Pease Park Conservancy CEO Heath Riddles at last week’s groundbreaking for Kingsbury Commons, the 13-acre redevelopment of the “recreational heart and cultural soul” of Austin’s oldest public park. Designed by Austin’s Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, the project at the southern gateway to the park will cost an estimated $15 million, most of which has already been raised by the conservancy. Credit: Courtesy of Pease Park Conservancy

Zombie Petitions: In the latest episode of Austin’s gratuitous petitioning, anti-zombie cemetery gadfly Sharon Blythe (and unnamed others) have formed the “Our Town Austin” PAC to petition recalls of Mayor Steve Adler and five City Council members (those not up for 2020 reelection). The PAC’s website cites transparency, property taxes, and the Land Development Code, but in a call-in to KLBJ-AM radio, Blythe’s only target of public outrage was people who are homeless.

Et Tu, Frater? Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, announced Tuesday he will not seek reelection next year; it remains unclear whether he will serve out his term and speakership. His announcement said that 43 GOP colleagues – including his brother Greg, R-Friendswood – had informed him they no longer support his speakership after the revelation of his corrupt chat with lobbyist Michael Quinn Sullivan.

Road Ends Here: Gov. Greg Abbott‘s Special Advisor David Whitley – you remember, the disgraced former Secretary of State who took the fall for 2019’s ill-fated Great Texas Voter Purge – has left the building. On Friday Abbott announced Whitley’s departure from the Office of the Governor after 15 years of state service. Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out, bud.

Among the Wildflowers: Keep Austin Weird personality Crazy Carl Hickerson (that’s his legal name) has reportedly entered hospice care. The Sixth Street staple – known for his party trick of twirling flowers outside Esther’s Follies since the Seventies – celebrated his 75th birthday in July with a fundraiser, according to Spectrum News, for his end of life care.

Early Voting continues: Skip the Nov. 5 election lines now through Nov. 1. See austinchronicle.com/elections for our endorsements.

Pool Scrub: No regular City Council meeting today (Oct. 24) – next is Oct. 31 – but several Council members will be on hand (and in swimsuits) at 9am for the annual Barton Springs pool cleaning. Feel free to join them, scrub some algae, and enjoy a brisk swim.

Wheel Deal: In anticipation of a 2020 transportation bond package, a group of community activists (of a generally urbanist bent) released a proposed transportation investment plan for the city to consider. See it at www.wheeldeal.org.

This article appears in October 25 • 2019.

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