Baby, It’s Cold Outside: A bitter ice storm left more than 150,000 Austin homes and businesses (including the Chronicle) without power; Austin Energy anticipated all power would be restored by late Friday.
They Only Had Eyes for Her: Cap Metro confirmed Dottie Watkins, who began her career at the agency as a part-time bus driver 30 years ago, will be its next president/CEO. Watkins has served as interim leader since Randy Clarke departed for Washington, D.C., last June.
Their Love Is Here to Stay? Elsewhere in the Project Connect universe, the Austin Transit Partnership named its interim leader Greg Canally, who moved over from the city finance office, as the “sole finalist” for its top job, surprising members of the Cap Metro Board and Austin City Council, given that ATP had made plans to conduct a nationwide search.
Someday Their Princes Will Come: With widespread staff shortages, the city of Austin will begin a major campaign to recruit new city workers, including police officers and medics. Officials say it will be the largest citywide hiring campaign in Austin’s history.
Zilker Weep for Me: After two hours of often critical testimony, the Parks and Recreation Board tabled consideration of the Zilker Park Vision Plan. Stakeholders including the Lone Star Sierra Club and Save Our Springs Alliance argued the vision is too commercialized and car-dependent and puts Barton Springs at risk; they’ve proposed a “rewilding” plan as an alternative.
Someone (Else) to Watch Over Me: The indefatigable Judge Guy Herman may have company soon, as Travis County commissioners took the first step to create a second probate court. This requires legislative approval but creating courts is pretty routine; most major Texas cities have more than one probate court, and Herman, who was first elected in 1985, has already retired once. Most of the $1.2 million for the new court, which handles involuntary mental health commitments as well as disputed wills, will come from the county.
Body and Soul: Multicultural Refugee Coalition, a nonprofit organization based in Austin that “provides dignified work with fair wages to refugees, immigrants and asylees,” will receive a $25,000 grant from Simply Organic. The donation will go toward a program that provides produce to newly arrived refugees through weekly CSA packages and community networks.
I Could Write a Book: The new $37.4 million Round Rock Public Library drew over 11,000 visitors on its opening weekend. Located on E. Liberty Avenue (near Round Rock Donuts!), it’s a few blocks from the former RRPL, which will become home to the city’s chamber of commerce and visitors bureau.
How Long Has This Been Going On? Gov. Greg Abbott announced the installment of a Texas “border czar” Monday, appointing retired Border Patrol agent Mike Banks to the new position. Banks, who believes immigration enforcement needs to be more aggressive, will “deploy strategies that reduce illegal immigration,” according to Abbott. The governor said Banks will work with the Texas National Guard and other state agencies to continue construction of the border wall.
Quote of the Week
“This week has brought back unpleasant memories of Winter Storm Uri for many of us, and ironically, today is Groundhog Day.”
– Travis County Judge Andy Brown at a Thursday morning press conference about the ice storm that caused widespread power outages
This article appears in February 3 • 2023.