Whispers

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Ellen Gilinksy, senior adviser for water for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expressed their support Wednesday for an EPA proposal to clarify which waterways are protected under the federal Clean Water Act. The EPA proposal would restore protections to smaller streams and wetlands that only flow seasonally but which, during […]

District 4 candidate Gabe Rojas told the Austin Monitor Thursday he is suspending his campaign, although he has hopes that he might launch another race for the same spot either two years or four years from now. Rojas is a member of the Zoning and Platting Commission and said he would continue that service as […]

Austin State Rep. Donna Howard announced Thursday that she would lead a statewide series of Listening Sessions on women’s health issues. The Women’s Health Tour, sponsored by Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives, will host sessions in seven cities: El Paso, Dallas, McAllen, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Houston and Galveston. The sessions are […]

Texas Folklife presents a public listening party and reception for audio documentaries produced by teachers and students in the Stories from Deep in the Heart Summer Institute program. Stories from Deep in the Heart is Texas Folklife’s award-winning youth radio program that teaches high school students and teachers how to document family and community traditions […]

If you’ve been downtown this week, you’ve probably noticed two closed lanes on 6th and 7th Streets between Congress Avenue and Brazos. Those closures were required in order to work on aging wastewater lines. But the Austin Water Utility is expecting to reopen those lanes as of 6 a.m. today. However, starting at 7 a.m. […]

The Austin Animal Center experienced a record-breaking number of adoptions over the July 12-13 weekend. Officials say 228 homeless pets were adopted – 36 dogs and 192 cats – into forever homes. In part, the center attributes the high number of adoptions of kittens and cats to the annual Kitty Palooza event where they displayed […]

The Downtown Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. in the Boards and Commissions Room at City Hall . . . The Environmental Board meets at 6 p.m. at One Texas Center, 5050 Barton Springs Road . . . Not at 6:30 as originally stated.

The city and the Hill Country Conservancy are planning the Violet Crown Trail, a multiuse urban trail in southwest Austin. The trail segment that will connect Home Depot Boulevard in Sunset Valley to William Cannon is currently under design. Persons interested in learning more about this phase of the project and providing feedback should attend […]

Mayor Lee Leffingwell will express his support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposal to clarify which streams and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act. The mayor will be joined by Ellen Gilinsky, Senior Adviser for Water at EPA, who is traveling in Texas to hear perspectives […]

The folks in the offices of Chris Riley and Sheryl Cole were the only ones in the Council hallway (at one point at least) Tuesday afternoon. Many staff and Council members are on vacation but for those who were there the atmosphere is hardly conducive to work. As the new Council offices are being created […]

Lewis Leff, who worked on Austin Energy issues, among others, as an aide to Council Member Chris Riley, has left City Hall to join the city’s Sustainability Office, which works out of Austin Energy. Taking over Leff’s spot is Ben Leffler, who, like his predecessor, is a graduate of the LBJ School of Public Affairs. […]

Yesterday, Council Member Kathie Tovo reported raising more than $41,000 in her contest against Council Member Chris Riley and a third candidate for the District 9 seat. But Riley raised more than $96,000, according to a press release from his campaign, which said he still had $65,000 cash on hand. Tovo’s report indicates she has […]