Travis County Fire Marshal Tony Callaway has lifted the burn ban for the unincorporated areas of Travis County, explaining that, with “the rain we received earlier this week and adequate humidity levels, the conditions have improved enough to lift the burn ban. Although the burn ban has been lifted, I encourage the public to be careful and always be aware of fire dangers when conducting outdoor burning.” Residents planning to conduct any outdoor burning should brush up on the regulations for outdoor burning and contact their local fire department. And of course, always have water nearby. 

City Council has started the process for designating the Broken Spoke an official city historic landmark. The Spoke, perhaps Austin’s most famous honky-tonk, has already received a state historical marker in recognition of its 58 years hosting music legends such as Bob Wills, Jerry Jeff Walker, Marcia Ball, and many more. The resolution sponsored by Council Member Ann Kitchen noted that Willie Nelson and George Strait started their careers at the Broken Spoke in the 1970s. In addition to being the only remaining dance hall in the city, the Broken Spoke hosts a museum of historic artifacts and souvenirs from its various performers and celebrities. The resolution calls on city management to expedite the historic designation so that the marker can be placed at the Spoke in April 2023. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who has represented downtown and South Austin for several years, was invited by Council Member Mackenzie Kelly to address Council on the issue. He urged them to move forward with the designation and invited them to work with him on future issues, including protection of the Hill Country, though he will no longer be representing the area due to redistricting. It was an unusual appearance by the Republican congressman, who spoke fondly of visits to the Spoke.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition is resuming its Point in Time Count, and is looking for at least 1,000 volunteers to help get it done. The count will take place the night of Friday, Jan. 27, when volunteers will go into the community to survey the local population of those experiencing homelessness and hand out care kits. “The Point in Time Count is a great opportunity to get involved in our community’s efforts to end homelessness,” ECHO spokesperson Angela de Leon said in a statement to the press. “The more people who volunteer, the more supplies we’re able to hand out, the more conversations we’re able to have, and the more complete our survey results are going to be.” Volunteers can sign up individually or as a group. ECHO is also looking for donations of money and supplies to create care packs.

An awards ceremony this Saturday honors the winners of Austin’s Tree of the Year awards with laser-cut wooden “cookies” made by Harvest Lumber Company. Community members and organizations nominated over 50 trees in five categories (small, large, schoolyard tree, tree with a story, and most unique tree) during the nomination period, which ran from June 1 to Sept. 30. Now the votes are in and organizers will announce Austin’s most beloved trees – as decided by the people who love them. Nov. 5 at 2:45 p.m., Dottie Jordan Park Tree & Pollinator Festival, 2803 Loyola Lane. Can’t make the ceremony? Check out the winners gallery online.

City Council will consider a resolution today asking Hays County to reconsider a road plan that would include two major road projects that could be detrimental to the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer district and damage Barton Springs. The Travis County Commissioners Court sent a letter in September to Hays commissioners notifying them of Travis County’s opposition to two different roads. According to a resolution sponsored by Council Member Ann Kitchen, one of the roads would “cause serious harm to both the city-owned Water Quality Protection Lands as well as to privately owned lands protected by City of Austin Water Quality Protection Lands conservation easements.” The second road would have the effect of converting MoPac Expressway from a local commuter highway into “a partially tolled interstate freeway alternative to Interstate 35, serving interregional and interstate car and truck traffic.” As the Hays Free Press reported, “On Aug. 30, the Hays County Commissioners Court approved a $2.5 million engineering and design contract with a 4-1 vote to complete the missing section of SH 45 between I-35 and FM 1626, connecting I-35 to South MoPac.” Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra was the lone vote against the contract.

The third annual Digital Inclusion Youth Art Contest has opened to Austin students ages 10-18 “to show us how they see a world where everyone can harness the power of a fast internet connection,” according to the news release. Rondella Hawkins, who oversees telecommunications and regulatory affairs for the city, said the contest aims “to draw attention to the fact that there are still too many families and residents without the ability to access and afford high-speed internet. We are asking Austin students to paint a picture of what the future, the near future we hope, looks like with everyone having the same digital tools to access and use a high-speed internet connection for work or fun.” The top three entries win prize money as well as the chance to have their artwork shown in city spaces. The contest deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 11:59 p.m. Find more details, contest rules and entry info here.

TreeFolks is putting out the call for volunteers to help plant saplings at the nonprofit’s first Ready, Set, Plant event of the season this Saturday, Nov. 5. The event, at Bayton Loop in South Austin, aims to “transform degraded creek banks into grow zones brimming with diversity and life.” Staffers from the city’s Watershed Protection Department and Community Tree Preservation Division will also be there to lend a hand. Ready, Set, Plant is a volunteer tree-planting program that runs from November to February, and aims to restore Austin’s creeks and rivers with creekside plantings. RSVP here.

Austin’s Office of Sustainability is partnering with nonprofit Planted Society and local restaurants for the Plant Based for the Planet climate initiative that aims to educate the public about the benefits of plant-based dining. November is World Vegan Month, and to celebrate, the initiative will allow Austinites to support local businesses, help the environment and experiment with plant-based eating at participating restaurants. At the end of the month, diners can vote on the best vegan options and enter to win prizes from sponsors. “Austin residents care about climate change, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed thinking of all the things we have to sacrifice to decrease our carbon footprint,” Planted Society’s Executive Director Britty Mann said in a statement to the press. “This challenge offers an easy way for every Austinite to make an impact, even just while dining out at their favorite neighborhood restaurants.” So far, about 30 restaurants are participating in the effort, but that number is expected to grow.

City Council Member Kathie Tovo is sponsoring a resolution on this Thursday’s agenda to honor two people important to preserving Austin’s history. The resolution proposes naming the Austin History Center Reading Room in honor of the late Betty Baker, who led efforts to create the city’s Historic Preservation Office, and the late Steve Sadowsky, who served as the city’s historic preservation officer for 21 years. Baker was a city employee for many years before joining the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau. She was able to serve on the city’s Planning Commission, which she chaired, and later became chair of the Zoning and Platting Commission. As the resolution notes, “Sadowsky led the successful effort to rename the structure at 2402 San Gabriel Street so that it became the Rev. Jacob Fontaine Gold Dollar Building, a name reflecting its roots as home of the Gold Dollar, the first African-American newspaper in Austin, founded in 1876 by Rev. Jacob Fontaine, a man who had been enslaved.” This was one of many historic buildings Sadowsky helped to preserve. If the resolution is approved, the city will install a commemorative plaque in their honor. Tovo’s co-sponsors include Mayor Steve Adler and Council members Ann Kitchen and Natasha Harper-Madison.

If you have any interest or background in food issues, you might consider applying to a new community advisory committee spearheaded by the city’s Office of Sustainability. The committee members will be tasked with helping to create the very first Austin/Travis County Food Plan, a five-year road map aimed at addressing food access programs for the community, financing options to mitigate historic food disparities and improving healthy food availability for all. Hoping to get a diverse group, the city encourages any community members with interest in these topics to apply. Learn more at AustinTexas.gov/food and apply here. Applications are due Friday, Nov. 4.

As the Monitor has been reporting, the city is reviewing the amount that Austin Energy charges customers. Currently, the plan will raise rates for residential customers, but that won’t happen until City Council approves the changes. That vote, which is scheduled for Dec. 1, will take place after a series of discussions and opportunities for public testimony. According to a message board post from Council Member Leslie Pool’s office, the work sessions, public hearings and votes are scheduled for:

• Nov. 1, 9 a.m., City Council work session
• Nov. 9, 10 a.m., special called AEUOC meeting with invited testimony from AE, IHE, ICA, and all base rate participants
• Nov. 14, 6 p.m., Austin Energy HQ: Electric Utility Commission, public testimony allowed
• Nov. 15, 10 a.m., City Council public hearing, public testimony allowed
• Nov. 29: 9 a.m., City Council work session and AEUOC meeting
• Dec. 1, 4 p.m., City Council regular meeting, public hearing and vote on base rates – public testimony allowed

All of the meetings, aside from Nov. 14 at Austin Energy headquarters, will be held at City Hall.

As of Sunday night, 166,439 Travis County voters had cast ballots in the Nov. 8 election. That’s close to 19 percent of the registered voters in the county. Southpark Meadows saw the highest number of voters (9,660) as of Sunday night. The next two places in Austin with the heaviest vote were the Austin Oaks Church near Oak Hill, which had seen 9,430 voters as of Sunday night, and the Ben Hur Shrine Center in Northwest Austin with 9,344 voters. But the PACE Campus Gym in Pflugerville beat all of them with 10,273 ballots cast. On the other hand, the Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center in East Austin had seen only 1,238 voters and the community center at Del Valle had a total of 1,244 as of the end of voting on Sunday. Early voting runs through Friday, Nov. 4.