Here are seven things Northwest Austinites should know this week.
1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The city offices in Austin will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Trash, recycling and yard trimmings collection for Austin Resource Recovery customers will remain on schedule. All recreation centers, library branches, senior centers, museums and cultural arts centers will be closed on Monday, but all city golf courses and pools, including Barton Springs Pool, will be open.
A Martin Luther King Day festival and march will take place starting at The University of Texas campus, moving to the Texas State Capitol and ending at Huston-Tillotson University. The march begins at 9 a.m.
2. 85th Legislature begins second week
Lawmakers get back to work Tuesday at the State Capitol.
Readers can follow Community Impact Newspaper's coverage here, including reporting from Texas Legislature Reporter Emily Donaldson, who covers daily news, activity and observations.
Here is a guide on how to keep up with the Legislature over the next several months.
3. Round Rock ISD trustees face decision on resignation
Terri Romere, who holds the Place 4 seat on RRISD's board of trustees,
plans to resign, so her fellow trustees need to decide what to do next. They will have two options to choose from during the next regular meeting Thursday, when they are expected to take action. Trustees can either select someone to serve out the rest of Romere's term, which expires in 2018, or they can call for a special election, according to RRISD.
Romere was first elected to the board in 2010. She cited work obligations and family as reasons for her decision to vacate her seat.
The public session of RRISD's board meeting Thursday begins at 7 p.m. in the Round Rock High School Lecture Hall at 300 Lake Creek Drive, Round Rock.
4. Free trees from TreeFolks
The nonprofit TreeFolks will give away 1,000 fruit, shade and ornamental trees Saturday as part of its NeighborWoods program. Trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to one per person. According to TreeFolks, planting trees reduces residential energy bills, provides shade and beautifies neighborhoods.
Saturday's event is from 9 a.m. to noon at Austin Community College's Highland Campus, 6101 Airport Blvd., Austin.
5. Baylor Scott & White Health expands in Austin
The largest Texas-based nonprofit health system is growing its presence in Central Texas.
Baylor Scott & White Health plans to open two new clinics this month: one on Jan. 23 at 2608 Brockton Drive near The Domain in Northwest Austin and a second on Jan. 30 at 200 E. Cesar Chavez St. in Central Austin.
The health provider, which has headquarters in Dallas, was also
recently tapped to develop plans for Pflugerville's first hospital.
6. Capital Metro delays vote on service changes
Last week, Capital Metro’s board of directors pushed back a vote on the
Connections 2025 service plan in order to have more time to analyze the financial ramifications of
eliminating bus service and explore innovative transit options. A vote was anticipated Jan. 23, but the board decided to delay it until its Feb. 20 meeting.
Residents who addressed the board last week were
critical of service eliminations west of MoPac.
7. Austin ISD projected to lose students
A recent annual demographic report predicts
Austin ISD's student population will decline annually over the next decade, with elementary and middle schools seeing the biggest decrease. Davis Demographics and Planning, which conducted the report, anticipates a decline of 2,163 elementary students and 838 middle school students between now and 2026.
The changes are attributed to decreasing birth rates in the area.