Raise your hand if you’re sick and tired of feeling like there’s nothing you can do to make a difference in this crazy and chaotic world.
We’ve been there. And it’s exactly why we created this podcast. Hosted by local journalist Amy Stansbury and broadcast out of Austin’s cooperatively-run radio station, KOOP 91.7 FM, The Austin Common Radio Hour actually explains the news and then gives you clear steps for getting involved where it really counts… in your local community.
Austin Common Editor-In-Chief Amy Stansbury sits down with all four candidates running in the 2026 Democratic primary election for Travis County Precinct 2, which is in central/western Travis County. Have no idea what a commissioner even is? Don’t worry. We’ll walk you through it
Austin Common Editor-In-Chief Amy Stansbury sits down with all four candidates running in the 2026 Democratic primary election for Travis County Precinct 4, which is in eastern Travis County. Have no idea what a commissioner even is? Don’t worry. We’ll walk you through it all
Prop Q is on the ballot in Austin this year. For a deeper dive discussion about what Prop Q is and the arguments for and against it, we sat down with Council Member Marc Duchen and Council Member Chito Vela. You can hear this
Next week, Austin City Council will vote on a new budget for next year… and it’s seeming likely that this budget will also involve something called a TRE (or a tax rate election). A TRE allows a city to raise property taxes above a
Should the City of Austin build caps over I-35? That’s the question Austin City Council has to decide on May 22nd. To dive deeper into the details and learn more about the debate over this issue, host Amy Stansbury sat down with Julio Gonzalez Altamirano,
On February 27th, Austin City Council will vote on a new set of rules regulating short-term rentals (Airbnbs and Vrbos) in Austin. To learn more about what’s been proposed, host Amy Stansbury spoke with Daniel Word (from the City of Austin Development Services Department) and
Thought the elections were over? Not quite.If you live in Austin City Council District 7, you still have a runoff election to vote in. In this episode of The Austin Common Radio Hour, host Amy Stansbury sits down with both of the candidates – Mike
On December 12th, Austin City Council will vote on an update to Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan. The name might sound boring, but the plan contains lots of important information that will influence everything from Austin’s carbon emissions to what we all
Election season is back! This fall, half of Austin’s City Council seats are up for election… and that’s a lot of candidates! But don’t worry, as always, we’re here to break it all down for you. In this episode we cover the District 2
Election season is back! This fall, half of Austin’s City Council seats are up for election… and that’s a lot of candidates! But don’t worry, as always, we’re here to break it all down for you. In this episode we cover the District 4
Election season is back! This fall, half of Austin’s City Council seats are up for election… and that’s a lot of candidates! But don’t worry, as always, we’re here to break it all down for you. In this episode we cover the District 6
Election season is back! This fall, half of Austin’s City Council seats are up for election… and that’s a lot of candidates! But don’t worry, as always, we’re here to break it all down for you. In this episode we cover the District 7
Amy Stansbury is the host of The Austin Common Radio Hour and Editor-In-Chief of The Austin Common. She is a local journalist dedicated to the ideas that learning about local government should be fun, that our local community matters, and that each and every one of us can make a positive difference in this world.
John Hoffner has been part of KOOP radio since 2007 as a producer and programmer. He has been active in Austin issues and a strong advocate for a balanced approach to solving our energy, social justice, and environmental issues. He served on the City of Austin’s Resource Management Commission from 2003 to 2006. John has worked professionally in the renewable energy field for over 25 years. His first position was with Austin Energy as the Manager for Renewable Programs from 1983 through 1996. He is now the Solar Global Practice Leader at Jacobs Engineering in Austin.
KOOP (pronounced koh-op as in “co-op”) is a community radio station in Austin, TX, owned and operated by its members in a cooperative structure depending primarily upon its volunteers and supporters for all operations of the station. KOOP provides a diverse array of programming, emphasizing programs that deal with local issues and/or serve communities which are under-served by the mainstream media.
You can listen to The Austin Common Radio Hour on air on KOOP 91.7FM Tuesdays at 2pm.