ATX-SCA: Impact 11/7/2025

The air traffic control tower at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is staffed at just 45% of its target, according to U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett.

The overview: Only 27 controllers are currently assigned to a tower that needs 60 to meet federal recommendations. The Federal Aviation Administration attributes nationwide shortages to disrupted hiring and training cycles. Controller turnover remains a top issue, according to FAA reports. While the FAA plans to hire 8,900 controllers by 2028, projected departures mean only a net gain of about 2,000. 

The local lens: Those gaps have raised safety concerns. Since late 2022, the FAA has recorded six near-miss incidents at ABIA. 
Local leaders warn that without faster staffing relief, reliability and safety could suffer as Austin’s aviation demand rises.

Quote of note: “These staffing-related disruptions are now systemic, recurring with increasing frequency and intensity. ... With record-setting passenger growth and a multi-billion-dollar expansion underway, AUS cannot meet its operational or safety commitments without immediate staffing relief,” ABIA CEO Ghizlane Badawi wrote in a letter to FAA administrators.

The University of Texas at Austin opened a 10,000-square-foot laboratory facility in North Austin, UT Innovation Labs, to support emerging health care and life sciences companies.

The wet lab space for UT researchers and private sector tenants was first announced in 2023 and is now launching under UT's Discovery to Impact startup program. The new labs are meant to serve as an accelerator in the life science space as the sector goes through "expansive growth" in Central Texas, according to UT.

The campus at 12829 Parmer Ridge Drive, Austin, is one of several new Central Texas developments with lab space for life science tenants. It joins similar institutional facilities such as Austin Community College's Bioscience Incubator and planned Texas State University life science incubator in Round Rock.

UT's Discovery to Impact is actively seeking early-stage biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical companies. UT marked the labs' opening with its inaugural BioBash life sciences event Nov. 6.

Travis County Commissioners approved $500,000 on Nov. 5 to support families facing sharply rising food needs as SNAP benefits lapse during the ongoing federal government shutdown. More than 87,000 people in about 45,000 households are expected to be affected, with benefits totaling over $16 million monthly. County staff warned that even if the government reopens, delays will prevent immediate benefit distribution, and federal contingency funding would only cover about half of monthly allotments.

Local action taken: The funding will go to Central Texas Food Bank, which partners with more than 107 local agencies and now distributes roughly $2 million in food weekly. The nonprofit has expanded distributions for families and federal workers, using reserves to meet demand. CEO Sari Vatske said participation has roughly doubled and shows no signs of slowing.

Looking ahead: Residents in need can locate nearby mobile pantries or partner agencies using the food bank’s interactive map or by calling 211. Those who want to help can make monetary donations or volunteer their time.

Central Texas Holistic Health has started treating patients in the North Austin area.

The details: Owned by Eva Montes and Andrea De Luna, the local clinic offers integrative holistic family care and women’s health. The clinicians were previously part of Central Family Practice, which announced its closure in the spring.

Community members can find weight management services, traditional Chinese medicine utilizing acupuncture and herbal medicine, and more.

• 3200 Red River St., Ste. 206, Austin

Thom’s Market—a long-standing corner store with several locations across Austin—has a new name and a new owner.

The gist: Now known as Fin’s First, the store will continue offering its collection of locally-sourced foods and products. The name is a nod to new owner Rofin Maknojia.

The corner store’s founder, Bill Thomas, retired after 18 years in business, with Maknojia taking over the flagship Barton Springs Road location as well as the East Riverside Drive and Burnet Road storefronts.

• 1418 Barton Springs Road, Austin; 160 E. Riverside Drive, Austin; 5901 Burnet Road, Austin