Credit: Cover by Zeke Barbaro / Getty Images

In 2012, when then-staff writer Richard Whittaker reported on the launch of the city’s new website, even then he noted the work in progress was “far from perfect.” These days, as anyone who’s attempted to navigate austintexas.gov can tell you, “far from perfect” would be an upgrade.

In this week’s issue, contributor Brant Bingamon takes a look at the city’s website, bedeviled with bugs and badly behind the times, and explores other branches of the story, including the subpar COVID-19 vaccine sign-up portal that was outsourced to a third-party vendor, and the team of equity-minded idealists that was tapped to reinvent the site, only to have their work halted midproject. Read the story here.

Online This Week

Mama Duke has contributed a track to Proud Voices Austin’s interactive audio fest Credit: Courtesy of Mama Duke

Proud Voices Austin Is Queering Hearing for All of Pride Month: Qmmunity contributor James Scott breaks down the innovative fest pairing queer-owned or queer-friendly small businesses and audio tracks from local queer artists like Mama Duke, Quentin Arispe, and Irielle Wesley.

Mark Your Calendar: AFS Cinema is reopening, and we have the opening lineup.

Margin Walker’s Next Move: Ex-Margin Walker principals announced this week the formation of a new “live-music, creative events, and marketing agency” dubbed Resound, with 40 upcoming shows at Mohawk, Empire Control Room & Garage, Antone’s, the Parish, and Paper Tiger in San Antonio all on the books.

NorthPark Center Credit: Photo by James Edward Photography / Courtesy of NorthPark Center

Day Trips & Beyond: Captain Day Trips Gerald E. McLeod files his monthly roundup of sites, sounds, and sometimes smells to visit around the state, including the green space at NorthPark Center shopping mall in Dallas (pictured right), featuring 3D printed statues of women who have risen to the top of their professions.

Dads Deserve Nice Things, Too: Looking for Father’s Day gift ideas? Wayne Alan Brenner – who is a father himself, so this might all just be an elaborate *nudge nudge* to an audience of one – has made a list.

This article appears in June 11 • 2021.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...