Governor Abbott indicated in a press conference earlier this week from a restaurant in Lubbock that due to increased vaccinations and a lower positivity rate, all businesses will be able to open fully to a 100% capacity starting next Wednesday. Additionally, the statewide mask mandate will also be lifted on that day. There will also be no state restrictions on gathering sizes, no elective surgery restrictions and also no access restrictions to nursing homes. While restrictions will be loosened, he did stress the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining the appropriate safety practices to keep others safe. If COVID-19 hospital capacity reaches more than 15% over seven days in a particular region, the county judges in that region can put in further restrictions. Click here for more details. Click here to watch the latest update from Mayor Sandy Cox regarding this new state Order.

A total of 76,365 cases have been reported to date in Travis County, with 1,724 active cases at this time and 257 individuals hospitalized in the region. A total of 66,323 individuals have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine through Austin Public Health, which is the main hub in Travis County. Click here to review the COVID-19 case dashboard, which includes an interactive map to see cases by your zip code. Click here for more details on hospitalizations. Click here for details on vaccine distributions.

With the approval of a third COVID-19 vaccine recently, more doses will likely become available in the coming weeks. Besides Groups in Phase 1A and 1B being eligible for the vaccine, school and childcare personnel are also now eligible following a recent federal directive. Be sure to pre-register with Austin Public Health if you haven't already. Click here for important vaccination resources, including the pre-registration portal.

Travis County remains in Stage 4 of the risk-based guidelines. Whether you have or have not received a vaccine, please continue to social/physical distance between individuals not in your household, wear a proper face covering, and wash your hands regularly. Thank you for continuing to follow these guidelines.

LCRA recently detected cyanotoxin, which can be fatal to dogs, in solid material along the shoreline of Lake Travis in the Hudson Bend area following reports of dogs becoming sick after swimming in the area last week. LCRA strongly encourages dog owners not to let their pets play in the lake or near shorelines where algae has accumulated around Hudson Bend. There are NO reports of the toxins along other parts of the lake at this time, including parts that run along Lakeway.

There is always some level of risk of toxins in a natural body of water. It's important to follow this advice:

Dogs that ingest algae with the toxin could have a number of symptoms, including respiratory paralysis and death. Dogs can be exposed to the toxin even by licking algae from their fur. The risk to humans is currently low. The 2019 harmful algae bloom that appeared in Lady Bird Lake in Austin appeared to have only affected dogs.

Click here to learn more, including a list of symptoms to watch out for in your pet.

A special city council meeting was held this past Monday at 6:30 p.m. through video conference. Here is a brief recap:

DISASTER DECLARATION: City Council voted in favor to extend the disaster declaration related to the recent severe winter weather that hit the area. The original declaration was signed on February 26, 2021 and went from February 11 to February 19, 2021. Since the City continues to be impacted by the extensive aftermath of the historic winter storm, and the impacts to both public and private property will continue and cannot be full repaired and restored for several weeks or longer, City Council voted in favor to extend the declaration disaster until terminated by order of the Mayor.

WATER COALITION AGREEMENT: City Council voted in favor of approving the agreement with the Central Texas Water Coalition (CTWC) to advance and promote the city's economic and public safety interest in matters relating to the sale and use of water from lakes Travis and Buchanan. Since 2013, the City has entered into a series of agreements with CTWC in this manner. The agreement is renewable each year.

LTISD POLICE AGREEMENT: City Council voted in favor of approving an interlocal agreement to assist with dispatch services between the City of Lakeway Police Department and the Lake Travis Independent School District Police Department.

ANNUAL RACIAL PROFILING REPORT: City Council voted to accept the 2020 City of Lakeway Police Department Annual Racial Profiling Report. The report is required through the state. Staff with the Lakeway Police Department analyzed the data of 3,527 traffic contacts. The analysis of the data shows no trends of racial profiling by the officers of Lakeway. There were also no complaints to the Lakeway Police Department alleging acts of racial profiling in 2020.

For more information about this meeting, you may click here to watch the video and review the agenda.