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Council approves resolution condemning Columbus, celebrating indigenous peoples

City Council jumped into the long-standing debate over Columbus Day when it approved a resolution this week in favor of recognizing the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The vote was purely symbolic. Columbus Day has never been…

Vote moves 'downtown puzzle' forward, with amendments aplenty

City Council voted Thursday to move forward with the “downtown puzzle,” a package of possible tax increases and assessment mechanisms seen as a way to fund a variety of public works projects and other community needs. The 10-0 vote –…

Council voices concerns over Visit Austin spending on alcohol, events

A report that the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau (known as Visit Austin) has spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on jewelry, alcohol and meals at fancy restaurants prompted City Council to delay approval of the nonprofit agency’s marketing…

Updated: Racially tinged comments spark controversy for Capital Metro's vice chair

Update: Beverly Silas, vice chair of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority board of directors told the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday morning that she is resigning. “I most humbly apologize to the community, to you the Travis County Commissioners…

Homeless service providers say pilot program made downtown Austin safer

An effort to reduce crowds loitering outside the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless has made downtown safer, local service providers say. A 30-day initiative was launched last month to address homelessness outside the ARCH, where dozens of people congregate…

Austin's creative culture holds weight in economic incentives revision

In response to City Council direction in March, Austin’s Economic Development Department has spent the better part of the year meeting with specific groups in the community that have a stake in how the city approaches policies such as business…

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Austin is ready to close its shelter for Harvey evacuees

Austin’s centralized shelter for Hurricane Harvey evacuees at the Met Center could close by the end of the week. About 170 people remain at the South Austin shelter. It held as many as 400 evacuees after the storm, which brought…

Could Austin be prime location for Amazon HQ?

To hear the Austin tech community talking on Thursday, it was a foregone conclusion that online retail giant Amazon will become Austin’s largest employer and have a major physical footprint here within the next decade. That prediction came about following…

Austin helping cities hit by Hurricane Harvey

City Council unanimously approved mutual aid agreements with the cities of Houston and Victoria at a special called meeting on Tuesday in the wake of devastation from Hurricane Harvey. Mayor Steve Adler and Council members Leslie Pool and Greg Casar…

Adler attacks plan to move hotel tax money

Mayor Steve Adler made clear at Tuesday’s work session that he would try to derail Council Member Ellen Troxclair’s plan to reallocate money from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue when it comes up for City Council consideration on Thursday.…

City welcomes Harvey survivors, helps Houston

Mayor Steve Adler on Monday sent out a message of welcome to survivors of Hurricane Harvey seeking shelter in Austin. During a news conference at the Delco Center, the mayor said the state has asked Austin to take in 7,000…

Job declines linked to affordability, immigration policies in chamber report

When considering a recent decrease in the number of jobs available in the Austin area, a top official with the Austin Chamber of Commerce points to slow action at the city and state levels to keep Central Texas attractive for…

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