Austin Daily Drop - Monday December 6, 2021

The Austin Daily Drop

While local COVID numbers hold steady to start the new week, a new study shows that death rates due to the coronavirus are trending much higher in U.S. counties that voted in favor of former President Donald Trump in 2020 than those that went for current President Joe Biden. Governor Greg Abbott continues reassuring Texans that the lights will stay on this winter, while Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke makes a weekend swing through Austin and San Marcos. Business is booming in Round Rock, where pre-pandemic revenue levels have been met or surpassed, as has the city's forecast for 2021 sales tax totals. Texas Longhorns will miss the bowl season for the first time since 2016, but Baylor, Oklahoma State, SMU, Houston, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech (who face Mississippi State and former head coach Mike Leach for the first time) will all play in post-season games. Almost all of the local high school football teams playing in quarterfinals games this weekend advance to semifinals next weekend: Westlake, Lake Travis, Liberty Hill, LBJ Austin and Lago Vista all remain in the running. Concert announcements: Patti Labelle, Andrea Bocelli, and Iron Maiden are all coming to town in 2022, while The Eagles add a second night. And a cold front cools us down for about one day, before even more weirdly warm weather late this week.