Park rangers know everything. At least, that’s how it seems to hikers and picnickers and park visitors desperate to shanghai a ranger and pepper her or him with questions. City park rangers have decided to make it easier to get all those questions answered by inviting Austinites to join them for a civilized cup of coffee or tea and a chat on a regular basis. Coffee and tea are provided, as are cups, but participants are encouraged to bring their own reusable mugs along with their questions and topics of conversation. Meet at the Ranger Station in Zilker Park (the stone cottage near the playground) every Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon.

In an effort to move closer to the city’s Vision Zero goals, the Austin Transportation Department is testing out a laser technology called Lidar – for light detection and ranging – that “aims to monitor traffic data and proactively identify safety measures that could be taken to increase safety,” according to the department. The pilot will be installed next month at East Seventh and Springdale, a noted high-injury intersection, where it will collect traffic data for 12 weeks on “all road users including vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in real time.” Read more about Lidar and how it works here.

Demonstrating some mobility of its own, the City Council Mobility Committee is shifting gears and rescheduling its meeting from today to Friday, Aug. 6. The new meeting will take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., with the agenda remaining the same. On Friday, the committee is expected to take up Project Connect plans and Street Impact fees, among other things.

Local artists Steve Parker, Wanda Montemayor, Ernesto Hernandez, Nick Schnitzer, Vy Ngo, Laurie Frick, Dharmesh Patel, and Autumn Ewalt have been selected to create art installations for roadways in the Corridor Construction Program. The artists, who were recommended by a panel of community judges and selected by City Council, will collaborate with the community to design and build their artworks. Art in Public Places Program Manager Sue Lambe said in an announcement about the selection, “We’re excited that these talented local artists are now able to begin their work. Their first task will be to listen to the community, getting inspired to create public art that reflects their corridor’s goals. The coordination with the Corridor Program Office will allow for these artworks to be fully integrated in the transportation experience along these corridors.”

Residents seeking Covid vaccinations will have their pick of more than 40 vaccine events throughout the county this week. The pop-up clinics, hosted by Travis County, Austin Public Health and their local community partners, do not require appointments and are open to anyone. The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only vaccine authorized for kids ages 12-17. Check the online calendar to find a complete list of vaccine events. With the highly infectious Delta variant spreading and hospitalizations on the rise, local health officials are urging unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated without delay.

In their effort to collect community feedback about the redistricting of the 10 Austin City Council boundaries, members of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission have to hold public forums in every City Council district. But the dramatic spike in Covid-19 cases has the commissioners swapping some of their in-person meetings with virtual meetings. Commissioner Dr. Sterling Lands explained, “One of the biggest challenges this commission has faced in getting the word out to the public that these forums are happening has been Covid. People are afraid to congregate, so we are hosting some public forums online via Zoom.” Find the revised schedule for the remaining forums here.

Austin Energy is hosting a series of webinars aimed at teaching participants “how to build, remodel or buy green homes that improve energy and water efficiency, increase comfort and reduce maintenance.” The Green by Design series is hosted by Austin Energy Green Building team members who are well versed in sustainable building practices. All course materials will be provided. Register here for one or all of the Tuesday evening sessions.

• Aug. 10: Green Planning and Design, 7-9 p.m.
• Aug. 17: Green Materials and Landscaping, 7-9 p.m.
• Aug. 24: Green Home Systems, 7-9 p.m.

Past entries in the Wild Neighbors Speaker Series have enlightened their online audience about bats, armadillos, snakes and crazy ants. The latest edition in the popular series plumbs the mysteries of another quintessentially Texan marvel – caves. Balcones Canyonlands Preserve cave biologist Colin Strickland will lead a “virtual dive into the refreshingly cool, dark world beneath our feet. Colin will show photos and videos of the commonly encountered organisms in Central Texas caves, starting at the cave entrance and working his way deeper underground.” Friday, Aug. 27, noon-1 p.m. Register for the webinar here.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ve probably heard of the I-35 Capital Express project, a massive $5.6 billion highway project that includes transforming the portion of the aging roadway that divides East and West Austin. The Texas Department of Transportation and the city of Austin are holding an open house to give residents an opportunity to provide feedback on the central portion of the reconstruction project. Participants will also learn more about the Urban Land Institute’s recommendations for a cap-and-stitch solution. Tuesday, Aug. 10, 4-8 p.m., Davage-Durden Student Union, Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St. Please note, face masks are required on campus.

City Council has unanimously approved a contract with KLRU and Austin PBS to continue to underwrite “Austin City Limits” with funding from the Austin Convention Center’s operating budget. The contract will run from Oct. 1, 2021-Sept. 30, 2026, for a total amount of up to $1,250,000. The popular TV concert series showcases local Austin talent and reaches both national and international audiences. The city has been providing funding for “ACL” since 2008. Council Member Kathie Tovo pointed out that “ACL” would be paid for by the operating budget of the convention center, not any funding set aside specifically to promote Austin music. She noted the many conversations she and other Council members have had with members of the community about use of Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars. The contract with “ACL,” she noted, shows that the convention center funds were more flexible than previously thought.

A broken water main has caused the temporary closure of the Travis County Administration Building at 700 Lavaca St. Austin Water crews are working to repair the break. The building will be closed Friday and residents with county business to take care of are asked to wait until Monday morning.

The Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation will host the fourth annual Austin’s Birthday Bash, a commemoration of the day Austin was officially founded as a city 182 years ago. The community celebration features live music curated and headlined by singer SaulPaul and Friends; complimentary creative kits for kids, including coloring pages by artist Lakeem Wilson; food and drink by Salt & Time Café; and the Austin debut of the Passion Flower, a functional art piece created by Edward Balassanian for the 2019 Burning Man festival. While the event will be in person, social distancing will be observed and it is recommended that festivalgoers follow the CDC guidance on face masks.