A child well-being initiative backed by Mayor Kirk Watson and other local groups is advancing this summer following a comprehensive review of local childhood trends and outcomes. The new research will inform a multi-year plan intended to make Austin "the best place in America to be a kid."

Watson announced the launch of the citywide initiative, Generation ATX, last year. It centers around three pillars—health, safety and happiness—based on multiple existing frameworks and reporting on child well-being.

GenATX conducted a new benchmark analysis of the local child population and Austin's national ranking across dozens of performance indicators. Those results were presented Aug. 20 and will be used for the five-year push to improve children's access to healthcare and mental health support, food, housing, career training and public spaces.

United Way for Greater Austin will lead the initiative in partnership with other local groups. Several private funders have supported research so far, and GenATX will not use any city dollars going forward.

Local Foods is launching its second restaurant in Austin on Aug. 21, according to a news release.

Some details: The new location will serve lunch, dinner, cocktails and coffee—with weekend brunch debuting in September. The brand’s latest expansion comes four years after Local Foods opened its first Austin location in the 2nd Street District. The company is led by owners Martin Berson, Benjy Levit and Dylan Murray.

Local Foods uses ingredients from Texas farmers and producers, including eggs from Swift Hill Farms and beef from Peeler Farms.

"Working with Texas farmers and producers allows us to create menus that evolve with the seasons while staying true to the dishes our guests know and love,” Zack Sutton, executive chef of Local Foods Austin, said in a news release. “This new restaurant gives us the opportunity to expand that vision even further with more dinner offerings, new seasonal dishes and a space where people can gather morning, noon and night."

• 3800 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 170, Austin

COTALAND Theme Park is officially opening on Sept. 26, bringing racing, rollercoasters and attractions to Circuit of The Americas, or COTA, according to a news release.

“COTALAND was created to be far more than a traditional amusement park,” COTA Founder Bobby Epstein said in a news release. “This is where theme park thrills, world-class racing, live entertainment and family experiences come together in a way that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the country.”

What they offer: COTALAND is slated to feature over 30 experiences, from rollercoasters, to mini golf, to COTA Karting and a zip line. Attractions include the Hot Lap experience where guests can ride along on the Formula 1 track.
COTALAND will have coasters like the Circuit Breaker, the first tilt roller coaster in Texas, according to the release. The park is also set to have family-friendly rides and attractions, including Kiddie Karting and Lil’ Logger, which are bite-sized versions of larger COTALAND rides.

• 9111 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Austin Transit Partnership office search continues as officials press for lower costs, risks: The Austin Transit Partnership continues to pursue new offices for its growing workforce as its development of Austin Light Rail ramps up. A decision on the transit planning organization's next home could come in September, months after officials declined to approve a $32 million luxury office lease downtown following opposition from Mayor Kirk Watson.

Road work projects around CedarView development to be completed before Scheels opening: Two roadwork projects around the CedarView development in north Cedar Park— at the intersection of New Hope Drive and Enchanted Rock Drive, and New Hope Drive and Main Street-Block House Drive—will be completed by late August by the time Scheels opens Aug. 29.

WilCo commissioners support TxDOT I-35 expansion project: Williamson County commissioners voted Aug. 18 to formally support the expansion of I-35 through the county, a project led by the Texas Department of Transportation and sent the department a list of requests.

Austin officials held a dedication ceremony on Aug. 21 for an LGBTQ+ Historical Marker, located at the southwest corner of Fourth and Colorado Streets. 

The marker reads “As Queer As You Want To Be,” and details the “contributions, struggles and success of Austin’s LGBTQIA+ community.”

Diving in deeper: The ceremony took place just before the Austin Pride parade and festival—an all-day celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and history on Aug. 22. The marker itself can be found under the Bettie Naylor Street sign—marking a stretch of Fourth Street named in honor of the civil rights advocate.

Some context: The dedication ceremony comes after state and federal mandates required cities to remove "non-standard" roadway markings, including street art, from local roads. As a result, the City of Austin was required to remove rainbow pavement markings at 4th and Colorado Streets, with an action plan deadline of June 22, according to a city memorandum. 

Funding the project: The marker was funded by the city’s historical preservation fund, generated from hotel occupancy tax, according to the release.