The Austin Fire Fighters’ Political Action Committee, the political arm of the Austin Association of Professional Firefighters, has announced its endorsements for the Nov. 5 election: state attorney general, Kirk Watson; state senator, Dist. 14, Gonzalo Barrientos; Dist. 25, Jeff Wentworth. State rep. Dist. 46, Dawnna Dukes; Dist. 47, Terry Keel; Dist. 48, Ann Kitchen; Dist. 49, Elliott Naishtat; Dist. 50, James Sylvester; Dist. 51, Eddie Rodriguez. Travis Co. Commissioner, Pct. 2, Karen Sonleitner; Pct. 3, Margaret Moore; Pct. 4, Margaret Gomez. — Lee Nichols
One of the lamest Sept. 11 commemorations around town was ACC’s 11 seconds of silence at 7:56am. Only 11 seconds? Why not 911 seconds, or 11 minutes — you know, give it a real college try? It would probably take most people longer than 11 seconds to repeat ACC President Richard Fonté’s declaration, “These 11 seconds of silence acknowledge the heroic strength, the unparalleled solidarity, and the tragic loss felt by each American on September 11.” — L.A.
Ten thousand members of the 12 regional organizations associated with the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation, including Austin Interfaith, attended an Erwin Center “accountability session” to question state political candidates about their commitments to health care, education, immigration reform, workers’ rights, and other IAF priorities. The organizations say they will bring 500,000 educated voters to the polls Nov. 5. — Michael King
Former San Antonio mayor and federal housing secretary Henry Cisneros last week announced plans for two affordable-housing subdivisions to be built by his American Vista Corp. in Southeast Austin — one near William Cannon and I-35, the other slightly east on Nuckols Crossing Road. In a recent speech to the Real Estate Council of Austin, Cisneros noted that American Vista had been interested in the much-closer-in Featherlite tract in the Chestnut neighborhood, near MLK and Airport, but the tract’s price meant “no one in the neighborhood would be able to afford to live there.” — Mike Clark-Madison
Only five Texans perished in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but they’ll be memorialized in their own monument at the Texas State Cemetery on Seventh Street. Designs submitted by the three finalists — two Austin firms, one from Dallas — were released last week; all were built around two steel fragments from the World Trade Center, obtained by Gov. Rick Perry’s office. At press time, the winner was still not announced. The memorial, to cost $100,000, will be funded by private donations. — M.C.M.
This article appears in September 13 • 2002.