| Congratulations
on your decision to move to Austin. According to the 1998 Fortune
magazine, Austin is the "#1 Best City for Business", Money
magazine ranked Austin in the "Best Places to Live" and the
"Readers' Choice" 23rd choice from Conde Nast Traveler
1999. The Arts & Entertainment Channel ranked Austin in the
"Top 10 Cities to Have it All", 1999. The following
information primarily refers to the area within the Austin city
limits. If you have any questions or cannot find a specific piece of
information, please contact us at comments@experienceaustin.com **All phone numbers are area code (512) unless otherwise stated** |
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| Animals Apartment Locators Birth & Death Certificates Chamber of Commerce Child Care City of Austin Climate Courthouse Curfew Drivers License Education Emergency Numbers Environment Laws Libraries Major Employers Marriage License Medical Care |
Movers Newspaper delivery Non-Emergency Numbers Organizations Parking Passport Personal Recommendations Postal Information Radio Stations Taxes Television Stations Texas Lottery Transportation Travel Conditions Utilities Visitors Center Voter Registration |
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| Animal Control | ||||
| Austin 472-7387 | Leander (512) 259-0613 | |||
| Cedar Park 258-3149 | Pflugerville (512) 251-4004 | |||
| Georgetown 930-3592 | Round Rock (512) 255-7387 | |||
| Animal Adoption | ||||
| Town
Lake Animal Shelter 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St. |
(512) 472-7387 |
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| Humane
Society of Austin 124 West Anderson Lane |
(512) 837-7985 |
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| Williamson
County 212 North Mays Round Rock |
(512) 338-4816 |
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| Animal Vaccinations | ||||
| All cats & dogs in Travis and Williamson county must have had a rabies vaccines | ||||
| Leash Law | ||||
| Travis County does not require a leash, however the City of Austin does for dogs. Williamson County requires dogs and cats be on a leash (have you ever tried to put a cat on on a leash?). | ||||
| Injured Wild Animals | ||||
| Wildlife
Rescue - Austin (512) 472-9453 Their purpose is to aid sick & injured wild animals and then return them to the wild. Some animals are too injured to return and remain at the Animal Rescue Area of the Austin Nature Center. |
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State
Health Department |
Hours:
Mon- Fri 8am-5pm |
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|
Greater
Austin Chamber |
(512) 478-9383 | |||
| Capital
City Chamber 5407 North I H-35 |
(512) 459-1181 | |||
| Hispanic
Chamber 823 Congress Avenue |
(512) 476-7502 | |||
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| City
of Austin 124 West 8th Street |
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| Mayor's Office |
(512) 499-2250 |
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| City Council Agenda Information | (512) 499-2210 | |||
| City Switchboard | (512) 499-2000 | |||
| Environmental Hotline | (512) 499-2550 | |||
| Parks & Recreation | (512) 499-6700 | |||
| Keep Austin Beautiful | (512) 499-3577 | |||
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| We have a saying "if you don't like the weather, wait a minute it
will change". The average temperature is supposed to be 42-62 in the winter and 75-95 in the summer. With 32" of average rainfall. Some words to keep in mind when you hear about a weather warnings are: Watch - conditions are possible for severe thunderstorm, flood, or tornado. Warnings - SEEK COVER NOW, a tornado, or extremely severe thunderstorm has been detected by radar or visual confirmation has been made. Ozone Action Day - The climate mixed with the air are causing a high level of pollutants. Ozone action days often occur on hot, sunny days with little or no wind. Avoid being outdoors for extended amounts of time and reduce use of all actions that would increase the emissions in the atmosphere. On ozone action days you can ride the Capital Metro buses for free. Watch the weather forecast and the news for Ozone Action Day warnings. |
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|
Time and Temperature |
(512) 973-3555 |
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|
Forecast Recording |
KTBC
(512) 476-7744 |
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|
24 hour Austin news/weather & sportscast - television channel 8 on Time Warner Cable Systems |
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| Curfew | ||||
| I was quite surprised to learn that the City of Austin does have a curfew. | ||||
| During school hours - unsupervised children under the age of 17 are not allowed in public places. There are exceptions: people with a high school diploma (or equivalent), excused absences, off campus lunch & home schooled children. | ||||
| Night
Time Sunday - Thursday 11:30pm - 6:00am Unless a child is in the front of their own home or a relative, unsupervised children under the age of 17 are not allowed on streets or in public places. |
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| Downtown
District 10:00pm - 6:00am Children under the age of 17 are not allowed in the downtown/warehouse district unless they are supervised by a parent/guardian. |
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|
You are required by law to have a valid drivers license while operating a motor vehicle. Within 30 days of your move to Austin you must apply for a new drivers license (same requirements if you move from one Austin address to another). Full time, out of state, students are exempt from this requirement. |
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| Locations: | ||||
| 4719 South Congress Avenue | (512) 424-5241 | |||
| 6121 North Lamar Blvd. | (512) 424-2076 | |||
| 13730 Research Blvd. | (512) 335-8131 | |||
| Requirements: | ||||
| If you have completed a driver education course you can apply for a license at the age of 16. Without drivers education then you must be at least 18 years old. | ||||
| The Test: | ||||
| The
Texas State test, for a new license, is a combination of a written
test (study manuals can be obtained at any license locations), a driving
skills test and a vision test. If you have a valid out of state license the driving skills test and the written test are waived provided you show proof of insurance and Texas registration. For an initial application you must bring a birth certificate or passport, social security number, proof of insurance and auto registration. |
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| Don't Forget: to always take proof of insurance no matter what you are applying for. | ||||
| The fees change often - call for current rates | ||||
| Education | ||||
| Austin Independent School District (AISD) |
(512) 414-1700 |
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|
The Austin Independent School District has received some bad publicity in
recent months because of some alleged standardized test tampering.
The school district has made a commitment to resolve the issues and to
seek new district leadership to assure that this situation does not occur
again. They are forging ahead quite well. The surrounding school districts include: Lake Travis, Round Rock, Pflugerville and Eanes. When deciding which area of Austin to move to make sure that you check with your realtor to find which school district would be the most beneficial for your needs. |
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| Before a child can enter any school, proof of required immunizations must be shown. If you are transferring from another school make sure you also take the most recent report card to the registration. Check with the individual school for registration dates, times & orientation. | ||||
| School Bus Eligibility | ||||
| If you live more than 2 miles from your assigned school then the student is eligible to ride the bus. Check with the individual schools for schedules and drop off/pick up locations. | ||||
| Higher Education | ||||
| Austin Community College's - the main number is (512) 483-7542. ACC offers continuing education classes and 2 year degree programs. Classes are offered at several convenient campus locations across the City of Austin and in several outlying suburbs. | ||||
| Austin
Community College (ACC) 5930 Middle Fiskville Road |
(512) 223-7000 | |||
| ACC
Cypress Creek Campus 1555 Cypress Creek Rd. Cedar Park |
(512) 223-2000 | |||
| ACC
Eastridge Campus 4100 Ed Bluestein Blvd. |
(512) 223-5100 | |||
| ACC
Northridge Campus 11928 Stonehollow Drive |
(512) 223-5959 | |||
| ACC
Pinnacle Campus 7748 Highway 290 West |
(512) 223-8001 | |||
| ACC
Rio Grande Campus 1212 Rio Grande |
(512) 223-3000 | |||
| ACC
Riverside Campus 1020 Grove Blvd. |
(512) 223-6000 | |||
| Other colleges & universities | ||||
| Concordia
University 3400 I H-35 |
(512) 452-7661 | |||
| Huston-Tillotson
College 900 Chicon Street |
(512) 505-3027/(512) 505-3000 | |||
| St.
Edward's University 3001 South Congress Avenue |
(512) 448-8400 | |||
| Southwest
Texas State University 601 University Drive, San Marcos |
1 (512) 245-2364 | |||
| Southwestern
University Georgetown |
(800) 252-3166 | |||
| The University of Texas | (512) 475-7440 | |||
| Continuing Education | ||||
| UT Informal Classes | (512) 471-0270 | |||
| UT Extension | (512) 471-2900 | |||
| Emergency Numbers | ||||
| For Fire, Police, & Medical Emergencies call 911 | ||||
| Environment | ||||
| Austin
tries to be a very environmentally conscious city. In addition to a
wonderful recycling program, a number of environmental groups are active in
the development and growth of the City of Austin. Houses in Austin
will receive a recycling bin to separate the recyclable products for pick
up. Apartment complexes and businesses are currently trying to be as
active in the recycling programs. To encourage recycling the City of Austin has a "pay as you throw" program. The amount you pay for garbage pickup is based on the size of the trash container that you use. If your garbage exceeds the trash container then a "garbage sticker" (purchased at grocery/convenience stores) must be applied to the trash bag(s). |
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| Recycling Procedures | ||||
| Insert
newspapers, including inserts, magazines, catalogs into a paper grocery
sack and place it next to the recycling bin on the scheduled pick-up
day. Remove food residue and lids from containers from aluminum,
tin/steel food cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic jugs and soda
bottles. Bundle brown grocery bags - do not include cereal boxes,
pizza boxes, soda cartons or shoe boxes. Bag leaves, twigs and grass
clipping in a paper bag for recycling. The twigs cannot be bigger than
5 feet long or 3 inches in diameter, tie the branches with string. A bulky item recycling service is available for homeowners twice a year. Homeowners are notified in advance of the requirements and the scheduled collection weeks. At no time can hazardous materials be picked up. |
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| Texas Laws | ||||
| Alcohol | ||||
| Hard alcohol cannot be purchased on Sundays, Beer & Wine not until after noon on Sundays. During the week you cannot purchase hard alcohol after 9:00pm. | ||||
| The legal drinking age is 21 | ||||
| The blood alcohol level was lowered to .08 | ||||
| Don't Drink and Drive! | ||||
| Alcoholics Anonymous 1-800-711-6375/(512) 258-1586 | ||||
| Automobile | ||||
| Must have a valid drivers license to drive in Texas. Proof of liability insurance is also a requirement for operating a motor vehicle. | ||||
| All vehicles are required to maintain a valid inspection sticker and a valid registration sticker. Don't forget to take your proof of insurance to obtain the inspection & registration stickers. Inspection are conducted at approved inspection locations (some full service gas stations & quick oil change facilities). Vehicle Registration must be obtained at the County Tax Office for the county you live in. The cost of an inspection is $10.50 and the registration varies based on the type of car and its value. | ||||
| Travis
County Tax Office 1010 Lavaca Street |
(512) 473-9473 |
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| Seatbelts & Children | ||||
| All persons in the front seat must wear a safety belt, or risk being given a ticket. Children between 2 and 4 years old must be secured in a seatbelt or child car seat. Under the age of two, a child must be secured in a child car seat. | ||||
| Riding in Pickups | ||||
| You cannot exceed 35mph if you have children under the age of 12 riding in the bed of the truck. | ||||
| Curfews - see above | ||||
| Most city and state parks have an enforced curfew - typically from 10:00pm - 5:00am | ||||
| Libraries | ||||
| Before you can check out a book you need to get a library card. Bring your picture ID and some document (utility bill, lease agreement, etc.) that proves that you live here. | ||||
| Children's Programs | (512) 499-7599 | |||
| Recorded Information | (512) 499-7302 | |||
| Locations | ||||
| John
Henry Faulk Central 800 Guadalupe |
(512) 499-7300 |
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| Branch
Locations are open: Monday - Thursday 10am-9pm Friday 10am-6pm call for weekend hours |
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| Carver
Library 1161 Angelina |
(512) 472-8954 | |||
| Dove
Springs 5405 Pleasant Valley |
(512) 462-1452 | |||
| Govalle 4704-A East 1st Street |
(512) 385-2670 | |||
| Hawson 2500 Exposition |
(512) 472-3584 | |||
| Little
Walnut Creek 835 W. Rundberg |
(512) 836-8975 | |||
| Manchaca 5500 Manchaca |
(512) 447-6651 | |||
| North
Loop Area 2210 Hancock |
(512) 454-7208 | |||
| North
Village 2139 W. Anderson Lane |
(512) 458-2239 | |||
| Oak
Springs 3101 Oak Springs |
(512) 926-4453 | |||
| Old
Quarry 7051 Village Center |
(512) 345-4435 | |||
| Pleasant
Hill 211 William Cannon |
(512) 441-7993 | |||
| Riverside 2410 E. Riverside Drive |
(512) 448-0776 | |||
| Spicewood
Springs 8637 Spicewood Springs Rd. |
(512) 258-9070 | |||
| Terrazas 1105 East 1st Street |
(512) 472-7312 | |||
| Twin
Oaks 2301 South Congress Avenue |
(512) 442-4664 | |||
| University
Hills 4721 Loyola Lane |
(512) 929-0551 | |||
| Windsor
Village 5825 Berkman |
(512) 928-0333 | |||
| Major employers | ||||
| DELL | www.dell.com | |||
| Liason | www.liason.com | |||
| National
Instruments 11500 N. Mopac Expwy Austin, TX 78759-3504 |
(512) 794-0100 | |||
| Solectron 12455 Research Blvd. Austin, TX 78714 |
(512) 425-4100 | |||
| Tivoli 9442 Capital of Texas Hwy Arboretum Plaza One Austin, Texas 78759 |
(512)
436-8000 1-800-2-TIVOLI www.tivoli.com |
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| Trilogy 6034 W. Courtyard Drive Austin, TX 78730 |
(512) 794-5900 fax # (512) 794-8900 |
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| IBM | www.ibm.com | |||
|
Vignette |
(512)
306-4331 |
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| Marriage License | back to the top | |||
| Travis
County Courthouse West 11th at Guadalupe Room 222 (512) 473-9188 |
Couple must be present to apply 72 hour waiting period, $31.00 fee - cash only The license is only good for 30 days and don't forget to bring valid ID (driver's license, passport, military ID, or a certified birth certificate). |
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| Poison Control | 800-764-7661/800(POISON1) | |||
| Hospitals | ||||
| Brackenridge | 601 E. 15th Street | (512) 324-7000 | ||
| Children's Hospital of Austin | 601 E. 15th Street | (512) 324-8000 | ||
| Heart Hospital of Austin | 3801 N. Lamar Blvd. | (512) 407-7000 | ||
| North Austin Medical Center | 12221 N. Mo-Pac Expwy | (512) 901-1000 | ||
| Round Rock Medical Center | 2400 Round Rock Ave. | (512) 341-1000 | ||
| Seton Cedar Park | 801 E. Whitestone Blvd. | (512) 324-5300 | ||
| Seton Heart Center | 1201 W. 38th Street | (512) 324-1441 | ||
| Seton Medical Center | 1201 W. 38th Street | (512) 324-1000 | ||
| Seton Northwest Hospital | 11113 Research Hospital | (512) 324-6000 | ||
| South Austin Hospital | 901 W. Ben White Blvd. | (512) 447-2211 | ||
| St. David's Hospital | 919 E.32nd Street | (512) 476-7111 | ||
| St. David's Pavilion | 1025 E. 32nd Street | (512) 867-5800 | ||
| St. David's Rehabilitation Center | 1005 E. 32nd Street | (512) 867-5100 | ||
| Minor emergency facilities | ||||
| Pro
Med - Medical care center North - 200 W. Anderson Lane South - 3801 S. Lamar Central - 13831 N Hwy 183 @ Pecan park |
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| Movers | ||||
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| Austin American Statesman |
(512) 445-4040 |
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| Austin Chronicle | (512) 454-5766 | |||
| Dallas Morning News | (512) 442-5544 | |||
| Houston Chronicle | (512) 326-9660 | |||
| Wall Street Journal | (512) 472-7693 | |||
| Non-Emergency Numbers | back to the top | |||
| Police Departments | ||||
| Austin | (512) 480-5000 | |||
| Cedar Park | (512) 258-2800 | |||
| Georgetown | (512) 930-3510 | |||
| Lakeway | (512) 261-6090 | |||
| Lago Vista | (512) 267-7141 | |||
| Leander | (512) 259-0613 | |||
| Pflugerville | (512) 251-4004 | |||
| Round Rock | (512) 218-5500 | |||
| West Lake Hills | (512) 327-1195 | |||
| Travis County Sheriff | (512) 473-9285 | |||
| Williamson County Sheriff | (512) 930-3200 | |||
| back to the top | ||||
| check out the entire section devoted to organizations | ||||
| Parking | ||||
| Parking Meters | ||||
| All over downtown you will find parking meters, during the work week you may have a tough time finding an empty meter. Meter feeding is a ticketable violation as is exceeding the allotted time. Persons with handicap parking tags can park free at all times. | ||||
| The
parking meter office is located at 1111 Rio Grande St. in downtown Austin.
Parking cards are available for purchase from this office Monday through
Friday from 8am (even during lunch hours) until 4:55pm. Please call (512)
974-1554 for additional information. Meters are not in effect: Mon-Fri 5:30pm-8:30am, all day Saturday, Sunday, New Years Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day |
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| State Parking Lots | ||||
| The state does have several parking lots set aside for state employees only. After 5:30pm Mon-Fri and all day Saturday & Sunday these spaces are available for anyone to park in. | ||||
| Paid Lots/Parking Garages | ||||
| Several parking lots and garages are provided for public parking at a fee. The times available and rates vary from lot to lot. The lots are denoted by a triangular blue sign with a blue "P" on it. | ||||
| University of Texas Parking | ||||
| University parking is by permit only. |
(512) 471-4761 |
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| Passport | ||||
| Applications can be made at the Post Office | ||||
| You
must take: proof of citizenship (certified birth certificate) proof of identity (valid drivers license, military ID) 2 passport photographs $65.00 processing fee usually takes between 4-6 to receive |
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| Postal Information | back to the top | |||
| Austin
General Mail Facility 8225 Cross Park Drive |
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| Recorded Rates & General Info | (512) 342-1253 | |||
| Zip Code Information | (512) 342-1255 | |||
| Locations | ||||
| Balcones
Station 11900 Jollyville Road |
(512) 331-7737 | |||
| Capitol Station | (512) 477-4240 | |||
| Chimney
Corners Station 7116 Chimney Corners |
(512) 345-4240 | |||
| Downtown
Station 510 Guadalupe Street |
(512) 494-2200 | |||
| East
Austin Station 1914 East 6th Street |
(512) 472-2644 | |||
| Mockingbird
Station 7310 Manchaca Road |
(512) 416-1177 | |||
| North
Austin Station 4300 Speedway |
(512) 453-7252 | |||
| Northcross
Station 7700 Northcross Drive |
(512) 454-4581 | |||
| Oak
Hill Station 6104 Old Fredericksburg Rd. |
(512) 892-5501 | |||
| South
Austin Station 1800 South 5th Street |
(512) 444-6728 | |||
| Southeast
Station 4516 Burleson Road |
(512) 444-3118 | |||
| Town
North PO Box Unit 8557 Research Blvd. |
(512) 835-5355 | |||
| UT
Station West Mall |
(512) 471-8867 | |||
| back to the top | ||||
| Call letters | tune in at | style of music | request line | |
| KNLE | 88.1FM | Contemporary Christian | (512) 257-8801 | |
| KAZI | 88.7FM | Jazz, Blues, Gospel | (512) 836-2887 | |
| KMFA | 89.5FM | Classical | (512) 476-5632 | |
| KUT | 90.5 | National Public Radio | (512) 471-2345 | |
| KNCT | 91.3FM | Easy Listening | ||
| KVRX | 91.7FM | College | (512) 495-KVRX | |
| KOOP | 91.7FM | Various | (512) 472-5667 | |
| KQQQ | 92.1FM | Spanish | (512) 310-1530 | |
| KKLB | 92.5FM | Tejano | (512) 390-5552 | |
| KLNC | 93.3FM | Jazz | (512) 390-5933 | |
| KLBJ | 93.7FM | Rock | (512) 390-5525 | |
| KAMX | 94.7FM | Alternative | (512) 390-5947 | |
| KKMJ | 95.5FM | Soft Rock | (512) 390-5565 | |
| KHFI | 96.7FM | Hit Music | (512) 390-5434 | |
| KVET | 98.1FM | Country | (512) 390-KVET | |
| KRXT | 98.5FM | Country | (512) 446-6985 | |
| KJFK | 98.9FM | Talk | (512) 390-5989 | |
| KASE | 100.7FM | Country | (512) 836-2887 | |
| KROX | 101.5FM | Rock Alternative | (512) 390-5769 | |
| KPEZ | 102.3FM | Classic Rock | (512) 390-5000 | |
| KEYI | 103.5FM | Oldies | (512) 390-5060 | |
| KQBT | 104.3FM | Contemporary Hits | (512) 390-1043 | |
| KBAE | 104.7FM | Adult Contemporary |
(512) 263-1049 |
|
| KYCM | 104.9FM | Contemporary Christian | ||
| KFMK | 105.9FM | Jammin' Oldies | (512) 390-1059 | |
| KHLB | 106.9FM | Country | (830) 693-5452 | |
| KGSR | 107.1FM | Alternative | (512) 390-5477 | |
| KAHK | 107.7FM | 60's, 70's, 80's Rock | (512) 419-1070 | |
| KFAN | 107.9FM | Rock, Blues, Country | (210) 997-2197 | |
| KLBJ | 590AM | News | (512) 836-0590 | |
| KIXL | 970AM | Christian Talk | (512) 390-5495 | |
| KFIT | 1060AM | Gospel | (512) 328-1060 | |
| KTAE | 1260AM | Spanish Talk | (512) 452-5823 | |
| KVET | 1300AM | Sports | (512) 390-5483 | |
| KHLB | 1340AM | 40's, 50's, 60's | (830) 693-5452 | |
| KJCE | 1370AM | Urban Contemporary | (512) 390-5523 | |
| KELG | 1440FM | Tejano | (512) 390-5366 | |
| KUOL | 1470AM | Spanish Christian | ||
| KFON | 1490AM | Sports Fan | (512) 474-9233 | |
| KQQA | 1530AM | Spanish Hits | (512) 473-3200 | |
| KTXZ | 1560AM | Salsa, Spanish Rock | (512) 390-5560 | |
| back to the top | ||||
| The state of Texas does not have a state income tax. We do have property, vehicle & sales tax. Sales tax rate will vary from county to county. It is generally around 8%. | ||||
| Television Stations | ||||
| The station line-up will depend on the cable company that services your area. | ||||
| All cable companies do carry the major station affiliates. | ||||
| Cable Companies | ||||
| CableVision |
(512) 930-3085 |
|||
| Serves: Georgetown, Leander & Pflugerville | ||||
| CableVision of Lake Travis |
(512) 263-9194 |
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| Serves: Lakeway & Lake Travis | ||||
| Heartland Wireless |
(800) 876-6299 |
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| Austin & surrounding areas | ||||
| Time Warner Communications |
(512) 485-5555 |
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| Serves: Austin, Lago Vista, West Lake Hills | ||||
| Texas Lottery | ||||
| You must be 18 years old to play. Winning tickets must be claimed within 180 days after the drawing date. Don't lose your ticket, it is the only proof that you own the ticket. Tickets and scratch off cards can be purchased from one of many approved locations - usually a convenience store. | ||||
| Austin Claim Center | (512) 344-5252 | |||
| Lottery Commission | (512) 344-5000 | |||
| Gamblers Anonymous | (512) 860-2958 | |||
| Transportation | back to the top | |||
| check out the getting around town section | ||||
| Travel Conditions | ||||
| Texas Road Condition Hotline | (800) 452-9292 | |||
| Street closure due to weather | (512) 440-8444 | |||
| Road construction information | (512) 499-7024 | |||
| back to the top | ||||
| Main # | Emergency # | |||
| Electricity | ||||
| City of Austin | (512)476-7721 | (512) 322-9100 | ||
| Pedernales | (512)219-2602 | (512) 331-8883 | ||
| TU Electric | (800)242-9113 | (800) 233-2133 | ||
| Natural Gas | ||||
| Lone Star Gas | (800)460-3030 | (800) 817-8090 | ||
| Southern Union Gas | (800)706-2443 | (800) 959-5325 | ||
| Telephone | ||||
| Southwestern Bell | (800)464-7928 | (800) 246-8464 | ||
| Water | ||||