Saturday
October 10, 2026
Today at a glance
- Weather 93° / 60°Hot and sunny, with an ozone alert in effect. Share a ride if you can.
- Air quality 32 · GoodClean this morning, but forecasters expect ozone to build by afternoon.
- Lake Travis 94.9% fullThe lake is close to full heading into fall.
- Allergies HighElm, ragweed and grasses are all out. Take allergy meds early.
- Power grid NormalDemand peaks near 73,200 megawatts; ERCOT has 99,500 ready and room to spare.
- Sunrise 7:29 a.m.The sun is up for 11 hours and 36 minutes today, and down by 7:05 p.m.
Good morning, Austin. It is a hot, bright Saturday, the second weekend of Austin City Limits is underway at Zilker, and the mud has given way to dust. Forecasters have issued an ozone alert for today, so a shared ride or a bike does the air a favor. On the desk: what the city did with money voters already approved, a schools petition racing a Thursday deadline, and a new farmers market for Zilker. Relief may be on the way. A front late next week could finally bring rain.
The Briefing
Before two new bond votes, a look at what the last ones bought
Austin voters will decide on $295 million in parks and library bonds on November 3. This week, two reports showed how earlier bond money has fared.
The City launched an Austin Bond Dashboard on October 1 covering its 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 programs, about $2.45 billion in voter-approved funding, CBS Austin reported. The counts differ. KXAN tallied 66 canceled projects out of 1,430; a City memo cited by CBS Austin lists 61 of 1,426. The City says money from canceled projects has been or is being reallocated.
Then there is the Barton Springs bathhouse. KUT reports that staff estimated about $9.3 million in early 2023, partly from 2012 and 2018 bonds. Total appropriations now stand at $21.98 million. Construction was due to be substantially complete by October 25, 2025. The City says the contractor, SpawGlass, has been in non-excusable delay since then; SpawGlass called the City's account incomplete. The rotunda is still closed, and no grand opening is scheduled.
On Thursday, the City Council directed staff to plan the next comprehensive bond elections for 2028 and 2034, Community Impact reported. Amounts and projects have not been set.
What's next: Early voting begins October 19; the $260 million parks bond and $35 million library bond are on the November 3 ballot.
Sources: CBS Austin (dashboard, City memo), KXAN (canceled projects, November bonds), KUT (bathhouse costs and delay), Community Impact (2028 and 2034 plan)
City Desk
Money & bills
Four of five local tax rates on Austin bills went up
Austin homeowners in Travis County and Austin Independent School District (AISD) will see five taxing entities on bills this fall, Community Impact reports. The City, Travis County, Central Health and Austin Community College raised rates; AISD lowered its rate. For a $500,000 homestead, the five add up to about $8,215 a year. The City says a typical homeowner's City bill rises from about $2,074 to $2,190. Community Impact
City dashboard lists canceled voter-approved bond projects
The City's new Austin Bond Dashboard shows the status of projects from four bond programs. KXAN counted 66 canceled, including sidewalks, intersections, bikeways and affordable housing developments; a City memo counts 61. Assistant City Manager Mike Rogers wrote that canceled projects' money has been or is being reallocated, and that staff will create a consistent process for deciding cancellations. KXAN
Also
Community Impact reports every $100 million the City borrows costs a typical homeowner just over $14 a year; the City has almost $2.4 billion in outstanding debt. Community Impact
Public safety & courts
One person dies after electrocution at downtown construction site
One person died Friday afternoon after being electrocuted at a construction site on Reserve Road downtown, the Austin Fire Department said. A second person was evaluated and not taken to a hospital. Firefighters said Austin Energy had to de-energize a nearby line and call a larger truck before crews could use a ladder truck bucket to reach both people. KXAN
Man charged with murder in bus stop killing
Austin police arrested Jesse C. Monroe II, 33, and charged him with murder in the death of Jeffrey Grable, 66, CBS Austin reports. A bus driver found Grable bleeding near a bus stop in the 1000 block of Norwood Park Boulevard early Tuesday. Police said Grable had been lying near the stop for hours when someone assaulted him and ran. CBS Austin
Also
A pedestrian was killed October 4 at Lake Creek Parkway and Pecan Park Boulevard; police said the driver was not impaired and is cooperating. CBS Austin
Police arrested three suspects in a string of September 13 armed robberies on East Sixth Street in which an Army service member was shot and seriously hurt. CBS Austin
A driver charged with intoxication assault after an October 3 crash at East Riverside Drive and Ben White Boulevard is out on bond; his next hearing is October 19. KXAN
Police Chief Lisa Davis told KXAN the City's investigation of a north Austin immigration agent shooting could finish in a couple of weeks; federal agencies have not shared requested evidence. KXAN
City officials discussed at an October 1 committee meeting whether electric air taxis could help paramedics reach patients when traffic blocks ambulances; no program exists yet. KXAN
Growth & infrastructure
The Barton Springs bathhouse rotunda remains closed nearly a year past its completion deadline; the City says a grand opening will wait until the exhibit is finished. KUT
Overheard on Bluesky
Austin spent $22 million to renovate the Barton Springs Bathhouse.
Why does it sometimes smell like sewage?
Why is the rotunda locked when it was supposed to open last October?
For #ATXplained, I dug into city emails, contracts and millions in spending.
www.kut.org/austin/2026-...
JD's Supermarket at Montopolis Drive and East Riverside Drive says light rail could cost it its gas station; Austin Transit Partnership says its design will not displace the store. KXAN
All Austin-Bergstrom International Airport garages and lots filled Friday, a day after its fourth-busiest day ever; the airport pointed travelers to private off-site lots. KXAN
Overheard on X
TRAFFIC ALERT: Northbound and southbound I-35 between SH 71/Ben White Boulevard and SH 45 Southeast, varying nightly lane closures beginning Monday, Oct. 12 to Thursday, Oct. 15, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., for road work. I-35 reduced to one lane in some areas. #ATXtraffic #My35 pic.twitter.com/Eu0DUTXYZE
City Hall & county
Travis County clears delayed state voter records
Travis County has finished updating 32,000 voter registration records the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) sent shortly before the registration deadline, registrar Celia Israel said Friday. Staff worked nights and weekends. About 20,000 paper applications mailed by the deadline still need processing before early voting begins October 19, Israel said. KUT
Overheard on X
Travis County election staff have processed more than 32,000 delayed voter registration records from the Texas Department of Public Safety. https://t.co/du9gBYh2II
Both sides make their case on the City audit measure
Proposition I would amend the City charter to require an independent audit of all City operations every five years. At a Wednesday rally, Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said consultants "must identify enough cuts to pay their own fees." Bill Aleshire, who drafted the amendment, said the consultant would be professional and "they aren't going to suggest silly cost savings." Austin Current
Also
Council Member José Velásquez faces four challengers in District 3, where affordability and the Dog's Head development dominate the race, KUT reports. KUT
Candidates in Austin's five City Council races had more than $817,000 available as of September, according to Community Impact's review of finance reports. Community Impact
Schools
Burnet and Webb petition drive faces Thursday deadline
Parents seeking state closure of Burnet and Webb middle schools, as an alternative to a broader AISD takeover, need signatures from parents representing more than half of each school's students by October 15. As of Friday, parents of 11% of Burnet and 2% of Webb students had signed. The Austin Council of PTAs said it will help with outreach. A successful petition would not rule out other state interventions. Austin Current
Overheard on Bluesky
Some parents and staff are asking Burnet and Webb middle school families to sign a petition that would close their schools and avert an Austin ISD takeover.
Also
Texas residents can apply to public colleges through ApplyTexas without application fees during Free College Application Week, October 12 through 18. CBS Austin
The Daily Texan reports University of Texas students in consolidated majors, including women's, gender and sexuality studies, may finish degrees, but new students cannot enroll. The Daily Texan
Overheard on Bluesky
As Austin ISD faces a potential takeover, join @texastribune.org in downtown Austin on Oct. 21 for an event all about state takeovers.
I’ll be moderating my first-ever Tribune panel on “State Takeovers: Lessons From Other Districts” starting at 5 p.m.
Business & street life
Zilker Farmers Market opens October 18 at Zilker Elementary School, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free admission and parking, then returns every second Sunday. Community Impact
Fabrik, a plant-based restaurant in Tarrytown, and Kappo Kappo, inside the Austin Proper Hotel, each earned a first Michelin star in the 2026 Texas guide. CBS Austin
City parks staff and festival organizers laid artificial turf against dust for Austin City Limits' second weekend; parts of the Great Lawn will stay closed for recovery afterward. KXAN
Overheard on X
ACL Fest brings in thousands of people each year, along with thousands of pounds of equipment.
The city dedicates a lot of resources to maintain and restore Zilker Park & the Great Lawn. @aclfestival pays for it ... @KUT.https://t.co/hNJhlDZYv1
KVUE reported that Cuantos Tacos plans to open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Austin by early 2027. KVUE
Weather
The National Weather Service forecasts a sunny Saturday with a high near 93, then a mostly clear night with a low around 67. Sunday is sunny again, near 93, with south wind gusts up to 25 mph. National Weather Service forecast
The Weather Service's Air Quality Alert says conditions favor high ozone in the Austin area Saturday; it runs through 7 p.m. National Weather Service alerts
Overheard on X
Dry and warm for the weekend with cooler mornings. Rain chances return Monday for locations along and east of the I-35 corridor, before expanding and peaking area wide during Thursday and Friday with an approaching front. #txwx pic.twitter.com/8nFOjEgwFn
Sources: National Weather Service forecast, Travis County active-alert snapshot
The Back Page
Early voting begins October 19; Election Day is November 3. Check official registration and election links.
One Good Thing: Hundreds of Austin High Red Jackets alumni danced together before Thursday's kickoff to mark the dance team's 100th year. A century of high kicks. KXAN