Austin ISD campuses to receive free child care through Travis County partnership
Austin ISD will begin offering free after-school child care for eligible prekindergarten students at nine campuses this semester.
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a $3.7 million, two-year contract to fund the new Apple Blossom Centers at an Aug. 26 meeting.
What parents need to know: The Apple Blossom Centers will provide extended after-school care for around 300 3-year-old prekindergarten students from 3-6 p.m. each school day, according to AISD information.
The centers will have dual-language and English-as-a-second-language classrooms. Classrooms will have a ratio of nine students per teacher with no more than 17 students in a class, according to AISD's website.
The program will be offered at nine elementary schools that have 75% or more economically disadvantaged students or are located in areas lacking adequate availability of child care services, known as child care deserts, according to Travis County information.
Auto shop GT International to hold grand reopening in North Austin
Auto shop GT International is slated to hold a grand reopening in November to celebrate renovations and upgrades being made to the business.
The details: GT International provides membership-based maintenance, diagnostics, repair, and specialty services for luxury and European vehicles such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Volkswagen.
According to CEO Efren Mercado, the business has been operating since 2019 but officially purchased its building in May.
"Since then, we've been making major upgrades and are now re-launching the business to our customers, members, and the community," Mercado said in an email to Community Impact.
Upgrades include refreshed workshop facilities, new fencing for safety and a repaved parking lot.
Stay tuned: The shop is planning a community car show in the back lot of the property to mark the grand reopening. More details will be shared here, Mercado said.
Power for Parkinson's now offering free exercise classes in Spanish
Austin-based nonprofit Power for Parkinson's is now offering free exercise classes in Spanish.
The details: Fitness helps slow the physical and mental symptoms of Parkinson's disease, according to the nonprofit. The classes are ongoing on Fridays starting at 11 a.m. off North Lamar, now serving the Spanish-speaking community.
The Spanish-speaking classes began in January with around three to five people and now are increasing capacity.
The background: Power for Parkinson's has offered free, symptom-focused fitness classes in Austin since 2013. Multiple classes a week bring in around 400 people.
Austin-area roads set for nearly $4B in state investment
Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new 10-year state transportation plan in August that includes nearly $4 billion in funding for Austin-area roads.
The details: The plan, known as the 2026 Unified Transportation Program, was approved Aug. 21 by the Texas Transportation Commission. Statewide, it outlines $101.6 billion in projects focused on safety, congestion relief and keeping pace with Texas’ fast-growing population and economy. This marks the third consecutive year the program has topped $100 billion.
In the Austin region, funding is slated for major corridors on the Texas 100 Most Congested Roadways list, including I-35, SH 130, SH 71 near the airport, Loop 360, RM 620 and RM 1826. The plan also dedicates millions toward traffic-management technology along I-35 and SH 71.
Abbott said the investments are designed to “build the future of Texas for generations to come.”
