Public Notice: Time Keeps on Slipping ...
Everything old is new again?
By Nick Barbaro, Fri., Oct. 23, 2020
You know how time has taken on a whole different texture and elasticity during the pandemic? Months race by while time stands still. And the world has definitely changed, even while everyone and everything seems frozen in place. Meanwhile, the widening gyre of political madness adds to the disorientation. Is it Thursday? October?
Here's some news, even if it feels like you've heard it before.
Last week's lead item was the Hancock Golf Course/Park proposals percolating through the city and neighborhoods. As we go to press, the Hancock NA is meeting to discuss dueling plans to turn the course into pure parkland, or to "divide the property evenly between golf and parkland." Then this coming week, the city Parks and Recreation Department is holding two public meetings to present feedback from a meeting they held back in February, and very different options, including a public/private partnership that would create a "modern golf learning center" on the site. Go to www.publicinput.com/hancockmeeting2 at Mon., Oct. 26, 7pm, or Thu., Oct. 29, 5pm. And see an outline of the park plan, and a petition to support it, at www.hancockconservancy.org.
Also last week, HopeFest needed volunteers for their upcoming event – now here's the event itself: Sat., Oct. 24, 9:30am-1:30pm, at Northeast High, Austin Voices for Education & Youth will put on "Austin's largest community-based resource fair for low-income families" – drive-through this year – providing referrals and direct aid to some 4,000 low-income families most years. See www.austinvoices.org.
(Speaking of AVEY: Austin Public Health has a new high-risk worker hotline, providing info and referral services for front-line staff who need help. The hotline is operated by Austin Voices at 512/493-4288, 8am-8pm, Mon.-Fri. "and is available in any requested language.")
Recycled news at City Hall, as well, as the controversial rezoning at 508 Kemp St. in Montopolis will be back at Council for the fourth time next week; the developer has been unable to make peace with neighborhood opposition, despite being told at each visit that that's what they need to do to win approval. Oct. 29 is supposedly their last chance (see "On COVID-19 Relief and Housing, Council Does What It Can"), but don't be surprised if they drag it out yet again.
Cheers to 25! The Texas Freedom Network – "130,000 religious and community leaders who support religious freedom, individual liberties, and public education" – has been fighting the good fight for 25 years now; hard to believe. TFN's (Virtual) 25th Anniversary Celebration is Wed., Oct. 28; 6:30pm pre-show, 7pm event. More info at www.tfn.org/cheers-to-25.
Don't let old memories fade! The Texas Film Round-Up is a program of the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, honoring American Archives Month by offering free digitization for the month of October for any Texas-related films and videotapes, in exchange for contributing a digital copy of the materials to TAMI's online archive. See www.texasarchive.org/round-up for info.
The Trump presidency has now lasted longer than the U.S. involvement in World War II, and arguably done considerably more damage to the nation. So...
Save time voting: Use the Travis County Clerk's map of current wait times at each of the 36 early voting polling places (open through Oct. 30) at countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/elections/wait-time-map.html.
Lastly, Chronicle co-founder Louis Black is (celebrating? enjoying? enduring?) his 70th birthday as we go to press Oct. 21. Cheers, Louis!
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