Travillion: Charting the path to job opportunity for county residents

After nearly three years of Covid-19 pandemic response, plus unprecedented challenges like Winter Storm Uri and rapidly rising housing costs across the Austin metro, Travis County Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Travillion said his high point of 2022 was workforce development.  Travillion,…

Travis County • By Emma Freer • Jan 5, 2023

Two years in, Ann Howard is playing for the county's team

Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard compares the first two years in her four-year term representing Precinct 3 to speed dating. “When you have something like Winter Storm Uri and a pandemic, you cram a lot of meet-and-greets into the early…

Travis County • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 5, 2023

Margaret Gómez has learned to take the long view

For Margaret Gómez, Travis County’s longest-serving county commissioner, listening to community members’ concerns is the first and most important step toward guiding initiatives for the 1.3 million-plus residents of Travis County.  In a recent interview with the Austin Monitor, Gómez – who earlier…

Travis County • By Andrea Guzman • Jan 5, 2023

Andy Brown intends to double down on overdose prevention efforts in 2023

Coming off a landslide reelection victory in the November election, Travis County Judge Andy Brown is proud of how the Commissioners Court responded to challenges in 2022, from staffing shortages and new state laws threatening civil rights to housing affordability…

Travis County • By Emma Freer • Jan 4, 2023

Brigid Shea: Seeking local solutions for global problems

If you’d asked Brigid Shea 30 years ago where she’d be in 2022, the Travis County Commissioners Court likely wouldn’t have topped her list. Nevertheless, the outspoken environmentalist and former City Council member, who broke into the political scene co-founding…

Travis County • By Kali Bramble • Jan 4, 2023

In final year as mayor, Adler reviews highlights of eight years in office

The city of Austin has faced big challenges in the past eight years, weathered mighty storms – both literal and metaphorical – and continued to grow, even as some longtime residents lamented the many changes taking place across the city.…

City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jan 3, 2023

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Watson reflects on his mayoral campaign: 'A new beginning'

As Mayor-elect Kirk Watson prepares to assume his third term, he’s chosen to stick to his campaign messaging: He wants to cut down on the red tape involved in the development process, work across the ideological spectrum and play the…

City Council • By Sean Saldaña • Jan 3, 2023

A look back at 2022, a relatively 'normal' year

In 2022, after a chaotic couple of years that included a global pandemic and a historic winter storm, life mostly returned to normal in Austin (whatever normal is). But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t news, so we’re taking a look…

Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Dec 30, 2022

In D9, Qadri wants to ensure 'an abundance of affordable housing'

Just past 10 p.m. on Dec. 13, after a night frantically pacing around the Whip In shaking hands, posing for pictures and checking on election updates, Zohaib Qadri – more commonly known as Zo – felt comfortable declaring victory in…

City Council • By Sean Saldaña • Dec 29, 2022

Alter highlights efforts to make Austin more resilient

After a tumultuous few years, Mayor Pro Tem Alison Alter has focused this year on making sure the city is able to weather whatever future shocks may lie ahead, be they public health emergencies, natural disasters or economic distress. “I’ve…

City Council • By Jonathan Lee • Dec 29, 2022

Mobility, housing progress among the highlights of Cronk's 'most normal year' in Austin

Spencer Cronk takes a measure of perspective when asked to look back on 2022 and a year that demanded constant attention to homelessness, ongoing labor negotiation, and persistent difficulties filling open positions within city government, among other issues. After a…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 29, 2022

Austin Water, which has issued three boil-water notices in four years, gets a new leader

Lee esta historia en español. City Manager Spencer Cronk has chosen Shay Ralls Roalson to be the next director of Austin Water. Roalson, the first woman to hold the role, will replace the former leader of the city-owned water utility…

City Hall • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Dec 29, 2022

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