Austin-Bergstrom International Airport officials announced in a July 29 news release that the airport recorded its busiest month ever for passenger traffic in June, servicing 2,102,853 departing and arriving passengers.

The details: Per the release, AUS' passenger traffic growth for June 2026 was up 4.4% compared to June 2025. Data also shows that Southwest Airlines saw the most passenger traffic in June with with 916,510 passengers served, up 10.9% year-over-year. While JetBlue Airways only serviced 26,929 passengers, it had the highest year-over-year passenger increase at 241.7%. The number of Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, Copa Airlines and VivaAerobus passengers were also up year-over-year, while American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air, Air Canada, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Aeromexico and Sun Country Airlines saw a decrease in passengers year-over-year. WestJet had the highest dip with 2,104 passengers, down 44%.

In case you missed it: Along with ongoing multi-year expansion efforts which includes terminal and airfield infrastructure work, the airport has launched several new airline routes and accessibility initiatives in recent months.

Teddy’s, a Southwestern restaurant and bar, has shuttered at Jefferson Square Shopping Center. The concept was helmed by Daniel Berg and Dylan Salisbury from Berg and Sons Hospitality. It closed about a month ago, said Robert Ehrlich, owner of Jefferson Square Shopping Center; the property team is now seeking a new restaurant tenant to take over the space. 

The background: Teddy’s initially opened in November 2024. The hospitality group is also behind other Austin dining ventures including Bill’s Oyster and VanHorn’s, which opened last fall. 

On the menu: Teddy’s menu included Ancho Chile Salmon with black bean puree, corn puree and herb salad; New York Strip Tampico with shrimp, cheese enchilada and New Mexico rice; and the Wild Mushroom Quesadilla with mushroom carnitas, queso oaxaca and salsa.

One more thing: The restaurant has not announced its closure on social media or in signage posted at the brick and mortar, though the restaurant is no longer accepting reservations and interior seating has been removed.

• 1601 W. 38th St., Ste. 1, Austin

Some Austin residents and elected officials are calling for new community-driven accountability and transparency standards in the city's growing adoption of artificial intelligence.

The details: Austin leaders have already pressed for oversight of city government's use of AI as the technology became more widely used. Some of that work stemmed from a 2024 resolution asking to convene a community AI advisory committee to consider issues related to privacy and data security, system transparency and reliability, public information and harm reduction. City Council also moved to establish AI ethics standards and an annual auditing program.

After a recent public feedback period, hundreds of Austinites provided feedback on the city's adoption of AI and related policies. Recommendations forwarded to city leaders this summer centered around transparency, privacy protections, public participation, human oversight, environmental justice, and equitable education about the technology.

Free Youth Mental Health First Aid training in Travis County teaches any adult who works with kids to recognize when a young person is struggling and step in.

County mental health authority Integral Care offers upcoming virtual sessions scheduled for Aug. 19, Sept. 9, Oct. 16 and Nov. 12, each running from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Who it’s for: Trainer Emily Hammer calls it a "gatekeeper training," designed for whoever a young person already feels comfortable with, not just mental health professionals.

How it works: The roughly four-and-a-half-hour course, capped at 30 people, walks through video scenarios and role-plays built around a five-step action plan. Certification meets Texas school-staff requirements under House Bill 3.

A housing development in Pflugerville, an apartment complex in Austin and pool expansions at Veteran’s Memorial Park 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. Carmel East Phase 4 ($529.9 million): Carmel East Phase 4 is part of the final 954-homesite expansion of the Carmel Master-planned community in Pflugerville, Texas.

2. Aluna ($75 million): This project involves the construction of 7,305 square feet of leasing office and clubhouse space for a 372-unit apartment community.

3. Veterans Memorial Pool Expansion ($10.5 million): This project includes a proposed 8,000 square-foot wave pool building, a 1,250 square-foot event building and a 3,000 square-foot splash area at Veterans Memorial Park.

4. AA AUS Lounge ($10 million): This project includes interior renovation of the American Airlines lounge in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

5. Westlake Dermatology ($5 million): This project involves the construction of a 4,262-square-foot building that will be the site of a new Westlake Dermatology location.

This summer, Texas is launching a new process to study the viability of data centers and other large projects seeking to connect to the state’s power grid. The process’ strict requirements could deter major industrial projects from coming to the state, experts warn.

The overview: The Electric Reliability Commission of Texas’ new "batch study process" will require that large projects be evaluated in groups, rather than individually. The process was developed in response to Texas’ data center boom.

What they're saying: All projects that would use at least 75 megawatts of electricity will be required to participate in the batch process—including industrial and hydrogen production facilities. However, industrial and manufacturing projects operate differently from data centers and may not be able to meet some of the batch requirements, industry representatives said July 29.

In a state that works to attract major companies and bills itself as business-friendly, that’s a concern, lawmakers said.

"Where are y'all at on trying to differentiate those types of traditional, enterprise, big commercial, large load projects?" Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, asked.