Millions of dollars were dedicated to several Austin homelessness programs, including the ongoing expansion of the Esperanza Community that'll make it among the largest non-congregate shelters in the nation.

The details: City funding was directed to Integral Care's street outreach program and Austin's Southbridge and Marshalling Yard shelters in February.

City Council also committed to supporting The Other Ones Foundation's Esperanza expansion that will add 100 shelter units and over 200 individual cabins to the East Austin community.

Esperanza is located on state-owned land off US 183 and was first developed in partnership with Texas leaders in response to homeless encampments in the city. It's nearing a 200-bed capacity and now in the process of adding hundreds more spaces with nearly $50 million in federal funding set aside in 2023 through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Mayor Kirk Watson partially facilitated that move, and council's action this year was needed to help secure the dollars after they were formally awarded by the TDHCA board in December.

Waterloo Ice House will celebrate 50 years of live music and service in the Austin area in March. 

What you need to know: The music venue and restaurant will hold a neighborhood festival at its 2222 and 360 location, with the restaurant remaining open during regular business hours, according to a news release. The event will include raffles, lawn and carnival games, live music, a face painter, tie-dye station, permanent jewelry pop-up and other family-friendly activities. 

About the business: Waterloo Ice House first opened on South Congress in March 1976 as a neighborhood gathering place, the release states. 
Its name takes inspiration from the original settlement that later became the city of Austin. In its nearly 50 years of operation, Waterloo Ice House has hosted many musicians, including Lyle Lovett, Uncle Walt’s Band and Toni Price. 

• 11 a.m.-4 p.m., March 28
• 6203 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin

From new hangars at the Georgetown Executive Airport to a neighborhood amenity center and more, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro in the past week.

1. Cottonwood—30-inch Water Transmission Main: Contractors will install 6,366 linear feet of water line and replace 1,396 square yards of sidewalk as part of a city of Hutto project.

2. Triada Amenity Center: The Triada community could soon have a 4,721-square-foot amenity center with homeowners association offices, a lounge, a fitness center, a pump building, restrooms and storage space.

3. Hangars at Georgetown Airport: Four aircraft hangars, totaling 36,444 square feet, will be built at the Georgetown Executive Airport.

4. Valvoline: A 3,447-square-foot Cedar Park location for oil change services is on the way.

5. Taco Bell: Officials with the Irvine-based fast food restaurant plan to construct a 2,565-square-foot Leander location with a drive-thru.

In the March 3 Democratic primary for the Travis County Commissioners Court, Precinct 2 incumbent Brigid Shea has been re-elected. George Morales III and Susanna Ledesma-Woody will head to a runoff election for Precinct 4 in May, unofficial voting results show.

A closer look: For Precinct 2, Shea won with 57.47% of the vote, or 27,643 votes, followed by Amanda Marzullo with 30.72% of the vote, or 14,776 votes. Rick Astray-Caneda III received 6.35% of the vote, or 3,056 votes, and Reese Ricci Armstrong received 5.46% of the vote, or 2,627 votes.

For Precinct 4, Morales lead with 36.90% of the vote, or 14,487 votes, followed closely by Ledesma-Woody with 35.70% of the vote, or 14,019 votes. Ofelia Maldonado Zapata received 21.02% of the vote with 8,255 votes and Gavino Fernandez Jr. received 6.37% of the vote with 2,503 votes.

Stay tuned: Morales and Ledesma-Woody will compete for the Precinct 4 seat in a runoff election May 26, according to county and state information.

No Republican candidates filed in the Republican primary for either seat.
 

Republican incumbent Charles Schwertner may face Democratic candidate Paul Thomasson for the District 5 seat, unofficial voting results for the March 3 primary races show.

Democratic incumbent Judith Zaffirini has been re-elected to lead Senate District 21.

A closer look: Schwertner is largely leading the Senate District 5 Republican primary race with 75% of the vote, or 39,614 votes, followed by Larry Nance with 14% of the vote, or 7,491 votes, while Apollo Hernandez received 11% of the vote, or 5,590 votes.

In the District 5 Democratic primary, unofficial voting results showed Thomasson leading by a narrow margin with 51% of the vote, or 31,703 votes, followed by Nelson with 49% of the vote, or 30,123 votes.

For Senate District 21, Zaffirini is largely lead with 73% of the vote, 67,165 votes, while challenger Cortney Jones received 27% of the vote with 24,657 votes.

No candidates filed in the Republican primary for Senate District 21.

Results for Democratic and Republican primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives are being released around Central Texas after polls closed March 3.

The details: Primary winners will move on to the Nov. 3 general election. Runoff elections—required for any primary races in which no candidate earns at least 50% of the vote—will be held May 26. Candidates are all seeking two-year terms.

Community Impact will update this article as more election day vote totals are released. All results are unofficial until canvassed.

Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide to see results from all local and state elections in your community.

Unofficial results for Democratic and Republican primary elections for the Texas House of Representatives are being released around Central Texas after polls closed at 7 p.m. March 3.

What you need to know: Primary winners will move on to the Nov. 3 general election. Runoff elections will be held May 26 for any primary races in which no single candidate garners at least 50% of the vote.

Candidates are all seeking two-year terms. The following results are for contested races only. 

What else?: A map of all Texas House of Representatives districts is available online. Community Impact will update this article as more election day vote totals are released. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
 

With 253 of Texas' 254 counties reporting some election results, three statewide Republican primary races are headed to runoffs, while candidates had decisive leads in other races.

The details: The Republican primary contests for U.S. Senate, attorney general and railroad commissioner appear to be heading to May runoffs, unofficial election returns showed.

Incumbent John Cornyn and state attorney general Ken Paxton will face each other in a runoff to determine who will be the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate after neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold required to avoid an additional round. In the attorney general race, state Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, will face off in an overtime round.

Incumbent Jim Wright and former Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French will compete in a runoff for railroad commissioner. All primary runoffs will take place on May 26, according to the secretary of state.

With 249 of Texas' 254 counties reporting some election results early March 4, state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, held a steady lead over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

What to know: Talarico led Crockett by nearly eight percentage points in the early hours of March 4, with the Austin Democrat holding 53.28% of the vote over Crockett's 45.45% in the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate. Ahmad R. Hassan was in a distant third place with 1.27% of the vote, per unofficial returns.

State legislators also led the Democratic primary races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller, unofficial results showed, although some of those contests had not been called as of press time.

Something to note: Republicans currently hold all statewide offices in Texas and no Democrat or third-party candidate has won a statewide seat since 1994, election records show.