May Ukraine Have Peaceful Skies Again. But, until then….
Ukraine Dam Destroyed: Help Flood Victims Now If you can, please consider making a donation to help pets and people in Ukraine. In addition to danger and displacement from the war, now there is massive flooding from destruction of the country’s primary dam. Greater Good makes a tax-deductible donation secure, quick and simple to do. https://greatergood.org/ukraine-dam-destroyed-help-flood-victims-now
Here is what’s happening in Lakeway….
Hot, hot, hot … and NOT in a good way.
Please, it is brutal out there, and likely will continue this way in Lakeway until well into fall.
It’s time to put out water for wildlife and wandering pets. An old ceramic pot or planter base will do; put it in the shade and rinse/refill it daily. (Thanks to Angels Among Us Animal Rescue for the above water bowl image.)
DO NOT LEAVE PETS IN THE CAR—not even for a minute. Even in your yard–make sure there is shade and fresh water. Be careful walking dogs; sidewalks and pavements will burn paws.
June Art at the Library
Local artist Sharon Moore’s work is on display the month of June at Lake Travis Community Library, in the meeting room. She uses shells, feathers, beads, and driftwood to create fiber designs such as wall hangings, mandalas, dream catchers, and organic tapestries.
4th of July Parade
The parade is Tuesday, July 4, 8:30AM. The route is along Lakeway Drive, starting at the clubhouse of Live Oak Golf Course. At 9:30AM, there will be a Hot Dog Reception at the Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). The theme is ’63 and Free’ to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Lakeway’s founding in 1963. Parade entries are accepted through Friday, June 23. Volunteers needed! Also needed—convertibles to drive notable guests in the parade. Go here to register your parade entry or to volunteer: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/718/July-4th-Celebration
ATTENTION Local Artists: Register for Cool Arts
Registration is now open to participate in this year’s Cool Arts Show and Studio Tour. This FREE event is hosted by the Lakeway Arts Committee; this will be the 8th annual rendition of this popular celebration of our local artists.
The SHOW will be on Saturday, Aug. 26 1-5PM, at the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek), with a fine arts display in the courtyard by 20 or so local artists, accompanied by live music and kids’ activities.
The STUDIO TOUR will be on Saturday and Sunday, Aug 26-27 noon-5PM, at various area locations to be announced. Sign up as a participating local artist by contacting the Lakeway Activity Center, by phone (512-261-1010), or in person at 105 Cross Creek. Artists MUST be Lakeway Activity Center members to participate. The registration fee for artists to display their work is $25 (non-refundable). Space is limited. Booths will be assigned in the order of registration. More info is here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1858/Cool-Arts-Show-Studio-Tour
Summer Camps at Lakeway Activity Center
The summer camp schedule includes Coding Place, KidVenture, Camp Peniel, PlayWell, Mad Science, Martial Arts Sports Challenge, Ninja Camp, Skyhawks (baseball, basketball, cheer, dodgeball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball) Snapology, Young Rembrandts and more. For info, go here and select the Youth Summer Camp tab: www.Lakeway-tx.gov/classes
Transportation Town Hall
Come to the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek) on Thursday, June 22, 5:30-7:30PM and talk to ALL the parties involved with area roadways. City of Lakeway has invited transportation officials with City of Bee Cave as well as Travis County and TXDOT, plus law enforcement. Topics include: RM 620–safety and future widening plans; Highway 71—safety; Lakeway’s Main Street; Flint Rock Road; speeding & distracted drivers; pedestrian access; golf cart usage; and trail connectivity. Go here for updates on this event: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=4737
Family Olympics
Get in the spirit of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris at the Lakeway Swim Center on Sunday, June 25 from 1-3PM. There will be family-friendly competitive water games and activities. Daily admission fees apply for this event.
Donate Blood
The next community blood drive at Lakeway Activity Center is on Saturday, July 15, 8AM-noon. The event is always well organized, clean and friendly. You will be done and out the door in under 30 minutes. It is an important cause and helps countless people. Plus—FREE JUICE AND COOKIES!
While walk-ins are welcome, those with appointments have priority. You can see upcoming dates and make an appointment to donate by entering your zip code here: https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule/
PREPARE for Wildfire Season
City of Lakeway has a great page on wildfire dangers in our area and how to protect your home. https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/235/Wildfire-Readiness
Consider having an expert with Lake Travis Fire Rescue visit your property and provide a FREE home ignition zone assessment. You will get a helpful written report covering the fire risks on your property, with suggestions on mitigation. Just email wildfire@ltfr.org to schedule an assessment.
Mayor Kilgore’s Facebook Update
The mayor gave a live update, just 11 minutes, on June 15. Go here to watch: https://www.facebook.com/cityoflakeway/videos/212174435053999
Council Meets on TUESDAY, June 20 (because Monday is a holiday).
The Agenda is MASSIVE–38 items, many at least somewhat controversial. Consequential Agenda items include:
ITEM 36: Open Meetings training by the City Attorney. [NOTE: The Agenda indicates this item will be called at the start of the meeting, right after Pledge of Allegiance.]
ITEM 17: Financial Report.
ITEM 18: Citizens Participation.
ITEM 20: Special Use Permit/Home Occupation for a daycare business at 702 Vanguard.
ITEMS 23 and 24: Re-Plat and Final Plat approval for a new road and the subdivision at 314 Clubhouse, known as Enclave at Yaupon.
ITEM 26: Adoption of the 2021 International Building Code and the 2023 National Electric Code.
ITEMS 27 and 28: Status update on the RR 620 Overlay Zoning District, plus a resolution granting existing/non-conforming status to properties on 620.
ITEM 29/Addendum: Discussion of operation, parking and hours for pickleball play at the Sailmaster courts.
ITEM 30: Resolution as to the location and operation of upcoming elections.
ITEM 31: Discussion of campaign finance reform.
ITEM 32: Discussion of Charter review process.
ITEM 33: Discussion of the committee and board appointment process.
ITEMS 34 and 35: Execution sessions for legal advice as to city regulation of propane and on pending litigation.
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://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events
Daring Mighty Things
Mars rover Curiosity recently sent home the above image, that NASA calls the perfect postcard from the planet. As it was preparing to leave Marker Band Valley, the rover took 2 photos of the same view, one taken in Mars’ morning (tinted blue) and the other taken in Mars’ afternoon (tinted yellow). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. This ‘postcard’ of a Mars day from NASA’s Curiosity rover is gorgeous 6/14/23 https://www.space.com/curiosity-mars-rover-morning-afternoon-postcard
Got a minute? Tour planet Earth at night, via ISS cameras. The stunning footage skims across North America, then covers Europe to Africa, all punctuated with colorful aurorae and dramatic lightning storms. Go to this page and (since it updates to a new image daily) click on DISCOVER THE COSMOS at the top and select June 17’s item: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Rest assured—deep space travel won’t improve humanity’s eating habits. Experiments have found that food can be fried in microgravity. Space food: Why Mars astronauts won’t have to hold the fries 6/12/23 https://www.space.com/space-food-frying-works-microgravity
Here is a fun article detailing a reporter’s experience with lunar gravity, training like an astronaut on the “vomit comet.” A 13-minute video chronicling the adventure is included. How I learned to ‘walk on the moon’ while flying at 30,000 feet on a stomach-churning airplane ride 6/6/23 https://www.space.com/lunar-gravity-parabolic-flight-experience
Back in the 1960s, NASA was haphazard about protecting Earth from possible “lunar fever’ when the astronauts returned. That turned out OK, but what about contamination when we send people to Mars? Cosmic Luck: NASA’s Apollo 11 Moon Quarantine Broke Down 6/9/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/science/nasa-moon-quarantine.html
With liberty and justice for all … except women.
In Iowa, the State Supreme Court’s 3/3 tie vote means that a lower court’s block on a 6-week abortion ban remains in place. The result saves the state’s Roe-era law allowing abortion up to 20 weeks. Pro-choicers argued that the 6-week “fetal heartbeat” law did not represent the current will of Iowa residents or even of Iowa legislators, having been passed back in 2018 as a “hypothetical law,” intended by conservatives then in power to go into effect in the event Roe was ever toppled. Iowa Supreme Court deadlocks on 6-week abortion ban and leaves block in place 6/16/23 https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/16/politics/iowa-supreme-court-abortion-ban/index.html
Still no update on the extreme right’s attempt to ban mifepristone. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel is still mulling whether to invalidate the FDA’s 2020 approval of mifepristone, the first pill in a two-drug abortion regimen. All 3 judges were appointed by Republican presidents. A ruling could come any day now, and either way it will be appealed–first to the entire 5th Circuit and then to the US Supreme Court. At stake is the continued use of the primary drug for medication abortions NATIONWIDE. Appeals Court Seems Skeptical of F.D.A.’s Approval and Regulation of Abortion Pill 5/17/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/17/us/politics/abortion-pill-case-arguments.html For more on the May 16 oral arguments of this crucial case before the 5th Circuit panel: Southern courtesy, the ‘mail business thing,’ and other surreal moments from the abortion pill argument 5/17/23 https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/17/abortion-pill-argument-key-moments-00097558
Back to me….
Extra helpings of craziness at work, jury duty in Austin, a kitty allergic to Texas, way too many meetings, violent storms—typical busy summer, I guess.
The herd’s fawns are mostly mobile now, meaning they are even more at risk on our roads. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE—SLOW DOWN AND DRIVE CAREFULLY. Dozens of fawns are hit by cars in Lakeway each spring/summer, and every time it is a heart-breaking tragedy for the fawn, the mama doe and the driver. If you see a doe, assume there is a fawn with her; if you see one fawn, watch for ANOTHER fawn AND for their mama doe.
Don’t assume the wee fawns that you spot on a walk or in your shrubbery are abandoned. Mama Does park their newborn fawns and leave them to rest, while they graze in the vicinity, before collecting the babies and moving on. Check here for details on how to identify the RARE case of a fawn needing help AND for a list of local rescue options (PLUS lots of adorable fawn photos from past seasons): https://ninawriteorwronginlakeway.com/parked-fawns-injured-deer/
I came across a few new fawns on my walks recently, so here are some photos (including a few mama does).
The Coronavirus
NY Times has reinstated charts tracking Covid-19 stats. While not as comprehensive or as frequently updated as before, it seems to be the best resource. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/us/covid-cases.html
This chart shows US hospitalization trends and vaccination data:
This chart shows current stats on hospitalizations and deaths in the US and in Texas (at the above link, scroll down and enter Texas in the state box):
Overall, Covid-19 remains quiet in the US and most other countries. However, new variants continue to be documented.
FDA advisors voted on June 15 to support a new Covid vaccine for this fall. For maximum effect, it will target only ONE variant (whatever XBB strain is most prevalent), and will not be keyed to the original Covid strain or its early variants.
Here are some recent articles:
Biden Says He Plans to Appoint Mandy Cohen as C.D.C. Director 6/17/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/us/politics/mandy-cohen-cdc-director.html
FDA advisers recommend that Covid-19 boosters for fall should drop original strain 6/15/23 https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/15/health/fda-advisers-covid-19-boosters/index.html#:~:text=The%20FDA%20says%20evidence%20suggests,departure%20from%20the%20current%20shots
What the latest research tells us about long COVID’s most common symptoms 5-minute video 6/12/23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm23YXuw-bY
When to come out of Covid isolation, according to experts 6/10/23 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/when-covid-isolation-come-out-best-time-experts-rcna88174
White House Covid response coordinator Ashish Jha to step down 6/8/23 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-covid-response-coordinator-ashish-jha-step-rcna88463