Amid an ongoing spike in repair requests for Austin Resource Recovery vehicles, managers of the city’s fleet have made some changes to improve air conditioning maintenance. A memo released last week showed that since June and July 2022, the Fleet Mobility Services Department has observed a 49 percent increase in repairs for heating and air […]
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 inWhispers
Group aims to connect locals with transportation, infrastructure project jobs
Workforce Solutions Capital Area has partnered with the city and Travis County, as well as Austin Transit Partnership and Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to form a leadership group focused on linking local residents to jobs from the many transportation and infrastructure projects taking place in the coming years. With Project Connect, light rail, the Interstate […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin housing market saw year-over-year growth in July
Despite interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaging more than 7 percent nationwide, the local housing market showed year-over-year growth in July, according to the latest market report from the Austin Board of Realtors. In July, the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan statistical area showed a 0.6 percent increase in closed sales compared to 2022, with 2,815 […]
Posted inWhispers
Get grant money for mobility initiatives
Employers encouraging mobility options for their workers can apply for $7,500 GoGrant awards available from the Movability nonprofit. The awards are available to fund planning assistance, infrastructure like bike racks and lockers, and programs like transit passes and vanpooling. Eligibility is limited to businesses located in Austin or the extraterritorial jurisdiction, with the application window […]
Posted inBudget
Equity Action to continue push for community needs not met in new city budget
Late changes to Austin’s next budget, which was adopted on Wednesday by City Council, include a mix of items from the Community Investment Budget. A coalition of community groups led by Equity Action months ago released a proposal for what they called “long overdue investments in public safety.” Equity Action’s members criticized city management‘s budget […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Hole in the Wall dodges closure, secures 20-year lease with $1.6M from city
The Hole in the Wall music venue has secured a 20-year lease and will remain open to celebrate its 50th anniversary next summer, thanks largely to $1.6 million in assistance from the city’s Iconic Venue Fund. Will Tanner, who purchased the club located on the stretch of Guadalupe Street known as The Drag in 2008, […]
Posted inWhispers
New leases for Austin office space down, plus more findings from real estate report
The shift to hybrid work brought about by the pandemic is reshaping real estate trends in Austin, where office space has been a major component of many new downtown tower development projects, according to the CoStar Group firm. The finding was included in a recent analysis of office space market patterns across the country. The […]
Posted inAustin
City loans up to $38M could shield Hilton downtown during convention center closure
An expected agreement between Hilton Worldwide Holdings, the board that manages the city-owned downtown Hilton Austin, and bondholders who financed the hotel will clear the way for the next steps in the expansion of the Austin Convention Center. Last week, the board for the Austin Convention Enterprises public facilities corporation approved amendments to its agreements […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission asks city to include fair pay standards in SXSW negotiations
The Music Commission has joined the Parks and Recreation Board and other entities in pushing the city to require South by Southwest to further raise the amount it pays showcasing performers at the annual spring festival. The commission’s recommendation, approved 7-0, asks City Council to ensure all negotiations with SXSW for city resources include provisions […]
Posted inPreservation
Travis County commissioners approve preservation plan funding for Sweatt courthouse
The Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse on Guadalupe Street could undergo historic restoration in the coming years with state funding assistance. Earlier this week, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to allocate $100,000 toward hiring a historic preservation architect to draft a preservation plan for the structure, which was built in the 1930s. […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin Energy to hold Community Connections Resource Fair
Austin Energy will hold its annual Community Connections Resource Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Del Valle High School. The free, family-friendly event is intended to help the utility’s moderate- and low-income customers learn about assistance or programs available to help them meet their basic needs. In addition to demonstrations […]
Posted inTransit
Red Line improvements add capacity, access for critical Project Connect transit option
The light rail line that’s planned to run through downtown Austin is the portion of Project Connect that’s drawn the most attention in recent years. But folks like Matt Geske, who regularly ride the Red Line commuter train that goes from Leander to the Austin Convention Center, are happy to give the long-running transit line […]