Beginning next month, Austin-area Randalls grocery stores will no longer sell Capital Metro bus passes. The transit authority relayed the change yesterday, with the assurance that Capital Metro outlets and some HEB locations will continue to sell transit passes to the public. Capital Metro took the opportunity to remind Austinites that HEB only sells single passes. Monthly bus passes can be purchased directly from Capital Metro, at the Transit Store or through its app. Randalls will cease its sale of bus passes on June 1.

Austin Public Library’s University Hills Branch is reopening to the public with a free festival that features a ribbon-cutting, the unveiling of a new sculpture, live music, food and drink, book giveaways, and family-friendly activities and crafts. The library, which suffered extensive water damage after Winter Storm Uri struck in February 2021, has a new roof and electrical wiring, new ceilings and flooring, and an expanded parking lot. Library chief Roosevelt Weeks said in a news release, “We are very excited that this important center for learning, culture and recreation for the East Austin community will be reopening its doors to the public. I think the community will be very pleased with the improvements that have been made at this branch, which will allow us to continue providing a safe and friendly environment for years to come.” May 21, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 4721 Loyola Lane.

Research from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration shows that speeding is the chief factor in more than a quarter of fatal accidents each year – that’s thousands of preventable deaths. Motorists make the choice to drive over the speed limit when they’re in a hurry, stressed or simply being careless. A digital roadside sign called a DSDD, or Dynamic Speed Display Device, shows drivers their speed as they pass by it. This technology can help to remind drivers that they’re driving at an unsafe speed. Currently, Austin has 96 DSDDs, including 31 permanently placed units and 65 in rotation. Now, thanks to a new contract with the vendor, the city may buy up to 25 additional DSDDs a year.

Austin Energy is preparing for its annual Community Connections Resource Fair, a “free, family-friendly event that combines fun with learning to assist our customers who sometimes could use a little help to meet basic needs,” according to the utility’s announcement. The fair, co-hosted by local service providers and city departments, features “fun and informative demonstrations and presentations on community assistance resources available for moderate- to low-income families in the Austin area.” Community providers will be on hand to offer info about medical assistance programs, veterinary services, food services and housing repair programs. Staff from Austin Energy and local fire, police and EMS departments will make an appearance to provide information and facilitate some kid-friendly activities like demonstrating how a fire truck works. Saturday, May 21, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Lyndon B. Johnson High School, 7309 Lazy Creek Dr.

An extraordinary art installation will be lighting up 16 acres of the Arboretum at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center from September to December. Field of Light, created by British artist Bruce Munro, consists of “28,000 stemmed spheres that are subtly lit by solar-powered fiber optics,” resulting in “an immersive and emotional experience for guests,” according to the description. Said Munro, “Austin is such a unique destination that embodies many of the core values of this installation. My hope is that the Field of Light installation will inspire visitors to contemplate a kinder and more connected world.” Tickets go on sale in July, and a portion of the proceeds benefits the Wildflower Center. Find out more.

The plan to upgrade Montopolis Pool just got a $3.125 million boost from the National Park Service. The money comes from Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership funds and will go toward offsetting construction costs. The pool project has a $4 million construction budget funded through a 2018 bond. When completed, the pool will be renovated into a “community pool” and the city is currently conducting a survey to help determine its design.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum and the Central Texas branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness are teaming up to put the spotlight on mental health with a public conversation. Dr. King Davis, former executive director at the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health and chief of the Austin State Hospital Archives Project, will spearhead a discussion focusing on “the history of mental health care in Texas, its evolution over the years and inspirational plans of action that will impact the future of public health,” according to the news release. Davis’ talk builds on the museum’s Mental Health: Mind Matters exhibition, an immersive, multimedia experience that explores how mental illnesses have been treated historically and how attitudes have changed over time. Find more details about the event and info about admission costs here. Thursday, May 19, 6-9 p.m., Grand Lobby.

Following the release of the 2021 Travis County Medical Examiner Annual Report, County Judge Andy Brown is considering declaring a public health crisis. The report found that drug toxicity is now the leading cause of accidental deaths in the county and that fentanyl-related deaths rose a staggering 237 percent when compared to 2020. “Drug overdoses are a crisis in our community and fentanyl is exacerbating the problem. In Travis County we believe that all people should have access to the mental, behavioral and substance use treatments that can save lives. Our community has asked for help in employing lifesaving, harm-reduction strategies to those who overdose on drugs,” Brown said in a statement to the press about the potential crisis designation. “As a county, we are responsible for the health and safety of all its residents – especially the most vulnerable among us. We will do all we can to address this crisis and call on other leaders to do the same. Texas should legalize fentanyl test strips, naloxone should be available throughout the community and recovery programs should be fully funded to eliminate wait lists.” Brown is currently exploring the idea of issuing a declaration to bring awareness to the issue. He has also requested funding for naloxone, an opioid-overdose antidote, in the upcoming budget.

Editor’s Note: Andy Brown is on the board of the Capital of Texas Media Foundation, the parent nonprofit of the Austin Monitor.

The Travis County Medical Society has added its voice to the chorus asking that EMS workers receive better pay from the city. In a letter to City Manager Spencer Cronk, the medical society’s president, Scott Clitheroe, called Austin EMS employees a “critical extension of the hospital health care team.” He wrote, “We are concerned that the city may not fully appreciate both the nature and volume of life-critical medical care provided by EMS in a stressful and high-risk field environment. City contract negotiators may also not recognize that their competition is not just other agencies in Texas, but rather a red-hot health care labor market in Austin. Accordingly, we urge you to work quickly to address this looming threat to patient safety by coming to a mutually satisfactory agreement with the Austin EMS Association.” The association is in the midst of negotiating its contract with the city and has thus far been dissatisfied with the terms offered to its members. Earlier this month, the city’s Public Safety Commission passed a resolution asking the city to raise its offer.

Facing unseasonably hot conditions and a long stretch of dry weather on the horizon, the Travis County Commissioners Court issued a burn ban yesterday. The ban, which went into effect May 11, prohibits outdoor fires and engaging in activities that could allow flames and sparks to start fires. Find more information about what is and is not allowed under a burn ban on the county website.

With the public engagement portion of the process completed, the draft of the proposed amendments to the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan is taking its next step forward. The ASMP, of course, is the city’s comprehensive plan for all the many ways people get around Austin, including driving, walking, cycling, rolling and taking public transportation. The ASMP project team has been making the rounds of city boards and commissions, including a stop at the City Council Mobility Committee on March 10 and a Planning Commission hearing yesterday. Next stop for the ASMP: a public hearing at City Council sometime later this month. Check the ASMP website to find out the latest.

Austin Energy is building a new substation to accommodate the growth in energy use in Austin, particularly in South Austin. In the meantime, a utility spokesperson told the Austin Monitor, “Due to Saturday’s heat-related demand surge and ongoing construction on a new substation, Austin Energy took emergency action to cut power to about 3,600 customers in South Austin. The circuits serving this area were experiencing high energy use and this action was taken to address that overload. These actions were not the result of an ERCOT mandate, but instead were necessary to safely operate Austin Energy’s distribution system. Austin Energy restored service to affected customers through the early evening and all service was back online by approximately 7:30 p.m. Saturday.” The new Bluff Springs transmission station is scheduled to go online around June 10. The spokesperson explained, “We have rerouted circuits and do not expect to see additional outages in that area due to these issues. We took this action Saturday in order to avoid a larger outage and ensure greater reliability as we enter summer.”