A coalition of UT-Austin faculty & staff orgs, graduate student activists, and labor advocates, including the Texas State Employees Union, rallied in front of the Tower on Wednesday, Aug. 25, to demand UT implement vaccine requirements for students, staff, and faculty, as well as an on-campus mask mandate. The university, which is encouraging but not requiring vaccines or masks, kicked off its 2021-22 school year that same day. Credit: Photo by John Anderson

Welcome to Texas: Refugee Services of Texas has begun resettling Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban; the Austin American-Statesman reports Austin will welcome an expected 185 refugees by Sept. 30.

Oh Yeah, Redistricting: Austin’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission holds one more citywide virtual forum this Friday, Aug. 27, 11am-1pm, before preliminary maps are drawn. The commission is expected to release the early maps of Austin’s 10 new City Council districts sometime in the coming weeks. See Civics for how you can provide feedback.

A Tight Squeeze: Austin ISD announced its athletics venues will operate at full capacity this year, though “families and spectators are encouraged to social distance when feasible.” Masks will be required.

Locked up With COVID: Thirty new COVID-19 cases have been reported among Travis County jail inmates as of Monday, Aug. 23, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, while 18 new cases among TCSO employees were reported.

Demo Deferred: After plans for demolition galvanized Austin’s skateboarding community, landlord Austin Community College has agreed to extend the lease for No-Comply and has committed to working on a long-term solution for the indie skate shop.

Many Feels, More Time: The Texas Department of Transportation extended its deadline for the community to submit feedback on the agency’s I-35 Capital Express Central Project to revamp the highway through Downtown Austin. Review TxDOT’s proposed plans and share your thoughts by Sept. 24 at my35capex.org.

Flash Those Vax cards: Austin City Limits Music Festival announced attendees at this year’s Zilker Park festival (Oct. 1-3 & 8-10) will need to show a completed COVID-19 vaccine card or a printed copy of a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours.

DACC Shifts South: Downtown Austin Community Court is relocating all services to One Texas Center on Barton Springs Road. During the pandemic, virtual judicial services and case management had been operating out of Terrazas Branch Library, which is expected to reopen for library services soon.

Hays County Commissioners voted unanimously to allocate $5 million for the creation of the county’s first-ever public defender office.

Lights Out, Y’all: To aid with birds’ primarily nocturnal migration, Texans are urged to dim nonessential lights from 11pm-6am until Nov. 30, and especially during the peak migration period of Sept. 5-Oct. 29.

Quote of the Week

“The moment you’ve been waiting for is here, and it’s time for you to go get your vaccination.”

– President Joe Biden addressing the millions of unvaccinated Americans who hesitated prior to FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday

This article appears in August 27 • 2021.

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