Hey, it’s our med school, so it must be our sky bridge … Central Health is all for the proposed sky bridge between the new medical school at Seton Medical Center and an associated parking garage, as long as there’s some flexibility in the planning process. At Wednesday night’s regular meeting of the Central Health […]
Mark Richardson
Mark Richardson is a multimedia journalist, editor and writer who has worked in digital, print and broadcast media for three decades. He is a nationally recognized editor and reporter who has covered government, politics and the environment. A journalism graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, he was recently awarded a Foundation for Investigative Journalism grant and has three Associated Press Managing Editors awards for excellence in reporting.
Posted inWhispers
National Night Out events planned
Austin will celebrate National Night Out this weekend and early next week. This Saturday, Police Chief Art Acevedo will lead a kickoff party at the Mueller Airport Park to get things started. The event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will include live music as well as chances to talk with Austin/Travis County first responders, […]
Posted inWhispers
Source of Income among Council items
The first big item on today’s City Council agenda is about forcing landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers for rental units for low-income people. The Council unanimously approved the original resolution, setting in motion the procedure that has so angered some members of the real estate community while pleasing groups like the Austin Tenants Council. […]
Posted inLocal Government
Commissioners OK market study of county jobs
Travis County Commissioners approved a plan by the Human Resources Management Department on Tuesday to conduct a classification and compensation study of the county’s classified jobs in order to analyze whether those positions are market-competitive. Officials say the study will be handled in-house, and the only expense to the county would be any changes in […]
Posted inWhispers
PARD wins award for park revitalization
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded a Preservation Merit Award for the Preservation of a Cultural Landscape for the revitalization of historic Wooldridge Square Park. This is the second year in a row that the department has been recognized by Preservation Austin for its stewardship of historic sites. The work at Wooldridge […]
Posted inWhispers
Grant to develop green neighborhoods
Austin officials announced Tuesday that the city is among five across the nation awarded technical assistance to “green” their capitals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said it will provide technical assistance to develop infrastructure that contributes to greener, more vibrant neighborhoods. City and federal leaders will share how the technical assistance will be applied in […]
Posted inWhispers
ABIA traffic continues to increase
Austin Bergstrom International Airport kept its streak alive in August by posting a 9 percent increase in total traffic over August 2013. The 959,640 passengers in August meant that ABIA has seen passenger growth for 55 of the past 56 months. The airport topped 10 million passengers in 2013, a record for the facility that […]
Posted inWhispers
Capital Metro board OKs 2015 budget
The Capital Metro board of directors approved a $322 million budget for Fiscal Year 2015 on Monday, along with the proposed service changes for spring 2015. The new budget will take effect Wednesday. The budget includes $222.8 million for operating expenses, $4.6 million for loan repayments and $12.8 million for interlocal agreements. Additionally, the agency […]
Posted inPremium Types
Tip Sheet: Austin City Council 9.30 and 10.2
Austin City Council meets for a work session Tuesday at 9 a.m. and then for its regular meeting on Thursday at 10 a.m. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The City Clerk’s office hosts a copy of the full agenda on its website. These are items listed […]
Posted inPremium Types
Tip Sheet: Travis County Commissioners 9.30
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The County Clerk’s office hosts a copy at its website. Items of interest for Commissioners Court include: 10. CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON PROPOSED REQUEST FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT […]
Posted inTransportation
TxDOT data shows congestion on Austin roads
New figures released by the Texas Department of Transportation quantify what anyone who drives in the Austin area instinctively knows – traffic congestion on several local roads and highways is as bad as anywhere in the state and getting worse. One stretch, Interstate 35 through downtown between the U.S. 290 intersection and Lady Bird Lake, […]
Posted inWhispers
Businesses must begin recycling
Beginning in about a week, most commercial and multifamily properties will be required to offer recycling as part of the next phase of the city’s Universal Recycling Ordinance. The 2012 ordinance sets out minimum recycling standards for commercial properties to ensure convenient recycling is available to employees and tenants. By Oct. 1, 2017 all businesses […]