The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Reporter's Notebook: ’Tis the season
No nativity scene for you, says Zimmerman… Former Council Member Don Zimmerman is evidently still smarting over his 2016 defeat, and especially the fact that a majority of his neighbors did not vote for him. In years past, Zimmerman and…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Dec 18, 2017
State officials steamroll toll lanes out of I-35 plans
The Texas Transportation Commission drove the Capital Express into a bar ditch on Thursday morning. Despite a full-court, bipartisan press from local political and business leaders, the commission voted unanimously to strip from the Texas Department of Transportation’s 10-year construction…
Roads • By Caleb Pritchard • Dec 15, 2017
Council approves funding for study on housing discrimination
City Council is moving forward with plans for the region’s first fair housing assessment. The effort aims to shed light on issues of housing discrimination across Central Texas. The federal Fair Housing Act was designed to protect people from discrimination…
Housing • By Syeda Hasan • Dec 15, 2017
Council greenlights new pedestrian mall on Congress Avenue
City Council paved the way Thursday for a major state project that will transform three blocks of downtown from roadway into a grass-covered pedestrian mall. Council voted to give the Texas Facilities Commission the OK to seize control of city…
Development • By Jack Craver • Dec 15, 2017
24 Diner, Parkside win airport contract
Despite the angst it expressed over not making a spot at the airport for longtime Austin restaurant Threadgill’s, City Council voted to award the contract for new airport restaurant concessions to HMSHost, the company whose bid included the 24 Diner…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 15, 2017
In unanimous vote, Council rejects police contract, sends back to negotiations
City Council members voted unanimously to send a five-year contract between the city and the local police union back to the negotiating table late Wednesday. The contract, which dictates pay, discipline and oversight of Austin Police Department officers, is negotiated…
City Council • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Dec 14, 2017
Subscribe to our newsletter
Commission votes against rezoning former mobile home park property
Many commission decisions set a precedent, but only some make a statement. At its Dec. 12 meeting, the Planning Commission voted to recommend denying a rezoning application for a Montopolis property in what some commissioners called a clear example of…
Zoning • By Joseph Caterine • Dec 14, 2017
Traffic volumes increasing on MoPac
The MoPac Improvement Project, originally sold as a congestion relief initiative, has driven up the number of drivers on parts of the roadway, with some sections seeing an increase of nearly 30,000 vehicles per day. “The traffic has returned,” Jeff…
Roads • By Caleb Pritchard • Dec 14, 2017
Electric Utility Commission recommends purchase of more solar power
Austin has a herculean trial ahead of itself as it tries to reach 65 percent renewable energy by 2027. Thankfully, one new proposed project may make that goal achievable. Despite making up only 4 percent of the Electric Reliability Council…
Energy • By Jessi Devenyns • Dec 14, 2017
Council divided over $124M pools proposal
City Council appears divided over a nine-figure bond that the Aquatic Master Plan Task Force has said is necessary to repair, upgrade and expand Austin’s pool system. The bond proposal comes four months after the Parks and Recreation Department unveiled…
Parks • By Jack Craver • Dec 13, 2017
Survey, memo suggest progress on soccer stadium
Tuesday saw two notable developments in the possible move of a Major League Soccer team to Austin, with a downtown park making the cut as a possible site for the team’s stadium. The first happening was the release of the…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 13, 2017
Cronk, Lazarus vie for city manager job
Each of the two finalists for the job of Austin city manager, Howard Lazarus and Spencer Cronk, did his best to convince a small crowd gathered at the Austin Convention Center last night, as well as an unknown number of…
