Merck Plans Austin Hub, Coral Fish Go Haywire, Mayor Tackles Homelessness, SXSW Travel Gains: Patch PM

Mondays are typically slow news days in the journalism business. But clearly, the Austin area didn't get the memo. From the Austin mayor's announcement of an innovative way to end downtown homelessness to a UT-Austin study centered on the effect of oil on fish behavior, stories ran the gamut.

The announcement of pharmaceutical giant Merck about building an IT hub in Austin was an unexpected big story that came out of seemingly nowhere.

Outside of the Austin city limits in communities on the outskirts, it was a rather newsy day as well. In Round Rock, police finally caught up to a pair of suspects wanted in a string of robberies throughout the area, from Austin to Pflugerville. The county sheriff showed his deputies don't mess around when someone points a gun at a law enforcement helicopter, arresting a county resident for that offense.

Here are some highlights:

Merck To Build $20M IT Hub In Austin, Creating Up To 600 Local Jobs

The hub will team up with local partners that include Dell Medical School at UT Austin, the Austin Healthcare Council and other regional entities in delivering innovative health solutions, officials said. The project involves a $20 million investment and creation of at least 600 jobs, helped along with a $6 million Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant offer for Merck, according to state officials.

Austin Mayor Proposes Hotel Tax Increase To Raise $30M For Homeless Housing

The mayor on Monday outlined a method of creating bolstered homeless shelters in the downtown area by harnessing revenue driven by economic activity to raise $30 million. The proposal by Mayor Steve Adler aims to solving what he calls the "Downtown Puzzle," a term coined to describe the interconnected and geographically contiguous challenges found in the eastern part of downtown Austin. It involves raising the hotel bed tax to the highest level allowed by state law but only contingent on convention center expansion. It's an interesting idea, and you can read more about it by clicking above.

Austin Airport Adds Four Round-Trip Amsterdam Flights For SXSW Travel

Delta Air Lines on Monday announced four nonstop round-trip flights between Amsterdam's Airport Schiphol and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport during SXSW. Austin Chamber officials touted the new service and enhanced service to and from Mexico City on Aeromexico as impactful developments on the local economy.

Oil Exposure Impairs Coral Fish Behaviors, Texas Researchers Find

Exposure to just a few drops of oil can significantly impact the higher-order thinking of coral fish, causing them to make poor decisions, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found. They liken this altered behavior to decisions made by adult humans after one too many cocktails. For the hapless coral fish, the oil-induced confusion poses an existential threat. We thought we'd include a picture of coral fish below to illustrate but also because it's pretty.

Suspect In UT-Austin Stabbing Attack Formally Indicted On Murder

It was something of a foregone conclusion, but Kendrex White was formally charged with murder in the killing of a freshman during a stabbing spree earlier this year that also left three others injured.

UT-Austin Standout Volleyball Player Faces Drunk Driving Charge

A volleyball standout at the University of Texas at Austin is facing charges of drunken driving dating to a March arrest, according to a published report. Find out who it is by clicking above, and how university coaching staff have reacted to the development.

Williamson County Man Arrested For Pointing Rifle At Police Helicopter

You don't step on Superman's cape. You don't pull off the Lone Ranger's mask. And, you do not under any circumstances point a firearm at a police helicopter even if you don't plan to fire a round. A Williamson County man found this out the hard way.

Round Rock Police Arrest Pair In String of Area-Wide Robberies

Police arrested Morgan Gail Wilson, 25, and Dajuan Edward Marquis Bryson, 29, in the culmination of a three-week investigation. Wilson was arrested in Houston on multiple felony warrants while Bryson, who was identified as the suspect who physically entered each business, was found to be already in the custody of Ellis County Sheriff's Office on unrelated charges, police said. The pair had been sought in a string of robberies along a stretch from Austin to Pflugerville to Round Rock.

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Enjoy your news digest. If you have news that might be of interest to the region, don't hesitate to contact Austin Editor Tony Cantu at antonio.cantu@patch.com. As always, thanks for reading!