Austin voters can hear from candidates running for five City Council seats on this year's ballot at a series of moderated panels.

A closer look: The public forums are sponsored by the city, the Ethics Review Commission and the League of Women Voters Austin Area. Events will take place in-person in the relevant council districts, streamed live on ATXN and aired on KAZI FM 88.7.

Panels include:

• District 5 on Sept. 17

• District 8 on Sept. 21

• District 9 on Sept. 29

• District 3 on Oct. 1

• District 1 on Oct. 15

Voters can submit questions for the moderators by email or phone, and request interpretation services via 3-1-1 ahead of the events.

Austin ISD launched a public dashboard Sept. 15 tracking academic and staffing data at 29 campuses carrying "unacceptable" ratings from the Texas Education Agency. The dashboard is expected to expand to cover all Austin ISD schools over time.

Why it matters: Most of the campuses are operating under state-mandated turnaround plans, or TAPs, which require campuses with repeated unacceptable TEA ratings to show academic improvement or risk more severe state intervention, per the district.

The dashboard tracks static and regularly updated metrics, including:

• Principal experience for the 2026-27 school year

• Core and overall teacher vacancy numbers and rates

• Percentage of certified and experienced teachers

• Teacher attendance against a 95% goal

• Active PTA status

• Assessment data

What's next: The dashboard is set to update on the 15th of every month on the district website.

The Austin Infrastructure Academy will receive an additional $2.55 million in city funds over four years to support its workforce training and jobs program. This funding, approved by the Austin City Council in September, follows an initial $5 million investment in the initiative led by Workforce Solutions Capital Area.

The details: The academy is connecting Austin-area residents with construction careers during major local infrastructure upgrades, including the I-35 expansion, Project Connect, the Austin Convention Center redevelopment, and the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expansion.

By the numbers: According to a one-year report released in spring 2025, the initiative:

• Connected more than 1,500 residents to career opportunities

• Enrolled nearly 1,100 participants

• Awarded 162 training scholarships

• Raised participants' annual earnings

East Austin's business scene is buzzing this month, anchored by the long-awaited opening of COTALAND Theme Park at Circuit of the Americas, bringing rollercoasters, karting and more than 30 attractions to the area.

Chef-driven dining is also having a moment: husband-and-wife team Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee debuted steakhouse Big Slick, while Austin native Chef Silvino Sanchez opened Hermanas, blending Mexican and Southeast Asian flavors.

Downtown, 1 Hotel Austin welcomed guests with 252 rooms and its own James Beard-nominated restaurant, Alteño, from Chef Johnny Curiel.

Not all the news is new openings, though. Longtime East 6th bar Marlow closed after nearly three years, and Red River Cultural District staple Valhalla is set to shut its doors Oct. 26 after 17 years. Taqueria Chapala, an East Austin fixture for nearly 30 years, will also close this month after its lease wasn't renewed.

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines announced its first-ever airport lounge is coming to Austin-Bergstrom and The Vegan Yacht is trading its storefront for a food trailer.