Do you have an opinion on Austin’s urban trails, bikeways and sidewalks? The city is now offering community members a chance to use those opinions to shape the future of multimodal transportation with an open house and survey available through Oct. 23. The virtual open house runs through a couple of different scenarios for building out city infrastructure. After visiting the open house, residents may take the survey online or request it via mail by calling (512) 974-7182 or emailing ATXWalkBikeRoll@AustinTexas.gov.

In some good news for voters, Travis County has extended its early voting hours for the Nov. 8 election. Travis County Clerk Rebecca Guerrero proposed extending early voting hours at select polling locations during two days of early voting, and the county judge and commissioners gave the plan the green light. Guerrero said in a news release, “I appreciate the court’s willingness to help fund these extra hours and am happy we were able to work together to make voting even more convenient in Travis County.” Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 24, at 7 a.m. Five “mega-centers” will stay open until 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, and on the last day of early voting, Nov. 4. The rest of the early voting locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on those dates. Here is a list of all early voting locations. Check your registration status, download a personal sample ballot and view a list of polling locations at VoteTravis.com.

The city is urging motorists driving on East Stassney Lane to use caution due to construction intended to address pavement heaves and install shared-use paths. The project, which is addressing Stassney between Teri and Burleson roads, is in its first phase and is expected to be complete by fall 2023. A news release from the city’s Public Works Department notes that safety for its team, drivers and pedestrians “has been a concern on the road as some drivers have not complied with the speed reduction, rumble strips, and other traffic control measures.” Currently, Stassney Lane has been reduced to two lanes, which will be the case throughout the project, and sidewalks and some bus stops have been temporarily closed. “Although I’m glad to see the Stassney Lane improvements underway, it should not cost our community workers their safety,” said Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who urged caution while the project is underway. “To ensure the improvements on Stassney Lane are completed in a safe and timely manner, please watch your speed and look out for construction workers. I look forward to the safe completion of this project so that more Southeast Austinites can experience more secure walking and driving conditions.”

The environmental group Clean Water Action revealed its choices in a variety of City Council races on Monday. The group has endorsed Kirk Watson for mayor, Ken Craig for the District 5 Council seat, incumbent Paige Ellis to retain her District 8 Council seat, and Linda Guerrero for the District 9 seat. David Foster, who has retired but is still active with the group, told the Austin Monitor that Clean Water Action has not yet made a decision about endorsements in districts 1 and 3.

Austin Transportation and Capital Metro have partnered up for a community engagement process that explores the public’s thoughts on various transit enhancements in the pipeline over the next few years, with a focus on transit accessibility. The agencies’ outreach efforts are intended “to improve the transit rider experience by implementing a range of infrastructure projects that promote safer, more efficient and accessible transit service within the city of Austin. Infrastructure improvements could include transit priority lanes, transit-specific traffic signals and improved location of bus stops.” Feedback from an online survey that launches today “will help planners understand the delays and difficulties riders experience using transit and guide infrastructure improvements that can make the greatest difference in system efficiency.” Take the survey.

There’s a record number of opportunities out there for job-seekers, and one of the best places to learn about them is at a job fair. The latest job fair is a collaboration between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the city’s aviation department, in an effort to promote the variety of employment opportunities offered by the airport and the air travel industry, including with the Department of Aviation, Transportation Security Administration, airlines like Southwest, American and Delta, and food and retail concessions. Airport CEO Jacqueline Yaft pointed out in a news release that AUS is “home to hundreds of different teams and supports thousands of direct and indirect jobs. We look forward to welcoming more talented professionals across a wide range of trades and professions to our airport. One of the most exciting and fulfilling things about a career in airport management or the air travel industry is getting to work alongside so many different teams and partners with the shared goal of serving our community.” Entry-level, supervisor and management positions are available, with airport employers offering a minimum wage of $20 per hour and some offering sign-on bonuses. Learn more about careers at the airport here. The job fair is free and open to the public. Tuesday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Omni Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governors Row.

Because each precinct only had one candidate file, the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District has canceled its November election. On Sept. 15, the board declared the unopposed candidates elected to their offices, though they will not receive a certificate of election until after the Nov. 8 general election has taken place. The directors are Blayne Stansberry, Precinct 2; Lily Lucas, Precinct 3; and Vanessa Puig-Williams, Precinct 5. Both Stansberry and Lucas have previously served on the board in their positions. Puig-Williams will replace outgoing Director Craig Smith.

This month the Wild Neighbors Speaker Series attempts to shed some light on an animal usually associated with the darkness: Texas salamanders. Biologist Ruben Tovar is a Ph.D. candidate at UT Austin who has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and San Marcos Aquatic Resources Center researching Texas blind salamanders, San Marcos salamanders and Barton Springs salamanders, to name a few. He knows just about everything there is to know about these secretive, nocturnal amphibians. In a webinar that promises to be lively and surprising, Tovar will discuss the diversity and evolution of the cave salamanders of Central Texas. Friday, Sept. 30, noon-1 p.m. Register here.

In a unanimous vote, City Council has approved a resolution asking the city to reach out to city vendors to raise awareness about human trafficking and provide resources to victims. The resolution, which was sponsored by Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, homes in on nonprofits and vendors working with those experiencing homelessness, as they are a particularly  vulnerable population. “I authored this resolution after an experience on a ride-out with a sergeant where we went into an encampment, and I met a woman who was in distress. I spoke with the sergeant about her situation, and he let me know that she was being sex trafficked in the camp. At that point, it broke my heart because it occurred to me that she couldn’t be the only person experiencing homelessness in this type of situation. Our city needs to do more to help these people get lifted out of their situation,” Kelly explained in a statement to the press. That press release notes that research at UT Austin has found that there are an estimated 313,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas.

Last month, the city of Austin asked for input on the proposed expansion of Interstate 35 through downtown at an event focused on the cap-and-stitch program that seeks to mitigate the impact of expanding the highway through connections across the road. Those who were not able to attend last month’s event now have another chance to weigh in with Our Future 35. Take a survey, which will be open at least until Sept. 19.

Senior citizens who are retired but seeking to return to the workforce, or who have a job but want to try something different, may want to attend the city’s upcoming job fair focused on opportunities for the senior community. About three dozen employers will participate in the job fair, from public to private employers and resource organizations. According to the news release, “Employers will be looking to hire individuals at all levels in professional, technical service, medical, retail and construction positions.” Thursday, Sept. 22, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Workforce Solutions North, 9001 N. Interstate 35, Ste. 110.

Looking forward to a very long day with numerous controversial items, including parkland dedication fees, license plate readers and police oversight, Mayor Steve Adler said Tuesday that he would allocate just one minute per speaker at today’s meeting. According to the city clerk’s office, a total of 178 people have signed up to tell Council their thoughts on various agenda items. However, it won’t be an all-nighter; several Council members expressed a desire to go home by 10 p.m. So, the Thursday meeting will simply be in recess until Friday. As City Attorney Anne Morgan explained it, Council would need seven votes to pass the Austin Police Oversight Act or an election to consider that ordinance on a single reading. If there are merely six votes for either option, Council will have to take that vote on three different days. That is why Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday as well as Monday. Of course, any Council member could change his or her vote to avoid extra meetings.