As Austin continues to grow, the city is expanding toward wildlands. This creates an increased risk of fire in areas where human development intersects with natural areas, known as the wildland-urban interface. Austin Water discussed its efforts to mitigate wildfires at the Water and Wastewater Commission’s July 20 meeting. These efforts include assessing its facilities […]
2022
Posted inElections
Local campaign contribution limits to rise ahead of November election
Inflation isn’t only driving up mortgage interest rates, gas prices and the city’s living wage. It’s also behind proposed increases to the city’s campaign contribution limits, which cap how much money City Council candidates can accept from individual and out-of-town donors. The campaign contribution limits are tied to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer […]
Posted inTransportation
Austin explores increasing traffic enforcement to reduce growing fatalities
In a memo sent Wednesday, Austin’s police and transportation departments updated City Council on strategies to reduce an increasing number of severe crashes and fatalities on the city’s streets and highways. In 2021, there was the highest number of traffic fatalities on record, and 2022 is on track to surpass it, according to the memo. […]
Posted inWhispers
Nix campaign gets rolling
Erica Nix’s mayoral campaign is starting to come together, with a new website, a commercial and a platform centered on saving creative spaces, amplifying weirdo voices and introducing shade to the city’s many bus stops that are currently a sacrifice to the sky. Nix, who is a performance artist and body-positive activist among other things, […]
Posted inWhispers
Central Health holds community conversations
Central Health is inviting partners, stakeholders and community members to attend a conversation on Central Health’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget priorities “and learn how we are building a comprehensive healthcare system to improve the health of Travis County residents with low income,” according to the announcement. Thursday, Aug. 4, 6:30-8 p.m., Turner Roberts Recreation Center, 7201 Colony Loop […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council OKs bidder for low-income and homeless housing
Although the city’s housing staff expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for an Austin Housing and Finance Corporation contract to provide affordable multifamily housing on city-owned property at 3515 Manor Road, several neighbors urged City Council Thursday to reject the vendors chosen by staff. NHP Foundation, Capital A Housing and their partners propose to build […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
City Council votes to put $350 million affordable housing bond on November ballot
As Austinites see a sharp rise in the cost of living, voters will have a chance to approve a $350 million bond for affordable housing this November. City Council members approved a measure Thursday to put the proposition – the largest in Austin’s history – on the ballot. If the measure passes, the bond money will go […]
Posted inWhispers
A pox on West Nile
They say bad news comes in threes. So on the heels of Covid-19 and monkeypox, it should come as no surprise that a positive mosquito pool for West Nile virus has been discovered in the 78721 ZIP code. While no humans have yet tested positive for the mosquito-borne illness, Austin Public Health says the positive […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What is a live music venue? City Council looks to make it official
Nearly 32 years after declaring itself the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is finally getting around to defining what, exactly, a live music venue is. A resolution on the agenda for today’s City Council meeting seeks to amend city code and a portion of the Land Development Code to include the specific parameters […]
Posted inPolice
Proposal to reinstate license plate readers for APD sparks privacy concerns
After a two-year hiatus, City Council is reconsidering Austin Police Department’s defunct automated license plate reader program, rekindling debate over potential ramifications of the powerful surveillance tool. The program was culled amid a nationwide call for police reform in 2020. But with a new budget cycle on the horizon, APD is proposing to reinstate its […]
Posted inWhispers
Council members hold budget meetings in their districts
Anyone who wants to attend and/or speak out about the city budget will have a variety of opportunities in the near future. Districts 3, 5 and 9 are holding such discussions this Saturday. District 8 is holding a budget town hall on Monday. Both are accessible online. District 1 is holding its meeting next Wednesday, […]
Posted inWhispers
Planning Commission has ‘historic moment’
Discussions at the Planning Commission often stretch late into the evening and even, on occasion, past midnight. So it was remarkable when Chair Todd Shaw adjourned Tuesday’s meeting after barely half an hour. “This is kind of a historic moment,” Shaw said. “We don’t have any discussion cases.” The meeting was the shortest in (this […]