Almost two dozen candidates have filed to run in Austin's five City Council races this fall, four of which may include incumbents seeking reelection.

The big picture: Half of Austin's council seats are on the November general election ballot, with candidates in districts 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9 seeking four-year terms starting in January. Residents can look up their council district online.

District 1 is the only open seat race as two-term council member Natasha Harper-Madison reached her term limit and will leave office at the end of the year. Incumbent District 3 council member José Velásquez, District 5 council member Ryan Alter, District 8 council member Paige Ellis and District 9 council member Zo Qadri are all seeking to hold their seats.

All Austin voters will also be considering two bond propositions and multiple charter amendments on the Nov. 3 election ballot.

Goodies, a specialty home goods store, is launching its first Texas location in Austin next year, according to the brand. The company will be hosting monthly markets around the city until its permanent retail location is ready, it stated on Instagram. 

What they offer: Goodies sells a curated selection of ceramic, marble, wood, scents and woven home goods; each item at Goodies retails for $25 or under. Specific products include woven coasters, candles, wooden cutlery, ceramic vases, dishes and matcha bowls. 

Stay tuned: The Goodies team is still finalizing its lease, the brand shared with Community Impact, and will announce its official location in the future. Until the official storefront launches, Goodies plans to have monthly pop-up markets around Austin. 

The next market is on Aug. 15. The pop-up market will be outdoors, featuring an assortment of vases and catering from Sour Duck Market.

• Location TBD

Austin’s dedicated women’s sports bar will close on Aug. 30, 1972 Women’s Sports Pub co-founders Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis announced on Instagram. The closure comes months after the founders announced that the pub will have to relocate due to construction for Austin’s light rail project.

Dig deeper: While the location on The Drag is closing, 1972’s owners assured fans that it won’t be the end of the pub’s story. The owners welcome potential collaborators to reach out with new ideas on how to continue the pub’s mission.

The background: The sports pub opened in spring 2025 on Guadalupe Street next to The University of Texas at Austin campus. 1972 Women’s Sports Pub predominantly streams women’s sports, offering a communal spot for fans to gather, eat and drink. The pub features a full bar and food menu with bites like burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads and loaded fries.
In mid May, the owners shared that the pub’s building is one of the properties being acquired through eminent domain for the transit project.

• 2530 Guadalupe St., Austin

The Texas Education Agency released 2026 A-F accountability ratings Aug. 14, giving Austin ISD a 'B' districtwide, with a score of 81—the district's highest mark in four years. Burnet and Webb Middle Schools each earned a fifth consecutive 'F', triggering state action, while Dobie Middle School, which had four consecutive 'F' ratings, scored a 'D', per TEA data.

The details: Austin ISD is the only district that may be subject to state intervention based on the 2026 ratings, according to Community Impact reporting.
Under state law, a fifth consecutive failing rating at a single campus requires the education commissioner to either close that campus or replace the district's elected board of trustees with a state-appointed board of managers.

A Logistics Park in Georgetown, a hotel in Austin and a Scooter’s Coffee 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. Northland Project ($60 million): This project involves the interior finish-out of an existing shell building.

2. Green Point Building 3 ($42 million): This project is part of the 231-acre GTX Logistics Park in Georgetown, and involves the construction of a 753,481 square foot concrete tiltwall warehouse shell.

3. East Austin 7th Street Hotel ($34 million): This project includes the construction of a new, 5-story commercial hotel.

4. Scooter's Coffee ($400,000): A new Scooter’s Coffee location is coming to Cedar Park, with construction set to wrap up in the spring.

5. Starbucks ($400,000): A new Starbucks location is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to wrap up in April.