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Community Corner

🌱 Drive-In Theater Burglary + Power Grid Improvements On The Horizon

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)

Welcome back, Austin! Happy Friday to all of you. I hope everyone had a beautiful week and managed to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. It's Jessica here in your inbox today to get you up to speed on everything you need to know that's going on in town.

Settle in with your morning java while we discuss:

  • More paid parking on South Congress?!
  • A downtown fire was confirmed as an act of arson.
  • Significant infrastructure improvements could be in store for Texas' power grid.
  • A Dolly Parton-themed dance party this evening – get your boots ready!

But first, today's weather:

An afternoon shower; cooler. High: 57 Low: 47.

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Here are the top stories today in Austin:

1) The Texas Public Utility Commission unanimously approved a plan to strengthen Texas' electricity market and grid reliability. The new plan adopts the "Performance Credit Mechanism" (PCM) which includes a set of guiding principles for implementation "to strengthen reliability, accountability, and affordability of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) electric grid." The Texas Tribune reports that PCM is meant to help produce enough power when extreme heat or cold drives up demand and electricity production drops for various reasons — such as a lack of sun or wind to produce renewable energy or equipment breakdowns at gas- or coal-fired power plants. The Texas Tribune has more on this story here.

2) Austin's beloved Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In reported a burglary at its downtown location on Wednesday night. The owner and creator of Blue Starlite reported that 80% of the equipment used to run its downtown location was stolen in a "well-planned heist." Looking to support Blue Starlite while the business tries to get back on its feet? The owner is asking community members to purchase a membership, purchase movie tickets for its Mueller location, or make a donation in exchange for "something special" from the theater. KVUE has more on this heartbreaking story here.

3) The Austin Transportation Department (ATD) wants to expand paid parking on and around South Congress. Community Impact reports: "ATD's current vision would enact paid parking along most of the corridor between Oltorf Street to the south and Bouldin Creek to the north. Most of the surrounding side streets would also be blanketed with parking restrictions under the city's plan, with a mix of permit-only spots for residents and paid areas for visitors." The paid parking revenue would support "transportation improvements across a broader area." Learn more about this plan here at Community Impact.

4) A fire broke out on the deck of Shoal Creek Saloon in Downtown Austin on Tuesday morning, and the Austin Fire Department (AFD) was able to extinguish the fire before it spread to the interior of the building. Yesterday, AFD confirmed that the fire was an act of arson. While the suspect can be seen in surveillance video, they have not been identified yet. Shoal Creek Saloon is still open for business, so be sure to head over for a bowl of gumbo! KVUE has more on this story here.

Today in Austin:

  • All Ages Storytime at Austin Public Library, Central Branch. (10 a.m.)
  • Lego Lab at Austin Public Library, Menchaca Road Branch. (3:30 p.m.)
  • Pleasure Venom | In-Store Performance & Signing at Waterloo Records. (5 p.m.)
  • Solid Comedy with Deric Poston and Ehsan Ahmad at Vulcan Gas Company. (6:30 p.m.)
  • The Dolly Party: The Dolly Parton Inspired Country Western Diva Dance Party at Empire Garage. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Pretty Woman: The Musical at Bass Concert Hall. (8 p.m.)
  • Waterflyy, Dylan Cameron, Magik Eyes Only, and more at dadaLab. (8 p.m.)
  • EVNTYD Album Release Party at Empire Control Room. (8 p.m.)
  • Crawl of Time with Interior One / Immoralist, JT Whitfield, Hypoxphilia and Infibula at Mohawk. (8 p.m.)
  • A Giant Dog (Night One), Blue Jean Queen, Geranium Drive at Chess Club. (8:30 p.m.)
  • Pure Fun Comedy at Vulcan Gas Company. (10 p.m.)

Community Chatter:

  • 💌 Fur-ever Stamps: "Austin Pets Alive! was selected by the US Postal Service for the stamp reveal due to the theme of this year's stamps 🐶❤️🐱" (KVUE via Facebook)
  • 🥬 Local staple closing: "Daily Juice is permanently closing all of its Austin locations, effective this weekend, according to an email sent to customers Wednesday." (Austin American-Statesman via Facebook)
  • 🎟️ More Madonna! "After pre-sale tickets went on sale this week, Madonna announced on Thursday that a second show was added to her 'Celebration Tour' in Austin in September due to demand." (CBS Austin via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! 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 Daily? Contact me at DowntownAustin@patch.com

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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