Austin Animal Services will soon have a new permanent director after nearly a year under interim leadership, with animal sheltering veteran Monica Dangler set to fill the position in February.

The details: Dangler was selected through a national search process that left three finalists up for consideration last month, including two Austin-based candidates. She most recently served as an executive leadership consultant for the department of animal services in Riverside County, California, and previously led shelters in Kyle and Tucson, Arizona as well as coordinating events for the Pennsylvania Humane Society.

The background: The arrival of a new Austin Animal Services director follows years of scrutiny of the city animal shelter, including internal audits, and last year's adoption of a new strategic plan for the department.

Five months after historic flooding deluged parts of northwest Travis and southwest Williamson counties, recovery in the Sandy Creek community remains slow and complex. For residents, rebuilding has meant navigating permits, aid applications and long-term housing decisions alongside repairing physical damage.

Some context: The flooding, described by meteorologists as a rare 1,000-year event, renewed concerns about warning systems, infrastructure vulnerabilities and one-way-in, one-way-out neighborhoods. Travis County approved a temporary tax increase to cover recovery and mitigation costs, while shifting focus to long-term recovery groups which are helping distribute millions in aid through partnerships with nonprofits.

The outlook: Residents say navigating multiple systems remains overwhelming and slow, arguing recovery efforts need to move faster to meet the scale of the disaster. As county-led mitigation and funding efforts are handed off to ongoing support networks, many residents say true recovery will require faster systems, clearer communication and long-term state support.

Locally owned and operated bookstore BookPeople celebrated its 55th anniversary on Nov. 11.

The specifics: The independent bookstore has spent decades making sure Austin's readers have a one-stop shop for books ranging from nonfiction and fiction to children's literature and more.

In addition to books, the space features gifts, planners, calendars, puzzles, socks, games and trinkets. The space also hosts a diverse array of events, including storytimes, book clubs and book signings.
 

📍 603 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin

Texas charter system Harmony Public Schools launched a new virtual learning platform on Jan. 5 that allows students across the state to take high school courses online.

The overview: The Harmony Online Learning program includes dozens of courses aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards, all of which are self-paced, according to a news release.

More details: Students can choose from dozens of courses in core subjects, electives, Advanced Placement and Career and Technical Education, according to the program’s website. The offerings aim to help students complete credit recovery, get ahead with their requirements and access courses not available at their home campus. Credit earned through Harmony may be applied toward high school graduation requirements depending on local district policies, per the release.

One more thing: Interested families can enroll online, and spring courses begin Jan. 12, per the release. The cost of tuition per course is $325, a spokesperson from Harmony Public Schools told Community Impact.