AUSTIN, Texas — Roads across the city will begin to close on Feb. 13 for the Austin Marathon, with closures continuing throughout the weekend. 

The Austin Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K will begin at 7 a.m. on Sunday.

On Feb. 13, Congress Avenue between 7th and 11th streets and 9th Street between Colorado and Brazos streets will be closed starting at 9 a.m. for packet pick-ups for runners. 

Additionally, 8th and 10th streets between Colorado and Brazos streets will close starting at 2 p.m. on Friday.  

Starting at 4 a.m. on Saturday, Congress Avenue between Cesar Chavez Street and 11th Street and 2nd Street between Colorado and Brazos streets will close. 

On race day, the City of Austin will shut down all roads on the runner’s route no later than 6 a.m.

Key race day closures include South Congress Avenue from Riverside Drive to Ben White Boulevard from 5 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Cesar Chavez from Congress Avenue to MoPac from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 15th Street from Lamar Boulevard to Guadalupe Street from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and East Dean Keeton Street from Interstate 35 to Manor Road from 6 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 

All streets are expected to be reopened by 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. 

For a complete list of closures, as well as tips for navigation, check out the guide below. 

South-Central Texas could see thunderstorms on Saturday, with the greatest severe potential in the afternoon and evening. Here’s what it means for your Valentine’s Day plans.

The National Weather Service updated its forecast on Thursday to note the level 1 of 5 risk of strong thunderstorms on Valentine’s Day afternoon and evening.

The area at risk, in particular the coastal plains, I-35 corridor, and Hill Country, could see damaging wind, large hail, and lightening.

The NWS urges residents to stay weather aware if they have outdoor plans that day. It’s a good practice to have multiple ways of receiving weather warnings.

Western Val Verde County is also at a level 1 of 5 risk of non-severe thunderstorms on the evening of Friday, Feb. 13. The storms are forecast after 6 p.m. over the southern Edwards Plateau and western Hill Country. The area could see large hail and lightning.

After this potential thunderstorm activity, rain chances for the rest of the week are almost nonexistent. Temperatures are expected to stay warmer than average for mid-February.

Anyone interested in learning more about how to spot and report severe weather events can attend the Severe Weather and Flood Training on Feb. 21.

The class will show attendees how to assist forecasters with weather reports during critical weather events. Space is limited and registration is required.

Severe Weather and Flood Training

Sat. Feb. 21; 8:30 a.m.-noon

Trinity University, Fiesta Room – Coates Student Center

One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212

Free Parking at the Alamo Stadium

Find a list of other severe weather and flood training sessions in the region here or contact Jason Runyen at jason.runyen@noaa.gov for more information.

AUSTIN, Texas — According to a letter from Jim Davis, president of the University of Texas at Austin, there will be a number of consolidations in the ethnic and gender studies departments at the school’s College of Liberal Arts.

This follows months of pressure from conservatives to eliminate gender and culture-related programs at the university, and after a decision from Texas A&M University earlier this year to eliminate its Women and Gender Studies department under similar pressure.

The following three departments will become the Department of European and Eurasian Studies:

• Department of French and Italian
• Department of Germanic Studies
• Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies

And four others will become the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis. They include:

• Department of African and African Diaspora Studies
• Department of American Studies
• Department of Mexican American and Latina/Latino Studies
• Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

In the letter, Davis said that these consolidations result from a review of several factors, including “size, scope, academic mission, student demand, student-to-faculty ratio, resource allocation, and other dimensions.”

The consolidation was first announced in an earlier meeting via phone call, according to the Austin American-Statesman. They indicated that neither the Asian Studies department nor the Middle Eastern Studies department were represented on the call, and there is no word on any potential change to either department.

Being recognized as an official department is important for funding, tenure and decision-making within the university’s structure. There is no word on layoffs in the current departments, and none were announced in either the call or the letter.

“There can be no reason for this decision other than an authoritarian takeover of Texas’ flagship university,” Lauren Gutterman, associate professor of American Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, told the Statesman. “If this was about too much fragmentation or small majors, then why are departments like Religious Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, and Classics unaffected?”

Davis said in the letter that there will also be a review of the curricula in these departments to determine the path forward in the new fields of study.