Lake Travis Education Foundation to fund some staff positions
The Lake Travis Education Foundation announced in September it would begin directing resources to fund some staff positions in Lake Travis ISD, the first initiative of its kind in the district.
What's happening? Members of the LTEF presented the board of trustees with a $405,000 check during the Sept. 17 board meeting.
Funds like this raised through the LTEF can now directly be allocated toward funding some full-time staff positions.
LTISD's $4.2 million fiscal year 2025-26 budget shortfall included some some staff reductions through attrition.
What else?: The foundation is also working to fund on-campus "field trips" for students after principals had to make cuts in this area due to budget constraints.
The field trips would bring immersive, hands-on experiences to campuses such as interactive science labs.
Get involved: The LTEF hosts several annual fundraising events. Dates for the 2025-26 school year include:
Oct. 20: FORE The Kids golf tournament
Nov. 27: Hill Country Turkey Trot, a 5K and 1-mile race
March 6: annual Gala
May 8: Butterfly Brunch, a women's leadership brunch
Pot Daddy Studio brings new spin on pottery to West Austin
Pot Daddy Studio has offered barefoot-friendly pottery classes nestled in the trees of West Austin since 2023.
Meet the owner: Founder John David Rutkauskas honed in on his pottery interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. After relocating back to Austin, he began connecting with locals at yoga studios and coffee shops about pottery.
Respecting the craft: While the studio started off offering a traditional pottery class experience, it shifted its class structure last May.
Now, each two-hour class—which includes up to eight participants—starts with working at the potters wheel for an hour. Afterward, participants decorate and glaze pieces from another class, and wrap up by taking a completed piece from another class.
This method allows people to be less attached to making a "perfect piece" during class and helps takes some of the pressure off of beginners, Rutkauskas said.
What’s special about it?: The studio is donation-based—suggesting $50-$100—which stems from Rutkauskas experience first teaching pottery to curious Austinites years ago.
"It just feels so much a part of how we got started," he said.
Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton to headline 2026 Two Step Inn festival in Georgetown
Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton and the Goo Goo Dolls are among the top-billed artists for the 2026 Two Step Inn festival slated to take place in Georgetown’s San Gabriel Park from April 18-19.
The details: The Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation organization alongside festival promoter C3 Presents released the full event lineup Sept. 24.
What you need to know: This comes days after early-access tickets went on sale for Georgetown residents Sept. 22.
One-day and two-day ticket options are available. Non-Georgetown residents can sign up online for a one-hour presale at noon Sept. 26.
General admission pricing starts at $169 for one day and $299 for two days.
What else: Earlier this week, the festival announced a handful of changes coming for the 2026 festival, including:
Plans to transform Austin’s iconic Sixth Street take shape with three design options
Sixth Street, long known as Austin’s nightlife hub, is in the middle of big changes.
What's happened? For years, the stretch was closed to cars on busy weekends, letting crowds spill into the roadway. But since late 2024, the city has been testing a safety pilot that reopened the street to vehicles while moving pedestrians to wider sidewalks. Temporary fencing gave way to sturdier concrete barriers this summer, marking the start of a more permanent initiative.
The update: Now, city leaders are asking residents to help shape Sixth Street’s future. As part of the city’s Great Streets program, officials are considering three design alternatives for the nine-block stretch west of I-35. Each option would keep traffic one-way westbound while expanding pedestrian space, adding trees and upgrading sidewalks. The main differences involve whether bike and scooter lanes are included and how curb access is managed for drop-offs, deliveries and parking.
A public survey is open, with final design work expected to begin in 2026 and construction as early as 2027.
