A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday accuses several local law enforcement agencies with violating defendants’ constitutional rights by listening in on conversations between inmates at the Travis County jail and their lawyers and using that information to gain a conviction. The Texas Civil Rights Project filed the suit, naming the Travis County Sheriff’s Department, telephone […]
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 inDevelopment, Local Government
Neighbors upset over subdivision of lots in eastern Travis County
A landowner’s request to divide a two-acre lot in the Estates of Wilbarger Creek into two one-acre lots has riled up some neighbors, who say they moved out to the picturesque preserve in east Travis County to enjoy the wide open spaces. But Travis County Commissioners were told they had little choice but to approve […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Politics, Transportation
Critics say taxpayers, not drivers will have to pay for SH45 SW
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority says a preliminary Traffic and Revenue Forecast for the planned State Highway 45 Southwest it released recently will stand as the final report, showing that the road project is financially feasible. But critics of the project say the numbers in the report just don’t add up. The Capitol Area […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Halloween flood report points to shortcomings of emergency response
An after-action report on the City of Austin and Travis County’s response to the Halloween flood released last week said that there were myriad serious problems with the response to the emergency. Chief among them was a lack of ability for emergency officials to communicate with people in the affected area. According to the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Government
Caldwell residents fighting proposed landfill
LOCKHART — Plans for developing an industrial park and landfill in northern Caldwell County have run into fierce opposition from local residents, who say it is a danger to the county’s water supply and that there is no need for the facility. Green Group Holdings is a Georgia-based developer that specializes in large-scale infrastructure […]
Posted inLocal Government, Resources
New LCRA manager reorganizes agency, introduces new team
Phil Wilson, the new general manager at the Lower Colorado River Authority, is wasting no time in making high-level changes to the power and water agency. He sent out a message to LCRA employees last week outlining his approach and laying out a new organizational structure. He has added six new people to his […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Despite tragedy, the beat goes on at SXSW
After an early morning tragedy that left two people dead and sent 23 others to local hospitals, stunned city officials spent most of Thursday working through the grief and trying to keep the South by Southwest Music festival on track. Officials said they will open an Emotional Support Center downtown Friday to help festival […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment, Local Government, Transportation
Battle over SH45SW features argument between Biscoe and Bunch
The never-ending case of SH 45 Southwest has dogged County Judge Sam Biscoe for the past 25 years of his public life. But at Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting – with his December retirement date in sight – the normally reserved Biscoe publicly engaged several of his critics over the project. The proposed 3.6-mile, four-lane […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Politics
Spurred by retailers, lawmaker seeks Attorney General opinion on bag ban
Just barely past the one-year-anniversary of Austin’s law banning single-use plastic bags, Texas business interests are taking another shot at it, this time seeking an Attorney General’s opinion on whether such bans violate state statutes. The opinion was requested by State Rep. Dan Flynn, a conservative Republican from northeast Texas, on behalf of the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Public Safety
Austin wins nearly $12 million in federal funds for Onion Creek
The City of Austin will receive $11.8 million in federal funding for the Onion Creek – Lower Colorado River Basin Project now that Congress finally loosened its purse strings and approved spending the money. The funds – which will be used to buy out properties and relocate displaced families from the Onion Creek flood […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Gomez cruising to sixth term as Precinct 4 Travis Commissioner
Precinct 4 Commissioner Margaret Gómez cruised to win the Democratic nomination Tuesday with 73 percent of the vote in her bid to keep her seat on the Travis County Commissioners Court. However, her relatively unknown opponent, Del Valle School Board member Darla Wegner, was polling a surprising 27 percent, possibly signaling some unrest among the electorate […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Shea easily bests two opponents for Commissioner Pct. 2 seat
Former City Council member and environmental leader Brigid Shea swept to victory in the race for the Democratic nomination for Pct. 2 Travis County Commissioner Tuesday with 66 percent of the vote as the clock struck midnight. She will face Republican Raymond Frank, a former Travis County Sheriff, and Libertarian Steven Haskett in November. […]