The four minority chambers of commerce that have for years worked loosely together are moving forward with creating a five-year plan for how to ensure growth in Austin doesn’t bypass minority-owned small businesses. The Austin LGBT Chamber, Greater Austin Asian Chamber, Greater Austin Black Chamber, and Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – which previously worked […]
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Tight rental market increasing wait times for city efforts to house the homeless
The city’s tight rental market is causing some delays in efforts to find housing for people who have recently been removed from homeless encampments as part of a program launched last year targeting those gathering areas around the city. At last week’s meeting of City Council’s Public Health Committee, Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Grey revealed that […]
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Off-leash dog group urges public action
The working group tasked with tackling off-leash dog issues in the city of Austin has dissolved, although the issue is far from resolved. “We’re kind of at the end of the road of what we can do,” said Animal Advisory Commissioner Jo Anne Norton, who served on the working group and presented to the commission […]
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Council facing challenge in solving jet fuel storage
While the number of passengers traveling through most of the nation’s airports is growing at roughly 4 percent a year, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport traffic is growing at 8 percent a year, AUS Director Jacqueline Yaft told City Council at Tuesday’s work session. Yaft urged Council to move ahead with the planned airport expansion, including the […]
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Why the long TSA lines at Austin’s airport? Local and federal officials trade blame.
The early morning lines at Austin’s airport are gaining notoriety even among NPR game show hosts. “I fly a lot, and I often take early flights. I have never anywhere been in an airport that crowded that early in the morning,” Peter Sagal, host of the weekly news quiz Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, said after […]
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St. Edward’s students lead effort to tackle food accessibility in Austin
Students at St. Edward’s University’s Civics Lab are seeking to bring a class project to fruition this year, even if the work extends far beyond the classroom. Following a year of policy development and advocacy led by political science professor Dr. David Thomason, student Benjamin Alford addressed the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors […]
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Abandoned rental cars and TSA lines out the door. What’s going on at Austin’s airport?
When Carmen Ortiz arrived at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) on Monday morning, two hours before departure as recommended, the line to get through security stretched down the Barbara Jordan terminal, outside the building and back down the entire length of the terminal. “I’ve never had to wait in a security line outside the airport,” Ortiz […]
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Business leaders see continued growth with airport’s expansion plans
Even with expansion plans somewhat scaled back because of the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, local business leaders see the continued growth of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as vital to the region’s long-term economic prospects. At a recent panel held by Urban Land Institute Austin, airport executives laid out the revised scope and schedule of […]
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Animal center struggles to quell public concern over out-of-state transfers
Animal Advisory commissioners continue to question the shelter’s transfer of animals to partner shelters, but thus far are still waiting for answers. The conversation began last month, when commissioners issued a resolution to more closely monitor out-of-county and out-of-state transport of animals in a 7-2 vote, with commissioners Jo Anne Norton and Lotta Smagula against. […]
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Downtown court relocation plans draw mounting criticism
Resistance appears to be growing to a slate of resolutions on the agenda for Thursday’s City Council meeting that would lead to the permanent relocation of the Downtown Austin Community Court to a circa-1800s municipal building on West Eighth Street. The resolutions would follow action taken in February on the proposed move, allocating $27 million […]
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Chamber of Commerce offers rosy jobs report
Austin has once again come out as a top city in the country economically, as shown by a new report on job growth and unemployment from the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Researchers at the chamber found that Austin ranked number one among the top 50 metro areas in the U.S. based on regaining pre-pandemic jobs […]
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Commissioners want business, tech funds to support creative sector
The Austin business community, particularly the technology companies flocking to the area, will likely be asked this year to increase their support for a creative sector that is being squeezed by the rising cost of living across the city. Members of the Arts and Music commissions have formed a working group focused on increasing awareness […]