Whispers

Parks and Recreation Board members Monday elected new board leadership, with Stephanie Bazan succeeding Pedro Villalobos as board chair and District 4 representative Kathryn Flowers returning to the vice chair position. Bazan, a District 5 resident, ran in a crowded field for City Council in 2022 and lost a runoff election to Council Member Ryan […]

Nominations are open for the Austin Tree of the Year Awards. The annual contest recognizes extraordinary trees recognized by the community in five categories: Small Tree, Large Tree, Story Tree, Unique Tree and Schoolyard Tree. The program was revived in 2022 and, this year, is sponsored by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and TreeFolks. […]

Movability will host an event titled “Workforce Mobility Solutions for a Changing Austin” on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Indeed Tower. The event aims to bring together business leaders, policymakers, and transportation experts to discuss solutions around mobility issues tied to workforce management. Topics will include: transportation demand management, […]

City leaders will join members from Mexic-Arte Museum, the Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities Association, and the Downtown Austin Alliance for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 2, to celebrate the ongoing development of the Fifth Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor. The event will begin at 9 a.m. at the corner of Fifth Street and Congress Avenue, […]

City Council is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the board of the Sobering Center Local Government Corporation. The selected applicant will serve the remainder of a term that runs through Dec. 31, 2026. The 11-member board oversees the Sobering Center, a joint initiative between the city and Travis County that provides short-term care […]

Parking at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is about to get more expensive. Starting May 1, rates at the Red Garage will raise from $5 to $7 per hour and $32 to $35 per day. Rates at the Blue Garage will raise from $23 to $26 per day. Rates at the Economy Parking Lot will […]

Austin Community College District (ACC) is celebrating a record-breaking number of graduates this academic year. According to an ACC press release, there were more than 7,200 graduates this academic year, which is a 7 percent increase from last. “This is why we do what we do. Commencement is more than a ceremony — it’s a […]

Hugh Forrest, a longtime leader and recent president of South by Southwest, is no longer with the organization, marking a major change for one of Austin’s most economically significant and internationally known events. Forrest confirmed his departure late last week, saying it was not his decision. Forrest’s exit is reportedly part of a broader round […]

The Austin Municipal Court received a Texas Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives Traffic Safety Award this month in the “high-volume” category, which recognizes municipal courts serving more than 150,000 residents. The award, presented by the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center (TMCEC), marks the sixth consecutive year the court has been selected for the honor. The court […]

The Cady Lofts permanent supportive housing community, located at 1004 E. 39th Street in the Hancock neighborhood of District 9, has opened to offer 100 fully furnished studio units dedicated to individuals exiting chronic homelessness. The units are aimed toward those with physical and mental disabilities, with residents selected through the Coordinated Entry System managed […]

Austin’s Transportation and Public Works Department secured more than $230 million in federal grants during its first full year of operation in 2024, according to a new report. The department completed nearly 57 miles of sidewalks and urban trails, reduced high-risk speeding through the Barton Springs Road safety pilot, and installed new bikeways and traffic […]

Committees of both the Texas House and Senate heard favorable testimony on Wednesday about HB 2802, which would change the way Austin pays retired firefighters and deals with the pension fund’s unfunded liability, which has been estimated at more than $300 million. Bob Nicks, a retired firefighter who serves as president of the Austin Firefighters […]