Travis County #StrongerTogether

09/26/2017

We are incredibly grateful to the 2017 Austin Bar/AYLA Leadership Academy for their vision, hard work, and dedication to the community!

Travis County was chosen as a co-beneficiary of the ArtFest charity fundraiser along with The Arc of the Capital Area, a local nonprofit that has changed lives since 1949. We will use this money to help keep important public safety, victim support, and specialty court programs like the Travis County Veterans Court, Family Drug Treatment Court/Parenting in Recovery, and Phoenix Court in operation until their futures are secure.

Our mission is to maintain these programs because they empower folks to change their lives for the better. You can find more information about us and how you can help at www.TravisCountyStrongerTogether.com.

09/18/2017

From the 2017 Austin Bar/AYLA Leadership Academy to the event's generous sponsors, THANK YOU to everyone who made ArtFest possible.

Tomorrow, Travis County founder State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez will accept a check from the event's hosts on our behalf.

We are immensely grateful to have been chosen as a co-beneficiary of ArtFest along with The Arc of the Capital Area (pictured below: Executive Director Mary Van Haneghan, Ed. D.), a giant in the Austin community that has empowered Central Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families since 1949.

We will post a video of the presentation ceremony on our website and on social media - stay tuned!

ArtFest, a beautiful charity gala held in July, raised funds to support The Arc of the Capital Area & Travis County . Thank you, Austin!

07/19/2017

Tonight is the night!

Forgot to buy your tickets beforehand?

Don't worry! You can still buy them at the door.

See you at 6:00 PM at Mercury Hall for ArtFest presented by the 2017 Austin Bar/AYLA Leadership Academy.

ArtFest is an evening filled with local artists and musicians, as well as local dining vendors, put on by the 2017 Austin Bar/AYLA Leadership Academy, a select group of community-minded Austin lawyers working in concert with the Austin Bar Foundation. Proceeds from this years’ ArtFest will go toward...

06/29/2017

We're donating $133,000 to Travis County this morning! Join us at 11:30AM for a press conference and official check presentation at the Travis County Commissioners Court.

05/01/2017

Governor Greg Abbott named May "Drug Court Month" after slashing funding for Travis County specialty courts.

District Court Judge Darlene Byrne:

"The denial of funding is most painful because we know our community’s most vulnerable children and families are suffering at this loss."

Travis County district courts are still reeling from the sting of being denied renewal application f...

04/10/2017

Governor Greg Abbott's "anti-sanctuary city" campaign is based on misinformation and lies. There are no sanctuary cities in Texas.

Greg Abbott, who shut off about $1.5 million in grants to Travis County out of concern that the county’s Democratic officials unduly shield unauthorized immigrants, subsequently accused the local sheriff of breaking a federal law. The Republican governor said in a Feb. 6, 2017, tweet:

03/30/2017

Governor Greg Abbott is hurting innocent people in Travis County.

"'[It's] blackmailing that has a really, really, negative effect. My real concern here is if the goal here is public safety, this actually erodes public safety,' said Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt."

The Travis County Commissioners Court is scrambling to make up for lost grant money. This comes after a high profile political fight over so-called sanctuary city policies. Our Carlos Garcia shows us what's at stake for one of the programs caught in the crossfire.

03/29/2017

Watch our founder Eddie Rodriguez stand up for Travis County on The O'Reilly Factor last night:

"Bill O'Reilly is an entertainer with millions of followers. With that kind of reach, he has great power to influence the narrative on the most important issues of our time.

"That's why it's so dangerous when he misrepresents complicated issues."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced that the Justice Department plans to withhold federal funds from "sanctuary cities" that protect illegal immigrants from federal authorities.

03/25/2017

Via local veterans advocate:

"Come join veterans as we march in the Cesar Chavez march in support of the Travis County Veterans Court. Most people don't know Cesar Chavez was a Navy veteran and there is a Navy ship named after him.

"March 25th at 10am at Terrazas Library 1105 E Cesar Chavez"

03/10/2017

Thank you for your leadership on behalf of Travis County veterans, County Judge Sarah Eckhardt!
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"We must not normalize Greg Abbott’s “blame the victim” excuses for the damage he has done. Greg Abbott cut funding to programs for veterans, women and children out of political retribution. Sheriff Hernandez did not cut this funding. These programs have nothing to do with immigration and are not under the managerial control of the Sheriff. Greg Abbott is solely accountable for the pain he has caused."

Travis County's Veterans Treatment Court is scrambling for funding after it was caught in the crosshairs of the sanctuary city fight between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.Gov. Abbott cut off state grant funding to sev

02/22/2017

This is the world that Governor Abbott & President Trump are trying to impose on us.

Promising to target criminals, while sweeping up innocent people who have the misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It doesn't matter to them whether you're a DACA recipient, a victim of domestic abuse leaving a courthouse or a parent with children waiting for you at home. In their eyes, all undocumented immigrants deserve the same treatment as murderers.

U.S.

02/20/2017

"'I’ve been involved in politics most of my life. But at some point you have to understand the difference between hardball politics and good government,' Martinez [Assistant County Attorney Mack Martinez] said.

"'There are real faces and real lives that are attached to this money. These are good programs. We serve people that need help, and we help them become productive citizens.'"

One woman has a good idea of where she would be if she hadn’t gone through the Phoenix Court,...