Stories by Andrew Weber
Friday, August 30, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Travis County
Travis County’s public defender office is officially funded
Travis County is in the home stretch of its yearslong effort to establish a public defender office for low-income adult defendants. On Thursday the Texas Indigent Defense Commission OK’d a four-year grant to establish the office in the county –…
Tuesday, August 27, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Elections
Austin City Council finalizes ballot language for convention center vote
In November Austin voters will decide the fate of the convention center’s expansion, along with a possible reshuffling of how the city spends money from hotel stays.Ballot language for the public referendum was OK’d by the Austin City Council this…
Thursday, August 22, 2019 by Andrew Weber
City Council
At homelessness forum, Council members challenge fears and ‘urban myths’ about shelters, revised law
Austin’s mayor and members of City Council tried to allay fears about the city’s revised rules on homelessness and its push to expand shelter space, at a forum hosted by the Downtown Austin Alliance.The brunt of Wednesday’s discussion focused on…
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 by Andrew Weber
City Council
Austin looks to limit camping and resting in public as it pursues housing-first solutions
The Austin City Council provided some clarity Tuesday over where it will limit camping and resting in public, as well as its overall strategy to boost citywide, housing-focused initiatives and investments.Council members heard a briefing from city staff on a…
Monday, August 19, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Austin
City memo says Austin could put limits on where homeless people may camp or rest
Austin will reexamine its new rules governing homelessness, according to a memo released Friday.The memo sent to City Council on behalf of Austin’s Homelessness Strategy Office says the city could abandon its idea to make space for emergency encampments in…
Thursday, August 15, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Public Safety
Council members say audit on Austin’s ‘enormous’ wildfire risk doesn’t go far enough
Austin City Council members say they need a better look at where the city could be falling short in terms of its wildfire preparedness.A report out today from the Office of the City Auditor said the city is doing enough…
Tuesday, August 13, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Environment
Zebra mussels have muscled their way into Lakes LBJ and Pflugerville
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced Monday that reproducing populations of zebra mussels have been found in lakes Lyndon B. Johnson and Pflugerville, bringing the number of statewide lakes infested with the invasive species to 17.In Central Texas, reproducing…
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 by Andrew Weber
EMS
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say assaults on the job are common and ‘unavoidable’
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say they’ve been assaulted on the job in the last two years, according to an internal survey. Most first responders also say they don’t feel properly trained to address aggressive behavior.Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical…
Wednesday, July 24, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Austin
Packed homelessness forum calls for more shelters, support: ‘We are dealing with human beings here’
As the city adjusts to new rules for panhandling, camping or sitting or lying in public, the Downtown Austin Alliance hosted a forum Tuesday to discuss the road ahead for dealing with homelessness and plans to expand emergency shelter access…
Monday, July 15, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Politics
PAC files petition to put Austin Convention Center expansion to a public vote
The city’s proposal to expand the Austin Convention Center could be on the ballot in November. A group opposing City Council’s decision to build out the center says it submitted a 30,000-signature petition calling for a referendum that would force…
Tuesday, July 9, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Housing
Families with noncitizens could lose federal housing benefits if HUD proposal moves forward
Tuesday is the last day for public comment on a proposal that could evict or even separate thousands of families with mixed-citizenship status who receive housing assistance in Texas.Since 1980, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has allowed…
Tuesday, July 2, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Austin
Austin has new rules on panhandling, camping and resting in public. Here’s what that means.
Three revisions to the city’s rules against panhandling, camping, and sitting or lying down in public went into effect Monday. People have feelings about that, and it’s unclear what impact the rules will have on those experiencing homelessness – or…
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Police
City audit says Austin police could be better about keeping track of body camera footage
The Austin Police Department is still working out the kinks in its body camera program, according to a new city audit.The report released today by the city auditor’s office looked at footage from 151 body cam videos from Aug. 1,…
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Police
Austin police report shows a slight uptick in property crimes in 2018
A new report released Monday from the Austin Police Department shows crime overall increased in 2018, with property crimes up 9 percent. Violent crimes dropped slightly, however.The report also acknowledges controversy surrounding the way APD handles sexual assault cases, after…
Thursday, June 6, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Uncategorized
Council to weigh money for a new homeless shelter
City Council members will vote today on items that would expand the number of beds in Austin’s homeless shelters.Council will vote to direct staff to find land and funding for an emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. Members could also…
Friday, May 31, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Texas State Legislature
Texas lawmakers tried to take the reins from cities this session. The results were mixed.
For the last handful of legislative sessions, the Texas Legislature has had it in for Austin and other cities.GOP lawmakers who regularly thumb their noses at “big government”-minded efforts in D.C. have filed bills targeting city laws regulating everything from…
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Transportation
Austin can afford to build only 3% of the 2,580 miles of sidewalk it wants, audit finds
The city of Austin has the resources to build out only 3 percent of its missing sidewalks, according to a new city audit.The mobility bond Austin voters approved in 2016 set aside $37.5 million to build and maintain city sidewalks…
Friday, May 3, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Transportation
CDC study says Austin scooter riders don’t wear helmets, ride fast and don’t know what they’re doing
Nearly 200 people were injured because of rentable scooters between Sept. 5 and Nov. 30 last year, according to a first-of-its-kind study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Austin Public Health Department.During that time, there were…
Friday, April 19, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Austin
Yep. A lot more people have moved to Austin, the Census Bureau confirms.
New numbers out today from the U.S. Census Bureau confirm something you’ve definitely noticed or complained about in the last eight years: Austin is growing.But that growth isn’t confined to the Austin area.The data put Texas counties and metro areas…
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Texas State Legislature
Proposed labor rule would mean gig economy workers in Texas can’t get unemployment benefits
The state’s labor regulator will meet this morning for a final vote on a controversial new rule on gig economy workers that opponents say will have far-reaching implications for workers going forward.The proposed rule from the Texas Workforce Commission would…
