The Texas Supreme Court last week rejected an effort by 13 Austin voters to force the city to hold an election in districts where voters chose their Council members just two years ago, or in the case of District 4 Council Member Chito Vela, in January. Attorney Bill Aleshire told the Austin Monitor that the […]
2022
Posted inRoads
Lawsuit alleges TxDOT’s I-35 expansion project is ‘clearly violating the law’
Three Texas organizations – Texas Public Interest Research Group, Environment Texas and Rethink35 – have come together to file a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Transportation over its plans to expand Interstate 35. At the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization transportation policy board meeting on June 13, TxDOT reported that the three multibillion-dollar projects […]
Posted inWhispers
Has monkeypox come to Travis County?
At last count, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed at least 173 cases of monkeypox in the United States. Monkeypox, also known as orthopoxvirus, is an extremely rare viral disease that is closely related to smallpox. Humanity has eradicated smallpox thanks to … wait for it … an extremely effective vaccination program! […]
Posted inPreservation
Council holds Sixth Street historic district until after summer break
The city will wait until July to consider creating a local historic district along a section of East Sixth Street that has been identified by a Dallas developer as prime for redevelopment. City Council had planned to discuss and take action at its June 16 meeting on a resolution led by Council Member Kathie Tovo […]
Posted inPublic Health
‘I’m just in shock’: Austinites react to Supreme Court decision ending the constitutional right to abortion
Dawn Hennessey said she was going to cry. “Honestly, I’m just in shock,” Hennessey, who owns a bakery in South Austin, said. “I’m appalled. It’s a setback. We’re gonna have an underground railroad next thing you know. It’s horrifying.” Austinites stopped on the street by a reporter Friday expressed disbelief and alarm at news of […]
Posted inBudget
Austin ISD approves $1.9 billion budget – but nearly half of that money will go to the state
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted 7-2 early Friday to adopt a nearly $1.9 billion budget for the upcoming academic year. School board president Geronimo Rodriguez Jr. noted it was the first balanced budget trustees have passed since 2017. Austin ISD had warned its bond rating could be at risk if the board decided to […]
Posted inWhispers
Cronk welcomes new daughter
City Manager Spencer Cronk welcomed a new addition to his family this week. Nina Roman was born on June 20, weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and was immediately welcomed by sister Lauren and Cronk’s partner, Brendan. City Attorney Anne Morgan has been appointed acting city manager during Cronk’s paternity leave and will remain in the […]
Posted inTransportation
Cap Metro deploys ‘tricked-out’ electric vehicle to help drum up community enthusiasm
MEEP isn’t just the sound made by a popular Muppet; it’s also Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new portable community engagement vehicle created to involve Austinites in programs like Project Connect, the expansion of Austin’s municipal transit system. The Austin Transit Partnership, the entity overseeing Project Connect, relies a great deal on community engagement, such as […]
Posted inWhispers
License plate reader decision delayed
A proposal to allow the Austin Police Department to use license plate readers once again has been put on hold until later this summer. Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who sponsored the resolution, offered to postpone the item until July 28 and to make it part of the city’s upcoming budget process. “My commitment is, and […]
Posted inCity Council
Austin moves to prepare for climate disasters
City Council passed a resolution at its June 16 meeting to create a disaster preparedness guide and toolkit for the city. The guide, which will be part of the city’s climate response efforts, will instruct residents on how to create local resilience hubs in the event of an emergency. City staffers will be directed to work with […]
Posted inWhispers
Under looming threat of fires, fireworks sales limited
Amid increasingly hot, dry conditions, the sale of fireworks will be limited for the upcoming July 4 holiday. The Texas Pyrotechnics Association has voluntarily agreed to halt the sale of fireworks that go up in the air or explode in Travis and Williamson counties. Both counties currently have burn bans in effect due to the […]
Posted inWhispers
Street improvements underway
You may already be seeing Public Works crews in your area, working on seasonal street maintenance in neighborhoods around the city. The annual sealcoat treatment is intended to improve “hundreds of lane miles of neighborhood streets in every Council district around Austin,” according to the news release, in an effort to “help preserve Austin’s streets and […]