The Sanchez Elementary Green School Park has been spruced up, and a celebratory ribbon cutting will mark the changes at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27. The park is the last in a series of pilot sites in the Green School Parks program that was funded by a grant from Cities Connecting Children to Nature. It was funded, in part, by an ACL Music Festival Grant from Austin Parks Foundation and completed with their support, Austin Independent School District and the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. According to a press release about the ribbon cutting, the park now “combines nature play, new trees, an outdoor classroom, and traditional park amenities for an experience that is enjoyed by both children and adults alike. A playful circuit of balance logs, stump jumps, stepping stones, and a play bridge encourage movement, balance, and agility all while engaging with natural materials.”

Pulitzer on the Road is pulling in to Austin Central Library next month for a discussion about storytelling. The Library Foundation and PEN Across America have teamed up for a moderated discussion between author Hernan Diaz and journalist Eli Saslow about telling stories in different genres, “the crucial aspect of truth in journalism as well as historical fiction; American loneliness and omnipotence; whose narratives get told and prioritized, and how they bring their characters to life on the page,” according to a Library Foundation press release. The event is free and open to the public and will take place at the Austin Central Library Gallery at at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16. Tickets are available here.

The renovation of 1970s-era tennis courts and the pro shop near Patterson Park just off Airport Boulevard will be celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the coming weeks. The Burnett “Blondie” Pharr Tennis Center now meets accessibility requirements and has refurbished courts, plus energy-efficient sports lighting, among other improvements. On top of that, local artists Rakhee Jain Desai and Melissa Knight convened with community members for ideas on their on-site sculpture “Harmonic Strings,” which was inspired by the energy and camaraderie of tennis. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 4201 Brookview Road. Learn more about the Pharr Tennis Center renovation here.

This year’s voters guide from the League of Women Voters of Texas is now available. At lwvtexas.org and VOTE411.org, you’ll find nonpartisan explanations of 14 proposed amendments, along with arguments for and against each, on local, regional and statewide issues; parks; internet; teacher pensions; property taxes and other matters. LWV Texas provides the 2023 Constitutional Amendment Election Voters Guide in various formats – and languages – to reach as many voters as possible. A printable PDF of the guide is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese online at lwvtexas.org, where you’ll also find explainer videos. VOTE411.org has the guide in English and Spanish, plus information on local races and ballot measures. Printed copies of the LWV Texas Voters Guide have been distributed across the state to public and college libraries, voting advocates and food banks.

A sendup of Texas politics has been selected for the 2023 Mayor’s Book Club. It’s called “Mr. Texas,” the new novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning Austin author Lawrence Wright. Get a preview at an author talk at Austin Central Library at 7 p.m. Nov. 27, introduced by Mayor Kirk Watson and moderated by The 19th CEO Emily Ramshaw. “As you read this novel, I hope you’ll consider how Austin connects voices across all of Texas, from all walks of life, which Wright captures with deadpan wit,” Watson said. “And through the laughter, Wright asks us to imagine a Texas that isn’t hampered by partisan politics.”

As part of a $300 million plan to prevent displacement along Project Connect corridors, the city’s Housing Department and the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (which is made up of City Council members) have awarded $16.5 million to 12 community organizations. “This is an important milestone for Project Connect. Our desire is to create positive outcomes for our community as transit access expands in Austin,” Rosie Truelove, director for the Housing Department, said in a statement to the press. “These investments will get us closer to accomplishing that goal by providing resources to mitigate potential displacement pressures. Together with our Community Initiated Solutions partners, we’ll continue to ensure residents are supported in our communities.” Award recipients were broken down into three categories. Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, Life Anew Restorative Justice Inc. and Interfaith Action of Central Texas were given money for their work in economic mobility. In terms of homeownership expansion, the city has awarded money to Austin Cooperative Business Foundation Asociación de Residentes, Business & Community Lenders and Del Valle Community Coalition. And for work on tenant stabilization, Austin Tenants Council, Austin Voices for Education and Youth, Communities in Schools of Central Texas, El Buen Samaritano, Meals on Wheels Central Texas, and Workers Defense Project’s Building and Strengthening Tenant Action have received funds. The public is invited to learn more about the programs and eligibility from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 14 at Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center. More information about that event and Community Initiated Solutions can also be found here.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is teaming up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on an “Enhancement of Survival Permit” that is part of a larger effort to increase the population of endangered ocelots in Texas. “Once roaming widely across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Arizona, ocelots have now been reduced to a small group in South Texas largely due to habitat loss,” said Amy Lueders, the USFWS southwest regional director, in a statement to the press. “With this agreement, the East Foundation has proposed an innovative strategy to aid in the ocelot’s recovery by expanding their range in South Texas. We encourage the public to review the proposed agreement and provide us their input during the public comment period.” In Texas, there are fewer than 100 ocelots known in two isolated breeding populations, and the species is listed as endangered in South and Central America, Mexico and southern Arizona as well. The agreement currently under consideration would reintroduce ocelots on the East Foundation’s San Antonio Viejo Ranch in Jim Hogg and Starr counties and provide additional habitat. In that context, the agencies are asking the public to review and comment on the permit by Oct. 16, either online or via post at Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R2-ES-2023-0160; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 22041-3803.

The public has two more opportunities to weigh in on what services and resources should be included in creative hubs proposed for the city’s three ethnic cultural centers. The sessions are scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Asian American Resource Center, with a session about the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center kicking off at 11 a.m. while the gathering about the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center begins at 2 p.m. These facilities are all run by the Parks and Recreation Department and are being considered to be partially renovated to offer musicians and artists resources to perform, rehearse, livestream and record. The centers would also offer assistance in business development, marketing and other entrepreneurial needs. Those interested in attending either session are asked to RSVP on the EQ Austin website.

Recently, the city’s Development Services Department adjusted its rules in order to be in line with changes made at the state level. The department is now holding a virtual stakeholder meeting to answer questions about how House Bill 14 and HB 3699 will impact development projects. On Sept. 28 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., staff will explain how the changes to the city code will impact the development process and answer questions. Anyone wishing to attend can register for the session here. Anyone not planning on attending who has questions can visit the city’s web page dedicated to the topic or contact the city directly at DSDCommunications@austintexas.gov.

Local cases of canine distemper are on an uptick, according to the Austin Animal Center. Distemper is a deadly disease caused by canine distemper virus, and so far in August, the center has seen 39 positive results from 94 dogs tested.

“As expected, the dogs testing positive are generally under a year old and have only been in the shelter for a few weeks, meaning they didn’t have time to build up appropriate vaccination immunity before being exposed,” said Dr. Debbie Elliott, Austin Animal Center head veterinarian, in a statement. “We are seeing a range of symptoms, from dogs that aren’t showing any signs to dogs developing seizures.”

The virus is spread through close contact with infected animals, usually through respiratory droplets and sometimes through urine or feces, according to the shelter. “Prevention through vaccination is hands down the most effective tool our community has,” Elliott said in a statement. “It is vital that dog owners make sure their dogs are completely vaccinated.”

Austin Animal Center is looking for people to foster or adopt healthy, vaccinated dogs. Adoption fees will be waived, and walk-in foster applicants are welcome at the shelter from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Additionally, dozens of volunteers will be available Saturday for the Clear the Shelters event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Get more info at austintexas.gov/department/rabies-and-disease-prevention.

Austin Animal Center has reported an increase in dogs with distemper coming to the shelter, and it is asking for the community’s help. Since mid-July, the city’s animal shelter has had six confirmed cases of the disease, which mostly impacts unvaccinated dogs and can progress to neurological symptoms if not treated. “Distemper has been prevalent in our community this summer, having devastating effects on some shelters. We are committed to stopping the spread,” said Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland in a statement. The city is looking for foster or adoptive homes for 60 healthy dogs as soon as possible. First-time fosters can visit the shelter to sign up. Check the shelter’s website for hours.

Prospective travelers might have seen headlines about unprecedented demand for U.S. passports causing major processing delays. Some happier news, then, for globe-trotting hopefuls: Austin Public Library on Tuesday announced expansion of its Passport Services office. Previously, library patrons could only apply for passports at the Central Library. Now, the Ruiz Branch, Spicewood Springs Branch and Recycled Reads Bookstore all offer such services. Applicants can make an appointment at any of those four locations. Get more information – including hours, appointment instructions and required application materials – at library.austintexas.gov/passports.