Here is what is happening in and around Lakeway.
Singalong Christmas Show at Lakeway Activity Center.
On Sunday, Dec. 8, there are TWO showings for Sing We Now of Christmas: 2PM and 4PM, at LAC(105 Cross Creek). This will be the 24th year for local singers to present an annual Christmas show. Price of admission is an UNWRAPPED TOY for a child up to age 17 (for LTLov’s Green Santa to distribute to children in needy local families.)
Bee Cave on Ice
Running now through Jan. 5, the Hill Country Galleria hosts an ice skating rink in the Central Plaza. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Hours are Mon.-Thur. 3pm-9pm (last session at 8pm); Fri. 12pm-9pm (last session at 8pm); Sat. 10am-10pm (last session at 9pm); and Sun. 10am-7pm (last session at 6pm). The fee is $15/hour, except $10 on Tuesdays (fees include skate rental). More info and you can make reservations here: https://www.hillcountrygalleria.com/event/bee-cave-on-ice/2145577106
Christmas at the Library
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, 6:30PM, head over to Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing) for their Holiday Party. Enjoy games, crafts, refreshments, PLUS there will be a VERY SPECIAL GUEST to awe the tots and pose for fun photos.
Coffee with a Cop
On Tue., Dec. 10, 8-10AM, stop by Whataburger (2011 RR 620 South) to meet Lakeway police officers in a relaxed setting. Ask questions, have a chat, and enjoy a hot beverage as well. Info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1571/Coffee-With-A-Cop
Lake Travis Democrats—Get Early Bird Rate on Holiday Party NOW.
—Banned Book Club Holiday Party: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 6PM at Grill-on Tex Mex (107 RR 620 South.
—Holiday Party: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 6PM at La Quinta Inn & Suites (1943 Medical Drive in Lakeway). Enjoy food (catered by Vivel), music, and fun with your Dem friends. EARLY BIRD ticket pricing available NOW: https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/event-details/lake-travis-dems-tuscan-village-voters-holiday-party
—Monthly Meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 21, 6:30PM at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). Speakers will be Brian Pena (President of the UT Democrats) and Robert Norris (President of Grandparents for Public Schools).
—Banned Book Club: Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6:30PM at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing). Our book is “Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou.
Check https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/ for club activities each month.
Movie Night: A Christmas Story at Lakeway Activity Center.
On Friday, Dec. 13, at 6PM, bring the family over to the LAC parking lot (105 Cross Creek) for a FREE outside showing of the holiday film, A Christmas Story, on the massive LED screen. Bring blankets and chairs, and enjoy hot chocolate and food from vendors. Later, stroll through the Trail of Lights next door at City Hall. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2109/Christmas-Movie
Classical Ballet: The Nutcracker at Lakeway Activity Center.
On Sunday, Dec. 15, 3PM at LAC (105 Cross Creek), Metamorphosis Dance presents excerpts from The Nutcracker. This FREE performance is sponsored by Lakeway Arts Committee. More info here: https://lakeway-tx.gov/2212/Nutcracker
TexArts Productions
TexArts has holiday and 2025 productions scheduled, presented at its NEW theater located in the heart of Lakeway at 1110 Ranch Road 620 South. Go here for details and to buy tickets: https://www.tex-arts.org/upcoming-productions
- Through Dec. 15: Elf–The Musical
- Feb. 14-March 2: Tick, Tick … Boom!
- July 11-Aug. 10: Bye Bye Birdie
Lakeway’s Trail of Lights
Enjoy all the holiday light scenes at the annual Trail of Lights. It starts on Dec. 6 and continues nightly 6PM-midnight throughout December. The walkable display is located below City Hall, at 1102 Lohmans Crossing Road. More parking is available at the adjacent Activity Center,105 Cross Creek. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/721/Trail-of-Lights
Council next meets on Dec. 16.
During the week prior to Dec. 16, check here for the Agenda and Meeting Packet: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx
(Results of Council’s Dec. 2 Charter Review meeting are posted below, at the end of this section.)
Holiday Music at the Library.
On Friday, Dec. 20 at 3PM, enjoy holiday music at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing). This FREE event is courtesy of local musician and classical guitarist Mark Anthony Cruz.
Give the Gift of the Symphony.
Make the holidays special by giving the Gift of Symphony. EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW ON SALE for “A Night with the Austin Symphony Orchestra.” This will be Lakeway’s 5th annual collaborative concert experience featuring members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra and talented musicians with the Lake Travis High School Band and Orchestra. Concert is on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 4PM, at the Lake Travis Performing Arts Center (3324 Ranch Rd 620 South). Early bird ticket prices range from $15 to $50; or, opt for the VIP option to meet the musicians at a special dinner the evening before the event. Info and tickets here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1960/A-Night-with-the-Austin-Symphony-Orchest
Santa needs your help, making Christmas bright for local families.
12:31 is a LOCAL, registered, 501(c)(3) group,with over 7,000 members serving students and families within LTISD. (Tax ID number–EIN: 88-2279325.) For Christmas, the group hopes to provide gifts to the kids and necessities for more than 40 local families. That is a lot of wish lists to fill, and Santa needs your help. Email mike.dahlhauser@twelvethirtyone.org or go here to join the Facebook group and see what you can do for our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/twelve31
Swim Center is CLOSED for Renovations.
The Lakeway Swim Center is undergoing a full deck resurfacing and is CLOSED from Nov. 21 through Dec. 18 [UPDATED] to complete the project. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/84/Swim-Center
Lane Closures Continue on Lohmans Spur.
Utility work is ongoing related to the future extension of Lohmans Spur into the new City Center development area. As a result, the right northbound lane of Lohmans Spur, on BOTH sides of Lohmans Crossing, has been closed since Oct. 7 and will continue that way for several weeks. Expect congestion and delays at the Lohmans Crossing light near the Police Station.
Teen Art Contest Winners on Display at the Library
During December, all the winning entries will be on display in the meeting room of Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing). Students in grades 6 through 12 creates original pieces of art inspired by their reading experiences. Stop by to view all 6 award-winning entries and 8 honorable mentions.
House Watch
If you are traveling over the holidays or only occupy your home here part-time, Lakeway Police Department provides a House Watch program, at no charge. Just let them know, and officers will perform close patrols of the address and contact you if anything appears suspicious. Call 512-261-2800 for info and go here to sign up: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1305/House-Watch-Request
Lake Travis Community Library DELIVERS.
For those homebound due to mobility or medical issues, staff will deliver books, DVDs, audios and more, on a monthly basis. Call (512) 263-2885 to get started.
New Years—Polar Bear Plunge.
On Tuesday, Dec. 31, 9-10AM, swing by Lakeway Swim Center (3103 Lakeway Blvd.) with your towel and DIVE INTO 2026! This FREE event is fun for all ages. After your bracing plunge, warm up with delicious refreshments and snacks, and relax in the cozy warming location. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2034/Polar-Bear-Plunge
Council met on Dec. 2–CHARTER REVIEW.
All Council members attended in person on the dais. Only 5 Charter Review Committee members attended (Chairperson Louis Mastrangelo, Sanjeev Kumar, Troy Dunson, Brad Heilman, and Erik Mulloy). RESULTS:
ITEM 6: Council/Charter Review Committee WORKSHOP. Charter Review committee members presented their 17 suggested Charter changes. Council’s goal seemed to be understanding where each suggestion originated (a Councilmember, City Manager, City Attorney, etc.), its purpose (housekeeping or something substantive), and the priority placed on it. (17 ballot proposals would be impractical; Council hopes to limit it to 5 or so items for residents to vote on in May.)
ITEM 7: DISCUSSION of Proposed Charter Amendments. After Charter Review Committee exited, Council had a limited discussion. In most cases, it was just to rank items by priority; few subjective comments were made. The 17 suggested changes were put into 3 categories (rejected, just handle via ordinance, and consider for Charter change), as follows (the numbers refer to item placement on the original list of 17 suggestions.)
Consider for Charter change—
- #1 Removal of City Treasurer Role: Amendments to remove the Treasurer position and redistribute its responsibilities to the Finance Director.
- #2 Elimination of City Building Commission (CBC): Repealing provisions for a Building Commission whose remaining functions can be moved to the Zoning and Planning Commission (ZAPCO) and Board of Adjustment (BOA).
- #7 Board of Ethics Removal: Eliminating the Board of Ethics, with responsibilities managed via ordinances.
- #13 Board Appointments: Updating the appointment process [in fact, the proposal is a radical overhaul of the city’s committee appointment process and our volunteer system] and terms for board, commission, and committee members.
- #16 Police Department Governance: Allowing the City Manager to approve police policies and procedures.
- #17 Residency Requirement Removal: Removing the residency requirement for the City Manager.
Handle via ordinance—
- #5 Contingent Appropriations: Changing the budget contingency fund requirement to a minimum percentage of revenues.
- #6 Property Tax Payments: Transitioning property tax collection to the County Tax Assessor.
- #12 Public Records Access: Modernizing references to public record availability per the Texas Public Information Act.
- #15 Interim City Manager Roles: Establishing clear provisions for temporary or interim City Manager appointments.
Rejected—
- #3 City Attorney Management: Updating governance to ensure the City Attorney is managed by the City Council.
- #4 Municipal Judge Appointment: Shifting the appointment of the Municipal Judge to the City Manager with Council approval.
- #8 City Secretary Title Update: Renaming the City Secretary to City Clerk, with corresponding updates throughout the Charter.
- #9 Court Clerk Title Update: Changing the title of Court Clerk to Court Administrator.
- #10 ZAPCO Jurisdiction Revision: Removing references to the Zoning and Planning Commission regulating development in the ETJ.
- #11 Council Term Limits Clarification: Adding language to clarify term limits and election cycle requirements.
- #14 City Manager and Staff Relations: Clearly defining boundaries between the City Council and the City Manager’s supervisory roles.
Council’s deadline (per state law) for calling a May election as to Charter changes is Feb. 14. Council instructed the City Attorney to prepare ballot language for the 6 items prioritized above for Charter change (items 1, 2, 7, 13, 16 and 17), if possible to be reviewed and discussed at the Dec. 16 Council meeting.
ADJOURNED at 9:24PM.
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: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/321568
Daring Mighty Things
No, the above image isn’t my technical screw up. It is Cosmic Latte, the official color of our universe. It is what experts say the result would look like if all the stars, planets and everything else in the universe got tossed into a really big blender. (Image Credit: Karl Glazebook and Ivan Baldry.) https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241201.html
Currently, NASA is working on decommissioning the aging International Space Station. In continuous service since 1998, ISS is now considered a problem child with constant repairs, unexpected breakdowns, and increasing safety concerns for the humans stationed there. Plans are for ISS, in 2031, to be sent into a “safe, controlled deorbit.” Some of the station should burn up during re-entry, with anything left ending up in “remote ocean territory.” Nasa recently announced that Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been chosen (via a contract valued at $843 million) to design the deorbit vehicle that would guide the ISS in total (all 450 tons of it) to its fiery death. Now, people are starting to question whether that suicide dive could harm Earth, including by polluting air and water. Agencies worldwide are asking questions; one thing missing is solid international law covering this kind of thing. Suggested options include disassembling the ISS in space and returning it to Earth in chunks, as cargo on Earth-bound ships. Another option might be jettisoning pieces of the station outward into deep space. Will the International Space Station’s 2031 death dive cause pollution problems? 12/4/24 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/will-the-international-space-stations-2031-death-dive-cause-pollution-problems
Last week, NASA announced delays in the Artemis program, specifically the crewed missions previously planned for 2025 and 2026. Instead, Artemis 2 won’t take a crew of astronauts sling-shotting around the moon in an Orion capsule before 2026, and Artemis 3 won’t land astronauts in an Orion capsule on the moon until 2027. The reason for the delay was, basically, space travel is hard. (Image above is of uncrewed Artemis 1’s successful launch in 2022, credit: Getty.) NASA delays Artemis 2 moon mission to 2026, Artemis 3 astronaut landing to mid-2027 12/5/24 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-delays-artemis-2-moon-mission-to-april-2026-artemis-3-lunar-landing-to-mid-2027
With liberty and justice for all … except women.
Want your holiday donations to support your views in the current political climate? A recent New York Times article profiled a great option this way:
The Abortion Pill Sustainability Fund, a subsidiary of the nonprofit Healthcare Across Borders, offers a way to support doctors risking their safety to offer this essential care, allowing them to reach more women in need. The fund works with a network of doctors who operate on a sliding-scale basis. The Abortion Pill Sustainability Fund partly reimburses doctors for the free or low-cost care they’re offering, helping them to stay afloat. Supporting Local News, and Doctors Taking a Risk 11/29/24 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/29/opinion/charity-holiday-gift-local-news-doctors.html
Donate to the Abortion Pill Sustainability Fund here: https://healthcareacrossborders.org/donate/
Texas continues to shame the nation and kill its own residents. In 2023, Porsha Ngumezi, the 35-year old mother of 2, died at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, after suffering a miscarriage at 10 weeks. Instead of performing the standard dilation and curettage/D&C procedure to clear her uterus and stop the hemorrhaging, the obstetrician on duty delayed, through 2 transfusions, causing her an agonizing and drawn-out death. Experts say it was completely unnecessary. They blame Texas’ strict yet vague abortion law, which includes fines, loss of license and jail time for medical professionals violating it. A Third Woman Died Under Texas’ Abortion Ban. Doctors Are Avoiding D&Cs and Reaching for Riskier Miscarriage Treatments 11/25/24 https://www.propublica.org/article/porsha-ngumezi-miscarriage-death-texas-abortion-ban?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=majorinvestigations&utm_content=feature
Back to me….
Yes, it is finally fall in Texas. So, instead of sweating on morning walks, my nose runs.
Somehow, it is already Christmas season. Last week, my neighbors and I got St. Andrews decked out for the holidays.
For our deer herd, rut season continues, with solitary bucks wandering around trying to look all tough and studly, while does hang out in groups talking trash about the boys. Or, so it seems to me…. Here are some photos I took in the last couple weeks in Old Lakeway and in The Hills.
Coronavirus Update
Covid-19 activity stayed low over the last 2 weeks. Indicators (test positivity, ER visits, hospitalizations and deaths) remain flat as of Nov. 30. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
As of Nov. 30, national wastewater viral testing remains LOW (and Texas as a state still tested MINIMAL). https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/index.html
This fall’s edition of the Covid-19 vaccine is available in local pharmacies.
Have you gotten the UPDATED Covid-19 shot? I got mine in early October; during 13 days of poll working, several of my co-workers caught Covid, but I did not. If you want to be protected this winter, start here: https://www.heb.com/pharmacy/vaccinations This new vaccine was formulated to work against recent variants, so everyone is urged to get vaccinated. Consider getting it along with your annual flu shot. Check with your doctor or pharmacist for the best timing, if you recently had Covid or recently got vaccinated. New COVID, flu vaccines arrive in Austin 8/31/24 https://www.statesman.com/story/news/healthcare/2024/08/28/covid-flu-vaccine-2024-near-me-austin-texas-tips-pharmacy-doctors-office/74965044007/