In response to overwhelming interest in free training on emergency preparedness on Feb. 8, the city has announced a new location with a greater capacity for more attendees. Ready Together: Basic Emergency Preparedness for You, Your Family & Your Neighborhood will take place at Widen Elementary School, 5605 Nuckols Crossing Road, Austin, TX 78744, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8. All community members who were on the waitlist will be notified that they are now registered. Capacity for this class was raised to 80 people. Registration is closed but if space allows, walk-ins may be allowed. The course will cover how to practice the four steps of emergency preparedness: making a plan, building a kit, knowing your neighbors and staying informed. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on how to prepare their home, family and community for a variety of hazards. This is the second time the class has been offered, and this installment will focus on winter weather. Those who complete the course will receive a free emergency preparedness starter kit and NOAA weather radio. Interpreters will be available on-site in Spanish and American Sign Language. “As we watch extreme weather events increase around the globe and here at home, we know working together to prepare for the unexpected is essential,” said Austin Energy General Manager Bob Kahn. “This training will help our neighbors get ready and stay ready for the next emergency.” The course is developed in partnership with Austin Energy, Ascension Seton, Go Austin/Vamos Austin and Austin Fire Department.

City Council will consider a resolution that will increase the city’s environmental investment. Sponsored by Council Member Ryan Alter and co-sponsored by Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Paige Ellis and Jose Velásquez, the resolution would kick off a public input process about the city’s environmental visions like Water Forward and the Austin Climate Equity Plan and identify funding opportunities in the city’s budget, utility rates or a November 2024 bond election. “Austin has done an excellent job of planning to address our climate crisis, but we’re falling short of our goals,” Alter said in a statement to the press. “Climate change will not wait for us to act. If we’re not willing to invest in our future, extreme weather will only get worse and the reliability of basic things like clean air, fresh water, and available electricity will diminish.” The resolution, which will be considered by Council on Feb. 15, sets a May 1 deadline for recommendations to Council and a May 16 public hearing.

Dougherty Arts Center’s Julia C. Butridge Gallery has extended a call for artists to March 17. Artists are invited to apply for a 5- to 8-week gallery show, which includes an artist reception and talk, with options to demo or workshop for exhibiting artists. There is no fee to apply to show in the 2,000-square-foot or 480-square-foot galleries, and artists can sell directly to the public, provided they are not a city of Austin employee. The gallery does not take commission. Learn more about the submission process and requirements here. Artists will be notified by April 12 for the 2025 season.

The city’s Charter Review Commission will hold a town hall at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, to discuss upcoming potential changes to the city’s constitution. The potential changes to the city charter must be put on the ballot by City Council and, ultimately, approved by voters. Prior to all of that, though, the review commission works through a number of recommendations, and Thursday’s town hall is part of that process. This time around, commissioners considered changes to petition requirements, elections and other transparency issues. More information about those issues can be found here. To weigh in on the proposals at the Feb. 8 town hall, the public can participate virtually or in person. Registration to speak in either capacity will open online on Feb. 5.

More than 1,200 Texas high school students will participate in a mock legislative session at the state Capitol today through Sunday, with role-playing of drafting and debating bills; mock trials with student attorneys, witnesses and jurors; and participants acting as print, digital, photo and broadcast journalists who cover the student legislative session. It’s all part of the 78th YMCA Texas State Youth and Government Conference, which is accessible to students of diverse economic backgrounds because of support from The Sumners Foundation. “In today’s polarized political climate, YMCA Youth and Government is vital in teaching young people from different backgrounds how to come together and discuss critical issues in a respectful, civil manner,” said Missy Garcia, YMCA Texas State Youth and Government director. “These students become leaders in their communities and set the example for their peers across the state.” Youth and Government is a nationwide YMCA program active in more than 120 Texas cities that provides a hands-on learning environment with the goal of helping students increase their political awareness and understanding while learning the meaning of social action through realistic government experience.

A Pan-African flag-raising ceremony will launch Black History Month at 9 a.m. today, Feb. 1, at the Austin ISD Central Office. The ceremony will be led by Superintendent Matias Segura, and the event will feature spoken word by second grader Riley Olivia, and students from Oak Springs Elementary and Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders will do a reading of the poem “New Day’s Lyric” by Amanda Gorman. All campuses receive resources and are encouraged to collaborate with students and staff to design Black History Month activities that engage, educate and provide an opportunity for deeper exploration of Black and African American history than what is taught throughout the year.

The city is about halfway through a pilot program that reconfigured and upgraded Barton Springs Road between Stratford Drive and South Lamar Boulevard, and the chance for public feedback about said pilot is now upon us. The survey, which is located here, will be open until Feb. 25 and asks residents across Austin to weigh in on the changes. The findings of the survey will be reported to City Council this spring.

Participating artists have been announced for this year’s TEMPO on the Trail, a public art initiative in which artists create short-term or time-based artworks at various locations along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. TEMPO aims to cultivate curiosity, spark imagination and encourage exploration of the vibrant city of Austin through temporary art installations. The selected artists and their media are:

• Adrian Landon Brooks – Drake Bridge Mural
• Chroma Collective – IH-35 Under Bridge Mural
• Raul Buitrago – Seaholm Amenities Pavilion Wheat Paper Mural
• Diego Miro-Rivera – International Shores Sculpture
• Johnny Walker – Auditorium Shores Sculpture
• Juliet Whitsett – Holly Lakefront Trail Sculpture
• Ani Bradberry – Seaholm Intake Interior Neon Art
• Darcie Book – Lakeshore Park sculpture

“We are thrilled to partner with The Trail Conservancy on the TEMPO on the Trail project, as it aligns with our mission to enhance the cultural vitality of Austin,” said Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, director of the Economic Development Department. Artists are encouraged to select locations that resonate with them and to design artworks that can be easily installed and uninstalled there, allowing for dynamic and ever-changing outdoor art experiences. Each artist will receive $25,000 to design, fabricate and install their temporary artwork. Installations will take place from March through June.

An update from Capital Delivery Services shows that work to rebuild the long-lost pedestrian bridge in Roy G. Guerrero Park continues to truck along. According to the update, the project is now 30 percent complete, and permanent sheet piles intended to stabilize the banks of Country Club Creek West have been completed. In addition, casing for the piers and bridge, capping of existing wastewater lines, concrete drop structures and basin spillways and walls are also done. Importantly, the pedestrian bridge is still on track to be installed this year.

After a series of near-misses and safety concerns, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will be the first in the nation to get an advanced tower simulator. The Federal Aviation Administration announced the news on Monday. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) released a statement praising the change. “After multiple near-misses at ABIA, I’m pleased the Federal Aviation Administration has prioritized us for updated safety equipment and installed the nation’s first Advanced Tower Simulator at our airport. This is a modest first step in improving safety for travelers and enhancing training for air traffic controllers, who are often overworked, overwhelmed, and understaffed,” said Doggett. “For months, I’ve been working with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure our air traffic controllers have the resources and support they need, and I look forward to continue working with the Biden administration to build on this progress.” The tower simulation system is used to train controllers and is already operational at the airport. The FAA plans to install similar systems in 95 other facilities by the end of 2025.

Using debt defeasance, Austin Water closed a financial transaction that will save $62 million over the next three years. Austin Water uses Capital Recovery Fee money to manage debt and reduce payments, with the saved money going toward more infrastructure, payment assistance for customers and stabilizing utility costs.  A press release from the utility about the recent savings touted the utility’s debt management strategy, which has saved customers $556 million since 2016. “Finding efficiencies and cost savings are critical components of Austin Water’s overall debt management strategy,” said Shay Ralls Roalson, director of Austin Water, in a statement to the press. “Debt defeasance has been a tremendously successful strategy that has helped offset the cost of construction and upgrades to improve resilience across Austin’s water and wastewater infrastructure.”

Training for summer lifeguard jobs is underway now – and, in fact, happens year-round. Lifeguards who earn their certification or recertification now can take part in smaller classes in a heated pool and can start making money sooner. Hundreds of positions are still open; the Aquatic Division of the Parks and Recreation Department needs about 850 lifeguards to fully staff city pools for the summer months and currently has 235 lifeguards on staff. The pay for entry-level positions is $20.80 per hour. Check out the lifeguard certification schedule and lifeguard renewal class dates. Lifeguard training and hiring starts at age 15 and there is no age limit. Learn more about how to become a lifeguard at LifeguardAustin.com.