New Fleet of UT Shuttles to Help Maintain Air Quality in a Growing City

bySwathi Narayanan

The new buses are getting good reviews for updated amenities, and they also play a part in a regional effort to control smog pollution despite rapid population growth.

Austin Gives Music On Hold a Novel Spin

byTravis Putnam Hill

Playing local music while callers are on hold with the city was intended to promote Austin performers. But even the bands on the playlist are in the dark about the program.

Effective Parenting Program Aims to Reduce Truancy in Travis County

bySwathi Narayanan

College friends Grady Paris and Yvonne Williams teamed up to create the workshop that aims to helps truant youth stay in school and their parents avoid possible criminal penalties.

As East Austin Changes, The Villager Perseveres as a Voice for African-Americans

byDestinee Harrison

‘Austin has changed a lot,’ publisher Tommy Wyatt said. ‘They moved all the black folks out. But this hasn’t affected our readership.’

UT Researchers Use Laser Light to Fight Depression, Anxiety

byKate Thackrey

A student’s sharp eye leads to a non-invasive technique for dealing with mood disorders.

Where There’s a Wheel, There’s a Way

byAnna Casey

Jimmy Agnew of Austin uses the unicycle to teach kids life skills.

Austin Food Stylists Are Skilled at Making Dishes Ready for Their Close-Ups

byTravis Putnam Hill

Food stylists play an important but often unrecognized role in food advertising. Great taste does not translate easily to photographs. Many foods wilt or crumble from the handling and time required to capture just the right shot. Food stylists employ equal parts visual artistry, culinary craft and trickery to make food look good for the camera.

At Brunches and Happy Hours, Black Gays Discover Camaraderie in Austin

byBrianna Walker

Beyond Brothas organizes events where black gay men can find a sense of community. Membership has grown to about 75 in just over a year.

With One Tragic Exception, All UT Missing Persons Have Been Found Quickly

bySamantha Ketterer

Almost every missing person case on campus involved students who had failed to tell their roommates or friends that they would be staying elsewhere overnight, according to the UT Police Department.

Austin Choir Brings Serenity to People at the End of Their Lives

byDestinee Reyes

Members of the Austin Threshold Choir send female choirs to sing to people who are dying.

For Ride-Hailing Companies, College Students Are a Rich Pool for Drivers

byAustin Hamby

The students become part of the so-called “gig economy,” in which people are free agents working under contract.

Better Than Bud? Home Brewing Is Growing in Austin and Nationwide

byDestinee Reyes

It can take weeks to make a batch. But for amateur brewers, nothing is as good as the beer they make at home.

UT Campus Call Boxes Are Rarely Used to Report Dangerous Situations

byMiranda Mason

The University of Texas campus has 172 call boxes so people can call for help in an emergency. But in most cases, police responding to the calls find no one there.

Petitions Draw Attention to UT Area Homeless

byDavid Glickman

Haruka Weiser’s killing has given fresh currency to a six-month-old petition to discourage homeless people from congregating near campus, with signatures going past 2,800. But a counter-petition in defense of the homeless has collected 1,880 signatures.

Austin Restaurants Are at Forefront of No-Tipping Movement

byCate Malek

Jam Sanitchat is one of a small but growing group of restaurant owners who believe tipping leads to low, unstable wages for workers and causes unnecessary guesswork for customers.

For Gay Spouses, the First Tax Season Together Is Cause for Celebration

byDestinee Harrison

Same-sex couples who married after Supreme Court’s landmark ruling last summer look forward to enjoying the economic advantages of matrimony.

Austin Catholic Diocese Steps Up Efforts to Retain Hispanics

bySamantha Ketterer

Austin’s Catholic churches, facing the loss of Hispanic parishioners, are stepping up efforts to retain and attract members of an ethnic group that makes up 40 percent of the Texas population and is growing year by year.

Austin Blades Gives Disabled Children Full-Contact Hockey Experience

byMegan Mikaelian

The team is something of a rarity, helping disabled children play full-contact hockey.

The First All-Female Rasslin’ League in Texas Is Getting Ready to Perform

byEmily Gibson

“We are getting as weird as we want and not worrying about what is acceptable,” a co-founder says.

Finding Feminine Products Often Frustrates Homeless Women

byFaria Akram

Nonprofits rely mainly on donations to fill a need that many consider a taboo topic.