Callout: Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
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Quote of the Day
“(The city has) totally disregarded the 2 years of productive AFA labor/management subcommittee work on the work week reduction. Instead, they are proposing their own ideas, which INCREASE the work week, making the new schedule unworkable.”
— AFA President Bob Nicks, from Firefighters, city at loggerheads over contract
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U.S. Justice Department launches investigation into city of Austin employment practices
From Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT News:
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the city of Austin to see if it engaged in discriminatory employment practices based on race, sex, color and national origin.
Discrimination based on these characteristics is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced the investigation on Thursday and said it will focus on the city’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, Equity Division. The department aims to “work across all City departments … to build capacity and leadership using a racial equity lens,” according to its website.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement that the Justice Department will “not tolerate discriminatory race-based employment practices and DEI policies.”
Firefighters, city at loggerheads over contract
From Jo Clifton:
Negotiators for the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA) and city management appear to have reached an impasse. AFA President Bob Nicks called the city’s current offer “disrespectful to those who risk their lives daily.”
Nicks noted that he told the city manager and City Council in January that firefighters want a work week reduction and the same kind of wage offer EMS and Austin Police have achieved.
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Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
Join Austin Parks Foundation for the 11th Annual Party for the Parks, featuring Passion Pit! This beloved event is happening under the lights at ACL in Zilker Park on Wednesday, October 8th.
Partygoers will enjoy delicious dining options, libations from Austin’s premiere beverage brands, games, a live auction and an intimate concert—all while helping raise funds for our city’s nearly 400 parks, trails and green spaces. Click here to get your tickets and join the fun!
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Huston-Tillotson receives $150 million from The Moody Foundation
In the largest donation ever received by a Historically Black College or University in the United States, The Moody Foundation has given $150 million to Huston-Tillotson University in a lavish celebration of the school’s 150th anniversary. In an announcement made Thursday, Huston-Tillotson University President and CEO Melva K. Wallace said the money would go towards modernizing the campus and building student housing, noting the affordability crisis in the city has meant central-Austin housing has been out of reach for students and their families. The money will also help establish new scholarships, allowing more students to graduate debt-free, and allow for the school to “accelerate its strategic plan and master vision, reaffirming its place as a national HBCU leader and a vibrant anchor in Austin,” according to a press release from the school.
“We hope this gift, focused on the students, can become a catalyst, a spark, the beginning of something transformative for students, this city, and the future of Huston-Tillotson,” said Ross Moody, trustee of the Moody Foundation in a statement to the press. “We believe in the vision of Huston-Tillotson and the extraordinary leadership of Dr. Wallace and the board. Our family has been part of the university’s past, but we are even more excited to be a part of its promising future.”
Who are the commissioners in your neighborhood?
The city of Austin is hosting a new “Get to Know Your Commission” series aimed at doing just that for the average Austinite. The sessions, which will be held through mid-November, showcase the work of the Joint Inclusion Commissions and will give attendees an opportunity to speak with current commissioners, learn how to serve on commissions and share their opinion about the most pressing needs in their communities. “City commissioners play a vital role in helping the city understand community needs and advising on ways to improve the quality of life for all Austinites,” Joint Inclusion Commission Vice Chair Richard Bondi shared in a statement to the press, “These events give Austinites two great opportunities: to share their ideas early about their top priorities and to discover how they can get involved with one of the 67 active City of Austin commissions.” Feedback from the sessions will be incorporated into future priorities and recommendations. A virtual Zoom session will take place Monday, Sept. 22 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with in-person sessions taking place on Oct. 15 at the George Morales Recreation Center; Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the Little Walnut Creek Library; and Nov. 12 at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center.
Ready, set, draw those trees!
It might not seem like it, but the holiday season is upon us and the Annual Zilker Holiday Tree Art Contest is here. Young artists between the ages of 5 and 10 are invited to send in their drawings from now through Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 for the chance to be recognized at the Nov. 30 tree-lighting ceremony. More details about the contest can be found here.
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Elsewhere in the News
Austin FC is headed to the U.S. Open Cup Final! Here’s KXAN’s coverage of the game (and amazing last goal.)
Two men accused of a transphobic attack at Barking Springs now have arrest warrants.
The Austin Chronicle reports that the TEA is hard at work investigating ‘more than 100 teachers’ posts about Charlie Kirk’s death.’
And, in case you missed it, recently-passed screen legend Robert Redford did, in fact, learn to swim at Barton Springs.
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