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- How Trump’s federal funding freeze is beginning to affect Austin
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Public Safety
Public Safety Commission raises questions about proposed tow fee increases
The city’s Public Safety Commission wants more information before recommending an updated non-consent towing fee schedule for the Austin Police Department. Commissioners voted to recommend City Council reject the study and send it back for additional work. The item went…
Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 11, 2023
Pets, plants, pipes and more: How to prepare for this week's freeze
The Austin area is in for a cold holiday weekend. Temperatures will start dropping on Thursday afternoon into the teens and stay there until Saturday, at least. As the state prepares for this severe weather event, you should prepare, too.…
Public Safety • By Haya Panjwani, KUT • Dec 22, 2022
Fire risk is heightened during holiday season
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are peak days for home fires and injuries from inattentive cooking, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Travis County’s fire marshal’s office, the U.S. Fire Administration and NFPA are partnering up for the holidays…
Public Safety • By Seth Smalley • Dec 21, 2022
Judge denies motions to dismiss in Mike Ramos civil suit
In a Sunday ruling denying qualified immunity to the Austin police officer who fatally shot Mike Ramos, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman sharply criticized the city’s handling of excessive force incidents. The ruling stems from the civil suit filed against…
Police • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 20, 2022
Audit shows flaws in city’s plans for cold weather shelters
An audit presented to the City Council Audit & Finance committee last week says the city is not keeping up with planning for cold weather shelters and that city staff have not received sufficient training in dealing with people seeking…
Public Health • By Jo Clifton • Dec 20, 2022
Downtown Alliance praises 'transformation' of ARCH under new management
Just months after the management switch-up at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, the Downtown Austin Alliance is praising what it calls “transformational change” at the downtown men’s shelter. The alliance’s safety and hospitality committee toured the facility in…
Public Health • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 20, 2022
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City, police union resume labor contract negotiations
The city of Austin and the Austin Police Association returned to the bargaining table Wednesday after a brief hiatus stemming from an impasse on oversight provisions. The city initiated the pause early this month after the police union said it…
Police • By Emma Freer • Dec 16, 2022
EMS chief reports improvement in collections
Although Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services continues to deal with a backlog of unpaid bills for emergency transport, Chief Robert Luckritz says the department has made significant improvements in its billing and collections process. As a result, Luckritz told the City…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Dec 15, 2022
Community advocates urge city, police union to return to negotiating table
Community advocates on both sides of the police contract negotiations say the city of Austin and the police union should return to the bargaining table. But their motivations and their priorities for a new contract are diametrically opposed. Last week,…
Police • By Emma Freer • Dec 9, 2022
Virtual proceedings lead to harmful outcomes for inmates in Austin’s jails, advocates say
During talks about a program that provides counsel at first court appearance, Bradley Hargis with Capital Area Private Defender Service shared the experience of a former client. The person had been charged and processed with a felony, and faced a…
Public Safety • By Andrea Guzman • Dec 7, 2022
Deadlocked on oversight, city and police union pause contract negotiations
After nearly nine months of negotiation sessions, the city of Austin halted bargaining with the Austin Police Association Thursday, citing disagreement about civilian oversight of police and raising questions about whether the two sides will agree to a new labor…
Police • By Emma Freer • Dec 5, 2022
Equity Action denounces fraudulent petition drive by sham group
Equity Action, a local nonprofit political action committee, is decrying what it calls a fraudulent effort by an unknown group impersonating it online and while canvassing for petition signatures. In August, Equity Action submitted 33,000 petition signatures to the city clerk…
