Austin has unveiled the three finalists for the new director of its Parks and Recreation Department and is holding a meet-and-greet event Wednesday, Nov. 13, so that Austinites can meet them in person. The finalists, whose full bios can be read here, are:

• Jesús Aguirre, who has served as CEO of the Waterloo Greenway, and currently serves as board chair of the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and the Children and Nature Network (C&NN). Aguirre has a background in education and has also worked as “a middle school science teacher, a public charter school co-founder and co-director, a school district level administrator, and ultimately as chief state school officer for the District of Columbia,” according to a press release from the city.
• Oscar Carmona, who most recently served as COO for Houston’s Hermann Park Conservancy and has also worked as the director of the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department and assistant director for Dallas’ Park and Recreation Department. According to the press release from the city, he “currently serves as chair of the board for the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and the chair of the board of the Children and Nature Network (C&NN) and is a member of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. ”
• Angela Means, who is the current interim director of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department and has additionally held executive-level jobs at Austin’s Housing, Development Services, and Code departments. “Means’ professional journey also includes significant contributions to the City of San Diego, where she held pivotal roles in the Department of Finance and the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst,” according to the press release.

The meet and greet will take place at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30) at the Conley-Guerrero Senior Center, located at 808 Nile St., Austin, TX 78702.

This whisper has been updated to reflect the fact that Robert Brent Dennis is no longer a finalist and Oscar Carmona has taken his place.

Workforce Solutions Capital Area will hold a hiring event focused on area veterans at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex on Hargrave Street in District 1. The Red, White & You job fair has more than four dozen employers and hiring agencies signed up to find candidates for local jobs. Any prospective employers wishing to participate should contact a business consultant via email at wfsbst@wfscapitalarea.com. The event is open to the public from noon to 1 p.m., though veterans will have priority access from opening time until noon. More info is available online.

Those running for office and their supporters will have plenty of venues to chose from on Tuesday night. The Travis County Democratic Party, in collaboration with the Harris/Walz Campaign and local Democratic clubs, will host an Election Night Watch Party from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St. They are expecting numerous local officials to be there.

The Travis County Republican Party will host an Election Night Watch Party at Golfinity, 12332 N. FM 620, Bldg. B.

Mayoral race

Mayor Kirk Watson is hosting his election watch party at El Arroyo, 1624 W. Fifth St., starting at 7:30 p.m.

Kathie Tovo and her supporters will be gathering at Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd., beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tovo will likely arrive closer to 7:30 because she will be speaking with voters at the polls until they close.

Carmen Llanes Pulido will host a party at El Mesón Tequilería, 2038 S. Lamar Blvd., starting at 6:30 p.m.

Doug Greco and his supporters will gather at BBG’s Sports Bar, 214 E. Sixth St., starting at 6 p.m.

Jeffery Bowen did not return a call from the Austin Monitor.

District 2

Council Member Vanessa Fuentes will be at her own party at Radio/East, 3504 Montopolis Drive, from 7 to 8 p.m. Then she will be joining other Democrats at their party downtown. Her opponent, Robert Reynolds, has not been campaigning.

District 4

Council Member Chito Vela will be hosting a party at Knomad Bar, 1213 Corona Drive, starting at 7 p.m.

Monica Guzmán and her supporters will be watching the election from Taco More, 9414 Parkfield Drive, starting at 7 p.m.

The other candidate, Louis Herrin, has not announced plans for a party.

District 6

Council Member Mackenzie Kelly will be at Pinballz at Lake Creek Mall at 13729 Research Blvd. She told the Monitor she “plans on riding in one of the go kart races while waiting for results.”

Her only opponent, Krista Laine, will host a party at the Avery Ranch Z’Tejas starting at 7 p.m.

District 7

Gary Bledsoe’s party will be at the Hideout Pub at 16164 MoPac Expressway.

Mike Siegel will be holding his election watch party at LaLa’s Little Nugget, 2207 Justin Lane, from 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Pierre Nguyen will hold a gathering at Le Bleu at 9070 Research Blvd. from 7-9 p.m.

Todd Shaw will be hosting a party at Billy’s on Burnet, 2105 Hancock Drive.

Adam Powell said he will not be having a public party.

Edwin Bautista did not respond to a query about his party.

District 10

Marc Duchen will be at Chinatown North on Greystone Drive starting at 7:30 p.m.

Ashika Ganguly will be at the Santa Rita Cantina, 1206 W. 38th St., starting at 6:30 p.m.

Today is Election Day, which means … a lot of things. One of those things, simply enough, is the suspension of all fares for all Capital Metro services in the hopes of offering easy, free access to the polls, which are open today from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. (and mapped below). To make things even easier, residents looking to use public transit to get to those polls can search out the closest voting location by searching “VOTE” in Capital Metro’s trip planner.

A public comment period will soon be open for the $14 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants awarded to Austin in Fiscal Year 2024. The comments are part of an evaluation of the city’s spending and planning to address the community’s critical housing and community development needs through what is known as a Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Residents can share feedback online, in person or via mail, email, phone or text from Nov. 19 through 5 p.m. Dec. 5. More information on how to access the CAPER and submit feedback can be found here.

Starting today, applications are being accepted for the City of Austin Housing Department’s I Belong In Austin rental assistance program. If you or anyone you know is struggling to pay rent or is at risk of eviction, you can check your eligibility and apply at www.austintexas.gov/rent. The program will be administered by El Buen Samaritano, which will prioritize applicants 50 percent or below AMI and provide financial assistance with rent, moving, storage and relocation costs for tenants at risk of eviction. As part of the 2024-2025 budget, City Council approved $3.6 million in funding for the IBIA program. “Rent assistance for low-income households is one of the first tools that cities can use to prevent displacement and homelessness,” stated Nefertitti Jackmon, the City’s Community Displacement Prevention Office. El Buen will work closely with the City, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) and Volunteer Legal Services (VLS) to provide eviction prevention support and emergency rental dollars to communities in need. Last year, the rental assistance program served approximately 1,700 households at an average of $5,265 per household, with $11.6 million allocated for the public launch of the IBIA program. As with past programs, recipients will be chosen using a lottery system to ensure equity in access. Residents who have applied for assistance in the past will need to resubmit an application – either online; in person at El Buen Samaritano at 7000 Woodhue Drive, Austin, TX, 78745; or by phone at 737-214-7406.

Creek Show, the site-specific luminescent art installation that has cropped up at Waller Creek for the past 10 years, is back for its annual spectacle, aiming to raise awareness and public support for the creek’s transformation into a series of restored urban parks and trails. This year, the work of Austin-based architects, landscape architects, artists and designers will include theme nights with highlights like a market for local vendors, Verde Night presented by Austin FC, yoga for veterans and a guided nature-centered tour emphasizing design principles and sustainability. The full lineup of events is available at creekshow.com. Creek Show will require an online reservation to attend and offers a variety of free and low-cost admission options. All proceeds from Creek Show benefit Waterloo Greenway, whose mission is to create and maintain a new 35-acre urban park system in partnership with the city.

Carrying the celebration of Dia de los Muertos through most of November, four fiberglass skulls painted by four Austin-based artists Ruben Esquivel, NIZ, Carmen Rangel and Ryan Runice will be on view for free Nov. 9-24 at Republic Square Park, 422 Guadalupe St. The art installation “Las Calaveras de Republic Square” came about via a partnership between Mexic-Arte Museum and the Mexico City-based Colectivo Última Hora. “These artists have created imagery relating to Republic Square’s history, a central point for the city’s diverse communities. … Through Las Calaveras de Republic Square, we acknowledge and highlight the Mexican, Mexican American, and Black communities, as well as the Tonkawa tribe,” reads a statement from the museum. For more details on the artists’ work on the calaveras, click here.

Due to weather, the dates of this exhibition have changed. This whisper has been updated accordingly.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is inviting Texans to participate in an online survey to help shape two comprehensive transit plans for the state’s future: the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (SMTP) and the Statewide Active Transportation Plan (SATP). The plans will outline a unified vision for transit and active transportation through 2050, helping to guide a range of mobility options from buses and trains to walking, cycling and e-scooters. TxDOT aims to address challenges and strategies that support increased connectivity and diverse transportation choices statewide. The survey is available online and will remain active through Nov. 4.

TxDOT will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its I-35 Capital Express Central Project on Wednesday, Oct. 30, and those opposed to the road’s expansion through Austin’s downtown will be on hand to protest its official launch. Rethink35 has filed a lawsuit with 14 community partners against the project, saying it violates the National Environmental Policy Act and expects to see it play out in court in the coming months. The group has also filed a civil rights complaint against TxDOT. “TxDOT’s proposed I-35 expansion will waste billions of dollars to commit grievous harm to our city and region,” says Rethink35 Board Member Miriam Schoenfield in a statement to the press. “Despite overwhelming opposition from residents, elected leaders, and candidates for local office (81% of which oppose the expansion), TxDOT intends to steamroll over our community for a project that will destroy homes, businesses, and parks and worsen congestion, pollution, safety, and quality of life for generations to come.” The protest will begin at 1:30 p.m., with the groundbreaking scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Austin Community College District (ACC) will host the Positive Women’s Coalition’s Women’s Health, Motivation & Empowerment Conference this Saturday. The annual conference is in its 14th year, and is designed to support women looking to change their professional and personal lives for the better. The event, which is free and open to women of all ages, will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the ACC Eastview campus and will feature sessions on health and wellness, motivation and empowerment, as well as a fashion show. Interested attendees can RSVP here. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The Salvation Army’s Women’s Auxiliary will hold its Festival of Trees “Home for the Holidays” event on Friday, Nov. 10. The festival features an auction of trees decorated by the group, board members and volunteers, with all proceeds going to families in need during the holiday season. In addition, the festival showcases carols, treats and the opportunity to donate. Online bidding on the trees begins on Nov. 8, and the event will take place on Nov. 10 from 3 to 6 pm at Area Command (4700 Manor Road).