Latest news with #InsideAustin
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside Austin's Agenda: Behind the scenes of last week's ‘cap and stitch' vote
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday's episode of Inside Austin's Agenda, host Grace Reader will sit down with Austin City Council Member Ryan Alter to talk about last week's vote to commit $104 million to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the roadway elements of 'caps and stitches' over TxDOT's I-35 project. Those 'caps and stitches' are decks over the highway that may eventually support parks, trails, and community spaces. The funding committed Thursday will support caps between Cesar Chavez Street and Fourth Street, between Fourth Street and Seventh Street and between 11th Street and 12th Street. It also covers two stitches, which are thinner than caps, in north Austin. Parks over I-35: Austin city council agrees on $104M for roadway elements Alter was part of a sub-quorum of council members pushing for as many of those 'caps and stitches' as possible. He presented several ideas in the days leading up to the vote to encourage his remaining colleagues to consider voting for additional highway covers. We will discuss the behind-the-scenes of how that compromise was reached and the public meeting laws the city council has to follow when it's divided into sub quorums, like it was last week. Inside Austin's Agenda is live every other Wednesday at 3 p.m. Watch every episode at the top of this article, on Facebook, and YouTube. You can find previous episodes here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Inside Austin's Agenda: American Red Cross talks severe weather response
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday's episode of Inside Austin's Agenda, host Grace Reader will sit down with the Central Texas chapter of the American Red Cross to talk about this year's severe weather season and the organization's response. Several confirmed tornadoes touched down in KXAN's viewing area earlier this month. The Red Cross was one of the groups that had teams on standby to assist anyone displaced by those storms. Central Texas is also preparing for the possibility of severe fire weather again this summer. The Red Cross has helped set up emergency shelters for people evacuated from fires previously. Inside Austin's Agenda is live every other Wednesday at 3 p.m. Watch every episode at the top of this article, on Facebook, and YouTube. You can find previous episodes here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Stand up for us': Why Austin's hands are tied in its response to immigration policy
Under President Donald Trump's renewed administration, Texas has emerged as a key frontline in the push for aggressive immigration enforcement and widespread deportations. Texas residents – regardless of immigration status – feel the ripple effects in the economy, schools, healthcare systems, courts and public safety services. To better understand these challenges, KXAN spent the first 100 days of Trump's second term producing 'Undocumented,' a comprehensive project diving into the real-life consequences of related policies and proposals. AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's a question Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel says he's getting often: Why isn't the city of Austin doing more to take a stand against federal immigration policy? 'We just had an ICE raid a few blocks from my home over the weekend, and had a lot of community members reach out to me,' Siegel said on an episode of Inside Austin's Agenda in April. ''What can you do about this? Stand up for us.'' Inside Austin's Agenda: City Council Member Mike Siegel For years, the city of Austin has faced pressure from its largely left-leaning voter base to react to federal and state immigration rules. During President Donald Trump's first term, Austin was the poster child of resistance. That Austin City Council, which included now-Congressman Greg Casar, made Austin the first major U.S. city to declare itself a 'freedom city' in response to state and federal pushback on sanctuary cities — including Texas' Senate Bill 4 in 2017. 'We're not ready to give up': Central Texas Mom fights for daughter's citizenship That law prohibits any local policy that would interfere with state or federal immigration enforcement, effectively banning sanctuary cities. But the city of Austin fought hard against it, passing 'freedom city' resolutions, identifying legal loopholes in SB 4. For example, while state law allows officers to question someone on their immigration status, the city instructed police to inform people of their right not to answer that question, NBC News reported. 'I was the lawyer who represented the city as we challenged some of the anti-immigration laws of 2017, and so I'm acutely aware of what we're allowed to do and what we're not allowed to do,' Siegel said. Since then, state lawmakers have passed a bill that allows local law enforcement to arrest people they believe are in the U.S. illegally. That one came in 2023 and has been tied up in federal court since. Just like the previous council, Austin addressed that one with a resolution, too. Austin City Council passes resolution countering stalled state immigration law 'We really want our police officers focused on investigating violent crime. That's where their time and resources should be spent. Not carrying out this policy that we know leads to racial profiling, that will separate families and could potentially lead to deportations,' Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said after that resolution passed. A crowd of protestors gathered at the Texas Capitol after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations were conducted in Austin. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bynum and KXAN Viewer Photo) But between state and federal rules, the city of Austin's hands are largely tied on what more it can do in broad brush strokes. That is, if it doesn't want to lose massive chunks of funding or face legal penalties. 'So that's where you can't, quote, unquote, be a sanctuary city. You know, we can't use our police officers to disrupt ICE enforcement, things of that nature. Or, you know, frankly, our chief of police could lose her law enforcement license. We could have funding taken away from our city,' Siegel said. 'And so that's kind of the balance, you know, SB 4 and other state legislative efforts that constrain our local control. We have to stay within those parameters and still do as much as we can.' After Trump immigration order, ICE 'force multiplier' agreements with Texas police surge There have been dozens more bills filed this legislative session tied to immigration. One would require large counties in Texas to work more closely with ICE on immigration enforcement. 'We declare ourselves a welcoming city, and that includes for all immigrants, right? And so we really try to live up to that, but we don't want to do anything that will jeopardize our funding or our autonomy,' Siegel said. KXAN Graphic Artist Wendy Gonzalez, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside Austin's Agenda: Council Member Krista Laine
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday's episode of Inside Austin's Agenda, host Grace Reader will sit down with Austin City Council Member Krista Laine about her first few months on the dais and upcoming city council action. The city of Austin is working to figure out how it will fund its 'cap and stitch' enhancements to the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) Interstate-35 expansion project, something Laine has previously said she wanted private partners to get involved with. That vote is expected to happen in May. Austin city council also has several infrastructure votes on its agenda next week, including tens of millions for pipe replacement and Austin Water's Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Flood Wall project. Inside Austin's Agenda is live every other Wednesday at 3 p.m. Watch every episode at the top of this article, on Facebook, and YouTube. You can find previous episodes here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside Austin's Agenda: Council Member José ‘Chito' Vela
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday's episode of Inside Austin's Agenda, host Grace Reader talks to Austin City Council Member José 'Chito' Vela at 3 p.m. They will discuss upcoming city council action that will impact you. For example, the city of Austin is working to figure out how it will fund its 'cap and stitch' enhancements to the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) Interstate-35 expansion project, something Vela has been a strong advocate for. They will talk about how that project may be funded, especially considering a more than $100 million federal grant is in jeopardy. The city of Austin is also facing mounting financial pressure as President Donald Trump's federal administration looks to make cuts that could impact our city. RELATED: Inside Austin's Agenda: What to expect from city council in 2025 Inside Austin's Agenda is live every other Wednesday at 3 p.m. Watch this episode and every other at the top of this article, and on Facebook, and YouTube. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
