Even though our roots go back to the mid-1990s, the Austin Monitor officially launched as a nonprofit in 2013. To some, that may not seem like a long time ago, while to others (myself included) it feels like a different era. Strong and enduring nonprofits are constantly assessing the environment they operate in, and at […]
2022
Posted inWhispers
Arts lecture showcases Austin’s Chicano history
Author, historian and film consultant Dr. Cynthia E. Orozco will be giving a virtual talk about the “early colonial history of the Austin area, the arrival of Mexicans to the area, the establishment of barrios, and the political, economic, and social status of this community.” Orozco, the author of No Mexicans, Women or Dogs Allowed: The Rise of […]
Posted inBudget
Budget recommendation seeks staffer to address long-awaited veterans affairs needs
City staff members are pushing for City Council to fund a new position in the Office of Civil Rights that would allow the office to handle many needs and responsibilities outlined in years of idled plans for a resource center for veterans and military affairs within city government. A memo released last week from leaders […]
Posted inTransportation
Boost in funding from Biden’s infrastructure law propels AUS closer to its goals
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport received an additional $15 million in funds yesterday from President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law to go toward its ambitious airport expansion plan. The airport received $17.3 million from the same pool of funds last year. The funding comes amidst an incredibly busy summer for the airport, with officials recommending passengers arrive […]
Posted inWhispers
Get help paying utility bills
A statewide initiative called Texas Utility Help aims to help eligible homeowners and renters pay their utility bills. Texans whose household income is at or below 150 percent of federal poverty income guidelines and who meet other eligibility requirements may submit an application. If they qualify, they can “receive assistance for their total past due amounts […]
Posted inTransit
Here’s what Austin’s subway stations could look like
The most ambitious of Austin’s light-rail plans would burrow four miles of tunnel beneath downtown and South Austin to connect six subterranean stations and create the city’s first subway system. The subway would make up the centralized portion of the light-rail network. The other 20 stations would be above ground. Project Connect’s growing price tag – the […]
Posted inWhispers
AUS up and away
Another month, another record broken at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. In May 2022, reports AUS, passenger traffic was up 82.68 percent compared to May 2021 “with 2,021,747 passengers flying during the month, setting a new record for busiest month ever at the airport.” That’s a lot of people and a lot of airplanes. The graph tells […]
Posted inPolice
Public Safety Commission dives into data transparency at APD
The Austin Police Department gave a presentation on its efforts to improve data transparency at the Public Safety Commission meeting on Tuesday. The presentation, given by APD Research and Planning Division Manager Jason Matson, focused on how the public can access police department data sets. “Unless it’s protected by certain very narrow focuses of the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City considers changes to floodplain redevelopment
Owners of businesses in the city’s floodplain will soon be able to make changes to their buildings or rebuild entirely so flash floods pose less of a threat – to structures as well as employees and customers. The tweak to city code, currently working its way through boards and commissions, will allow commercial buildings within […]
Posted inCity Hall
Public Safety Commission debates police department software
The merits of Lexipol software as a tool for the Austin Police Department was the focus of the Public Safety Commission’s Tuesday meeting. The crux of the debate between the commissioners and APD representatives was whether the software was worth the approximately $20,000 the department is currently paying for it each year. Lexipol is used by […]
Posted inWhispers
AISD hosts community conversations
Austin ISD is hosting four community conversations to discuss and solicit input on its 2022 bond proposal for making district-wide improvements to modernize its campuses. The entire community is invited to learn more about the proposal and share feedback on the initial bond package before it is finalized. Community members and district families are welcome […]
Posted inParks
Trail project moves to complete Oltorf-Riverside connection
The city’s Public Works Department is gearing up to finally complete a 3.5-mile urban trail that would connect Mabel Davis and Roy G. Guerrero Park in Southeast Austin. The new trail segment would bridge the existing gap between trails ending on East Riverside and Oltorf streets. With site plans submitted earlier this month and a […]