Public Citizen Tom “Smitty” Smith Looks Back on a Life Well Lived

The man in the white hat's relentless hard work and willed optimism

"...The appearance of Public Citizen Execu­tive Director Tom Smith at the November meeting of..."

Dec. 16, 2016 News Feature by Michael King

Hightower Brings Thunder To Austin

Jim Hightower's Rolling Thunder Down-Home Democracy Tour promises to energize activists in a carnival atmosphere .

"...Who's Who among activist groups, including the Washington, D.C.-based Citizen Policies Institute, the Universal Living Wage Campaign, the Prison..."

March 15, 2002 News Feature by Amy Smith

The Eugenic Circus Comes to Town

A Downtown hotel is hosting a natalist, eugenics-aligned conference in December. Why Austin?

"...publications and appeared on podcasts sponsored by the Claremont Institute, for example, including The American Mind and The New..."

Nov. 3, 2023 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Naked City

Breaking stories from Austin and beyond

"...conclude whether Chapman did or did not violate any "policies, procedures or criminal statutes," he wrote. "Therefore I have..."

April 23, 2004 News Feature by Michael King

Austin Police Consider Community Reforms

After a year spent making headlines APD prioritizes policing equity

"...officer-initiated stops of individuals grouped by race compared to citizen-initiated stops of those same racial groups) and a Use-of-Force..."

Nov. 4, 2016 News Feature by Chase Hoffberger

Making Reuse Mainstream

Austin needs a combo of government leadership, corporate responsibility, and individual commitment to meet reuse benchmarks

"...their efforts: In 2013, the store was awarded an Institute of Museum and Lib­rary Services grant to create online..."

Feb. 12, 2016 News Feature by Robyn Ross

Clay Dafoe: 'Citizens Communication Day'

Newcomer Dafoe jumps into the fray

"...the clutches of corporate interests, returning it to the citizens it belongs to – will appeal to many whose..."

April 27, 2012 News Feature by Josh Rosenblatt

Keeping the Faith

Women lawmakers endure – and defy – the anti-choice wrath of the Catholic Church

"...faith" have increased, he charged, thanks largely to federal policies "that would infringe upon the right of conscience of..."

April 6, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Climate, Meet Mobility

Copenhagen is all about green transport – and Austin should be, too

"...it everywhere: on bill­board advertising, in my hotel's energy-conserving policies, in the local newspapers...."

Nov. 6, 2009 News Feature by Katherine Gregor

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Our readers talk back.

"...2,500 partners, more than half of whom are non-U.S. citizens, decided to incorporate in Bermuda. With thousands of partners..."

Sept. 13, 2002 Column

Roe's End?

After nearly three years of fighting, Texas reproductive rights advocates will get their day at the U.S. Supreme Court

"...have two or more children, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Unfortunately, April (whose name has been changed to protect..."

Jan. 29, 2016 News Feature by Mary Tuma

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Our readers talk back.

"...source. This seems like a clear sign that city policies to save the Springs are not working so far...."

April 26, 2002 Column

Postmarks

Rape saga redux and other local imbroglios.

"...AISD has tightened its internal accountability, participated in the Institute for Learning to give teachers a common vision and..."

Oct. 26, 2001 Column

Council Watch

Details of the Bradley Settlement are finally made public and opened up to debate; Bill Spelman announces that he will not run for re-election to Place 5.

"...Legislature -- or future councils with less environmentally friendly policies -- would not undo the agreement...."

Feb. 18, 2000 News Column by Jenny Staff Johnson

(Gasp!) Watson Was Right

The Former Chief, the Audit, the Research All Say: We Need Community Policing

"...dangerous East Austin intersection. It graphically illustrated to many citizens the failure of the Austin Police Department (APD), if..."

March 21, 1997 News Feature by Louisa C. Brinsmade

(Gasp!) Watson Was Right

The Former Chief, the Audit, the Research All Say: We Need Community Policing

"...dangerous East Austin intersection. It graphically illustrated to many citizens the failure of the Austin Police Department (APD), if..."

March 21, 1997 News Feature by Louisa C. Brinsmade

Who Is Citizens for a Sound Economy?

"...Peggy Venable, the head of the Texas office of Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE), says her group represents..."

Feb. 21, 1997 News Feature

Nobody Wants to Stop Voters From Approving Prop A

Pro-legalization and pro-freedom folks see eye to eye on the May 7 ballot

"...approve a city ordinance, brought to the ballot by citizen initiative, that has two parts: "to (1) eliminate enforcement..."

April 29, 2022 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Are City Employee Pensions at Risk?

Pension systems in Dallas and Houston have been beat up by bad spending.

"...and fire system.) An analysis from Rice University's Kinder Institute indicated that pension debt for these three funds jumped..."

Feb. 24, 2017 News Feature by Margaret Nicklas

Beside the Point: Abortion Debate Hits Home

The attacks against Planned Parenthood are not just political, they're about class and privilege

"..."barbaric organization" that facilitates the "mass murder of unborn citizens." Aside from the ad hominem, there were blatant lies:..."

Oct. 23, 2015 News Column by Mary Tuma

The Single-Member Situation

Movement afoot – once again – to ask voters to endorse City Council districts

"...arrangement was specifically a response to complaints that minority citizens were not fairly represented on City Council, which elsewhere..."

Feb. 25, 2011 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

Reinventing Airport Boulevard

Can 'form-based zoning' transform a suburban drag into walkable neighborhoods?

"...Antonio; and now in federal and state transportation planning policies and manuals to promote next-generation projects – especially compact,..."

Jan. 8, 2010 News Feature by Katherine Gregor

An Uncertain Hand

A pair of wild cards in Place 3

"...fighting poverty, a city government that welcomes and taps citizen activism, reaching out to Austinites...."

April 25, 2008 News Feature by Katherine Gregor

Naked City

Headlines and Happenings from Austin and Beyond

"...demonstrators urged the bank to join its competitors and institute corporate policies that would stop the alleged financing of..."

April 28, 2006 News Feature

Naked City

Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond

"...it was car-free bike lanes that the Texas Transportation Institute chose when asked how other cities handled projects like..."

March 3, 2006 News Feature

Naked City

Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond

"...an annual study from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, released March 8. In this second..."

March 26, 2004 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Battle Lines Drawn in City-Police Dispute

The police union walks away from contract talks, leaving civilian oversight in limbo

"...not only at Knee but also at the OPM's Citizen Review Panel, whose members the week before recommended that..."

Feb. 20, 2004 News Feature by Jordan Smith

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Our readers talk back.

"...is sufficient evidence of either a violation of department policies or criminal conduct. The initial information in this case..."

Sept. 12, 2003 Column

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Our readers talk back.

"...fall of 1959 when I began attending the Rice Institute in Houston. I moved to Austin in the summer..."

Feb. 15, 2002 Column

June 18, 1996: Aguascalientes in La Realidad, Chiapas

"...sometimes it expands, sometimes it closes, depending on repressive policies that it faces in each of the places it..."

July 12, 1996 News Feature