🌱 Arrests Made In Street Racing Incidents + Downtown Shelter Closing

Good morning, friends and neighbors! It's a beautiful Tuesday morning in the great city of Austin and I'm back with your new copy of the Austin Patch newsletter. I've done the heavy lifting to round up the most important local news and community updates, so you don't have to lift a finger.

Sit back and grab your morning coffee while we dive into:

• Today is Day 1 of the 2023 Texas Science Festival. It's free and packed full of interesting panels and events — keep scrolling for the deets.
• A new bill could harm youth voters across the state of Texas.
• Where my shuckers at?! We've got the scoop on an oyster-filled event you won't want to miss.

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But first, today's weather:

Areas of morning fog. High: 83 Low: 66.

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Here are the top stories in Austin today:

1) A new bill was filed in Texas to prohibit polling sites at colleges and universities across the state. KUT reports that State Rep. Carrie Isaac (R) of Wimberley filed House Bill 2390, which is reportedly "one of over 100 election-related bills that have been filed this session." Many voting rights advocates feel that this bill is an attempt to suppress the youth vote. KUT has more on this story here.

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2) Austin Police arrested two individuals, following four instances of illegal "street takeovers" that took place on Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Law enforcement officials reported that one APD officer was injured and several police cars were damaged following the incidents. The Austin American-Statesman has more on this ongoing investigation here.

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3) Noticed the piles of debris and branches on street corners around town weeks after Winter Storm Mara? The city has 70 crews still working their way through citywide cleanup and recovery. Damage assessments at the city's 330 parks and other properties managed by the Parks and Recreation Department are almost complete, but officials expect remediation to take months due to the severity of the storm. The Austin American-Statesman has more on current clean-up efforts and how to report debris pick-up here.

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4) The Salvation Army Shelter & Social Services Center in Downtown Austin will shutter its doors next month. Officials with the Salvation Army shelter shared the following statement: "The downtown shelter has historically been an important cornerstone of their local services, but the facility is aging and in disrepair." The organization plans to work with other community partners to make sure all existing shelter residents are safely relocated. Head to KVUE for the full scoop.

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Today in Austin:

• (Kid-Friendly) Homeschool Origami at Austin Public Library, Central Branch. (1 p.m.)
• (Free) Texas Science Festival, Day 1 at Peter O'Donnell Jr. Building, UT Campus. (4 p.m.)
• (Kid-Friendly) Lego Lab at Austin Public Library, Willie Mae Kirk Branch. (4 p.m.)
• Fat Tuesday Celebration with DJ's Ulovei, Rapid Ric, and Cortez at Volstead Lounge. (5 p.m.)
• Claire Rosinkranz at Antone's. (7 p.m.)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night at The Butterfly Bar & The Vortex (7 p.m.)
• Texas Men's Basketball vs. Iowa State at Moody Center. (8 p.m.)
• Slomo Drags, Billy Glitter, Magic Rockers Of Texas, Burgess Meredith at Hotel Vegas. (8 p.m.)

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Community Chatter:

• 💔 RIP to an Austin Legend: "Red McCombs, the billionaire who created an auto dealership and sports empire, has passed away. He was 95 years old. He donated millions to various universities, including UT Austin, where he established the Red McCombs School of Business." (CBS Austin via Facebook)
• 🦪 Austin, it's time to get shuckin': "The world is your oyster, or at least Republic Square is, at the 10th Annual Austin Oyster Festival! The Austin Oyster Festival will take place at Republic Square on February 25 from noon to 6 pm. Tickets ($70 general admission, $125 VIP, free for kids under 8) include varying amounts of vouchers to use at the bars and are available at austinoysterfestival.com. Tickets may also be sold at the event, but usually sell out in advance." (CultureMap Austin)
• 🤘 Go Longhorns, go! Three University of Texas students are bringing their Longhorn pride to famous game show "Jeopardy!" this week. The students are participating in "Jeopardy! High School Reunion Tournament," which features 27 former competitors from two Teen Tournaments hosted four seasons ago. (Austin American-Statesman)

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You're all caught up for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Jessica Collins

About me: Jessica is happy to call Austin her home for the past 10+ years. She loves the outdoors, arts & cinema, dining, and all of the natural beauty that Central Texas has to offer.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Austin Patch newsletter? Contact me at DowntownAustin@patch.com