Visitors bureau budget cut, but still up $1 million

Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo won a round Thursday in her battle to use more of Austin’s tourism dollars to promote Austin’s heritage. City Council cut the tourism promotion budget of the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau by approximately $1…

Reporter's Notebook: Upscale dogs, other complaints

You’re never too old to throw shade… Last Monday, the Austin Independent School District’s workshop meeting was full of lively discussion, including more pondering of academic programming and how to correctly catalog it for parents and district members. Often, special…

Grove PUD fight lives to see another day

It was already 9:45 p.m. on Thursday when City Council kicked off its first public hearing on the Grove at Shoal Creek, a controversial planned unit development proposed for a 75-acre lot in Central Austin, and Mayor Steve Adler announced…

Council moves forward with rezoning for Cactus Rose site, but vows to protect residents

The decision whether to rezone the Cactus Rose Mobile Home Park in East Austin has put City Council in a tight position that it did its best to wiggle out of at its meeting Thursday. Council voted to pass the…

City lands $10 million "minibond" agreement to save endangered music venues

The city of Austin will team up with private investors to save some of the city’s most iconic — and increasingly economically distressed — music venues through a new program announced prior to Thursday’s City Council meeting. Mayor Steve Adler announced…

Lawmakers consider changes to local petitions and bond elections

It was as if they’d been studying Austin’s recent petition haps and mishaps. State lawmakers on the House Elections Committee began hearing testimony Thursday on possible legislative changes to how local petition ballots and bond elections are run. Several of…

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Capital Metro's budget grows as ridership shrinks

With the beginning of the next fiscal year just around the corner, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority staff are putting the finishing touches on the agency’s proposed $428 million budget. On Monday, the board of directors will likely vote on the…

AISD postpones potential bond

On Monday, the Austin Independent School District board of trustees decided to pump the brakes on future bonding efforts for district schools for another year. At the board’s workshop meeting, trustees met with the Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee…

City on course to add 330 electric vehicles by 2020

The city of Austin’s vehicle fleet appears likely to see a large infusion of electric vehicles in the coming years, as part of the city’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. The target of Austin Energy and the fleet…

Council to consider funds for fashion incubator

Austin is known for its live music, its barbecue and Mexican food, its innovative technology companies, and even for hosting the Formula One races. Now, there’s a possibility that Austin will become known as a hub for the fashion industry.…

Council appears divided over Grove PUD

City Council on Thursday will finally begin its deliberations on the Grove at Shoal Creek, a controversial planned unit development proposed for a vacant 75-acre lot at the corner of Bull Creek Road and 45th Street. In anticipation of hours…

Amid transparency anxieties, Travis County approves Central Health's budget

After nearly four hours of start-and-stop discussion on Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court gave its blessing to Central Health’s proposed tax rate and budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017. The 4-0-1 vote capped off one of the longest discussions before…