Autonomous vehicle company Cruise issues recall, cuts contract workers "Autonomous vehicle company Cruise has recalled part of its self-driving vehicle software and cut contract workers amid efforts by the company to 'rebuild public trust' following a high-profile incident in California that involved a Cruise vehicle dragging a pedestrian. The moves come just weeks after Cruise announced it would proactively pause driverless testing of its vehicles nationwide, including in Austin." (Kara Carlson, Austin American-Statesman)
Texas power grid watchdog steps down after clash with ERCOT officials "The independent market monitor for the Texas power grid is stepping down after clashing with officials over what she called 'artificially' inflated energy prices. Carrie Bivens has served as a kind of third-party auditor for the Texas energy market since 2020. Her departure is sure to increase speculation that ERCOT and other state officials want to curtail the powers of the market monitor." (Mose Buchele, KUT 90.50)
Terra Office Tower Project Raising the Bar for Design at the Domain "A 21-story office project with design work from one of the city’s most well-known architecture firms could bring a signature tower to the master-planned Domain Northside shopping center in North Austin, a part of town that could use more iconic tower designs as its increasing heights seek the status of Austin’s 'second downtown.' (James Rambin, Towers)
City development programs face rollback following Austinites' legal challenge "Several of Austin's newest affordable housing development programs may soon be voided through a pending decision from a Travis County judge, following residents' legal action over how the city carried out the changes." (Ben Thompson, Community Impact)
Nate Paul, Austin investor tied to AG Paxton, facing 4 additional federal charges "Nate Paul, the Austin real estate investor at the center of the Ken Paxton impeachment, now faces new federal charges in addition to the eight he was charged with over the summer. Federal prosecutors charged Paul, 36, with four new counts related to wire fraud, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice." (Abigail Jones, David Barer, KXAN-NBC)
WeWork intends to maintain all Austin offices following bankruptcy filing "WeWork Inc. looks to remain the top coworking firm in the Austin metro following its Nov. 6 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. As part of the filing, WeWork is requesting the ability to reject the leases of certain locations that the company called 'largely non-operational,' ... A second filing on Nov. 7 that listed leases WeWork planned to reject did not include any of leases that the company holds in Austin." (Cody Baird, Austin Business Journal)
