In an effort to improve the reliability of its service, Austin Water is now set to replace more than 2,000 polybutylene and polyethylene water service lines in over 60 subdivisions. The pipes, which were popular in the late 1960s through the 1980s, have become brittle and prone to breakage over time. The water utility estimates […]
2021
Posted inWhispers
MoPac South study needs input
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation are asking community members to participate in the MoPac South Environmental Study, a report on an 8-mile stretch of MoPac Expressway (Loop 1). According to the announcement, the “project team is working to identify a solution that improves safety and mobility for drivers, […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Council debates path forward on paid family leave for emergency services employees
City Council weighed the implications of significantly expanding benefits for emergency services employees this past Thursday in a resolution that calls for a new family leave policy for the city’s EMS, police, and fire departments. The resolution, sponsored by Council Member Ann Kitchen, directs city staff to develop plans for a program providing adequate paid […]
Posted inEMS
Moving encampments off public streets has made it more difficult to provide medical support to Austin’s unhoused
The camping ban set back years of progress local emergency services made in serving people experiencing homelessness, making it harder and more expensive to respond to an increase in emergency calls, according to a top emergency services official. The ban forced more people out of easily accessible areas, increasing the likelihood of injuries and making […]
Posted inWhispers
Help brand your city
As part of Austin’s branding initiative, the city is asking residents and visitors alike to share their stories about Austin – stories that portray what Austin is all about. Input from the community will help the city in its efforts to create a “consistent and clear” brand. The branding team encourages people to think about […]
Posted inWhispers
Complaints against Pritchard dismissed
The city’s Ethics Review Commission has dismissed complaints alleging Caleb Pritchard violated the city code. “It’s complicated and confusing, but not wrong,” said Commissioner Donna Beth McCormick. Zenobia Joseph filed a complaint alleging Pritchard ran afoul of city law by working for the Mobility for All political action committee while employed by Mayor Pro Tem […]
Posted inWhispers
Chamber unveils business award winners
The Austin Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of its 21st Annual Greater Austin Business Awards, its annual recognition of “excellence in business achievement and community contributions that make the Central Texas region a better place to live and work,” according to the chamber. Forty-eight companies were nominated across 15 categories, from company culture […]
Posted inCity Council
Fuel site for airport expansion put on hold to allow for more community input
The city has stepped in to address the concerns of residents who live close to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and directed city staff to conduct a deeper analysis of the possible effects of a fuel tank farm proposed as part of the airport’s expansion plans. As part of the consent agenda, City Council approved on Thursday […]
Posted inHousing
Amid affordability crisis, Austin will consider studying what it costs to build new housing
Austin City Council members on Thursday asked city staff to look into what it would cost to analyze how much it, well, costs to build new housing. The study, if given the green light early next year, would also focus on how this impacts the price of buying or renting a home and what the […]
Posted inWhispers
Ready for winter? KUT wants to know.
Austin’s NPR station, KUT 90.5, is inviting community members to share their experiences from last February’s winter storm for a special report. Specifically, the radio station wants to know, “Did the winter storm and the blackout in February change how you think about winter in Texas? What, if anything, are you doing differently this year […]
Posted inEnvironment
City partners up to monitor particulate matter in the air
Austin has begun working to better monitor the quality of its air. The Clean Air Force of Central Texas is working in partnership with the city of Austin’s Office of Sustainability and the Austin Independent School District to install PurpleAir monitors – a low-cost device that measures particulate matter in the air – in public […]
Posted inWhispers
Get vaccinated for the holidays
OK, so maybe you’re fully vaccinated against Covid-19, but what about your friends, neighbors and colleagues? Maybe someone you know needs a ride to a vaccine clinic, or a hand to hold when the jab goes in? Luckily, Travis County, Austin Public Health and their community partners continue to host free and very convenient Covid-19 vaccine […]