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Stories by Seth Smalley
County gets creative to counter 'staggering' number of fentanyl deaths
In the first half of this year, from January to June, 118 people in Travis County died from an overdose of fentanyl. This equaled the number of fentanyl-related overdoses from the entirety of last year. The outsized opioid-overdose figures spurred…
Public Health • By Seth Smalley • Nov 29, 2022
Eviction rates are skyrocketing in Travis County, says HHS
Eviction rates have shot up more than 250 percent of the average in the Austin area, according to Travis County Health and Human Services. “We have been absolutely inundated with crisis applications,” Kirsten Siegfried, HHS chief deputy, told the Travis County…
Housing • By Seth Smalley • Nov 18, 2022
Travis County puts millions toward food access
On Tuesday, Travis County commissioners unanimously approved a series of contracts with local nonprofits and community groups, totaling $3.1 million, to help at-risk residents access healthy and fresh food. “The organizations receiving these funds will use the money in various…
Public Health • By Seth Smalley • Nov 10, 2022
Commissioners review public improvement district policy options
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved revisions to County Code Chapter 481, the county’s public improvement district policy, on Tuesday. Notable updates to the policy included required on-site community benefits in every public improvement district, in addition to required affordability…
Planning • By Seth Smalley • Nov 4, 2022
Featured Collection: Austin Energy 2022 rate case
Austin Energy ramps up outreach for proposed rate changes
Austin Energy has entered the public hearing phase of its base rate review process, following its proposal to raise service costs. The monthslong dialogue with stakeholders and city staff, slated for resolution by City Council in November, has surfaced predictable…
More Headlines for Austin Energy 2022 rate case
County conducts mass prescription drug take-back event
Saturday is prescription drug take-back day across the United States. On Tuesday, county commissioners unanimously passed a proclamation recognizing the day across Travis County. Local constables are teaming up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to carry out the event. Residents…
Travis County • By Seth Smalley • Oct 27, 2022
Compensation Committee consults commissioners on member appointments
On Tuesday, Victoria Ramirez, senior financial manager at the Travis County District Attorney’s office and chair of the county’s Compensation Committee, briefed commissioners on a lineup of committee recommendations for commissioners regarding member appointments. In 2018, the Travis County Commissioners…
Travis County • By Seth Smalley • Oct 19, 2022
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County mulls options to improve campus voting
While the county is doubling its number of voting machines on the UT campus this year, students and advocates are still warning of long wait times, sparse transit access and a lack of polling sites (hint: there are two). On…
Elections • By Seth Smalley • Oct 12, 2022
Travis County preps for centennial fire prevention week
According to a proclamation unanimously approved by the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, the week of Oct. 9-15 is the 100th annual fire prevention week in Travis County. The theme of the centennial? “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.”…
Fire • By Seth Smalley • Oct 6, 2022
Austin Police Department Budget, 2012-2022
During the 2020-21 budget process, City Council cut $31.5 million from APD’s budget, citing the protests and “community outcry against the disproportionate impact of police violence on Black Americans, Latinx Americans and other non-white ethnic communities,” according to the approved…
County gets scoop on supportive housing construction plans
Last week, Health and Human Services updated the Commissioners Court on the Travis County Supportive Housing Initiative, a $110 million, American Rescue Plan Act-funded project to bring housing to very low-income residents. Much of the commissioners’ discussion centered on making…
Housing • By Seth Smalley • Sep 28, 2022
County may start participating in national ballistics database
The first of three gun violence prevention briefings was held Sept. 8 at Travis County Commissioners Court, drawing a diverse crowd from police officials to intervention groups and diversion program advocates. The bulk of discussion focused on a firearms shell…
Public Safety • By Seth Smalley • Sep 15, 2022
County hears calls to center voices of people impacted by overdose crisis
Last week, the Travis County Commissioners Court received a monthly update on the opioid overdose crisis, which the county declared a public health emergency in May. A lot of the conversation focused on the testimony of Aaron Ferguson, a local…
Public Health • By Seth Smalley • Sep 9, 2022
County raises minimum wage for its workers to $20/hour
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to raise the minimum wage for county employees by $5 per hour, in addition to approving multiple other types of pay increases for county workers. The current county minimum wage is $15 per…
