Manufacturing employment growth has outpaced retail sector employment growth in the Austin area for 13 consecutive months, according to the August issue of Data Points by the Capital Area Council of Governments.  CAPCOG reports that manufacturing employment growth surpassed retail employment growth in only six other months since 2001.  Manufacturing jobs pay an average of $90,000, three times the average salary in retail.

The August Data Points also notes that sustained job growth has fueled a tight residential home and apartment market. While new building permits slowed significantly during the Recession, the first half of 2012 has seen 10,000 new residential permits issued.

Read Data Points and sign up for future issues.   

Drew Brees, NFL quarterback and former Austin area resident, is Co-Chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. In a blog announcing National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Brees calls for, "ensuring all children have access to safe places to play, physical activity opportunities during school hours and out of school, and providing affordable, nutritious food options." According to the Council, childhood obesity rates have increased dramatically over the past 30 years.  Obesity rates for children ages 2 - 5 have doubled and the rates for children ages 6 to 11 have quadrupled.  The Council encourages children, families and communities to get active and eat well.

The State Comptroller's Office has launched a new web tool to help Texans get a picture of their overlapping local tax burden. The interactive map, found at www.TexasTransparency.org provides a close-up view of the local entities that assess property tax and sales tax in each of Texas' 254 counties.

The League of Women Voters of Austin is sponsoring a voter registration campaign at sites throughout Austin during the month of September. According to Census data, nonpartisan groups like the League are responsible for registering large numbers of voters who otherwise would have been left out of the voting process--including young people, new citizens and Americans without college degrees.

Following are registration sites and times:

Learn about the Kirwan Institute Opportunity Mapping Project at the next affordable housing forum at Neighborhood Housing and Community Development.  Green Doors Executive Director Frank Fernandez will share maps that show the spatial distribution of opportunity in the five county Austin metro area.

There are maps that show...

• Education Opportunity;
• Economics and Mobility Opportunity;
• Housing and Environment Opportunity; and 
• Overall Comprehensive Opportunity.

The forum will be held on Monday, September 10th from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at 1000 East 11th Street.  For questions, or to RSVP, contact HousingForums@austintexas.gov.  

The League of Women Voters of Austin will hold a public forum and discussion of the past, present, and future of healthcare in Travis County on Sunday, September 16th from 2 - 4 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 4001 Speedway. Panelists will discuss the history of Central Health, the role of nonprofit organizations in health care, the effects of our present taxing system, funding needs and requests for additional funding. 

Mary Ann Roser, Austin American-Statesman health reporter, will moderate the discussion.   Panelists include Regina Rogoff, CEO of People's Community Clinic, and Clarke Heidrick, a local attorney who chaired the initial Board of Managers for Central Health and who was a force behind the creation of the Travis County Healthcare District (now named "Central Health") in 2004.   

The public is invited to hear Christopher Leinberger, developer, author & visiting fellow at the Bookings Institution, discuss "Development Trends Toward Walkable Urbanism."  Mr. Leinberger will discuss the underlying factors increasing market demand for walkable urban places; how zoning codes, transportation infrastructure, real estate financing, and city policies influence the built environment; and how communities benefit economically by building walkable places.  The talk will be held on Tuesday, September 18th from 6:30 - 8 p.m. at St. David's Episcopal Church.  Click here for more information. 

The event is part of the Compact and Connected Speaker Series, which features experts in the fields of land use development and policy focused on Austin growing as a compact and connected city. The speaker series is hosted by the City of Austin Planning Department; Health and Human Services; and the Office of Sustainability. 

Learn how the Affordable Care Act will impact you, your employees and the clients you serve.  Austin Travis County Integral Care, One Voice Central Texas, and Texas Well and Healthy are sponsoring two forums on Tuesday, September 18th at the AT&T Executive Conference Center.  A morning session from 9 - 10:30 a.m. will focus on the impacts to health professionals and their clients.  An evening session from 5:30 - 7 p.m. will address the needs and questions of the general public.  Click here for more information or to RSVP. 

Central Texas schools have more student absences than the state average at every grade.  When kids aren't in class they can't learn.  Since State education funding is based on student attendance, increasing average student attendance by just three days would bring an additional $34 million to schools. AARO and the E3 Alliance are launching a new campaign to let employers, associations and community groups know that missing school matters.  Kickoff events will be held September 19th, 20th and 25th.  Click here to learn more and to see which events are most convenient to you. 

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) invites people to join in a national day of service to be held on Saturday, September 29th at locations throughout Austin. Be The Change is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's quote "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Last year, over 1,000 volunteers participated throughout Austin helping over 25 local non-profits in a variety of service projects.  This year, 50 organizations have service projects for which they seek volunteers. 

Gather your family and friends and Be The Change, Austin!  Visit bethechangeaustin.org for more information.

2-1-1 Texas offers free monthly trainings on when to use 2-1-1 Texas and how to search the 2-1-1 Texas database to find information about available community resources. The targeted audience for these trainings is social services professionals and volunteers. Registration for the training sessions, offered the last Friday of each month, is not required.

Training sessions  are held on the last Friday of every month at  2 p.m. at United Way for Greater Austin, 2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and last about an hour and a half.  For more information, call 2-1-1 and select option 1 or email Amy Price at amy.price@unitedwaycapitalarea.org.