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.”

Citing overcrowding and unseasonably warm temperatures, Austin Animal Center has sent out a call for people willing to foster medium and large dogs for at least a week. “Besides every normal dog kennel being filled, we also have 13 dogs in crates stashed in every climate-controlled nook and cranny,” AAC spokesperson Abby Varela said in a statement to press about the space crunch at the shelter. “We have literally run out of places to put them. Normally we would put dogs in crates in our outside truck port area when we have no other options, but with the potential heat advisory, we need them moved out of there immediately.” View the dogs available for fostering on AAC’s website. Staff members are available to process applications from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. every day this week.

You know it’s summer when the Drop-In kicks off. The free concert series on the Long Center’s Hartman Concert Lawn is a showcase of local talent, both longtime favorites and emerging new artists. The 12-show series, which runs every Thursday night from May 26-Aug. 11, features David Garza, David Ramirez, Geto Gala, James Robinson, Jeska and the Vanity Project, Luna Luna, Money Chicha, Natalie Price, Nuevo, the Octopus Project, the Past Lives, Ruthie Foster, San Gabriel, Sharon Silva, Sweet Spirit, and Think No Think. As Long Center president Cory Baker said in the press release, “Access to free, live music is what makes our city so special, and we are excited to expand this series in its second year. Throughout the summer, Austinites and visitors alike can expect to see some of their favorite sets and maybe even discover their new favorite band.” Reserve your tickets for the first show on May 20 at TheLongCenter.org. Doors open at 7 p.m., music starts at 8 p.m.

Texas voters resoundingly approved two constitutional amendments aimed at property tax growth Saturday. Proposition 1, which limits school taxes for residents who are elderly or disabled, was approved with 86.91 percent of the vote. Proposition 2, which increases the public school homestead exemption to $40,000 from $25,000, was approved with 84.82 percent. The two amendments represent a small amount of relief for homeowners saddled with high property appraisals this year. The Legislature is anticipated to focus on the issue when it reconvenes.

About 59 percent of Leander voters have elected to stay in Capital Metro’s service area. As KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports, this is the fourth time since 1985 that the city has affirmed its partnership with the transit authority. Recently, that partnership came into question when some argued that ridership numbers did not justify the expense. However, Saturday’s election means that Leander will retain its current service, which includes a stop on the red line, and will continue paying a 1 percent sales tax to Capital Metro that is expected to be more than $10 million this year.