🍴 Iconic Michelin-star restaurant closing

ACC Boosts Staff Pay as Revenue Falls

Despite reduced state funding and property tax revenue, Austin Community College’s board approved a new budget that gives employees a 2% raise and a one-time $1,700 payment. Employees had asked for a 4% cost-of-living increase. [KUT]

Michelin Star Restaurant Closing

Olamaie, the first Southern restaurant in the U.S. to earn a Michelin star, will close on July 19. Chef-owner Michael Fojtasek cited rent and labor costs coupled with slow summer traffic, adding that Austin foodies rarely eat after 8:15 pm, creating a uniquely challenging market. [Statesmen]

APD Reports on ICE Interactions

Data released by the Austin Police Department shows local officers interacted with ICE 25 times in the first half of 2026, resulting in 4 people being taken into ICE custody. The figure includes a mother and child whom APD detained in response to an unsubstantiated disturbance call. ICE later deported them, sparking community outrage. [KXAN]

Video Game Studio Layoffs Hit Close to Home

Bethesda Game Studios is laying off 22 employees at its Austin office as part of a nationwide reorganization by parent companies ZeniMax Media and Microsoft. CPO Amy Coleman claims the roles will not be replaced by AI. [KVUE]