Grace Reader

City hall/local government reporter at @KXAN_News in Austin. Host of Inside Austin’s Agenda.

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

New story coming today!

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Today: The group working to force 'an external and performance-based affordability and efficiency initiative' at the city of Austin says they have enough signatures to get their petition on the Nov. ballot. They filed those with the city clerk today.

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Previous story here: https://t.co/2JXVX7OPPd

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Almost a year after devastating flash floods claimed nine lives and destroyed more than 200 homes in Travis County, KXAN has received several audio recordings of the 911 calls made during that catastrophic event: https://t.co/QEoiVyBJXP

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

@JustinLeighShaw @LoewyLawFirm -https://t.co/gj7yyBphlD

-https://t.co/2WhYjQqBUQ

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

I admire the confidence from someone whose profile picture is Clint Eastwood.

[Clem @Clem19600101]

@GraceReaderTV
you showed up in makeup today!!!!
Why can’t you do that EVERYDAY???

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

@data_atx (2/2) "We’re hoping that her recovery progresses well and that she is able to participate in the Housing & Planning Committee meeting in June. The goal is for her to be able to back on the dais for the July 23 council meeting."

And CM Fuentes is off after having a baby!

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

@data_atx (1/2) BTW, I track Austin City Council attendance here: https://t.co/2WhYjQqBUQ.

CM Harper-Madison's chief of staff told me: CM Harper-Madison had total knee replacement surgery last Monday...

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Malin, the beloved Pease Park troll, burned down early Thursday morning. What we know over at https://t.co/YjssmHY9zW.

[Austin Police Department @Austin_Police]

UPDATE: The shelter in place for the south Austin area has been lifted, and two suspects are in custody. One remains at large in the Manor area. More information to follow.

[Mayor Kirk Watson @KirkPWatson]

In March, Chief of Police Lisa Davis revised the Austin Police Department’s General Orders to address the more than 700,000 noncriminal, administrative warrants put into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database in 2025.

The Orders were also to provide clarity for our police officers. Austin acted in compliance with state requirements. The Chief’s General Orders were a common sense, practical, and rational approach for policing that maximized our limited resources to adequately address Austin’s public safety needs.

We must do the job of policing in a practical and reasonable way. We do not have the time or resources to engage in activities that pull officers away from needed work and create inefficiencies. That is how we keep Austin safe. We also rely on funding from sources such as state grants to be able to keep Austin safe.

On April 16, the Governor notified me on behalf of the City of Austin that he believed the City was in breach of state grant requirements and threatened to terminate public safety grants awarded to the City. These taxpayer funded grants include:

➡️Sexual Assault Evidence Testing, which would help the City process hundreds of pieces of sexual assault evidence to identify perpetrators;

➡️General Victims Assistance, which helps victims of violent crime by providing trauma-informed support advocates throughout the legal process. It is expected to serve approximately 200 victims;

➡️Violence Against Women Act, which helps process digital evidence quicker, eliminating backlogs;

➡️Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program, which funds a coordinated Sexual Assault Response Team;

➡️Youth Diversion Program, which funds the GO ATX Youth Project, a city-led evidence-based truancy prevention program for students across AISD;

➡️Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, which gives specialized training for our APD SWAT and Bomb Squad members;

➡️Peace Officer Mental Health program, which funds our First Responder Mental Health Project to help officers who have experienced direct and indirect trauma on the job.

I believe the City was following state requirements and I feel strongly that too often politics overwhelms good policy. The threatened loss of these grants would have meant the loss of important public safety services for people we want protected. We have an obligation to them.

The City and State have come to an agreement that the Chief and I believe is practical for our day-to-day policing, will not create undue harm for residents who are the subject of noncriminal, administrative warrants, and preserves important public safety funding. The newly amended General Orders take into account the practicality and reality of policing in Austin while also satisfying some of the concerns raised by the Governor’s office.

We will continue to provide quality public safety services to everyone. We will continue to support our officers. We will continue to support survivors. We will continue to protect people who ask for help. That is our duty. That is how we keep Austin safe.

I thank Chief Davis for her leadership and efforts in keeping our community safe, holding up Austin’s values, and ensuring that we are providing the needed resources for our officers and community.

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

So thrilled about this opportunity!

[Josh Hinkle @hinklej]

Very excited to share @GraceReaderTV is joining @KXAN_News’ investigative team as a multi-skilled journalist! During her time at the station, she’s tackled the Austin city beat, digital innovation — and she was our very first in-house investigative reporting fellow back in 2023!

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Let's talk budget.

The city came out with its 5-year financial forecast last week.

Here's what @KirkPWatson took away from that forecast, and what he hopes you'll learn going into this budget cycle:

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Austin has until tomorrow to respond after Gov. @GregAbbott_TX threatened to pull $2.5M in public safety grants over APD policy changes tied to ICE administrative warrants. Here’s some of what @KirkPWatson said when I asked about the looming deadline:

[KXAN News @KXAN_News]

The Texas Attorney General’s Office plans to investigate the city of Austin after the police department changed its general orders to address administrative warrants from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. https://t.co/GBclfGuvSW

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Cried, clutched my heart, thanked God.

Cheers to a break after one of the biggest challenges of my life before I figure out what I’ll do next to break myself.

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

I did it! Pleased with my time — 6 hours and 47 minutes. Deeply grateful for the experience.

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Doing my first Ironman 70.3 this weekend — send prayers and good vibes!

(Yes, I’m already packing and yes it’s only Tuesday … but I’m very nervous ok).

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

@RyanAutullo Photo of the day. I did it in 6 hours and 47 minutes. Very pleased. Very tired!

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

Doing my first Ironman 70.3 this weekend — send prayers and good vibes!

(Yes, I’m already packing and yes it’s only Tuesday … but I’m very nervous ok).

[Grace Reader @GraceReaderTV]

WATCH: I joined Border Report today to break down a recent effort by Austin City Council members to further address federal immigration enforcement:
https://t.co/bOTvh6JTQX