On Wednesday, October 1, the first day National Public Radio (NPR) no longer has any federal funding, Austin's NPR station announced a new venture. Austin Signal, a daily weekday "magazine" in the form of a news show by KUT News, will launch Monday, October 6. A press release says the show "blends trusted local reporting with Austin's vibrant culture to keep Central Texans connected and informed." Each episode will be 30 minutes long, and will air weekdays at 1 pm on KUT 90.5.
The agreement late Friday ends a weekslong stalemate after the Austin Firefighters Association rejected of a proposal that it said wouldn't substantially increase wages for its personnel. The AFA agreed to a deal that would raise wages by at least 3 percent over four years. The contract also would eventually reduce firefighters' hours to fewer than 50 per week, a key provision that the city pushed back on.
I visited New York City probably 100 times before moving here. Growing up in a nearby suburb from ages 2 to 10, my family took me into the big city every month or so. Even then, I knew it was eventually where I wanted to live. By 2006, we had moved to a Texas suburb outside Dallas, still visiting the Big Apple multiple times each year. In 2013, I moved to Austin for college and remained there until I relocated to NYC in 2019 to pursue a career in media.
Attorney Aleshire argues that the ballot language is misleading and does not clarify that the tax increase, if approved, would be permanent. He emphasizes that the City Council is attempting to mislead voters into accepting a significant tax hike.
The new concrete barricades will stand 3.5 feet tall, shorter than the current plastic ones, and run along both sides of the street for two blocks, from San Jacinto Boulevard to Neches Street.
"We definitely want to keep this as safe as possible," said Charlotte Tonsor, executive projects director with The Trail Conservancy. "We understand what this will do to the daily use, to the weekly use, to the visits."
City Council considered a possible tax rate election to address Austin's $33 million deficit with a proposed budget of $6.3 million. The maximum increase could be 8 cents.
Austin has dipped to the 13th largest city, and the fourth fastest-growing region in the country due to slowdowns in key pull factors and job growth.
"There have been a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns in trying to figure out how to keep these buildings intact," said Historic Preservation Division Manager Kim McKnight. "We do have very clear direction from Council to do whatever is necessary to get this dealt with in terms of removing historic designation as an obstacle."
The former director of the Economic Development Department authorized grant awards that violated city code restrictions, permitting the overlap of funding for arts organizations.
Despite its touted benefits, the rezoning under the density bonus program is seen by many as a failure, exacerbating the housing crisis for low-income residents.
Jenell Moffett, chief impact officer for DAA, told Austin Monitor that while the office market has cooled, several major public infrastructure projects totaling more than $20 billion are moving forward at full speed.
