City Council required additional monitoring and mitigation measures as new natural gas generation units go online, a week after officials signed off on the controversial project.

The details: Austin Energy uses natural gas peakers with hundreds of megawatts of capacity at two main East Austin power stations. The backup installations are viewed as an "insurance policy" for times of peak power demand, from a hot summer day to severe weather incident.

Officials signed off on a strategy to add 400 MW of capacity from new peaker units in May, a move approved behind closed doors over broad community objections. While privately voting to advance AE's peaker initiative, several council members expressed reluctance and shared doubts with Austinites who'd testified against it. In response, they went on to approve a group of resolutions to serve as community guardrails as the project moves forward.

“I think it's fair to say that these resolutions reflect our concerns and misgivings about the peaker plan," said council member Mike Siegel, who sponsored one of four items on the topic.

For four years, Dr. Akanksha Bist has been working with patients and their families to be proactive in ensuring they are able to continue living independently either at home or in a care facility.

A family affair: With 15 years of experience in physical therapy, Bist helps patients, caregivers and their family members identify opportunities for preventative care, at-home adaptations to address mobility and safety risks, and plan for the future through ComForCare.

Bist said she opened her business after observing patients who only sought care after a fall or similar health event, rather than take preventative measures.

“I saw this huge gap where the preventative part was missing,” she said.

How it works: Bist said the agency combines safety assessments, balance tests and cognitive evaluations to determine what baseline needs are. From there, she can proactively connect patients with outside medical resources, such as neurologists.

Safety interventions, including securing loose rugs, improper bed or commode heights, and opportunities for grab bars, can help families address hazards and prevent falls.

Peter Sandford, owner of Smarter Homes, brings decades of experience in Austin to the home technology industry. The West Lake Hills business was established in 2006, offering expertise on home automation systems to locals. 

In a nutshell: Sandford specializes in designing systems for lighting, motorized shades, security and more, with a focus on reliability, longevity and easy-usage, he said.

Zooming in: One of his areas of interest is smart irrigation systems, which use connected controllers, sensors and live data to automate watering schedules. The system takes into account environmental factors, including weather, soil moisture and temperature to adjust watering needs. 

“When integrated into a smart home, irrigation becomes dynamic, improving efficiency and reducing water waste,” Sandford said.

Sandford connected with Community Impact to talk about the home automation process and further details for implementing smart irrigation systems. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Check out the latest transportation updates across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects
CR 175 widening
Project: The project will widen south of Creek Meadow Cove to RM 2243 in Leander, and is expected to improve capacity and regional connectivity.
Update: Phase 2 preliminary design is complete, and design completion is expected later this year.

• Timeline: 2027-28
• Cost: $42.8 million
• Funding source: 2023 road bond

• Timeline: completed mid-May
• Cost: not available as of press time
• Funding source: TxDOT