Central Health will host a community conversation with Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard on May 7, offering updates on efforts to improve health care access and delivery for Travis County residents. The event, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the McBeth Recreation Center, will include an overview of Central Health’s ongoing strategic plan initiatives. Topics will include the development of new clinics, expanded patient-centered care models, bridge services for patients transitioning between care settings, respite care programs, and new approaches aimed at improving overall quality of care. Food and parking will be provided. Residents requiring translation services in languages other than English, Spanish, or ASL are encouraged to contact Central Health’s Community Engagement Manager, Yesenia Ramos. A final event in the community conversation series is scheduled for June 5 in Travis County Precinct 1. Registration and event information is available online.

Austin-area job seekers interested in manufacturing careers will have the opportunity to meet with local employers at the 2025 Manufacturing Job Fair, scheduled for May 23. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Workforce Solutions Capital Area’s North Career Center, located at 9001 N. Interstate Highway 35, Suite 110. Organized by Workforce Solutions Capital Area, the job fair is designed to match candidates with open positions in the region’s growing manufacturing sector, which spans industries from advanced technology to clean energy. Participation is free, and job seekers are encouraged to bring copies of their résumés and dress professionally. Employers will be available on-site to conduct interviews and discuss hiring opportunities. The event comes as demand for skilled manufacturing workers continues to rise across the Austin area, driven in part by major infrastructure projects and expansions in sectors such as transportation and energy. City leaders have made workforce development a key priority, including expanded efforts to train workers for infrastructure-related careers through initiatives like the Austin Infrastructure Academy. Registration is available online.

Artists and creatives in Austin are invited to apply to a new open call for Vibe Downtown, an annual event series launching this fall to celebrate the city’s creative energy. Applications are now open through May 5 for proposals to produce cultural experiences during Vibe Weekend, which is scheduled for September 19–20 on the historic 500 block of Old Sixth Street. Selected applicants will receive a $6,000 budget to create and present their projects at one of two event venues in downtown Austin. Proposals should align with the event’s goals of showcasing local art, music, and makers while activating underutilized public spaces. There is a one-time $25 application fee supporting the nonprofit initiative, with fee waivers available upon request. Organized by the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation in collaboration with Future Front Texas, Vibe Downtown seeks to strengthen Austin’s creative industries and increase downtown visitorship through community-led cultural programming. The event aims to bridge emerging economic gaps and respond to the need for greater cultural vibrancy downtown. The Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation and Future Front Texas plan to build Vibe Downtown into an annual platform for creative expression, economic opportunity, and community connection. Interested applicants can find more information and apply at futurefronttexas.org or downtownaustin.com.

Movability will host an event titled “Workforce Mobility Solutions for a Changing Austin” on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Indeed Tower. The event aims to bring together business leaders, policymakers, and transportation experts to discuss solutions around mobility issues tied to workforce management. Topics will include: transportation demand management, employer-led commuting initiatives and innovative approaches to easing congestion and improving the commuting experience. Movability supports employers and individuals in Central Texas with customized mobility solutions that reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles. Through initiatives such as SchoolPool, which helps families organize carpools to school, and Mobility Camps that promote alternative commuting methods, the organization works to ease traffic congestion, improve air quality, and support economic vitality. Registration for the event is available online.

City Council is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the board of the Sobering Center Local Government Corporation. The selected applicant will serve the remainder of a term that runs through Dec. 31, 2026. The 11-member board oversees the Sobering Center, a joint initiative between the city and Travis County that provides short-term care for individuals under the influence of alcohol and connects them with treatment resources. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and a resident of both the City of Austin and Travis County. Council is seeking individuals with expertise in medical, legal, behavioral health, public health, addiction, business, fundraising, or nonprofit and government financial management. Applications will remain open until the position is filled. Interested candidates should complete the city’s online Boards and Commissions application and submit a resume and statement of intent. Materials may also be emailed to Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Hall at stephanie.hall@austintexas.gov. Final candidates will be reviewed by the City Council’s Public Health Committee.

The Lower Colorado River Authority is looking for feedback on a newly proposed aggregate processing plant and quarry near Inks Lake. In addition to accepting comments about the project online or by mail, the water authority will also hold a meeting at the Burnet Community Center where residents are encouraged to comment between 8 and 11 a.m.. According to a press release about the event, “During the meeting, each person wanting to provide feedback will go to one of the stations set up around the community center and will have three minutes to share comments on the quarry application from Asphalt Inc. All comments will be recorded and provided to LCRA staff members to consider in their evaluation of the application and whether it meets the standards of the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance.” LCRA is limited to determining whether the application meets the requirements of the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance and “The come-and-go meeting is strictly for LCRA to collect comments from the public. The meeting will not include a presentation or question and answer session.” Since January, LCRA has received more than 2,000 comments from members of the public. Those comments were submitted online at www.lcra.org/quarrycomments or by mail at LCRA Watershed Management, P.O. Box 220, Mail Stop L106, Austin, TX 78767. Those modes of communication are still available and will remain open through May 13.

This Saturday Travis County Constables are partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to dispose of expired or unwanted medications. On National Take Back Day, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., residents can drop off medications at a Travis County Constable Precinct anonymously, for free and with no questions asked. Syringes will not be accepted. The drop off locations are:

Tonya Nixon

Constable Pct. 1

4717 Heflin Ln. Ste. 127

Austin, TX 78721

(512) 854-7510

Adan Ballesteros

Constable Pct. 2

10409 Burnet Rd. Ste. 150

Austin, TX 78758

(512) 854-9697

Stacy Suits

Constable Pct. 3

8656 B West Highway 71 Ste. 132

Austin, TX 78735

(512) 854-7245

George Morales

Constable Pct. 4

4011 McKinney Falls Pkwy. Ste. 1100

Austin, TX 78744

(512) 854-9488

Carlos Lopez

Constable Pct. 5

1003 Guadalupe St.

Austin, TX 78701

(512) 854-9100

Anyone unable to take part on Saturday can check out the DEA’s site locator for year-round collection.

This week is Flood Safety Awareness Week in the heart of Flash Flood Alley: Austin, Texas. According to a press release from the city, it’s a time to educate yourself on the potential dangers that inevitable flooding holds. “As of August 2023, there are 5,660 active National Flood Insurance Program policies in the City of Austin, covering $1.47 billion in property. In just the last ten years, 930 claims have been paid, totaling more than $42.3 million in damages,” notes the release, which encourages residents to sign up for alerts at WarnCentralTexas.org, make a plan and consider flood insurance, which is now available at a discount for most Austin polices.  This year’s flood awareness week will culminate at  Flood Safety Fest on Saturday, April 26, from 12:00-3:00 p.m. at L.L. Campbell Elementary School. The event will offer tips, giveaways, and the results of a Flood Safety Video contest.

On Saturday, May 3, the Lamar Senior Activity Center will host this year’s 29th Street Spring Art Show: Art On and Off the Wall. The event will showcase art made by artists aged 50 years and up including “paintings, drawings, polymer clay art, fiber arts, jewelry, multi-media pieces, kitchen items, handmade soaps, latch hook rugs, sewing projects, paper crafts, (and) note cards,” according to a press release from the city. The center, which is managed by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, provides seniors with cultural, recreational and educational programming. The art sale, with will be on from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will highlight the creative expression of its community.

If you needed a nudge to buy supplies for emergency preparedness, there’s a state sales tax holiday coming up for exactly that. Certain items will be tax free starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 26, and ending at midnight on Monday, April 28. Those include things like household batteries, fuel containers and flashlights less than $75; hurricane shutters and emergency ladders less than $300; and portable generators priced less than $3,000. A full list of items that qualify for the tax holiday – and those that do not qualify – is available from the state comptroller’s office. That office makes this note about qualifying purchases: “For purchases made online, note that delivery, shipping, handling and transportation charges are part of the sales price. If the emergency preparation supply being purchased is taxable, the delivery charge is also taxable. Consider these charges when determining whether an item can be purchased tax free during the holiday. For example, if you purchase an emergency ladder online for $299 with a $10 delivery charge, the total sales price is $309. Because the total sales price of the emergency ladder is more than $300, tax is due on the $309 sales price.”

Summer is nigh, and the city is getting ready for swim season with two lifeguard hiring events in the next few weeks. The last two lifeguard recruiting events for this season will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. April 17 and May 1 at 2818 San Gabriel St. After a fairly recent hike, pay now starts at $21.63 per hour. Training and hiring is for anyone from age 15 on, and anyone interested in the position is encouraged to complete the online application before attending the event and must bring their Social Security card and Texas-issued identification. Free pizza will be served.

The city is planning to make changes to its Residential Permit Parking program and looking to Austin residents to do it. According to a newsletter from the Transportation and Public Works Department, “The goal of the new rules is to balance the needs of residents, businesses and visitors by reducing congestion, improving curb access, and promoting alternatives such as public transit, biking and pedestrian-friendly options,” with an emphasis on accessibility, fairness and efficiency. In order to gather feedback from the public on what that might look like, the department has launched a survey, which is open through April 28. In May, city staff is planning to post a draft of the new rules for public review, with an aim to adopt them by this July.