More than half of Austinites believe that a serial killer is out the loose, according to one recent poll. Credit: Shutterstock / Kelly Jobe

Austin news doesn’t always move the needle for San Antonio readers — unless, apparently, it involves wild-ass online rumors about a deranged serial killer.

This week’s most-read Current story, far and away, was a piece looking at the capital city’s online panic about a potential killer stalking the area around Lake Lady Bird. The internet chatter percolated over the weekend after police pulled the body of a man out of the lake — the second such retrieval in a month’s time.

In a statement, Austin police explained that the recent deaths, along with others at Lady Bird Lake, are most likely the result of alcohol and easy access to the water, but that didn’t stop Austinites from giving the trusty rumor machine a vigorous crank.

San Antonio readers apparently couldn’t resist rubbernecking.

Meanwhile, three of the Current‘s other most-read stories look at the school voucher bill Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is crisscrossing the state to promote. Experts argue the legislation would defund public schools while prompting an explosion of substandard private campuses — something reported in other states.

As one of the stories notes, the Texas House of Representatives floated a budget amendment that would bar the state from spending taxpayer money on private education, creating a major hurdle for the bill. That measure was approved Thursday on a bipartisan vote. Sorry, Greg.

10. Study ranks Texas among the nation’s least-educated states

9. Bad Takes: Gov. Greg Abbott’s voucher plan would defund Texas’ public schools to aid wealthy elites

8. San Antonio and Texas politicians react to former president Donald Trump’s arraignment

7. San Antonio mayor’s anti-Prop A stand a U-turn from prior support for cite and release, critic charges

6. Texans accounted for major share of New Mexico’s $300 million in legal cannabis sales

5. Abbott’s voucher plan may win with some GOP voters, but experts say it’s a loser for Texas students

4. San Antonio-based USAA slashes 475 more jobs, citing economic worries

3. Gov. Greg Abbott’s prized school voucher bill faces new roadblock in Texas House

2. Viral video captures San Antonio nightclub bouncer body-slamming woman during wild night

1. Rumors of Austin serial killer dubbed the ‘Rainey Street Ripper’ swirl online

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This article appears in Apr 5-18, 2023.