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.

Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax is working to shape the city’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026, and Austinites are encouraged to weigh in on their priorities. Through early May, the city’s Budget Priority Survey will be available in multiple languages. This survey follows a series of five community budget conversations that Broadnax hosted across the city from February through April to help residents learn about the budget development process and voice their funding priorities. “The community made it clear that funding should focus on affordable housing, mobility, and community programs,” Broadnax said. “This valuable feedback will play a critical role as I continue to shape the proposed budget. To access the survey and find out about upcoming budget engagement opportunities, visit austintexas.gov/budget.

The 48th annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championship is approaching. The contest, which is free and open to the public, will take place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Brush Square Park. The event, which is known worldwide, consists of the Punniest of Show and Punslingers contests and will feature live music by Kathleen Turner Overdrive, a silent auction, merch, plus food and drink from local food trucks. More information can be found on Facebook or at punoff.com.

A free spay/neuter clinic for dogs and cats is underway through April 7 at the Brodie Oaks Shopping Center, 4115 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin, Texas, 78704 – also providing free vaccinations, flea/tick prevention and microchips to pets who undergo surgery. Registration and drop-off will begin on-site at 7:30 a.m. and will continue until 10 a.m., or until each day’s schedule is full. Typically, spay/neuter procedures cost anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars, depending on the animal’s breed and size. The Austin Animal Center is partnering with Greater Good Charities to help reduce the number of stray and homeless animals.

This weekend, the Landmarks Bike Tour returns to UT Austin. Landmarks has partnered with the school’s Orange Bike Project for the tour and is offering $10 rentals for those who need a bike. According to Landmarks, the docent-led tour of their collection will include stops at “Mark di Suvero’s Clock Knot, Nancy Rubins’ Monochrome for Austin and Sol LeWitt’s Circle with Towers, among others.” The tour is free and open to the public. It kicks off at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, April 6, though those who need to rent a bike should arrive at 10:15.

Community not Commodity is sounding the alarm on HB 3919, called the small lot impervious cover bill, which would “would allow 70 percent impervious cover on residential lots of 4,000 square feet or less.” The bill is set for a hearing on Wednesday at 8am in the House Land & Resource Management Committee. Since Austin passed the HOME initiative, the minimum lot size was reduced to 1800 square feet. Under this bill, lots of less than 4,000 square feet could have 70 percent impervious cover. The current limit is 45 percent. The group says, “Allowing a large increase in impervious cover combined with inadequate drainage infrastructure will put communities at higher risk of flood inundation.” Austin Rep. Gina Hinojosa is a member of the committee. The Senate has already passed a similar bill, SB15.

City Council and the Planning Commission will host a joint meeting at 2 p.m. today to hear public comment on a proposal to allow larger homes on lots where there is already existing housing. According to the posting, if adopted the proposal would “increase the maximum square footage limits of two new housing units when the property owner preserves the existing housing unit.” Although the proposal allows for larger units, it does not allow for increased impervious cover. After a staff presentation, Council will allow two minutes for each speaker. The Planning Commission is expected to take action on April 8 and Council will consider the proposal on April 24, according to Mayor Kirk Watson’s posting on the City Council Message Board.

The Austin Police Department and the nonprofit 911 Cell Phone Bank are launching a phone collection drive in April to provide electronics to people fleeing abusive or dangerous situations. A press release from APD said, “For individuals escaping domestic violence or human trafficking, an untraceable phone can serve as a crucial lifeline.” As Melissa Nachbaur, a supervisor in the department’s Victim Services Unit, explained, “By donating a device you no longer use, you could be giving someone the chance to reach safety, find resources, or rebuild their life.” Community members are invited to donate cell phones, tablets and other electronic devices they no longer need. The devices will be data-cleared and refurbished before going to their new homes via the 911 Cell Phone Bank program. Donation dropoff boxes will be available at all Austin Police Department substations, including the Main Headquarters at 715 E. Eighth St., North Substation at 12425 Lamplight Village Ave., South Substation at 400 Ralph Ablanedo Drive, and East Substation at 812 Springdale Road. Devices may also be donated at any Austin Fire Department station.

Austin Animal Center and Greater Good Charities are partnering up to offer a free spay-neuter clinic for Travis County residents. Spaying and neutering is a vital tool to help control the pet population crisis filling the nation’s shelters with homeless dogs and cats. Sterilization also has significant health benefits, reducing the chance of cancers, infections and lost pets. To be eligible, pets must be at least 2 months old and weigh at least 2 pounds. Dogs should be on leash and cats secured in a carrier. Feral/community cats are OK if brought in a covered trap. Vaccines and microchips will be included free of charge with the procedure, and feral cats will be ear-tipped. Registration and dropoff will begin on-site at 7:30 am. and will continue until 10 am, or until the schedule is full each day. Thursday, April 3, to Monday, April 7, from 7:30-10 a.m., Brodie Oaks Shopping Center, at the closed Neiman Marcus Last Call store, 4115 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. Find more details here. 

Last month, Travis County confirmed its first reported case of measles since 2019, in an unvaccinated baby “who was exposed to the virus during a vacation overseas.” Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority, announced that “measles has arrived in our community” and urged residents to “make sure they’re protected against this vaccine-preventable disease.” The safest and most effective way to protect yourself from measles is by getting the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. Measles is more than just an itchy rash, Walkes said, and it “can put you in the hospital and can even lead to death, as we’ve seen already in Texas.” Measles is so contagious that a single infected person can pass the disease on to nine or 10 people nearby, if they are not protected. Fortunately, Austin Public Health holds free vaccine clinics throughout Travis County, all year long. No insurance is required and noncitizens are welcome. Find dates, locations and times of the clinics here.