Journalists are fond of saying facts matter. But as some of this week's stories show, it would be unwise for anyone to underestimate the value of perception. Take the recent back-and-forth over police funding in the city of Austin . Gov. Greg Abbott is turning what he characterizes as a $150 million cut in funding for police in Austin into a rationale for a potential takeover of the Austin Police Department by the Texas Department of Public Safety. As you'll hear below, Austin Mayor Steve Adler sees this as political grandstanding, insisting that his city has not "defunded" the police department. And for some colleges and universities, already under severe pressure from the pandemic, the power of perception is leading them to embrace the social media world in ways they haven't before. Even those concerned about the health effects of climate change can appreciate the power of perception. Now there's a move afoot to name heatwaves as we do hurricanes to impress upon the public at large their dangers. Our friends at PolitiFact Texas are constantly trying to sort perceived (and often falsely claimed) facts from fiction, though that business can get messy when false facts are stacked upon one another and perceptions are manipulated frequently for political effect. We do our best to provide you with the facts where we find them, and we hope you enjoy this week's story picks below. Until next week, we'll see you on the radio.

- David Brown

Work safe, Texas. Texas Work Comp Insurance

Listen: Austin Mayor Steve Adler Says His City Has Not 'Defunded' Police Department

The mayor defends Austin’s changes to its police budget amid criticism and mounting pressure from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Is It Time To Start Naming Heat Waves Like Hurricanes?

More Americans die each year from heat and heat-related illnesses than any other severe weather event. A new partnership wants focus more attention on the threat.

Have Just 6% Of COVID-19 Deaths Actually Been From The Disease?

President Donald Trump has repeatedly spread a false claim that COVID-19 is not as deadly as his own public health agencies have reported, PolitiFact Texas finds.

Universities Are Partnering With Student Influencers To Boost Their Own Brands

Students with large social media followings can get merchandise or receive custom university "experiences" to then share with their followers online.

San Antonio Teacher Loses Job After Refusing To Stop Wearing Black Lives Matter Mask (Texas Public Radio)
College, High School Students In Austin Are Testing Positive For COVID At Exponentially Higher Rates (KUT)
Review Of Houston Eviction Cases: Most Moving Forward Despite Federal Moratorium (Houston Public Media)
How The Pandemic Has Changed The Sounds Of West Texas (Marfa Public Radio)

Hey there! My name is Riane and I’m the Hays County reporter for KUT. I started this job in June through Report for America , a service program that places journalists in newsrooms across the country to report on under-covered issues. I’m originally from Miami, Florida. I first moved to Texas (and tried my first breakfast taco) when I moved here last summer for an internship at The Texas Tribune. I’ve loved the state ever since. Nowadays, I live in San Marcos. Hays County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, and part of my job is to cover what that growth looks like – in our school systems, in our cities, and more. I love that I live in the same community I get to report on. Not only does that help me establish trust, but it exposes me to stories I wouldn’t otherwise find if I lived in Austin. And contrary to old ideas of the suburbs, racial justice stories have figured prominently in my beat. In July, activists called on the county to stop making arrests for minor crimes, which many have said over-criminalize people of color. Later that month, the Hays Consolidated Independent School District grappled with retiring the use of the rebel as a school mascot. Most recently, I covered the efforts of a local indigenous group here in San Marcos to repatriate the remains of three Native Americans currently housed at UT-Austin’s archaeological research laboratory. I’m always looking to meet new people with interesting stories to tell here in Hays. You can reach me at [email protected] or follow me on Twitter below. Thanks!

- Riane Roldan
@RianeRoldan

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