Austin

The Texas Restaurant Association has activated the TX Restaurant Relief Fund to offer $5,000 grants to independent restaurants and foodservice workers in Central Texas impacted by catastrophic July 2024 floods. Eligible businesses that suffered physical damage, inventory loss, or prolonged closure can apply online for financial assistance to support repairs, equipment replacement, payroll, and other recovery costs. The fund, supported by donations from industry partners and individuals, will review applications on a rolling basis and distribute grants directly to approved recipients.

Austin officials report that the city must commit funding earlier than planned for phase two of the I-35 “caps and stitches” project after a change in the funding schedule by transportation partners. The project will add deck-style caps and connections over a rebuilt, lowered I-35 to support parks, public spaces and development in central Austin. City staff will bring updated cost estimates, funding options and a revised timeline to the Austin City Council while coordinating design and construction with TxDOT to keep the caps integrated with the highway redesign.

The parents of 19-year-old Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera have retained the Buzbee Law Firm and the Gamez Law Firm after authorities found her dead on a sidewalk in Austin, Texas. The family, through their attorneys, is disputing the official ruling in Aguilera’s death and initiating an independent review of the circumstances surrounding the incident. The legal team plans to examine investigative records, interview witnesses, and work alongside law enforcement while conducting its own fact-finding efforts.

Spray paint cans were flying again Friday as Austin’s iconic HOPE Outdoor Gallery reopened at a new 17-acre site near the airport, years after its closure.

Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR), a nonprofit that rehabilitates and releases injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals, announced it will move its intake center to a new location at 811 E. 13th Street, near I-35. Operations at the new facility will begin Dec. 1, with hours remaining 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Authorities returned the remains of 1st Lt. Woody T. Owen, a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, to his hometown of Elgin, Texas, after more than 80 years. Family members, local veterans’ organizations, and uniformed service members gathered for a graveside service and military funeral honors. Military officials coordinated the transfer of Owen’s remains following their identification and arranged his burial in Elgin in consultation with his relatives.