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Community Corner

🌱 Street Racing Task Force + New Queso Partner At Q2 Stadium

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)

Hello, Austin! It's Jessica, your host of the Patch newsletter, in your inbox bright and early on this fine Friday morning! We survived another week, my friends. I've got the scoop on the most important local news and community updates.

Settle in with your morning coffee while we dive into:

  • Gov. Abbott intervenes with a plan following street racing incidents.
  • A "Cat in the Hat" performance this evening
  • Guess who's the new, official queso partner at the Q2 Stadium? Keep scrolling for the deets.
  • City Council approved another round of settlements from 2020 protests.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy, a shower; cooler. High: 65 Low: 56.

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Here are the top stories today in Austin:

1) Gov. Greg Abbott is launching a "street takeover task force," following a weekend of "chaos" across Austin, during which a number of individuals were street racing, running red lights, blocking intersections and shooting off fireworks. KVUE reported that the task force will be made up of members from DPS' Criminal Investigation Division, Texas Highway Patrol, Aviation Operations Division and Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division. Get the full scoop here at KVUE.

2) Buckle up — the weather is taking us on another rollercoaster ride! Following our "summer appetizer" on Wednesday, which peaked at 91 degrees, temperatures are expected to drop into the 40s in some parts of Central Texas today. KXAN weather officials report: Cloudy skies with a few periods of light drizzle and light fog are expected this morning through midday Saturday, then warmer, breezy weather returns for Sunday afternoon plans." Head over to KXAN for the full weather forecast.

3) City Council approved $4.8 million in additional settlements over injuries sustained during the protests over police brutality in May 2020. Community Impact reports that the city of Austin has now paid out $18.88 million in settlements from that time period. An internal audit of Austin Police Department (APD)'s response to these protests resulted in training and changes to how law enforcement handles large-scale demonstrations. Check out the full story here at Community Impact.

4) Beloved Hill Country swimming hole "Jacob's Well" will remain closed to swimmers for the foreseeable future. Parks and Recreation staff stated that prolonged drought caused the flow from the spring to "not be suitable for swimming at this time." KXAN has more on the story.

Today in Austin:

  • Friday Fieldtrip for Homeschoolers at Austin Public Library, Yarborough Branch. (10 a.m.)
  • Kids Create: Sunflowers at Austin Public Library, Ruiz Branch. (3:30 p.m.)
  • February Open House featuring Hailey Gearo at The Cathedral. (7 p.m.)
  • Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in The Hat" at ZACH Theatre. (7 p.m.)
  • Redbud with Sleep Well, About You and Font at The Ballroom at Spiderhouse. (7 p.m.)
  • Larkin Poe - Blood Harmony Tour at Scoot Inn. (7 p.m.)
  • Banda MS at Moody Center. (8 p.m.)

Community Chatter:

  • 🐶 Furry friends in need: "The Austin Humane Society (AHS) took in 57 neglected dogs that were taken from a single home." These adorable fur babies are all up for adoption and ready to find their fur-ever homes! (KVUE)
  • 🥬 Food distribution this weekend: "In response to the ice storm and widespread power outages that occurred in early February—the Central Texas Food Bank has mobilized additional mass food distributions in the Travis county area. There will be upcoming food distributions on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. at Del Valle High School." (Austin Parks & Rec via Facebook)
  • 🧀 More cheese, please! "Kerbey Lane teams up with Austin FC as official queso partner at Q2 Stadium" As if I needed any more excuses to purchase tickets this season!? (CultureMap Austin)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— 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

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

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