ATX-SWA: Impact 8/27/2026

Good Morning, Southwest Austin & Dripping Springs!

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Assisting Hands celebrates 10 years of in-home, personalized care in Austin

The team behind Assisting Hands West Austin has helped older adults age with independence for a decade.

Meet the owners: Local couple Emmie Knox and Louis LeSassier opened Assisting Hands in 2016 to provide in-home caregiving services to older adults. Over the years, the team has helped hundreds of patients and families in the Austin area and employed many local caregivers.

“October 2026 marks our 10th year serving the Austin community, and we are incredibly proud to have grown alongside the community while remaining focused on personalized, compassionate care and helping older adults age in place,” Knox said in an email to Community Impact.

The team provides a range of services, including:

Personal care and companion services
Grocery shopping and errands
Meal prep
Alzheimer’s & dementia care

Election News

Q&A: Meet the candidates running for District 45 of the Texas House of Representatives

Democratic incumbent Erin Zwiener will be facing Republican challenger Tennyson Moreno in the race for the Texas House of Representatives District 45 seat.

What you need to know: Zwiener has represented House District 45 since January 2019. This will be Moreno's second time challenging Zwiener for the seat after losing to her in the November 2024 race.

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

District 45 encompasses the I-35 corridor of San Marcos, Buda and Kyle and stretches west towards Dripping Springs, according to the Texas House of Representatives.

What else? Candidates were asked to keep responses within 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines or for style and clarity.

Discover more.

How Four Oaks Medicare Planning has simplified Medicare for 2,200 families

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In Your Area

COTALAND Theme Park to host grand opening event in late September

COTALAND Theme Park is officially opening on Sept. 26, bringing racing, roller coasters 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 roller coasters 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

Explore the full story.

Your Weekend To-Do List

Check out these weekend events across the metro area.

The Front Festival

Pinoy Pickleball US National Championship Series

Aug. 27-30 (Times vary)
Downtown Austin

Aug. 29, 11 a.m.
Cedar Park

More info

Wine & Cheese, thoughtfully paired

Le Garage Sale

Aug. 30, 3-5:30 p.m.
Dripping Springs

Aug. 29-30
Austin

More info

To submit your own event, click here.

Affecting All Texans

Texas senators weigh impact of driverless vehicles amid recent state regulations

Since late May, all autonomous vehicle companies have been required to receive authorization from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to operate on Texas roads. During an Aug. 25 hearing, state senators heard the first testimony on autonomous vehicle safety since the new regulations took effect.

The overview: To date, the DMV has received 42 complaints about driverless vehicles, officials said.

No complaints have led the agency to suspend or revoke an autonomous vehicle operator's authorization. That occurs "when the operation has resulted in or is likely to result in serious bodily injury," according to Corrie Thompson, who leads the DMV’s enforcement division.

Zooming in: Lawmakers said they wanted to ensure driverless vehicles were not rolling out too quickly, adding that they they hoped the vehicles would help address Texas' high rate of fatal crashes.

Lt. William White, who leads the Austin Police Department’s highway enforcement division, said first responders have seen consistent issues with AVs, including when a Waymo blocked an ambulance for about 28 seconds following the deadly March 1 Sixth Street shooting.