The Bright Green Future grant program is accepting applications for the 2021-22 school year. Sponsored by the city’s Office of Sustainability, the educational program “was designed to recognize and support innovative projects that will inspire students to become lifelong environmental stewards.” Past Bright Green Future grants of up to $3,000 have funded wildlife and pollinator habitats, composting systems, rainwater harvesting and rain gardens, organic veggie and native plant gardens, and bicycle academies. The most successful projects “actively engage students and members of the community with hands-on involvement and learning.” Schools may also use the funds to partner with a local nonprofit on a sustainability curriculum. Apply by Oct. 1.

Austin and numerous other Texas cities got good news Thursday from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. According to data released by the comptroller’s office, Austin’s sales tax collections for the month of July were up nearly 28 percent over last year. Austin will collect more than $24 million in sales tax for the month, compared to less than $19 million a year ago. Overall, Austin’s sales tax revenue has gone up nearly 13 percent this year, from about $178 million to nearly $201 million. News was also good for the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which saw an increase of about 28 percent for the month of July and more than 13 percent for the year so far. Overall payments this year stand at nearly $222 million as compared to about $196 million last year, the comptroller’s office reported. Local shopping mecca Sunset Valley saw an increase of more than 31 percent over July 2020, bringing in more than $579,000 as compared to last July’s sales tax collections of $440,000. Things are also looking good for Round Rock, which saw its sales tax collection jump more than 26 percent for the month, bringing in more than $9.6 million as compared to $7.6 million last year. San Marcos, on the other hand, saw its sales tax collections drop from $37 million to about $31 million year to date. Hegar reported that July sales tax collections statewide, as reported in September, were $925 million, up 20.9 percent over last year.

Public health leaders have confirmed that August was the pandemic’s “most lethal month” in Austin since vaccines became available earlier this year. The announcement released Wednesday said, “Following the fastest surge Austin-Travis County has seen, the community surpassed another grim milestone of 1,000 deaths.” Interim Austin Public Health Director Adrienne Sturrup confirmed that almost all of the recent deaths were among unvaccinated people. While most of the people who died were over 60, some were as young as 20. The highly contagious Delta variant has “produced a troubling increase in hospitalizations and life support among children and young adults.” Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority, pleaded again with the community to get vaccinated and to wear masks. “With more cases comes more deaths and while symptoms may be insignificant to you, not wearing a mask, not social distancing and not staying home when sick are contributing to the spread that will eventually reach a loved one who dies. We need to work together as individuals to survive as a community.” Texas Department of State Health Services statistics show that 31.7 percent of eligible Travis County residents are still not fully vaccinated.

Bert Lumbreras is a familiar name around Austin City Hall. He spent more than a decade with the city, starting as assistant city manager in August 2006. In 2017 he left Austin for a job as city manager of San Marcos. But his career appears to be headed for an ending as Lumbreras announced his intent to retire yesterday, effective Jan. 31, 2022. The surprise announcement may partly be the consequence of the city of San Marcos’ bungled response to a traffic collision back in June 2020, which was caused by an off-duty police officer and resulted in the death of a woman named Jennifer Miller. San Marcos police Sgt. Ryan Hartman had an open can of beer in his vehicle at the time of the fatal crash, in which he was not injured. Miller died at the scene while her partner was airlifted to a hospital. In his announcement, Lumbreras said he’d been planning his retirement for almost two years and the decision was “strictly driven by when I was able to take this important step in my life.”

A woman whose mother died during February’s winter storm has filed suit against Austin Energy and the state’s electric grid operator, Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Colinda Meza is seeking $1 million in damages and claims gross negligence on the part of the utility and ERCOT. Austin Energy cut off power to its customers for as long as four days after ERCOT ordered it to do so. Both entities are likely to claim sovereign immunity in response to the lawsuit and any others that might be filed. A divided Texas Supreme Court declined to issue an opinion on whether ERCOT was immune in a case filed by a company earlier this year. That case has not yet returned to the Supreme Court.

Members of Austin Environmental Democrats have decided on endorsements for the Nov. 2 election. The group voted decisively against Proposition A, which its sponsors hope will lead to hiring considerably more police officers. The vote on Prop A showed nearly 90 percent of the group in opposition. On the other hand, nearly 90 percent of those voting cast ballots in favor of endorsing Proposition B. The lesser-known proposition would authorize the city to exchange nine acres of parkland on Lakeshore Boulevard for at least 48 acres of waterfront land contiguous to a city park, plus the cost of constructing a new maintenance facility on other city-owned land, among other things. The group also endorsed state of Texas propositions 7 and 8, but strongly opposed Prop 3. That constitutional amendment would “prohibit the state or a political subdivision of the state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations,” which undoubtedly relates to Covid-19 closures. Nearly 72 percent of those voting rejected that amendment. Proposition 7 would allow the surviving spouse of a disabled person “to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse’s residential homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older ….” Prop 8 would authorize the Legislature to provide a tax exemption for the homestead of a surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. armed forces killed or fatally injured in the line of duty. The group took no position on the other proposed constitutional amendments.

Austin Pets Alive! is hosting a slew of events and offering adoption specials over the next week as part of the Clear the Shelter initiative. Visit the link to see a full schedule of events taking place at locations across the city. Those who bond with a furry friend can “pay what you can” for adoption fees through Sept. 19. Clear the Shelters is a partnership with NBC Universal Local, which is partnering with hundreds of shelters nationwide to find animals forever homes. The program has rehomed more than 550,000 pets since 2015. The Austin Animal Center is also participating.

If you see smoke around South State Highway 45 and MoPac Expressway on Thursday, don’t be alarmed. It’s just Austin Water’s Wildland Conservation Division conducting a prescribed burn on up to 80 acres of Water Quality Protection Lands. It’s a strategy the department, which manages 30,000 acres in order to benefit the Edwards Aquifer, uses to protect Central Texas groundwater. Planned burns “improve the resiliency of our land when they are used as a planned seasonal management tool,” Austin Water said. The burns reduce area brush, promote grasslands and increases biodiversity. Austin Water staff will be joined by county fire departments, as well as federal, state and local land management agencies to ensure everyone remains safe.

On the next Wild Neighbors webinar, the staff of Balcones Canyonlands Preserve have invited Andreina Alexatos of TreeFolks to talk about the benefits of native trees and offer some tips for selecting the right trees for your yard. Trees provide endless ecosystem values, from habitat and food for wildlife and shade, to beauty and lower energy bills for humans, to cleaner air and water for all. Tree planting season is around the corner in Central Texas and there’s no time like the present to start making your fall planting plans. Friday, Sept. 24, noon to 1 p.m. Register for the webinar here.

The city of Austin sensibly combines Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day into a two-week festival of nature dubbed Roots & Wings, offering the community a chance to learn all about pollinators and other wild creatures and the native trees and plants that support them. This year, Roots & Wings, which spans Oct. 24-Nov. 6, is launching a new, big-tent initiative offering microgrants of up to $1,500 in an effort to give more nonprofits and educational organizations an opportunity to participate in the festival and “host their own goal-aligned events.” The deadline to apply for a microgrant is Sept. 13. Learn more about eligibility requirements here.

Mayor Steve Adler, Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison, and Council members Greg Casar, Pio Renteria, Vanessa Fuentes, Ann Kitchen, Leslie Pool, Paige Ellis and Kathie Tovo lined up outside City Hall during a break from Thursday’s Council meeting to reiterate their commitment to women’s reproductive health. Council Member Alison Alter was absent and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly was probably feeling a little bit shy about expressing her opinion on this topic. The bandanas they are holding in the photo say, “Bans Off Our Bodies.” Casar <a “href=”https://twitter.com/GregCasar/status/1433517097422925826″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>tweeted: “Since 2019, this City Council has committed $500K+ to help Texans access abortion, especially those forced to travel. We need cities across the state to do the same!” #AbortionIsHealthCare.”

City administrative facilities will be closed Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The closures include museums, community recreation centers, senior centers and libraries. However, don’t despair: All five of the city’s year-round pools will be open – Bartholomew, Barton Springs Pool, Big Stacy, Deep Eddy, and Springwoods – as well as Garrison, Mabel Davis and Walnut Creek and any splash pads that are operational. City golf courses will be open as well as Zilker Botanical Garden and the Austin Nature & Science Center, though the latter will not be taking reservations. The Monitor won’t be publishing Monday, but we’ll be back on Tuesday, bright and early!