City offices (and the ‘Monitor’) close for MLK Jr. holiday

In case you’ve been ignoring your calendar, you may be surprised to learn that the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is already upon us, meaning city offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 17, in honor of the civil rights giant. Most Parks and Recreation facilities will also be closed Monday; however, city parks, golf courses, cemeteries, and some pools will be open. Check for details at austintexas.gov/parkclosures. Curbside trash and recycling collection services will not be affected by the holiday and the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center will be open, though by appointment only. The Travis County Expo Center Covid drive-thru testing site will remain open Monday, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Austin Public Health’s Covid-19 vaccination sites will be closed. The Covid-19 surveillance dashboard will not be updated Monday. Recycled Reads Bookstore, Austin History Center and Austin Public Library branches will be closed. The Austin Animal Center will be closed Monday, resuming normal hours the following day. If you find a stray pet, visit AAC’s website for tips on finding the animal’s owner. Last but not least, the Austin Monitor will be observing the holiday by not publishing Monday.