Four weeks from Tuesday, Travis County voters who live in Texas House District 50 will have the opportunity to clearly define the kind of representation they want on the state level. For them, November’s election is made more interesting in part because of the candidacy of North Travis County chiropractor, Mike VanDeWalle. VanDeWalle is the […]
Charlotte Moore
Posted inElections, Uncategorized
Celia Israel runs for District 50 with a long history of public service
Celia Israel’s civic service resume reads a mile long. The long-time Travis County Democrat is probably most recognized for the work she did on former Gov. Ann Richards’ administration. But that was only one of many destinations along Israel’s political journey. Now Israel is racing toward the District 50 State Representative seat Mark […]
Posted inElections, Uncategorized
Chang Sheppard uses business experience to run for District 50
Jade Chang Sheppard – Democratic candidate for State Representative, District 50 – makes being a successful business woman, a wife and mother of two, and doting daughter look good. But parts of the political hopeful’s journey to get where she is today were decidedly ugly. Chang Sheppard was a baby when her father left Taiwan […]
Posted inElections, Uncategorized
Profile: Reyes says varied background is an advantage in District 50 race
Rico Reyes’ run for the vacant District 50 State Representative seat rests firmly on his desire to give to a community he claims to know more intimately than his competitors. If roots were votes, Reyes might automatically be front-runner. He was born in Austin, his grandfather worked as a janitor for Del Valle High […]
Posted inLocal Politics
City gets closer to streamlined process for special event permits
After years of discussion, the City of Austin appears to be getting closer to streamlining its process for issuing special events permits. It’s a move at least one local event planner says is necessary to address what can currently be an antagonistic process. On Tuesday night, the seven-member Parks and Recreation Board voted […]
Posted inUncategorized
Central Austin, University Democrats endorse Israel for District 50
The Central Austin Democrats and the University Democrats endorsed Austin realtor and former member of Gov. Ann Richards’ administration Celia Israel for the State Representative House District 50 seat. Rep. Mark Strama resigned from the seat in June to manage the Austin Google Fiber Program. The event Wednesday night at the University of […]
Posted inUncategorized
Austin, Travis County cut program funding for Clean Air Force
The City of Austin and Travis County are planning to shift some of the funding they’ve traditionally contributed to the Clean Air Force of Central Texas to a different air quality organization in the upcoming year. The move appears to be motivated in part by a general murkiness around what the Clean Air Force […]
Posted inUncategorized
County benchmarks Civil-Family Courthouse budget at $284 million
Travis County’s Planning and Budget Office is working with a fresh target cost – a few tens of millions of dollars less than the original projection – for getting the new downtown Civil and Family Courthouse built. On Tuesday, Commissioners Court set the benchmark budget at just over $284 million. Initial estimates had the construction […]
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MACC Board takes heat from constituents over pending land deal
The advisory board for the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center received a slight verbal lashing from two community activists at its meeting Wednesday night, a result of rising frustration over the fate of a prime parcel of city-owned land at 64 Rainey Street. A group of developers called 70 Rainey Street LP has […]
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Travis Commissioners working their way through FY2014 budget
There were a couple of surprises among the routine motions Wednesday as Travis County Commissioners Court began the tedious three-day process of going through and approving each line of the county’s Fiscal Year 2014 preliminary budget. But County Judge Sam Biscoe halted the process in mid-stream, leaving questions about funding on some items until later […]
Posted inCity Council, Development
Split Council OKs settlement with Jeremiah Venture for development
After a contentious 6-year battle, Austin City Council members reached a settlement agreement Thursday with Jeremiah Venture LP. It came on a reluctant 4-3 vote. With the agreement, the group gets city support in a permitting process that could result in 1,000 single-family homes on the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer. The deal gives […]
Posted inUncategorized
Travis County Commissioners balk at funds for Clean Air Force
Travis County Commissioners failed Tuesday to approve an extension of the county’s contract with the Central Texas Clean Air Force. In addition, it appears that the organization’s 2014 funding in limbo. Pct. 1 Commissioner Ron Davis led the charge against the program. Davis, who questioned the CAF’s effectiveness last year, abstained on a court vote […]