• At press time, Capital Metro drivers and mechanics voted to accept the latest contract offer from StarTran, after intervention from public officials and a marathon session last Friday resulted in a tentative deal. See “Point Austin.”
• The post-election fallout continues at the state House, where a razor-thin split (76-74) led to speculation and maneuvering over the fate of Speaker Tom Craddick. See “Let the Race Begin.” Additionally, prefiling bills for the legislative session began Nov. 10 – as of Wednesday morning, 431 had been filed.
• Nov. 10 was also the first day candidates could declare for the 2009 mayoral and City Council elections and start raising funds. For all the latest – including our overmatched Carole Keeton Strayhorn Mayoral Declaration Alert system – visit austinchronicle.com/newsdesk. Late Wednesday, Strayhorn filed for mayor.
• In an abrupt reversal surprising even City Council members, city staff agreed to expand a northeast landfill despite opposition from neighborhood organizations and the Solid Waste Advisory Commission. See “City Hall Hustle.”
• With 68 days to the presidential inauguration, Barack Obama is leading a $12 million transition effort to build his administration. A second economic stimulus, closure of the Guantánamo Bay prison, and reversals of several Bush executive orders appear to be early priorities.
Quote of the Week
“I’m proud of the men and women who stood up and stood fast and said, ‘Look, we’re tired of the way we’re being treated.’ … It was about fighting back.”
– Jay Wyatt, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091, on the Capital Metro strike by his union members
This article appears in November 14 • 2008.