal- lenges and other concerns, county documents show.
SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Gun violence prevention funding approved TRAVIS COUNTY Commission- ers unanimously approved the Safer Travis County resolution Nov. 1, moving three key programs meant to reduce gun violence in the county forward. The action will fund two $500,000 pilot programs. Com- BY KATY MCAFEE medical care and mentorship to gun violence victims. The second, led by prosecutors, will redirect people accused of gun violence to support services. Commissioners also voted to apply for a grant to fund a program that collects shell casing evidence from crime scenes and pools it into a national database. The resolution from Travis
missioners directed county staff to gather cost and program informa- tion on the pilots and bring their findings to the court in March. One of the programs is a hospital-based violence interven- tion program and will provide
County commissioners comes after several months of receiving gun violence prevention briefs from law enforcement and com- munity groups.
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NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • NOVEMBER 2022
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