AUSTIN’S WORKFORCE
LATEST NUMBERS: Austin’s unemployment rate was 3.0% for April 2025, though there are some conflicting reports. Some sources indicate the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 3.5% in February, up from 3.4% in January.
The trend appears mixed in the short term. While there was a slight uptick from January to February 2025 (3.4% to 3.5%), Austin’s unemployment rate remains well below both the state and national rates of 4.1 percent.
Overall, Austin continues to maintain a relatively strong job market with unemployment levels that are historically low and below broader benchmarks. The slight month-to-month increases appear to be minor fluctuations rather than indicating a significant deteriorating trend, especially given that job growth in 2024 for the Austin region exceeded earlier projections.
President Grover Cleveland signed a congressional act to make Labor Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1894. More than 30 states were already officially celebrating it before 1894, but not Texas. (Austin American-Statesman)
City of Austin administrative offices and other municipal facilities will be closed today, September 1, in observance of Labor Day. Normal business hours will resume Tuesday, September 2.
Some City services will continue to operate as normal, including:
Austin Resource Recovery Curbside Collections – Curbside collections will follow regular schedules and will not be affected by the Labor Day holiday.
Austin Parks and Recreation – City parks, golf courses, cemeteries, year-round and seasonal pools and splash pads will be open. Offices, recreation centers and senior centers will be closed.
Report power outages at outagemap.austinenergy.com or by calling 512-322-9100.
Report water or wastewater emergencies by calling 512-972-1000.
Library resources can be accessed at the Austin Public Library website.
Travis County government offices are also closed today.
FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 NOON TODAY
HOLIDAY TRAFFIC
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Labor Day is the worst time to drive, according to analytics company Intrix, as millions of people will be on the roads during this 9-hour window.
Gas prices this Labor Day are the lowest in five years.
Southbound lanes of I-35 in North Austin saw closures Saturday night into Sunday morning following two crashes, both involving fatalities.
- 6000 block of I-35 Southbound around 11:50 p.m. Saturday
- U.S. 183 Southbound near Pond Springs Road just after 1:00 a.m. Sunday
Also late Saturday night, two people died in a crash in Elgin.
A 43-year-old man went missing while kayaking without a life jacket on Lake Buchanan, with his body found near the kayak around 8 a.m. at Black Rock Park.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office stated that a helicopter crash occurred at the 3000 block of Fearless Treadway before 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Travis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the suspicious death of a woman found lying in the parking lot of an apartment complex on East Parmer Lane just after midnight Sunday morning. Deputies discovered a female in her 30s lying on the pavement in need of immediate medical assistance. CPR was administered on scene, and the woman was transported to a local hospital by ATCEMS where she was later pronounced dead. (FOX 7 Austin)
Kyle authorities are still investigating the discovery of a human skull by workers at a landscaping site.
More than 7,900 people in Central Texas applied to FEMA for disaster relief after the Fourth of July weekend floods. Only around 3% of applicants had flood insurance at the time.
The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is Sept. 4. Volunteer groups want that deadline extended.
Deadlines for Travis County CARES relief as well as property tax relief have been extended.
“I’ve never received a written response.” — Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas of Austin, says he’s trying to get answers to the most basic questions surrounding the federal government’s response to the July floods but is being “stonewalled”. (NBC News)
After more than 30 years at its North Lamar location, Waterloo Records has a new home…and it’s not far from their old one.
The nonprofit, which aims to help families and children build stability, has relocated its headquarters to Austin from San Antonio with plans to grow. (Austin Business Journal)
WEATHER
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Heads up Georgetown…
Beginning today, Texas businesses can no longer sell vapes with THC or other cannabis substances.
State Sen. Brandon Creighton, the architect of major higher education reforms that banned diversity programs, limited faculty influence and tightened rules on campus protests, is poised to become the next chancellor of the Texas Tech University System. (Texas Tribune)
Newborns in Texas are now screened for four new disorders:
- Infantile Krabbe disease (Krabbe)
- Glycogen storage disease
- Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS I)
- Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II)
These disorders are rare. Experts believe there might be only one to four babies born in Texas with each of these disorders each year, but the effects of these conditions are devastating. (Austin American-Statesman)
Thousands of new pages of documents and emails related to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting in Uvalde were released Sunday. The documents relate to the response to the tragic incident where 19 students and two teachers were killed on May 24, 2022.
The sudden termination of a contract between Tesla and a 50-year-old industrial cleaning company will leave nearly 100 Texans without a job. (My San Antonio)
What’s happening this week?
Texas is set to undergo redistricting changes after Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 4 into law on Friday. Here’s what this means for Austin.
Authorities in Guadalupe County arrested 16 people for sexual offenses in a multi-agency effort they nicknamed “Operation Rolling Thunder.”
A massive house fire in McKinney has left nine firefighters hurt.
SPORTS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Texas Longhorns will regroup after their loss at Ohio State and begin preparations for San Jose State this weekend.
Are red zone issues now defining Texas’s season?
How worried should Longhorn fans be after loss to Ohio State?
MLB: Look who’s on a winning streak…
Joc Pederson homered, doubled and drove in three runs, Jacob deGrom struck out six in five scoreless innings, and the Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 9-6 on Sunday to sweep the three-game series. Texas has won five straight which has them 2.5 games out in the Wild Card race. (Yahoo! Sports)
In Houston, the Astros lost Game 3 of their four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Astros are still searching for their offensive identity, especially at home in Houston. MLB.com)
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
WILD CARD RACE
NFL: DaRon Bland signed a $92 million, four-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, four days before the NFL opener at defending champ and NFC East rival Philadelphia. (KXAN-TV)
Which is more likely: the Cowboys having a winning season or losing season this year?
THURSDAY NIGHT AT PHILADELPHIA
Meanwhile, in Houston…
Apparently, it’s Stroud’s “throwing into tight or closing window” that’s an issue. (Sports Illustrated)
SUNDAY AT LOS ANGELES
One police officer, no doctors and the nearest hospital is 80 miles away. And unless you have a specialized skill that is really needed…don’t come to Turlingua, Texas.
