Talisman Coffee Co., a family-run coffee business, opened a coffee bar Nov. 1 at La Holly, the East Sixth Street cocktail bar, co-founder Johanna Barker said.

What to expect: Talisman serves coffee made with house-made syrups in many of its drinks, Barker said.

“Every cup represents five generations of coffee farmers before us,” Barker said. “It’s truly a labor of love from our family to you.”

A family affair: Barker runs the business with her brother, Fernando Alvarado. Talisman partnered with Simon Madera, owner of La Holly and Taco Flats, because of shared Texas roots and family-run operations, Barker said.

• Opened Nov. 1

• 2500 E. Sixth St., Austin

• www.talismancoffeeco.com

A mixed-use 71-floor, 993-foot tower is proposed on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin.

The overview: As detailed in new city historic review materials, the Austin Lineage hotel and residential building would be located at 400 Congress Ave. on a site currently home to a parking lot and former restaurant space. If built, the tower would become the city's second-tallest building, ranking just behind the 1,025-foot Waterline.

The details: As proposed, the Austin Lineage project would feature:

• Ground-floor cafe and bar spaces

• A hotel spanning roughly 30 floors with 221 rooms and a fifth-floor pool deck

• Nearly 30 floors of condominium residences with 87 units, including penthouses and a 34th-floor amenity level

• A multi-story decorative crown feature

Chistā, a Persian restaurant led by executive chef and partner Mojdeh Eghbal, opened to the public Nov. 11 at 44 East Ave., near Rainey Street, a spokesperson for the restaurant said.

What’s on the menu: The menu draws on regional Iranian cuisine and Eghbal’s family recipes and travels, the spokesperson said.

Dishes include ghalieh mahi, a whitefish stew from southern Iran’s coast; a grilled peach labneh; fesenjoon chicken; and charcoal-fired kebabs. Entrees range from $23 to $85, according to the website.

What to expect: Chistā is open 5-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and reservations are available online.

Travis County will spend up to $67.8 million on three new STAR Flight helicopters, about $7.8 million more than the county had planned.

Commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 10 to approve a contract with Bell Textron for three Bell 412EPX helicopters, with the option of a fourth. The first is due by the end of 2027.

Why it matters: STAR Flight provides air ambulance service, search and rescue, and aerial firefighting. Its current fleet has two helicopters available only about 75% of the time, and the program uses its third helicopter for parts because replacements take so long to arrive, STAR Flight officials said.

The cost: The county will pay from its reserves for now and repay itself with debt it plans to issue in spring 2027. The total does not include money from selling the current fleet.

Austin area residents can celebrate the holiday season with several local events in late November and December. The non-comprehensive list of activities includes:

• Peppermint in the Park at COTALAND from Nov. 12 to Jan. 4, featuring holiday displays, rides and seasonal treats.
• A Sherlock Carol at the Austin Playhouse from Nov. 13 to Dec. 20.
• A free Bicycle Repair Clinic at the Austin Central Library on Nov. 29.
• The Elf Pub Run on Dec. 1, starting at the State Theatre and traveling to Scholz Garten.
• Ballet Austin's 64th annual production of The Nutcracker at The Long Center from Dec. 4 to Dec. 23.
• The 2026 Holiday Sing-Along & Stroll along Congress Avenue on Dec. 5.
• Screenings of White Christmas at The Texas Spirit Theatre on Dec. 9, 13 and 17.
• The Trail of Lights at Zilker Park from Dec. 10 to Dec. 23.
• The Holiday Market at Zach on Dec. 12 and 19.
• The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar from Dec. 12 to Dec. 21.

Texas' first female lieutenant governor, Austin state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, held her first news conference since the election on Nov. 10 in Austin.

What happened: Goodwin, a Democrat, also announced her political transition team, which is led by lobbyist Angela Hale and outgoing state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie.

The team, which includes four former state senators—two Democrats and two Republicans—will help prepare Goodwin to take over as lieutenant governor in January and work with state senators.

"My focus right now is sitting down with each senator, many of whom I worked with while in the House, to talk about their individual priorities and how we can work together so they can represent their districts," Goodwin told reporters Nov. 10.

More context: Goodwin will preside over the Republican-majority Texas Senate. How much power she will have over the chamber is largely up to senators, who will approve new Senate rules when the legislature convenes Jan. 12.