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Stories by Amy Smith

APD touts early successes of license plate reader program

The Public Safety Commission was briefed Monday on some early results of the license plate reader program that rolled out in March with cameras at undisclosed sites across the city. The Austin Police Department credits the cameras for the 40…

Council weighs financial impact of proposed police contract

As City Council weighs approval of a proposed police contract expected to cost $218 million over five years, city budget staff on Tuesday presented a brighter financial outlook compared to the dire projections given earlier this year. At Tuesday’s work…

Bowen pledges to bring transparency to City Hall, starting with independent audit

Not many people wake up on the day of the filing deadline for mayor and decide to throw their hat in the ring. But that’s what Jeffery Bowen did when he became the fifth candidate in the race to become…

Carmen Llanes Pulido vows to bring inclusive leadership to City Hall

Carmen Llanes Pulido may be the youngest candidate in the five-way race for mayor, but the lifelong Austinite with activism in her DNA arguably has the most boots-on-the-ground experience in the city’s grassroots arena. As the executive director of the…

SOS variance for aquifer development fails to win Environmental Commission support

A proposal to initiate an amendment to the Save Our Springs Ordinance to increase the allowable amount of impervious cover over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone failed to win the Environmental Commission’s support Wednesday. Impervious cover is any human-made surface…

Preservation of Palm Park's history and culture still a priority for residents

The Parks and Recreation Board last week heard the results of the second community engagement process on the Sir Swante Palm Neighborhood Park as part of the third phase of the Waterloo Greenway Project. PARD staff restarted the community engagement…

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In an unusual hearing, Ethics Commission advances complaints against Greco and Watson to next phase

Ethics complaints filed against mayoral candidate Doug Greco and incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson will move to a final hearing next month, but an anticipated court ruling could circumvent the proceedings. In a preliminary hearing Wednesday, the Ethics Review Commission determined…

Foster Village aims to expand child services in North Austin

A nonprofit that serves as a resource for foster children and their caregivers secured the first step toward rezoning a North Austin property Thursday. The rezoning will enable Foster Village to expand its operations to meet the demand of a…

Homeless Strategy Office turns its focus to prevention and diversion

With a $2.1 million boost from the federal American Rescue Plan Act and City Council’s recent approval of a contract for navigation services, the Homeless Strategy Office is now better equipped to address housing barriers, HSO leader David Gray told…

Hays Commons development’s parkland proposal wins support from Parks Board

The Parks and Recreation Board has given a proposed development its unanimous support based on the amount of parkland the builder has promised to provide on a nearly 500-acre site straddling Travis and Hays counties. The development, Hays Commons, is…

Parks board asks City Council to review why boating concession ordinance exempted community input

The Parks and Recreation Board wants City Council to reexamine, and possibly rescind, a 2019 ordinance allowing an adventure excursion company to operate a boating concession in East Austin without going through a public process. The company, called the Expedition…

Downtown Commission gets preview of next chapter for John Henry Faulk Building and Austin History Center

With the Austin History Center “busting at the seams” with, well, history, city library officials have been preparing the John Henry Faulk Building next door to house the History Center’s vast collection of archives. Both the History Center and the…

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