Tag Archives: COVID-19
As the pandemic drags on, 24/7 dining makes a return to Austin
Last month, Bennu Coffee was able to reach a milestone it had been after for months: resuming the 24/7 hours of operation it had gained a reputation for among Austinites. At the moment, only Bennu’s Highland location is open around…
Austin • By Sean Saldaña • Dec 16, 2021
Council extends masking rules to June
After hearing from Dr. Desmar Walkes, health authority for Austin-Travis County, at a joint meeting with the Travis County Commissioners Court Tuesday, City Council voted to extend the current health authority rules until June 10, 2022. Commissioners also acted to…
Public Health • By Jo Clifton • Dec 15, 2021
Afterschool programs struggle with staffing, funding challenges
Post-pandemic life is not looking good for afterschool programs in Austin. Attendance numbers are down, and several afterschool programs are experiencing a persistent staffing shortage, with providers having to let go and even repurpose staff. According to a survey from…
Education • By Eniola Longe • Nov 1, 2021
How Capital Metro is able to offer free rides
Last month, Capital Metro announced that for the month of October, it would waive all bus and train fares as a way to encourage people to use public transit and to ease recent service interruptions. The decision to waive fees…
Transit • By Sean Saldaña • Oct 20, 2021
Austin moves down to Stage 3 of Covid-19 guidelines as local hospital admissions and cases slow
Lee esta historia en español. Austin Public Health is moving down to Stage 3 of its Covid-19 guidance, as cases and hospitalizations continue to decline. “We’ve had a decline in the number of cases, and we are seeing a gradual…
Public Health • By Jerry Quijano, KUT • Oct 13, 2021
How much would more remote participation cost the city?
Since March 2020, when Gov. Greg Abbott suspended certain requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act to allow city officials to hold virtual meetings, the public has been allowed to participate by phone. Austin residents have participated in remote testimony…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 7, 2021
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Covid relief for musicians expected by December, with Live Music Fund taking shape
Local musicians impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to receive federal relief funds by December, thanks to alterations to a pair of music funding programs recommended by the Music Commission. As of last month, city staffers had been concerned…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 7, 2021
Austin, Travis County move back to Stage 4 Covid-19 guidelines
Austin-Travis County health officials have scaled back their Covid-19 risk-based guidelines to Stage 4 as cases and hospitalizations have steadily decreased. Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority, credits mitigation efforts such as masking and vaccinations for the improvements. “The behaviors that…
Public Health • By Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera, KUT • Sep 29, 2021
What happened to Austin's 24/7 restaurants, cafes and coffee shops?
Austin, over the course of its storied history, has developed a thriving hospitality scene. There is no shortage of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes that show the diversity and breadth of the city. Among this grand selection, some of the…
Austin • By Sean Saldaña • Sep 16, 2021
Austin health officials say boosting Central Texas vaccine rates will ease the stress on local hospitals
The rolling average for new daily Covid-19-related hospital admissions has been on the decline for more than three weeks. Still, with an average of 57 admissions as of Tuesday, Austin-Travis County remains at the highest level of Austin Public Health’s…
Public Health • By Jerry Quijano, KUT • Sep 15, 2021
ACL Fest hasn't been given the final OK on its permits yet, but the city says that's normal
As cases of Covid-19 continue to surge in Austin, there’s been some question of how live events like the Austin City Limits Music Festival, which drew 400,000 people during its last in-person festival, will mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.…
Music & Entertainment • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 10, 2021
County may donate rental assistance funds to city for speedier distribution
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Travis County Commissioners Court continued to brainstorm ways to spend 65 percent of a federal rental assistance allocation before a U.S. Treasury deadline at the end of September threatens to rescind unused funds. If the 65…
