AISD board calls for budget to be more voter-friendly

A budget can be financially sound and make economic sense, but if it doesn’t make sense to the public, it’s worthless. That’s the point that some Austin Independent School District board trustees tried to drive home to district administration and…

Council to weigh move to limit events in major urban parks

Special events in the city’s three core parks will eventually be scaled back in coming years if City Council approves Thursday the first slate of measures aimed at preserving local parkland. The ordinance up for consideration would alter current rules…

Lake Austin group sues city over open meetings

A group of Lake Austin homeowners on Monday sued the city of Austin, claiming that the city’s notice concerning the zoning and waiver of environmental regulations on what is known as the Champion tract, was inadequate and therefore violated the…

Land use commissions' collaboration on CodeNEXT shows signs of wear

Months of the land use commissions generally seeing eye-to-eye regarding the CodeNEXT draft text and mapping may be over after tensions flared between members of the Planning and Zoning and Platting commissions during their May 30 joint meeting. Just before…

police officers saluting

Public safety agencies envision big staff increases

In presentations to the Public Safety Commission Monday, leaders of the Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency Management Services called for significantly boosting staff in the coming years, both to make up for existing shortages and to keep up with…

Democrats call on Dukes to step down for failing to show up

Democratic House Rep. Dawnna Dukes of Austin was already in hot water at the start of the legislative session. She had walked back a promise to resign and, soon after, was indicted. But Travis County Democrats say she then failed…

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Report finds most traffic on Rainey Street stems from surrounding roadways

Traffic congestion has long been a concern for people who live and work along Rainey Street. Last year, neighbors struck a deal with a developer looking to build new condos in the area. They agreed to conduct a comprehensive traffic…

Economic development sessions to target middle-class jobs, local business growth

A focus on middle-class job growth, workforce development and growing existing businesses are some of the priorities the city’s business boosters will emphasize this week during a series of community meetings intended to shape local economic development policies. The seven…

Central Health board chair lays out case against nominee

The chair of the Central Health Board of Managers is ramping up the pressure on City Council to reject an applicant to the board due to the applicant’s position with a major hospital. In a lengthy letter sent Friday to…

Reporter's Notebook: Don't knock it, or try it

Delay Red River… When the Austin Monitor published a sneak peek in April of the findings of a close-to-complete draft of Urban Land Institute’s examination of the precarious state of the Red River Cultural District, one of the key findings…

Is audit trouble for Austin Energy employee?

The City Auditor’s Integrity Unit has found evidence that Austin Energy employee Steven Salinas solicited and accepted employment from developers over whose projects he had discretionary authority in his position as a lead electric distribution designer. However, while auditors found…

'Middle skill' workforce plan aims to stabilize area's poor, vulnerable residents

Austin and Travis County leaders’ focus on growing the region’s middle-class economy was spotlighted Thursday with the announcement of a multiyear effort to train local workers for a growing demand for so-called “middle skill” jobs. The release of the Master…