Austin, TX

A look inside Austin City Council’s climate investment plan, city manager search & more

Published

2 years ago

February 15, 2024

A look inside Austin City Council’s climate investment plan, city manager search & more

Editor’s note: City Hall Insider is a roundup of items the Austin City Council is set to vote on, other local government news and an inside look at my reporting process. This story will be updated following action from the Austin City Council.

Shortly after I moved to Texas, I heard several horror stories about the fallout from the two severe winter storms that battered the Austin area in 2021 and 2023.

I received several tips from friends and family members: make sure you have extra bottled-water on hand, buy an extra charger for your car and, most of all, make sure you have everything you need before February, because February is the month when things gets bad and you might just lose power and/or water.

But, so far, it would seem, mother nature has blessed Central Texas will a rather mild, and often pleasant, February and 2024 winter season. I’m no meteorologist, but I certainly breathed a sigh of relief after January’s winter weather event left me with only a few frozen pipes — power and water services full intact, as it seemed to be for most of the city.

But the cautionary climate tales I heard weren’t just restricted to winter weather.

I experienced in my first summer here the extreme heat (the one that broke records here last summer with several consecutive days above 105 degrees), saw the wildfires sweeping through the city and county, and droughts across the region.

These severe climate related events aren’t news to the city and council members. In 2019, the Austin City Council declared a climate emergency and an accelerated timeline to meet the city’s climate goals. Long-term plans to meet these goals were approved both before and after this declaration.

But some City Council members feel the implementation of these goals are not coming fast enough, and are seeking to create an investment plan to help the city meet these goals and identify how much it will cost to do so.

The first step of that will be up for vote at today’s City Council meeting, along with more than 40 other agenda items, including the approval of the city’s $2 million contribution to a mental health diversion center pilot program.

Another bit of Austin City Hall news these past two weeks came from an unlikely source: Bozeman, Montana. (If you know, you know. We’ll get into that more later).

A roadmap to implement climate goals

The City Council has in the past approved several detailed plans to address climate issues. Maybe you remember hearing about Water Forward, the city’s century long water resiliency plan, or the Austin Climate Equity Plan, the city’s goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

“We have done a lot as a city in terms of making plans and setting goals, but we have found that we are falling short of too many of those goals,” Council Member Ryan Alter told me.

Alter and other council members have co-sponsored a resolution up for vote today that, among other things, would direct city staff to determine the investments needed to fulfill goals outlined in several city-approved plans like Water Forward and the Austin Climate Equity Plan.

It also requests the city and Joint Sustainability Committee take public feedback on potential climate related investments.

“I think of it as building a menu,” Alter said. “Here are the types of investments you need to make to reach our goals, here are the various ways you pay for it.”

The resolution would not approve the allocation of any funding, but would serve as a roadmap for future investments that could come before the City Council and, potentially, Austin voters. The resolution draft cites the possibility of a 2024 bond election as one of the ways to secure funding. (Bond referendums allow voters to approve or reject financing for capital improvement projects.)

There are several other funding mechanisms that will be evaluated as potential sources to complete these goals, like utility rates and fees, general fund expenditures and grants. There is also an emphasis in the draft resolution on maximizing potential tax credits available through the Inflation Reduction Act.

“We have to start taking bold action right now to meet our climate goals, because climate change is here and it’s only going to get worse,” Alter said.

Mental Health Diversion Center

In January, my colleague Skye Seipp reported on Travis County’s pilot program for a Mental Health Diversion Center that would give low-level criminal offenders with unmet mental health needs the option of receiving treatment instead of jail.

More: Travis County set to begin pilot program of mental health diversion center in coming weeks

The Travis County Commissioners Court approved the creation of the mental health diversion center last March. The pilot will serve as a trial run for the types of programs the county could offer when it opens up an actual facility, which could be another 5½ years away, Seipp reported.

Part of the pilot program includes a $2 million contribution from the city of Austin, which will be on the City Council agenda for a vote today. The County is paying $8 million, with another $2 million coming from Central Health.

The pilot program will use Integral Care’s Psychiatric Emergency Services program on Airport Boulevard, according to the recommendation attached to the item, and repurpose Integral Care’s 15th Street crisis residential program, located in a city-owned facility.

There is set to be a total of 25 bed spaces, Robert Kingham, the Downtown Austin Community Court administrator, told the City Council on Tuesday.

During a Tuesday work session, there was a rather robust Q & A session with Kingham and the City Council. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson had several technical questions for Kingham about the pilot program, some of which Kingham did not have answers for on the spot.

I wonder if any of these questions will resurface at today’s meeting or if any amendments will be proposed. Some of the questions very well could have been addressed off the dais before today’s meeting as well.

City manager search

Now folks, I’m not going to sit hear and say no one has ever had a bad day at work and had choice things to say all meant to remain in the veil of confidence. It happens, we’re human. Sometimes you just need to vent, or complain, or scream or whatever.

But, as the leader of any city, getting caught on a hot mic/camera moment not only slamming your colleagues, but also boasting about the possibility of a potential new job while simultaneously calling it “a (expletive) show,” is quite possibly a career-ending storm.

And that might just be the case for the City Manager of Bozeman, Montana.

This past week, I reported on a nearly 20-minute leaked video where the city manager of Bozeman touts that he was contacted by the head-hunting firm, Mosaic Public Partners, leading Austin’s City Manager search about potentially applying for the position.

More: Bozeman city manager slams Austin job, calls city ‘a (expletive) show’ in leaked video

In that video, while also criticizing about his colleagues in Montana, Jeff Mihelich revealed that he was a potential candidate for the city manager position in Austin, and then proceeded slam the city and it’s operations.

He also talked about a potential $475,000 salary for the top-job in Austin, which is much higher than the current interim city manager and past city manager were paid. Whether or not that will be the base salary for the next top-dog in Austin remains to be seen.

City Commissioners in Bozeman requested Mihelich resign in a unanimous vote on Monday, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported. I doubt he is still in the running as a potential candidate for Austin, but, that is well beyond my current purview of knowledge, and Mosaic Public Partners never responded to my request for comment for last week’s story.

All that to be said, the city manager search process is still well underway. Applications for the position just closed this week and the search firm will continue to winnow down candidates.

The city is also requesting public input on what Austinites would like to see in a new city manager, who, if you may have forgotten, is responsible for overseeing the city’s implementation of City Council-approved policy, the hiring of nearly all executive level leaders in the 10th largest city in the country and drafting the annual budget, which clocked in at $5.5 billion last summer.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for following along! I hope you’ll continue reading “City Hall Insider,” published the day of every Austin City Council meeting, which is usually bi-weekly. In the meantime, I will continue my coverage of local government and politics. To share additional tips or insight, email me at emccarthy@statesman.com. You can also find me on X, formerly Twitter, @byEllaMcCarthy.

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Austin, TX

Austin Highlights: Nov 3 To 6 – Food, Music, Arts & More

Published

18 hours ago

November 2, 2025

Press Room

Austin Highlights: Nov 3 To 6 – Food, Music, Arts & More

Last Updated On – 2nd November, 2025

Jump to: Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

The best free and fun events in Austin, November 3 – 6, include Maroon 5 in concert, Oltrf Block Party, and more!

Austin turns up the energy long before the weekend hits, and our Austin picks Nov 3 to 6 2025 round up the can’t-miss events keeping the city buzzing all week. Explore what’s happening this week and keep your weekdays packed with Austin’s signature spirit and creativity.

Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Monday, November 3, 2025

Jesse McCartney in concert

Get to see Jesse McCartney live and hear the latest music from his 2024 EP, All’s Well, and enjoy a thrilling show!

Where: Austin City Limits Live (ACL Live & 3TEN ACL Live), 310 W Willie Nelson Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
When: Monday, November 3, 2025 | 8 pm
How Much: Not stated

Waterloo Wellness: Yoga & Sound

Austin picks Nov 3 to 6 2025 - Waterloo Wellness

Image Credit: Waterloo Greenway FB Page

Start each week with feel-good vibes at Waterloo Wellness: Yoga & Sound. Experience mindful movement in a class that features a different style of yoga each time, perfectly accompanied by live music and healing sound therapy.

All ages and abilities are warmly welcome to join this unique and restorative event!

Where: Moody Amphitheater, Waterloo Park, 500 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78701
When: Monday, November 3, 2025 | 6 pm – 7 pm
How Much: Free

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Tuesday, November 4, 2025

World Ballet Company presents Cinderella

Image credit: World Ballet Company

Step into the magical world of Cinderella, live on stage, for one of the most enchanting Austin picks Nov 3 to 6 2025!

The World Ballet Company brings this beloved fairy tale to life in a spectacular Broadway-style production that delights all ages, flawlessly blending humor, romance, and the timeless majesty of classical ballet.

This dazzling show features a cast of 40 international dancers, over 150 radiant hand-sewn costumes, exquisite hand-crafted sets, and captivating choreography by Marina Kesler.

Every moment is filled with charm and wonder, from the mischievous evil stepsisters to the breathtaking ballroom scenes, promising you an unforgettable journey of magic, beauty, and “happily ever after.” Just remember what happens when the clock strikes midnight!

Where: Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin, TX 78712
When: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 | 7 pm
How Much: Starts at $46.80

Maroon 5 in concert

Pop-rock band Maroon 5 is coming to Austin to perform in support of their brand new album, Love is Like. Get ready for a high-energy show as the band plays hits from their new release and their beloved catalog.

Where: Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin, TX 78712
When: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 | 8 pm
How Much: Starts at $64

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Wednesday, November 5, 2025

The 50th Annual Garage & Estate Sale Preview Party

Image Credit: The Settlement Home for Children Foster and Adoption Program FB Page

Get ready for an incredible shopping opportunity at the 50th Annual Garage & Estate Sale! The Settlement Home for Children’s massive annual sale gives you the chance to purchase thousands of items at bargain prices.

You’ll find a massive selection ranging from jewelry, tools, and vintage collectibles to children’s clothing. The festivities will begin with a special preview party on November 5th, before the public days run from November 7th through 9th.

Where: Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78704
When: Wednesday, November 5 – 9, 2025 | 7 pm
How Much: Free to $25

Oltorf Block Party

Loro is hosting its first-ever Oltorf Block Party, a community-driven, market-style event to celebrate the launch of their new collaboration hat with Mañana Austin’s surf gear and apparel brand.

You can expect a night of good food, great vibes, and awesome giveaways! The party will also feature some of the city’s favorite local brands, one-night-only menu collaborations, exclusive giveaways, and live music.

Where: Loro Asian Smokehouse and Bar, 2115 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
When: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 | 6 pm – 8 pm
How Much: $38

Texas Theatre and Dance presents Cabaret

Step into the vibrant and tumultuous world of 1930s Berlin with Texas Theatre and Dance’s presentation of Cabaret.

Watch as a young American writer arrives in the city and immediately falls for the English singer Sally Bowles. Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider, the boarding house owner, tentatively begins a romance with Herr Schultz, a mild-mannered Jewish fruit seller.

The iconic production features unforgettable musical numbers like “Willkommen,” “Cabaret,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” and “Two Ladies.”

Where: B. Iden Payne Theatre, 300 E 23rd St, Austin, TX 78712
When: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 | 7:30 pm
How Much: Starts at $10

Free and Fun Events in Austin this Thursday, November 6, 2025

Out of Bounds Comedy Festival

Image Credit: Out of Bounds Comedy Festival FB Page

Get ready to laugh non-stop at the beloved, Austin-grown Out of Bounds Comedy Festival (OOB), one of the best Austin picks Nov 3 to 6 2025!

After a six-year hiatus, the festival is back, featuring a packed schedule of hilarity. You can look forward to seeing incredible performances by talented local Austin acts and troupes from around the country.

Plus, the festival will also bring in special guest Dropout.TV all-stars including Ify Nwadiwe, Kimia Behpoornia, and Ross Bryant!

Where: Various locations in Austin
When: Thursday, November 6 – 9, 2025
How Much: Varies

Austin Polish Film Festival

You are invited to the Austin Polish Film Festival (APFF)! Over the years, this event has contributed to the vibrant Austin film scene by screening over 400 films and hosting numerous filmmakers.

This year’s festival will present a diverse and carefully selected lineup from among the latest award-winning features, documentaries, and animations. This unique platform gives Polish filmmakers a fantastic opportunity to share their work with a diverse audience.

Where: AFS Cinema, 6259 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752
When: Thursday, November 6 – 9, 2025
How Much: Free – $120

Much Ado About Nothing

After years of war, you can step into an idyllic Italian town that is finally back in bloom for this performance.

Watch as the young lovers Claudio and Hero, along with the sparring singletons Beatrice and Benedick, discover that all is not as it seems in their beautiful surroundings. This classic comedy entangles them all in a series of mischievous games, pranks, and cunning plots.

Where: Mary Moody Northen Theatre, 3001 S Congress Ave Building THAR, Austin, TX 78704
When: Thursday, November 6 – 16, 2025
How Much: $15 – $28

Don’t let the weekdays have all the fun. Discover more Austin weekend events, food festivals, and free happenings here.

Lacey is a freelancer and Austin local who’s always on the hunt for new restaurants to try, fun activities to do, and local events to attend. She loves sharing her discoveries with others through her writing and hopes her work encourages both visitors and locals to be active in the community. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring one of the city’s many hiking trails with her Blue Heeler, Oreo, getting lost in a good book, or dancing the night away to some house or techno beats at one of her favorite rave spots.

Austin, TX

Inaugural TX Honky Tonk Fest pays ode to two-stepping resurgence

Published

2 days ago

October 31, 2025

Press Room

Inaugural TX Honky Tonk Fest pays ode to two-stepping resurgence

Honky tonks are dance halls common in Texas, where men and women come to dance, drink, and socialize. They dance the two step on a large wooden dance floor to country and Western music, sometimes played by a band.

Neville Elder/Corbis via Getty Images

As the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is home to a whole host of venues, musicians and music lovers who flood bars and dance halls each night of the week to seek community and reprieve. Among them are the mix of newer and legendary honky-tonk venues that have ushered in seasoned dancers and newcomers to the craft of a little thing Texans like to call the two-step.

It’s a legacy that has seen revitalization and resurgence in recent years, both within Austin and beyond the Lone Star State. As country music reaches new heights of popularity and is capitalized all the more by cross-genre music icons like Houston’s Beyoncé, with it comes a renewed appetite for all things honky-tonk — and that’s something Austinites are looking to commemorate at Austin Monthly’s Honky Tonk Fest.

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Austin Monthly announced the creation of the festival in early September, noting it as “a love letter to the culture that has taken over nightlife in Austin and beyond.” Seasoned two-steppers and newer fans of the honky-tonk scene will gather at Jester King Brewery on Saturday, November 8, where the festival will spotlight nine artists across two different stages as well as feature two-stepping lessons, art, fashion, food vendors and other amenities.

For Bryan C. Parker, executive editor at Austin Monthly and the festival’s creator, he said he was inspired by the influx of newer honky-tonk venues and dance halls in recent years — like White Horse and Sagebrush — as well as offering an ode to legacy institutions like Sam’s Town Point and The Little Longhorn Saloon. At the heart of those venues, and honky-tonk culture at large, he said, is a communal spirit. But, he added, it wasn’t until he did a cover story on honky-tonk culture for Austin Monthly earlier this year that he really found himself inundated within, and mentally fixated on, the enduring legacy of that culture.

The band Mrs. Glass from Austin, Texas perform at the White Horse during 2012 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival on March 16, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

“I’ve lived in Austin for 24 years, but after I did that deep dive to report that story, I just couldn’t stop thinking about [Austin’s honky-tonk community],” he told MySA. “I found myself going out more — dancing and hanging out — and the bands are so good, and that fascination and love has kind of lingered, and I wanted to do something to celebrate that. So that’s how Honky Tonk Fest was born.”

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Within that communal scene is a cross-generational and cross-cultural reach, where 20-somethings who might be newer to the dance form link hands and partner with seasoned dancers decades older than them. That sense of welcoming is something he said has helped broadened the reach of honky-tonk venues and two-stepping.

“I feel like Austin is a place that embraces all kinds of people, and that is true of these honky-tonks as well,” Parker said. “You’ll see people that look like hipsters at the club, but you’ll see people that look like cowboys at the club — you know, tried and true cowboys. It’s truly a place where everyone feels welcome.”

Debra Watson dances with Shaan Shirazi to the music of James Intveld at the Little Longhorn Saloon on Sunday February 19, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Sunday at the bar features bingo centering on chicken droppings.

The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im

Part of that welcoming effort is reflected in Honky Tonk Fest’s music line up, which features Austin’s Aaron McDonnell & the Neon Eagles and Chaparelle, join the likes of Nashville’s Emily Nenni and New York’s Honky Tonkin’ in Queens. That eclectic mix of artists across the country is indicative of the cultural currency Texas’ music and dance scene has had nationally, with Parker referring to the Lone Star State as a “cultural taste maker.”

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And, if you happen to be a honky-tonk newcomer coming out on November 8? Parker’s biggest encouragement is that while this festival is a one-day event, you can find quality live music, dance lessons and communities in venues across Austin year-round.

“When you come to Austin, I think you find something that feels like it’s grassroots: It’s ground up, and it’s really driven by the people who are here and working here, and especially live music,” he said. “We love DJ sets and having fun, and obviously we’re bringing DJs in for the festival. But in Austin, everything comes back to and is driven by live music. And the amount of talent we have in our live music every night of the week is pretty astonishing.”

Austin Monthly’s Honky Tonk Fest runs on Saturday, November 8, from 1 to 11 p.m. at Jester King Brewery,

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Find it: 13187 Fitzhugh Road, Austin, TX 78736

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Austin, TX

Austin woman honored for decades of kindness and service

Published

3 days ago

October 31, 2025

Press Room

Austin woman honored for decades of kindness and service

Austin, TX — For 39 years, Gabriela Olivares has been showing up for others, in her classroom, her church, and her community.

Now, her friends are returning the favor with a Cash for Kindness surprise. Nominated by her friend Patricia González-Villaseñor, Gabriela is known as the person who always puts others first. She’s the one organizing birthday get-togethers, checking in after a loss, and driving hours to support a friend, all without expecting anything in return. In her nomination letter, Patricia wrote in part, “Gabriela is a great friend and human. There are not enough words to describe how incredibly kind and selfless she is. She is the kind of friend everyone wishes they had, always thinking of others, always showing up without expecting anything in return.”

She added, “Her generosity knows no limits, and she lead with such humility that it’s easy to overlook just how much effort and love she puts into everything she does. She makes this world brighter simply by being in it, and everyone who knows her is lucky to call her a friend. She is a beautiful soul and a great individual.”

Her kindness extends beyond her circle of friends. Gabriela recently planned a recognition dinner for nearly 100 church volunteers, coordinating, decorating, and even funding the event herself.

After decades of giving, her friends decided it was her turn to be celebrated. During a birthday celebration at El Mercado Restaurant on Burnet Road, CBS Austin’s Allison Miller surprised Gabriela with $500 from Air & Plumbing Today, to thank her for the countless ways she’s made life brighter for others.

“I just love helping people, that’s what makes me happy,” Gabriela said.

Through Cash for Kindness, CBS Austin honors Central Texans who go above and beyond to make a difference.

If you know someone trying to make our world a little brighter in our Central Texas community, you can nominate them for our Cash For Kindness spotlight. Each winner will receive a $500 Amex Gift Card provided by Air & Plumbing Today and will be featured in an upcoming ‘Cash For Kindness’ segment. Click HERE for the form.