The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Austin Monitor Radio: Water Forward

In this edition of Austin Monitor Radio, Austin Water Forward program manager Marisa Flores Gonzalez sits down with Monitor reporter Jessi Devenyns to talk water conservation. Specifically, the pair dive into the city’s plan to ensure access to safe drinking…

Radio • By Austin Monitor • Sep 9, 2019

Austin ISD wants to close 12 schools, expand academic programs throughout the district

The Austin Independent School District has released a plan to close 12 schools and move those students to other campuses. The district is also proposing boundary changes and wants to add academic programs at more than 30 schools. “Change is hard,” Superintendent…

AISD • By Claire McInerny, KUT • Sep 6, 2019

New rules put pressure on land use commissions

Operating under new rules as a result of the so-called “shot clock bill,” members of the Zoning and Platting Commission and the Planning Commission will be under pressure to rapidly make decisions about whether to approve or reject subdivision development…

Planning • By Jo Clifton • Sep 6, 2019

Council tells staff: Get municipal court move done

So far, the process of reviewing plans and preparing for relocation of the Austin Municipal Court has been “very, very extensive,” according to Municipal Court Clerk Mary Jane Grubb. Impatient with the lagging timeline, City Council is pressing staffers to…

City Council • By Ryan Thornton • Sep 6, 2019

Environmental Commission discusses how to make the Heritage Tree Ordinance even more tree-centric

Austin values its trees. According to the city arborist’s office, trees are a $16 billion asset to the community. In 1982, in an effort to better protect its trees, Austin implemented its inaugural tree ordinance, which was unique both then…

Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 6, 2019

Council looks at police, fire department budgets

At Council’s final budget work session on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo told Council members he had learned that the city would have about $2.4 million more than anticipated when staff prepared the original budget of $4.2…

Budget • By Jo Clifton • Sep 5, 2019

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe

Council sets differing expectations for homeless strategy officer

While Lori Pampilo Harris, the city’s newly hired homeless strategy officer, packs her things and prepares for her journey from Orlando to Austin, City Council is making big plans for her first day on the job. The first order of…

Budget • By Ryan Thornton • Sep 5, 2019

Rainey Street bungalow bar seeks to expand, HLC expresses concerns

The popular watering hole Clive Bar inhabits a small Craftsman house at 609 Davis St., which is just on the corner of Rainey Street. The owners are looking to reconfigure the property to add a two-story structure with a mezzanine…

Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 5, 2019

Parks department's 10-year plan lays out need for more spaces, programming

Parks and Recreation staff are nearing the end of the public input process on the next 10-year plan for the city’s expansive system of parks facilities and programming needs. In recent weeks PARD’s acting assistant director, Kim McKnight, has taken…

Parks • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 5, 2019

Community leverages conundrum over hemp to advocate for marijuana decriminalization

Despite the technical difficulty of distinguishing marijuana from legal industrial hemp, the Austin Police Department told the City Council Judicial Committee on Tuesday that the city cannot afford to let the possession and sale of marijuana go unchecked. However, several…

Public Safety • By Ryan Thornton • Sep 4, 2019

Public Safety Commission questions path forward for EMS providers being assaulted

After reports from EMS personnel raised questions about the frequency of field officer assault by patients, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services conducted an internal survey. The results showed that the majority of Austin EMS personnel say they’ve been assaulted on the…

EMS • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 4, 2019

Commissioners must find replacement to head family violence court

It’s probably not a position most voters spend time thinking about, but members of the Travis County Commissioners Court stressed the importance of County Court #4 as they discussed appointing somebody to fill the vacancy created by departing incumbent Judge…

Courts • By Jack Craver • Sep 4, 2019

« Previous Page — Next Page »