• ATU 1091, the Capital Metro drivers and mechanics union, went on strike Wednesday morning after its employer rejected a compromise proposal from Council Member Mike Martinez. A federal mediation effort is to begin Friday. See “ATU Strikes, After StarTran Rejects Compromise” for more.
• Election Day results in Texas were mixed. Central Texas turned even bluer, but the GOP held control of the Texas House, apparently by two seats. See our Election Wrap-Up section for more.
• The propositions? Voters enthusiastically endorsed (59%-41%) an AISD property-tax increase that will raise teacher and staff salaries; Prop. 2, the Stop Domain Subsidies charter amendment, lost narrowly; and Prop. 1, giving more independence to the city auditor, won handily.
• Louis “Studs” Terkel, the great chronicler of everyday American life, died Oct. 31 at age 96. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author and self-described “guerrilla journalist with a tape recorder” left his own epitaph: “Curiosity did not kill this cat.”
• Wilderness revenge: Jeff Hawn, CEO of Austin-based Attachmate, has been fined $157,000 and given two years probation after pleading guilty to hiring hunters to slaughter his neighbor’s bison on his ranch in Colorado.
Quote of the WEEK
“Yes, we can.”
– President-elect Barack Obama
This article appears in November 7 • 2008.