Plus, a new downtown trail ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Tuesday, May 12 

Your Daily Guide

🌎 Hello, hello! I’m back from a couple of days off with a recommendation. Get out to Pedernales Falls State Park sometime soon! I visited, and it was so fun to hike around all the rocks and look at pretty flowers, and the park is just an hour west of Austin.

Rocks and water surrounded by trees.

Pedernales Falls State Park. (Kelsey Bradshaw/City Cast Austin)

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What Austin's Talking About

No Terrorism Link Found in Buford’s Shooting

FBI officials have found no evidence that the March shooting at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden is connected to a foreign terrorist organization. Gunman Ndiaga Diagne killed three people and injured 15 others before he was killed by police. [Austin American-Statesman]

Where To Get Free Coffee This Week

New York-based Black Fox Coffee is opening its Austin location at ATX Tower this week and is giving out free coffee to celebrate! The first 200 customers on Friday and Saturday will receive a free flat white drink. [Black Fox Coffee]

Lammes Candies Building Gets a Buyer

Topo Development Group, the company behind Springdale General, is under contract to purchase the Lammes Candies building on Airport Boulevard. While developers haven’t disclosed their plans for the space, they have made it clear that they aren’t acquiring the candy brand. [CultureMap Austin]

2 Bulldogs Adopted by Mayor Watson Need Names

Mayor Kirk Watson has adopted two dogs, a boy and a girl, from Austin Bulldog Rescue, and they’re really adorable and plump! Just one problem: Watson hasn’t settled on names for the cuties. [Watson Wire]

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It starts as a simple trip, then becomes the place they want to come back to year after year.

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What To Know About Waterloo Greenway’s Confluence Project

People walking in a park.

Walkers at Waterloo Greenway. (Roger Ho)

In just a couple of weeks, a new section of Waterloo Greenway downtown, complete with three bridges, a boardwalk, and hundreds of added trees, will open to the public.

The Confluence is the second phase of Waterloo Greenway. The first phase was the opening of Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater in August 2021. Construction on the second phase started in May 2023 and will open on June 6 with a public celebration.

“Waterloo Greenway has always been about gathering the community, and with The Confluence, we are continuing to bring that vision to life as a welcoming and inclusive gathering place for all,” said Colette Pierce Burnette, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy CEO, in a news release.

Where Is The Confluence?

The Confluence section of Waterloo Greenway spans 13 acres along Waller Creek between Fourth Street and Lady Bird Lake. It’s south of the Moody Amphitheater.

What’s New?

The project, which cost $91.5 million, was funded through city and private donations, officials say.

Roughly 1,600 new trees, 200,000 native plants, and 10 acres of seed mixes were added to the trail, and a biofiltration pond was built.

Lots of structures and walking paths were added, including:

  • Three lattice bridges over Waller Creek for east-west connection
  • An 800-foot boardwalk in Waller Creek
  • A half-mile of new trail connecting the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, Rainey Street, and the hike-and-bike trail
  • ADA-accessible trail connections to the Mexican American Cultural Center and the hike-and-bike trail
  • Three public gathering spaces
  • A bridge connection to Waller Creek at Fourth Street

When’s the Party?

A grand opening celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. on June 6 at The Confluence.

The party runs until 2 p.m., is free to attend, and includes a ribbon-cutting ceremony, park tours, scavenger hunts, face painting, live music, art, and more.

What To Do

Tuesday, May 12

Wednesday, May 13

Thursday, May 14

More Austin Events

🥳 Big news! Plans for a physical border wall through Big Bend National Park have been called off! The Trump Administration still plans to ramp up digital surveillance in the area.

Kelsey Bradshaw

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