Schools in Texas experienced a soaring number of incidents with guns in the years before and after the Uvalde school shooting, research shows.

Why it matters: Today marks two years since a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, killing 19 children and two teachers.

How it works: The K-12 School Shooting Database is an open-source research project attempting to quantify gun incidents at grade schools.

• It defines "incidents" as when a gun is fired or brandished with intent to shoot, or when a bullet hits school property.

By the numbers: From 2004 to 2013, there were 30 incidents with guns on K-12 campuses in Texas.

• In the next decade, from 2014 to 2023, there were 96 such incidents — a more than threefold increase.

Zoom out: Nationwide, there were 1,468 firearm incidents at K-12 schools in the decade ending in 2023 — a 324% increase from the prior decade's 346 incidents.

What they're saying: Few incidents with guns on school campuses are like the Uvalde shooting.

• "The most common circumstance for a gun to be fired is a dispute between students usually taking place in a hallway or parking lot at dismissal," David Riedman, founder of the database, said in a video interview with The Economist.

Flashback: An Austin ISD police officer was shot in December near Northeast Early College High School, part of a shooting rampage that stretched from near San Antonio to Austin.

The big picture: As the Legislature expands gun rights, Texas lawmakers and districts are turning to other measures to protect kids from gun violence.

• Districts are now required to employ an armed guard at each public school, although many can't afford the cost.
• Schools are also required to have a silent panic button in each classroom that connects to law enforcement.
• Many districts have experimented with requiring see-through backpacks.

The other side: "There are thousands of laws on the books across the country that [limit firearms] that have not stopped madmen from carrying out evil acts on innocent people and peaceful communities," Gov. Greg Abbott said after the 2022 shooting in Uvalde.

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A new report from the Travis County Medical Examiner's office shows that fentanyl-related overdoses jumped from 22 in 2019 to 486 in 2023. (KUT)

⚖️ A family seriously hurt in February's deadly car crash at St. David's North Austin Medical Center is suing the hospital system. (KXAN)

🍷 Zilker wine bar House Wine will close its location at Josephine Street on Monday before reopening on South First Street in late June. (Eater)

Austin FC salaries remain among the highest in the league.

Driving the news: The MLS Players Association this week released its 2024 Salary Guide, which contains the annual base salary and annual guaranteed compensation data for all players under contract with Major League Soccer, per the association.

State of play: Austin FC ranks sixth in the league in guaranteed compensation for players, although the team's $18.4 million base payroll is still less than Inter Miami star Lionel Messi's pay alone.

• Messi, considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, is getting $20.4 million in guaranteed compensation this year, according to the guide.

Zoom in: Austin FC star midfielder Sebastián Driussi is the league's fifth highest-paid player, with $6.7 million in guaranteed compensation.

The latest: The Verde and Black's second highest-paid player in the report, Emiliano Rigoni ($2 million), is no longer on the team. Austin FC announced this week that it's buying out his contract.

What's next: Austin FC faces off against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday in California. They'll return to Q2 Stadium next Wednesday against the Portland Timbers.

• With a record of six wins, four losses and four draws, Austin is tied for third place in the Western Conference.

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Memorial Day weekend in Central Texas is synonymous with the official start of tubing season, but river flows are below normal as drought persists.

Why it matters: The flows determine the duration of your float.

How it works: The U.S. Geological Survey collects and shares data for each of the rivers online. River flow is represented by cubic feet per second (cfs).

By the numbers: As of Thursday, the most recent flow data for the San Marcos (131 cfs), Comal (110 cfs), Guadalupe (58 cfs) and Frio (7.5 cfs) rivers is below normal levels.

Context: Each river has its ideal rate for tubing. Texas Tubes, an outfitter in New Braunfels, says online that the Comal River flowed at an average of 306 cfs before the drought.

💭 Nicole's thought bubble: I kayaked the San Marcos River recently at a "below normal" rate, and still found that the water pushed me gently along.

• Tubing outfitters usually share float times on social media, so we recommend checking those out as you plan your day.
• Also, be sure to check out each river's can-ban rules.

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Answer these three questions correctly and — wait for it — you might win a very coveted shoutout in our Tuesday newsletter.

• Just hit reply to this email.

1. Which grocery store just north of the University of Texas says it's closing in 2026?
2. Name the Austin kid-friendly locomotive whose revival launch has again been delayed.
3. In 1997, fewer than 30% of Texas pregnancies were carried by mothers 30 and older. Last year, was the percentage greater or less than 45%?