City Cast Austin
😩 What Austin complained about in 2025
December 22, 2025 · Kelsey Bradshaw
🙏 It’s Monday and we’re almost to winter break, y’all! And, we have extra reason to celebrate: More than 7,000 children will receive Christmas gifts this year as part of the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. All angels were adopted this year!
What's CITY Talking About
😩 What Austin Complained About in 2025
Austinites submitted thousands of 311 complaints in 2025, ranging from coyote sightings to scooter issues. Trash-related complaints were some of the most common for the year. [KUT]
🌆 Is Downtown Austin Entering its Golden Era?
New safety strategies for the downtown area, like reopening Sixth Street to cars and installing concrete barriers in some spots, went into effect this year. As a result, steady progress has been made in addressing the area's crime problem, according to Council Member Zo Qadri. [City Cast Austin 🎧]
🎢 Sensor Issue Left 2 Stranded on COTA Roller Coaster, Officials Say
Two people were stuck on the Circuit Breaker roller coaster for over an hour at Circuit of the Americas this month. COTA officials say a sensor triggered an interruption and that the pair was the first of 25,000 riders to get stuck. [CBS Austin]
🥵 Christmas Will Be Warm This Year
Temperatures are expected to climb into the high 70s on Christmas Day this year, possibly peaking around 80 degrees, the National Weather Service says. Skies will be partly sunny, so you may need to put that ugly Christmas sweater back into storage. 😢 [National Weather Service]
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Where Is This?
Womp, womp. Our second-to-last “Where Is This?” of 2025 was a bust! No one guessed that this photo was taken on Sixth Street just east of Congress Avenue. This mural is on the facade of a parking garage and was gifted to the city in 2024 by artist Mr. Doodle.
I now present to you our final “Where Is This” photo for the year!
Do you know where this photo was taken? Reply to this email with your best guess to be featured in next Monday’s newsletter!
What To Do
Monday, Dec. 22
- 🤠 BRONCO 2: Queer Linedance Workshop + Community Potluck! at Sagebrush | South Austin
- 🕺 Horti at Hole in the Wall | West University
- 🇫🇷 Theo Lawrence at C-Boys Heart & Soul | Bouldin Creek
- 🏀 Texas Men’s Basketball vs. Maryland Eastern Shore at the Moody Center | UT Campus
- 🧸 Teddy Bear Rescue Day! at Goldfish Swim School | Northwest Hills
Tuesday, Dec. 23
- 🌟 Final Night: Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Metropolitan Park | Barton Hills
- 🩰 Final Performance: The Nutcracker at the Long Center | Bouldin Creek
- 🎤 Carolyn Wonderland & Shelley King at the Continental Club | Travis Heights
- 💃 Two Ton Tuesday Ugly Sweater Holiday Show at Gruene Hall | Gruene
- 😂 The Roast of Santa at The Creek and The Cave | Downtown Austin
👋 Bye! I’m off to see if I can order some custom wrapping paper before heading home this week!
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