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Chief addresses complaints, demotions

Austin Police Department Chief Art Acevedo on Wednesday strongly defended his decision to suspend and demote two supervisors for failing to appropriately investigate two high-profile use-of-force complaints. He also scoffed at Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday’s call for him…

Police • By Jo Clifton • Oct 27, 2016

Work on MoPac to last into 2017

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is tooting its horn over the partial opening of a new toll lane on MoPac Expressway while also remaining cagey about the expected completion date of the entire project. At the agency’s monthly board…

Roads • By Caleb Pritchard • Oct 27, 2016

'Spot Zoning' case moved to subcommittee

A strange example of patchy zoning came before the Planning Commission at its Tuesday meeting. Chair Stephen Oliver and Commissioner Michael Wilson co-sponsored an item that proposed initiating a code amendment to create an overlay district for two lots on…

Planning • By Joseph Caterine • Oct 27, 2016

Onion Creek residents voice desperation over flooding

Flood-battered residents voiced despair over the future and frustration with City Hall at a Tuesday night forum at the Onion Creek Club featuring Mayor Steve Adler and City Council members Ann Kitchen and Delia Garza. “We feel like we’re trapped…

Austin • By Jack Craver • Oct 27, 2016

Proposed preservation district hits a wall at Landmark Commission

The Historic Landmark Commission on Tuesday postponed action on recommending a historical district in Central Austin that scored significant support from its resident homeowners. The punt came at the end of a lengthy and contentious discussion among the commissioners, the…

Preservation • By Caleb Pritchard • Oct 26, 2016

AISD greenlights new scorecard

At Monday’s regular board meeting, Austin Independent School District trustees unanimously approved the new district scorecard, a steering document that will be used to evaluate Superintendent Paul Cruz’s performance in the future. The scorecard uses new initiatives to promote the desegregation…

AISD • By Courtney Griffin • Oct 26, 2016

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Rainey Street condo developer to fund neighborhood traffic study

Yet another new high-rise condo complex could be coming to the Rainey Street neighborhood. But before it breaks ground, developers and residents are working to identify the top traffic needs in the area. The Austin-based Sutton Company wants to build…

Development • By Syeda Hasan • Oct 26, 2016

Austin Oaks PUD plods toward Council

Discussion of Austin’s “other” planned unit development – the Austin Oaks PUD – has been postponed to the Nov. 1 meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission. The postponement came at the request of some of the nearby neighbors, who…

Planning • By Elizabeth Pagano • Oct 26, 2016

In a city with many fatal car crashes, what will a $720 million bond do for road safety?

One hundred and two people died on Austin’s roads last year – the most in the city’s recorded history. There was the young woman killed around 5 a.m. while walking on the Interstate 35 frontage road; the 55-year-old unnamed bicyclist…

Transportation • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Oct 25, 2016

Record turnout greets first day of early voting

Voting on the first day of early voting in Travis County shattered previous records, with 35,066 voters casting ballots at polling locations throughout the county. An additional 11,020 mail-in ballots were received, bringing to 46,086 the total number of voters…

Elections • By Jo Clifton • Oct 25, 2016

side of a MetroRapid bus

Opting for parity, Cap Metro kills premium fare

The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s board of directors voted on Monday to eliminate the agency’s maligned premium fare tier. The vote was unanimous, at 7-0, with Board Member Juli Word absent. Starting in January, a single ride on MetroRapid buses…

Transit • By Caleb Pritchard • Oct 25, 2016

First-of-its-kind housing plan presented to Planning Commission

In a city where 200,000 additional housing units will be needed over the next 30 years to meet the growing number of newcomers, having a plan to keep those units affordable is prudent. Accordingly, Jonathan Tomko, a senior planner with…

Housing • By Joseph Caterine • Oct 25, 2016

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