Nora Ankrum

The city of Austin is hosting a party this evening to celebrate the new Community Land Trust’s first project. As part of the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department, the Community Land Trust program aims to increase the availability of affordable housing in Austin by allowing homebuyers to purchase homes while leasing the land on […]

The new Central Library won’t just be serving up books when construction is completed in November 2016. The library will also feature a coffee and snack shop in its interior atrium as well as a full-service cafe – open for breakfast, lunch and dinner – with a catering kitchen to accommodate large events. As part of […]

Drivers in the downtown/Zilker Park area will be rerouted Wednesday night to accommodate pedestrians attending Blues on the Green. According to an announcement from the city, Barton Springs Road will be completely closed from Columbus Drive, near MoPac, to Robert E. Lee Road. Traffic coming from Robert E. Lee Road will have access to the […]

The Austin Fire Department has put out a call for help in replenishing its supply of oxygen masks designed specially for pets. Calling the masks “lifesaving devices that have helped Austin firefighters resuscitate everyone from a dog to a lobster,” animal advocacy organization PETA responded to the request on Monday with a $1,000 check. The […]

East Austin’s Tannehill Branch Creek, near Bartholemew Park, will be getting some sprucing up this month, thanks to the Friends of Tannehill Branch Creek. The group will be hosting a volunteer event – in partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful and Adopt-a-Creek – to clean up litter that has accumulated near the stretch of the creek […]

The Austin Transportation Department is seeking input on potential improvements to a short stretch of road on Wooten Park Drive, near the Wooten Neighborhood Park in North Austin. Upcoming routine maintenance – repaving and restriping – of the section from West Anderson Lane to Mullen Drive presents an opportunity for further improvements, such as installation […]

Efforts to cut waste in Austin have stalled in recent years, according to Austin Resource Recovery. In fact, more than half of recyclable materials in Austin are still getting thrown in the trash. A new survey from the group aims to find out why. “We recognize that this is a community problem and requires citizens’ participation,” […]

Nonprofit organizations experienced in providing home repair and rehabilitation services may qualify for a grant from the Austin Housing Finance Corporation. The organization has announced the availability of $1.2 million in funding for nonprofits that participate in the Holly Good Neighbor Program. The program, which is available to low- and moderate-income homeowners affected by the […]

Every day is now Opposite Day in the City Hall parking garage. Beginning today, the entrance and exit will be permanently switching roles in order to facilitate better traffic flow around City Hall. All traffic will enter the garage from Guadalupe Street (formerly the employee/contract entrance) and exit onto Lavaca Street. The switch comes after […]

Austin Monitor Publisher Mike Kanin will moderate a discussion tonight on sustainable development and the role of city code as part of the Beers, Brains, and Betterment series. The panelists will include CodeNEXT Code Advisory Group member Jim Duncan, Austin planning watchdog Jeff Jack, AURA executive board member Steven Yarak and city of Austin CodeNEXT […]

The Texas Department of Transportation and Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority are hosting a public hearing this week regarding proposals for easing congestion on MoPac at the Slaughter Lane and La Cross Avenue intersection. The event – which takes place Thursday, July 30, in the Bowie High School cafeteria – begins with an open house […]

According to a press release from the Federal Emergency Management Association, a Disaster Recovery Center in Blanco County is scheduled to close Aug. 1 at 2 p.m. In the wake of natural disasters such as the heavy flooding in Central Texas last spring, FEMA has been setting up DRCs to help people access assistance programs. […]