This Tuesday’s work session, which would have been subject to a new court ruling on speaker rules, has been canceled. In a post on the City Council Message Board, Mayor Kirk Watson explained, “The City Manager and his team have let my office know that there are no scheduled briefings for our upcoming Council Work Session scheduled for Tuesday, August 27th. With no briefings to come before Council, I suggest we cancel the Work Session.” He noted that if Council members had any questions about items on the agenda, they could pull it for discussion or a briefing on Thursday, when Council will convene for its regular meeting.

In an effort to help and inform would-be recipients of $3 million in Heritage Preservation Grants, the city is holding workshops and office hours over the next month. The grants can go toward projects that are connected to preserving Austin’s diverse history. According to a press release from the city, “Eligible projects must engage new audiences, inform history, promote diverse narratives, and attract tourism to historically designated sites. Applicants – including for-profit organizations, government entities, and non-profits – can submit one proposal per funding cycle, focusing on either capital, planning, educational, or marketing projects. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, evaluated by a panel on criteria such as preservation impact, tourism potential, accessibility, and project feasibility.” More information about the grants is available at the city’s website or the workshops and open houses that will be taking place in August and September. Applications for the grants will be open from Sept. 10 through 7 p.m. Oct. 8.

Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle granted a temporary restraining order against the city of Austin on Thursday. The order prevents the city from moving forward with November’s charter election, which has 13 proposed amendments to the city’s governing document. The judge found that the city did not provide adequate notice for the charter election item at its Aug. 14 meeting, in line with the Texas Open Meetings Act violations that Save Our Springs Alliance alleged in its suit, filed on Monday. “The purpose of the Open Meetings Act is openness and transparency and the conduct that is described frustrates this purpose and makes it so that plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm,” Lyttle said in issuing the order. A full evidentiary hearing for a temporary injunction has been set for 9 a.m. Thursday.

Applications to join the Imagine Austin Working Group are open, but they close Friday, Aug. 30. The group will be a resource for the city’s planning team as they work to revise Imagine Austin, which is the city’s comprehensive plan that guides how the city grows and is developed. The working group will be made up of 35 to 45 community members that reflect the diversity of the city. Members will meet 10 to 12 times over eight months (or so) and could be eligible for a $25/hour stipend. Applications can be found here, and applicants will be notified on their selection status by the end of September.

A burn ban is now in effect for the unincorporated areas of the county. Travis County commissioners voted to issue the ban at their Tuesday meeting, on Aug. 20, when it immediately went into effect. The ban will remain in effect for 14 days unless further action is taken. The ban does not apply to prescribed burns, outdoor welding, cutting or grinding. Travis County Fire Marshal Gary Howell urges residents to be careful when grilling outdoors, and it is recommended that grillers and barbecuers have water nearby, in case of a fire. “This week, we’re experiencing dangerous levels of heat and decreasing humidity, which is a troubling combination for wildfire risk,” Howell said in a statement to the press. “High temperatures in the 100s and low humidity create conditions favorable for fires to start. I urge everyone in Travis County to abide by the burn ban, so we can all work together to minimize the risk of fires and ensure our public’s safety.”

An online information session on the Mueller Affordable Homes Program, created for families earning less than the area’s median income who might not otherwise be able to afford a home or rent an apartment in Central Austin, is set for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26. The session on affordable housing options will cover eligibility criteria, income thresholds (specifically the 80 percent, 100 percent and 120 percent MFI limit) and the application process. Registration for the virtual meeting can be found here.

Lorraine “Grandma” Camacho Activity Center has reported a large number of bikes were stolen early Sunday morning. According to an Instagram post from the community center near Festival Beach, the bikes were used in youth cycling education programs “from early childhood Learn to Ride, through teen and young adult competitive mountain biking” and the theft will impact the future of those programs. The city is asking for Holly residents to check their cameras for a trailer full of bikes leaving the area between 4:10 a.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 18. Any information on the burglary can be reported to 311 or to the center, which will convey the information to the Austin Police Department.

The Waze app will now offer more information to Austin drivers by using an existing data set that tracks the status of city traffic lights. The city’s Transportation and Public Works Department explained the integration in its newsletter, saying, “Now, whenever a traffic signal is flashing, that data set integrates with Waze maps so drivers using Waze navigation can see when a traffic signal is flashing and prepare. Drivers should always treat a flashing traffic signal as an all-way stop.” For those who don’t use Waze, or would like to see the data for themselves, information about traffic signals is available through the city’s open data portal and in map form on the city’s website.

As of Sunday, Aug. 18, both Montopolis and Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District pools are closed for the season. Montopolis Pool will be closed for extensive renovations, which are expected to be completed in spring 2026. When done, the new pool facilities will offer changing rooms, zero-depth entry, shaded areas, picnic spots and a waterslide. Anyone who wishes to receive updates on the project can sign up here. Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Pool will also be closed for renovations and also is expected to reopen in spring 2026. The project will include a toddler pool, shade structures and trees, new changing rooms and restrooms and revamped lap lanes. Anyone who wants to stay up to date on the project can sign up for emails here.

As part of an ongoing effort to help prepare our community for emergencies, Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will host a pop-up at the Ruiz Branch Library from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21. HSEM representatives and other staff members will be on hand to offer information, tips and supplies. In addition, the first 25 guests will receive an emergency supply kit that contains things like lanterns, glow sticks, cooling supplies, chargers, weather radios and guides. The event is part of a monthly series, held on the third Wednesday of the month in each Council district.

For the second year in a row, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican-American Cultural Center’s ¡Viva México! celebration will take place at another location while the ESB-MACC is closed for renovations. The Oswaldo A.B. Cantu/Pan American Recreation Center, at 2100 East 3rd St., will host this Austin tradition that pays tribute to both Mexico’s Independence Day and to the diverse cultural traditions of Austin’s Mexican, Mexican-American, Latino, Chicano and Tejano community. From 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, the hillside will come alive with mariachi music and folkloric dance performances, family-friendly art activities and a vendor market. From 4 to 10 p.m., a free shuttle bus will make trips to and from Rudy Mendez Recreation Center to the Pan American Recreation Center to drop off people who park in the neighborhood around Rudy Mendez Recreation Center. Some neighborhood parking can be found around the Pan Am Recreation Center. It is an alcohol-free event. For more information and the schedule of events, visit AustinTexas.gov/VivaMexico.

Applications are open for the city Equity Office’s 2024-25 Equity Mini Grant Fund, offering support for local grassroots organizations that prioritize immigrant advocacy (meaning refugees, asylees, undocumented people, parolees, etc.), solidarity with unhoused people and anti-displacement/displacement prevention. The mini grants of $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000 are intended to reduce challenges for smaller organizations to help amplify their work and keep the focus on community. “The ideal applicant plans to or currently works to improve disparities and incorporates lived experiences of people most impacted at the center of every phase of the work. Strong applicants include organizations and grassroots groups working together on the same issues,” according to a statement from the city. The application window closes at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 15, and all applicants will be notified of decisions by late December 2024, with fund awarded starting in late January 2025. Applications are accepted in both English and Spanish, and for broader language access, reach out to equity@austintexas.gov or 512-974-1797 by Sept. 15. For more information about the program, visit www.austintexas.gov/department/grant-programs.