On Tuesday, Victoria Ramirez, senior financial manager at the Travis County District Attorney’s office and chair of the county’s Compensation Committee, briefed commissioners on a lineup of committee recommendations for commissioners regarding member appointments. In 2018, the Travis County Commissioners Court created additional seats on the compensation committee to add diversity, reflect different county departments […]
2022
Posted inWhispers
Reach out and CONNECT
Nonprofit organizations that need help with a project involving data, measurement or program evaluation are encouraged to apply to UT’s RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service’s CONNECT program. CONNECT matches community organizations with graduate students who can give an assist with better data practices. Project applications for spring semester are due by Nov. 4. Find more information […]
Posted inElections
Watch our District 3 City Council forum
On Tuesday, all six of the candidates running for City Council in District 3 participated in a forum hosted by KUT and the Austin Monitor. You can watch the forum, which was hosted by KUT’s Andrew Weber, below. Joining Weber were candidates José Velásquez, Daniela Silva, Gavino Fernandez Jr., José Noé Elías, Yvonne Weldon and Esala Wueschner. […]
Posted inWhispers
Get kids vaxxed in time for fall
“Another wave of infections has begun in Europe and will likely reach the U.S. in the next few weeks,” declared Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority, in a news release. “We can get ahead of this by getting the bivalent booster,” she said. “The updated boosters can protect against serious illness caused by newer variants […]
Posted inWater
Austin is looking for a place to store massive amounts of water to pull from during droughts
Austin is planning a big underground water storage project that would provide the city with another source of water during droughts. But city planners are not sure exactly where to put it. This week, they’ll meet with residents of Lee, Bastrop and Travis counties, the three counties that may end up playing host to the […]
Posted inElections
District 3 Council candidates chat with the ‘Monitor’: Part I
Council Member Pio Renteria has served District 3 as a lifetime resident and community activist. After two terms, he’s stepping down. The candidates vying for his seat have taken on community engagement roles through education and local committees while others have budget ideas through backgrounds in sales and accounting. It’s a crowded race with six […]
Posted inPlanning
Commission delays vote on support for senior services facility
The Community Development Commission will take another month before deciding to support a proposal to convert the long-vacant Nash Hernandez Building into an intergenerational facility providing care and services to seniors living in East Austin. The commission voted unanimously to revisit the agenda item next month, following occasionally intense debate among commission members about the […]
Posted inWhispers
Black Fund grants open
A new fundraising initiative aimed at helping Black-led organizations in Austin has opened the request-for-proposals process to select recipients of the first round of grants totaling $340,000. The Black Fund will award 16 grants in four areas: education access and outcomes, health and wellness, wealth building and power building, and organization and advocacy. Information about […]
Posted inCity Council
Council considers overnight concrete pour exceptions for South Congress HEB project
Among last week’s packed agenda, City Council debated a resolution that would grant the HEB redevelopment at Oltorf & South Congress a permit to pour concrete overnight. The project, which aims to open a new grocery by 2024, has the distinct potential to congest traffic at the intersection, thanks to lane closures for construction materials. To […]
Posted inElections
Watch our District 1 City Council forum
On Monday, three of the four candidates vying for the District 1 City Council seat participated in a forum hosted by KUT and the Austin Monitor. You can watch the forum, which was hosted by KUT’s Haya Panjwani, below. Joining Panjwani were candidates Misael D. Ramos, Clinton Rarey and incumbent Natasha Harper-Madison. Melonie House-Dixon did […]
Posted inWhispers
F1 returns to COTA
Last year, 400,000 fans – a number for the record books – flocked to the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix race at Circuit of the Americas to watch Max Verstappen take the prize. Race officials expect similar crowds thronging COTA the weekend of Oct. 21-23 to enjoy live musical performances by Green Day and Ed […]
Posted inWhispers
Sculpt a squash
CarverMuseumATX is holding its annual pumpkin carving event for those who prefer to sculpt their squash with friends. Free pumpkins will be supplied (two per family) along with carving kits, goodie bags, food, and drink. There’s also a costume contest with prizes, and face painting and music to round out the afternoon. This is a […]