Latest Headlines for Friday, July 10
Friday, July 10, 2020 by Ryan Thornton
City Council
City prepares ordinances to tap brakes on reopening and slow virus spread
City Council approved two ordinances Thursday intended to bring local businesses into compliance with regulations near to Phase 1 of Gov. Greg Abbott’s reopening plan.“We can’t take the foot off the gas – we are not clear of this yet,”…
Friday, July 10, 2020 by Nina Hernandez
Housing
City evaluates rental assistance program, prepares for round two
Back in May, the city’s Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants program disbursed $1.2 million in emergency rental assistance to 1,680 families across the city. This week, the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department, in conjunction with the Housing Authority of…
Friday, July 10, 2020 by Jo Clifton
Elections
Is money going to decide Travis County races?
With early voting ending today for Tuesday’s Travis County runoff elections, the Democratic candidates for district attorney and county attorney were busy making phone calls trying to coax pandemic-weary voters to the polls. They were also filing campaign finance reports…
Friday, July 10, 2020 by Savana Dunning
Public Safety
Police department inaugural gun violence report shows slight increase in violent offenses
In its inaugural quarterly gun violence report, the Austin Police Department has recorded a slight increase in major violent offenses involving guns compared to the same time last year.In the summer of 2019, APD released its initial gun crime report…
Thursday, July 9, 2020 by Jo Clifton
City Council
Council seeks to add teeth to virus regulations
Mayor Steve Adler is proposing two ordinances: one would authorize the city health authority – in this case Dr. Mark Escott – to adopt rules protecting people from Covid 19 and create a class C misdemeanor with a fine of…
Thursday, July 9, 2020 by Claire McInerny
Education
‘This is an issue of health’: Teachers union demands Austin ISD offer only online classes in August
The union for Austin Independent School District employees is asking the district and the state not to send employees back to school buildings in August. Union members say it is unsafe for employees and children to be in classes together.During…
