With artificial intelligence quickly penetrating more facets of public and private life every day, policymakers and technology observers in Austin want the city to take advantage of the opportunities presented by AI while also safeguarding against the potential threats from its misuse. Those were the broad outlines of a pair of panel discussions held Tuesday […]
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Arts Commission questions changes to Nexus’ $500K grant process
With the city’s next round of Nexus cultural arts grants open to applicants, members of the Arts Commission recently discussed how to improve the selection process for awardees so the program better serves emerging and disadvantaged artists. At last week’s meeting, the commission received a presentation from Zac Traeger, executive director of the Museum of […]
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Real estate leaders hear options for assisting Austin’s threatened creatives
Members of the Austin real estate and development community got a look Wednesday at how unstable many local arts and cultural organizations are – and how they are being threatened by the growth pressures in the city’s hot market for commercial space. Urban Land Institute Austin’s monthly breakfast panel was focused on how to preserve […]
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Austin scrambles to assess local impact of federal grant freeze
President Donald Trump issued a directive on Monday ordering a sweeping freeze on federal grants, including money to state and local governments. This action caused an immediate uproar, as well as lawsuits to put the order on hold. A federal judge stayed the order just before it was slated to take effect but legal wrangling […]
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Joint Sustainability Committee looks at agricultural land acquisition and preservation
The Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board is looking for support for a plan to preserve and acquire agricultural land in the region, and it’s turned to the Joint Sustainability Committee for help and recommendations. The recommendations are a next step for the goals of the Austin-Travis County Food Plan, which was passed by City Council […]
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New areas at Enchanted Rock could open as soon as this fall after park more than doubles in size
For many Central Texans, Enchanted Rock is a special and mystical place, and now it’s more than doubled in size. Rodney Franklin, director for state parks with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said lots of people have fond memories of hiking to the top of the dome and seeing the view for the first […]
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Report sees strong growth for life sciences jobs and real estate throughout Austin
Austin’s bio and health ecosystem is emerging as a significant driver of economic development, with new projects and public policy efforts shaping the future of the sector, according to the 2024 Austin Bio & Health Report authored by industry analysts Jason Scharf and Jani Tuomi. The report found Austin is now home to over 1,100 […]
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ECHO report shows growing mortality rate among the area’s homeless community
The most comprehensive study of homelessness mortality in Austin shows that more than 1,000 people died between 2018 and 2023 with the average age of death falling at 50 years – which is 20 years younger than those living in stable housing. The Bridging for Better Outcomes report from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) […]
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What does homelessness in Austin look like in 2025? A new census will shed some light.
Lee esta historia en español On a single night in late January, volunteers from around the city will conduct a census of Austin’s most vulnerable residents, counting as many people experiencing homelessness as possible. This biennial point-in-time count is overseen by Austin’s Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, which hopes to recruit some 1,200 volunteers to canvass […]
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A look back: Austin’s year in review
With 2024 drawing to close, it’s time to look back on the local headlines that dominated the news (or held a special place in our hyperlocal hearts) before looking forward to the year ahead. Happy News Year! WE HAVE A CONTRACT After going more than a year without a contract in place, City Council approved […]
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Arts Commission wants convention center installations preserved ahead of demolition
The Arts Commission wants the city to push the Austin Convention Center to pay for and assist in the removal and preservation of four city-commissioned art installations that are at risk of being destroyed when the facility is torn down next spring. At Monday’s meeting, the commission approved a request to City Council asking for […]
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Critical volunteer hours for the Austin Animal Center are not being tallied
According to the Austin Animal Center website, there are about 100,000 free-roaming cats in Austin. That number is a conservative estimate, noting that cats can be impregnated as young as 5 months old and have one to three litters a year, with three to five kittens in a litter. The Animal Advisory Commission heard public […]