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- Austin’s airport is getting a new concourse and 20 more gates but not until the 2030s
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Whispers
Wednesday, June 5, 2019 by Tai Moses
Annual Creek Show to return to Waller Creek
Creek Show, a public art installation made of six lighted artworks placed along Waller Creek, will be back for its sixth year on Nov. 7-17. Last year Waller Creek Conservancy’s popular event drew 50,000 visitors to enjoy the art as well as the live music, food vendors and other attractions that are part of the show. Visitors stroll the creek path between Ninth and 12th streets while viewing the artworks, which draw attention to the year’s creek-related theme, from the history of Waller Creek to the local ecosystem to the relationship between humans and nature. Get a sneak peek of the 2019 installations here. Learn more about past Creek Shows here.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Dell Medical looks into blockchain
The city of Austin has looked at blockchain technology as a tool to help homeless people preserve critical personal information. Now, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas is looking at how to use so-called distributed ledgers to make improvements in the health care field. The medical school has partnered with the Austin Blockchain Collective’s health care working group, which can draw on resources from some of the 140 blockchain and cryptocurrency companies that have a presence in Austin. Improvements in integrating electronic health records, protecting personal information, tracking accreditation of health care providers and monitoring patient activity are some of the use cases for blockchain technology. Anjum Khurshid, the director of data integration at the medical school, will be a co-chair for the working group. The medical school was created after Austin area voters approved bond funding giving the school approximately $35 million per year to address community health, specifically for at-risk populations.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019 by Tai Moses
City’s virtual reality cave tour nabs award
A virtual reality tour of the Millennium and Wildflower caves created by staff at the city’s Central Technology Management and Watershed Protection departments has nabbed a Best of Texas Award from the Digital Government Summit. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the experience of climbing down into one of these caves in person. The VR tour puts users right into the shadowy depths, providing close-up images of the caves’ spectacular formations and colors. The tours will also help spread the message about the vital role caves play in protecting groundwater. Take the VR tours here.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019 by Tai Moses
TxDOT hosts Loop360 workshop
The Texas Department of Transportation, in partnership with the city of Austin, will be holding a workshop to solicit public feedback on the Loop 360 at Lakewood Drive/Spicewood Springs Road project. The proposed improvement include new shared-use sidewalks, new overpasses and removal of select traffic signals. Neighbors are invited to give input to help guide the planning process and the final design. The workshop is Thursday, June 6, 4-6 p.m., at Westover Hills Church of Christ, 8332 Mesa Drive. Those who can’t make the actual workshop can attend a virtual workshop at Loop360Project.com, available June 6-21.
Monday, June 3, 2019 by Elizabeth Pagano
Adler joins suicide-prevention campaign
Mayor Steve Adler has joined a national campaign to prevent suicides among veterans, with a consortium of local agencies taking part. Sly Majid, the city’s chief service officer, is leading the effort to review the city’s approach to suicide prevention and working to develop an action plan with partner groups to fill in gaps in how the city operates. Among the participating groups are Central Health, Integral Care, Austin Community College, Austin Police Department, Dell Medical School and the School of Social Work at the University of Texas, and the Austin Fire Department. The program’s goals include gathering data on the issues involved in suicide and prevention, employing best practices to prevent and respond to suicide attempts, and defining the desired outcomes and deadline to measure success. Adler announced Austin’s participation in a press conference last week. The national campaign is being led by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.
Monday, June 3, 2019 by Tai Moses
Austin Transportation pilots new parking system
A new, simplified parking system that lets motorists use pay stations without having to return to their vehicles may take some of the sting out of searching for a parking space in Austin. Instead of printing out a receipt to place on their windshields, users simply enter their license plate numbers into special pay stations. Austin Transportation will be testing out the new system next week in a small area near Butler Shores using pay stations on Jessie Street, Butler Road, Toomey Road, Josephine Street, Sterzing Street, Barton Springs Road and Lee Barton Drive. Signage will explain how to use the new system. At the end of three months, the Transportation Department will evaluate the system and decide whether to expand it to additional locations.
Monday, June 3, 2019 by Elizabeth Pagano
Courthouse breaks ground
At long, long last, ground has officially been broken for the Travis County Civil and Family Courts facility. The current Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse was built in 1931, has not been renovated for 50 years, and among other things, lacks dedicated, secured waiting spaces for crime victims and families and jury facilities. Planning for a new courthouse has been in the works for years, and after an unsuccessful bond election, the county pivoted to partner with Travis County Courthouse Development Partners (a joint venture of Hunt Companies of El Paso and Chameleon Group of Austin) to get the build done. Once completed, the facility will include 25 courtrooms, waiting areas, and a law library and self-help center. “This new courts facility is long overdue,” said Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt. “Once this complex is completed, those seeking justice within our system will be able to come to a court that suits their needs and keeps in mind the interests of all parties involved.” The project team anticipates the facility, located at 1700 Guadalupe St., will be opened in 2023.
Monday, June 3, 2019 by Tai Moses
Pool openings signal start of summer
Are you ready for swimsuit season? Most of Parks and Recreation Aquatic Division’s 45 facilities – that’s 33 pools, 11 splash pads and Barton Springs Pool – are currently open except for the following:
- Ricky Guerrero Splash Pad: Heavy rains delayed the improvements so the splash pad’s opening date is unknown at this time.
- Reed Pool: Severe leaks have delayed the opening while repairs are being done. PARD anticipates the pool opening by June 20.
- Dittmar and Ramsey pools: These two pools were scheduled to open by June 3, but major renovations and repairs make that date unlikely. Check with PARD for opening dates.
- Govalle and Shipe pools: Both pools are in the process of being replaced, and recent storms have put the construction work behind schedule. Projected opening of the pools is expected in mid-July. The swim season for these two pools may be extended through September.
More info about closures can be found here. Find the full list and location of all pools here.
Friday, May 31, 2019 by Tai Moses
Delays will snarl traffic on I-35 this weekend
The Texas Department of Transportation is warning motorists to avoid Interstate 35 this weekend if at all possible. TxDOT advises seeking alternate routes from May 31 at 9 p.m. to June 3 at 5 a.m. as reduced lanes between Rundberg Lane and U.S. Highway 290 East are projected to cause major traffic delays.
Friday, May 31, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
A homebuying jubilee
The housing nonprofit BCL of Texas will hold a homebuyer fair for prospective homeowners at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center on Rundberg Lane. The fair will offer up to 200 families a chance to get information on smart mortgage lending, down payment assistance programs, housing counselors, insurance counselors and more. BCL is holding the event specifically to help first-time homebuyers in low- and median-income households. The intention is to offer all the resources for families in economically threatened areas to start or complete the purchasing process. Register here.
Friday, May 31, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Loss at COTA
Any chances for the Circuit of the Americas to receive an expected $25.9 million in state money were lost as of Monday when the Texas Legislature ended its 2019 session. The racetrack and event facility in Southeast Austin came at risk of losing the funding from a state fund for large events when it missed a September deadline to submit a plan for preventing human trafficking, a required part of its annual application for the funds. That money is generally thought to be used by the track to pay the licensing fee for the Formula 1 race each fall, one of the largest tourist and athletic events in the state. There had been some chance of a funding approval by attaching language to another bill, which passed the House but didn’t make it out of the Senate. COTA officials told Autoweek they plan to keep the race coming to Austin well beyond the current contract that runs through 2021.
Friday, May 31, 2019 by Tai Moses
Teacher heads to the Arctic to bring climate science home
High school teacher David Walker is on his way to the Arctic with a mission. Walker, who teaches science at Austin’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy, is one of 12 teachers selected through a nationwide search to join a team of polar researchers studying the effects of thawing permafrost on climate change. But Walker’s real mission is to connect his field research on climate change with his classroom and community back home in the hopes of promoting greater climate science literacy in Austin. Walker will be posting regularly on online journals, message boards, videos and social media like Twitter and Instagram to stay connected to his students and anyone else who would like to follow his adventures on the frozen tundra. Learn more about the expedition and how to stay updated here and follow Walker on Twitter @mrwalkerlasa.