The Menchaca Road Branch of the Austin Public Library will close this summer to undergo a major modernization project, according to a news release from the Austin Public Library.

The big picture: The Menchaca branch will close on June 14 for about a year. Librarians at the Menchaca branch will be reassigned to other branches during renovations.

According to a news release, the renovations will include:

• A redesigned and modernized interior layout
• A dedicated area for children and teens
• Literacy and learning zones with a colorful design

• Temporarily closing June 14
• 5500 Menchaca Road, Austin

The 18-foot-tall troll at Pease Park—an art installation called Malin’s Fountain from Danish artist Thomas Dambo—has burned down, according to a news release from Pease Park Conservancy.

What happened: “The troll sculpture in Pease Park was lost to a fire early this morning, and we are heartbroken alongside the community that cherished it,” the news release states.

Austin Fire Department has responded, and it is an active investigation, according to the release. The fire’s cause is currently not known.

Looking back: In March 2024, dozens of community members celebrated Malin the Troll’s completion near the Pease Park Treehouse. Volunteers helped build the troll between March 1-15 that year.

Around 80% of Malin was built using found and repurposed material, including around 1,800 linear feet of eastern red cedar from a family-owned sawmill in Bastrop County for the internal structure. The exterior features repurposed wood from the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

Austin Energy will add hundreds of megawatts of new power generation and storage capacity under contracts approved May 21, and pursue the more controversial implementation of natural gas "peaker" units intended to stabilize the local grid.

What's happening: After recently approving contracts for new solar installations and battery storage, City Council advanced hundreds of megawatts of new battery and wind power projects in May. One megawatt serves about 250 households, according to AE.

A plan to bring new peakers to the utility's system also advanced, which will add to the hundreds of megawatts now in place in East Austin. That proposal drew some scrutiny and opposition ahead of council's vote, with concerns raised about transparency around the project as well as climate and air quality impacts. Officials defended the process and potential project costs as the utility's best path forward in a competitive market.

Check out some of the most-read stories from the Austin area May 18-21. 

1. The Pulao Company set to open this summer in Leander

2. City moving toward 2.6K-acre annexation to support decades of mixed-use development in East Austin

3. $250M Amazon warehouse, distribution center near CR 172 in Round Rock now operational

4. H-E-B plus! expansion, new fitness gym and more Kyle business news this spring

5. Berry Creek Drive in Georgetown closed due to storm damage

6. Pflugerville ISD teachers, nurses, psychologists to see pay bump in 2026-27