Headlines

• The shooting death of Nathaniel Sanders II still reverberates as City Council members question whether they should settle the lawsuit between the Sanders family and the shooter, former Austin Police Department Officer Leonardo Quintana. See "Police Union to City: Stand Up and Fight," and "City Hall Hustle."

• Budget season is in full force, with City Council returning from hiatus July 28 to go over City Manager Marc Ott's proposals for the next fiscal year. See "Taking Budget Mountain by Strategy."

• At press time, there was still no decision in the selection of a new Austin Energy chief, but Larry Weis is still the lead contender. See "Austin Energy Sets the Curve."

• Formula One is inching closer to the starting line in Austin: Sources close to the project have confirmed that a major announcement, expected to include the exact location of the new racing facility and the big-name investors, will be made within the next week.

• Is the lovely green space known as the Perry Estate, north of the Hancock Golf Course, in need of a resort-style development? Some people think so. For the lowdown on one developer's dream, see "The Spa at Hancock and 41st?."

• Cliff Redd, credited with leading the successful launch of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, announced Tuesday he will retire after six years as the center's executive director. Manag­ing Director Paul Beutel will serve as interim executive director until a replacement is named. See "Oranges All Across, Mr. Redd," the Arts, for more.

• When campaign finance reports in the governor's race were filed last Thursday, it turned out that Democratic challenger Bill White had outraised Gov. Rick Perry since the March primaries. White raised $7.4 million and has $9 million in the bank, while Perry collected $7.1 million and has a war chest of $5.8 million.

• University of Texas' latest exercise in branding – water bottles shaped like the UT Tower – is leaving a bitter taste in some people's mouths. Proceeds from sales of H2Orange will fund academic scholarships, but environmentalists and some alumni have savaged the new plastic product as wasteful and ecologically irresponsible.

Photo by John Anderson

• Got a few grand collecting dust? Perhaps you can attend President Barack Obama's Four Seasons Hotel fundraiser lunch Aug. 9. Guest, $5,000; VIP seated guest, $15,200; and for the truly besotted or flush, including photo reception, $30,400.

Quote of the Week

"The proposed settlement leaves too many questions unanswered."

– Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, on the city's proposed $750,000 agreement with the family of police shooting victim Nathaniel Sanders II