It’s budget time, and although City Manager Spencer Cronk’s team has put together its proposed budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, each City Council member will be presenting their ideas for making the city a better place in the form of budget amendments or riders. Council Member Ann Kitchen has presented the first budget rider […]
2022
Posted inWhispers
Make the world a better place by volunteering
Have a little extra time and want to get more involved with your community? The city of Austin has many interesting and unique volunteer opportunities. For starters, you could volunteer with the Austin Public Library, sharing your love of books and reading in the BookSpring program. Or, the Central Texas Food Bank‘s mobile pantry always needs volunteers […]
Posted inCity Hall
Decision to hike pay to $22/hour will cause future budget deficits
The upcoming wage increases for city staff will cause budget deficits in coming years and force leaders to identify new revenue sources, according to analysis by the Human Resources Department. A memo released last week presents a number of scenarios prompted by City Council’s recent direction to increase the minimum wage for all workers to […]
Posted inHousing
Mayoral candidates outline plans to make housing more affordable
Since the pandemic began, most Austinites have felt the effects of increased rent, higher property taxes, or home prices growing increasingly out of reach. With rising costs forcing people out of their neighborhoods (or out of the city entirely), candidates hoping to become Austin’s next mayor in November agree that something has to be done […]
Posted inPolice
City pushes to open police personnel files to the public
The city of Austin proposed making portions of police officers’ personnel files public, including disciplinary histories, and raising salaries 6 percent over four years during its Thursday negotiation session. As the current contract’s Sept. 30 expiration date nears, the two bargaining teams have begun debating its most substantial – and contentious – provisions: transparency, oversight, […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin officials expect more doses of the monkeypox vaccine after U.S. declares a health emergency
Austin health officials say they expect more monkeypox vaccine doses to head to Central Texas after the Biden administration’s declaration of a public health emergency Thursday. Medical Director Desmar Walkes said Austin Public Health anticipates the extra doses next month. It’s unclear how many doses the area will get, though, so public health officials are […]
Posted inWhispers
Fasten your seatbelts, it’s kitten season
Have room for a kitten or two in your home and heart? If so, you’re in luck: This time of year, there’s no shortage of kittens – quite the opposite, in fact. A new crop of kittens has just popped up at the Austin Animal Center, fresh from their fosters and ready to be adopted into their furever […]
Posted inWhispers
Save Our Springs celebrates 30th anniversary
Today, Aug. 8, marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Save Our Springs ordinance that protects the quality of Barton Springs. The anniversary will be marked by a free swim day at Barton Springs Pool and a ceremony just outside the front gate at 6 p.m. The ceremony will feature appearances from City […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission wants to study pros and cons of expanded convention center
Before deciding its position on the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center, the Music Commission will form a working group to study details of the project that’s expected to cost up to $1.4 billion. Commissioners voted 7-1 at Monday’s meeting in support of forming the working group, with Commissioner Scott Strickland voting against the […]
Posted inWhispers
One added to mayoral lineup as Littlefield tweets candidate facts
Pollster and political prognosticator Mark Littlefield has put together an impressive series of statistics about all the people signed up to run for mayor and for five seats on City Council this November. After Littlefield posted his tweets, Craig Allen Blanchard III designated himself as his own treasurer to run for mayor. Blanchard, 37, told […]
Posted inTransportation
Mobility committee hears the case for remotely piloted delivery robots
The colorful little robots roaming the streets of Austin, delivering burritos and fried chicken, are likely not going anywhere soon. If anything, this might only be the beginning of the era of robotic delivery. At least that was the sentiment at the City Council Mobility Committee meeting Thursday when the Transportation Department gave a presentation […]
Posted inWhispers
Community invited to monkeypox roundtable
Austin Public Health, Central Health and their community partners are hosting a roundtable discussion that will cover all things monkeypox, including prevention methods, professional experiences, vaccination and more. Among the health professionals participating in the event are Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority; Dr. Guadalupe Zamora, Central Health; Dr. Michael C. Stefanowicz, CommUnityCare; Dr. […]