The city’s parks department is teaming up with the Austin Parks Foundation to restore the historic Henry Green Madison Cabin at Rosewood Park. The cabin, which was built in the early 1860s by Austin’s first African American City Council member, was designated a state landmark in 1974 and a city landmark in 1976. “We are grateful to the partners joining us in supporting the restoration of the Henry Green Madison Cabin,” said Colin Wallis of Austin Parks Foundation in a statement. “Rosewood Park has an important history as a cultural gathering space in our city, and we are honored to restore the historic assets that help tell the story of Austin’s African American community.” Henry Green Madison, who was born into slavery in Memphis, Tennessee, had a life of political engagement in Austin that included participation in the Reconstruction and service as an assistant at the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1868-69 and captain of an African American unit in the Sixth Regiment of the Texas State Guard. The restoration will be funded in part by a $30,000 grant from the city’s Heritage Preservation Grant Program, $55,000 from Austin Parks Foundation and additional funding from the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Preservation Trust Fund. To celebrate the restoration, Austin Parks Foundation and the Parks and Recreation Department will have a booth at the upcoming Juneteenth celebration at the park, where more information about the cabin and its restoration will be on hand.

Those hoping for a north-side trail connection between Pleasant Valley and the Colorado River Trailhead will have to hold on a little longer. Though City Council passed a resolution in December asking staff to explore the feasibility of such a connection, the exploration continues, according to a June 8 memo from Transportation and Public Works Department interim Director Richard Mendoza. The memo explains that a “high-level review” of providing a trail connection “identified challenges for this connection due to steep slopes that run along the river as well as private property that abut the embankment.” As a result, explains Mendoza, staff is now exploring the viability of an alternate alignment along Cesar Chavez Street that could achieve the same goals for pedestrians and cyclists. Staff is expected to report back on options and costs by mid-November of this year.

The city will hold a community open house to review preliminary designs for the Bradshaw Road Substandard Street Project from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on June 21 at Southeast Branch Library (5803 Nuckols Crossing Road). “Substandard streets are publicly owned roadways within the City of Austin’s jurisdiction that do not meet current City of Austin requirements because they have pavement widths that are less than 24 feet and typically lack some curb and gutter, drainage, bicycle accommodations and sidewalk infrastructure,” according to a news release. The Bradshaw Road project includes a portion of Old Lockhart Road and extends from Slaughter Lane to River Plantation Drive. At the open house, members of the public can “meet with project managers, ask questions about the planned improvements and hear about next steps in the project’s process,” according to the release. Feedback gathered at the session will be used for the Preliminary Engineering Report for Bradshaw Road, expected to be completed this summer. For more information, visit the city’s website.

You might have seen the details on the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center’s Stay Black and Live Juneteenth Festival from June 12 to 19. Here’s another way to observe the holiday. The city and the Greater East Austin Youth Association will host the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade and Festival from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on June 17. The parade begins in the morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Salina Street, and then it heads down Chicon Street to Rosewood Avenue before ending at Rosewood Neighborhood Park. The parade will be followed by food, vendors, music and games at the park. Find more info on the parade and festival at juneteenthcentraltexas.com.

Buzz-worthy news, to be sure: As part of Austin’s affiliation with Bee City USA, locals can celebrate Pollinator Week June 19-25. “Bee City Austin celebrations will include pollinator talks, a night walk and other fun activities for adults and families,” according to a news release from the Parks and Recreation Department and the Austin Public Library. For example, you can mark the grand opening of the Austin Science and Nature Center’s Seed Library. Austin became part of the Bee City USA network in 2022. Bee City USA works to “galvanize communities to sustain and support pollinators, specifically the approximately 3,600 species of bees native to the U.S.,” according to the release. Find a list of events and registration information at austintexas.gov/blog/pollinator-week.

Austin Community Foundation plans to award $1.5 million in grant funding to local nonprofits by the end of the year, and on Monday, it announced a request for proposals. The foundation’s Black Fund, Hispanic Impact Fund and Women’s Fund will each award $500,000 in “unrestricted, general operating grants,” according to a news release. Nonprofit organizations in Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties are eligible. Applicants can apply to multiple programs. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on July 31, and recipients will be announced in December. Find more info on the application process at austincf.org/grants.

Austin PBS and Decibel are looking for volunteers to be part of their latest community-based journalism project, which will focus on housing in Dove Springs. Austinites that live or work in Dove Springs are invited to help shape the project by joining the volunteer “sounding board” that will help guide the project through feedback and ideas for coverage and by connecting reporters with the community and neighbors. Anyone interested in being part of the project is invited to apply here.

The city found a wastewater overflow on Friday night, according to a news release, and people who live in the area should take note. It was caused by a grease blockage in the city main and noticed at a manhole in a ravine behind 2112 E. William Cannon Drive. The overflow, which involved more than 100,000 gallons of wastewater, reached Williamson Creek, according to Austin Water, but it has not affected the drinking water supply. However, Austin Water urges people with private drinking water supply wells within half of a mile of the overflow site to distill or boil their water for all personal uses, including drinking. They “should have their well water tested and disinfected, if necessary, prior to discontinuing distillation or boiling,” according to the city. Austin Water also advises people to avoid contact with waste material, soil and water in the area surrounding the overflow. For more information, visit the city website, or call Austin Water at 512-972-0155.

On Friday, interim City Manager Jesús Garza announced several leadership appointments including, significantly, Bob Kahn as Austin Energy’s general manager. According to a news release about the appointment, “Kahn is a respected leader in the utility industry, currently serving as the General Manager of the Texas Municipal Power Agency. He was formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and prior to that served as the Deputy General Manager, General Counsel and Vice President for Legal Services at Austin Energy.” His first day will be July 3. “I’m very excited to return to Austin Energy and look forward to working with the community and the hardworking, dedicated staff at Austin Energy to accomplish the City Council’s goals,” Kahn said in a statement. Garza also announced that Austin Resource Recovery Director Ken Snipes will be moving to head the city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. José Roig will make his interim position as head of the Development Services Department official. And Michele Middlebrook-Gonzalez will join the city as its first chief strategic communications & external relations officer from her current position as a communications consultant with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Finally, Garza announced that Economic Development Department Assistant Director David Gray “will begin a special assignment focused on the broad spectrum of programs, policies and funding the City dedicates to addressing homelessness” in collaboration with the Homeless Strategy Office and other departments working on the issue.

Members of both the Board of Adjustment and the Ethics Review Commission complained recently that their work has been made more difficult by insufficient membership. City Council members are required to fill specific positions. At the Ethics Review Commission, Chair Luis Soberon said the group was having trouble doing its work and pointed out vacancies to be filled by Mayor Kirk Watson and Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis. On Thursday, Ellis nominated William “Ross” Pumfrey to that commission. Watson nominated two members to the Board of Adjustment. Marcel Gutierrez-Garza will join as a regular member, and Suzanne Valentine will serve as an alternate. There were seven other appointments made on Thursday, including Bobby Levinski to the Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force and Peter Einhorn to the Environmental Commission. Council Member Alison Alter nominated Levinski and Council Member Vanessa Fuentes nominated Einhorn. A complete list of the most recent appointments may be found here.

Austin Environmental Democrats has joined the chorus of voices rejecting the Zilker Park Vision Plan. The group announced on Friday that 80 percent of voting members (28 members) had voted against endorsement, while 17 percent (six members) wanted to endorse the plan. One voter was neutral. The vote aligns with a poll commissioned by Rewild Zilker Park and conducted by Public Policy Polling showing 80 percent of those polled opposed the plan. The group plans to craft a resolution to send to City Council.

Austin Public Health’s Blackland Neighborhood Center is hosting its 25th annual pre-Juneteenth wellness and education fair. This popular community event features live music, free barbecue, a gift card drawing, PPE (masks and hand sanitizer) and lots of enticing giveaways. In addition to the fun, there will be health education and an abundance of free vaccinations to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Along with the standard lineup of Covid-19 vaccines, Austin Public Health is offering mpox, hepatitis A and B, HPV9 (for those aged 18-26), flu, PCV20 (must meet criteria), shingles and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) shots. Find bus routes to the fair here and parking info here. The fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Blackland Neighborhood Center, 2005 Salina St.