1. Navigating allergies in Central Texas
While most states get a break from seasonal allergies during the winter, Central Texas faces allergens year round. A recent report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranked Austin as the 96 of 100 worst major metropolitan areas for allergies in 2023.
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2. Austin plans next round of Rainey Street safety upgrades
Plans for permanent public safety improvements around Rainey Street and Lady Bird Lake are coming together as part of a renewed civic focus on protecting residents and visitors in the area.
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3. Herd of 150 goats weeding out invasive plants at Butler Hike and Bike Trail
Working goats can be seen grazing on invasive plants at the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake in Austin until mid-August.
Spearheaded by The Trail Conservancy, a nonprofit whose members work to protect, enhance and connect the trail for the benefit of everyone, this is a pilot program to eradicate invasive plants—especially poison ivy—without the use of chemicals or heavy machinery.
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4. Citing break from local values, Austin officials suspend DPS partnership
While Austin leaders said they'd ended the city's collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety on July 12, a response from the state law enforcement agency indicates there are no plans for its troopers to stop working in Austin at this time.
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5. Officials: Demand for STI testing in Austin outpaces public health capacity, funding
A recently released report by Kind Clinic, a program of Texas Health Action that advances sexual health wellness, shows demand for sexually transmitted infection testing at the clinic nearly doubled in 2022, while funding was cut by 53%.
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