Latest News
City of Austin City Council met March 21
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin City Council met Thursday, March 21
City of Austin Audit and Finance Committee met March 27
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin Audit and Finance Committee met Wednesday, March 27
City of Austin Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors met March 7
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors met Thursday, March 7
City of Austin Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors will meet May 2
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors will meet at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 2
City of Austin City Council will meet May 2
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin City Council will meet at 10 a.m., Thursday, May 2
City of Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee will meet April 30
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee will meet at 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 30
City of Austin City Council will meet April 30
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 27, 2024
City of Austin City Council will meet at 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 30
Board, administration expands public comment access (En español)
By Austin Journal | Apr 26, 2024
The Board of Trustees and administration of Austin Independent School District (AISD) have announced significant expansions in public comment access, aiming to enhance community involvement and transparency within the district.Under the new updates, elementary-level teachers will now have more flexibility to provide feedback by calling outside their duty hours. Additionally, public comments will be accepted in both in-person and recorded formats during Board Information Sessions and Board Regular Voting Meetings.Megan Vasquez, a teacher at Becker Elementary School,...
Board Considers Tax Rate Election to Raise Funds for Teacher and Staff Raises
By Austin Journal | Apr 26, 2024
The Education Austin President, Ken Zarifis, emphasized the importance of local investment in education, stating, "When a state refuses to pay for public education and one legislative session after another refuses to invest in our kids, it's on us here locally to invest in our kids."Kathryn Whitley-Chu, District Trustee, highlighted the need to give voters the choice, saying, "Depende de los votantes y tenemos que darles esa opción. Los habitantes de Austin fueron al capitolio, llamaron a sus amigos en las zonas rurales, dejaron que la gente se quedara en sus casas para...
Texas Attorney General Secures Settlement with Operator of Major Pornography Website to Ensure Compliance with State Law
By Austin Journal | Apr 26, 2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully reached a settlement with Multi Media, LLC, the operator of the popular pornographic website "Chaturbate," to ensure compliance with Texas state laws regarding age verification. The agreement requires Multi Media to implement an age verification service on the Chaturbate website to uphold the state's regulations.In March, Attorney General Paxton took legal action against Multi Media for failing to adhere to HB 1181, a Texas law mandating that providers of explicit material establish effective age verification systems to...
Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Will Assist Harris County District Attorney In Criminal Bid-Rigging Investigations
By Austin Journal | Apr 25, 2024
The Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced its assistance in criminal bid-rigging investigations involving the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Rangers. The investigations are related to a case where the Harris County Judge's Office allegedly manipulated the bidding process for a public outreach contract funded by COVID-19 relief funds.In 2021, the Harris County Commissioners Court awarded an $11 million contract to Elevate Strategies for COVID-19 vaccine community outreach. The organization was recommended by County Judge Lina...
LBJ Theatre Makes History (En Español)
By Austin Journal | Apr 24, 2024
LBJ Jaguar Theatre students at LBJ High School in Austin, Texas, have achieved a significant milestone by advancing to the UIL One Act Play Area Contest for the first time in the school's history. The competition, held at Bastrop ISD, saw LBJ emerge as the only 5A school in Austin ISD to progress to the Area level this year, breaking new ground after years of competing with the Liberal Arts and Science Academy.The students performed scenes from "Pipeline," a play written by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Victor Santos. The play delves into the challenges faced by a...
Celebrating Earth Week with ‘Food of the Future’ (En Español)
By Austin Journal | Apr 24, 2024
Students from Austin ISD High Schools have come together to celebrate Earth Week by creating innovative dishes using sustainable ingredients such as seaweed, crickets, mushrooms, and plant proteins. This culinary initiative, known as ‘Food of the Future,’ aims to promote sustainable food habits and plant-based choices among students while honing their culinary and marketing skills.“I think it's a super important project because kelp farming is a really new, cool, sustainable way for making food,” expressed Annabelle Strader, a senior at Bowie High School. Strader’s team...
Attorney General Ken Paxton Successfully Defends Texas Election Integrity Law
By Austin Journal | Apr 24, 2024
The Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) declined to hear a case brought by a political group challenging Texas’s age-based restrictions on mail-in voting. This decision marks the end of a lengthy legal battle that saw Attorney General Ken Paxton successfully defending the Texas law on mail-in voting, ensuring its continuity.Texas law mandates that most eligible voters must vote in person, with exceptions for individuals aged 65 and above, disabled persons, those out of the county during elections, individuals about to give birth, or those confined in jail. The...
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Stay From Texas Supreme Court Pausing Harris County’s Unlawful “Guaranteed Income” Program
By Austin Journal | Apr 23, 2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has successfully obtained a temporary administrative stay from the Supreme Court of Texas (“SCOTX”) to halt Harris County's distribution of public money through its controversial "guaranteed income" program. The program, which provided $500 cash payments for 18 months to selected residents with no citizenship requirements, was deemed to violate the Texas Constitution.Attorney General Paxton took legal action against Harris County, arguing that the program went against the state constitution's prohibition on granting public money to...
Attorney General Ken Paxton Takes Legal Action Against Harris County’s “Guaranteed Income” Program
By Austin Journal | Apr 23, 2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken legal action against Harris County's "guaranteed income" program, which he believes violates State law. Paxton filed for emergency relief with the Supreme Court of Texas to block the program, which had previously been the subject of a temporary injunction sought by the Office of the Attorney General.In a statement, Attorney General Paxton expressed his concerns about the program, stating, "Harris County’s guaranteed income scheme plainly violates the Texas Constitution." He emphasized that the program goes against the state's...
How Potatoes, Corn and Beans Led to Smart Windows Breakthrough
By Austin Journal | Apr 22, 2024
A study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has led to a breakthrough in the development of smart windows using common, sustainable materials such as amylose, a natural polymer found in corn, potatoes, and beans. Guihua Yu, a professor involved in the research, emphasized the importance of creating sustainable electrochromic materials for smart windows, stating, “There’s an urgent need to develop novel sustainable electrochromic materials and devices with excellent properties for smart windows.” Yu also highlighted how the use of biomass materials...
Medical Provider Agrees to Withdraw from Texas Instead of Complying with Investigation into “Gender Transition” Treatments for Minors
By Austin Journal | Apr 22, 2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that Seattle Children’s Hospital will be withdrawing from conducting business in Texas following an agreement reached between the institution and the state. This decision comes after an investigation was initiated into the hospital's provision of "gender transition" treatments to Texas children at its Seattle, Washington facility.Attorney General Paxton expressed his concerns regarding the situation, stating, "Seattle Children’s Hospital appeared to break Texas law and initially tried to evade accountability when...
City of Austin Mobility Committee met March 28
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 21, 2024
City of Austin Mobility Committee met Thursday, March 28
City of Austin Housing and Planning Committee met March 26
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Apr 21, 2024
City of Austin Housing and Planning Committee met Tuesday, March 26