Austin ISD parents, educators and community members launched a new coalition opposing a potential state takeover of the district, one day before the Texas Education Agency released accountability ratings for the 2025-26 school year.

Burnet and Webb middle schools received their fifth failing rating Aug. 14, per TEA data, leaving the fate of the district's school board in the hands of the state.

“Education Austin is opposed to any takeover of Austin ISD,” Education Austin vice president Trasell Underwood said at an Aug. 13 news conference.

The gist: The group, Keep Austin Schools Independent, or KASI, held a press conference outside Eastside Early College High School, where speakers briefed reporters on the consequences of a state takeover and how the coalition plans to organize against one.

Four candidates are running to represent Austin's City Council District 5 this year.

The details: South Austin voters have a choice between incumbent council member Ryan Alter and challengers Liz Brink, David Weinberg and Farrah Abraham in the November 2026 election. Alter is currently serving his first four-year term at City Hall after winning one of several 2022 council runoff races.

Keep in mind: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

Southwest Airlines will open a lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, set to welcome guests in late 2027.

A closer look: The airline also announced on Sept. 2 its first-ever lounges will be built at:

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

• Nashville International Airport

The lounges, including at Austin, are already under construction, according to a Southwest Airlines news release. The company also plans to build seven more lounges at different airports but did not specify where in the release.

Diving in deeper: ABIA is currently undergoing an expansion to accommodate passenger growth.

In July, airport officials announced that June 2026 was the airport's busiest month ever for passenger traffic, servicing 2,102,853 departing and arriving passengers. Southwest Airlines saw the most passenger traffic that month, with 916,510 passengers served, up 10.9% year over year, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

Check out some trending stories from the Austin area Sept. 7-10.

1. Pflugerville's Springhill Restaurant to close in October

2. $82M Hwy. 79 widening prepares for next step in Round Rock

3. Scheels, sandwiches and soccer: 13 Cedar Park-area business updates to know this September

4. Snarf's Sandwiches planned for Georgetown

5. Sandy’s Southern Spice closes in Bastrop after owner’s death

6. Austin reports on new homeless encampment management program's early results

This November, four candidates are running to lead the Texas Comptroller's Office and serve as the state's chief financial officer.

The overview: Libertarian V. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza, Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, Green Party candidate Shehla Faizi and Republican Don Huffines are running for comptroller. Huffines, whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to the office in July, is considered the incumbent in this race.

How it works: The comptroller oversees government spending and administers the state's $1 billion education savings account program, which launched ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.