Texas — The Austin Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its own who was tragically killed in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash while off duty in San Marcos Saturday morning According to the Texas Department of Public Safety Chief Lisa Davis informed the APD staff of the tragic news "It is with a heavy heart that I inform you about the passing of Detective Israel Garcia I was notified he was involved in an off-duty motorcycle crash in San Marcos ALSO| Pedestrian killed in overnight crash near Del Valle Elementary School Chief Davis urged the department to keep Detective Garcia's family "Our Peer Support and Wellness Team is on standby – please reach out to them," Davis said "Our APD leadership team will be reaching out and attending show-ups According to a social media post by the Austin Police Association Detective Garcia had served APD since 2009 when he was brought over as part of the Austin Public Safety and Emergency Management consolidation "The Austin Police Association and all our members are saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of Austin Police Department Detective Israel 'Izzy' Garcia," the statement said and his brothers and sisters in blue in your thoughts and prayers during their time of need The Austin Police Benevolent Foundation will step up to assist Detective Garcia’s family with their needs during this tragedy." No further details about the crash have been released at this time The Texas DPS is leading the investigation don’t try to approach the “murder kitten," the director of San Marcos Parks and Recreation said “ That's just a phrase I've seen on social media" to refer to mountain lions Case said a staff member was off trail near Dante's Trail which runs through the length of Purgatory Creek Natural Area and then she saw something out of the corner of her eye she saw a deer climbing out of a tree,” Case said “Deer don’t climb out of trees … so she quickly realized Mountain lions and deer have similar coloring Texas Parks and Wildlife has not confirmed the sighting the TPW urban wildlife biologist for the Austin area said usually the opposite happens with potential mountain lion sightings even gray foxes and free-roaming dogs and cats getting confused as mountain lions,” she said and it ended up just being a big dog or something.” TPW runs an online database of confirmed mountain lion sightings. The department sends someone out to the scene to confirm the sighting, checking for photos or videos, tracks or droppings. The only confirmed sightings in the area since 1982 have been in Blanco and Williamson counties. But that doesn’t mean the animals aren't around. “They can travel really long distances and so usually they're just passing through,” Moore said. “Usually, they go undetected, which is why we don't typically see them or get confirmed sightings for our map.” The City of San Marcos is warning people to stay safe while on trails in the area. Although mountain lions are dangerous, they rarely interact with or attack people. As a general precaution, park visitors should hike with a buddy, stay on the trails, keep children and pets close, and leave parks before sunset, when wildlife is most active. If you happen to spot a mountain lion while on your walk, don’t approach it. “Don't run away, don't turn your back on it, [you] just wanna back away,” Moore said. “Make yourself look big and move kind of slowly, and you can shout at it. … Don't try and touch them and don't get in their space. They’re just protecting themselves.” © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. Head Coach Zenarae Antoine praised Walker's exceptional love for the game which are expected to enhance the team's performance and 13 steals during her junior year and has a remarkable collegiate history demonstrating her potential as a significant addition to the Bobcats As Walker transitions back to Texas and prepares for her senior year with the Bobcats expectations are high for her to take on a leadership role and significantly impact the team's success in the upcoming season With her robust skill set and competitive background Amyria Walker is poised to make a substantial impact on Texas State's women's basketball program energizing both the team and the community as she embarks on this new chapter The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy Classic Tattoo will offer flash specials and host guest artists May 11–17 to celebrate 20 years in business SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - An 81-year-old San Marcos woman has returned home after a life-altering fall during a dream vacation in Europe Pat Zook and her friend Marianne were on day two of a trip that was to end in a two-week river cruise along the Danube River when the incident occurred the two women had gone to an Italian restaurant for dinner in Amsterdam there was an extra small stair that was not marked," Daren said slammed her head against a door that was leading to the bathrooms." Pat was discovered by a server and rushed to a hospital Pat’s neck was broken in three places and her spinal cord was compressed She required emergency surgery to save her life "She didn't want me to see her in her current state." a former public health nurse and school nurse has struggled to cope with her new reality of being paralyzed from the waist down "She's just overwhelmed and depressed by the situation and the fact that she knows that she won't be independent in the way that she was before ever again," Daren said Pat arrived back home in the San Diego area on Tuesday and is now at a rehabilitation facility in North County A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Pat with medical and flight costs that could exceed $50,000 "Just a lot of people stepping up to help," Daren said "I'm hopeful that she can look at the things that she still can do and find independence through that And I'm hopeful that we can continue to support her and help her live her life in a new way.” This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy The Texas State University System board of regents approved a new campus master plan May 1 that will guide development through 2035 according to a news release from the university Greg Abbott has threatened to cut off state funding to the city of San Marcos after its leaders agreed to put an Israel-Hamas war ceasefire resolution to a vote next week The San Marcos City Council voted April 15 to advance a ceasefire resolution with a formal vote scheduled for its May 6 meeting That resolution includes support for ending U.S military funding of Israel with federal and local tax dollars Abbott, in a letter sent to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson on Tuesday said there would be consequences if the resolution passes The letter states that no governmental entity in Texas “may enter into a contract worth $100,000 or more unless it includes a ‘written verification’ that the contracting entity ‘does not boycott Israel’ and ‘will not boycott Israel during the term of the contract.’”  Abbott added that the city’s proposed resolution “seems calculated to violate this law by calling for San Marcos to limit its commercial relations with Israel.” The city’s resolution states more than $4.4 million in San Marcos residents' tax dollars went to Israel Abbott added that the resolution’s call to reallocate those dollars away from Israel’s military and toward essential domestic priorities are “unacceptable” and a public expression of a desire to do what state law prohibits San Marcos' resolution states that it's seeking to curb antisemitism rather than promote it The resolution ends with the City Council condemning any “anti-Palestinian San Marcos officials declined to comment on Abbott’s letter saying they do not provide comment on items that are scheduled for consideration by the full City Council They said the resolution is still expected to be considered at the May 6 council meeting San Marcos leaders plan to “hold a discussion regarding a possible resolution calling for the immediate and permanent ceasefire in occupied Palestine and the protection of constitutional rights for all people under national and international law."  Abbott categorized the resolution as “pro-Hamas” and wrote that San Marcos would be violating state law and disrespecting a Texas ally “Israel is a stalwart ally of the United States and a friend to Texas,” Abbott wrote “I have repeatedly made clear that Texas will not tolerate antisemitism Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies.”  Those government entities include political subdivisions like the city of San Marcos He added that when subdivisions enter into grant agreements with his office they are required to comply with all state laws including laws prohibiting government support for boycotts of Israel Abbott wrote that his office is already reviewing its active grants with San Marcos to determine whether it has breached terms by falsely certifying compliance with state law He added that if the city adopts the resolution his office will not enter into any future grant agreements with the city and will immediately terminate its active grants Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Greg Abbott threatened to cut off state funding to San Marcos if the City Council passes a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war In a letter to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson no governmental entity may enter into a contract worth $100,000 or more unless it includes a ‘written verification’ that the contracting entity ‘does not boycott Israel’ and ‘will not boycott Israel during the term of the contract.’” The San Marcos City Council voted to advance a ceasefire resolution on April 15 with a formal vote scheduled for their May 6 meeting Citing the right to a life free from violence for all the resolution condemns the targeting of civilians in the Israel-Hamas war and the resolution seeks to “hold a discussion regarding a possible resolution calling for the immediate and permanent ceasefire in occupied Palestine and the protection of constitutional rights for all people under national and international law.” Abbott says in his letter the ceasefire resolution is claiming that approximately $4,434,675 in San Marcos resident taxes were sent to Israel and it now seeks to redirect those funds from Israel’s military “towards essential domestic priorities.” “Israel is a stalwart ally of the United States and a friend to Texas I have repeatedly made clear that Texas will not tolerate antisemitism,” Abbott said in the letter In September 2017, House Bill 89 became a law in Texas This bill prohibits government entities from conducting business with companies participating in a “‘governmental entity’ includes a political subdivision “If the city council adopts this resolution the Office of the Governor will not enter into any future grant agreements with the city and will act swiftly to terminate active grants for non-compliance,” Abbott said in the letter Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here The evidence at trial showed that Kinsey threatened to kidnap his child and force his wife and child to watch him commit suicide who was supposed to be undergoing mental health treatment in Arizona He had landed at the Austin airport and was waiting for a rideshare when a Texas Ranger located him and took him into custody Kinsey continued to threaten and abuse the victim via the email system provided to inmates The Hays County District Attorney’s Office wishes to recognize the San Marcos Police Department and the Texas Rangers for their vigilance and dedication Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Cyrus Morgan and Shelby Griffin prosecuted the case “The victim in this case did not deserve the life-changing torture and abuse inflicted on her by Mr Without the victim’s strength and resolve our office could not have achieved this result.” For Employees Texas - Governor Greg Abbott has released a letter condemning a city council resolution advocating for an "Embargo on the State of Israel," calling it "antisemitic." The Governor clarified that per Texas Government Code no state governmental entity may enter a contract of more than $100,000 unless it includes written verification that the contracting entity "does not boycott Israel." "Israel is a stalwart ally of the United States and a friend to Texas," said Governor Greg Abbott in a letter to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson "I have repeatedly made clear that Texas will not tolerate antisemitism Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies." According to the resolution considered by the city council it identifies that “$4,434,675 [that] came from San Marcos residents’ taxes” was directly sent to Israel and calls for the reallocation of those funds to more local matters and a divestment from the Israeli Defense Forces "It is difficult to believe that a city so carefully accounting for every dollar flowing to Israel and determined to “reallocate” those funds in a self-described “Embargo” on our ally is requiring written verification from its contracting partners that they will not boycott Israel," "said Abbott This public expression of a desire to do what state law prohibits is unacceptable." Governor Abbott also says that if the City Council were to adopt the resolution the state would work to not enter any future grant agreements with the city and would work to terminate active grants for non-compliance A full copy of the letter can be read here. by Andrew Freeman Texas — Governor Greg Abbott is threatening to pull funding from the city of San Marcos over a Gaza ceasefire resolution being voted on by the city council next week The governor is calling the resolution antisemitic mirroring similar threats made by President Trump towards universities "If people really care about the Israeli people and the safety of Jewish people they're advocating for the end to this genocide." Scott Cove with Palestine Solidarity San Marcos said they’ve been pushing for a Gaza ceasefire resolution for a year now “There's famine and war crimes and collective punishment happening against the Palestinian people especially in the Gaza Strip," Cove said The resolution calls for the United States to stop participating in Israel’s war on Palestine through the sale and manufacturing of weapons which all say it's illegal for the United States to provide arms that are being used against civilians," Cove said "that are being used to commit war crimes weapons that are being used in a non-defensive manner." It also points out that the more than $4 million spent by San Marcos taxpayers on Israel could be better spent here on efforts like education “This genocide is not benefiting our community," Cove said "It's actually a threat to our community." In a strong letter to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson Governor Greg Abbott calls the resolution antisemitic Texas will not enter into any contracts with those boycotting Israel Meaning if San Marcos moves forward with the resolution the state will pull grant funding from the city “It's an intimidation tactic," Cove said It's an attempt to suppress our free speech." Cove says not only is the bill not antisemitic "Antisemitic harassment and attacks are deplorable and so that's in the resolution," Cove said of Texas say this resolution isn’t calling for a boycott “A resolution which doesn't actually change funding streams is just an expression of political thought." Free Speech Engagement Coordinator Caro Achar said ALSO| Texas House votes to ban social media for children Achar says these threats at the state and federal levels set a dangerous precedent for free speech “When Governor Abbot criticizes the government of Iran He's criticizing the actions of a government," Achar said "And criticizing the actions of a government is not inherently religious discrimination And conflating the two does suppress protected political speech." "It's really important when talking about defending free speech to not defend it only when we agree with what people are saying but to defend it when we vehemently disagree with what people are saying," Achar said "Because one day those tables will be turned and we'll be grateful we defended free speech for everybody." She says while the city itself doesn’t have free speech rights “They are allowed to ask their representatives to represent them that is within their rights," Achar said "A government entity doesn't have unilateral control over what any other government entity expresses or says." Cove doesn’t want to see the city go back down “It's going to be a really powerful moment for our city to come together and say in one voice that we reject genocide," Cove said we don't want to supply the arms for genocide." The city won’t comment on pending resolutions, but city councilmember Amanda Rodriguez issued a statement Also issuing a statement is the founder and president of Texans Standing with Israel City Council is expected to vote on the resolution on Tuesday This upcoming Thursday, May 1, the A.C.L.U. of Texas is hosting a "Know Your Rights" webinar concerning protesting in Texas An off-duty Austin police officer died early Saturday after a motorcycle crash in Comal County Police Detective Israel Garcia died in the accident according to an email to the Austin Police Department from Chief Lisa Davis He was pronounced dead at a hospital in San Marcos Details of the crash were not immediately known "Anybody who knew Izzy — we called him Izzy — always knew that he was one of the most jovial people who always had a positive attitude," said Michael Bullock president of the Austin Police Association "I don't think he ever met a stranger he couldn't be good friends with Garcia was most recently assigned to work with a downtown rapid response team Pursuit of a conference title and the first steps toward the NCAA Division II crown begin on April 30 when the top six teams in the CCAA compete at the league's 2025 softball championship Here's how to watch the 2025 Cal State San Marcos vs San Francisco State on FloCollege