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After a long history of covering City Hall, Travis County and the like, the Austin Monitor stopped publishing in October 2025 to pursue a new project: Austin Current. For the foreseeable future, the Monitor will live on as a searchable archive, open to anyone who needs it. We invite our longtime readers and casual fans
Nearly three years after the city approved funding to upgrade the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex, the project remains incomplete. The wait for new theater seating to complete the upgrade has been pushed back to at least summer 2026 amid departmental transitions and procurement delays. The delay extends a…
In August of 2023, after three years of planning and many thousands of dollars, City Council was forced to scrap its comprehensive Zilker Park Vision Plan, amid a bitter battle waged by detractors and the park’s surrounding residents. But the million or so visitors to the park have not flagged in the years since, and
Although Austin has fewer overall automobile crashes than other major Texas cities, the percentage of crashes involving serious injury or death of a pedestrian is still at the same rate — 27.9 percent– as other large Texas cities. That is one conclusion of the special report from the Austin City Auditor’s Office…
Austin’s most famous trail is on track to get a $25 million upgrade. A new boardwalk is planned for the south shore of Lady Bird Lake, replacing a cramped section of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail between South First Street and Congress Avenue. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is paying
The Downtown Commission is asking City Council to reject new height limits for downtown towers and, instead, replace the city’s Downtown Density Bonus Program with a funding system tied to future property-tax revenue. Their recommendation, which was approved last week, contrasts with the Planning Commission’s call a…
Between the I-35 expansion, MoPac construction, and the general growing pains of the metroplex beyond its transportation infrastructure’s capacity, Travis County Judge Andy Brown has long advocated for the need for commuter rail between Austin and San Antonio. On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court took its…
At their most-recent meeting, City Council’s Mobility Committee heard a presentation from Assistant City Manager Michael Rogerson the burgeoning air taxi industry, which Rogers framed as an emerging issue for city transportation. “As a matter of fact, we’ve had these (vehicles) here in Austin, at South by Southwest,”…
Gov. Greg Abbott says he’s using state police to clear homeless encampments across Austin – including on parks and trails maintained and owned by the city. That was news to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. Watson said Tuesday that the order from the governor came, partly, as a shock – and it came as Austin was rolling out
Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Mayor Kirk Watson held a joint news conference Monday to announce that each had signed disaster declarations related to wildfire risk. “On Friday I signed a disaster declaration,” Brown said. “It will allow Travis County to proactively access resources, streamline emergency…
A small parcel in the Hancock neighborhood may see more intense zoning in the future after winning an endorsement from the Planning Commission during their September 23 meeting. Property owners are seeking a change from multifamily residence-limited density, or MF-1, to multifamily residence-medium density, or MF-3…
Travis County elections officials estimate only about 25% of registered voters will cast a ballot this fall, keeping with the trend of lower voter turnout on off-year elections. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t important issues to weigh in on. This guide is here to help inform you about what is on your ballot and