After a hiatus of nearly 10 years, the storied Tree of the Year Awards has returned to Austin. TreeFolks, partnering with the Parks and Recreation Department and getting support from the Still Water Foundation, has revived the beloved contest that recognizes “outstanding trees within the city limits.” All community members are invited to nominate their favorite trees in five categories: big tree, small tree, story tree, school tree and unique tree. TreeFolks Executive Director Andrew Smiley said in the announcement, “We are excited to relaunch the Tree of the Year Awards after nearly a decade, with an even greater emphasis on community engagement, equity and our shared love of Austin’s trees. This program helps connect our Austin community to the outdoors and to Austin’s historical ecology, as well as to see shining examples of proper tree care and maintenance over time.” The winning trees and their nominators will be honored at an awards ceremony on Nov. 5, 2:45 p.m., at the Dottie Jordan Park Tree & Pollinator Festival Day. Find more info – and vote! – at AustinTreeoftheYearAwards.org/Vote.

Thanks to a grant from Union Pacific Railroad, the Bullock Texas State History Museum is offering free admission to participants in the federal food stamp program, as part of the Museums for All program. Bullock Museum Director Margaret Koch said in a press release, “We are so grateful to Union Pacific and the Texas State History Museum Foundation for its support in helping the Bullock become more accessible to everyone in our communities. Museums for All allows those with limited financial resources to visit the museum exhibitions with their families without economic barriers.” Starting Nov. 1, families who participate in the food stamp, or SNAP program, or the WIC program, can show their EBT card at the ticketing counter and get in free. Any accompanying family members or guests may also gain free admission.

Travis County has issued a new burn ban for the unincorporated areas of the county. As Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Tony Callaway explained, “Even though we received some rain Monday, it wasn’t enough to make up for months of persistent dry conditions, and Travis County remains in extreme drought. With humidity levels dropping again, our wildfire danger is expected to increase. Implementing a new burn ban before the previous one was set to expire Wednesday helps us minimize fire risks and ensure our public’s safety.” The ban is set to expire Nov. 23. Have questions about the burn ban? Call the fire marshal’s office at (512) 854-4621.

The theme of the 15th annual Travis County History Day couldn’t be more timely: “Pandemics: Response and Resilience.” Photos, videos and other materials from the Travis County Archives and the Austin History Center’s Covid-19 collections tell the story, accompanied by featured speakers Nicholas Chu, Travis County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 5, and Michael Barnes, an author and journalist. Participants may avail themselves of a free vaccine clinic offering both Covid-19 and flu vaccines. No appointment necessary. Wednesday, Oct. 26, 4:30 p.m., Hall of Government, 700 Lavaca St.

The fifth annual Roots & Wings Festival, Austin’s annual celebration combining Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day, has taken flight (or seed, depending on your metaphor of choice). Over the next two weeks, participants can partake of more than 50 free events and activities, including festivals at area parks and libraries, tree and flower planting events, tree climbing with professional arborists, trail walks, a monarch metamorphosis, and more. According to the news release, “This year’s festival holds extra significance, occurring months after Austin earned its certification as a Bee City USA Affiliate, recognizing our community’s commitment to conserving pollinators.” Emily King, the city’s urban forester, added, “We believe this year’s diverse events schedule offers opportunities for more of Austin neighbors than ever before to access and enjoy the many benefits nature provides.” Check out the full schedule of events.

Today is the first day of early voting for the Nov. 8 election. Thirty-seven early voting locations will be open Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. through Nov. 4. In addition, five “mega centers” will be open until 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Nov. 4. (Voting centers will also be open on Election Day proper, of course.) Travis County voters may visit the county clerk’s website to view voting locations, wait times and a personalized ballot. Voters might also want to catch up on the Monitor’s coverage of the election and find election day tips at our 2022 Voter Resource, which includes forums, profiles and articles about the propositions on the ballot.

The Austin American-Statesman has endorsed state Rep. Celia Israel for mayor, rejecting former Mayor Kirk Watson as a man rooted in the status quo. In doing so, the Statesman joined The Austin Chronicle, which endorsed Israel on Thursday. The other candidates in the race are Jennifer Virden, Anthony Bradshaw, Phil Brual and Gary Spellman. Of those, Virden has made a visible effort to garner votes, but being a Republican gives her an uphill battle in blue Austin. The Statesman also endorsed Council incumbents Natasha Harper-Madison in District 1 and Paige Ellis in District 8. In District 3, the paper endorsed teacher and community organizer José Noé Elías for the seat being vacated by retiring Pio Renteria. In District 5, the seat currently held by Ann Kitchen, the board endorsed attorney Ryan Alter, a longtime Democratic staffer at the Texas Legislature who has worked for Watson as well as state Sen. Juan Hinojosa. The Statesman endorsed Ben Leffler to take the District 9 seat being vacated by Kathie Tovo.

Save Austin Now, which brought us the successful referendum to reinstate the city prohibition against camping as well as the unsuccessful proposition that would have required the city to hire more police officers, has issued what might be described as an anti-endorsement. In addition, the group has endorsed three conservatives for City Council seats. The political action committee has called out Celia Israel for her votes in the Legislature against measures requiring the city to add more funding to its police department and criminalizing camping. Both bills passed. Save Austin Now PAC’s press release directs voters to look at the websites of Kirk Watson and Jennifer Virden to decide how to vote in that race. However, the PAC did endorse Clinton Rarey, who is running against incumbent Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison. The group also endorsed Richard Smith, who is on the ballot against incumbent Council Member Paige Ellis. The group’s third endorsement is for Greg Smith in the District 9 race. Council Member Kathie Tovo is retiring, so there is no incumbent in that race.

Travis County’s new “I Voted” sticker makes its debut today as in-person early voting for the Nov. 8 election begins. The new version of the familiar sticker features a bluebonnet – the Texas state flower – and was designed by UT Austin student Ashwara Pillai, who won the design contest earlier this year that was open to all Travis County college students. The county has printed only 100,000 of these stickers, so early voters will get the worm (or in this case, the sticker). So get out and vote!

On Thursday, the Austin Chronicle released its list of endorsements just ahead of Monday’s first day of early voting. The editorial board chose Celia Israel over Kirk Watson to lead the city for the next two years. (The other candidates in the race include Jennifer Virden, Anthony Bradshaw, Phillip Brual and Gary Spellman.) Although Israel has gathered some neighborhood and Democratic club endorsements, Watson has gotten the lion’s share, so this endorsement seems important for her. The Chronicle also endorsed incumbents Natasha Harper-Madison in District 1 and Paige Ellis in District 8. José Velásquez got the nod in the crowded District 3 race. The board did dual endorsements in District 5, choosing Ryan Alter and Ken Craig to take the seat currently held by Council Member Ann Kitchen, and Ben Leffler and Linda Guerrero in District 9. It seems likely that there will be runoffs in districts 3, 5 and 9; if that is the case, the Chronicle may have to choose between its endorsed candidates.

On the heels of scant rain this month, Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District general manager Tim Loftus has declared that the area is in a Stage III, or critical drought. The last time the district was in critical drought was 2013. According to a press release from the district, Central Texas has seen below-average rainfall every month in 2022, save August and February while May, June and July were the hottest on record in Austin. The combination has pushed the aquifer district into a drought, with reports of dry wells and more to come if conditions don’t improve. According to the district, “Flow from Barton Springs could eventually decrease to the point where ecological, recreational and aesthetic uses of Barton Springs would be damaged.” In light of the drought, officials urge water conservation. Those with groundwater wells should take a look at the district’s well owner guide and other drought resources to help reduce water consumption. “We can’t afford to underestimate the threat that the current drought poses and the need for everyone to do their part to conserve water,” said  Loftus. 

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center is preparing to celebrate its 15th Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead festival, an annual tradition in which family and community members celebrate the lives of ancestors, family, friends, veterans, and public figures who have passed on to the other side. This year’s multi-day event kicks off with the Austin Studio Tours opening reception on Nov. 1, continues the following day with a viewing of the Día de los Muertos ofrendas and winds up with the gran fiesta on Nov. 5 from 4-10 p.m. at Sanchez Elementary, 73 San Marcos St. Find more details here.