The city of Austin has named its first chief resiliency officer. Laura Patiño will join the city’s executive team after serving in a similar role with the city of Houston. Patiño helped to develop and implement the Resilient Houston strategy and the Climate Action Plan while tying in citywide recovery efforts after Hurricane Harvey. Chief of Staff Jason Alexander announced Patiño’s appointment in a news release, which explained that Patiño will work on implementing a comprehensive community resilience plan and strategies under the Global Resilient Cities Network platform. Patiño previously worked as an environmental engineer in the private sector and as a research assistant in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hazardous Materials Laboratory at Louisiana State University. She starts her new job on April 25.

Due to a decrease in demand for its services – from what health officials hope “is a sign of fewer cases” – the Covid-19 test site in Pflugerville rolled up operations and shut its doors yesterday. You can still get Covid testing at Austin Public Health’s Metz Elementary site in East Austin, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but it will be more efficient to make an appointment online. And, of course, you may order free, at-home Covid tests through the U.S. government; every household is eligible for two sets of four tests. If you’re feeling at all Covid-y, please do get tested right away. In case you haven’t committed the list of Covid symptoms to memory, here it is.

If you’ve been following the news, you’ve already heard there were some problems with the 2020 U.S. Census – chiefly, that the once-every-decade head count of the nation’s populace undercounted Black, Latino and Native American populations. That makes the latest installment of the Imagine Austin speaker series quite timely. Lila Valencia, the city of Austin’s demographer, will examine the takeaways, demographic trends and social equity concerns of the 2020 census as they relate to Central Texas. Thursday, April 14, 5-6:15 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Register here for the webinar.

Even though the pandemic is ebbing and no nasty new variants have popped up to frighten us back into quarantine, it’s still a good – no, a great – idea to get vaccinated. And getting the Covid-19 vaccine couldn’t be easier. Travis County, Austin Public Health and their community partners continue to host a variety of free, convenient vaccine distribution events every week. No appointments are necessary. Simply check out the handy online calendar and map to find the date, time and location of the nearest vaccine event. Austin Public Health sites offer the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, including third doses for the immunocompromised and booster shots. If you’re receiving your second or third dose or booster, bring your CDC vaccination card so it can be updated. If you’re still on the fence about getting the vaccine, jump off! It’s one of the best decisions you’ll ever make, both for your own health and for the health of your fellow human beings.

Austin Fire Department is warning residents that Austin and the surrounding area “will be in the ‘VERY HIGH’ fire danger risk category” for, at a minimum, the early part of the week. The risk, according to a Facebook post from the department, is caused by a combination of dry fuels, dry air and windy conditions. AFD asks that everyone does their part while the conditions persist, saying, “Please: no outdoor burning, avoid parking on dry grass, if you’ve got chains attached to your vehicle make sure they’re not dragging, and for goodness sake, properly dispose of cigarette butts (no tossing them out of car windows)!!” The Austin-Area Wildfire Hub confirms that the risk for the region remains elevated, and has more information about burn bans, active fire incidents, statewide conditions and ways to reduce fire risk.

Mark down Sunday, April 3, in your calendar: That’s your deadline to submit feedback on the draft 2022 Mobility Annual Plan and online interactive map, which outlines projects to be constructed with funding from the 2016, 2018 and 2022 mobility bonds. According to the city’s Transportation Department, the Mobility Annual Plan “provides an annual look ahead at more than 600 planned and proposed projects, including sidewalks, Safe Routes to School, bikeways, urban trails, Intersection Safety/Vision Zero improvements and much more across Austin. The MAP process is repeated annually to capture opportunities and leverage multiple bond-funded programs to deliver greater benefit to the community.” If that doesn’t get your civic juices flowing, nothing will. After checking out the interactive map and reading the plan, you can use the feedback form on the MAP website to share your thoughts.

Better days are coming to the intersection at Cameron Road and Ferguson Lane, thanks to the 2018 mobility bond, which is funding the improvements. Austinites who regularly pass through the intersection, whether by car, bicycle or on foot, have much to look forward to. The Transportation Department has several proposed improvements in the works, including new ADA-compliant ramps, high-visibility pedestrian crossing striping, modified lanes for eastbound traffic, and modified signal timing and new signage. Last but not least, modified median extensions on Cameron Road will create the space for a new north-side pedestrian crossing and permit motorists to make safer turns.

In an email to her colleagues, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Chair Cynthia Long has confirmed that Terry Mitchell will be resigning as the organization’s appointee to the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors. Mitchell, who is the president of Momark Development LLC, was first appointed as CAMPO’s financial appointee in 2014. “We frequently rely on his vast experience and knowledge in many areas but especially regarding big project finance. His active participation on both boards, vision, and the passion that he brings to discussions will be sorely missed,” wrote Long, who went on to say that a new appointment would be discussed at the April meeting of CAMPO’s Transportation Policy Board. In the past, appointees have applied for the position, with the board confirming their appointment after an interview process.

Spring fever is breaking out all around town, and the Austin Independent School District is no exception. The district’s offices and schools will be closed for the spring break holiday today through Friday, March 18. Regular business hours will resume on Monday, March 21. AISD Covid-19 testing hubs and vaccination sites are also closed this week, but testing and vaccinations are still available at the district’s community partners. You can find more information about upcoming school district holidays and events at austinisd.org/calendar.

You know it’s spring when thousands of kites take to the skies above Austin. The ABC Kite Fest is returning this year to Zilker Park. Now in its 93rd year, ABC is the longest-running festival of its kind. In addition to the traditional kite contest and showcase, where you can watch expert flyers performing with professional-grade kites, the festival offers a pet zone for dogs to play in, a children’s music concert, a food court and lots of other fun stuff. Anyone can join the contest, which is judged by KXAN weatherman Jim Spencer, and handmade or store-bought kites are welcome. Sunday, April 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

We were afraid this would happen, and now, it’s happening: Starting March 21, Barton Springs Pool will close two days a week – Mondays and Wednesdays – “due to a lack of available certified Open Water lifeguards,” according to a news release from the parks department. (The pool already closes every Thursday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. for cleaning.) This whole problem started during spring break of 2020, when the Aquatic Division halted its lifeguard training program because of Covid-19. Even though training started up again in spring 2021, the division has not been able to build its lifeguard stable back up to the numbers necessary to staff all of the city’s pools. Being no ordinary swimming pool, Barton Springs requires special lifeguards who have the additional Open Water Guard certification and training, and currently there are only 23 such certified guards. The new, attenuated schedule “will continue until a sufficient number of guards can be hired, trained and certified.” If you simply must swim on Mondays and Wednesdays, check out the city’s pool schedule for alternative options. (Barton Springs’ 5-8 a.m. “swim at your own risk” swim times will not be affected by the closure.)

District 1 leaders are inviting community members to participate in a survey about the future of East 11th and 12th streets. According to the survey, this is a “unique opportunity to shape the future of two important East Austin corridors when Austin City Council adopts changes to the rules that govern how these corridors can be developed on April 21.” The survey measures attitudes on topics such as housing types preferred, diversity in the community, proximity to public transit, and access to parks and green space. If you live or work near East 11th and 12th streets or have some connection to the area, you may want to be involved in this process. “Your responses will help the District 1 office determine what land use changes are needed to reflect the community’s vision for future development and respond to residents’ and business owners’ needs.” Take the survey.