Austin Public Health has identified the presence of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus in the 78744 ZIP code in Southeast Austin. No human infections have been found, but “the positive mosquito pools indicate the virus is in our community,” according to the news release. Marcel Elizondo, the health department’s interim assistant director of environmental vector control, said, “We use routine monitoring to assist us in alerting the public about the potential spread of the virus through mosquito bites. By eliminating breeding opportunities and protecting ourselves from mosquito bites, we keep ourselves, our families, and communities safe.” Find information on how to prevent West Nile and eliminate mosquito breeding sites here.

The Mexic-Arte Museum is asking community members to contribute photographs to its upcoming Day of the Dead/Dia de Los Muertos ofrenda, or home altar. “By contributing a photo of a loved one or someone you admire who has passed away, you will help transform our gallery into a communal space where we can commemorate the lives of our family and friends,” says the museum’s announcement. Participants will be allotted a 12-by-12-inch space on the gallery wall to display a framed photo and a small information plaque that will be provided by the museum. The deadline to drop off photos is Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. Find more details and register to drop off photos here.

Speaking of giving feedback – aren’t we always? – you have until Sept. 26 to weigh in about the city’s efforts to expand Austin’s sidewalks, urban trails and bikeways. The ATX Walk, Bike, Roll survey is designed to “collect travel trends and attitudes about walking, biking and rolling to help staff identify how the city can better serve Austin’s needs.” Since everyone either walks, bikes or rolls throughout the city, surely everyone must have an opinion tucked in there somewhere. Take the survey.

AISD hopes that two new programs will give vaccine-hesitant employees just the push they need to go ahead and get the lifesaving Covid vaccine. Both programs share the goal of getting all staff fully vaccinated by Oct. 15. The first program offers eligible employees a one-time incentive of $250 if they are fully vaccinated by Oct. 1. Employees who were already vaccinated earlier this year are eligible for the incentive. The second program is a Covid-19 sick leave co-op, which “has been created to assist with unexpected absences for eligible employees who have to isolate due to Covid-19. Eligible employees who contribute eight hours of their own leave to the co-op will be eligible to use up to five ‘Covid leave’ days of full payment if needed.” The district emphasizes that participation in the vaccine incentive programs is voluntary and that exemptions are available for medical or religious reasons.

The Texas Department of Transportation has agreed to take public comments a bit longer on its plan to expand I-35 through downtown Austin. For those not in the loop, current plans could demolish dozens of buildings near Cherrywood, and TxDOT remains doggedly determined to widen the highway as it runs through the city, despite plans from the public that would do the opposite in an attempt to calm the impact of a major highway running through the center of town. If you like either of those plans, hate both plans or simply need someone to talk to about I-35, the public comment period has been extended through Sept. 24, so head over to the virtual open house now.

A panel of experts will gather this evening for a virtual community town hall on wildfire preparedness, moderated by Travis County Fire Marshal Tony Callaway and hosted by Travis County commissioners Brigid Shea and Ann Howard and City Council members Alison Alter and Mackenzie Kelly. The panelists – Justice Jones, Austin Fire Department wildfire mitigation officer; Dr. Rebekah L. Fox, Texas State University Department of Communication Studies; Melinda Mallia, Travis County Natural Resources program manager; and Will Boettner, Travis County Fire Education outreach coordinator – will discuss what resources are available to the public, how to protect your home and how to make your neighborhood a Firewise Community. Participants will also learn how to get a free Home Ignition Zone Assessment. Wednesday, Aug. 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Register here.

Austin Independent School District has announced that athletic venues will operate at full capacity this year, though spectators are “encouraged to social distance when feasible.” According to a press release from the district, all visitors will be required to wear masks. Distancing and mask protocols, according to AISD, apply to home and away games for all sports. Previously, the district said that it would be operating sports venues at 25 percent capacity.

The independent group tasked with redrawing the preliminary map for the 10 City Council district boundaries is hosting additional virtual meetings to give Austinites more chances to offer direct input about its work. The Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has already held the 10 required public forums, but due to the complications of Covid, decided to add two more public forums via virtual format. ICRC Vice Chair Luis Gonzalez explained in a news release, “When the ICRC began planning for the public forum portion of the redistricting process back in June, the Covid-19 pandemic was a pressing issue to consider. Some residents prefer an in-person option for their public testimony, others are still adhering to social distancing guidelines. Additional virtual forum options were the obvious choice to ensure the ICRC was maintaining a balance between fair access to the process and our concern for public health.” The final virtual forum is Friday, Aug. 27, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Register in advance for the webinar.

If you’re passionate about everything to do with human-powered, two-wheeled modes of transportation, you might be a good fit for Austin’s Bicycle Advisory Council, which is now accepting applications for membership. The BAC, according to the city’s announcement, “is an independent advocacy group that evaluates and makes recommendations to the city of Austin on policies, programs, projects, and plans that affect or relate to bicycling.” You must live or work in Austin, have a demonstrated knowledge of bicycles, bicycle infrastructure and people who ride bicycles, and be conversant in “applicable regulations and plans impacting bicycling.” Apply here to join the BAC. Oct. 3 is the last day to apply for membership.

A deal between Austin Community College and No Comply Skate Shop has been struck. ACC has agreed to pause its application for a demolition permit and has extended the skate shop’s lease, giving both parties time to work toward a long-term solution. “As a community college, we are committed to doing what is best for the community. We’re hopeful that this is an opportunity for a lasting partnership,” ACC spokesperson Neil Vickers said, in a statement to the press. “Our goal is to help No-Comply, and there are a lot of options we can look into. Extending the lease for No-Comply gives us all the time we need to do things right.” In a post on Instagram, No Comply celebrated the new plan, thanking supporters and ACC for its commitment to helping them find a new location, “even if it takes years.” No-Comply owner Elias Bingham thanked the college for “working with us on collaborative efforts moving forward,” adding, “I look forward to our continued work to see what we can accomplish together for our community.”

With emergency orders set to expire Sept. 1, the city has begun preparing for a return to “normal” meetings, but decisions about what normal looks like have yet to be made. A post from Mayor Steve Adler on the City Council Message Board notes that, with open meetings rules back in place, all speakers will appear in person once again (though Council members will still have the option of joining remotely). As of now, Adler said, the Sept. 2 meeting will have in-person public speakers who can sign up to speak in lobby kiosks by 9:45 a.m. for the morning agenda or 1:45 p.m. for the afternoon agenda on the day of the meeting. Right now, Adler said he intends to take up speakers “in batches” as has been the practice during remote meetings. However, he said Council should revisit its procedures during an upcoming work session “to see how we would like to proceed for the rest of the fall.”