While local COVID numbers hold steady to start the new week, a new study shows that death rates due to the coronavirus are trending much higher in U.S. counties that voted in favor of former President Donald Trump in 2020 than those that went for current President Joe Biden. Governor Greg Abbott continues reassuring Texans that the lights will stay on this winter, while Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke makes a weekend swing through Austin and San Marcos. Business is booming in Round Rock, where pre-pandemic revenue levels have been met or surpassed, as has the city's forecast for 2021 sales tax totals. Texas Longhorns will miss the bowl season for the first time since 2016, but Baylor, Oklahoma State, SMU, Houston, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech (who face Mississippi State and former head coach Mike Leach for the first time) will all play in post-season games. Almost all of the local high school football teams playing in quarterfinals games this weekend advance to semifinals next weekend: Westlake, Lake Travis, Liberty Hill, LBJ Austin and Lago Vista all remain in the running. Concert announcements: Patti Labelle, Andrea Bocelli, and Iron Maiden are all coming to town in 2022, while The Eagles add a second night. And a cold front cools us down for about one day, before even more weirdly warm weather late this week.

Doctors in Texas continue watching for our first Omicron COVID case, while an appeals court allows Governor Greg Abbott's ban on mask mandates in schools to stand, reversing a prior ruling. AISD runs the risk of a state takeover of its Board of Trustees if it fails to achieve improvement at Mendez Middle School next year. Austin City Council grants enforcement powers to our new Office of Civil Rights. A wanted fugitive, a member of the Aryan Circle criminal gang, is arrested at a northwest Austin hotel. Austin's real estate market is forecasted to cool a bit next year, though growth in prices will continue. HEB plans a rebuilding of its store at South Congress and Oltorf, which dates back to 1957, starting in February. The Austin Monitor covers a briefing on Austin's nuanced sound ordinance and permitting process. A pod of alligators kills a dog in Del Valle - turns out the dog was on their turf. And classic Motown groups The Temptations and The Four Tops will a bill at the Bass Concert Hall in May. 

Local COVID numbers hold fairly steady, while the statewide community transmission rate or CRT rises to Substantial range. As the first stateside Omicron case is discovered in California, now is the time to get up to speed on vaccines and boosters - the City of Austin provides walkup opportunities if you have trouble finding an appointment. Several new state laws including SB1, bringing a range of new restrictions on voting access, take effect across Texas today - while some Republican lawmakers are clamoring for a fourth special session. Several areas of Austin recently redrawn into City Council District 4 will not be eligible to vote for outgoing Council Member Greg Casar's replacement in January. Three students are asked to stay home after being involved in a gun scare Wednesday at Akins High School. Former Texas Longhorn and NFL safety Kenny Vaccaro is returning to Austin to start a new e-sports venture. Mayor Steve Adler is chosen to serve on a federal cybersecurity advisory committee. And Democratic candidate for Governor Beto O'Rourke is set to appear at Republic Square Park on Saturday evening.

Local health officials are on the lookout for Omicron COVID cases, though caution is tempered by early indications that it mostly causes only mild disease. Five people die in two separate shooting incidents in Taylor. The Railroad Commission of Texas removes an opt-out option from thousands of natural gas suppliers, requiring more of them to make winterization modifications - but not likely in time for this winter. Cedar fever season appears delayed - and possibly intensified - by unusually wet weather in October. The progressive political group Ground Game Texas will force a ballot vote seeking the decriminalization of marijuana and the outlawing of no-knock warrants in Austin. Census data indicates that, unexpectedly, housing production outpaced population increase in Austin between 2010 and 2020. Giving Tuesday: Mobile Loaves and Fishes gets over $36 million from the Dell Foundation, and Green Doors gets a share of a six-figure donation from Home Depot. The Barton Springs Bathhouse receives approval for renovations by the City's Design Commission. And Austin Monthly names its 25 Best Restaurants In Austin.

Local COVID numbers remain steady and moderate while the world braces for the impact of the new Omicron variant - local and state health officials call for concern but not panic, believing that the effectiveness of current vaccines will generally hold, and that producing Omicron-specific vaccines will not be difficult if needed. Fears persist that the Texas power grid remains vulnerable to winter weather due to a lack of weatherization by natural gas providers. A young girl narrowly escapes being kidnapped at a north Austin Dollar Tree store. Texas Basketball plays their first regular season game at UT's Gregory Gym since 1977, while their future home at the Moody Center announces a date early next summer with The Eagles. And today is Giving Tuesday - check with I Live Here, I Give Here for easy ways to support.

A lull in local COVID stat reporting over the holiday weekend will end tonight at 6 - concern remains over recent upticks in new cases, and the threat of the new omicron variant. Matthew McConaughey passes on a run for Governor this time. Ranch 616 owner and Ranch Water creator Kevin Williamson dies at 59. A new initiative is planned to improve conditions for visitors to the East 6th Street bar district. After a final two-day country music festival, Nutty Brown Amphitheater officially closes. Quarterfinals round of Texas high school football playoffs are set with Westlake facing Vandegrift, Lake Travis vs San Antonio Brennan, Liberty Hill vs Alamo Heights, LBJ Austin vs Fredericksburg and Lago Vista vs Vanderbilt Industrial, while Bowie, Wimberley and Rouse are eliminated. And, the "Luling Effect" is stinky, but harmless.

COVID hospitalizations remain at a low ebb, but new cases and our local community transmission rate are both rising, indicating a likely winter spike on the way. Holiday travel for a great many Austinites - give yourself as much time as you can, and give your fellow travelers lots and lots of patience. Austin Grammy nominees include Willie Nelson, Black Pumas, Jack Ingram, Conspirare, and Sarah and Shawna Dodds. Texas faces Kansas State on Friday morning, desperate to turn around a disastrous season, while local high school football teams representing Lake Travis, Bowie, Vandegrift, Westlake, Cedar Park, Leander, Liberty Hill, LBJ Austin, Wimberley and Lago Vista head into the third Regional round of this year's playoffs. And Thanksgiving rain starts tonight and should wrap up by late Thursday morning.

As local COVID numbers continue at a low ebb, interest grows in booster shots. A huge travel week at ABIA - airport officials recommend showing up 3 hours early for flights. Samsung settles on Taylor for the location for their new $17 billion microchip plant. In spite of a recent volume slowdown, Austin's real estate prices continue setting new record highs, while a study finds Austin's cost of living the highest in Texas. UT professors protest the University stopping an ongoing study of racism that involved young children. More anti-Semitic graffiti shows up at Anderson High School. Alex Jones is subpoenaed by the U.S. House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. Texas RB Bijan Robinson says he will not transfer away from the Longhorns. Violet Crown Cinema plans a fourth location, in Dallas. The Zilker Tree will be lit for the first time, and nightly for the rest of the year, as of Saturday at 6pm. And nice weather continues ahead of a wet cold front expected on Thursday.

COVID stats continue coasting in upper Stage 2 range - almost a quarter-million kids under 12 have gotten their first vaccine shots to present. A new poll finds Matthew McConaughey topping both Governor Greg Abbott and Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke in head-to-head matchups. Circuit of the Americas blames third-party staffing shortages and a Waze malfunction for Saturday night's traffic jam prior to the Rolling Stones concert. Alarm continues in regard to this winter's power grid reliability. Texas Longhorns football hits a six-game losing streak and will miss out on a bowl game this year for the first time since 2016, while local high school football teams Lake Travis, Bowie, Vandegrift, Westlake, Cedar Park, Rouse, Liberty Hill, LBJ Austin, Wimberley and Lago Vista all advance to the Regional playoff round. Some cool new public art debuts under the Pleasant Valley Bridge in East Austin, and a cold, wet Thanksgiving appears in the works.

Local COVID numbers continue low plateau as widespread adult booster approval arrives. Outside energy experts say the Texas grid is not in good shape for winter weather, despite signals to the contrary from Texas officials. A second shooting in less than a week happens in the East Sixth Street bar district, as illegal gun incidents downtown spike. A suspect in a September Austin murder is caught in Las Vegas. January 25 is set for a special election date to replace Greg Casar in the District 4 Austin City Council seat. Austin is ranked the #1 best city to move to in the entire world (surprise!), while we also pull a ninth-straight perfect annual score for local policies related to our LGBTQ community. Two local women gain acclaim for their accomplishments in emergency response and poetry. Hestia is ranked the 4th best new restaurant in America by Esquire. Netflix launches two new reality shows - Roaring Twenties and the sixth season of Queer Eye - both shot on location in Austin. And a rollercoaster is coming weather-wise over the next week, the result of two inbound cold fronts.