Two Austin nonprofits are racing to cover what AISD's budget can't this school year.

Communities In Schools of Central Texas closed its Refuse to Lose campaign Aug. 31 having raised more than $354,200 to keep student support staff on 19 campuses—while Austin Ed Fund will hand-deliver $350,000 to 48 teacher-led projects across the district Sept. 2.

By the numbers: The AISD board of trustees voted in June to adopt an $887 million budget, closing a $181 million shortfall through cuts that grew to $205 million gross.
The district's real deficit for the year before came in at $105 million, five times the $19 million originally adopted, while its state financial rating dropped to a B for the first time since 2017.

What's next: CIS's Refuse to Lose campaign met its matched-giving goal by the Aug. 31 deadline. Austin Ed Fund accepts campus-specific gifts year-round at www.austinedfund.org and holds its Inspire the Future Luncheon Oct. 20.

A city lease totaling more than $3 million was authorized for a new forensics evidence storage facility, due to the delayed opening of the city's Public Safety Warehouse Project.

The details: The city budgeted about $46 million to buy the new public safety warehouse and office space in Southeast Austin in 2024, and more than $32 million to improve the facility. However, it requires several fixes before public safety departments including Austin Forensic Science can move in.

While that project's opening is delayed, forensics evidence control at two other existing city facilities is nearing or at capacity. Officials agreed to open another warehouse next door to one of those properties due to urgent storage space and staffing needs. City Council advanced a lease of up to five years and $3.35 million for 44,000 square feet at 4405 Springdale Road on Aug. 27.

Additions and renovations to Deerpark Middle School in Round Rock ISD, a refresh of the Yeti headquarters building and a new donut shop in Austin are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the metro this week.

1. Aalo Advanced Manufacturing ($25 million): This project involves the renovation of an existing 204,350 square-foot one-story warehouse building to provide lab, machine shop and production floor space for Aalo Atomics Advanced Manufacturing.

2. Deerpark Middle School additions and renovations ($20 million): Renovations will be taking place at Deerpark Middle School, including a fine arts and classroom addition at the main building.

3. Yeti HQ refresh ($2.1 million): The Yeti headquarters building in Austin will undergo a renovation. 

4. UT Austin President's Office renovation ($1 million): This project involves the renovation of the main suite to serve as the temporary President’s Office during the main building restoration.

5. Smiling Donuts ($120,000): A new Smiling Donuts location is coming to Austin.

For the first time in over a decade, there is no incumbent in the Texas attorney general's race as Republican Ken Paxton runs for U.S. Senate.

Democrat Nathan Johnson, a state senator from Dallas; Republican Mayes Middleton, a state senator from Galveston; and Libertarian Tom Oxford, an attorney from Nederland, are running to replace him this November. Community Impact asked the candidates for their perspectives on Texas' open records laws, state litigation and other topics.

How we got here: Johnson and Middleton each won their primary runoff elections in May, Community Impact reported, while Oxford was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

Looking ahead: Early voting in eight statewide races and dozens of local elections runs from Oct. 19-30. Election Day is Nov. 3.