Travis County voters to consider bond package aimed at road, park improvements

Early voting in the Travis County bond election begins on Monday, Oct. 23, and runs through Nov. 3. Election day is Nov. 7. The Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved adding the bond to the November election on Aug. 15.…

Council approves convention center expansion contracts

On Thursday, City Council voted to award the contract for construction and pre-construction of a refurbished and enlarged Austin Convention Center to two firms, JE Dunn Construction and Turner Construction, for up to $1.2 billion. They also directed staff to…

Whip In won't be torn down for I-35 expansion, reversing earlier plans

The expansion of Interstate 35 will push out more than 100 homes and businesses in Central Austin. But some places previously slated for demolition will get to stay. Among them: the South Austin bar and convenience store Whip In. Early plans called…

APD Training Academy audit shows improvement – but not enough to curb attrition

An external audit of the Austin Police Department’s 148th cadet class, which graduated in September, shows progress in “reimagining public safety,” but attrition remains a constant challenge. Under internal audit protocols developed by Kroll Associates in March 2022, APD is…

Citing construction concerns, city indefinitely extends moratorium on new street events

The city has indefinitely extended a long-standing moratorium on street events in response to the large number of private development and infrastructure projects slated for downtown and beyond in the coming years. A memo released last week by José Roig,…

Council to consider pilot program to extend zoning deadlines

The city’s Planning Department staff have been pushed to move a record number of zoning applications through the process in time to beat current deadlines at the city’s land use commissions and City Council. At the same time, the department…

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With I-35 expansion, Austin gem Nature’s Treasures is being forced to move

Located on the Interstate 35 frontage road just south of Airport Boulevard, Nature’s Treasures has become an iconic destination for fans of minerals and the metaphysical. The crystal store is among more than 100 homes and businesses about to be forced…

TipSheet: Austin City Council, 10.19.23

Today, City Council will convene for a regular Thursday meeting, and we’ve gone through the agenda in an attempt to compile what might be the most interesting bits from the meeting. If this triggers your trust issues, you can read…

Council considers timeline, partnerships ahead of vote on $1.2B contracts for convention center

City Council appears ready to move ahead with two major contracts that will officially kick off the process of demolishing and reconstructing the Austin Convention Center. On Thursday, contracts totaling nearly $1.27 billion could confirm LMN/Page as the design and…

Doggett urges action to address string of near misses between aircraft at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett this week urged the Federal Aviation Administration to respond to a string of near misses at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with increased air traffic controller staffing levels. In a letter to acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg,…

Austin Chronicle's historic headquarters to be paved over for I-35

After years of skewering the state’s political elite, The Austin Chronicle is slated to be swallowed whole by the jaws of a state-sponsored highway project. Wheels are in motion to expand Interstate 35 from Ben White Boulevard to U.S. Highway 290 East. Work…

Council to consider city manager search firm this week

Following a national search, City Council is poised to choose Mosaic Public Partners, LLC to help recruit a new city manager. Former City Manager Spencer Cronk was fired on Feb. 15, and Council immediately appointed former City Manager Jesús Garza…