One of Capital Metro’s two planned MetroRail Red Line stations broke ground last week. When it opens in early 2024, the Broadmoor station at 11501 Burnet Road will merrily convey passengers to the Domain and the new, mixed-use UptownATX project. Charles Schwab, which has an office nearby, and Brandywine Realty Trust, the developer of UptownATX, participated with the city in planning the station. As Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca pointed out in a news release, “Transit is less about what it does and more about what it means for our community. Putting together a public-private partnership to really deliver meaningful transit that’s transformative is just an amazing opportunity.” The other Red Line station, McKalla Station, is still in the design phase and will be located near Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium. Read more about Project Connect, Austin’s new transit plan, here.

Voters in Austin’s District 4 have their final chance today to select a new City Council member. With Greg Casar stepping down to run for Congress, voters in this district have the opportunity to select a new representative at City Hall. As of the close of the early voting period on Friday, just 1,874 voters, or 5.41 percent of voters, in the district had cast ballots, with turnout Friday twice that of any of the days before that. Candidates hoping people will come out to vote today include Monica Guzmán, Amanda Rios, Melinda Schiera, José “Chito” Vela, Jade Lovera, Ramesses II Setepenre and Isa Boonto. Setepenre and Boonto have not been campaigning much and both failed to file the required campaign finance report last week. Find voting locations here.

The Downtown Austin Alliance has written to City Council asking it to postpone consideration of three items on Thursday’s agenda that are necessary for renovating the old Municipal Building on Eighth Street so it can serve as the new Downtown Community Court. Council members have been talking about doing this for some time, but the DAA argues that they cannot take an informed position on the proposed relocation without a “transparent engagement process involving the community.” While the DAA has not officially taken a position on the relocation, according to a letter to Council from DAA President and CEO Dewitt Peart, “many downtown property owners, business owners and residents have expressed concerns, primarily over the lack of a transparent process.” Council Member Kathie Tovo, whose district includes downtown, told the Austin Monitor she intends to signal her intent to request a postponement of the court-related items from this Thursday’s agenda at today’s work session. Those include approving the issuance of $27 million in certificates of obligation to pay for the renovation of the building, as well as approving a resolution to use the design/build method of contracting for the renovation. Tovo said she had anticipated asking for a one-week postponement before receiving the DAA’s request that the item not be heard before March. So, it seems likely that the item will be postponed for at least a week. Tovo said she needed to talk to Peart to fully understand the group’s request.

Each year, the city’s Economic Development Department puts on a curated exhibit at City Hall called the People’s Gallery. The free exhibit, which displays over 100 pieces of artwork in a variety of mediums by Austin-area artists, draws more than 200,000 visitors a year. As Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, acting director of the EDD, explained in a news release, the exhibit “is designed to showcase local creativity and to encourage understanding and enjoyment of visual art. City Hall is a symbol of public dialogue and we are proud to bring visual elements that spark discussion around the impact of the arts in Austin each year.” All artists who live in or have an art studio in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis or Williamson counties are welcome to apply. Applications will be accepted until Feb. 22. Apply online at austintexas.gov/peoplesgallery.

The first season of Audit ATX, a podcast series from the Office of the City Auditor, has wrapped. The podcast was launched in 2020 “to provide more transparency and accessibility to local government,” according to a city news release. Each episode is about 10 minutes long and generally features interviews with audit staff describing how audits and investigations are conducted and what they reveal. The most recent episodes follow the paper trail of a technology purchases audit and an investigation of an employee who conducted private work for personal benefit. Audit ATX co-host Kelsey Thompson said the podcast’s listeners tell her that the popular series “has opened their eyes to how the city really works.” All 20 episodes of season 1 are available through Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you own a home or business property, your property taxes are due – and must be postmarked by – Monday, Jan. 31. However, with more than 160 new residents flooding into Travis County every day, all of that extra mailed-in paperwork has the tax office and the postal service scrambling to keep up. That’s why Travis County is urging residents to pay their taxes online using the simple eCheck system available at TravisCountyTax.org. It costs only a buck and instantly emails you a proof of payment receipt. Child’s play! As Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Bruce Elfant explains, “There are other ways to pay, but eCheck provides a contactless way to pay your taxes and is much safer than mailing in your payment.” Too scared to open your property tax bill? You’re not alone.

The Trail Foundation is putting out a call for artists to collaborate with artist Stacy Levy, Austin-based curators Public City and TTF on the design and installation of an eco-art project called “Common Waters.” The project is part of TTF’s Arts + Culture Plan and “will merge artistic components with ecological function” along the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. TTF invites people with nearly every type of creative ability to apply, according to the announcement: “This call is for (but not limited to) visual, literary, spoken word, music, sound design, performance, dance, textile, and environmental arts backgrounds; designers in the fields of environmental, fashion, graphic, industrial, and similar design fields; as well as people who practice creative cultural traditions.” Phew, have we left anyone out? Find the full application packet here. Applications are due Feb. 4.

As of Wednesday night, 1,199 voters had cast ballots in the City Council District 4 race – that’s less than 3.5 percent of those registered in the district. Voters who do not make it to the polls before 7 p.m. tonight (here are the early voting locations) can vote on election day, Tuesday, Jan. 25. So far, five of the seven candidates to replace outgoing Council Member Greg Casar have filed campaign finance reports that were due Tuesday. Those reports cover the period from Dec. 17 to Jan. 15.

Candidate Jade Lovera reported total contributions of $8,250. That amount included $135 in cash donations received on Dec. 18 and $500 in cash received on Dec. 23. It is not unusual to see small amounts of cash listed on campaign finance reports. In fact, there’s a specific line on page 2 of the report that asks for “total political contributions of $50 or less (other than pledges, loans or guarantees of loans), unless itemized.” Lovera reported $30 in that category, not the $635 one might have expected. Lovera told the Austin Monitor that on both occasions people contributed cash in a jar that was passed through the crowd. Yet, it is not clear whether this reporting passes muster for two reasons. Political consultant Alfred Stanley, who is not working for any candidate in this race, referred to the Texas Ethics Commission rules, which states, “A candidate, officeholder, or specific-purpose committee may not knowingly accept from a contributor in a reporting period political contributions in cash that in the aggregate exceed $100. Violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.”

It may be true that these contributions came from multiple people, but Stanley agreed that collecting $500 in cash in allowable amounts was a little bit more difficult to believe. City regulations also prohibit any individual from donating more than about $400 per campaign. Also assisting Lovera is a political action committee that has sent out a mail piece attacking José “Chito” Vela. The group, Voices for District 4, spent $35,000 to oppose Vela and support Lovera. It received its funding from two other political action committees, the City Accountability Project and the Restore Leadership ATX PAC.

The other candidates to file their financial reports on time were Monica Guzmán, Amanda Rios, Melinda Schiera, and Vela. Guzmán reported contributions of $8,666 and said she was maintaining about $14,000. Guzmán also had good news from the environmental group Clean Water Action, which recently endorsed her candidacy. Rios reported collecting $4,850 in contributions and had about $3,300 in the bank. Schiera reported that she had raised a little more than $600, but had no money in her campaign account as of Jan. 15. Vela, who has garnered the most endorsements and contributions, reported raising a little less than $37,000 and still had about $29,000 in the bank. Candidates Ramesses II Setepenre and Isa Boonto had not filed reports as of Thursday afternoon.

The state’s new animal welfare law, the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act, went into effect this week. The law, which passed with wide bipartisan support in both chambers, protects dogs from being chained or tethered and requires that dogs kept outside have adequate shelter and drinking water. According to the Texas Humane Legislation Network, the act “establishes basic standards of shelter and care for dogs left outdoors and clarifies existing law to promote the safety of animals and the people around them without increasing criminal penalties.” Stacy Sutton Kerby, a spokesperson for THLN, said, “We have fought for many years to pass this law and are absolutely thrilled about the difference it is going to make in the lives of dogs as well as Texas residents.” Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., who authored the act in the Senate, said, “This winter, it is crucial for us to remember that as cold fronts come through, bring your dog inside from the dangerously cold temperatures and/or snow. If we have a repeat of last year’s freeze, this law will help save the lives of many outdoor dogs.” Learn why chaining poses a risk to both dogs and humans here. To report a chained dog, or any other kind of animal abuse, call 311, or 911 if it’s an emergency.

Remember when you had to make an appointment and then wait in a long line to get the Covid vaccine? Well, getting vaccinated these days really couldn’t be easier. Travis County, Austin Public Health and their community partners continue to host a variety of free and extremely convenient Covid vaccine distribution events every week. No appointments are required! Simply check out the handy online calendar and map to find the date, time and location of a nearby vaccine event. All Austin Public Health sites offer the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, including third doses for the immunocompromised and booster shots. Four APH clinics offer pediatric vaccinations. If you’re receiving your second or third dose or booster, bring your CDC Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card so it can be updated. If you’re still on the fence, all we can say is, jump off! Getting vaccinated is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make, for your own health and for the health of those around you.

Who could forget the unprecedented events and aftermath of last February’s deadly winter storm and the failure of the state energy grid? With the first anniversary of the storm around the corner, many Texans are wondering whether the grid is more prepared this year in the event of severe winter weather. To find out, the Austin chapter of the League of Women Voters and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa are hosting a listening session with ERCOT interim CEO Brad Jones to answer community members’ concerns about grid reliability. The meeting will be conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. Register here to receive the Zoom link. Questions may be submitted in advance to LWVAustin@LWVAustin.org until midnight tonight.

As you may have heard, the Biden administration is sending free Covid-19 test kits to the American public. Each household is eligible for one order of four rapid tests. You can order the test kits through the Postal Service or CovidTests.gov. Shipments go out later this month and areas of the country that are experiencing high rates of Covid will be prioritized. The administration is also solidifying plans to partner with pharmacies around the U.S. to distribute 400 million N95 face masks free, to anyone who needs them. Stay tuned for more details.