As a no-kill shelter, Austin Animal Center has a goal of sending out as many animals into happy homes as possible. Unfortunately, this month, the shelter was able to do that less often for its cats than it has in the past. Jason Garza, the deputy chief animal services officer with Austin Animal Center, informed the […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inWater
Despite low water usage from Austinites, Austin Water continues to pay down debt
As it happens every year, Austin Water, the city-owned water and wastewater utility, is currently in the midst of planning its budget for the next fiscal year, which will also reflect an updated financial forecast until the year 2023. Although this financial forecast is just a preliminary budget according to David Anders, assistant director of […]
Posted inWhispers
Black-capped vireo makes its way off the list of endangered species
Commissioner Annie Schmitt, who sits on the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Citizens Advisory Committee, told the Water and Wastewater Commission at its May 9 meeting that the black-capped vireo – one of Central Texas’ most famed birds that has maintained an endangered designation since 1987 – has been retired from the list of endangered species. However, […]
Posted inWhispers
Water Treatment Plant 4 renamed
Eight years ago, after much discussion and strong opinions from the public, Water Treatment Plant 4 was finally installed on Lake Travis. However, its name never changed and remained a reminder of the contentious circumstances that surrounded its construction. On Aug. 3 of last year, City Council decided that the time had come to bestow […]
Posted inAISD
Austin’s infill builders raise $10K to pay for 3,400 student lunches
With an eye toward public education, infill developers in Austin are tackling a new problem. Builders Care Austin, a 501(c)(3) that allows infill builders around town to make philanthropic contributions, has raised $10,000 to help pay off the lunch debts of Austin Independent School District students. Originally, Ed Ishmael, a local lawyer and developer who […]
Posted inParks
YMCA and city working together for more parking at Lamar Beach
In late 2016, a revised version of the Lamar Beach Master Plan made its way through City Council. It was designed to benefit all the associated stakeholders of the parkland, West Austin Youth Association, Austin Pets Alive! and Austin High School, which all use the current park facilities. Although the list of changes is long, […]
Posted inWhispers
The Barton Springs salamanders crawl back to Austin
Every year in April, Austin’s environmental officer releases a report on the state of our environment to remind citizens that their tax dollars really do go to work to make a difference in the world they live in. One of the most noteworthy parts of this year’s report is the reappearance of the Barton Spring salamander. Long associated […]
Posted inAISD
AISD Board of Trustees contemplates deep cuts to the budget
The Austin Independent School District’s preliminary budget for the 2018-19 school year was released on April 23. On April 30, the members of the AISD Board of Trustees weighed in with their thoughts on how to continue to fund administrators and teachers while grappling with the staggering $30 million deficit that the school district is […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Parks board talks MACC design, and cost
Recently, the advisory board for the the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center wrote a letter to City Council asking to be allocated the full project cost – $40 million – instead of the $15 million that was recently recommended for the center from the 2018 bond proposal for city infrastructure. However, at the April […]
Posted inWhispers
Bike Trail at Guerrero Park faces opposition
In an effort to offer more centrally located mountain biking trails to Austin youth, the Austin Ridge Riders mountain bike club proposed constructing and maintaining a short, 24-inch-wide, natural-surface trail in Roy G. Guerrero Park. In response to the Ridge Riders’ proposal, Ecology Action of Texas posted a message of concern on Facebook stating that […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Parks board pushes for $62M for pools
Austin pools are in serious need of repairs. Everyone knows that, but the question is how much money the citizens are actually willing to pay to fix them. Currently, $33 million of the proposed 2018 bond package totaling $851 million is specifically dedicated to giving the construction equivalent of emergency surgery to Austin’s aging pools. However, […]
Posted inWhispers
Manchaca Library Branch ramps up its summer programming
This summer, if you’re in need of something to do, look no further than the Manchaca branch of the Austin Public Library system. With both children and adult programming in store, expect events like Harry Potter’s 21st birthday party, a literary-themed escape room challenge where participants will be tasked with keeping Austin from running out […]