Austin Public Health’s new YouTube series, Walkes Talks, aims to “shine a light on public health and promote healthy conversations.” The debut episode, which features Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes, Texas Health Action Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sandra Guerra and APH’s Jimmy Baker, who runs the department’s HIV prevention and outreach program, focuses on the “staggering gap in health care for Austin’s LGBT+ community.” As well as providing some examples of the challenges LGBT+ people face when seeking health care, the 36-minute conversation shares resources “from organizations striving to provide better experiences in health care.” Listen here.

PARD’s Aquatic Division is asking anyone who formerly worked as a lifeguard to complete a survey in the hopes that their experience will “inspire the next generation of lifeguards.” The city still needs to hire and train another 700 lifeguards in order to fully staff all of Austin’s pools for the upcoming swim season. Part of the division’s recruitment strategy is showing that working as a seasonal lifeguard doesn’t have to be a one-time gig; it can be a steppingstone to a number of great careers. Lifeguards can start as young as 15 and there is no upper age limit. Take the former lifeguard survey. Learn more about lifeguarding in Austin.

According to a news release from Austin Public Health, the latest Covid-19 subvariant, XBB.1.5, has been detected in Austin-Travis County. This new, “highly transmissible” variant, which “contains more mutations capable of evading immunity than any other variant,” is estimated to be responsible for 43 percent of Covid cases around the country. Staying up to date with the Covid vaccines and boosters is still the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Wearing face masks indoors when around groups of people is also recommended. You can order another round of free Covid test kits from the federal government. Use the CDC’s mask-finder tool to find free N95 masks at a pharmacy near you. APH’s next community vaccine event will be held this Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 2-6 p.m. at the University Hills Branch Library, 4721 Loyola Lane.

It’s that time of year again – time for Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s 2024 emergency preparedness calendar contest! (Contests and calendars are two of our favorite things around here.) The contest is open to all K-8 students who live or attend school in Central Texas. The artwork should contain “a safety message about a specific hazard such as severe weather, flash flooding or excessive heat or cold conditions. Artwork can also contain emergency preparedness actions such as building a kit or staying informed.” HSEM chief Juan Ortiz called the contest a “fun, yet important way to get whole families involved and thinking about being prepared ahead of an emergency. We are developing the next generation to be aware of what they can do to keep their families safe during disasters.”  The deadline for submissions is March 31. Find the contest guidelines and more information here. You can pick up a free copy of the 2023 emergency preparedness calendar at public library branches and county recreation centers.

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, city administrative offices and facilities will be closed Monday, Jan. 16. The closures include libraries, the animal shelter, the Downtown Austin Community Court, and city utility customer service offices. Trash and recycling collections will not be impacted. Find more information about the city holiday here.

The MLK Community March and Festival will take place Monday, with things kicking off at 9 a.m. at the MLK statue on the UT Austin campus, and concluding at Huston-Tillotson University. Find information about the free march and event here.

The Austin Monitor will also close in observance of the holiday, resuming regular publishing on Tuesday.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is hosting an open house for Southeast Austin neighbors, travelers and any other community members who are interested in learning more “about current and upcoming projects through the airport’s improvement program and multi-year capital development program, Journey With AUS.” Airport CEO Jacqueline Yaft said in a news release that it is “very exciting” to start the new year with a community event “where we can connect with neighbors and travelers to talk about what is on the horizon for our record-breaking busy airport.”AUS staff will be on hand at different stations with display boards to explain the various projects underway, “such as the west-side terminal expansion, the new airplane fuel facility, the midfield concourse along with others.” Dave Madden, who regularly performs at the airport, will provide live music and there will be food and desserts from Salvation Pizza and Shop Savor Groove. Thursday, Jan. 19, 5:30-8 p.m., Southeast Branch Library, 5803 Nuckols Crossing.

Starting Sunday, Jan. 22, Yellow Bike Project is offering a variety of bicycle mechanic classes intended to“demystify the workings of your bicycle.” The three-hour weekly classes, taught by bicycle guru Scott Menzies, will offer a “deeper dive into mechanical knowledge to provide a focused learning experience for everyone from beginners to experts who want to learn more about how bicycles work.” Visit Yellow Bike Project to learn more about this offering as well as other upcoming classes at the Austin nonprofit.

Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca, who has worked for the city since May 2019, is going back to Boston to become transportation secretary for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Fiandaca held several jobs in Boston’s transportation department before taking the position in Austin. In a memo, City Manager Spencer Cronk praised her contributions to the community, including championing more than $20 billion in infrastructure investments related to local mobility improvements. She will be leaving Austin on Jan. 27 for her new job. Cronk also announced that Robert Goode, who was serving as interim director of Austin Water until Shay Ralls Roalson took over as director on Jan. 1, will become an interim assistant city manager, not a new role for him. Goode worked for the city in that position from 2008 to 2018. He then worked for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority as deputy executive director for nearly three years before taking a private-sector job and then returning to the city.

In an update to the city’s tenant relocation program, Housing and Planning Department Director Rosie Truelove said a solicitation for tenant relocation services has been released and a solicitation for a nexus study is in the works. This year’s budget includes $700,000 to fund the program, but implementation is still underway. Though the ordinance creating the program was approved in 2016, it stipulated funding through development fees, which is not allowed under state law. In 2022, City Council amended the ordinance to explicitly include interior renovation notice requirements.

The deadline to submit exhibit proposals for the 2024 season of the Dougherty Arts Center’s Julia C. Butridge Gallery has been extended to March 5, 2023. As a parks department news release describes, the JCB Gallery “celebrates a wide array of artists with diverse practices and strives to promote the livelihood of Austin’s vital art culture by offering as many opportunities as possible to both emerging and established artists.” Artists must include an artist statement, exhibit proposal and images of their work in their submission. Find guidelines, selection info and a submission link here.

The city’s free storage service for people experiencing homelessness is moving. The Violet KeepSafe Storage Program will be relocated to 700 E. Seventh St. as of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18. (To accommodate the move, storage will be closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 18th, after opening from 7 to 9 a.m. at the old HealthSouth location.) After relocation, the VKS program will continue its normal 7 a.m.-7 p.m. hours of operation. “The program is currently operating in an outdoor setting, which can be challenging in inclement weather, hot summer months and cold winter months for program participants and staff,” Pete Valdez, administrator for the Downtown Austin Community Court, explained in a statement to the press. “The new location will allow for an indoor, climate-controlled environment, which will also improve conditions for storing belongings and has restrooms and running water accessible for staff and program participants.”

The Watershed Protection Department has launched its first annual flood safety video contest open to 6th-12th graders in Austin. Students should create a 30-second public service announcement aimed at teaching motorists not to drive on roads covered with water and conveying the critical message, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.” According to Watershed, “driving through flooded roads is the leading cause of deaths during a flash flood. It not only puts drivers’ lives at risk, but also the lives of passengers and emergency responders.” Contest winners will receive a $100 gift card and their PSA may be aired on local news stations. The contest deadline is March 31. Find more details and contest rules here.