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Legislature (281)
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Check back here for Chronicle alerts!
Colbert on the SBOE
Lee Nichols
Wed Mar 17, 3:42pm
Tags: Education
Could the State Board of Education be more of a national embarrassment for Texas? Well, now we're being mocked by Stephen Colbert, so the answer is no – it could not.
New Bike Nation!
Katherine Gregor
Mon Mar 15, 5:53pm
Tags: Transportation
Today at the National Bike Summit, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled a new federal policy and transportation funding priority: "Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.
It's on a roll with this week's "New Bike City" story.
Interact with Austin
Wells Dunbar
Sat Mar 13, 9:23pm
The City of Austin is looking to harness the power of SXSW Interactive in the redesign of the official city website. There's a meet and greet Sunday where representatives of redesign effort AustinGO are looking to chat you up about incorporating best practices into the site relaunch.
South By Street Closures
Wells Dunbar
Fri Mar 12, 8:48pm
If you're anywhere in vicinity of the South by Southwest events popping off, you're altogether aware that Downtown is an unqualified clusterfuck. The city has released a list of street closures for those of y'all heading into the belly of the beast, posted below.
Waitgate
Lee Nichols
Fri Mar 12, 3:04pm
Tags: Transportation
Could Capital Metro’s MetroRail Red Line, the new Leander-to-Austin commuter rail that begins passenger service Monday, actually make traffic congestion worse? In my personal experience, it already has – at least for one intersection near the train’s route.
Et Tu, Arte?
Jordan Smith
Fri Mar 12, 10:49am
Tags: Police
The increasingly interesting will-Acevedo-stay saga rolls on: After City Manager Marc Ott offered the moon, Ace said he'd rather bet on the stars.
Catching Up With the No-Kill Millennium
Wells Dunbar
Thu Mar 11, 3:26pm
City Council’s passage earlier today of a “no-kill” plan for Austin’s animal center was long in the making. Bill Spelman, who voted for a no-kill plan in 1997 said he was happy to “stop talking about it, and start doing something about it.”
Who Loves Art? We Do!
Jordan Smith
Thu Mar 11, 12:24pm
Tags: Police
Just days after Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo announced that he was one of six finalists for the top-cop spot in Dallas, Austin City Manager Marc Ott says the city will do its best to keep Ace in place.
More 'No Rail' Reactions
Katherine Gregor
Wed Mar 10, 4:18pm
Laura Morrison says "Don't blame me for the push-back," Randi Shade says, "It'll be better in a year," and explains the bond fund scenario. All reactions from city council members to Mayor Lee Leffingwell's "No 2010 Rail Vote" announcement, more below.
Rail Reactions
Wells Dunbar
Wed Mar 10, 2:27pm
Should we be surprised at the news of a rail delay?
Mayor Kills Nov. Rail Vote
Katherine Gregor
Wed Mar 10, 1:42pm
On his mayoral web site, Mayor Lee Leffingwell just announced he's killing Austin voters' opportunity to approve bond funding for urban rail in November. Council was to vote on this next month; however, the mayor's announcement effectively closes that door. "We have discussed this at length with the entire council," said aide Mark Nathan. Text follows.
You Better Cop the Totally Awesome AusChron Newscast!
Jordan Smith, Wells Dunbar
Wed Mar 10, 12:01am
The Totescast has a special call-in guest this week: Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, who’s been shortlisted among the top cops to run the Dallas shop. We do our best to remind him Dallas kinda sucks.
Mendoza's Mis-Step
Richard Whittaker
Tue Mar 9, 6:00pm
Capital Metro vice-president Dianne Mendoza came out of the gates with her guns blazing for her run for AISD Board of Trustees Place 9, touting the endorsements of former mayor Ron Kessler and current Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez. Slight problem: Kessler was never mayor and Martinez didn't endorse her.
AISD Trustee Races Set
Richard Whittaker
Tue Mar 9, 2:10pm
For a while, it seemed unclear how much new blood would be running for the Austin ISD Board of Trustees on May 8. Now the two incumbents who faced challengers get a clean walk, the two who were challenger-free initially are now in competitive races, and the empty seat is a brawl. So who is running for what? (* denotes incumbent)
Riding MetroRail, Part 2 (Video)
Lee Nichols
Tue Mar 9, 9:40am
Tags: Transportation
Okay, I probably won't be submitting this to the Oscars committee for best cinematography (as a 20-year print journalist, I'm trying to get the hang of this multimedia stuff), but if you'd like to see what Austin looks like from the new commuter train, here you go &ndash a ride from Downtown to my Crestview neighborhood.
Acevedo Up for Job in Dallas
Jordan Smith
Tue Mar 9, 8:02am
Tags: Police
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo announced Monday night that he has been named one of six finalists being considered for chief of the Dallas Police Dept. In a statement, Acevedo said that he wanted to "make clear" that he applied for the job because it was an "opportunity that was presented to me," not one that he sought out.
Riding MetroRail
Katherine Gregor
Mon Mar 8, 4:11pm
Tags: MetroRail
We tried out MetroRail this morning, from the Convention Center to Crestview Station – it proved a smooth ride. I felt like I was traveling in Europe. (MetroRail starts regular service March 22.) Chatting with Capital Metro interim CEO Doug Allen, we discussed how to get the Downtown stop two blocks closer to Congress. Here's one idea.
The Average Student
Richard Whittaker
Sun Mar 7, 12:48pm
Have students and administration at UT Austin ever been more disconnected? Management tried to steamroll major changes at the Texas Union under the guise of student-driven reforms: The regents just pushed through a 3.95% tuition increase: And the student government elections are a referendum on the old boy network. But what is student life really like?
Cap Metro: This Is Just the Beginning
Lee Nichols
Fri Mar 5, 4:52pm
Tags: Transportation
This time, they insist, it’s really gonna happen. To prove it, they rolled in a car full of passengers.
It's On: MetroRail to Launch March 22
Lee Nichols
Fri Mar 5, 12:33pm
Tags: Transportation
We'll believe it when we see it, but Capital Metro – two years and multiple postponements behind schedule – says the MetroRail Red Line, its Leander-to-Downtown commuter rail line, will start passenger service on March 22. Cap Met officials will say more later this afternoon.
Green Fund: Aggies & Longhorns Unite
Katherine Gregor
Fri Mar 5, 8:04am
Texas A&M University students have voted to raise their fees, to create an "Aggie Green Fund." It will raise up to $300,000 per year for sustainability. The campus joined UT Austin in a statewide Think Green Fund campaign to raise millions for sustainability. The fees were made legal by a new 2009 state law authored by Rep. Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin.
Sharp Takes the High Road?
Lee Nichols
Thu Mar 4, 2:38pm
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's solid thumping in her gubernatorial bid by incumbent Rick Perry has naturally led to much clamor for her to uphold her promise that she would resign her seat after the primary, win or lose. One of those who would like to replace her, Democrat and former State Comptroller John Sharp, says give her some space:
Elect to Listen to the Totally Awesome AusChron Newscast!
Jordan Smith, Wells Dunbar
Thu Mar 4, 12:01am
The Totescast is shrugging off its election night hangover to talk trash on the winners and losers from this week's local and state primary races. It's on fi-yah!
The GOP's Racism Problem
Lee Nichols
Wed Mar 3, 9:23pm
It's unfortunately too common for a failed political candidate who happens to be a racial minority to play the race card. But when Railroad Commissioner Victor Carrillo did it today, he made a pretty good point.
201st Court: Meachum Runaway
Michael King
Wed Mar 3, 4:05pm
At the 15th St. Texadelphia on Tuesday, they couldn't have been happier if they were stuffing themselves with mesquite-flavored cheesesteaks. As soon as early voting returns were announced – showing guest of honor Amy Clark Meachum trouncing her opponent Jan Patterson for the 201st District Court nomination – it was a victory party.
