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 a fair cross section of the population of the area served by the court,” said […]
Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Posted inPolice
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 12-month period with the option to extend. “This is going to be the most important […]
Posted inPolice
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 in Austin, the majority of these cases share a coda: Local prosecutors fail to bring […]
Posted inTransportation
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 hit by a truck on Brodie Lane. Austin voters are now being asked to approve […]
Posted inDevelopment
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 offer 1,500 apartments and 6,500 single-family homes in Southeast Travis County. The lawsuit, brought by […]
Posted inElections
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 and those headed south. Changes proposed as part of the North Lamar Corridor Development Program […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Vote in the Republican primary? Here’s what’s for you in the mayor’s transportation bond
In East Austin, a case of poorly delivered mail has led to a political strategy revelation, of sorts. It involves Mayor Steve Adler’s $720 million transportation bond and one-half of a local political action committee that attempted to recall City Council Member Ann Kitchen earlier this year – a recipe for greatness. “I tend to […]
Posted inElections
District 10 candidates battle over development priorities
Growth and the interests of real estate developers commanded the discussion among candidates vying to represent Austin’s wealthiest district Tuesday night. City Council Member Sheri Gallo, who has held the District 10 Council seat since she was elected in 2014, sat alongside candidates Alison Alter, Nick Virden and Rob Walker fielding questions from residents. With […]
Posted inPreservation
New East Austin survey tells story of loss
To the uninformed, Shonda Mace looked like she was being a real creep. On a morning last March, the young woman loitered in front of a home on East 22nd Street. She eyed the house in front of her before snapping two photos of it. “I take a façade, which is the front of the […]
Posted inElections
District 7 candidates take different approaches to growth
Candidates for the District 7 City Council seat faced off Tuesday night in front of a full audience at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Village. Incumbent Leslie Pool, who has represented the north-central district since her win in 2014, fielded questions from residents alongside opponent and politics newcomer Natalie Gauldin. Few were surprised by the topic […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Lawmakers consider changes to local petitions and bond elections
It was as if they’d been studying Austin’s recent petition haps and mishaps. State lawmakers on the House Elections Committee began hearing testimony Thursday on possible legislative changes to how local petition ballots and bond elections are run. Several of the issues they focused on related to Austin’s May vote on Proposition 1 – although […]
Posted inElections
Candidates come out swinging in District 6 forum
In a repeat match of their neck-and-neck 2014 race, City Council Member Don Zimmerman and challenger Jimmy Flannigan met Tuesday night beneath a giant screen at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Lakeline. There was no feature on the bill, but that was all right. The two candidates vying for District 6 representative provided ample entertainment. “You […]