Author: Laurie Lyons-Makaimoku

As the colder days make way for the gorgeous weather that Austin is known for, it’s time for Austinites to get outside and enjoy their green spaces.

Austin may top a variety of lists, making it a shining beacon to many newcomers, but a new list was just released where Austin fell woefully low.

And now in “how has this not happened already” news, the Austin Transportation Department will be rolling out a new pay to park app later this month.

It’s almost time for Austinites to speak up about a big transportation project coming up. Capital Metro has $22 million to spend on the overhaul of MetroRail’s downtown station, and city staff will soon begin gathering public input on the station’s future, according to Austin Business Journal.

Deep Eddy Vodka made big news last year when it was bought out by Kentucky company Heaven Hill Brands last year; luckily for Central Texas vodka lovers, its operations, along with 95 employees, remain in the Austin area.

A study commissioned by Austin Music People revealing that Austin lost 1,200 jobs in the music industry since 2010 has recently opened many people’s eyes to the plight of the musician in the Live Music Capital of the World, and Mayor Steve Adler is ready to do something about it.

Breakthrough Austin is now able to help more students in and around Austin reach their college goals, thanks to a matching donation of $1 million from former Freescale Semiconductor Ltd. CEO Gregg Lowe and his wife Diana.

He’s been compared to everyone from Kevin from “The Office” to Grandpa from “The Munsters,” but Ted Cruz corollaries have recently taken a bit of a darker turn, thanks to Austinite Tim Faust.

Thanks to a recent report by the U.S. Forestry Service assessing the species, condition, and location of Austin’s nearly 7.4 million urban trees, the city has created a new forestry leadership team, a Justice League for Trees if you will.

The days to SXSW are quickly counting down, and for most, this festival of entertainment and endurance is no laughing matter; except for those who are involved with and attending the comedy portion of the festival, a segment that is growing more and more each year.

Austin’s own vegan ice cream parlor is making big moves; Sweet Ritual, Austin's artisanal vegan ice cream purveyor, is leaving their cozy home at the Duval Juiceland location for brand new digs all their own on Airport Blvd.

Thanks to a variety of factors including funding and the time that it takes to send a cadet through training, many of the police forces in Central Texas are lagging behind in recruits as the area’s population explodes.

Near the time that would have been her 80th birthday, a new exhibit opened this week at the Texas State Capitol, chronicling the life of Austin politician Barbara Jordan.

At a time when Austin is becoming more and more of a foodie town, Austin Independent School District is stepping up to improve upon school lunches.

While a package of Chips Ahoy from HEB may be the convenient route to choose when you’re having a chocolate craving, Austin is home to lots of great options for fresh-baked desserts, particularly the humble chocolate chip cookie.

Get to know thy enemy, and you may just make it out of cedar season alive.

The man bun is on its way out, but Movember reminds us that whiskers are forever.

The ridiculous amount of fun that Fun Fun Fun Fest offers when it hits the shores of Lady Bird Lake...

Did you procrastinate on your costume this year? Get ready for Austin's world-famous Halloween celebration with one of these locally flavored getups!