South Austin residents may need to adjust their commutes as Texas Department of Transportation officials prepare to close I-35 northbound main lanes nightly for the fourth consecutive weekend.

The big picture: The northbound lanes will be blocked off between Slaughter Lane and SH 71/Ben White Boulevard for construction crews to work on elevated managed lanes as part of the I-35 Capital Express South Project. The closures have been in effect for the previous three weekends. 

The lanes will be closed on the following days from 11 p.m.-9 a.m.:

• July 24 and 25

The northbound flyover to SH 71 will also be closed. TxDOT encourages drivers to remain alert and expect delays.

The project: Construction on the I-35 Capital Express South Project began in 2022. The total cost is $548 million, which was funded by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and TxDOT, according to TxDOT’s website.

Austin ISD is proposing to close Paredes Middle School before the school year begins Aug. 18, with students transitioning to Bailey or Mendez middle schools based on where they live.

The context: The proposal comes months after trustees approved a turnaround plan for Paredes rather than closing it.

The campus has received three consecutive failing accountability ratings from the Texas Education Agency.

What’s next: The board of trustees will hear the proposal at a special information session July 28 and vote July 30, with both meetings starting at 6 p.m. and livestreamed on the district’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

If approved, the closure would take effect before the school year begins Aug. 18.

PAWS Shelter of Central Texas is a no-kill animal rescue that has been saving pets in the Hays County region since 1986.

In a July 17 social media post, the organization announced its intention to wind down operations and close its Kyle location, focusing its attention and resources on the Dripping Springs campus.

What happened: PAWS Shelter of Central Texas determined it could not logistically and financially maintain both the Kyle and Dripping Springs locations, according to the post.

In order to continue serving the region’s animals, the organization decided to end operations in Kyle and focus on the Dripping Springs location, said Shelter Manager Kristen Weathers.

The bigger picture: The closure of the PAWS Shelter of Central Texas Kyle location removes a crucial service offering in the area.

In August 2024, the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter, or SMRAS, announced the end of its interlocal partnership with the city of Kyle, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The partnership and service in the city will end on Sept. 30.