Stories by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Travis County Commissioners consider spending up to $14 million on legal review of DNA cases
The Travis County Commissioners Court considered options for how to handle a review of criminal cases potentially compromised by the local DNA lab. Run by the Austin Police Department, the lab shuttered its doors in June following an audit from…
Public Safety • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 14, 2016
Council members consider ways to lower neighborhood speed limits
Testimony included talk of a birthday. “Ben turned 10 on Monday at a rehabilitation facility in Dallas,” Kathy Sokolic told members of the City Council Mobility Committee on Wednesday. As we’ve chronicled before, a car hit Sokolic’s nephew, Ben, outside…
Roads • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 8, 2016
Six months in, Vision Zero focuses on pedestrian safety
Holding back tears, Kathy Sokolic told roughly 30 people seated outside City Hall the story of a bruised heart. “On the evening of Sept. 12, our 9-year-old,” began Sokolic, before pausing to gather herself. “Our 9-year-old nephew, Ben, was hit…
Transportation • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 5, 2016
Little known on when public safety contract negotiations will start
Two of the city’s three public safety unions are willing to consider a one-year extension of their contracts with the city – but it might not be as simple as giving the go-ahead. Although negotiations for new contracts are set…
Public Safety • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 23, 2016
Mayor announces task force to dismantle institutional racism
Flanked by city colleagues and leaders in both academia and the nonprofit world Wednesday, Mayor Steve Adler introduced the city of Austin to its newest task force: a group that will combat “institutional racism.” The group will be made up…
City Hall • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 17, 2016
Is Austin a sanctuary city? Good question.
Attempts to eliminate so-called sanctuary cities has begun anew with another Texas legislative session and new national leadership that has singled out these municipalities. And while Austin is often labeled a sanctuary city, it’s not clear that the city indeed…
Austin • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 16, 2016
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Despite law intended to ensure diversity, Travis County grand juries less racially diverse
In the year since Texas lawmakers mandated random selection of grand jurors in place of the controversial “key man” system, grand juries in Travis County have become less racially diverse. “The grand juries are to be selected at random from…
Courts • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 14, 2016
Austin Police Department looks to Dallas County to ease DNA backlog
City Council members today will consider contracting with a Dallas County forensic lab to process evidence in at least 600 sexual assault cases. The contract, funded with money out of the Austin Police Department budget, totals $1.6 million for a…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 3, 2016
How the Travis County DA’s race could affect police use-of-force cases
One race tucked into the crowded ballots that Travis County voters are seeing this election could have a substantial effect on police use-of-force cases. From the death of Eric Garner in New York to the death of David Joseph here…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Oct 31, 2016
In a city with many fatal car crashes, what will a $720 million bond do for road safety?
One hundred and two people died on Austin’s roads last year – the most in the city’s recorded history. There was the young woman killed around 5 a.m. while walking on the Interstate 35 frontage road; the 55-year-old unnamed bicyclist…
Transportation • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Oct 25, 2016
Pilot Knob ruling seems to have little effect on city development deal
In a late Friday ruling, a district judge sided with a local activist against the city of Austin, voiding a December vote taken by City Council members on the housing development Pilot Knob. Called Easton Park, the development plans to…
Development • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Oct 19, 2016
The leap of faith inherent in voting for the $720 million bond
Traversing parts of North Lamar Boulevard as a bicyclist or pedestrian – or, even as a driver – can be alarming. The speed limit is high, and substantial barriers exist neither between pedestrians and cars nor between cars going north…
