Austin Signal

April 14, 2026

How is Texas preparing for more data centers?

Though construction of data centers in Texas has garnered plenty of opposition from residents, plans are still moving forward to bring more of these facilities to Central Texas. But just how many? And how soon? Those questions and more were part of a recent hearing held by state leaders. Austin’s parks are a favorite amenity […]

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April 13, 2026

Smokable hemp products legal again in Texas — for now

It’s legal again for Texas businesses to sell smokable forms of hemp. New state rules that went into effect in March had effectively outlawed these sales, while raising fees on the businesses who carry them. We’ll delve into the state of the Texas hemp market. The state board of education gave preliminary approval to a […]

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April 10, 2026

Federal court weighs decision over air conditioning in Texas prisons

Ahead of the coming summer heat, a federal court is considering whether air conditioning should be provided in all Texas prisons. We’ve been following the case that’s been happening in Austin over the past couple of weeks. There are new changes to SNAP, the benefits that help low-income Texans purchase food. That assistance can’t be […]

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April 9, 2026

SAFE Alliance cuts could shutter shelter, programs for abuse victims

The SAFE Alliance is preparing to make millions of dollars in cuts starting this summer. This could include closing a downtown shelter and the end of services that provide additional housing assistance for people leaving abusive situations. After public outcry over the unexpected demolition of former East Austin cafe, Cenote, the developer of the property […]

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April 8, 2026

From headliners to homegrown acts, Moontower Comedy Fest brings the laughs

Over the last year, Texas Republicans enacted regulatory and legal changes, completely altering life for noncitizens in the state. Many of these changes were put forward in the state Legislature, where they failed. Now, these changes are being made a reality outside of the normal legislative processes. We talk with Eleanor Klibanoff, the law and […]

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April 7, 2026

Bigger buildings on the way for industrial projects

Vacancies for industrial buildings in the greater Austin region are near the highest levels of any place in the country. It could be that companies thinking of moving to Austin aren’t finding buildings big enough to accommodate them. Spring fever, oak and mold pollen, and now another strain of coronavirus — all about the latest […]

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April 6, 2026

Hitting the trails at the new Karst Canyon Preserve

Williamson County is making changes to avoid the chaotic scene that unfolded last month on primary Election Day. The new change is going back to the ways things were before the most recent election. We’ll dig into why it happened and how the county is trying to avoid a repeat. The Karst Canyon Preserve is […]

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April 3, 2026

Audit of Austin’s $25 million contract with the Long Center reveals gaps in billing, transparency, oversight

A review of the city of Austin’s $25 million contract with the Long Center to disburse arts grants has exposed gaps in billing, transparency and oversight. City auditors said they raised concerns for years about weaknesses in the monitoring of city contracts. Andrea Ball from the Austin Current has the story. A new program aims […]

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