Sections

About Us

 
Make a Donation
Local • Independent • Essential News
 

Stories by Lina Fisher

New public defenders get pay bump but county struggles to retain experienced attorneys

At the beginning of the year, Travis County finally began offering a guaranteed lawyer to individuals who are arrested and can’t afford legal representation – a constitutional right known as counsel at first appearance, or CAFA. It took an ACLU…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Mar 31, 2025

Central Health opens long-awaited Del Valle Health Center

Last week, Central Health announced at a Travis County Commissioners Court meeting that it has finally opened its Del Valle Health Center, the long-awaited collaboration with CommUnityCare that will expand access to health care for low-income Eastern Travis County residents.…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Mar 20, 2025

Travis County sets aggressive goal to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2050

One of the policy areas that the county has most influence over is roadway safety. Past city limits, the Travis County Commissioners Court is responsible – along with the Texas Department of Transportation, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and…

Roads • By Lina Fisher • Mar 18, 2025

Travis County outlines the next year of opioid overdose prevention strategy

Even as the Trump administration attempts to gut every kind of federal grant bolstering local services, from transportation to public health and beyond, Travis County is still managing to continue its long-term investments in opioid recovery services and harm reduction.…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Mar 3, 2025

The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

APD won’t enforce SB 14 as Paxton and Trump further attack gender-affirming health care

Last week, two federal judges issued temporary restraining orders on an executive order by the Trump administration that would have blocked federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors. That means that – for now – any health care provider or…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Feb 18, 2025

How Trump’s federal funding freeze is beginning to affect Austin

On Jan. 31, a U.S. district judge granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Trump administration from implementing a slew of executive orders that would freeze federal funding programs that allow access to health care, housing, education and other basic…

Austin • By Lina Fisher • Feb 14, 2025

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe

Environmental Commission weighs Project Connect’s environmental impact and federal funding

In light of Donald Trump’s recent effort to freeze federal spending authorized by Congress – swiftly blocked by two federal judges – the question on every local policymaker’s mind is: What’s going to happen to all the local projects that…

Transit • By Lina Fisher • Feb 7, 2025

Future of Georgian Acres Mobility Hub still up in the air, with final updates to come this spring

Georgian Acres, a neighborhood in far Northeast Austin, is what is known as a “transit desert.” First coined in 2013 as an extension of the concept of a food desert – an area where there is a dearth of grocery…

Transportation • By Lina Fisher • Jan 22, 2025

The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Travis County bush

City and county to invest in historically underserved Northeast Austin area

At its Tuesday meeting, the Travis County Commissioners Court heard an update on what Commissioner Jeff Travillion called a “Marshall Plan” for the rapidly developing Northeast Austin area, referring to the 1948 plan for the U.S. to help in Western…

Planning • By Lina Fisher • Jan 9, 2025

Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea urges local climate resilience initiatives to combat coming federal turn

Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea has been a mainstay of the Austin environmental movement for decades. Though she’s seen many gains in that area since her political career began, the relentless changing climate of our region has kept up the…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jan 7, 2025

In 2025, Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard eyes building more supportive housing and strengthening climate resilience

Coming from her background in affordable housing at the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard has always prioritized the same throughout her tenure at the county. 2024 saw two big wins on that front, she says: “There’s…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jan 7, 2025

Travis County Judge Andy Brown pledges continued focus on health care, passenger rail in 2025

For the past two years, Travis County Judge Andy Brown has told the Austin Monitor he wants to double down on overdose prevention, mental health care and passenger rail. Looking ahead to 2025, those priorities have not changed – but…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jan 6, 2025

The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Next Page »

Back to Top