A coalition of community and business leaders is urging the Austin Community College Board of Trustees to place a bond proposition on the November ballot “to expand education and workforce training throughout our region,” according to a press release from the political action committee ACC Works for All. The PAC says a bond package of between $500 million and $815 million “will fund elements of the college’s Facilities Master Plan and focus on increasing the college’s capacity to provide hands-on training for in-demand jobs. The ACC bond could fund improvements at each of the college’s 11 campuses and includes the development of a new regional workforce training campus in Southeast Travis County.” ACC trustees will deliberate on whether to approve the bond proposition at the board retreat today, Aug. 11.

Stassney Lane is currently reduced from four to two lanes beginning at Teri Road as Austin Public Works starts its street rehabilitation work in the area. Additional impacts include a temporarily closed portion of sidewalk along the south side of Stassney Lane and two Capital Metro bus stops along Stassney Lane which may be temporarily relocated. The project is made possible through funding from the 2018 Austin mobility bond, and is intended to create a safer and smoother commute for residents traveling along Stassney Lane. Learn more about the project here and more about preventive street maintenance here.

This week, Texas Gas Service is promoting public awareness of the 811 line, which is the number excavators and homeowners should call 48 hours before doing any digging on their property in order to avoid damaging underground pipelines. Once the ticket is submitted, a crew will be dispatched to mark underground utility lines within the designated project area with flags in a 48-hour time frame. Learn more about the Be a Dig Hero campaign here, pledge to call 811 before you dig and get a chance to win a $100 gift card. (There are also coloring pages available to print for young diggers.)

Austin’s Tree of the Year Awards is looking for winners! Nominate your favorite tree in five different categories: 1) small enough to wrap your arms around; 2) too big to wrap your arms around; 3) schoolyard tree on a K-12 public campus; 4) tree with an interesting history, and 5) one-of-a-kind unique tree. The contest, organized by TreeFolks and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, includes lots of resources to help you identify your favorite trees while you’re exploring the urban forest. There’s also a gallery with photos of past winners and their locations for those interested in going on a tree-finding odyssey. And best of all for tree-lovers, while submitting your own nomination, you’ll be able to view a map of other nominations of exceptional trees around Austin. Nominated trees must be within the city limits, publicly accessible (e.g., not in your backyard) and cannot have previously won the contest. Nominations are open until Sept. 30 and voting will take place Oct. 1-31. Nominate your tree!

Have a little extra time and want to get more involved with your community? The city of Austin has many interesting and unique volunteer opportunities. For starters, you could volunteer with the Austin Public Library, sharing your love of books and reading in the BookSpring program. Or, the Central Texas Food Bank‘s mobile pantry always needs volunteers to prepare food donations on weekdays or weekends. You might share your sense of style by volunteering with Dress for Success Austin, where you can sort clothing donations, put together clothing packages or help women assemble outfits for job interviews. Check out some of the many other ways to volunteer in your city here.

Have room for a kitten or two in your home and heart? If so, you’re in luck: This time of year, there’s no shortage of kittens – quite the opposite, in fact. A new crop of kittens has just popped up at the Austin Animal Center, fresh from their fosters and ready to be adopted into their furever homes at this festive, Hawaiian-themed event. All kittens are spayed or neutered, microchipped, have had at least one round of vaccinations, and are guaranteed to be criminally cute. Get ’em while they’re hot! Saturday, Aug. 13, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Austin Animal Center, 7201 Levander Loop.

Today, Aug. 8, marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Save Our Springs ordinance that protects the quality of Barton Springs. The anniversary will be marked by a free swim day at Barton Springs Pool and a ceremony just outside the front gate at 6 p.m. The ceremony will feature appearances from City Council Member and SOS co-founder Ann Kitchen, SOS co-founders Mary Arnold and Bill Bunch, and former state Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, as well as live music. Read headlines from the day here.

Pollster and political prognosticator Mark Littlefield has put together an impressive series of statistics about all the people signed up to run for mayor and for five seats on City Council this November. After Littlefield posted his tweets, Craig Allen Blanchard III designated himself as his own treasurer to run for mayor. Blanchard, 37, told the Austin Monitor he is a Democrat but has friends who are Republicans. He said he would be focusing on the environment and helping the homeless. That makes eight candidates for mayor, though only three – Kirk Watson, Jennifer Virden and Celia Israel – have either the money or the name recognition to be considered real contenders. In District 9, where Council Member Kathie Tovo is stepping down after 11 years, there are nine contenders to date, while District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison has just one opponent so far. The filing deadline for all of these races is Aug. 22.

Austin Public Health, Central Health and their community partners are hosting a roundtable discussion that will cover all things monkeypox, including prevention methods, professional experiences, vaccination and more. Among the health professionals participating in the event are Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority; Dr. Guadalupe Zamora, Central Health; Dr. Michael C. Stefanowicz, CommUnityCare; Dr. Aliza Norwood, Vivent Health; and Danielle Deutschendorf, APRN, MSN, FNP-C, Austin Public Health. Community members will have the opportunity to ask questions during the event. Friday, Aug. 5, noon, on Facebook Live. RSVP here.

The city is holding a virtual meeting to update the community on the state of homelessness in Austin, and everyone is invited. According to the description of the event, presenters will touch on a number of issues such as housing production, implementation of the camping ban, American Rescue Plan Act investment strategies, the HEAL initiative, and cold weather shelters. In addition to getting updates on these topics, everyone who signs up will have the opportunity to ask questions. The meeting will take place online today, Aug. 4, at 6:30 p.m.

Mayor Steve Adler will hold his State of the City address at the end of this month. The speech is an opportunity to talk about Austin a lot, and look back at the past year, and usually, forward to the next. Throughout the years, the event has been private, virtual and open to the public. This year, which marks Adler’s final State of the City, the public is welcome to attend. Tickets, which are free, can be reserved for the speech, which will take place Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Summer Friday Flicks concludes this Friday, Aug. 5, with a free 25th anniversary screening of Selena at the Moody Amphitheater. Bidi Bidi Banda warms up the crowd with a live performance, followed by activities for the whole family courtesy of the Austin Parks Foundation and others. Bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs; lots of free cold water will be available on-site. Doors open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7:30 p.m. and the movie starts at sunset.