The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: March 19-25

JD Vance in Austin: Vice President JD Vance visited Austin on Monday, March 23, to attend the Republican National Committee fundraiser campaign, according to Axios Austin. The event was hosted by Palantir co-founder and GOP megadonor Joe Lonsdale. Axios reported that the organization required a $50,000 buy-in to attend the event and $250,000 for those wanting to co-host the event. The city closed stretches of roads from the airport to Downtown, with some closures remaining through Tuesday morning. Austinites took to Reddit to voice their frustration with the heavy traffic. The visit was part of a larger trip to attract voters and donors ahead of the November midterm election, having also stopped by Dallas and now heading to Nashville.

Abbott Addresses Skilled Worker Shortage: In response to a lack of skilled workers to take on trade jobs like construction and manufacturing, Gov. Greg Abbott created the Texas Jobs Council last week. The council is aimed to help strengthen the workforce pipeline in the state as the need for trade employees grows. Abbott said that the program will also provide resources to existing trade workers to enhance their skills. The council will be an official advisory board with members from the Texas Association of Business, Texas Association of Manufacturers, Texas Oil and Gas Association, Texas Chemistry Council, and Texas Association of Builders, along with labor organizers, according to KVUE. The council will be co-chaired by Teamsters organizer Brent Taylor and Megan Mauro of the Texas Association of Business.

Autonomous Accidents: Throughout the last month, Tesla and Waymo have both reported more autonomous vehicle accidents, adding to the 14 by Tesla and 51 by Waymo that were reported in mid-February. Since then, Tesla’s vehicles have been involved in one collision, and Waymo’s vehicles have been involved in four. These crashes come as Waymo has received heavy scrutiny after blocking an ambulance from responding to the Sixth Street shooting and backlash from AISD, encouraging the company to shut down operations during school hours after illegally passing school buses. They also come ahead of Tesla’s launch of its Cybercab, which is expected to roll out in the city next month.

Semi Stuck on I-35: On Tuesday, March 24, a semi-truck carrying an oversized load got stuck on I-35 under the bridge at East 11th Street, taking over six hours to remove after APD responded to the impact. According to the Statesman, the highway’s lanes were fully cleared by 1am on Wednesday morning after first responders worked to remove the truck from under the bridge. TxDOT said that the incident did not compromise the structural integrity of the bridge.

Barton Springs Pool Credit: John Anderson

Barton Springs Pool Reopens: Barton Springs officially reopened this past weekend after being closed to the public since Feb. 23. In a February press release, the city announced that the pool would be closed due to the Barton Springs Skimmer Bypass Project, which was conducted to remove some or all sections of the old skimmer bypass. The bypass was originally installed in the 1940s and began to create safety and environmental concerns, which led to the project’s initiation. In a press release, the city said that Austin Parks and Recreation also completed additional maintenance and improvements ahead of the spring season.

Council Encouraged to Halt Cap & Stitch Plans: As the city continues to wrestle with plans to connect the Eastside of the city to the Downtown area, city staff are now urging Council members to pause the Cap & Stitch project, worried about the potential costs. As City Council approaches deadlines to decide where the caps over the highway will be placed, the cost of the caps themselves, safety equipment, and amenities is expected to balloon, with city staff uncertain where the funding will come from, according to KUT. Because the city has not paid TxDOT the required $25 million for a full design of the caps, city leaders are unsure where the estimated costs for the rest of the project will land. Council is expected to hold a May vote on whether it will fund additional cap locations. 

City Manager T.C. Broadnax Credit: Katherine Irwin

Community Budget Conversations: With debates surrounding the city’s budget following the failure of Prop Q and calls for a citywide audit, City Manager T.C. Broadnax is hosting a series of community gatherings to discuss the budget, called “Your Budget, Your Priorities.” According to the press release, the conversation with Broadnax will evaluate the process and challenges of drafting Austin’s budget. The discussions will serve as an opportunity for Austinites to learn about the process and provide feedback before the development of the fiscal year 2026-27 budget. The first meeting was held yesterday, March 25, with following discussions taking place March 26, March 30, April 8, April 11, and April 15. Austinites unable to attend any of the six in-person meetings will have the opportunity to provide feedback to Broadnax and the city online.

ACLU Files Suit Over Drag Ban: Last week, Senate Bill 12, known as the Texas Drag Ban, went into effect, prohibiting “sexually oriented performances” on public property and in the presence of minors. A day after the law was enacted, the ACLU of Texas and Baker Botts filed a temporary restraining order on behalf of Extragrams, an Austin-based drag entertainment agency, which claims it has already begun to see cancellations roll in after the law went into effect, according to the ACLU’s press release. Extragrams and the ACLU hope that the federal district court will again declare SB 12 unconstitutional and block any enforcement against the company, its performers, and venues. 

City Works to Help Clear Records: Those with unpaid citations or outstanding warrants may be in luck. The Austin Municipal Court and Austin Community Court is holding the 2026 Warrant Amnesty Program through April 17, assisting community members with outstanding warrants and lingering citation payments. By contacting the court, those who take part in the program and resolve their active warrants will have fees waived, according to Austin Municipal Court’s press release. Those who voluntarily attend to resolve these issues will not be arrested, the city said. No appointments are necessary to receive assistance and individuals who are unable to immediately pay may be eligible for payment plans, community service, or hardship waivers. Last year’s program cleared 1,854 outstanding warrants and terminated 17,905 parking violations. 

Credit: Getty Images

Burn Ban Extended Through April: The Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office has extended a burn ban in unincorporated areas through April 28, as dry weather conditions and warmer temperatures persist. The ban does not apply to prescribed burns overseen by a certified prescribed burn manager or compliant hot work operations.

Rosedale Campus Rezoning: At a March 17 meeting, Austin’s Zoning and Platting Commission voted 9-2 to recommend that City Council rezone Rosedale School’s former campus in North Central Austin for multifamily housing, according to Community Impact. AISD announced that it was working to sell the campus for $26 million to housing developer OHT Partners, which would help the district manage its budget issues. Residents of the neighborhood voiced their concerns at last week’s meeting, stating that the proposed development is too large and will negatively impact traffic and safety in the area. If approved by Council, the site will be transformed into a 435-unit housing development.

Small Business Funding Hub: In partnership with Kiva, a nonprofit lending organization, Austin Economic Development has launched the city’s first Kiva Hub, which will offer local entrepreneurs crowdfunded microloans. With no minimum credit score requirement, Austinites will have access to loans from $1,000 to $15,000 with no interest and no fees, along with support and guidance from a local capital access manager. The city encourages community members to donate as little as $25 to help fund these local small businesses. According to the city’s press release, “more than 90% of Kiva borrowers successfully fund their loans through the platform.” 

$24 Million to Local Creatives: Last week, over $24 million was awarded to over 730 members of Austin’s creative community through the city’s Cultural Funding Awards, marking the city’s “largest cultural investment” since the creation of the new Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment department. The funding is primarily supplied through Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue in an effort to sustain the city’s cultural identity while also supporting the visitor economy. According to the press release, there were over 1,600 applicants requesting more than $67 million. “These investments help ensure that the creativity and cultural expression that define Austin continue to thrive,” Mayor Kirk Watson said.

Free Rides to Austin: Earlier this month, Capital Area Rural Transportation System launched weekday commuter routes to Downtown Austin from Smithville, Bastrop, Georgetown, and Round Rock, which are funded through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. According to Austin Mobility’s press release, these rides will be free for individuals for 90 days since they began on March 2, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional service from Elgin to Austin is planned for June. 

Career Expo Coming Up: Austin’s annual Career Expo is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, at the Palmer Events Center, the city announced this week. Attendees will have access to on-the-spot interviews for certain city jobs, with over 100 employers set to participate. With around 90 eligible job titles across the accounting, customer service, finance, human resources, health care, engineering, and other department roles, these departments will extend contingent job offers at the event. Private employers, state agencies, higher education institutions, and others will also be at the expo, allowing community members an easier chance to secure a position in their desired field. Individuals can attend the event and get a professional headshot taken free of charge.

How You Can Help the Grid: Austin Energy announced the launch of the Power Partner Battery Pilot Program, where Austin homeowners can install home battery storage systems that reduce power grid strains. Austin Energy will pay participants $500 upfront to purchase the battery, with additional average incentives of over $300 annually to allow for the department to use the battery’s energy during peak demand periods. As part of the Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan, this new program is “targeting 78 megawatts of demand response by 2027 and 270 megawatts by 2035.” Limited to 1,500 battery systems, Austin Energy said that the pilot will initially support battery systems from Enphase, FranklinWH, SolarEdge, and Tesla.

Bastrop State Park Wildfire: A wildfire started late on Sunday, March 22, in Bastrop State Park, burning approximately 46 acres of the park, according to the Statesman. Firefighters worked overnight through Monday morning to contain the blaze. Crews spent Monday securing containment lines as the Texas Parks and Wildfire Department used a helicopter to drop water on active fire locations in the park. The incident resulted in the closure of eastbound lanes of Texas 21 between Loop 150 and Norfolk Drive. Those within the park were ordered to evacuate on Sunday night, with no injuries or structural damage reported. 

No Big Bend Wall Rally: Earlier this week, No Big Bend Wall, a group of community members opposing the proposed border wall in the Big Bend region, announced that it will be hosting a rally at the Capitol building on Saturday, April 4. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has awarded over $3 billion in contracts for over 150 miles of wall construction, despite opposition from community members and lawmakers. A spokesperson for the project said that there are no longer plans for a stretch of the wall to be built within the state park. Still, the wall will stretch through the towns of Redford, Presidio, Ruidosa, and Candelaria, which could potentially result in downstream pollution, damage the towns’ economies, and put Indigenous cultural sites at risk, according to the ACLU.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Let’s go fill up some cars with gas. Folks are literally losing their paychecks at the gas station and there is no time right now to be catering to wealthy tech billionaires.”

State Rep. Christina Morales on JD Vance’s visit to Austin

The post The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: March 19-25 appeared first on The Austin Chronicle.