COVID-Christmas cautious (again): Austin Public Health updated sound staging threshold COVID-19 Risk-Based Guidelines based on new reports from the COVID-19 Modeling Consortium at the University of Texas at Austin on the potential impact of Omicron variant. For Step 3, the new thresholds for the seven-day moving average of new hospitalizations is 15-24 (previously 15-29) and 25-50 for Step 4. As of Tuesday, December 21, Austin has been at stage 3.

In other COVID news: Austin’s community transmission rate jumped to 113.6 which is considered high. Health officials urge Austinites to hide.

The Football Fam: Earlier this week Austin fc announced the recruitment of Ethan Finlay. With a decade of experience in Major football league, Finlay last played Minnesota united. Finlay’s first six seasons were with the Columbus’ crew under majority owner Anthony Precourt. Read more.

New paths at Greenway: Jesús Aguirre was named the new one chief executive officer of Waterloo Green Lane. Aguirre, who begins his new role next month, was previously the superintendent of Seattle‘s Department of Parks and Recreation. Interim CEO Kathy miller will remain in place until the end of January to facilitate the transition process.

How we ride: the city Transport, Public works, and Watershed protection ministries announced the completion of the Anderson Mill Road Regional Mobility Project Last week. This is the first regional mobility project to be completed from design to construction using funds under the Austin program. Mobility voucher 2016.

Promise of psychedelics: researchers UT-Austin‘s Dell School of Medicine launched the Center for Research and Psychedelic Therapy – the first center of its kind in Texas – to study psychedelics to treat severe Mental Health conditions. The center will initially focus on military veterans to live with post-traumatic stress disorder, adults with prolonged bereavement disorder or depression, and those who experienced childhood trauma.

Deep whirlpool will be closed from Tuesday, January 4, 2022, and is expected to resume normal operating hours on Saturday, January 8, once repairs to a well pump are complete. Waiting for, Barton Sources, Bartholomew, Stacy, and Spring wood the swimming pools are open.

Work in progress: the deadline to complete development applications and permits with the city has been extended until March 1 of next year. The extension only applies to projects that are scheduled to expire between March 17, 2020, and March 1, 2022. Some projects may be eligible for other extensions on request.

Quote of the week

“We cannot let our healthcare workers down; we cannot let our hospital system fall victim to another wave. “

– Health Authority Dr Desmar Walkes urging Ausinites to help curb the spread of COVID by masking, testing and getting vaccinated