Six months after midyear campaign finance reports revealed that Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison violated fundraising laws, the Ethics Review Commission voted to send the Council member a letter of admonition. Harper-Madison collected $3,695 in campaign funds between January and March of this year. As Council members are prohibited from raising money outside a one-year window […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inAustin
Austin cat advocates ask city to reevaluate shelter-neuter-release program
The stated goal of the Austin Animal Center is to place all adoptable animals in forever homes. However, even with this intention and a no-kill policy to back it up, not all animals are given the same chance to find a home. In 2011, the city’s shelter implemented a shelter-neuter-release (SNR) program in conjunction with […]
Posted inWhispers
Watershed Protection Department has a new director
Austin’s Watershed Protection Department has a new director as of Oct. 28. Jorge Morales came to introduce himself to the Environmental Commission at its Dec. 4 meeting, where he told commissioners he was “very excited” to join the department as the director. This is Morales’ third time working for Watershed Protection; he was an intern […]
Posted inParks
Parks board expresses concern over metered parking in public parks
After postponing their decision in October about parking meters on city parkland, the Parks and Recreation Board broached the subject again at its Dec. 3 meeting. Following a long discussion about the equity and access issues that accompany metered parking, the board voted to form a working group to investigate a solution to the parking […]
Posted inWhispers
Citizen group calls for land code equity
The local citizen organization Planning Our Communities sent out recommendations for how the Land Development Code draft can consider opportunities to invest in the economically disadvantaged and historically marginalized residents of Austin. The draft code is up for a City Council vote on Dec. 9. Awais Azhar, a member of the Planning Commission, is on […]
Posted inFire
Firefighters union and commissioners call for strengthening AFD sexual harassment policy
In the aftermath of several public sexual harassment cases, Austin EMS and the police and fire departments are updating their sexual harassment policies to create consistency across city emergency services. The action comes in the wake of Austin Fire Department Lt. James Baker’s guilty plea to hiding a camera and filming firefighter Kelly Gall in […]
Posted inWhispers
Eloise House sees increased visits from survivors of sexual assault in November
November saw a 27 percent increase in patients seeking medical attention for sexual assault at Eloise House, which is run by the nonprofit SAFE. In total, 68 survivors came seeking consults, medical care and/or a forensic exam. “That’s significantly higher than last year,” said SAFE Senior Director Juliana Gonzales at the Dec. 2 meeting of […]
Posted inParks
Community members divided over renaming of Dove Springs Recreation Center
After the Parks and Recreation Board unanimously supported the name change of the Dove Springs Recreation Center at its Oct. 22 meeting, the discussion item reappeared on the agenda on Dec. 3. Yet despite dozens of community members signed up to speak in an overflowing room, city staff withdrew the item. Parks and Recreation Director […]
Posted inPolice
Public Safety Commission pushes for an independent investigation into ‘endemic’ racism and homophobia in APD
Last month, City Manager Spencer Cronk announced that attorney Lisa Tatum would investigate allegations of racism among the executive staff of the Austin Police Department. The investigation follows complaints that APD Assistant Chief Justin Newsom used the N-word to refer to African Americans, including former City Council Member Ora Houston and former APD Chief Frank […]
Posted inPlanning
Austin Humane Society moves forward with 15-year expansion plan
The Austin Humane Society has been in its current facilities for 25 years. However, as Austin continues to grow, the shelter finds itself in need of an expansion to accommodate its own increasing populations. “We’ve outgrown our space,” said Frances Jonon, CEO of the Austin Humane Society, at the Nov. 26 meeting of the Planning […]
Posted inAISD
Human Rights Commission seeks apology from AISD
Last week the Austin Independent School District’s chief equity officer, Stephanie Hawley, called the board of trustees’ vote to close four elementary schools racist and inequitable. In an effort to improve the district’s financial situation, the board was faced with a list of 12 proposed school closures. The list was whittled down to four elementary […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Land Development Code: Density and impervious cover
With the first reading of the new Land Development Code draft expected by Council in two short weeks, the Watershed Protection Department is working to finalize its recommendations. Despite the tight timeline, Environmental Officer Chris Herrington told the Environmental Commission at its Nov. 20 meeting that his staffers have achieved a task he had previously […]