As a measles outbreak in West Texas continues to raise concerns throughout the state, Austin ISD’s vaccination rate for incoming kindergarteners remains well below pre-pandemic levels. Public health experts say around 95 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated against measles to ensure “herd immunity” and prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease, which […]
Public Safety
Posted inPolice
Austin opened up police misconduct files. Now, state lawmakers want to lock them back up.
A bill that’s making its way through the Texas Legislature could target Austin’s management of its police department. Now, Senate Bill 781, authored by Republican state Sen. Phil King, could undo years of litigation, a citywide referendum and countless hours of public back-and-forth related to the Austin Police Oversight Act. Those behind the 2023 measure, which passed […]
Posted inFire
Austin ranks fifth in nation for cities most at risk for wildfires
According to a CoreLogic Wildfire Risk Report conducted in 2024, Austin ranks fifth in the nation for cities most at risk for wildfires. The top four cities are all located in California. David Bock, senior wildfire mitigation specialist at the Austin Fire Department, gave a presentation to the Environmental Commission at its regular meeting on […]
Posted inPublic Safety
SXSW, public safety leaders detail road closures and prep for festival season
The city plans to completely close or restrict more than 30 streets during the South by Southwest festival next month as part of safety planning for the event, a major economic driver for the area. The heads of all of the city’s relevant safety and planning departments participated in an online forum Thursday that detailed […]
Posted inPublic Health
Federal cuts slash more than $2M from Foundation Communities’ health navigator program
The Foundation Communities nonprofit is facing a substantial financial setback after the Trump administration announced a 90 percent reduction in funding for health insurance navigator grants. The cuts, revealed last Friday, eliminate nearly all funding for 56 programs nationwide that help Americans enroll in affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Foundation Communities’ […]
Posted inPublic Health
APD won’t enforce SB 14 as Paxton and Trump further attack gender-affirming health care
Last week, two federal judges issued temporary restraining orders on an executive order by the Trump administration that would have blocked federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors. That means that – for now – any health care provider or entity that provides that care can still operate with federal funding. In Texas, however, doctors […]
Posted inPublic Health
After shutting off mental health care for Austin musicians, SIMS Foundation restarts services
The SIMS Foundation, which has provided low-cost and free mental health care to Austin musicians for decades, is connecting clients to services again after a three-month pause. SIMS Foundation CEO Derrick Lesnau said the organization reached its fundraising goal of a half-million dollars after a late push last year. “We just couldn’t be more thankful for […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin’s Sobering Center expands to increase rehab services
Travis County opened the Sobering Center in 2018 with a goal to reduce the congestion of the county’s jail and hospitals with folks who were publicly intoxicated. Instead, they would be sent to a quiet building downtown on Sabine Street. They could eat a snack, drink some water, sleep it off and leave the next […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Public Safety Commission discusses and recommends improvements to data transparency on sex crimes
During the Public Safety Commission meeting on Monday, members took several small but hard-fought steps to improve Austin’s response to sexual assault. The commission discussed data related to sexual assault with presentations from the Austin Police Department, the SAFE Alliance and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. Members also approved a recommendation to the City […]
Posted inPolice
Austin is increasing security at city parks and greenbelts following string of car break-ins
After recent vehicle break-ins at parks and greenbelts, the city of Austin is looking to improve security. Each year, thousands of car breaks-in are reported in Austin. In 2024 alone, more than 8,200 cars were broken into, according to crime data from the Austin Police Department. Cpl. Jose Mendez, a spokesperson with APD, said car […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Council to consider a resolution to examine response to mental health-related 911 and 311 calls
One item on the hefty agenda for the first regular City Council meeting of 2025 will explore how the city responds to mental health-related incidents. This resolution, authored by Council Member Chito Vela, directs the city manager to prepare a report and recommendations on responses to mental health-related 911 and 311 calls and service requests. […]
Posted inFire
Proposals to address wildfire dangers face opposition
Two items on today’s City Council agenda related to wildfire prevention have raised alarms among at least two community groups – the Save Our Springs Alliance and Community Not Commodity. The agenda indicates that the first item would allocate nearly $200,000 for a study of wildland fire fuels by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. […]