Three women have sued the city of Austin and Travis County, alleging their sexual assault cases were inadequately handled because of their gender. The class-action lawsuit claims that sexual assault survivors “have been denied equal access to justice and equal protection of the law.” The suit, filed Monday in federal court, was first reported by […]
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Met Center apology insufficient for Houston
Council Member Ora Houston raised objections during Tuesday’s work session to an item on Thursday’s Council agenda authorizing staff to enter into a 120-month lease agreement for 96,000 square feet of office space at the Met Center on Montopolis Drive in Southeast Austin. The building is intended to house courthouse employees from the downtown location […]
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Business groups sue to block city’s paid sick leave law
An Austin-based conservative think tank has sued the city over its paid sick leave ordinance. The ordinance, which goes into effect Oct. 1, requires all private businesses to provide anywhere from six to eight paid sick days per year for employees. The Texas Public Policy Foundation filed the lawsuit in district court Tuesday. The foundation […]
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Court upholds majority of ‘sanctuary cities’ law
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Senate Bill 4 can remain in effect for the time being. Tuesday’s decision will allow the so-called “sanctuary cities” law to take effect while the case against it plays out. However, a part of the law is still on hold. A provision that would have […]
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Party boat owner wins injunction against city
Watertight Endeavors Inc., the owner of three party boats used for weddings, family reunions, high school graduations and similar occasions, has won its first court battle against the city to keep using the Walsh Landing public dock for loading and unloading passengers on Lake Austin. District Judge Karin Crump granted the temporary injunction on Tuesday, […]
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Judge finds city violated open meetings law again
Litigation about the Champion tract never really goes away. Originally filed in the early 1990s, the litigation simply morphs from one issue to another and one venue to another. It has cost the city of Austin an almost endless amount of trouble and untold dollars. On Tuesday, District Judge Scott Jenkins ruled that the city […]
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Council reaches settlement in substandard housing case
After a years-long battle between the city and apartment complex owner Walter Olenick, City Council voted unanimously last Thursday to approve a settlement that will compensate the city $150,000 and secure affordable units in the future. As part of the agreement, the city will be dropping property maintenance lawsuits for code violations (totaling in fines […]
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Casar reports on SB 4 hearing in New Orleans
City Council Member Greg Casar attended Tuesday’s hearing on Senate Bill 4 at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The city of Austin, along with Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, the small border city of El Cenizo, and Maverick and El Paso counties, filed suit to overturn the law that requires local […]
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‘This is the hammer’: Residents bring lawsuit in fight against Central Health
On Tuesday afternoon, after Fred Lewis declared new financial rules imposed on Central Health were inadequate, the Austin Monitor asked the attorney, activist and reliable thorn in the hospital district’s side if he had a lawsuit in the works. His response: “Stay tuned.” Less than 24 hours later, Lewis stood before a gaggle of press […]
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Council rejects settlement with apartment complex owner in substandard housing case
The plot thickened in an ongoing affordable housing saga as City Council Thursday denied a settlement in the city of Austin’s lawsuit against Orchard Plaza apartments owner Walter Olenick for substandard housing code violations. Council Member Greg Casar, in whose district the complex is located, said on the dais that it simply was not a […]
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County no longer suing surf park
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously on Tuesday to bail on its legal challenge against the state’s first artificial surf park. After a relatively short executive session during their regular weekly meeting, the members of the court returned to the seats on the dais and supported Commissioner Margaret Gómez’s motion to non-suit NLand Surf […]
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County sued over lease information
Even though Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has ruled that Travis County must provide a copy of the 99-year lease of 308 Guadalupe St. between the county and Lincoln Property Company, the county has not yet done so. In response, real estate broker Dani Tristan, who requested the information in July, filed suit Monday asking […]