ATX-SWA: Impact 10/31/2025

Dripping Springs ISD scored 100 out of 100 points, or “A,” for its Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, or FIRST, rating for the 2024-25 rating year, which accounts for data collected in fiscal year 2023-24.

How it works: The school FIRST rating is the financial accountability rating system for all Texas school districts. The ratings hold districts accountable for their financial management practices, according to DSISD officials.

Looking back: Last year, the district scored 98 out of 100 points.

What it means: DSISD officials said the district is “financially strong,” with a fund balance of $49.6 million.

A new holiday market is headed to downtown Austin.

The details: Fetch Concepts, the company behind Colorado's Cherry Creek Holiday Market, will debut Oh What Fun! Austin Holiday Market at Republic Square. Oh What Fun! is a partnership between Fetch Concepts, the Downtown Austin Alliance and Austin Experiential Group.

The market will include local retailers, food trucks, live music, a cocktail lounge, and community activities such as yoga and Pilates sessions.

Before you go: The market will begin its run on Nov. 20 and will be open Thursdays through Sundays. During its final weekend, the market will be open from Thursday, Dec. 18, through Wednesday, Dec. 24.

Retailers will be available from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., while the bar will remain open until 10 p.m.

• 422 Guadalupe St., Austin

Since Nov. 7, 2000, at least one person has died on Texas roads every day, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. As the Lone Star State nears 25 years of daily traffic deaths, officials at all levels of government are investing in new roadway safety projects and encouraging Texas drivers to do their part to curb deadly crashes.

The big picture: In the past 25 years, over 91,000 people have died on Texas roads. That is enough people to fill Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, according to TxDOT.

On average, 11 people died daily on Texas roads last year. In 2025, an average of 10 people had died per day as of Sept. 24.

Zooming in: State and local leaders found that the top factors in severe crashes include:

• Impaired driving
• High speeds
• Distracted driving
• Pedestrian and cyclist safety
• Lack of seatbelt use
• Roadway or lane departures
• Wrong-way driving

The overview: As Community Impact enters its third decade, it’s returning to its roots of growth and deeper reader connections. The “Patron” program, which began in 2020 by reader demand, has relaunched as the InCIder.

“This relaunch represents our renewed commitment to readers who support our local news,” CEO John Garrett said. “Beyond funding great journalism, we also want to reward our InCIders and build deeper connections with them, creating a true sense of community around the work we do.”

Event details: As part of the relaunch, Community Impact will host its first-ever InCIder Hour, a new event aimed at celebrating and engaging the company’s supporters.

The event, open to InCIders only, will take place Nov. 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Community Impact Headquarters, 16225 Impact Way, Pflugerville.

Guests will have the opportunity to network with fellow InCIders, meet Community Impact staff and attend a featured conversation with legislative reporter Hannah Norton, moderated by Garrett.

“Our first event needed to start where all the hard work is put together,” Garrett said. “People are blown away when they see our operation. To be able to sit and chat with the best legislative reporter in Texas, Hannah Norton, makes it an event our InCIder friends deserve and hopefully will enjoy.”