Stories by Audrey McGlinchy, KUT
Hundreds line up for Covid vaccines from Austin Public Health. But the wait was 'worth it.'
Frank Kucharski and his wife, Jill Jones, were near the back of the line that wove around an Austin Public Health vaccination center at least twice in Northeast Austin on Thursday. They estimated they had a three-hour wait ahead of…
Public Health • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jan 15, 2021
Despite fewer drivers, more people died on Austin roads in 2020 than in the past five years
The first traffic death on Aug. 26 happened just before 7 a.m. A man was making a left-hand turn out of an apartment complex in West Austin; he was killed after his car collided with a Jeep Cherokee. Later that…
Roads • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jan 11, 2021
'I'm so excited, I'm like shaking': Austin health care workers receive first Covid-19 vaccines
Esmeralda Torres’ eyes lit up above her mask as she talked about the Covid-19 vaccine she’d gotten in her right arm Tuesday morning. “I’m so excited, I’m like shaking,” she said. “I’m so happy.” Torres, a medical assistant at UT…
Public Health • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 16, 2020
Austin created a program to pay struggling tenants’ rent. Some say it added to stress.
Petra Antonio and her husband, Domingo Quiroz, got Covid-19 in September. Antonio said she felt OK, but Quiroz had a fever and a cough that kept him awake at night. He wanted to avoid going to the hospital, because he…
Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 7, 2020
Adler backtracks after initially saying he did 'not do anything wrong' by flying to Mexico during the pandemic
After initially saying he didn’t do anything wrong, Austin Mayor Steve Adler now says he realizes he “set a bad example” by traveling to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for vacation last month. An Austin American-Statesman story revealed Wednesday that Adler…
City Council • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 3, 2020
Austin Public Health urges people who gathered for Thanksgiving to get tested and stay home
Austin Public Health officials are asking people who traveled for the holiday or celebrated Thanksgiving indoors with people from outside their household to stay home for a week and get tested for Covid-19 within the next few days. “It is…
Public Health • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 30, 2020
Subscribe to our newsletter
City revives a New Deal program to put people back to work
Lee esta historia en español. The city of Austin is putting up to $2 million toward a new employment program that helps organizations hire people financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Austin Civilian Conservation Corps is modeled after a…
Austin • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 16, 2020
Austin OKs million-dollar contract to audit police department
The city of Austin has agreed to pay a New York City-based consultant up to $1.3 million to investigate racism and bigotry in the Austin Police Department, including looking into materials used to train new officers and reviewing instances where…
City Council • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 13, 2020
Concerned that money will go unspent, Austin makes changes to its rent help program
Renters affected financially by the Covid-19 pandemic can now apply for up to six months of rent from the city’s rent assistance program, where previously they could apply for only up to three. The change comes as the city worries…
Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 2, 2020
Anticipating election protests, Council members ask Austin police how they plan to avoid injuries
Four City Council members sent a letter Thursday to the chief of police asking him to explain how he plans to keep protesters safe during anticipated demonstrations following the results of the presidential election next week. “As we’re sure you…
Police • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Oct 30, 2020
Austin's got millions to help with rent, but giving it away is harder than expected
The city of Austin says fewer people have applied for rental assistance than expected. It’s given out just $1.3 million so far of roughly $13 million available for tenants hit financially by the Covid-19 pandemic. “The need that was anticipated…
Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Oct 23, 2020
Austin's DNA lab has had issues for years. A new report outlines how it could be run in the future.
Poor supervision and untrained staff have long plagued the Austin Police Department’s DNA crime lab, forcing it to close briefly in 2016 and then be overseen by the state. So, what will a future lab look like? Consultants hired by…
