This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

🌱 VP Harris Will Be In Town + Non-Stop ABIA + Top Weekend Events 💃

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

Jessica Collins's profile picture
Jessica Collins, Neighbor
|
(Patch Media)

Happy Friday, neighbors! We survived another week! I'm back in your inbox this fine morning to share important local news and community updates.

Today we'll cover:

  • VP Kamala Harris will be in Austin this weekend.
  • The Office of Police Oversight released its recommendations for APD's body camera policies.
  • Austin's fifth brand-new international route of the year has launched!
  • Comedy shows, top events this weekend, and more ➡️

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny and warm. High: 91 Low: 64.

🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Austin! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top stories today in Austin:

1) Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Austin this weekend. The VP is not set to join the Red Hot Chili Peppers onstage at ACL Festival this weekend, but she's in town for two high-profile events. On Saturday afternoon, Harris will take part in a conversation at the LBJ Presidential Library, where her office said she'll discuss "the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to protecting reproductive rights." KXAN reports she'll join Mini Timmaraju, the president of the abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, at this event. On Saturday night, the Vice President will attend a major midterm fundraiser for the Texas Democratic Party. KXAN has more on this story.

2) The Office of Police Oversight released its recommendations for APD's camera policies. Starting in June 2020, the oversight office conducted a three-phase process to help reimagine and guide law enforcement in Austin. As of yesterday, OPO revealed its "Body Worn Camera and Dashboard Camera Recommendations," which take community feedback and research findings into account. The recommendations focused on three areas for policy improvement: community engagement, clarity and accountability. Head to KVUE to see the full list of recommendations.

3) New flight alert: Austin's fifth brand-new international route of the year has launched! Those coming through ABIA can now fly non-stop to Monterrey, Mexico. A refresher on the new international routes announced out of ABIA this year: KLM began flights to Amsterdam in March, followed by Lufthansa resuming its nonstop route to Frankfurt, Germany in April, Air Canada began offering flights to Vancouver in June, and American Airlines started flying to Montego Bay, Jamaica, the same month. Start planning those winter getaways, neighbors! Head to KXAN to learn more.

4) The Austin Aquarium remains under scrutiny following a recent investigation. A 2022 PETA undercover investigation revealed an alarming number of recent animal attacks at the local aquarium, "a large number of missing snakes, injured animals left to languish without veterinary care, abandoned animals, and other horrors" – yikes!. Head to PETA to get the scoop.

Patch deal of the day:

Wine lover alert. We found this amazing deal from Splash Wines — an 18-bottle curated selection of reds and whites for fall — for just $69.99. Shipping isn't cheap at $39.95, but that still comes out to just over $6 per bottle. Splash Wines has a money-back guarantee if you don't like the wine and 4.6 out of 5 rating on TrustPilot. So: recommended.

(The Patch Deals team scours the web for deals we think our subscribers will like. We may earn a commission on products purchased. All promotions are as of publication and could change.)

Today in Austin:

  • Lil Carpenter Food Truck at Carpenter Hotel. (9 a.m.)
  • Austin City Limits Music Festival (Day One) at Zilker Park. (12 p.m.)
  • UT Theater & Dance Production:"...but you could've held my hand" at Oscar G. Brockett Theatre. (7:30 p.m.)
  • The Austin Comedy Competition Semi-Finals at Vulcan Gas Company. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Empath with Annabelle Chairlegs (solo) and Dmitri at Parish. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Gabriel Iglesias "Fluffy" at Moody Center. (8 p.m.)
  • Poetry Jam: Open Mic & Showcase at Victory Grill. (8 p.m.)
  • Electric Feels (Indie Rock + Indie Dance Party) Empire Control Room. (9 p.m.)

Top Events This Weekend:

  • Austin City Limits Music Festival (Day Two) at Zilker Park. (Saturday, Oct. 8)
  • (Kid-Friendly!) "ROSITA Y CONCHITA": a Día de los Muertos Play in English and Spanish at Scottish Rite Theater (Saturday, Oct. 8)
  • Morcheeba with EAGLIN at The Paramount Theatre. (Saturday, Oct. 8)
  • The Annual "Quesoff" benefiting the Central Texas Food Bank at Mohawk. (Saturday, Oct. 8)
  • Fareground Food & Wine Festival at Fareground. (Saturday, Oct. 8)
  • Omar Apollo at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. (Saturday, Oct. 8)
  • Austin City Limits Music Festival (Day Three) at Zilker Park. (Sunday, Oct. 9)
  • (Kid-Friendly!) "ROSITA Y CONCHITA": a Día de los Muertos Play in English and Spanish at Scottish Rite Theater (Sunday, Oct. 9)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

Events:

  • Second Saturday Divorce Workshop-What Everyone Needs to Know About Divorce (October 8)
  • Attend a Free Webinar on Immigration Law by our Austin Immigration Attorney in Austin, TX (October 11)
  • Halloween at the Y (October 15)
  • Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right. See you all tomorrow 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?

More from Austin