Latest Headlines for Thursday, September 29
Thursday, September 29, 2016 by Jo Clifton
City Hall
Complaint filed against former housing director
The chief of investigations for Austin’s Office of the City Auditor filed a complaint late Wednesday against Betsy Spencer, the former director of Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, with the city’s Ethics Review Commission. In that complaint, Chief of Investigations…
Thursday, September 29, 2016 by Caleb Pritchard
Transportation
Adler labors to clarify a complicated bond package
Mayor Steve Adler used two separate forums on Wednesday to address a set of “myths” that he said are circulating around his $720 million transportation bond proposal. “The myths as I hear them in the community are that the total…
Thursday, September 29, 2016 by Caleb Pritchard
Transit
CTRMA board gives the go-ahead to gondola study
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is leaving the future of mass transit to hang. On Wednesday, the CTRMA board of directors approved without any dissent a small stipend to study the feasibility of a proposed gondola system in South…
Thursday, September 29, 2016 by Jo Clifton
Police
Audit points out flaws in APD complaint process
The process for handling complaints against Austin police officers is difficult to use, and even high-profile incidents involving an officer’s use of force – such as the widely covered incident involving an Austin teacher – have not always made it…
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 by Audrey McGlinchy
Preservation
New East Austin survey tells story of loss
To the uninformed, Shonda Mace looked like she was being a real creep. On a morning last March, the young woman loitered in front of a home on East 22nd Street. She eyed the house in front of her before…
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
East Austin demolition pause raises questions at Historic Landmark Commission
The Historic Landmark Commission started off with a bang Monday night, when an unorthodox postponement of a group of East Austin demolitions put some commissioners on the defensive, left staff confused and sparked a shouting match in City Council chambers.…
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 by Audrey McGlinchy
Elections
District 7 candidates take different approaches to growth
Candidates for the District 7 City Council seat faced off Tuesday night in front of a full audience at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Village. Incumbent Leslie Pool, who has represented the north-central district since her win in 2014, fielded questions…
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 by Caleb Pritchard
Travis County
Central Health critic stirs more trouble
One of the activists who led the charge against Central Health during the recent tussle involving budget transparency has come out swinging against a proposed deal between Travis County and the hospital district. Attorney Fred Lewis called Central Health’s offer…
Tuesday, September 27, 2016 by Chad Swiatecki
Police
Police body cam footage remains touchy subject as court case awaits
While the implementation of a planned deployment of body cameras on Austin Police Department officers is on hold until at least late November, city leaders and public accountability advocates are still working out the issue of how the city will…
