Mobility Committee laments state law curtailing city's power over driverless car companies

City Council members heard last week about the ongoing public safety concerns that the emerging autonomous vehicle industry has created in Austin. Last week’s Mobility Committee meeting saw a presentation from staff from the Transportation and Public Works Department as…

The biggest moments from Austin police officer Christopher Taylor's murder trial so far

The second week of the murder trial of Austin police officer Christopher Taylor, who fatally shot Mike Ramos in 2020, starts today. Ramos’ shooting, along with George Floyd’s murder, sparked weeks of protests for racial justice that year. Police responded…

Commissioners voice support for Tesla factory, community investment plan

The Travis County Commissioners Court defended tax breaks for Tesla’s factory in East Austin and approved the company’s plan to donate $750,000 as part of the tax incentive deal. This is more than double the amount – $298,000 – the…

HOME proposal draws a crowd of speakers, both pro and con

A total of 297 interested citizens signed up to address a joint meeting of City Council and the Planning Commission on Thursday about proposed changes to the city’s zoning regulations intended to increase the amount of housing available to middle-income…

Downtown church seeks community partners, not developers, in reimagining prime real estate

First Baptist Church of Austin has so far turned down tens of millions of dollars from developers looking to capitalize on the nearly 2 acres of downtown real estate it owns. Rather than cashing out and moving to the suburbs,…

MetroBike wins $11.3 million federal grant to fund transition to electric bicycles

Austin’s MetroBike program is the winner of a $11.3 million federal grant that will pay to expand and enhance its services, as well as allow it to transition to a fully electric bicycle fleet. The grant is funded by the…

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Following ACL Fest, parks board calls for close look at Zilker Park health

Amid concerns over the impact on Zilker Park from this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, city parks staff said they have conducted the annual review of the festival and are beginning the work needed to replenish the park. The…

Permit for controversial private dam on South Llano River withdrawn

A Houston-based landowner has withdrawn his request for a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality permit that would’ve paved the way for a private dam on the South Llano River. The TCEQ permit database shows that the application from Waterstone Creek…

City auditor unveils new online tracking system for audits

The Office of the City Auditor is advertising a new tool to let any member of the public see how different departments are doing in response to audit findings. That tool is a new online dashboard that tracks recommendations from…

Rural schools near Austin say they feel left behind as governor pushes for vouchers

For Randy Willis, public schools are crucial to rural communities. “I think the rural schools are the heart of Texas. They’re the backbone of Texas,” he said. Willis is the executive director of the Texas Association of Rural Schools, which represents…

Council’s plans to change housing rules upset some neighborhood advocates

Austin’s “single-family neighborhoods are in jeopardy of losing big” with the proposed changes to the city’s zoning regulations, according to Ana Aguirre, president of the Austin Neighborhoods Council. While housing advocates have praised City Council Member Leslie Pool’s HOME initiative,…

Cap Metro board hears results of first post-pandemic Origin & Destination survey

Besides interrupting Capital Metro’s transportation services, the pandemic also interfered with its process of measuring its ridership, typically done every five years. On Monday, for the first time since 2015, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors heard a…