Austin cyclists will gather this evening for a rally and silent ride honoring people who were killed or injured by cars while riding bikes on city streets.

Why it matters: The event is part of the International Ride of Silence, which began in Dallas in 2003 after cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed when he was struck by the mirror of a passing school bus.

• The annual event commemorates cyclists killed by motorists and calls attention to road safety.

Catch up quick: Advocates say Austin has made progress adding bike lanes in recent years, but cyclists are still dying on local roads.

• Organizers are calling on the city to add more protected bike lanes, solve hit-and-run cold cases involving cyclists and hold drivers accountable when bicyclists are injured or killed.
• They're also urging city officials and property owners to leave white "ghost bike" memorials at crash sites.

What they're saying: Skylar Crain, the son of Roger Crain, who was killed on his bike in Austin in 2023, said he wants the city to prioritize safer streets — especially along Lamar Boulevard.

• "Fatalities continue while cyclists wait for the city to improve safety conditions," Crain said in a statement.

By the numbers: Fatal and serious-injury bike crashes in Austin have declined from a 10-year high of 36 in 2017 to 27 in 2025, according to city data.

Zoom in: The route will pass the site of a fatal crash near the University of Texas on San Jacinto Boulevard, where advocates say officials have not allowed a white memorial ghost bike to remain permanently in place since a student cyclist was killed in 2019.

If you go: Austin's cycling community will gather at 6:30pm at Wooldridge Park, 900 Guadalupe St.

• Speakers today include Leta Moser, a friend of cyclist Paul Wuersig, who was killed in October 2025; Safe Streets Austin's Adam Greenfield; Austin's transportation safety officer Joel Meyer; and Social Cycling Austin's Ricardo Treviño.
• The group will travel about 9-10 mph on its 8-mile route.

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Two Republicans and two Democrats are facing off Tuesday in runoff primary elections to be Texas attorney general.

• Early voting runs through Friday.

Why it matters: As the chief legal officer of the state, the attorney general represents Texas in litigation, initiates investigations and enforces consumer protection laws.

Catch up quick: Running to replace Paxton in the Republican primary are state Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who represents parts of Austin, San Antonio and the Hill Country.

Follow the money: Middleton, the president of an oil company, is the largest contributor to his own campaign — he has contributed more than $15 million — including $2.4 million since the initial March primary.

• Both candidates have tried to tie themselves to Trump as they appeal to the sorts of diehard Republican voters who cast votes in a May runoff. Middleton has dubbed himself "MAGA Mayes" and Roy has promoted himself as a founder of the "Sharia Free America" caucus.

The bottom line: The state attorney general's office has long been a political stepping stone, with holders of the position routinely running to become a U.S. senator or state governor.

• Cornyn and Gov. Greg Abbott served as Texas attorney general.

The Democratic candidates

📦 A $250 million Amazon warehouse and distribution center in Round Rock is now operational. (Community Impact)

🚧 Boaters on Lady Bird Lake say Interstate 35 construction narrowed the passage beneath the highway to about 75 feet wide, which they say could crowd two-way traffic. (KUT)

🚨 A gun used in last weekend's shooting spree in Austin had been stolen from Central Texas Gun Works, owned by prominent local Second Amendment advocate Michael Cargill. (CBS Austin)

📣 Quote du jour

"There are those that say whoever I endorse is going to win. I don't know if that's true. But historically that's absolutely true. I just don't like to say it because I don't like to brag."

Utility-scale solar power generation is expected to soar past coal-fired power in Texas this year — and the gap will keep widening in 2027, per the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Why it matters: The heart of the nation's oil-and-gas industry is also renewables country thanks to abundant resources, developer-friendly rules, rising demand and more.

Stunning stat: The EIA expects 40% of all U.S. solar capacity additions this year to be in Texas.

Full primer

👋 Asher here, your tireless strip mall connoisseur.

Recently, after dropping off our kids at a trampoline park birthday party at a strip mall by West Gate Boulevard and William Cannon Drive, some other parents and I repaired to the adjacent Cuba 512 for a repast.

The scene: The restaurant does its utmost to culinarily transport you to the tropics even as you overlook a sprawling parking lot that also serves a metaphysical crystal purveyor (The Healing Vortex), a national gym chain (Planet Fitness), a Gateway Church (motto: "No perfect people allowed") and, naturally, a mixed martial arts studio.

What to order: To get in the mood, you'll want to start with a tropical drink — I got a blackberry-banana batido con leche ($5.50), but of course mojitos and other alcoholic beverages are on the menu.

• I also ordered a filling ropa vieja ($18.50) with a side of red beans and sweet plantains.
• The island's dire situation seemed very distant.

Six-word review: Welcome refreshment on a hot day.