Austin Police Department has made progress in filling vacancies and improving retention in its Emergency Communications Center over the past 12 months, with more new hires expected by the end of the year. A memo released last week from Robin Henderson, interim chief for Austin Police Department, informed City Council that since last October, ECOMMS […]
Chad Swiatecki
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
Posted inAustin
Council members want action, updates to improve city animal shelter
Members of City Council want ongoing updates from the Animal Services Office about the conditions at the Austin Animal Center, which a recent audit found to be routinely overcrowded due to a variety of management issues. Council’s Audit and Finance Committee received a briefing on the audit Wednesday and told top city managers and the […]
Posted inEnergy
Audit finds Austin Energy falling behind on tree-trimming schedule
The Office of the City Auditor has found Austin Energy is far behind on its seven-year schedule of trimming trees and vegetation around power lines, with the utility’s current pace likely requiring 14 years to complete all needed clearing. The audit, which was presented at Wednesday’s meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee, was […]
Posted inDevelopment
Downtown Commission pushes for progress on housing, Palm District planning
Members of the Downtown Commission want the city to adjust density bonus programs and other initiatives intended to add middle-income and affordable housing to new developments downtown. They also see a need for better planning and economic development measures for the Palm District and the patchwork of cultural areas contained in the areas between the […]
Posted inAustin
Animal shelter audit calls out overcrowding, management issues for no-kill facility
An audit of operations at the Austin Animal Shelter has found that the no-kill facility is often beyond its capacity and lacks the data, staff and processes to meet the city’s 95 percent live-release goal. A draft copy of the audit, which was called for last summer by City Council, produced four broad findings, including […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City taking criticisms, survey results to improve Live Music Fund process
The city is taking extensive feedback from a local musician advocacy group into consideration as it works to refine the Live Music Fund’s application process, which many hopeful recipients claimed was not aligned with the needs of working musicians. At this month’s meeting of the Music Commission, representatives from the Austin Texas Musicians nonprofit group […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council approves incentives for NXP Semiconductors’ $290M planned investment
The city has agreed to its first major economic incentive package in six years, with just over $1 million for a variety of uses headed toward tech manufacturer NXP Semiconductors N.V. That package will allow NXP, which has two major facilities in Austin, to qualify for additional federal incentives as the company plans to spend […]
Posted inPlanning
Council weighs affordable housing goals as it restarts HealthSouth redevelopment process
Members of City Council want the city to reexamine how much affordable and market-rate housing could be generated downtown based on the redevelopment of the parcels known as the HealthSouth property. Item 101 on the agenda for today’s meeting directs the Austin Housing Finance Corporation to determine the best scenario for creating affordable housing in […]
Posted inWhispers
City distributes more creative grants
The city’s Cultural Arts Division has named the organizational and individual/creative business recipients for the Elevate program that awards midlevel contracts to 200 recipients. Organizational awards were given between $30,000 and $75,000, with the following groups receiving the maximum: Austin African American Book Festival, BRAVE Communities, Collide Arts, ConnectHER, East Austin Creative Coalition, Folklore y […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin gears up for ‘Digital Inclusion Week’
The city is offering a variety of resources and support to help promote this year’s Digital Inclusion Week, which runs Oct. 2-7 and has “Building Connected Communities” as its theme. So far, 15 events are scheduled throughout the week, kicking off with the Digital Inclusion Stakeholder Summit at 8 a.m. Oct. 2 at the Moody […]
Posted inTransit
Austin Transit Partnership seeks federal grant funding for light rail
Leaders of the Austin Transit Partnership are expected today to give the OK to petition the federal government for transportation grants needed to cover half the cost of the planned light rail system through downtown Austin. That step, which will come during the ATP Board of Directors meeting, will be the most significant public move […]
Posted inWhispers
Creative hubbub
The public has two more opportunities to weigh in on what services and resources should be included in creative hubs proposed for the city’s three ethnic cultural centers. The sessions are scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Asian American Resource Center, with a session about the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center kicking off at […]