AISD students will be eating healthy lunches at no cost throughout the 2021-22 school year, thanks to the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA announced on April 20 that it would be “extending free meal benefits through June 2022, allowing Austin ISD to keep serving its free lunches,” according to a news release. Christine Steenport, AISD’s interim director of Food Service and Warehouse Operations, said, “We are excited to offer healthy, tasty meals at no cost to all families, regardless of their household income. Free school meals help with expanding food access in Austin while also providing comfort for students and convenience for families.” The Austin school district has provided “over 3 million free meals on campuses and more than 4.2 million free curbside meals to children and caregivers” since March 2020.

February’s historic winter storm was hard on humans, but it was even harder on trees. Thousands of trees around the Austin region sustained damage, much of it fatal. The city’s thousands of tropical palm trees were particularly hard-hit; up to 90 percent of Austin’s palms were killed by the freeze, according to Public Works’ Forestry Team. Arizona ash, Chinese tallow and non-native pines were also severely impacted. Forestry has been conducting inspections and will be removing any dead trees in the public right of way that pose a danger. According to Lisa Killander, forestry program manager, “the longer palms are left standing, the more difficult they become to remove. Rotting palms are heavy and can snap and fall without warning, creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians, drivers, and property.” Residents can report dead or damaged trees to Austin 311.

Ever since Winter Storm Uri pulverized its way through Central Texas in February, emergency preparedness has been top of mind for many people. Now the Texas comptroller is offering its 2021 Emergency Preparedness Supplies Sales Tax Holiday to make it even easier for residents to replenish (or create) their emergency preparedness kits. Certain emergency preparation supplies can be purchased tax-free during the sales tax holiday, with no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased. This year’s holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 24, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 26. Find more details and a list of qualifying supplies here.

Know a kid who’s been bitten by the acting bug? Austin ISD’s Fine Arts Department invites students from fifth through 12th grade to try out as actors, dancers, technicians and musicians for its free Summer Theater Series, running from June 14 through July 26. Rehearsals are at the AISD Performing Arts Center. This year’s program features three shows: The musical “Mamma Mia,” the black-box studio production “Still Life With Iris,” and a virtual one-act play to be announced soon. Student participants get free lunches. Interested students should complete an audition form by May 1. An audition workshop and Q&A session will be held Thursday, April 29, at 5 p.m.

The Office of the City Auditor has been chosen as having the best performance audit in the extra-large shop category for its 2020 report on the Austin Code Department’s Repeat Offender Program. The 2020 Distinguished Knighton award comes from the Association of Local Government Auditors and will be presented virtually at the group’s annual conference on May 4. The audit focused on ensuring that rental property owners maintained safe properties, but found that was not the case. Auditors wrote, “Austin’s Repeat Offender Program, as currently administered, does not ensure renters are living in properties that meet minimum health and safety standards. The program, though well-intended, is not meeting this goal in part because rental property owners have not been regulated or incentivized to correct code violations.” Each year, local government audit organizations submit their best reports for judging. The purpose of the competition is to improve government services by encouraging excellence among local government auditors. The Office of the City Auditor publishes its reports so that everyone can read the results of its work, which are publicly presented to the City Council Audit & Finance Committee.

A “digital story map” exhibit at Oakwood Cemetery Chapel portrays the legacy of Huston-Tillotson University, from those who planted the seeds of its beginnings to those who “carefully tended and spent their life’s energy on managing, improving, and building upon” it to “those that continue to pass the torch onward in the elevation of its mission.” The exhibit, called “To Elevate,” includes video, photos, digital maps and other multimedia content, and will run through July.

Being a summer camp counselor is a rite of passage for many young people. You get to work outdoors with kids; you get to lead games and activities; you gain valuable leadership experience – what’s not to love about that? Austin Parks and Recreation has nearly 150 open positions for 2021 summer camp counselors, including Community Recreation, Cultural and Arts, Nature-Based and Adaptive Program Activity specialists. According to PARD’s announcement, counselors “lead and instruct a variety of programming such as recreational games, sports, performing and visual arts, science/nature education, arts and crafts and team building. The summer camp counselor positions provide an opportunity to serve as role models for kids and teens, and can lead to future full-time employment.” The pay is $15 an hour. Learn more and apply here.

Monday was the first day of early voting for the May 1 election. According to the Travis County Clerk’s report, 8,183 voters cast ballots. Of those, 7,425 were cast at 19 early voting locations, and 758 were mail ballots. The Ben Hur Shrine Center recorded the most votes, with 1,048. There were also four locations that recorded more than 600 votes. Those included the Eanes ISD Administration Building, the Shops at Arbor Walk, the Austin Recreation Center, and the Austin Oaks Church. Early voting continues through April 27. For more information about the propositions before Austin voters, see the Austin Monitor‘s Voter Resource. Find a list of early voting locations here. Questions? Call Travis County’s 24-hour voter hotline at 512-238-8683.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has scheduled a public meeting at 7 p.m. tonight to take comments about a planned sewage facility between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs. Environmentalists oppose the permit because it could dump up to 45,000 gallons a day of treated wastewater into one of Barton Creek’s contributing streams. According to a study by the city, pollutants in the treated sewage are likely to cause algae growth for several miles along the Long Branch tributary of Barton Creek. Nearby neighbors, Save Barton Creek Association, Save Our Springs Alliance, the city of Austin and other groups are protesting the discharge permit, which has been requested by Houston developer Stephen Cleveland.  After the hearing, agency staff will issue their opinion about whether the permit should be granted, which could take 60 days or more. The Watershed Protection Department has already indicated that the city would request a contested case hearing before an administrative law judge if TCEQ signals its intent to recommend issuance of the permit. Brian Zabcik of Save Barton Creek says that anyone interested in commenting should sign up early (ID 189-821-291) rather than waiting for the hearing to start. Zabcik said environmentalists were disappointed Monday when a Texas House committee voted against the passage of House Bill 4146, which would have prevented private developers from dumping into many pristine Texas creeks and streams, including Barton Creek. While they are still hopeful that a companion bill, Senate Bill 1747, might win approval, a hearing has not been scheduled, making its future doubtful.

As high school seniors prepare for graduation, many are already thinking about the next step, which could include going to college, launching a career or entering the military. Austin ISD is helping seniors plan for the future by holding a week of virtual events and informational sessions devoted to colleges and careers. Seniors can get help with college or trade school applications, info about applying for federal student aid, and career advice. Students also have the opportunities to enter scholarship drawings, $1,000 from AISD and $2,500 from the Austin Chamber of Commerce. AISD urges all Class of 2021 seniors and their families to register for at least one of the virtual help sessions. Zoom sessions will run from 4:30-6 p.m., April 26-29.

With spring comes baby animal season, a time when birds and wildlife of all kinds are busily making nests and dens and raising their young. Texas Parks and Wildlife wants to remind the public that, while baby animals are cute, don’t ever touch or pick one up unless you are absolutely certain that the animal is orphaned or injured. Many baby birds that fall out of the nest can be fed by their parents on the ground and fledglings that appear to have fallen are actually just learning how to fly. Says TPWD, “If the bird’s eyes are open, it has a coat of feathers and is hopping around, it is probably fine.” Deer fawning season begins in early to mid-May. A mother deer leaves her fawn carefully hidden in tall grass or brush for hours at a time while she forages for food. If you find a fawn all alone, most likely it’s not abandoned but is waiting for its mother to return. Wild babies are always better off being raised by their parents. As TPWD says, “Leave all young animals alone unless it is obviously injured or orphaned. To be sure, spend time observing the wild animal from a distance to make that determination. Staying too close may deter the mother from returning. Interfering too soon may do more harm than good.” Learn more about orphaned or injured wildlife here. Find a list of wildlife rehabilitation groups by county here.

Austin Transportation crews are working on the shared-use paths along South Pleasant Valley Road over the Longhorn Dam bridge. While the east side of the bridge is closed for construction, a detour will reroute people on the east side of South Pleasant Valley Road between Krieg Field and Canterbury Street to accessible crossings at Cesar Chavez Street or Lakeshore Boulevard. Trail users will see signage posted at the closure points.