Today and tomorrow (Aug. 15-16), the Watershed Protection Department will be treating Lady Bird Lake east of Interstate 35 and Red Bud Isle with phoslock. That’s a clay material that binds to phosphorus, a key food source for the toxic algae that has recently plagued our lakes. During the treatment, there will be a barge […]
2022
Posted inPolice
Council to consider budget amendment for sexual assault investigations
The city’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget could include more than $850,000 in additional funding for sexual assault investigations, building on a yearslong effort to reform how the Austin Police Department investigates and processes such cases. Mayor Pro Tem Alison Alter proposed a budget amendment Friday that would allocate ongoing and one-time funds to implement recommendations […]
Posted inWhispers
Not another invasive species!?
A sighting of an Australian redclaw crayfish in an apartment complex pond in the Brownsville area confirms that the pesky invasive crayfish has arrived in Texas. This is the first detection of the species in the state and only the second sighting in the U.S. (it was previously seen in California). TPWD aquatic biologist Archis […]
Posted inAISD
‘I’m pretty speechless’: Austin ISD school board unanimously approves equity-focused bond
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday to put a $2.44 billion bond on the November ballot. It is the largest bond package in AISD history, but district officials and school board members say what makes the bond significant is its investment in historically underserved schools and communities. “I’ve been in Austin […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Celia Israel seeks to be a progressive voice for Austin
Celia Israel announced her run for mayor early, on January 11, almost a full 10 months before election day. She said her motivation to run was her desire to tackle the biggest issues facing Austin today: affordability and transportation. Israel is no newcomer to politics. First elected to Texas House District 50 in 2014, she’s […]
Posted inWhispers
Help clean up Lake Travis
Whether you dive, paddle or walk, you’ll be welcome at the 28th annual Lake Travis fall cleanup. The spring cleanup in April collected 10,080 pounds of trash, but don’t worry: There’s plenty more garbage in that pond and at the 11 county parks around the lake for volunteers to scoop up. Morning and afternoon shifts […]
Posted inPreservation
No end in sight for decadelong Sneed House debacle
The perennial saga over a cluster of ruins in the Dove Springs neighborhood of Southeast Austin continues, as the all-too-familiar Sneed House case resurfaced at the Historic Landmark Commission last Wednesday. The remains of the Civil War-era estate have been on the city’s radar since 2007, when property owners introduced plans to develop the surrounding […]
Posted inDevelopment
A bookshop and a boutique grocery store are headed to Hyde Park’s former post office space
Since the beloved post office in Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood shuttered in June 2021, neighbors have wondered what will become of the spot at the corner of 43rd Street and Speedway. The one-story brick building has remained vacant since its closure, serving as little more than a canvas for graffiti. But new details are coming […]
Posted inWhispers
All you need is logs
Need a log for an art, furniture or yard project? The Parks and Recreation Department’s Urban Forestry Unit is giving away reclaimed logs for community members who are able to come and pick them up. Only one log per person, and you must be responsible for loading and hauling your own log. If you’d like a smaller size, […]
Posted inEducation
Crossing guard shortage persists as school start date nears
“Let’s go crossing now, everybody’s learning how, looking left and right with me,” crossing guard Jimmy McCord sang to the tune of the Beach Boys hit “Surfin’ Safari.” “I’m a bit of an entertainer,” he noted. This is just one of the songs Boone Elementary students may hear while safely crossing the street to school […]
Posted inWhispers
Give feedback on AISD bond proposals
The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees is hashing out the details of what to include in a potential 2022 bond package for the November ballot. There are two proposals up for a vote: a $1.75 billion bond that requires no tax rate increase, and a $2.25 billion bond that calls for a $0.01 increase […]
Posted inWhispers
ACC trustees debating bond for November election
A coalition of community and business leaders is urging the Austin Community College Board of Trustees to place a bond proposition on the November ballot “to expand education and workforce training throughout our region,” according to a press release from the political action committee ACC Works for All. The PAC says a bond package of […]