May Ukraine Have Peaceful Skies Again
Here is what is happening in Lakeway….
Debris Collection after Winter Storm Mara is COMPLETE!
On April 5, the city announced that curbside brush pick-up had been completed. Crews collected 1,367 large truck loads of tree limbs from all of Lakeway. Most of the limbs were ground into chipped wood, now piled up at the Public Works facility. To illustrate the resulting 23,923 cubic yards of chipped material: a 1” layer of the chips would cover 135 football fields. Public Works remains CLOSED until all of the chipped wood has been safely moved out of the facility. The City is looking at options to provide some of the mulched material to residents later in April. Go here to watch a 1-minute video shot by a drone on April 5 showing activity at Public Works: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=904348604189841
THANK YOU, Mayor Kilgore, for taking such good care of Lakeway residents!
City Hall Art Gallery
Local art is displayed at City Hall (1102 Lohmans Crossing Rd.), rotating every 3 months. Currently, Lakeway’s Linda Wells is showing her landscapes, inspired by the wide open spaces and unique natural beauty of Texas. Interested in showing your art? For more info and to apply, go here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRdg5S3zq-5Yi9BggZNohgFMjpf07CZKjeDGdxfPMuvLdUJw/viewform
Art at Lake Travis Community Library
During April, local artist Jay Ohlrich exhibits oil paintings in the meeting room. The collection includes oil landscapes on canvas inspired by the rolling Midwest and Western topography.
Lakeway Photo Festival
In its 21st year, the Lakeway Photo Festival encourages amateur and professional photographers to participate. Categories include Artistic, Community, Nature, Pets and Wildlife, and Heritage (a new category celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Lakeway). Photos must be taken in the City of Lakeway and by residents within Lake Travis ISD. Entry deadline is May 20. For more information and to enter: https://lakewayartsdistrict.com/2023-lakeway-photo-festival/
Sunday Concert Series—Ballet at LAC
On Sunday, April 16, 4PM, Metamorphosis Dance will perform The Coppelia Suite at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). This FREE event is presented by Lakeway Arts Committee.
Enchanted Forest Walk
April 17-30, dawn to dark,behind City Hall.Lakeway and other Lake Travis organizations are working together to bring the Enchanted Forest Walk to life. Want to create a whimsical miniature scene for display on the trail? Contact the Parks Department at 512-314-7530. More info is here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1816/Enchanted-Forest-Walk
SHRED DAY
On Saturday April 22, 8AM-noon, at Emmaus Catholic Church (1718 Lohmans Crossing), Lakeway Boy Scout Troop 52 will host its Bi-Annual Shred Day. The Scouts will take the papers from your car trunk and put them in the shredder, making this a contactless event. Limited to 5 boxes per vehicle. FREE, but any donations will benefit Troop 52.
Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day! On Saturday, April 22, 11AM-1PM, volunteers will pick up trash along our local roadways and in our parks. City of Lakeway will supply trash pickers, safety vests, trash bags and a map for volunteers, who will team up and head to their designated areas. Afterward, everyone returns to City Hall for a certificate, snacks and more. You’ll need a vehicle, plus comfy clothing and sturdy shoes. Go there to sign up: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/FormCenter/Administration-5/Earth-Day-Volunteer-Form-80
Scholarships for 12th Grade Level Students.
Submissions are being accepted through April 22 for the annual City of Lakeway/Waste Connections $1,000 scholarships for 12th grade level students. This scholarship is only available to students whose parents are signed up for solid waste services with the City of Lakeway. Go here for details and to apply: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1993/Waste-Connections-Scholarship
Spring Sing Along
Come On, Get Happy! Choose from 2 performances: Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29, starting at 6PM both nights, at Lakeway Activity Center. More info and tickets are here: https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog/index?filter=c2VhcmNoPWdldCUyMGhhcHB5JnJlbnRhbCU1QmZyb20lNUQ9JnJlbnRhbCU1QnRvJTVEPSZiMWFjOWQ4NzQzMzNiOTZkZGU3ZmUzODI0ZTFjODBlOD02NDE1N2Q5YTBmY2VhYjg1ZGFhMjNkYjhlZTBjOTQ1NQ==
Star Wars Movie
On Thursday, May 4, Parks and Rec presents STAR WARS: The Rise of Skywalker, at City Park (Lower Level, 502 Hurst Creek Road). Opens at 5:30PM, with the movie starting at 6:30PM. FREE event, with popcorn provided. Bring chairs and blankets to spread out on the grass.
Steel Magnolias
On May 4-6 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), The Lakeway Players will present Steel Magnolias. Doors open 6:30PM; curtain rises 7:30PM. Table seating (set-ups provided) with individual $25 tickets available online, starting April 4 for members and April 10 for general admission. Call 512-261-1010 to charge tickets, or go here and choose Events & Performances: https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog
Heritage Bus Tours in May
Register now for this popular and FREE event! 2023 is the 60th anniversary of Lakeway’s founding, so explore our history on one of three available bus tours taking place on Friday, May 5. Times are 9:15AM, 11:15AM, and 1:15PM. Depart from Lakeway City Hall (1102 Lohmans Crossing Rd.). Go here for more info and to register: https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog/index?filter=c2VhcmNoPWhlcml0YWdlK2J1cyZyZW50YWwlNUJmcm9tJTVEPSZyZW50YWwlNUJ0byU1RD0
Books, Puzzles and Games Available at Lakeway Activity Center.
There are TWO lending libraries at LAC. Little Free Library out front is a bin containing adult hardbacks, and children’s books. Inside, Room E has paperbacks (for adults and kids), plus jigsaw puzzles and games. Call 512-261-1010 for more information or to make a donation.
Volunteers Needed for July 4 Parade
Celebrate Lakeway’s 60th anniversary by helping make the July 4th celebration special! Volunteers will help with staging, greeting guests, carrying the city banner, and much more. To sign up, go here and select 4th of July Celebration: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/FormCenter/Administration-5/City-of-Lakeway-Volunteer-Form-83
Council Next Meets on April 17.
Roughly a week beforehand, view the Agenda, Meeting Packet, and/or Presentation (scrolling down to City Council documents) here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx Go here to watch the Council meeting online (live or later): https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/222340
Lakeway ELECTIONS
Local elections will be on May 6, with Early Voting starting April 24.
Polling Places
For EARLY VOTING, residents can vote at any polling place in Travis County, but the only local polling place is the Lakeway Activity Center.
On ELECTION DAY, Lakeway Activity Center is our main polling place, but Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center will also be open at 607 Ranch Road 620 North, Lakeway, TX 78734 (off 620 to the right just before Kollmeyer). This location is NEVER crowded.
Note that Bee Cave had no contested races, so City Hall in The Galleria is NOT a polling place.
Meet the Candidates
—We the People’s City of Lakeway Candidate Forum is on Monday, April 10 at 7-9PM, at River in the Hills Church (1310 Ranch Road 620 S, Unit C10—near The League). All candidates have been invited, and the event is open to the public.
—The Lakeway Civic Corp will present a candidate forum at the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek) on Thursday, April 13 at 7-9PM. Candidates for Mayor and Council will answer questions in a non-partisan format. Open to all Lakeway residents.
—Sweetening Up Lakeway Politics will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 3:30-5PM in the meeting room at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing Rd.). Instead of a row of candidates answering the usual questions and trying to score points on each other against a timer, this will be 4 of your neighbors informally discussing Lakeway’s past, present and future. Mayor Tom Kilgore, Council Member Gretchen Vance, and Council Candidate Dan Vardell have confirmed attendance. Come join us!
There will be COOKIES….
—Lake Travis Democrats club on Tuesday, April 18 at 6:30PM, has invited the 7 active candidates to introduce themselves and speak briefly, followed by a group Q&A. This is part of LT Dems’ monthly meeting, at the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek).
—Rough Hollow Candidate Forum on Tuesday, April 25 at 7PM at Rough Hollow Welcome Center Pavilion. It is open to all.
SCROLL DOWN to see how the candidates answered the new question I sent them all.
Quick Videos from a recent candidate forum–Kilgore and Cooper. (Many thanks for these….)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yYYD1oN5e6-MtUTtozwVH6tFApg_-nq8/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ga9MfJCxsogoASC9T_1GNTsnHx2MpNWs/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13YzslTghLyDs1gefYJjlT7C_IBo3O9qN/view
Independent? Or PAC? Info and Campaign Sites for All 7 Candidates–Plus Following the Money.
The candidates are in 2 groups—independent or PAC-backed. Three of the 7 candidates are endorsed and funded by a Political Action Committee. The BAD thing about PACs is they hide the identity of those contributing to political campaigns. Lakeway residents deserve to know exactly who is funding these campaigns, and to what extent. $50 is no big deal, but $500 may well come with strings. This PAC gave $20,000 to ONE candidate for Council last year. Wonder what they got for their money? And who exactly is trying to BUY THE CURRENT ELECTION? The PAC in question is The Committee to Protect Lakeway (CtPL), also known as the Lakeway Renewal Project, and it is funded by people in several groups, including those in power during past administrations (often stained with scandal), those orchestrating recent ugly episodes involving our wonderful police force and our airpark, and developer-types intent on making even more money on Lakeway deals.
As for campaign finances, the first report required by law was due April 6. Ron Cooper failed to file his report, so that info is not available to voters. The good news is that City of Lakeway has the other candidate reports on its Election page. Go here and scroll down to CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT, APRIL 6: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/427/Election-Information Reports for Kent O’Brien and Chris Forton show they are partially funded by The Committee to Protect Lakeway PAC. The PAC filed its mandated report as of April 6 with the state. To see the PAC’s donors, amounts and more (so far) go here: http://204.65.203.5/public/100899496.pdf
Mayor’s Race
The *2 candidates remaining in the race for Mayor are:
–Incumbent Tom Kilgore was elected Mayor in 2021. In a very busy 2 years, he helped the city recover from the pandemic’s economic effects, guided us through extensive and much-needed city ordinance updates, made possible the completion of Main Street, oversaw practical assistance to residents during the recent ice storm as well as collection of debris afterward, and much more. Mayor Tom managed all this while keeping Lakeway’s share of our property tax bills low. https://kilgoreforlakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064819487089
–Ron Cooper is a Rough Hollow resident and associate/business partner of Legend Communities CEO Haythem Dawlett. An insurance adjuster, Cooper has lived in Texas and in Lakeway for just 3 years; his only city service to date is a brief stint on the Ethics Committee. He is endorsed and supported by the CTPL PAC (see above). https://www.roncooperformayor.com/ https://www.facebook.com/RonCooperForLakewayMayor
* Roy Paar withdrew from the race AFTER the county’s deadline to take his name off the ballot. Please don’t waste your vote there.
Council Race
–Incumbent Gretchen Vance was originally elected to Council in 2019 and currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem. She is an entrepreneur who has lived in Lakeway for 13 years. https://www.vote-vance.com/ https://www.facebook.com/gretchenvancelakewaycitycouncilmember/
–Dan Vardell is a multi-disciplinary technology manager who has lived in Lakeway for 8 years. He served on the Parks and Recreation Committee, was a member of the Comprehensive Plan Committee during recent updates, and now serves on the city’s Zoning and Planning Commission. https://www.vote-vardell.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090762070845
–Kevin Bernzott is a financial CEO and has lived in Lakeway for 3 years. He is a member of the City Building Commission. https://www.kevinbernzott.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kevinbernzott
–Chris Forton works in life insurance and has lived in Lakeway for 8 years. He serves on the city’s Zoning and Planning Commission. He is endorsed and supported by the CTPL PAC (see above). https://www.chrisforton4lakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ChrisForton4Lakeway
–Kent O’Brien is an engineer who has lived in Lakeway for 14 years. He served on the Parks and Recreation Committee from 2010-12. He is endorsed and supported by the CTPL PAC (see above). https://www.kentforlakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kentforlakeway
CANDIDATE Q&A
I emailed ONE question to ALL the candidates back on March 30 (with a reminder on April 6). Candidate Ron Cooper did not respond. (At least he is consistent.) Here are the responses I received, organized by office sought and in the order they arrived:
QUESTION— Lakeway is rightly proud of its volunteer tradition. The Mayor and Council members have always served without pay. At some point, that may become untenable. Currently, the position of Mayor appears to be a full-time job. More is demanded of Council members all the time. As a practical matter, the lack of salary shapes the pool of candidates. Do you see Lakeway moving to salaried positions for our elected officials in the near future? (The City Charter would need to be amended. Otherwise, as a home rule city, Lakeway seems allowed to pay its officials, under Texas law.) Should any change be keyed to population level? Annual budget? Something else?
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Tom Kilgore: I think our tradition of a volunteer city council is important and should be retained.
After my election, I was surprised by two aspects of the position. The workload and demand for access to the office. I thought that the Mayor’s job might take 20-25 hours per week. And if all the Mayor did was to set the agenda, sign documents, prepare for and attend council meetings, committee meetings, and workshops – that’s probably the time required. However, that is only a portion of the Mayor’s role. The mayor is expected to represent the city with our neighbors, the county, state and federal elected officials. You are also the relationship person for our community partners, from the Chamber of Commerce, LTFR, the Special Olympics, and many others. That’s when I realized it was a full time job, if it’s going to be done right.
I also learned that our residents expect the mayor to be readily accessible to address their ideas, comments, and concerns. You have to be willing to meet people where they are; in our online world it’s not limited to your city email or voicemail.
Despite the demands of the role, I believe it should remain a volunteer position. I don’t think it limits the candidate pool. We have had a robust number of applicants in the last several elections.
COUNCIL CANDIDATES
Dan Vardell: Lakeway follows the standard set by the vast majority of small cities and has all-volunteer leadership. The focus is on service and giving back to the community – and that is where it should stay. When cities, usually much larger than Lakeway, begin paying leaders; they open the door to individuals running for the wrong reasons. We want leaders who are committed to helping neighbors, and the City, because they love helping the community thrive.
Kevin Bernzott: I am running for city council as a volunteer with no expectation of compensation.
I’m not sure what that point [of volunteerism becoming untenable] might be – but we are nowhere it today.
In this circumstance, I’m not sure I agree that lack of pay discourages qualified folks from advancing a prospective candidacy. And there are too many elected officials feeding at the public trough – we don’t need councilmembers of a small municipality with a population of around 20,000 being paid by the taxpayers to serve.
[As to Lakeway moving to salaried positions for our elected officials in the near future] Absolutely not. The Lakeway City Charter, §3.05 Compensation, says: “Members of the Council shall serve without pay or compensation; provided, however, that they shall be entitled to reimbursement for all expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as approved by the Council.” Prospective candidates looking for compensation should look elsewhere.
Chris Forton: The question to pay for city council and mayor is very intriguing , but I think right now these should remain volunteer positions. I feel there are people that enjoy volunteering for their community. Once you change it to being paid it becomes a job, and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. I’m happy with the cup of coffee I get at city hall once a month volunteering as head of ZAPCO. That’s compensation enough for me!
Gretchen Vance: Lakeway was founded on volunteerism and is what it is today because of those volunteers. I am proud to volunteer my time as a council member. Although I would not want a current or future councils to vote on changing the process of serving, if a movement was brought forward seeking our council and mayor to be paid, I would have no issue placing it on the ballot for our voters to allow their voices to be heard.
Kent O’Brien: No to all.
For MORE comments from the candidates:
Community Impact’s FULL Q&A with the 5 Council candidates is here in the digital version: See how the five candidates for Lakeway City Council answer four questions ahead of the May 6 election. https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2023/03/29/4-questions-with-lakeway-city-council-candidates/
Community Impact’s Mayoral Q&A is here: 4 questions with the candidates for Lakeway mayor https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2023/03/29/4-questions-with-the-candidates-for-lakeway-mayor/
Daring Mighty Things
NASA recently named the crew for the Artemis II moon mission. They are 3 American astronauts—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch—joined by 1 Canadian, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. The planned 10-day flight in an Orion spacecraft will swing around the moon and return to earth without landing. (Landing on the moon will be the mission of Artemis III.) Four for the moon! NASA names Artemis 2 astronaut crew for 1st lunar mission since Apollo 4/3/23 https://www.space.com/nasa-names-artemis-2-moon-crew
Ingenuity, the small but mighty helicopter that has flown all over Mars for over 2 years, completed its 49th exploration mission on April 2. Weighing in at 4 pounds, Ingenuity set records for both height and speed as it scouted out the best locations for Perseverance, the exploratory rover. Ingenuity goes faster and higher than ever before on 49th Red Planet flight 4423 https://www.space.com/ingenuity-mars-helicopter-breaks-records-flight-49
With liberty and justice for all … except women.
Limited funding to help Texas women travel out of state for abortion care is available again. A temporary injunction in federal court is blocking criminal charges for this assistance post-Dobbs, and some abortion advocacy nonprofit groups are again providing financial help. Some Texas groups resume funding out-of-state abortions after court ruling 3/24/23 https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/24/texas-court-abortion-funds/
Idaho just became the first state to make it illegal for minors to cross state lines to get an abortion without parental consent. The new law defines this as “abortion trafficking” with the crime carrying a penalty of 2-5 years in jail for anyone helping someone under 18 get an abortion OR obtain abortion pills without permission from a parent/guardian. There are no exceptions for rape, incest, or teens impregnated by their legal guardians. Doctors performing such procedures, even if out of state, are purportedly covered by the law. Legal experts see this law as an ominous step toward states forbidding adult women from crossing state lines to obtain an abortion, despite the rights to free commerce and travel having been constitutionally protected for over 200 years. The new law aside, Idaho’s abortion regulations are among the strictest in the country; it bans most abortions, with narrow exceptions to preserve the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest. Idaho Bans Out-of-State Abortions for Minors Without Parent’s Consent 4/5/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/05/us/idaho-out-of-state-abortions-minors-ban.html#:~:text=As%20one%20of%2013%20states,cases%20of%20rape%20or%20incest
Florida has a 15 week abortion ban, with no exceptions for incest or rape. But, the state is now fining abortion clinics for procedures done within 15 weeks, IF they don’t provide a 24 hour waiting period between visits by a patient. This law was challenged as soon as it was passed, back in 2015, and remained in limbo until a federal court upheld it last April, in the current anti-abortion climate. The state immediately began imposing fines, without allowing clinics to adjust their scheduling protocols. To date, over $500,000 is now due the state. How Florida uses a little-known law to punish abortion clinics 3/26/23 https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/26/florida-abortion-law-ban-00088815
Remember the ominous challenge to the FDA’s approval over 20 years ago of the abortion drug mifepristone, in an Amarillo federal court, before a Trump-appointed judge who has previously issued rulings hostile to abortion rights? After months of delays,the judge on April 7 issued a preliminary ruling invalidating the Food and Drug Administration’s 23-year-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. This decision—if it stands—would deny the primary drug used for medication abortions to everyone in the US, even those living in states where abortion is legal. However, there is a 7-day delay before the ruling takes effect. The Biden administration immediately indicated the Justice Department will appeal the order to the 5th Circuit. In addition, a federal judge in Washington state clapped back promptly, ordering the FDA not to limit availability of the drug and setting the case up for immediate appeal to the US Supreme Court. Texas federal judge halts FDA approval of abortion pill mifepristone; Biden administration filing appeal 4/7/23 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judge-halts-fda-approval-of-abortion-pill-mifepristone/
Finally, over 100 scientific studies, across continents and decades, have examined the effectiveness and safety of mifepristone and misoprostol, the abortion pills that are commonly used in the United States. All conclude that the medications are a safe method for terminating a pregnancy. Are Abortion Pills Safe? Here’s the Evidence. 4/1/23 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/01/health/abortion-pill-safety.html
Back to me….
Fawn season is coming! In recent years, Lakeway residents posted photos of new fawns parked in their yards as early as the first week of April. Don’t assume the wee fawns you spot on a walk or in your shrubbery are abandoned; Mama Does leave newborn fawns to rest, while they graze in the vicinity, before collecting the babies and moving on. Here is more info on how to identify the RARE case of a fawn needing help (plus lots of adorable fawn photos from past seasons): https://ninawriteorwronginlakeway.com/parked-fawns-injured-deer/
Drive carefully! Dozens of fawns are hit by cars in Lakeway every spring. If you see a doe, assume there is a fawn with her; if you see one fawn, watch for another.
I haven’t had much luck deer-spotting on my morning walks lately. Here are a few photos of does, mostly clumped together in the trees. And, a cute little friend at the end….
The Coronavirus
In the US, in the last 2 weeks, the official stats show new cases fell 16% and hospitalizations dropped 6%. Also, deaths decreased 12% to an average of 228 Americans per day. See the chart below for current stats. The national testing positivity rate was 6.8%. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/covid-cases.html
A review of 41 studies (that included 860,783 patients during the first 2 years of the pandemic) analyzed who developed long Covid. It found that females, people over 40, smokers, obese patients, and those with previous health issues (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, anxiety, depression, chronic kidney disease or diabetes) had the highest chance of developing long Covid. Also, the sicker that people were during initial infection, the more likely they were to experience the lingering health problems of long Covid. Long Covid was defined as having symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue, brain fog, headache, or loss of taste and smell 3 months after the initial infection. Vaccination lowers the risk; those receiving 2 doses of vaccine before becoming infected were 43% less likely to develop long Covid. (Boosters were not yet available during most of the studies so their role was not considered.) Who Is Most at Risk for Long Covid? 3/23/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/health/long-covid-risk-factors.html
Look for the FDA to authorize a second updated/bivalent booster shot for seniors and immunocompromised people soon. Free shots will be for people 65 and up plus those with immune deficiencies, who got their previous updated booster at least 4 months ago. This reflects the fact that those currently dying from Covid in the US are overwhelmingly age 65 or older. Later on, likely in the fall, another booster (formulated to fight the Covid variants then at work) should be available for the majority of the population, aligning with administration of the annual flu vaccine. F.D.A. Plans to Allow a Second Updated Covid Booster for Vulnerable Americans 4/4/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/us/politics/updated-covid-booster-fda.html
In Texas, in the last 2 weeks, infections decreased 22%, and hospitalizations dropped 9%. Deaths fell 15%, with an average of 10 Texans dying each day. See the chart below for current stats. The positivity test rate dropped to 7.8%. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/texas-covid-cases.html
Recent Covid Articles I Recommend
F.D.A. Plans to Allow a Second Updated Covid Booster for Vulnerable Americans 4/4/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/04/us/politics/updated-covid-booster-fda.html
How Did No-Mandate Sweden End Up With Such an Average Pandemic? 3/30/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/30/opinion/sweden-pandemic-coronavirus.html
Who Is Most at Risk for Long Covid? 3/23/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/health/long-covid-risk-factors.html