Nora Ankrum

A new survey from the city is gathering feedback from Asian-Americans about local quality-of-life issues in Austin. “Do you live or work in Austin? Are you Asian? We want to your voice to be heard!” reads the city’s Tuesday announcement about the survey. “Also,” it continues, “where do you get your information? What is the […]

It’s time to mark your calendar: Next Tuesday, Feb. 16, Mayor Steve Adler will deliver his annual state of the city address. This year’s theme: Great Cities Do Big Things. The event is free, but attendees should nonetheless reserve seats, either online or in person at the mayor’s office, 301 W. Second St. (weekdays, between […]

The city’s Economic Development Department is offering a new training program for small Austin businesses looking to grow. Targeted toward businesses that “embrace innovation,” the FastForward Entrepreneur Training Program is open to applicants who “are ready to utilize new technology, offer novel business models, pursue fresh markets, or have a concept to create enhanced value […]

Deep Eddy Pool will be closed for two weeks, beginning today, for annual cleaning and maintenance. According to an announcement from the city, the “Parks and Recreation Department will be completing work such as painting the pool shell, planting new trees and making repairs to the bathhouse and auxiliary storage buildings.” If everything goes according […]

Austin law firm Armbrust & Brown announced this week that it has hired Michelle Rosenblatt to be the firm’s newest senior counsel. Her practice will focus on “U.S. and international tax, estate, and wealth preservation planning,” according to an announcement from the firm. Rosenblatt is also an adjunct professor at UT’s School of Law, where […]

Travis County has its first confirmed case of the Zika virus, according to an announcement released on Thursday by the city. The virus – which is transmitted by mosquitoes – is believed to be linked to a dramatic increase in birth defects in Brazil, where the first infection was confirmed in May 2015. Zika has […]

Anyone still planning to apply for a special-event permit to hold a festival this spring may be out of luck. The city announced on Wednesday, two days ahead of the application deadline, that it “is no longer accepting new requests for Temporary Use, Temporary Change of Use, and 24-hour/96-hour Amplified Music Permits for outdoor temporary […]

In anticipation of this year’s Great American Cleanup, which runs March 1 through May 31, registration is open for organizations that want to participate. The annual Cleanup is a national event in which communities organize volunteer activities to clean parks and waterways, plant trees and beautify public spaces. The event includes the Don’t Mess With […]

City Council Member Don Zimmerman’s field office is participating in this month’s First Thursday Art Gallery Walk with a showcase of artists from District 6. Musician Jerry Stevens from Root 1 will be on hand along with artists Sloane Diebolt and Joe Levy, and Jenna’s Asian Kitchen will be the featured culinary artist, according to […]

Ahead of the March 1 Democratic primary elections, the Stonewall Democrats of Austin have announced their endorsements for those candidates they believe “would best represent the interests of the LGBT community.” Not all races are represented among the endorsements, according to the group’s announcement, because not all candidates drew the required support – 60 percent […]

The city of Austin’s Center for Events is seeking public input on new ways to fund special events. The goal is to “bridge the gap between how much the City spends serving special events and fees paid by event producers,” according to an announcement from the city. To solicit feedback, the Center for Events will […]

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Austin’s ban on the sale and use of pavement sealants that contain toxic coal tar. Austin was the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to institute such as ban, but other cities and states have followed. Coal tar has chemicals in it that are harmful to humans and aquatic […]