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Austin
New SAVES programs face uncertain funding
The city has started nine programs in nine months to help local Austin businesses survive the pandemic. On Thursday, City Council will consider final program guidelines for three more programs providing relief for child care providers, local music venues and…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Dec 2, 2020
Human Rights Commission passes recommendation for domestic violence survivors
Late last month, the city’s Human Rights Commission unanimously passed a recommendation to continue providing hotel shelter for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking during the Covid-19 pandemic. Courtney Santana, a Human Rights commissioner and the CEO…
Austin • By Alyssa Weinstein • Dec 1, 2020
For child care providers in Austin, city relief couldn't come soon enough
Patsy Harnage doesn’t get a lot of holidays. For the last decade, she’s grown accustomed to working herself to the bone. Operating a child care center is hard work, built on razor-thin margins. That’s part of the job; it’s an…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 1, 2020
City leaders and Cap Metro get to work crafting Project Connect anti-displacement plan
In November, Austin voters approved a tax increase to support Project Connect and the expansion of public transportation throughout the city. Now, local leaders need to figure out precisely where and how to spend some of that money, including $300…
Austin • By Jasmine Lopez • Nov 25, 2020
Austin music venues won't get Covid relief money until next year. They say they're running out of time.
Jeannette Gregor was shaking, her voice quivering. “I am not a public speaker. This is actually kind of a nightmare for me – especially after about five months of isolation and no social contact,” she said back in September. “So…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Nov 23, 2020
Black coalition says Austin should pay out millions in restitution for long-ignored systemic racism
Black residents are calling on Austin to address decades of racism, inequity and displacement, demanding the city move to potentially provide as much as half a billion dollars in restitution for the Black community. Roughly 50 Black Austinites of all…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Nov 17, 2020
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City revives a New Deal program to put people back to work
Lee esta historia en español. The city of Austin is putting up to $2 million toward a new employment program that helps organizations hire people financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Austin Civilian Conservation Corps is modeled after a…
Austin • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Nov 16, 2020
The pitfalls of being an Austin service industry worker during Covid-19
Gina Dvorak has been working since she was 16 – she’s never not had a job. So when she was furloughed from the serving job she’s held for over 10 years at an Austin Japanese restaurant, she fell into a…
Austin • By Alyssa Weinstein • Nov 3, 2020
New collective continues the fight to dismantle systemic racism
Mayor Steve Adler and a coalition of community activists launched a new nonprofit organization earlier this month, creating an entity to succeed the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities and bring many of its 278 recommendations to…
Austin • By Miriam E Jewell • Oct 30, 2020
Neighborhoods free to reimagine Halloween as APH lays out recommendations
Austin neighborhoods are working to reimagine Halloween, with families and households strategizing how to balance safety and fun in an effort to preserve the spooky holiday amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Austin Public Health issued a statement Oct. 9 regarding recommendations for…
Austin • By Jasmine Lopez • Oct 27, 2020
Austin libraries receive funding to help low-income students
With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing a dramatic rise in the number of online classes and amount of schoolwork, some students in low-income households, who may not have access to the internet or own a personal computer, are being left behind.…
Austin • By Miriam E Jewell • Oct 22, 2020
Travis County judge won't let bars reopen at 50 percent capacity
Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe said he’s not going to allow bars to reopen at 50 percent capacity Wednesday, citing a memo from the county’s top doctor saying Covid-19 “continues to be a threat.” “In the past ten days, Travis…
