Whispers

State and local officials have confirmed bird flu has been found in a wild bird in Travis County. As a result, Austin Public Health has issued a public health advisory warning residents to avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals. To limit exposure, APH advises: Do not touch sick or dead animals or […]

Ashika Ganguly, who narrowly lost the District 10 City Council race in November, will succeed Bill McCamley as the executive director of Transit Forward. A press release from Ganguly says she plans to focus on expanding public engagement, ensuring legislative protections for Project Connect and ensuring that transit solutions prioritize accessibility, environmental sustainability and affordability. […]

The Downtown Austin Alliance has named Davon Barbour as its new president and CEO. Barbour comes to Austin via New Orleans, where he has served as president and CEO of the city’s downtown development district. According to a press release from DAA, Barbour plans to focus on “key opportunities like transformative mobility and infrastructure projects […]

City Council has a new mayor pro tem: Vanessa Fuentes. Fuentes, who will serve in the position for 2025, was elected unanimously by her colleagues at Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony, with Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison absent for the vote. “I appreciate the trust that you’ve placed in me to serve as your mayor pro tem for […]

Austin Energy will receive $15 million in federal funding to significantly expand the city’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The funding, secured through the 2021 Infrastructure Law and announced by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, aims to install more than 200 new publicly accessible EV charging ports across neighborhoods, community centers, public schools and other facilities. […]

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Austin chapter will host its next Building Equitable Communities Exchange from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 506 Congress Ave. The event is free and open to the public, aiming to connect professionals in the built environment industry with initiatives supporting equity and inclusivity. The series, organized by […]

The city of Austin is set to salute New Year’s Eve with a free celebration at Auditorium Shores featuring Third Eye Blind, local bands, food and fireworks. This year, the event will be part of the “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen” broadcast on CNN. “Austin’s New Year is back and […]

Throughout the month of January, the Lower Colorado River Authority is accepting applications for community grants of up to $50,000. Twice per year, its Community Development Partnership Program gives to nonprofits like volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, local governments, schools, libraries, civic groups and museums. (The grants are not given to individuals, for-profit entities, professional […]

Traffic at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) was down 6.14 percent in October when compared to the previous year. The airport reports 1,915,146 passengers flew this October. However, total air cargo was up 14.72 percent (by weight). From January through October, total passenger traffic was down 1.17 percent, with AUS seeing 18,166,875 passengers in total during […]

Construction on the new bicycle and pedestrian bridge before the Longhorn Dam will alter traffic patterns on Pleasant Valley Road starting today. According to a missive from the Transportation and Public Works Department, the traffic configuration will change by: Shifting both traffic lanes to the east side of South Pleasant Valley Road to one-way in […]

In an effort to address parking challenges for students, parking on Stephen F. Austin Drive will be reserved for Austin High School students between Cesar Chavez Street and Veterans Drive from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. The road, which is actually a private street owned by AISD, will still be open to the public […]

Mexic-Arte Museum has an open call for artists for its group exhibition called Mix ‘n’ Mash. This year’s theme is Ecos del Pasado/Echos of the Past, and artists are invited to submit pieces reflecting on nostalgia. A diverse range of perspectives, techniques and creative expressions is welcome, and chosen pieces will be on display Jan. […]