The city of Austin has begun working on a way to use a souped-up library card as a form of identification, which is a service that would be particularly helpful for those who might not have an official ID, like people experiencing homelessness or undocumented residents. Enhanced library cards, which are used in other Texas […]
2022
Posted inWhispers
County stresses fire safety this holiday weekend
Austin got some much-needed rain this week, but conditions remain worryingly dry leading into a holiday weekend that centers around setting things on fire. Travis County Judge Andy Brown, Travis County Fire Marshal Tony Callaway and the fire chiefs of Travis County’s Emergency Services Districts are warning residents that the risk of wildfire is high. Though they […]
Posted inEnergy
Environmental advocates say Fayette coal plant is ‘poisoning’ residents, push city to test water
Danny Fetonte worked at a coal power plant decades ago in Pennsylvania. He was responsible for taking the lids off the ovens so more coal could be dropped in to run the generators. “Everybody that worked in it was black … because we were totally covered with coal ash,” he told KUT in April. Fetonte […]
Posted inWhispers
What’s closed for the Fourth?
Fourth of July arrives conveniently on a Monday this year, giving city facilities and many others – including the Austin Monitor – a three-day weekend. Most city administrative offices and municipal facilities will be closed on Monday, July 4. Among the closures are recreation centers and senior centers and most museums and cultural centers. Austin Public Library branches, Austin […]
Posted inCity Hall
City-funded study examines disparities in minority business contracting
A disparity study aimed at examining the effectiveness of Austin’s women and minority business enterprise procurement program found it to be largely successful. But while the program – intended to create more opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms – has had success, the study also found that in Austin, women- and minority-owned businesses still face hardships. […]
Posted inResources
Austin sees success with youth rowing program
The Austin Rowing Club reported on the success of the STEM to Stern program at the Parks and Recreation Board’s Monday meeting. STEM to Stern, which was brought to the city by the Rowing Club and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, combines athletics and education. After coming to Austin in January […]
Posted inWhispers
How to get to the big events
Get ready, because there’s a lot happening this weekend, and if you’re planning on celebrating we recommend you plan out your route in advance to avoid traffic snarls. There’s big stuff happening both downtown and in Northwest Austin on Monday, July 4. The annual free shindig at Auditorium Shores starts at 8 p.m. with the […]
Posted inPublic Health
Harper-Madison looking for improved help during heat emergencies
Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison expressed concern on the City Council Message Board this week about “how the city is addressing the stability of our electrical grid, local outages,” and the impact that has on “marginalized communities at the greatest risk of heat-related illness or death.” She said her concerns arose from a situation with two […]
Posted inParks
Austin struggled to hire summer employees. Then, it failed to pay some on time.
At least 34 employees with Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department, including some who care for children as part of city-run summer camps, went as long as a month without pay because of a clerical error. At least one employee’s paycheck was nearly five weeks late and he had trouble paying his car payment, KUT confirmed through […]
Posted inCity Hall
Music Commission wants Council to ‘expedite’ Live Music Fund activation
The Music Commission plans to push City Council and staff to speed up the deployment of the Live Music Fund, which was approved by City Council in fall 2019 but is not scheduled to be distributed until next July. At last week’s special meeting, commission Chair Anne-Charlotte Patterson said local musicians have been waiting years […]
Posted inWhispers
PARD opens more pools for the Fourth
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department is working hard to solve its lifeguard shortage in an effort to staff all of the city’s swimming pools. The current number of lifeguards trained and ready to work stands at 551 – enough to open new pools for the July 4 weekend. Martin Pool at 1626 Nash Hernandez […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP recommends fraction of proposed units for Northwest Austin tract
District 6 saw a return to its roots at the most recent meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission, where a multifamily project dubbed the Zimmerman was the focus of discussion at City Hall. Currently, 11400 Zimmerman Lane is zoned Development Reserve, which is intended as a placeholder that does not commit land to any […]