Austin plans to create Urban Empowerment Zone 1 for affordable housing, with 80 units for those earning 30-50% of Area Median Income, costing $19.5 million and not needing an Environmental Impact Statement.

Austin weather is mild with clear skies, highs of 71°F today, and mild winds. The weekend may see a slight chance of showers and highs reaching 85°F, but generally, sunny conditions will prevail.

Austin's Aquatic Division is hiring lifeguards at $21.63/hour, offering training from March 16-22. With 34 pools, the city aims to staff up by summer. Hiring events with free pizza are on March 13 and 27. Details at LifeguardAustin.com.

Austin prepares for the Spring Festival Season starting with the SXSW Conference; Mayor emphasizes readiness, asks public to use alternative transport, and police to implement a no-refusal initiative. Health and travel advisories are also in place.

Austin Water crews are addressing a 16-inch broken sewer main on Cyrilla Drive, with 115,000 gallons of wastewater spilled, but no reported impact on drinking water or aquatic life. Residents nearby should boil water as a precaution.

Travis County officials implemented a burn ban and urged caution due to extreme fire weather conditions, with a Red Flag Warning issued for Central Texas.

A Venezuelan man was arrested in El Paso for allegedly using a fake U.S. Social Security card; he faces federal charges with a potential 10-year sentence.

Three people died in an apparent murder-suicide in Hutto, Texas, involving Kerry Carter, Deffenia Lynch, and Iosha Shaw.

A SkyWest flight from Missouri to Texas made an unscheduled landing due to turbulence, resulting in five passengers hospitalized with non-critical injuries.

Texas National Guard soldiers now have authority to apprehend migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, a move to aid Border Patrol efforts in the El Paso Sector.

Christopher Bell won the fifth annual EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA, which featured a modified track and intense competition between drivers. Fans praised the course changes.

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully landed on the moon, marking the company's first soft landing on the lunar surface, where it will conduct scientific tasks including drilling and analyzing moon dust.

Texas senators are considering Senate Bill 3, which seeks to penalize possession and manufacturing of THC-containing hemp products, with implications for the state's economy and existing businesses.