Austin’s city manager fired over widespread power outages

By PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Officials in Austin, Texas, have fired the city’s manager over the delayed response to a massive winter storm that left thousands of residents without power for a week or longer this month. Spencer Cronk was fired during a city council meeting Wednesday. Prolonged restoration efforts left thousands of Austin residents dealing with school closures, malfunctioning traffic lights and the financial pinch of spoiled groceries and hotel bills. Power was not fully restored in Austin until nearly two weeks after the Feb. 1 storm. Cronk became manager of the Texas capital in 2018.