About the Author
Mark Richardson is a multimedia journalist, editor and writer who has worked in digital, print and broadcast media for three decades. He is a nationally recognized editor and reporter who has covered government, politics and the environment. A journalism graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, he was recently awarded a Foundation for Investigative Journalism grant and has three Associated Press Managing Editors awards for excellence in reporting.
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Most Popular Stories
- Austin’s airport is getting a new concourse and 20 more gates but not until the 2030s
- New rules in the works for electric vehicle charging stations
- Judge rules city can’t use taxpayer money for South Central TIRZ
- Budget deficit looms over city this year and beyond
- Save Our Springs Alliance sues City Council over Open Meetings Act
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Discover News By District
Stories by Mark Richardson
Environmental Board postpones vote on Lazy 9 variance
A request for a variance to allow building of an effluent detention pond in West Travis County brought together a pair of bitter rivals at last week’s Environmental Board meeting and renewed a years-old battle over a controversial development. Environmental…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Mar 8, 2010
SWAC to review Greenstar contract before Council vote
Members of the Solid Waste Advisory Commission, who spent an extended time back in December and January debating what should be in a renegotiated contract with Greenstar, will get a chance this week to review the terms recently agreed to…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Feb 8, 2010
Public outreach still an issue for Comprehensive Plan task force
Whether it was the soothing presence of the Mayor and several Council members, or just a case of calm prevailing over chaos, members of the Comprehensive Plan’s Citizens Advisory Task force made nice last night and appeared to make progress…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Jan 27, 2010
SWAC members dispute Greenstar deal
Two members of the city’s Solid Waste Advisory Commission want to put the brakes on a plan to get a renegotiated recycling contract with Greenstar back in front of the City Council by Jan. 28. Council members authorized city…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Jan 15, 2010
Drought, WTP 4, shootings and more highlight 2009 stories
For Part 1 of the story see Dec. 21, 2009. Central and South Texas suffered through two years of one of the most severe droughts on record, with Lake Travis dropping to levels close to the “Drought of Record” reached…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Dec 22, 2009
Economic worries, budget dominate 2009
This is the first of two of a series looking back at the major stories that affected Austin during 2009. The last year of the first decade of the 2000s was a turbulent year for politics and the economy at…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Dec 21, 2009
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SWAC talks MRFs
The City of Austin is looking to get back into the MRF (pronounced murph) business again after a not-so-graceful exit from the process just over a year ago. MRF stands for Materials Recycling Facility, and city officials reviewed and sought…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Oct 15, 2009
Rhodes out, city to seek new director for Solid Waste Services
The City of Austin has removed Willie Rhodes as director of the Solid Waste Services Department, and reassigned him as the leader of a newly formed Code Compliance section. The City Manager’s office informed Council members of the move Friday…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Jun 1, 2009
Commission criticizes lack of input on hiring of SWS contractor
What was meant to be a routine item for approval on the Solid Waste Advisory Commission’s agenda Wednesday night turned into a standoff between commissioners and Solid Waste Services staff. The item, approval of the low bidder to develop…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • May 18, 2009
Argument over recycling facility continues as costs for city soar
The city’s new Single Stream recycling effort – started by staff after a two-year pilot program showed that the program could save the city a lot of money – is close to racking up a $1 million deficit just five…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Apr 7, 2009
SWAC members unimpressed with report on department management
Members of the Solid Waste Advisory Commission were left feeling like they ordered a steak and received a bologna sandwich last week, after they heard a staff report on the process the city is using to perform an organizational assessment…
Uncategorized • By Mark Richardson • Mar 16, 2009
Commission tries to protect private haulers in approving Zero Waste Plan
Despite several months of work on the city’s Zero Waste plan, which goes before the City Council today, members of the Solid Waste Advisory Commission and Solid Waste Services Department staff were still at odds last night over how the…
