The weekend thunderstorms that provided the best light show Austin's seen in weeks, not to mention relief from this spring's early heat, also caused some expensive destruction. more ›

This post is by new news writer Chris Galis. - ed. Austin Energy will be hosting the second of a series of four public meetings regarding the proposed 13% rate hike set to take effect next year. In an effort to appeal to public opinion and engender public knowledge of why the rate hikes are occurring and what they are designed to fund, Austin Energy and the City’s Electric Utility Commission (EUC) have laid out a comprehensive Public Review Process. more ›

Earlier this week, Austin Energy announced the locations of the 103 plug-in charging stations available for electric vehicles. The Level 2 (220/240 volts) Plug-In EVerywhere charging stations are geographically distributed throughout all parts of Austin. more ›

• Mubarak PM resigns
• Pakistan trial delayed for CIA contractor
• Gaddafi using foreign child-soldiers in his fight against pro-democracy rebels

2009 was a great year for the City of Austin's green energy initiatives. Monday, Austin Energy issued a release stating that in the past year--and for the past eight years--Austin has led the nation in voluntary renewable energy sales (according to rankings by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory). more ›

As summer storm season approaches, you can now track local power outages online with the Austin Energy Storm Center. more ›

Happy Earth Day! more ›

Austin Energy has proposed a plan to create what could become the country's largest solar power facility, producing 30 megawatts annually. The facility would be constructed and owned by Gemini Solar and located along Blake Manor Road northeast of Austin on land already owned by Austin Energy. more ›

AE is hosting a town hall meeting tonight at City Hall, which you can participate in via their live online broadcast. You can also submit questions by calling in (512-974-5597). The meeting will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. more ›

The AltCar Expo and Conference, taking place at Palmer Events Center today and tomorrow, is being touted as the region's "largest collection of alternative fuel vehicles and technologies," with over one hundred autos to be showcased. Alternative fuel vehicles are everything from electric cars and trucks (considered "zero emission," electricity generation notwithstanding) to those powered by natural gas, propane, biodiesel and ethanol. more ›

Austin is about to incur a hefty carbon footprint as SXSW kicks off, but thanks to the folks at MakeMeSustainable (MMS), people have an opportunity to walk the sustainability talk. The 'Interactive Carbon Tree' was designed specifically for SXSW in an effort to mobilize attendees at the conference to reduce their collective carbon impact. Check it out here: http://makemesustainable.com/sxsw more ›

I wonder: why wouldn’t the APD drug cop and the data miner want the world to know what they’re up to? They’re heroes, after all! Cleansing our streets of the dreaded indoor weed farmer. They should be proud. They're like The Punisher and Microchip. more ›

After being closed to new subscribers for a period of time, Austin Energy's GreenChoice program is extending its green arms for Austinites far and wide. Claiming to be the nation's most successful utility-sponsored green power program, GreenChoice is an opportunity to walk the sustainability talk. more ›

Vandals are smashing SUV rear windows around town and not stealing anything. Austin Energy's fuel charge goes up in January. Trinity U. school officials discover multiple firearms in a student's dorm room after the student checks out for winter break. more ›

Photo by mirsasha on flickr In June an APD officer sped 139 miles/hour through a funeral procession on Mopac; he resigned in November. Ford recalling over a million trucks and SUVs because of a faulty engine sensor. The Austin Energy Alt-Car Expo is coming next October. Texas Legislative Conference (who?) names Lt. Gov. Dewhurst as Texan of the Year. New state law set to go into effect January 1 charges $5 per each strip club... more ›

Photo by hamron on flickr Austin City Council is pretty much ready to sign a contract setting up red-light cameras at 15 intersections (to start with). Big Brother - er, APD - is watching your energy usage. And Austin Energy is cool with that! Southeast Austin standoff this morning ends with cop shooting the suspect. Round Rock police on the lookout for a suspected stalker. Local company under Neil Bush (Dubya's bro) is being investigated... more ›

Providing incentives for hybrids and investing in renewable technology are just a few of the environmental issues highlighted by U.S House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who spoke at City Hall yesterday. Speaking of her "New Direction Congress", she stood with U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, city council members, and Austin Energy head Roger Duncan to highlight Austin's leadership in finding alternative energy sources and reducing energy consumptions. According to the Statesman: "The boast of a clean energy... more ›

City Manager Toby Futrell announced a couple days ago that she will be retiring in May 2008. Ms. Futrell has served as city manager since 2001. She had been expected to retire sometime next year, since the city council recently approved a pretty sweet retirement package for her. Futrell has worked for the city since 1976; her current annual salary is $240,600, and the retirement package ensures her $167,000 per year. During her service... more ›

While the final figures are just now coming out, last week already seems like a distant memory. Estimated amount, in cubic yards, of sanding material used to clear street locations: 1,349 Austin Energy customers who experienced a power outage: 35,000 Water mains repaired by Austin Water Utility: 16 Calls to EMS dispatchers and Austin Fire Department: 2,133 Calls to 311: 11,370 Collisions reported to the Austin Police Department: 599 Estimated number of canceled flights... more ›

We'll update this post as things develop. 11am - Tuesday, January 16th Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst are sworn in indoors, under the inaugural theme, "Texas: Imagine the Possibilities." The requisite downtown parade has been canceled because, well, there's no one there. Firewood vendors are making a killing CapMetro: UT Shuttles, AISD Magnet Routes, 'Dillo routes are closed The Travis County Commissioners Court meeting has been postponed As of 9:30am, approximately 570... more ›

If you didn't already have the day off of work or school courtesy Martin Luther King, Jr, you probably do now courtesy Mother Nature (or the rapture, your choice). Even the MLK parade is canceled! Austin roads are wet and slippery, the temperatures are dropping, and everything is going to get worse before it gets better. If you absolutely can't stay home today, please take a minute and familiarize yourself with the Emergency Conditions... more ›

Having suckled at the teet of local residents more than adequately this year, Austin Energy's spitting out a little back next year. more ›

Our own Austin Energy will snip the ribbon to their newest, most greenest power plant on Tuesday. Christened the Mueller Energy Center, part of the gigantic Mueller redevelopment project, the design and function of the building sports some pretty radical new fuel-saving developments. Utilizing the best technology available, the capabilities of this project point down exciting new avenues in energy conservation. Then again, this is what people have come to expect from Austin. This... more ›

Power lines versus trees: it's an epic Austin battle. The current solution (hacking 'em back) is less than superb; urban trees are one of the things that makes Austin great, plus they probably help combat the heat island effect (admittedly, we are not scientists). In hopes of finding a more elegant solution, Austin Energy has opened a competition to colleges and universities to find a better way to integrate power lines in urban areas... more ›

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Austin Energy are hosting a 1-day Green by Design Workshop on November 4, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It's a short program, aimed at current or future homeowners, that provides information about how to make your home as green as possible. Space is limited - sign up now! more ›

Tuesday night (August 1) is National Night Out, a nationwide activity that aims to promote safety awareness in neighborhoods. You can register with the City of Austin to participate. more ›

The Task Force appointed by City Council to suggest new zoning regulations for the suburbs near downtown will present its suggestions to the Planning Commission tonight at 6:30 P.M. in the Assembly Room (1st floor) of Town Lake Center (Austin Energy), 721 Barton Springs Road. They'll present them to City Council on Thursday, May 25, 2006 at 6:00 P.M. at the Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, 301 W. 2nd Street. The suggested zoning restrictions would allow for the larger of a 2,300-square-foot home or a home whose square footage is 40 percent of the lot size. more ›

Lowe's home improvement store, which opened on Brodie Lane in January, is being honored by the U.S. Green Building Council and Austin Energy's Green Building Program, for "setting new standards in energy-conscious and environmentally conscious building design." We're not sure exactly what this means. What new standard are they setting? How does this new standard relate to the existing LEED standards that the U.S. Green Building Council has already set? Has the building complied with the LEED standards and been given some level of LEED certification or has it merely met this "new standard"? How come "energy-conscious" gets a hyphen and "environmentally conscious" doesn't? more ›

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The storms that slammed Austin last night cut a sizeable swath of destruction, uprooting trees, flooding major streets (we might as well have been swimming down South Lamar last night) and knocking out power across the city. The Statesman reports that roughly 17,000 customers remain without electricity as of 10am on Friday, with KXAN quoting Austin Energy saying that repairs may take up into nighttime. The Austin-Travis County Emergency Conditions Information Page lists several schools closed owing to the power outage, and the following roads remain closed: