Today is the last day of early voting for the November election. As a reminder, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. generally, with the mega centers at Ben Hur Shrine Center, the Austin Permitting and Development Center, Millennium Youth Complex and Southpark Meadows to remain open until 10 p.m. tonight. Travis County registered voters can cast their ballots at any of the polling centers in the county. As of Nov. 1, only about 5 percent of registered voters – or 44,022 people – had cast ballots in this election, so if you’re looking for your vote to count, here’s an election that will do that. Polls will reopen on election day proper, Nov, 7, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

TimeDone Texas, a statewide program to organize and empower Texans living with a past record, is hosting a community empowerment event at noon, Saturday, at Givens Recreation Center on East 12th Street. Organizers will help participants advocate for more progressive public safety policies. Those in attendance can also receive information about housing options, employment assistance, legal services, and other resources to help those with a criminal history move on and improve their lives. TimeDone, part of the Alliance for Safety and Justice, notes that Texas has more than 800 statutes, administrative rules, and court rules that make it difficult for those with a record to secure employment, education, or housing.

For the centennial edition of Texas State Parks Day, visitors will get free day-use passes at all state parks. “Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to continue to connect everyone to our beautiful parklands and we hope that Texas State Parks Day will give someone new the opportunity to discover what makes our state parks special,” said Rodney Franklin, state parks division director, in a statement to the press. “This centennial has highlighted the work that past and current staff have accomplished in the last 100 years to make parks welcoming places for all visitors. We hope that folks take advantage of the opportunity to see these unique pieces of Texas this weekend and for the next 100 years.” Though admission will be free for the entirety of Nov. 5, normal capacity limits will apply and reservations are recommended. All other park fees will remain in effect.

Workforce Solutions Capital Area is hosting two upcoming job fairs. The Manufacturing, Mobility and Skilled Trades Showcase is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow, Nov. 2, at Workforce Solutions’ headquarters on North Interstate 35. More than two dozen companies and agencies seeking employees in manufacturing-related jobs will be in attendance. Those interested can register online. The event called Hiring Red, White & You! will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Nov. 9, also at the facility on North I-35. Priority sessions for veterans will run from 10 a.m. to noon, with attendees eligible to receive interview practice, resume review and speed mentoring sessions. More than 30 employers will be on hand for networking and potential hiring opportunities. Registration is available online.

Go Austin/Vamos Austin will host a town hall this Wednesday that promises to be a “unique opportunity to convene, converse, and mobilize, with a vision to create an aligned, connected, and equitably-resourced early childhood community that empowers and protects childcare providers,” according to a press release from GAVA. The town hall, which will bring together child care stakeholders and Mayor Kirk Watson, will take place at the ACC Eastview Campus Auditorium from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 1. At the meeting, GAVA seeks to address systemic disparity and solutions that ensure equal access and better resources for children and their caretakers.

To mark the anniversary of the 2021 arson that caused extensive damage to its synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel will hold a commemoration at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1. An invitation from Council Member Alison Alter, who is a member of the congregation, explains the ceremony will be an opportunity to share blessings and gratitude to first responders and members of the community who were able to help following the attack. The event is part of the WE ALL BELONG anti-hate program that aims to improve responses to hate in the community. “Austin is no place for hate. As we grapple with the violence in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and the wider region, we may experience increases in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in our community,” Alter wrote. “The WE ALL BELONG program has two primary goals: To increase awareness of tools and resources to report hate; (and) To convene community to prevent hate from taking hold in Austin and celebrate Austin’s cultural richness.” Those wishing to attend the event, which is free and open to the public, can RSVP here. Anyone hosting an event in line with the spirit of WE ALL BELONG is encouraged to request sponsorship consideration and other resources here.

If you’d like to join thousands of Austinites coming together to help improve and transform over 80 parks, trails and greenbelts throughout the city, now’s the time to volunteer for It’s My Park Day. Volunteer registration is now open for Austin Parks Foundation’s biannual citywide volunteer event, now in its 20th year. On Saturday, Nov. 4, volunteer projects will include city-approved tree mulching, root collar clearing, habitat restoration and trail maintenance at Rosewood Neighborhood Park, Ponciana Neighborhood Park, Georgian Acres Neighborhood Park and more. The event results in an average of $650,000 in volunteer labor each year, saving Austin’s underfunded Parks & Recreation Department time and money. Preregistered volunteers will get a special 20th anniversary T-shirt that provides access to discounts or freebies at giveback partner locations. Click here for more information on this event and for a full list of park projects and hours.

This Saturday, Oct. 28, Travis County Constables and the Drug Enforcement Administration will collect expired or unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs from the public for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The day is a way for people to remove drugs from their home for safe disposal and to help prevent misuse and contamination of the local water supply. Residents can drop off medications at any of the five locations below from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. anonymously and with no questions asked. No needles will be accepted. The Travis County Constable precincts below, in fact, collect unwanted prescription drugs year-round as authorized DEA collection sites through collection boxes in their lobbies, which are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week.

Adan Ballesteros
Constable Pct. 2
10409 Burnet Rd. Ste. 150
Austin, TX 78758
(512) 854-9697

Stacy Suits
Constable Pct. 3
8656-B W. Highway 71 Ste. 132
Austin, TX 78735
(512) 854-7245

George Morales
Constable Pct. 4
4011 McKinney Falls Pkwy. Ste. 1100
Austin, TX 78744
(512) 854-9488

Carlos Lopez
Constable Pct. 5
1003 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 854-9100

Early voting for the Nov. 7 election starts today. Registered Travis County voters can cast ballots at any of the polling stations in the county. More information on polling locations, ballots and voter requirements can be found at the Austin Area League of Women Voters. For Travis County voters, this election features a county bond proposition and a number of constitutional amendments.

Early voting will run from Monday, Oct. 23, to Friday, Nov. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. In addition, the four voting mega-centers at Ben Hur Shrine Center, Austin Permitting & Development Center, Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex and Southpark Meadows will be open until 10 p.m. on the first and last day of early voting. And if you miss early voting, the polls will open once again on election day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

This Thursday at 2 p.m., Austin City Council and the Planning Commission will combine to form City Hall’s most anticipated supergroup in an attempt to shepherd changes to the Land Development Code through the normal process with an abnormal amount of haste. A post from Mayor Kirk Watson lays out what the meeting will look like. “We have worked with City Staff and we will bring in infrastructure to create a second temporary dais that will be set up in front of the permanent dais. The Planning Commission will be seated on the newly constructed temporary dais and Council Members will sit in their current seats on the permanent dais,” he writes. In information more germane to the general public, Watson also notes that anyone wanting to speak at the meeting can sign up online until noon Wednesday – or in person at City Hall until 1:15. “Each speaker will have two minutes to speak. People signed up to speak will be able to donate time. Time may be donated to a person so that the speaker will have up to 6 minutes total time to address the joint bodies. People wishing to donate time must coordinate with the city clerk prior to being called. All parties (speakers and donors) must be present in person to be eligible for donation of time,” Watson continues. At the meeting, Planning commissioners and City Council members will hear public comment on proposed amendments to the city code that would allow up to three housing units on single-family lots, remove occupancy-limit restrictions and revise regulations that apply to properties with two housing units. Though all of these resolutions were easily approved by City Council previously, Austin Neighborhoods Council, GAVA and Community Not Commodity are holding a press conference Tuesday to protest the “HOME” initiative, which would allow multiple housing units on properties.

Reunir: Historia del Día de los Muertos makes its debut online with an in-person event and ceremony entitled Alma Y Corazón at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2. It’s a digital history exhibit about the history and traditions of the holiday as celebrated in Austin, Texas, Mexico and Latin America. The event will include music, food, speakers and a tour of the graves of Tejano ancestors at Oakwood Cemetery Chapel, 1601 Navasota St. The Reunir exhibit and accompanying events are made possible through a partnership between Austin Parks and Recreation’s Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Oakwood Cemetery Chapel, Brush Square Museums and Cemetery Operations. RSVP online for the free event.  Two days later is the 16th annual Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center Day of the Dead festival and MexAmericon from 1-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Pan American Recreation Center, 2100 E. Third St., where guests can enjoy hands-on children’s activities, art activations, vendors, food trucks and a collective community altar. For more information, visit AustinTexas.gov/DayoftheDead.

Austin Animal Center continues its push to increase adoptions this weekend, with a Halloween-themed pet adoption festival that “promises a ghoulishly good day filled with shopping, community, and the cutest creatures in costume,” according to a city press release. In addition to waived adoption fees, face painting and local vendors, “Adoptober Fest” will feature an Adopt the Runway event starring adoptable animals in costume. “This yearly adoption event is something that shelter really looks forward to! We look at it as a day of community, supporting local makers, small businesses, and organizations, all while supporting Austin’s animal shelter,” said event coordinator Stephanie McCutcheon, in a statement to the press. “But this year, more than ever, we need successful adoptions to happen on Saturday because we are so close to having dogs back in pop-up crates due to our shelter being overcapacity.” The adoption event will take place 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7201 Levander Loop.