Austin Signal

August 13, 2026

Two Austin schools receive fifth failing ratings, opening door to state takeover

Two struggling Austin middle schools have received a fifth consecutive failing accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency, opening the door to a state takeover of all the schools in the district. Houston ISD, the biggest school district in Texas, has been under state mandate for a few years. How it’s going so far. The […]

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August 12, 2026

Could Austin land an NHL franchise?

The city of Austin is nearing decision time on its upcoming fiscal budget. The first draft called for cuts to public health programs, parks and other services. The City Council has spent weeks shaping the version that’ll soon be approved. Proponents of data centers say they can be a boon to the areas they’re built […]

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August 11, 2026

Summer rains replenished Jacob’s Well — for a few weeks

UT Austin is implementing some new rules for getting around on campus ahead of the new school year, but the changes aren’t impacting every set of wheels. An update on the ongoing negotiations affecting CapMetro bus drivers and transit workers. The Austin school district is facing the looming threat of a state takeover because of […]

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August 10, 2026

How to get the best view of the Perseid meteor shower in Austin this week

Austin ISD classes start next week, and after announcing a change in how students will be shuffled to and from campuses, the district has backtracked on bus hubs for middle schoolers. The proposed development of Dog’s Head in Southeast Austin continues to move forward, despite what some feel is a lack of public input. That’s […]

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August 7, 2026

How Austin became obsessed with being weird

Gov. Greg Abbott is pitching the idea of eliminating what he calls “city monopolies” on providing electricity, a plan focused in part on Austin Energy. He claims a move like this could lower customer rates, but how has deregulation played out in other parts of the state? “Austinhenge” this weekend is a darn good chance […]

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August 6, 2026

UT Austin officials say new mobility plan is coming as cyclists worry about potential bike ban

Changes are coming to where people can and cannot ride electric bikes and scooters on the UT Austin campus. An invasive aquatic plant is expressing itself in some local waterways after it was essentially eradicated close to a decade ago. An annual movie festival all about the intersection of film and music is, for the […]

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August 5, 2026

Competing interests for the Dog’s Head development

We’ve been learning a lot about the Dog’s Head development over the past months, including the future plans a developer would like to see there; how little neighbors knew about the idea as it picked up steam; and the competing interests curious about the project. How those sides sought support from the city. What are […]

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August 4, 2026

Austin’s Bikeshare program set to return

CapMetro’s system of electric-assisted bicycles will soon be back on Austin’s roadways — but it will be returning in phases, starting small. We’ll have the latest on Austin’s Bikeshare and the fire that hindered service. We’re a couple weeks removed from the World Cup, but FIFA, the organization behind the tournament, has remained in the […]

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