Austin, TX
Winter weather: Central Texas businesses, services affected by possible snow, ice
AUSTIN, Texas – Central Texas businesses, organizations and government entities are adjusting their operations due to the arctic blast that’s impacting the region.
The backstory:
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued from 6 p.m. today, Jan. 20, to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21. This means snow and sleet are possible and could lead to some travel issues overnight.
FOX 7 Austin’s Zack Shields says that all the pieces of the snow puzzle will come together tonight from midnight to sunrise tomorrow. The highest snow totals will stay east of Austin with 1 to 2″ possible.
Many school districts, private and charter schools, and colleges and universities have decided to close their campuses for Tuesday, Jan. 21 with decisions pending for Wednesday.
What businesses are impacted?
H-E-B
The Texas grocery store chain says they are temporarily adjusting store hours for the following stores:
Greater San Antonio area
- Boerne, Bulverde, Fredericksburg, all Kerrville stores, and all New Braunfels stores will close at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
- All other San Antonio area stores will close at 10 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
- Central Market will close at 10 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
Central Texas area
- Kyle, Lockhart, Luling, and all San Marcos stores will close at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
- Wimberley will close at 7 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
- All other Central Texas area stores will close at regular hours on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
- Central Market stores will close at 10 p.m. on Jan. 20 and open at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21.
- Stores in Belton, Harker Heights, Gatesville, Killeen, Temple, and Waco area will operate normal business hours.
For more information, click here.
What services are affected?
CapMetro
CapMetro services are suspended after 9 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20. Riders are advised to take final trips before 9 p.m. Night Owl buses are canceled.
Due to MLK Day, Rail, UT Shuttles and Express are not in service.
CapMetro says that it expects service will also be impacted on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and will share updates here.
Central Health and CommUnityCare
All Central Health and CommUnityCare clinics and offices will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Central Health and CommUnityCare team members are contacting patients with information about how the weather will impact their appointments. Patients seen by third-party providers will be contacted by those providers.
Central Health Eligibility Services team members are contacting applicants with appointments to reschedule or provide information about how to apply online and over the phone. An announcement on Wednesday closures will be issued Tuesday.
Central TX VA Health Care System
VA outpatient clinics in Austin, Cedar Park, LaGrange and Bryan/College Station will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Local VA staff are reaching out to patrons affected by the closures to reschedule appointments either via VA Video Connect (VVC), Telehealth, or in-person appointments.
All clinics are expected to reopen on Wednesday. All other facilities and services remain open for normal operating hours.
Integral Care
Integral Care clinics, administrative offices, and other non-essential programs will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Psychiatric Emergency Services, all other crisis services and all residential services are continuing normal operations.
Anyone in need of urgent help can call 512-472-HELP (4357), then press 1 for English, then 1 for immediate assistance.
YMCA of Greater Austin
All Greater Austin YMCA centers will be closing all facilities on Monday Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. and expects to reopen facilities at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
What government offices are impacted?
City of Austin
All City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department facilities will be closed on Tuesday, January 21, except those being utilized as Warming Centers.
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced the City will be under modified operations on Tuesday, Jan. 21, requiring critical employees to telework if they are able.
City of Georgetown
City of Georgetown facilities will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in response to winter weather. Tuesday’s closures include:
- Art Center, 816 S. Main St.
- Animal Shelter, 110 Walden Drive
- City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
- Council and Courts Buildi,.ng (including Municipal Court), 510 W. Ninth St.
- Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243
- Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Ave.
- GoGeo paratransit services
- Grace Heritage Center, 817 S. Main St.
- Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 N. College St.
- Planning Department, 809 Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
- Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
- Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road
- Recreation Center, 1003 N. Austin Ave.
- Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive
- Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St.
Board and Commission meetings scheduled for Tuesday have been cancelled. The Georgetown Executive Airport will remain open.
Solid Waste and Recycling Collection
As of 3 p.m. on Monday, Texas Disposal Systems was planning to collect landfill trash or recycling on Tuesday, Jan. 21. If you are on a Tuesday route, please put your carts out by 7 a.m. as per usual. Residents should leave their cart at the curb until it is collected, as TDS may run late or decide to delay routes until the following day. The Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive, will remain open on Tuesday.
City of New Braunfels
The City of New Braunfels is making operational changes to city services due to the weather:
- Das Rec will close at 6 p.m. Jan. 20
- All non-essential City services will delay opening until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21st. This includes City Hall and other administrative offices, Municipal Court, the Public Library, the Westside Community Center, Das Rec, the Civic & Convention Center, and the City Municipal Building.
- Garbage and Recycling collection will have a delayed start and will resume normal operations when roads are determined to be safe.
- The Landa Park Golf Course will be closed through Wednesday, Jan. 22 and will re-open on Thursday, Jan. 23 at noon.
- Restrooms, water fountains, and other similar facilities in all city parks are temporarily closed.
- The Downtown Advisory Board meeting scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 21 has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Travis County
Travis County Judge Andy Brown announced Travis County’s non-essential offices, services, and facilities will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Essential emergency personnel will continue to report for duty. Travis County employees who have questions about their department can reach out to their immediate supervisor.
The Travis County Commissioners Court voting session scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 9 a.m. is cancelled.
Williamson County
Williamson County offices will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
The Source: Information comes from various governments, businesses and organizations
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A report released by the think tank Texas 2036 claims that ten state laws implemented between 2019 and 2025 led to “one of the nation’s most comprehensive strategies for connecting education to careers.”
The report is titled “The Next Generation of the Texas Miracle.” It can be read below.
Mary Lynn Pruneda, Texas 2036’s director of education and workforce policy, said in an announcement accompanying the report that the reforms have been steps in the right direction.
“Texas has a bright economic future ahead of it, but we have to make sure that Texas students are equipped to share in this prosperity,” she said. “Texas needs to double down on improving and investing in high-quality career pathways so that all Texas students can take part in the Texas Miracle. Thankfully, due to the Legislature’s great work over the past four sessions, we are on our way to that critical goal.”
The report gives several data points, such as a 532% increase in high schoolers earning “post-secondary credentials” since 2018, or that community colleges awarded 140,000 “credentials of value” in 2024.
It paints a rosy picture of the future Texas economy, but doesn’t source its data or explain how it reached these conclusions. It’s apparent that the think tank wants further laws related to Texas’ workforce and education.
“Texas 2036 is actively engaged in that process, pushing for data modernization and interoperability reforms that would allow the state to track whether credentials are meeting real employer needs in communities across the state,” said the think tank in its announcement.
Grace Atkins, policy advisor of postsecondary education for Texas 2036, called the think tank’s report “encouraging.”
“The early results are encouraging: more students are earning credentials that can help them move into good jobs, and that is real progress,” she said. “For students and families, these pathways can be the difference between getting by and getting ahead. The next step is making sure more Texans can earn credentials that lead to strong wages, real career options and greater economic mobility.”
AUSTIN, Texas — After Senator Charles Perry vowed to introduce another bill to ban THC in Texas next legislative session, an Austin cannabis shop owner is urging lawmakers to find a middle ground.
Estella Castro owns Austinite Cannabis Co., a family-owned shop that makes and sells cannabis and hemp products.
Austinite Cannabis Co. (Photo: CBS Austin/Audrey Wong)
Her business has faced a potential THC ban before. During the 2025 legislative session, Senate Bill 3 attempted to enact a broad ban on all cannabinoids except CBD and CBG.
Castro says she was most worried for her customers. “It was a big initial hit of like, what are we gonna do? How are we gonna pivot? How are we gonna keep the doors open for everybody to keep their jobs?” she said.
RELATED | Texas state senator plans to introduce new THC ban bill in upcoming session
That bill passed, but was later vetoed by Governor Greg Abbott. Similar legislation failed to pass during the subsequent special session.
However, the possibility of a total ban bill being introduced and passed next session could spell trouble for Austinite Cannabis.
During a hearing Tuesday, July 7, Senator Charles Perry vowed to present such a bill next session as public officials, medical experts, and others discussed THC’s medical uses, effects on minors, and regulation.
Castro says over half of the store’s revenue comes from products that contain THC.
“I would say it’s about a 60/40 split: 60% THC and 40 CBD… So feel like it is a huge number that affects my store in so many ways,” she said.
ALSO | Texas French Bread reopens dining room four years after fire
She feels that a total ban on THC would negatively affect multiple parties.
“Banning it is just hurting the consumer,” she said. “Making the consumer go and find a street dealer… killing any dispensaries… it’s gonna hurt your small business owner.”
If another THC ban bill is written, it will be introduced during the next legislative session, which begins in January 2027.
In the meantime, Castro’s two stores will continue to operate as normal. She hopes lawmakers will think twice about instituting a complete ban on THC.
“I feel like we’re better than that, you know, we’re Texas,” she said. “We need to find some middle ground where it’s not a complete ban, and we can still be able to come together.”
AUSTIN (KXAN) – Trevor Goosby is a projected first-round pick in the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft. The Texas offensive lineman anchors the group up front for one of the best teams in the country and was named a preseason All-American by Walter Camp.
But his football career felt in jeopardy when he was in high school.
“That was kind of my biggest question,” said Goosby. “I was really nervous because would I be the same football player coming back?”
Goosby was born with a congenital heart defect and had open-heart surgery when he was just 16 years old. He wasn’t sure how this would change his everyday life, including his football career.
“Definitely a lot of nerves just because you’re getting your ribs cracked open essentially and getting your heart worked on…It was a scary moment. I remember driving up to the hospital super nervous.”
Goosby was able to recover and become a great football player. He said not only has he become a person in learning to fight through adversity, but it helped him as a player as well with improved endurance.
Now, the star Longhorn is giving back as much as possible.
Goosby hosted a camp in Austin to benefit the Children’s Heart Foundation. The organization works to fund research on congenital heart defects.
The offensive tackle is matching all donations up to $20,000 made to the Children’s Heart Foundation through the event and campaign.
“It means a lot to me just because of the heart condition I did have back when I was 16. That just kind of changed my life. I just want to bring awareness to that.”
The camp was at Hyde Park High School in Northwest Austin. Goosby spoke about what he hopes the young campers took away from the event.
“I think it’s just more than football. Football is a big part of what I do but it’s not who I am…I just want to show all these kids that I’m just another great guy and just someone they can look up to.”
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