City urges high-risk people to avoid gatherings as Austin moves to Stage 5 Covid precautions

Lee esta historia en español. Austin and Travis County are back at the highest stage of Austin Public Health’s Covid-19 community risk guidance as the omicron variant of the coronavirus has caused a surge of new infections and hospitalizations. The…

Council moves toward creating South Central Waterfront TIRZ

At its final meeting of the year, City Council gave preliminary approval for the South Central Waterfront tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ in city parlance. Council members Leslie Pool and Greg Casar did not participate in the Dec. 20…

Commissioners discuss CAMPO's forecasts for the future

At a recent Urban Transportation Commission meeting, the executive director of the nonprofit Farm & City urged the commission to keep Farm & City’s concerns in mind when it comes to transportation planning around the region. Jay Blazek Crossley raised two main issues with…

Makeover planned for Violet Crown trailhead at Zilker Park

Significant improvements are coming soon to the beginning of the Violet Crown Trail at Zilker Park, including an overlook and an entrance worthy of what may someday be Austin’s longest urban trail.  The new overlook, shaded by a heritage pecan…

Travis County commissioners tear into MoPac South toll lane project

A revived proposal to extend toll lanes on MoPac Expressway from Lady Bird Lake to Slaughter Lane is coming under fire from Travis County commissioners apprehensive about the project and how it’s being presented to the public. Commissioners voted unanimously…

Five finalists named for EMS chief post

City Manager Spencer Cronk has named five finalists to advance to a second round of interviews for the position of chief of Austin-Travis County Emergency Services. The national search produced 37 applications from candidates vying to fill the vacancy created…

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COTA accessibility task force expected to begin work this month

The county executive leading the push to improve disability access at Circuit of the Americas said he expects the proposed task force around that issue to begin its work later this month. Bruce Elfant, Travis County tax assessor-collector and voter…

End of an era: DeBeauvoir ready for new challenges

Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir, who has served as the county’s chief elections officer as well as the overseer of numerous county records, including deeds and marriage licenses, announced in November that she would not seek reelection. After nearly 36…

County Attorney Garza's first priority is public safety

Delia Garza’s life as Travis County Attorney is a lot different than when she sat on Austin’s City Council. But the one thing that has stayed consistent, she said, is that no two days look alike. Since Garza took on…

Former Mayor Bruce Todd leaves a lasting legacy

Bruce Todd, who served his community as mayor of Austin as well as Travis County commissioner, died Christmas Day at the age of 72. He suffered from Lewy body dementia for several years before his death. Todd, who was Precinct…

Cronk: Police reform efforts put Austin in national spotlight

Looking back at 2021, City Manager Spencer Cronk feels proud of the way city employees performed in the face of a seemingly never-ending pandemic, an unprecedented ice storm, and state legislation that not only redirected use of city funds, but…

Chamber prez credits Austin’s rapid recovery to diverse local economy

Even after nearly two years of Covid-19 restrictions, Austin continues to have one of the strongest regional economies in the United States. Austin Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Laura Huffman says the key to that bounce-back comes from the…