Headlines

A peaceful rally, organized by the People's Task Force, calling for "Justice for Larry Jackson" – an unarmed black man killed in July 2013 by APD Det. Charles Kleinert – attracted more than 300 people on Friday night, Dec. 5. Starting at the Travis County Courthouse, protesters marched through Downtown, at one point shutting down traffic on Congress Bridge. On the morning of Dec. 5, Kleinert, who has retired from the force, was arraigned on charges of manslaughter. (Photo by John Anderson)

Early Voting in the municipal, AISD, and ACC run-offs continues through tomorrow (Friday, Dec. 12). As of Tuesday, 30,207 people (6.1% of registered voters) had voted; election day is Tuesday, Dec. 16.

The last waltz of the at-large, seven-member City Council takes place today (Dec. 11), with a paltry 231 Items on the agenda, perhaps foretelling a long holiday extension. The vexed Decker Lake golf proposal is to be punted to next Council and next year, but there's plenty more where that came from. See "Council: Turn Out the Lights," Dec. 12.

The 75-acre Bull Creek tract (Bull Creek Road and 45th Street) was sold last week by the Texas Dept. of Transportation to local residential development firm Milestone Community Builders, for $47 million. The city of Austin could've bought the property for $28.9 million back in September, but couldn't figure out the financing. The deal is expected to close in February.

People's Community Clinic announced earlier this week that it plans to expand – doubling its staff and patient capacity – and relocate to new headquarters in North Austin, thanks to a $10 million grant from the St. David's Foundation. PCC has provided health care services to low-income, uninsured Austinites for 44 years.

Roads, education, borders, water. Gov.-elect Greg Abbott set out his legislative agenda for the upcoming session in broad strokes on Dec. 8. He also announced his staff, drawing primarily from his team at the attorney general's office and adding some campaign staffers.

The Sunset Advisory Commission this week unanimously approved a recommendation to consolidate the Health and Human Services Commission and the four agencies it oversees into one "mega-agency." It also signed off on combining the Women's Health Program with the Expanded Primary Health Care and Family Planning programs. The moves will need legislative approval.

One special election down, a bunch to go. On Dec. 6, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, won the Senate District 18 race to replace Comptroller-elect Glenn Hegar, maintaining the GOP hold on the upper chamber. More specials, including several in San Antonio, will follow next year.

Strange Fruit no more: The local PR firm announced this week it would be changing its name to Perennial PR after outcry over its original name. According to the firm's founders, they had been aware of the Billie Holiday song that uses the term to describe "black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze," but didn't think the reference would "be top of mind in the public consciousness.... We should have known better," they said.