Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Which Zilker roads and parking lots are closing for ACL setup?

And check out The New Triangle Food and Artisan Market on the Austin Patch calendar

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Wednesday September 16th Patch AM
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Hey hey Austin! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Which Zilker roads and parking lots are closing for ACL setup?
  • Could a parent petition actually shut down two Austin middle schools?
  • How will a $1B data center reshape northwest Austin?

Also on today's calendar: The New Triangle Food and Artisan Market and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is the difference between black eyed peas and chick peas? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 99 and low of 75 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Thursday: Partly sunny and humid, temps: high: 93, low: 75.
  • Friday: Sunny and very warm, with a high of 95 and low of 74 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. ACL 2026 load-in brings road closures, parking impacts around Zilker Park (kxan.com) — Expect weeks of road closures and parking shutdowns around Zilker Park as Austin City Limits Festival setup ramps up, starting with multiple lot closures and lane reductions this month. Barton Springs Road and Stratford Drive will see recurring full and partial closures through Oct. 18, so plan extra travel time and consider alternate routes if you live, work, or play near the park.
   

2. Austin ISD responds to parent petition to close 2 schools (fox7austin.com) — Austin families at Burnet and Webb middle schools are being asked to consider a petition that could close their campuses to avoid a possible state takeover of Austin ISD after years of failing grades. The superintendent says the district will not organize signatures but is preparing contingency plans if closures move forward, while some parents push back and say the focus should remain on supporting students and improving schools.
   

3. Austin's former 3M campus set for data center following $1B transformation (kxan.com) — A massive $1 billion data center project is transforming the former 3M campus in northwest Austin's Four Points, raising questions for nearby residents about noise, water use, and traffic. City Council Member Marc Duchen and Austin Energy are working on broader data center regulations and utility safeguards, while SB Energy promises to meet zoning rules and limit water and noise impacts before operations begin in 2027.
   

4. 80 Austin police officers participate in 'Miles for Mental Health' (fox7austin.com) — Eighty Austin police officers are committing to run at least a mile a day for 30 days in a new "Miles for Mental Health" challenge starting in October. Organized by the Central Texas Public Safety Commission, the program pairs daily runs with peer support, new running shoes, and health screenings to help officers build lasting physical and mental wellness habits.
   

5. Counties provide flood siren updates one year after new requirements (cbsaustin.com) — Austin Water has just tested new flood warning sirens at Longhorn Dam as part of a broader modernization of the city's emergency preparedness system. The story also explains how a new state law is funding additional sirens and warning upgrades in Williamson and Guadalupe counties, aiming to better alert residents in future flash-flood emergencies.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • 11-Year-Old Student Launches AI-Powered App to Revolutionize Spelling, Math, and Science Practice —Tracie Seed Read on Patch
  • Hey Neighbors!
    I moved here about a year ago and really miss spending time with my grandparents. I know how much that companionship meant to them and, looking back,… (Nextdoor Old Enfield)
  • LOST DOG - please help us find him!
    Our foster dog Macaroni got loose from our home this afternoon and ran off. He's very scared and skittish, especially around strangers, so PLEASE do… (Nextdoor Travis Country)
  • Travel + Leisure Company posted a job opening for Night Auditor / Front Desk Agent - Club Wyndham Austin Resort in Austin. Apply here.
  • TXB Stores posted a job opening for Porter in Austin. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Austin here.

Ok Austin! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Black eyed peas can sing us a song but chick peas can only hummus one. (Thank you Bev H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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