City Council's multiple committee assignments for 2026 were set this month, setting up closer review of a variety of priority topics and policy for the year ahead.

Austin council members currently have eight committees they use to consider topics like housing, public safety and the environment. Typical committee sessions can feature briefings from city staff, initial vetting of new policy proposals and public testimony.

Council's new committee assignments were set after brief discussion Jan. 21, and can still be adjusted throughout the year. Additionally, some officials are now working to revive a ninth body focused on regional affordability, with representation from both Austin leaders and officials from counties, school districts, and health and transit agencies.

The Austin Blues Festival will return to Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park this spring, presented by Antone's Nightclub and Waterloo Greenway Conservancy.

The two-day festival celebrates music and culture and started in 1999. This year is the festival’s fourth edition and will celebrate Antone’s 50-year lease extension.

The details: The lineup will feature a variety of artists including:

• Parliament Funkadelic ft. George Clinton
• Jimmie Vaughan & Friends
• BADBADNOTGOOD
• Eric Johnson
• Larkin Poe
• Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psicodélicos
• The War and Treaty, Chaparelle
• Los Amigos Invisibles
• D.K. Harrell
• Annie & The Caldwells
• Huston-Tillotson Jazz Orchestra
• Second line parades from Pinettes Brass Band & New Breed Brass Band

From residential to retail, check out some of the most expensive permits filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

Donley Mixed Use: Construction of a mixed-use retail and residential development is slated to break ground in North Austin. A seven-story parking structure will be attached to the building.

• Location: 2101-2201 Donley Drive, Austin
• Estimated timeline: March 1-June 1
• Estimated cost: $70 million

• Location: 2300 E Second St., Austin
• Estimated timeline: April 1-Dec. 31, 2027
• Estimated cost: $16.3 million

The Texas Broadband Development Office awarded the Lower Colorado River Authority a $29 million grant that will expand high-speed internet access and improve flood-monitoring infrastructure throughout Central Texas. 

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced the award Jan. 20. 

The details: The Texas Broadband Development Office expects the financing to accomplish several goals, including: 

• Extending fiber into underserved and unserved areas 
• Bolstering local economies 
• Improving access to education, health care and emergency services

Four Republican candidates are running for Texas comptroller in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The big picture: Michael Berlanga, Christi Craddick, Kelly Hancock and Don Huffines are seeking the Republican nomination to be Texas' next chief financial officer. The Republican nominee will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

The background: The comptroller's office is open after former state comptroller Glenn Hegar stepped down in July to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Former state Sen. Kelly Hancock currently serves as acting state comptroller and is running in the Republican primary, although he is not considered the incumbent in the race.

The comptroller is tasked with overseeing government spending, projecting Texas' biennial budget for state legislators, reporting on statewide economic issues, and managing the state treasury and unclaimed property programs. Hancock's office also recently launched the state’s new education savings account program, as mandated by the Texas Legislature.

Three Democrats are running to be Texas' next chief financial officer in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

The overview: Sarah Eckhardt, Michael Lange and Savant Moore are seeking the Democratic nomination for Texas comptroller. The winning Democratic candidate will face the Republican nominee in November; the winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.

The context: The comptroller's office is open after former state comptroller Glenn Hegar stepped down in July to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Former state Sen. Kelly Hancock currently serves as acting state comptroller and is running in the Republican primary, although he is not considered the incumbent in the race.

The comptroller is tasked with overseeing government spending, projecting Texas' biennial budget for state legislators, reporting on statewide economic issues, and managing the state treasury and unclaimed property programs. Hancock's office also recently launched the state’s new education savings account program, as mandated by the Texas Legislature.