A coalition of groups favoring City Council’s decision to reallocate money from the Austin Police Department budget is gathering signatures on a petition to show support for actions such as delaying police cadet classes and eliminating vacant police officer positions. The coalition, operating under the name Austin Is Safer When, is also planning to oppose […]
2021
Posted inWhispers
Redistricting panel gets first members this weekend
This Saturday, Austin will be one step closer to its new City Council districts. This is the first time the city’s districts have been changed since they were established by the 2012 City Charter amendment that created single-member districts. City Auditor Corrie Stokes will conduct a random drawing to select the first eight members of […]
Posted inTransportation
Mobility Committee hears update on Proposition B plans
At Thursday’s City Council Mobility Committee meeting, city staffers described what 2021 has in store for the numerous projects funded by Proposition B, the $460 million active mobility bond that voters passed overwhelmingly in November. Staff members across several city departments will spend most of the year prioritizing and planning the projects, a huge task […]
Posted inWhispers
Chop chopped
The saga of the Morrow Pork Chop has officially come to an end. On Thursday, the city demolished the chop, which has stood in the way of traffic from east of Lamar on Morrow for three decades and was a source of neighborhood tension almost as long. Originally, the traffic-calming device was installed during construction […]
Posted inCity Hall
EDC creators explain priorities for creative space, affordable housing
Some of the main architects of the city’s fledgling Economic Development Corporation assured members of the local real estate and development community Wednesday that the entity was not created to interfere with or compete for private sector business deals. That was one of the messages at the monthly virtual breakfast meeting organized by the Urban […]
Posted inWhispers
Name change unlikely for airport advisers
The City Council Audit and Finance Committee decided at Wednesday’s meeting not to recommend a name change for the city’s Airport Advisory Commission on the recommendation of city staffers. The commission had asked to change the group’s name to Austin Airport Advisory Board, but City Clerk Jannette Goodall told committee members that changing the name […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Reimagining Public Safety task force asks for hold on cadet classes
A public meeting of the task force for Reimagining Public Safety reviewed a report Wednesday about the presence of racial and gender bias and the use of unnecessary force in training cadets at the Austin Police Academy. The task force highlighted the problems and made recommendations for how to restart the academy after the issues […]
Posted inPolice
Videos used to train Austin police perpetuate ‘racism, sexist gender norms and classism,’ panel finds
A panel of community members has recommended the Austin Police Department remove 60 videos from its training curriculum after concluding they bolster racist and sexist ideas and do little to help officers constructively interact with the public. “The vast majority of the videos we reviewed over these seven months were disappointing in quality. Most were […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Small group funding push for strong mayor
Andrew Allison, founder and treasurer of the political action committee seeking to replace Austin’s Council-manager form of government with a strong-mayor system, has contributed $25,000 to the committee and loaned it $92,000, according to documents filed with the Austin city clerk’s office. Allison’s mother, brother and wife have contributed an additional $25,000, and old friends, […]
Posted inWhispers
ACS patients added to Covid dashboard
Austin Public Health’s Covid-19 surveillance dashboard has been modified to display daily updates on the number of patients admitted to the alternate care site established at the Austin Convention Center. According to a news release from APH, “Patients currently admitted to the ACS are also included in the total number hospitalized and the daily number […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP narrowly recommends South Austin upzoning
A request to upzone a vacant South Austin lot squeaked through the Zoning and Platting Commission on Tuesday. The commission voted 6-5 to recommend Urban Family Residence (SF-5) zoning for 1105 Matthews Lane, where a developer envisions 10 townhome units on 2.5 acres. Commissioners’ comments during the meeting highlighted their differing opinions on the city’s […]
Posted inWhispers
City begins second phase of MACC makeover
The Parks and Recreation Department is starting the next phase of the expansion plan for the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center. The funding includes “general renovations to the existing building, as well as building out the original crescent design to provide additional amenities. Phase 2 also addresses numerous site improvements, most notably the […]