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Austin police identify officers under investigation for injuring protesters during demonstrations

The Austin Police Department has named five officers it says may be responsible for seriously injuring people demonstrating during the first weekend of protests against systemic racism and police violence. The following officers have been put on paid administrative leave,…

With virus surging, Cronk revises return-to-work plan

City Manager Spencer Cronk announced Thursday that he was postponing reintegrating city employees back into the workplace for a month due to concerns about the increase in Covid-19 cases. Instead of starting on June 29, the first phase is now…

Housing, Planning & Zoning departments to merge

Under a plan proposed by Assistant City Manager Rodney Gonzales Thursday, the city’s Planning and Zoning Department would be merged with the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department in the 2020-21 fiscal year, which starts in October. The new department’s…

Austin Transportation promises more community engagement with new Healthy Streets

The Austin Transportation Department is reviewing six new Healthy Streets candidates for the program’s second batch of streets open for safe, socially distanced bicycling, walking and rolling. Since the program’s rollout, the department’s Director Robert Spillar said the Healthy Streets…

City gets parks board blessing to rename Metz Recreation Center

Austin is now one step closer to officially changing the name of the Metz Recreation Center at 2407 Canterbury St. to the Rodolfo “Rudy” Mendez Recreation Center. On June 24, the Parks and Recreation Board unanimously recommended that City Council…

Area hospitals could reach capacity in mere weeks because of Covid-19, Austin officials warn

Austin-area medical professionals and health authorities warned that local hospitals could be overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients in the next several weeks as the number of cases in Central Texas has surged. “If we do not make significant change right now…

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Parks board recommends not installing metered parking at parks

Parking in Austin is a precious commodity. It has also become more expensive for many residents who use the city’s parks for recreation. After hiking the prices for metered parking to $2 an hour last year, the city announced it will…

Arts Commission to decide on next year's funding, with deep cuts for all

Arts groups that have received contracts from the city’s Cultural Arts office in recent years will likely see significant decreases next year, with some groups in line to lose more than half of the funding they received in their most…

Planning Commission punts MLK zoning case so applicant can work with neighbors

This story has been corrected to reflect a reconsideration of the case by the Planning Commission at the end of its meeting. The Planning Commission voted at its Tuesday meeting to postpone consideration of a zoning change for 5201 E.…

Travis County considers 80% tax break to coax Tesla

Electric vehicle company Tesla is considering moving to southeastern Travis County to build its “Gigafactory” where it will construct its much-hyped Cybertruck. To entice the California company to make its home in Texas, Travis County is proposing giving the company…

Capital Metro prepares a budget for recession, another for quick recovery

With the economy in recession and regional unemployment high, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority is preparing to keep spending flat next fiscal year, equal to this fiscal year’s $403.7 million budget, in the event that revenue sources don’t see a…

Kinder Morgan sued over drilling fluid spill in Blanco County

The pipeline company Kinder Morgan violated the Safe Drinking Water Act when it spilled tens of thousands of gallons of drilling fluid into Blanco County groundwater, according to a new lawsuit from local landowners and groundwater conservation groups. In late…