Austin’s 911 call takers are regularly asked to take on a high call volume, but the Austin Police Department does not have a regular process for expediting call taking when the volume reaches higher-than-normal levels, according to a special report from the Office of the City Auditor. City Council members Vanessa Fuentes and Alison Alter […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inWhispers
Attorney general disputes validity of Project Connect financing
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday filed a scathing rebuke to the city of Austin and Austin Transit Partnership over an attempt by those entities to have a Travis County court validate bonds that ATP wants to issue to fund Project Connect. In its response, the AG’s office declares that Proposition A, which voters […]
Posted inPolice
APD settles another use-of-force case from 2020
The city of Austin has settled another case involving use of force against a citizen during the August 2020 protests against police violence. According to a news release from the Kaplan law firm, city officials agreed to and have paid a $55,500 settlement to Eli Winkelman on behalf of the city and two Austin police […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy pauses to analyze path forward for climate plan
Austin Energy General Manager Bob Kahn has informed the mayor and City Council that the utility is pausing the current process of amending its resource, generation and climate protection plan. The utility had been working to provide proposed changes to that plan this month. In 2022, Council directed Austin Energy to work with the Electric […]
Posted inWater
Travis County signs up for more reclaimed water
Last week, City Council authorized Austin Water to move forward with an interlocal agreement with Travis County to share the costs of designing and building oversized reclaimed water mains and pipes within the central business district. This will provide service to Travis County’s Civil and Family Court Building at 1700 Guadalupe St. and the Probate […]
Posted inCourts
ATP lawyer argues against sharing information with the public
Lawyers for the Austin Transit Partnership and Austinites who have filed suit to try to stop ATP from proceeding to build a light-rail system without another vote will be in court next Monday to argue about whether the city of Austin should be removed as a party in the lawsuit. Attorney Bill Aleshire is representing […]
Posted inWhispers
Protesters shout down Atlanta mayor at SXSW
At South by Southwest on Monday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was forced to leave a panel discussion at the Hilton hotel as a group of protesters shouted at him and unfurled a banner decrying the building of “Cop City,” a huge police training facility. Protesters accuse Dickens of being aligned with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, […]
Posted inWater
City Council adopts historic water reuse regulations
City Council on Thursday unanimously and enthusiastically approved mandatory water reuse for most large new developments, with some provisions to exempt affordable housing from the requirement. They also approved an agreement with Travis County to provide reclaimed water connections for the Travis County courthouse, a step forward in partnering with the county on similar projects. […]
Posted inCourts
Plaintiffs hope to strike city of Austin from Project Connect suit
The people who filed suit last fall to stop the Austin Transit Partnership from proceeding without another bond election have intervened in a lawsuit filed by the city and ATP seeking to validate bonds needed to build the light-rail system. The plaintiffs’ goal is to remove the city as a party to the bond validation […]
Posted inWater
Conservation district has good news on drought level
The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District has taken a step back from the most severe drought stage – Stage IV – and after a brief stint in Stage III, has declared the area to be at Stage II Alarm Drought, the least severe stage of drought. But aquifer watchers know that a hot, dry summer […]
Posted inWhispers
Private equity fund seeks takeover of Stratus Properties
A quiet battle is going on behind the scenes between NXSTEP Opportunity Partners and Austin real estate company Stratus Properties Inc. NXSTEP, a real estate-focused private equity fund, offered to buy all of Stratus Properties’ shares for $27.18 per share in cash. The initial offer was made on Jan. 24, 2024. The board of Stratus […]
Posted inParks
City breaks ground on the Barton Springs bathhouse
Many years in the making, rehabilitation of the Barton Springs bathhouse is scheduled for a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. today. While the majority of attendees will surely cheer for the improvements the city promises under the Barton Springs Pool Master Plan, which City Council approved in 2009, there will be a few swimmers protesting […]