Public Notice: The FABPAC Reaches Out

The Austin Independent School Dis­trict's in-progress update of their Facility Master Plan made headlines late last year when a consultant's report recommended closing up to 10 schools, and building a number of new schools to replace them in different parts of town. The district and the trustee-appointed Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee hastened to remind everyone that that was just one set of consultants' recommendations, and there are plenty of other considerations, and more work to be done. In district-speak, FABPAC will "continue to examine the consultants' preliminary options using data," and "will review community comments to refine the draft of the FMP and formulate recommendations to the district's Board of Trustees about how to modernize our district."

That process continues this week and next, with a series of community engagement conversations: three public meetings a week for the next two weeks, to take "feedback about the FMP update and the options identified to date."

• Tue., Jan. 24 at McCallum High School

• Wed., Jan. 25 at Crockett High School

• Thu., Jan. 26 at Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy

• Tue., Jan. 31 at Martin Middle School

• Wed., Feb. 1 at Burnet Middle School

• Thu., Feb. 2 at Gorzycki Middle School

All meetings will run from 6-8pm, with child care provided by Maker Kids Lab. Study up! See more info on the FMP process at www.austinisd.org/fmp, and see the consultants' study posted here.

Apply Yourself

The Creek Show is an annual art installation series put on by the Waller Creek Conservancy; they invite "architects, landscape architects, artists, and designers to submit ideas for light-based, site-specific installations to be sited [along] Waller Creek." Five of these will get budgets of up to $20,000 to complete installations to be open to the public for 10 days in November. Deadline for submissions is Jan. 31; more info at www.creekshow.com.

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Films for the Forest is an annual international short film challenge created by Rainforest Partnership, a local nonprofit that works to preserve tropical rainforests. They're looking for "inspiring forest-related films that focus on environmental stewardship," and the winning entries, selected by a panel of judges including Richard Linklater, will be screened as part of the SXSW Film Festival. Deadline for submissions is Jan. 31; more info at www.filmsfortheforest.org.

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No deadline on this one, but they will sell out: Tickets for the Austin Humane Society's 13th annual AHS Car Raffle are now on sale. You could win a 2016 Mazda Miata MX-5 Sport Convertible, valued at more than $26,000. Raffle tickets are $20, or three for $50, available at www.austinhumanesociety.org/2017CarRaffle or at the shelter at 124 W. Anderson. Only 5,000 tickets will be sold; a winner will be drawn April 29 at Roger Beasley Mazda Central: 6825 Burnet Rd.

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Or, for free, apply to win a seat on a 15-member Citizens Bond Advisory Committee that the Travis County Commissioners Court will appoint to advise on a bond package for a November 2017 county bond election. Apply at www.traviscountytx.gov/intergovernmental-relations/board-appointments. The deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 14.

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Austin Out Loud is a new series at Old Quarry Branch Library, bringing in local writers to read from their work. It kicks off with a bang: Sarah Bird, author of nine novels, and winner of four Best Local Author awards in the Chronicle's "Best of Austin." Her newest book is A Love Letter to Texas Women. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7pm, at Old Quarry Branch, 7051 Village Center Dr. Recommended for ages 17 and up, and like all Austin Public Library programs, it's absolutely free.

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Community Tax Centers provide free tax preparation, now through April, for households making up to $55,000 (or slightly higher for households of five or more). Foundation Communities' IRS-certified volunteers prepared more than 20,000 tax returns in 2016; they're available at six centers around town: Community Financial Center South, 2600 W. Stassney; CFC North, 5900 Airport; Southeast Health & Wellness Center, 2901 Montopolis Dr.; LifeWorks East Office, 835 N. Pleasant Valley Rd.; Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron; Round Rock Public Library, 216 E. Main. Hours vary; see www.foundcom.org/financial-stability/austin-tax-preparation.