South Austin residents may soon have access to more green spaces after the Austin City Council approved the acquisition of over 49 acres for $13.4 million at an April 9 meeting.

“We need to have more of these spaces, not less, and I’m really excited this one is moving forward with the parks department,” council member Ryan Alter said. “Hopefully, we will see more to come. But we need these spaces to not only protect the environmental features, but to be places where people can go and enjoy.”

The overview: The land is located near Old San Antonio Road, just outside of city limits. It would improve access to Old San Antonio District Park and Wunneburger Neighborhood Park, and is planned as a “destination park with future trail connections along Onion Creek,” according to city documents.

By the numbers: Funding for the parkland is provided in the capital budgets of Austin Financial Services and Austin Parks and Recreation.

Convenience store QuikTrip is slated to open a new location in Southwest Austin by next summer, according to a representative for the business.

The details: Construction on the new store is slated to begin in October with an opening targeted for June 2027, per a representative. The location will be QuikTrip's first Generation 4, or "Gen 4" store in the Austin market, featuring the company's new store design and expanded QT Kitchens offerings.

QuikTrip sells a variety of chips, candy, ice cream, coffee, fountain and bottled drinks, beer, wine, and is known for its hot food bar with items such as hot dogs, pizzas, soft pretzels, breakfast tacos and grab-and-go sandwiches and wraps. The store also sells lottery tickets, tobacco products, grocery and automotive products, and has gasoline pumps.

• 620 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin

The Point-in-Time count is reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development each year and helps direct the allocation of national funding to housing support programs.

The Hays County Homeless Coalition presented the 2026 data to the Hays County Commissioners Court on April 14, showing an increase in unsheltered citizens and indicating a possible need for increased access to transitional housing.

The overview: The Hays County Homeless Coalition organized the county’s 24-hour census, directing around 70 volunteers as they collected data on unhoused community members Jan. 22.

The PIT count represents a snapshot of homelessness in Hays County and is not a definitive measure of the issue, said Nancy Heintz, Hays County Homeless Coalition board member. The census shows county homelessness trends and provides insight into what programs may be most needed.

“Despite a decline in total homelessness, the increase in unsheltered individuals suggests system strain and barriers to accessing shelters,” Heintz said.

Looking forward: The coalition hopes to meet with the county and secure more consistent funding for programs and organizations.

As the Austin Public Library approaches 100 years of service in the community, officials are planning several events to commemorate the occasion.

APL officials recently announced a public art contest for new card designs.

“Austin Public Library has always been shaped by the community it serves,” Austin Public Library Director Hannah Terrell said in a news release. “This contest is a celebration of Austin’s creative spirit, and an opportunity for Austinites of all ages to contribute to our Centennial Celebrations and be a part of defining what the next century of Austin Public Library will look like.”

At a glance: The contest is open to cardholders of all ages who are residents of the APL service area. City of Austin employees are not eligible.

The contest features different themes for different age groups, including:

• Children (0-12): “The Library’s 100th Birthday Party”
• Teens (13-17): “Austin Public Library’s Next Century”
• Adults (18 and up): “Inspiring All to Discover, Learn and Create”

Check out some of the most read stories in the Austin area April 13-16.

1. Significant traffic shifts at New Hope, 183A intersection in Cedar Park

2. The Lodge Card Club closes in Round Rock, lays off 114 employees

3. Check out 17 events happening in the Pflugerville, Hutto area

4. Lake Georgetown under drought watch

5. New housing development coming to Leander near Bar W Ranch and Larkspur

6. Wendy's opening soon off Hwy. 46 in New Braunfels