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Community Corner

🌱 Charges Dropped Against Former UT Coach + City Manager Fired

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Austin.

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Jessica Collins, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Good morning, friends and neighbors! It's a chilly Thursday morning in Austin and I'm back in your inbox bright and early to get you caught up on the most important local news and community updates.

Settle in while we dive into:

  • City Council votes to fire Austin's top city official.
  • "The Boss" aka Bruce Springsteen is in town this evening!
  • Curious how Austin is celebrating Black History Month? We've got the scoop.
  • HEB debuts its newest location that includes its own restaurant!

But first, today's weather:

Cooler; breezy in the morning. High: 58 Low: 34.

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Here are the top stories in Austin today:

1) Austin City Council voted 10-1 to fire City Manager Spencer Cronk, termination effective immediately. Former City Manager Jesús Garza will serve as Interim City Manager, as of today. The Texas Tribune reports that Cronk will get a severance payment — about $463,000 — equal to his salary, COBRA benefits and vacation time. Mayor Kirk Watson has not committed to a time range for how long it will take to find a new city manager. The Texas Tribune has more on this story here.

2) Project Connect expansion delayed: The Pleasant Valley and Expo Center MetroRapid lines were supposed to start running this summer. Now, Capital Metro says service for these two high-frequency bus lines won't begin until 2025. The Pleasant Valley MetroRapid line would run from the Mueller development down to the Goodnight Ranch neighborhood in Southeast Austin, while the Expo Center line runs from downtown to the Travis County Expo Center. Both routes are intended to be serviced solely by electric buses. KUT has more on this story here.

3) Prosecutors dismissed a domestic violence case against Chris Beard, the former head coach of the University of Texas men's basketball team, after reviewing evidence and the request of his fiancée. Learn more here at KXAN.

4) IBM Austin will move to a new campus by 2027. Community Impact reports that IBM filed a request for a proposal to build new space for its Austin campus back in September 2022. The IBM Team says the new space will be approximately 375,000 square feet, with room to grow in the future.

Today in Austin:

  • (Kid-Friendly) It's SEW Fun – Sewing Workshop at Austin Public Library, Twin Oaks Branch. (5:30 p.m.)
  • "Been Here: Queer, Black & Proud" – An Evening Celebrating Queer Black Voices in Film at George Washington Carver Museum. (6 p.m.)
  • Pajama Storytime at Austin Public Library, Central Branch. (6:30 p.m.)
  • Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band at Moody Center. (7 p.m.)
  • Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night at Austin Eastciders Barton Springs (7 p.m.)
  • ZACH Theatre & Deaf Austin Theatre Presents: Rodgers + Hammerstein's "Cinderella" at ZACH Theatre. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Z-RO and Slim Thug at Empire Garage. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Night Drive with Holy Wire at Parish. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Antoni Porowski: Let's Do Dinner (Book Tour) at Stateside Theatre. (9 p.m.)

Community Chatter:

  • 🛒 H-E-B opens first multi-story store: The new location on Lake Austin Boulevard includes a restaurant, coffee shop, patio, and so much more. Check it out! (CultureMap Austin)
  • 🤎 Searching for ways to celebrate Black History Month? From lectures to film screenings to performances, you can check out a list of events from the Austin American-Statesman.
  • 🏊 Swimming season is nigh: "Get your season passes for City swimming pools now!
    - Download ATXSwims app from Apple Store or Google Play - Or get season passes at pard.flowbirdhub.com" (Austin Parks & Rec via Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll see you around.

— 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

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