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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Stories by Mark Richardson
Monday, September 29, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Transportation
TxDOT data shows congestion on Austin roads
New figures released by the Texas Department of Transportation quantify what anyone who drives in the Austin area instinctively knows – traffic congestion on several local roads and highways is as bad as anywhere in the state and getting worse.…
Thursday, September 25, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Politics
Adler releases plan to solve Austin water crisis
Austin mayoral candidate Steve Adler, who has already issued extensive position papers on affordability and education, got his feet wet Wednesday with a new plan to deal with Austin’s water crisis. He issued an “agenda paper” that primarily opposes buying…
Tuesday, September 23, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Resources
HHS panel wants more information from agencies
Members of the Council Health and Human Services committee heard from more than a dozen representatives of social service agencies Monday during a called meeting that was a continuation of the panel’s regular meeting last week. A number of social…
Friday, September 19, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Development
Whispers Roundup: The ANC Mega-Forum
Whispers Roundup is a weekly column of items from our reporters’ notebooks. ANC plans mega-forum next week … The Austin Neighborhoods Council will hold its candidate forum next week. Following the forum, ANC will vote on its endorsements, which will…
Friday, September 19, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Politics
City Hall remodeling 80 percent complete
Officials with the city’s Public Works Department said Thursday that renovations to the first and second floors of City Hall are between 70 and 80 percent complete, and should be usable by late October. Construction began in July on the…
Thursday, September 18, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Development
County seeks public input on development plan
Counties in Texas have few powers to regulate development in their jurisdictions, but that is not stopping Travis County from trying to make the best use of what tools they have. County officials are seeking public input on a Land,…
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Environment
Travis Commissioners endorse LCRA water plan
Travis County Commissioners approved a letter Tuesday endorsing the Lower Colorado River Authority’s latest Water Management Plan, saying that while the plan was the product of some “tough calls,” it does the best job of protecting the water supply in…
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Development
Flood victims tell of bureaucratic nightmare
A Travis County couple whose home was heavily damaged by the Halloween Flood last November told County Commissioners Tuesday of a 10-month ordeal of bureaucratic intransigence, inflexible regulations and endless red tape in their quest to get a permit to…
Tuesday, September 9, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Ethics Review Commission reprimands Almanza
The Ethics Review Commission has issued a reprimand to District 3 City Council candidate Susana Almanza for violations of the city campaign finance law. The panel, acting on a complaint filed by Austin activist Stephan Wray, found at a special…
Wednesday, September 3, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Politics
Commissioners approve new county parking plan
After a long and sometimes emotional hearing Tuesday, a divided Travis County Commissioners Court approved a new parking program that did not include a “loyalty” zone reserved mainly for long-term employees. Under the new plan, many employees would lose their…
Tuesday, September 2, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Environment
AG’s opinion could revive battle over bag ban
A Texas attorney general’s opinion issued late Friday could revive a long-running battle over the banning of single-use plastic bags from stores in Austin and a handful of other cities in Texas. An opinion signed by Attorney General Greg Abbott…
Tuesday, August 5, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Resources
LCRA finalizes sale of 18 small water systems to Corix Utilities
The Lower Colorado River Authority has closed the sale of 18 of its former small water/wastewater systems to Corix Utilities Texas, a subsidiary of Vancouver-based Corix Utilities. Officials gave no price for the transaction. LCRA officials announced in 2010 that…
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Downtown, central city make up core of compact District 9
District 9, which encompasses the central core of the city, has changed as rapidly over the past decade as any other part of Austin. From stately older neighborhoods to gleaming downtown high-rises to a new urban enclave, the district embodies…
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Politically active District 10 the home of Austin’s establishment, and more
Of all the districts carved out of the city by the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, District 10 is the one that best represents “establishment Austin.” The area is made of up neighborhoods nestled in the spectacular hills west of downtown…
Friday, July 18, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Five residents seek to represent Southwest Austin’s District 8
If you are looking for wide-open spaces and lots of nature, Council District 8 if your kind of place. The Southwest Austin district has the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country and other assets such as the Barton Creek…
Friday, July 18, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Bray loans campaign $50K to top District 8 money
The new City Council District 8 has transportation as its foremost issue, and campaign contributors are giving generously to try to elect a candidate that can get City Hall to pay attention to Southwest Austin. While businessman Darrell Pierce got…
Friday, July 18, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Casar dominates fundraising in Council District 4 race
District 4 has a wealth of candidates, but only a handful of them brought in significant campaign contributions for the upcoming Council election. Greg Casar, the community organizer with the Workers Defense Project, pulled in just over $40,000, with a…
Wednesday, July 16, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Almanza, McGhee lead in fundraising in crowded District 3 race
District 3, listed as the poorest among the city’s 10 parts, has produced a large pool of candidates vying to represent them. One of those candidates, however, has decided not to continue his race. Miguel Ancira, a senior coordinator for…
Wednesday, July 16, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Seven seek City Council seat for District 7
District 7 is a tale of two neighborhoods: one is an established North Central area sandwiched between two high-volume traffic arteries, and the other a more recently developed suburban region, still looking for the city to provide pools, parks and…
Monday, July 14, 2014 by Mark Richardson
Elections
Republican voters likely to dominate District 6 elections
As Austin neighborhoods go, those drawn into District 6 are farthest from City Hall, certainly in distance, and perhaps in philosophy. In fact, District 6 is the only one of the 10 new political subdivisions that voted solidly Republican in…
