¶ Today's Headlines
It's been almost two months since the deadly shooting outside a 6th Street bar and local officials are looking at the emergency response to the tragedy that night. One topic of discussion, better regulation of autonomous vehicles in these kinds of situations. That's after one vehicle blocked emergency response here in Austin. And here in Texas, one of the country's largest legal cannabis markets is fighting for its life.
Exceptions allowing the sale of smokable hemp are slated to expire this week. We've got more about both of these stories coming up on today's show. The Austin Signal is a production of KUT News, hosted by Jerry Quijano. Plus, there's been some changes to this weekend's inaugural KUT Fest, it is still going forward just in a few different locations around town. Catch up on the latest, that's coming up next and it's right here on Austin Signal. Howdy out there, you are tuning in to Austin Signal.
It is Wednesday, April 29th. I'm your host, Jerry Keakono. Thank you for spending part of the day here with us. This is community-powered public radio, KUT News.
¶ Emergency response to Buford's shooting
We'll start today's show with Austin Public Safety and Mobility officials meeting at City Hall to discuss the emergency response to the deadly shooting at Buford's back in March. Among those discussions, how to better regulate autonomous vehicle use during emergency situations. That's after a Waymo was seen blocking the street as first responders were heading to the scene of the Buford shooting. KUT City Hall reporter Luz Moreno Lozano was at that meeting and she is joining us now live from City
Hall. Hi Luz. Hey Jerry, thanks for having me. Of course. So tell us what were some of the topics of discussion at today's meeting? Yeah, you know, the the Waymo and autonomous vehicle discussion was probably the one that they had the most the largest discussion about, you know, as you mentioned during the Buford shooting, we saw Waymo blocking in ambulance from responding.
Public safety officials did say that didn't significantly hinder the response, but it did take a few minutes for an officer to be able to like, access a vehicle and physically or manually move it. There was also some other concerns outside of the Buford shooting, just about how AV vehicles or AVs just kind of respond to traffic safety and signals in general. You know, we've seen videos of them improperly passing school busses driving in the wrong direction.
There was videos of the way most driving through flooded roads and through barricades like train barricade. And so there's all this discussion about like how these vehicles are. You know, working on the roads and also like balancing public safety. So what are some of the proposed solutions to the issue of autonomous vehicles potentially hindering emergency responses or other kinds of responses?
Yeah, you know, I think the city and some of these AV companies are kind of working together to, um, improve some of these, um safety precautions and, and protocols, you know, things like being able to stop a Waymo from responding to within a certain radius of an emergency. And so, you know, that's just one of the things that they are working on. The city doesn't have a lot of, um power to just be able to regulate these, you know, the state is trying to get them to register.
That's part of a new state law that just passed. But I think it's mostly about like, how can these companies in the city work together, especially first responders, so that they are paying attention to like hand signals, for example, and being cleared away from these emergency situations.
Now, you and I here have been talking about Waymo's, and I'm sure Waymo was discussed much at this meeting, but despite that, Waymo was not actually represented at this meeting of the Austin Mobility and Public Safety Committee today. Is there a specific reason why that they weren't there? Yeah, yeah. I talked to a spokesperson yesterday who basically said that they have had several meetings with both city and state leaders over the last several weeks.
And they said they felt like those discussions were substantive enough to kind of explain things and how that happened. They've also kind of detailed some operational improvements in these discussions. So like Waymo, for example, said that the be expanding their avoid the area zone when emergency alerts are coming through. So yeah, I think that's a little bit about why they didn't fully participate today.
I think council members were disappointed to see that they didn't have anyone on site today, but that's little bit about what we heard from them this week. Yeah, from the reporting that you have done, what would you say is the pulse on public opinion when it comes to this? I mean, the video went viral and obviously there were lots of emotions during that time. Did the public have a chance to speak at this meeting today? They did, yeah.
We had a couple of speakers who basically kind of touted this idea that, yes, you know, Austin has been a testing ground for these emerging technologies and we've, you know prided ourselves as a city on being able to bring those in, you know. It's not just Waymo, it's Tesla, it is AV. You know, there's other companies kind of operating within the Austin city limits.
But I do think that there are a lot of public safety concerns, you know, being passing a school bus while dropping and picking up kids is a huge concern. And so I think the sentiment is we can do both, but how do we balance up? Okay, Luce, we have about 40 seconds left. What happens next? So the city council and public safety officials will be kind of working with these AV companies to find a middle ground.
I think that public safety is a top concern and over the next several weeks, they'll be trying to figure out what that looks like. All right, that is Luz Moreno Lozano. She is KUT City Hall reporter. Luz, thanks for joining us live here on the show. Thanks, Jerry. A court fight is playing out this week that could determine whether thousands of Texans are able to continue buying legal cannabis flower and extract.
The state has allowed the sale of consumable hemp products since 2019, but new regulations have upended the market, and now the Texas hemp industry is fighting them in court.
¶ Court hearing over Texas hemp laws
KUT's Nathan Bernier has been following the court hearing at a Travis County court downtown. The smell of cannabis greets people who walk into Terp House, a hemp store in South Austin. Co-owner Reese Newland shows me around their small storefront. So this is our flower. We have indoor. We have top shelf. We also have pre-rolls. The products sold at Turp House and 13,000 other registered retail locations across Texas are called hemp. Marijuana and hemp come from the same plant.
The only difference in Texas law is hemp has low amounts of Delta-9-THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. But hemp has many other ingredients, including something called THCA, which converts to to 9 when heated or smoked. And that's how stores in many states that ban recreational marijuana have been able to sell smokable forms of cannabis. But in Texas, that all changed a few weeks ago. I think the regulations personally were designed to kill this industry.
Casey Newlin is Reese's brother, and also a co-owner of Turp House. The regulations he's talking about were adopted by the state's health department in March, following an executive order by Governor Greg Abbott. The new rules clamped down on THCA, which effectively banned the sale of smokable hemp products even though possessing them remains legal. They basically took our highest selling products off the shelves. I can tell you our sales went to 5%. That's not even enough to cover our rent.
Earlier this month, Texas hemp businesses sued the state. They argued regulators went beyond their authority by changing what counts as legal hemp and by imposing sharply higher fees on businesses. A state court issued a temporary restraining order, allowing smokable products back on store shelves while keeping those higher fees in place.
This week, the hemp industry is asking for something longer-lasting, a temporary injunction that would keep some of the new rules on hold while the lawsuit plays out, which could take years. The court will call D1GN26002511, Texas Hemp Business Council. During court proceedings, attorneys for the state of Texas argued regulators did not rewrite the law. They said THCA levels have long been a part of how hemp is tested prior to harvesting.
And so now, they say, regulators are just applying that total THC metric to consumable products. Zachary Berg is a lawyer with the Texas Attorney General's office. The definition of total THC used in the rules is consistent with the federal definition and consistent with definition of other states such as Colorado. Texas has the biggest hemp market in the country. Country, according to Robin Goldstein. He directs research at the Cannabis Economics Group at UC Davis.
Goldstein says businesses nationwide are selling products into Texas. If you suddenly cut off that revenue stream for them, a lot of the producers of these products, which are shipping across state lines and which are located all across the country, those are threatened by the Texas shutdown if that happens. Goldstein says prohibiting the sale of smokable hemp products could put thousands of mom-and-pop retailers out of business in Texas and prompt many consumers to turn to the illegal market.
Well, a little bit more news here for you. U.S. Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are in a May 26 runoff for the Republican U. S. Senate nomination. Well, that part's not new, but this part is. A new poll finds that Democratic nominee state rep James Tallarico of Austin is ahead of both of them. The Texas public opinion research poll of likely voters has Tallarica leading CornyN by three points and Paxton by five points.
That poll shows Tallarico getting more support from moderates and independents. And support from those voters is considered key to a Democrat-winning Texas statewide office for the first time since 1994. We have more news on the KUT app and online at KUT.org. And we have more Austin Signal coming up after this break, including talking with Austin Film Society about their Doc Days festival kicking off tomorrow. And some changes to the KUT Festival, just the locations.
We're gonna let you know about those coming up after this. Thank you for being with us. This is Austin Signal. Welcome back to the show. This year, the Austin Film Society's Doc Day's Film Festival is highlighting the effects of SpaceX on the South Texas coast, looking at collective action by UPS workers, the work to return ancestral remains to native lands, and a whole lot more. Joining me now to talk about that is Holly Herrick, head of film and creative media at Austin Film Society.
Holly, thanks for joining us. Thanks so much for having me. Of course. So we want to talk about the films that you're going to be showcasing this week, but wanted to ask you a little bit about the focus on documentary work and why you think that it's so special. Sure. So this is Austin Film Society's annual non-fiction film
¶ AFS Documentary Days
festival, AFS Doc Days. And the curatorial line is really looking for very unique, special non-fiction films, not the paint-by-numbers documentaries that you might see on certain streaming services, but films that speak to the moment, but are also timeless, that we'll look back on as saying something really special or unique about the world that we're living in today, but that our touchstones.
So we often find that films that we show at Doc Days end up being in the end of year conversations around sort of best films of the year. And it is with such a small program, sort of a best of what's out there in the nonfiction community. The other thing that we're doing with the festival is celebrating the documentary and nonfiction film community that we have in Austin and in Texas. There are many great nonfiction filmmakers living and working here.
And so we want it to be an opportunity for them to interact with guests from. The greater non-fiction community, and that's all happening at the AFS cinema during AFS Doc Days. Very cool. Well, one of the stories that focuses on Texas is a documentary called Shifting Baselines. Can you tell us a little bit about that one? Yes, this is such a unique film. It takes place in on the Texas coast, where the SpaceX operation has been set up.
And it's pretty much an ethnography of the town where SpaceX is located, sort of studying how the town has been changed by SpaceX setting up there. And what we find are some really unexpected characters. You know, people who are sort of migrating, they're going on these almost pilgrimages to see SpaceX and to talk about the future of humans and space exploration alongside people like the person we're going to have in person at the cinema named Gage
Dabula. He's a journalist who is documenting the effects of the residents and how the town is changing dramatically from SpaceX being there. And then the film takes a really interesting turn to talk about how humanity is not thinking broadly about our future and about the ways in which space exploration is gonna affect life on Earth. And it's a really fascinating turn and I can't really say too much
about it. You just kind of have to see the movie which is also just stunning black and white cinematography, it's incredible, yeah. Okay, that's definitely a good hook, and Gage Davila used to report on public radio for Texas Public Radio, so that's a voice that many of our listeners out there might be familiar with. That is happening on Friday, correct?
That's right, and Gage will be there in person talking about Boca Chica and his reporting and also appearing in the film and what that was like. So he's one of many characters that the filmmakers follow in Boca-Chica, Texas. Well, the movie that's gonna be opening the Fest is called Who Moves America? What is that about? Who Moves America is about an almost labor strike by UPS that happened about five years ago.
And during the mobilization towards a strike, all of the workers were looking back on a strike that happened at UPS in the 90s. And you have to think that UPS is actually the biggest organized labor force in the United States. It represents more than 350,000 workers. And so a strike by UPS basically shuts down shipping in the United States. And so what happened in the 90s was this massive labor strike that sort of gave birth to a generational knowledge about how to organize as workers.
And so the film is about sort of looking back at past generations of organizers and thinking about organizing, labor organizing. As sort of a lineage that there are things to learn from the past that can be taken into the future. And it's really inspiring in that way. And it was just fascinating getting the inside story of how a strike happens or doesn't happen. So it's a riveting film, also really inspiring.
Well, there are lots of great films that are going to be featured during the fest and there are lots of a great Q&A's that happen after a lot of these films. I've been able to host some of these and they're always a really good time. The audience always asks really great questions. What else do you have planned for this round of Dock Days? So eight of the nine films that we're showing will have filmmakers in attendance. And we also have, like you said, amazing moderators.
And Jerry, I'm waiting for you to come back this year. So we still have a couple of opportunities. But we do have some really, really cool conversations set up. So Jason Head, who's the senior editor of Texas Monthly and has reported on Boca Chica and SpaceX, he'll be talking to Gage Davula who's in the film. So that'll be a fantastic conversation.
We have the producer of this film called The Lake, which is about the ecological crisis in Salt Lake City, of the drying of the Great Salt Lake, which is a massive water issue. And we can certainly learn some things about what's happening in Utah, about our community and water issues here. And the producer that film who made this movie over many years is named Fletcher Keys, and he'll be here in person for conversation. So many sort of great opportunities.
We also have the producer of Anikubidjigan, the ancestor, great-grandparent, great grandchild, very long title, that Laura Rice from Texas Standard, also from your home station here, KUT, will be moderating a conversation with the producer that film, Jackie Clark. And that film is, of course, about the repatriation of ancestral remains to their tribes. All right, well it sounds like lots of great festivals, lots of
opportunities. I'm gonna take a look at the list and maybe we'll see you out there this weekend. We also have the KUT Fest going on, lots going on. We're gonna be speaking. I'm doing a panel called Roll Credits. I'll be speaking with Martin Jones from Austin Film Society as well. So lots of film activity going on this weekend, Doc Days starts tomorrow at the Austin Film
society. We've been speaking with Holly Karick, Head of Film and Creative Media at Austin Film Society, Holly, thank you for your time. Thank you. It's a great weekend to be in Oz tonight. Speaking of the KUT Festival, you may have heard by now that late yesterday afternoon, UT-notified KUT staff and KUTFest attendees at the bulk of the festival will be moved off-campus, and panels slated for Friday will be move to Saturday.
The Texas newsroom's Nina Satija has more on that and a reported piece at KUT.org. We'll have that in the show notes for today's podcast. But ultimately, what does that mean for festival-goers? Well, KUT's Jennifer Staten spoke with Matt Riley, program director for KUTx, on the last-minute logistical changes. So we're talking about the KUT Festival, which is still coming up this weekend, Friday and Saturday. We've done a little bit of shifting of the venues though.
¶ KUT Fest changes locations
Talk a little about where we're gonna be having the Kut Festival now. Yeah, so Friday night, there will still be the keynotes address here with CEO of NPR, Catherine Maher. That's happening at the LBJ auditorium. That is pretty much remaining the same. There's also a dinner if you're interested in that. Check out the website, ktfestival.org. Also, we're moving Saturday. So the portion that was going to be all on campus Saturday has moved to Central Machine Works and East End Ballroom.
Now, if you look those up on a map. You would see they're next to each other. The addresses will look different, but they're really just next door to each. So don't get stymied by that. So we're gonna have all the programming moving over to East End Ballroom and Central Machine Works on Saturday. So we'll have panels, we'll live music with Shaky Graves and Black Odyssey and Melissa Carper and Jacuzzi and all that. That's still happening.
You'll still get to see Yoga with Adrienne, Noah Hawley talking TV. And so we'll lots of panels, everything from healthcare to film. It's gonna be great. Right, so the main thing is the venue is changing as you described to Central Machine Works and East End Ballroom, and it is cool because they're kind of neighbors. So it's easy footprint to a- They're right next door to each other. Yeah, that's gonna be great.
Now, so Matt, the other question will be for folks who have already registered and had gotten passes, the registration and the pass situation is changing a little bit. Walk us through what's gonna to be different with that. Correct. This is a free event. This is free event now, but you must RSVP. And you can do that at kutfestival.org. You have to RSVPs in advance if you plan on coming. I'm gonna say
that again. You have RSV P in advance at the website, kutfestival.or if you planned on attending because we need an accurate head count. This is smaller space. Both of them are smaller spaces. And so we wanna make sure we get an accurate head count and we can fit everybody who wants to be there. So, no just walking out. Right. So I have a question. Do you have to RSVP? Yes, Jen, you do. You do have to RSVP, I just want to clarify that. Those four letters are your friends.
And you can do that at KUTFestival.org. And as we'll be having some listing about the venue changes, you'll be able to keep up with all of that at KUTFestival dot org. So just to kind of recap here, Friday night, staying the same at the LBJ Auditorium, we're gonna hear from Maria Hosa from Latino USA, NPR's Domenico Montanaro and Leila Fadal. Cory Booker's gonna be talking about his book, Stand, in conversation with Domenica Montanar. All of that happening Friday night.
On the UT Austin campus till the LBJ library. But Saturday, kind of the centerpiece day, everything moving to Central Machine Works and East End Ballroom. Your festival-ness moves on Saturday. So yeah, we're gonna be over at Central Machine Works in East End Ballroom. It's all right there between Cesar Chavez and Fifth Street. So if you wanna join us, you gotta RSVP kids and you do it at kutfestival.org. Hey Matt, talk a little bit about the live music.
That's not my area of expertise as much as yours. What's some of the music going to get expected here on Saturday? So you've got Melissa Carper, some great old-timey sounding country. Jacuzzi, who I can't describe because they're insane and awesome. Black Odyssey, who are amazing soul and rock and they meld all the genres. And then Shaky Graves, Austin's own ShakyGraves. And so he's gonna be your headliner. And we're gonna be wrapping this thing up by 6 p.m.
So if you're thinking, I'm gonna go out Saturday night and do this. No, this is a daytime event. We're gonna start in the morning and we're going to end around 6 pm. That's my kind of timing wrapping up by 6pm. Start early, end early. That's what I say. Me too. Me too, Matt Raleigh from KUT and KUTx. Matt, thanks so much for coming in to a talk about the KUT Festival. One note, the kids programming has been eliminated from the, it just happened in the churn of all this.
And so unfortunately we don't have any kids programming. But you will be able to keep up with changes in the venues. We're not going to be at Central Machine Works and East End Ballroom. You'll be able see the schedule and RSVP at kutfestival.org. Thanks so much, Matt. Happy to do it. And keep checking back for an updated schedule and additional information at KUTFestival.org. So many great panels and performances happening this weekend.
It's going to be a great time for our community to come together and we hope that you can join us. It should be a beautiful day here in Austin. So come hang out with us and in case you didn't hear you can RSVP at KUTFestival.org. Don't forget that AFS Doc Days kicks off tomorrow and I am going to be out at the cinema on Sunday. I will be moderating a Q&A following the film called The Voyage Out. It's 3 p.m. On Sunday, we would love to see you out there, we would like to see at the Fest.
Wherever you are out there, we are glad that you are tuned in right now to Austin Signal. This is community-powered public radio KUT News. That is it for today's show. We have more in the podcast show notes and at KUT.org slash Signal. Our team is Kristen Cabrera, Alexandra Hart, and Rayna Sevilla. I'm your host, Jerry Quijano. We'll talk to you tomorrow.