Check out 10 events for locals to attend in Southwest Austin and Dripping Springs happening in October and early November. Activities include the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival, Community Oktoberfest at Pickle Pit Stop and the American Institute of Architects Austin Homes Tour.

This list is not comprehensive, and all events are subject to change. 

Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival
The annual songwriting festival features over 35 singers, 70 performances and seven stages at various venues in historic downtown Dripping Springs.

• Oct. 16, 1:30-8 p.m.; Oct. 17, noon-8 p.m.; Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Downtown Dripping Springs

Viva la Vida Festival & Parade
Mexic-Arte Museum will host its 43rd annual Viva la Vida Festival & Parade in downtown Austin, celebrating Día de los Muertos. The festival will begin with a Grand Procession at noon, followed by traditional foods, art activities, local artists, retail offerings, a low-rider exhibition and live performances.

• Oct. 24, noon-6 p.m.
• 4th Street and Congress Avenue in downtown Austin

Dripping Springs residents will soon have more dining options, as Tacodeli sets its sights on the area.

A closer look: Tacodeli has locations throughout the Austin and Houston metroplexes and serves starters, salads, breakfast tacos and lunch and dinner options, alongside a selection of beverages.

A Tacodeli spokesperson confirmed that a lease for the new Dripping Springs location has been signed, although an opening date is yet to be determined.

• Intersection of Hwy. 290 and Canyonwood Drive, Dripping Springs

A senior living facility in Leander, a LongHorn Steakhouse in Kyle and a drive-thru coffee shop in Cedar Park are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Hayden Grove Northline ($50 million): This project involves the construction of a senior independent living, assisted living and memory care facility with associated common-use spaces.

2. 901 E. Fifth St. refresh ($39 million): This project involves the renovation of the first through fourth floors of 901 E. Fifth St. in Austin. Renovations include the Level 1 lobby area and the addition of amenities to Level 2, including a conference center, fitness center and tenant lounge.

3. LongHorn Steakhouse ($3.5 million): A new LongHorn Steakhouse location is coming to Kyle, with construction set to begin in December. 

4. LaundroLab ($1.5 million): This project involves the demolition of the interior of a former restaurant to build a laundromat. 

5. 7 Brew ($400,000): A new 7 Brew location is coming to Cedar Park. Construction on the drive-thru coffee shop is set to wrap up in December.

To cast votes for a U.S. senator, governor, state attorney general and dozens of other races during the Nov. 3 midterm election, Texans must ensure they are registered to vote or have submitted an application by Oct. 5.

How it works: To be eligible to register to vote, an individual must:

• Be a U.S. citizen

• Reside in the county they apply to vote in

• Be at least 18 years old by Election Day

• Not have been declared mentally incapacitated without the right to vote by a court

Getting registered: Eligible Texans must submit a paper voter registration application by Oct. 5. The online form must be printed, signed and mailed to the applicant's local elections office.

One more thing: Voters who are already registered have through Oct. 5 to update their name or address, if needed.

Some voters may appear on the state "suspense" list if local officials cannot confirm their address, although they will still be able to vote in the election.

More information: Learn more about federal, state and local races at communityimpact.com/election.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality must stop issuing new permits for data centers, Gov. Greg Abbott said Sept. 21.

The overview: His order expands an existing pause on data center development in the state amid consistent public criticism of the booming industry. Abbott, who is running for a fourth term as governor, has recently moved to slow the growth of data centers after calling Texas “the epicenter of AI development" last year.

The context: Hundreds of proposed data centers are currently being audited by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state power grid.

Some developers may be able to get around the ERCOT pause by building in-house power infrastructure that is not connected to the grid, experts have said.

However, any construction project impacting at least 1 acre of land requires permits from TCEQ.

What they're saying: "As Texas faces increasing pressure on our water supplies and electric grid, we need to ensure that data centers operate efficiently and sustainably," said Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas.