Churches Offer Sanctuary to Immigrants Fearing Deportation

byDani Neuharth-Keusch

Since Donald Trump was elected president, churches in growing numbers are joining a new sanctuary movement to house immigrants in jeopardy of being deported.

Travis EMS Community Outreach Program Helps Reduce 911 Calls

byTaylor Jackson Buchanan

Team reaches out to the homeless and the home-bound, to provide care and reduce reliance on expensive emergency room visits.

Public TV, Radio Stations Bracing for Possible Loss of Federal Support

byKaulie Lewis

Local radio stations KLRU and KUT raise concerns over President Trump’s plans to cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Syringe Exchange for Drug Users Hopes to Emerge From the Shadows

byMolly Smith

The Austin Harm Reduction Coalition operates a clandestine syringe exchange while trying to convince legislators to lift legal sanctions on the practice. The coalition argues that would protect users’ health and save the state money.

Grasshopper, Cricket Enthusiasts Seeking Adventurous Palates

byShelby Knowles

Area foodies and farmers are hopping, er, hoping that grasshoppers catch on in Austin as a cheap, sustainable food option.

Shamanism Finds New Followers in the Modern World

byQiling Wang

The search for spiritual fulflllment has led some people to an updated version of an ancient practice.

Austin Backyard Becomes a Haven for UFO Searchers

byQiling Wang

Scientists dismiss UFOs as fantasies. But one Austin group meets regularly to scan the skies for spaceships from outer space.

No-Frills ‘Green Burials’ Offer New Way to Go to the Great Hereafter

byMolly Smith

A movement to promote burials that allow bodies to decompose naturally is being led by women who hope to change the conversation surrounding death and death care.

Austin Nurse Finds a Calling in Medical Relief Missions to Haiti

byBetty Arreola

Hurricane Katrina inspired April Watkins to become a nurse. An earthquake in Haiti spurred her to start annual trips to help the rural poor there.

Firearms Fashion Brings Women Together

byDagney Pruner

At female gun clubs in Central Texas, women share an interest in self-protection with style: Custom-colored guns and holsters adapted for women’s bodies are growing in popularity.

Central Texans with Mideast Roots Help Refugees Build New Lives in Austin

bySwathi Narayanan

Several groups are helping the newcomers find welcome and help in an unfamiliar city.

Grocer’s Son, Then Doctor, Now Major Donor to UT’s New Medical School

byQiling Wang

Mitchel Wong has prospered as an eye doctor, rancher and real estate investor. His $20 million donation will create a new institute at Dell Medical.

High School Counselors Help Students Find a Path to College or Careers

byLynda Gonzalez

High schools are under pressure to get more graduates into college. College and career centers at each campus help students navigate the process.

Blanket Criminal History Policies Create a Rental Hurdle for Thousands

byTravis Putnam Hill

Some landlords’ policies reject tenants for long-ago or minor crimes, even for arrests that never led to convictions. Landlords are beginning to consider changes.

Trump Piñatas Gain Popularity as Anger Soars

byJackson Prewitt

In an anger-filled campaign season, some people are finding an unusual way to vent their political views — — buying Trump pinatas just to beat them up.

Armed with Apps, Citizen Scientists Track Animal Populations

bySwathi Narayanan

At the Wild Basin Preserve, members of the public track birds with mobile apps, helping collect information for wildlife biologists.

UT-Austin Remains Short of Black Faculty Members

byDestinee Harrison

Only 3.6 percent of UT-Austin professors are black, while 77.3 percent are white – a figure that is high even by Texas standards.

Full Lakes Spell Busy Summer for Sheriff’s Divers

byWes Scarborough

This summer, the team faces two big challenges: a short-staffed dive team and more lake-goers. On top of that, its divers are typically working in cold conditions with little or no visibility.

Tactical Urbanism Is Taking Root in Austin

bySwathi Narayanan

Small-scale projects, from bus-stop benches to spruced-up alleys, are showing a new way to improve urban life.

East Austin Walking Tours Tell the Area’s History Through its Landmarks

bySwathi Narayanan

The initiative, which started last year, comes amid rapid change. As rising property prices and taxes spur long-time residents to move to the suburbs, architecture important to East Austin’s history is being erased.