Some residents living in downtown Austin and near West Campus may experience a temporary power outage July 12 starting at 11 p.m. The planned outage will last for six hours.

What’s happening: Austin Energy crews will be upgrading electric equipment downtown. This work is part of its Repowering Downtown initiative to replace old infrastructure and build up power capacity, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Next steps: Ways to prepare for the planned power outage include:

• Keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible

• Unplugging sensitive electronics, such as televisions and computers

• Keeping homes at a temperature between 67 and 70 degrees before the outage to keep it cool as long as possible

• Use a battery-operated fan and layered sheets to stay cool during the outage

Going forward: Additional outages in other parts of the city are planned for the remainder of the year, according to Austin Energy.

The JABS smashburger concept is planning to launch its first brick-and-mortar location later this year in Riverside.

The details: JABS, from brothers and co-founders Faraz and Faseeh Vohra, first opened in a food truck on Rainey Street in December 2023. The eatery later expanded its presence to downtown's Fareground Austin in February 2025 and The All Good in Cedar Park last September.

The family-owned smashburger concept is now planning a 1,400-square-foot restaurant at in Riverside's South Shore District, in the space formerly occupied by Bao’d Up. JABS anticipates opening there in late 2026 with a menu including its original smashburgers and fries, and new offerings like veggie burgers, milkshakes and soft serve ice cream.

Lone Star Circle of Care has now brought mobile mammography services to communities across Central Texas for five years. The Big Pink Bus launched in July 2021, increasing access to breast cancer screening in the region, according to a news release.

“For five years, the Big Pink Bus has brought life-saving mammography services directly to women across Central Texas,” said Jon Calvin, CEO of Lone Star Circle of Care. “This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to early detection and expanding access to care.”

What they offer: Through the Big Pink Bus, Lone Star Circle of Care offers mammography services and breast cancer screenings. The resource’s team also supports clients after their initial visit through follow-up support and getting connected to additional resources.

The local impact: Since its initial launch, the bus has given over 10,000 mammograms, and over 80 of those patients were diagnosed with breast cancer through their initial screenings. In the last five years, the bus has traveled over 53,000 miles through Central Texas counties, including Bastrop, Hays, Travis and Williamson. 

Preparations for the first major addition to the recently annexed Dog's Head are underway, while local leaders ready to adopt a long-term public financing plan for upgrades across the more than 4-square-mile East Austin mega-site.

The details: In May, Austin City Council annexed the 2,614-acre Dog's Head and entered a 45-year development agreement for the area's buildout. The city and Travis County are now each considering a tax financing plan for the extensive public infrastructure needed to support future additions there, while some officials and residents are pressing for environmental protections and other benefits ahead of decades of anticipated construction.

A 300-acre portion of the Dog's Head is currently being cleared for "Project Toaster," an advanced manufacturing site from an unidentified Fortune 100 company. The company is deciding between the Dog's Head and a location in another state. Initial grading activity is already taking place around the Project Toaster property, and Austin could soon approve the vacations of two public roadways in its limits.