Author: Nina Davis

Here is what is going on in Lakeway.

Lake Travis Community Library Art Display

Through May, visit the library’s meeting room to view an exhibit by local artist Julie Schmidt.

Aloha Pool Party

On Saturday, May 28, 5-8PM, Lakeway Swim Center will host an evening of fun in the sun at.  Enjoy luau games, learn to dance the Hula from a Kona Hawaii instructor, dine on Chick Fil A with Polynesian sauce (from concessions), and more.  Plus, the leisure pool will be open for swimming.  Luau attire is welcome.  Free admission with summer membership pass; otherwise, drop-in rates apply. https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1835/Aloha-Pool-Party

Memorial Day Service

Lakeway’s Memorial Day observance will be held on Monday, May 30, at 10AM, at Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, Emmaus Catholic Parish, 1718 Lohmans Crossing Road.  The guest speaker will be 40-year Lakeway resident Brig. Gen. Richard T. Drury, USAF (Ret.).  Lakeway’s Sing Along group will provide patriotic music.  Go here for details: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1511/Memorial-Day-Ceremony

Summer movies in the park

Fun family entertainment kicks off on Friday, June 3, with a showing of The Parent Trap at 6PM in City Park (502 Hurst Creek).  Bring blankets and folding chairs to get comfy on the lawn.  No pets or alcohol allowed at this FREE event, with treats, music and yard games provided.  Movies are also planned for the first Fridays in July and August.

4^th of July celebration—parade theme is SHE’S A GRAND OLD FLAG

—Parade registration deadline is June 21. Event details and a link to register to participate in the parade are here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/718/July-4th-Celebration

—Volunteers are needed. City of Lakeway Parks & Rec is looking for volunteer helpers for the 4th of July Celebration taking place Monday, July 4 (including prep work that weekend).  Needs include Shuttle Cart Drivers, Photographer, Golf Carts & Drivers, Convertible Vehicles & Drivers, Staging Volunteers, Parade Route Volunteers, Decoration Volunteers, and Banner Holders.  To volunteer, call 512-314-7532 during business hours, email paradechair@lakeway-tx.gov  OR complete the volunteer form found here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/FormCenter/Administration-5/City-of-Lakeway-Volunteer-Form-83

GIVE BLOOD

As always, I had a great experience donating blood today at the Activity Center. It was well organized, clean and friendly; I was done and out the door in under 30 minutes. It is an important cause and helps countless people. Plus—FREE JUICE AND COOKIES! The group We are Blood is at LAC every 2 months. Some other locations nearby are Rough Hollow Yacht Club and BSW Hospital in Lakeway. Once you get started, it is super easy to be on the schedule for regular blood donations at the location of your choice.  You can see upcoming dates and make an appointment to donate by entering your zip code here– https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule/

COUNCIL met on May 16.

RESULTS in ALL CAPS

ITEM 4: Recognition and honors for: Councilmembers Laurie Higginbotham and Steve Smith, and Police Captain David Crowder.  ONLY SMITH WAS IN ATTENDANCE, receiving a commemorative glass sailboat.

ITEM 5: Swearing in newly elected Councilmembers.  MASTRANGELO, SZIMANSKI AND BRYNTESON WERE SWORN IN.

ITEM 12: Financial Report: REVENUE WAS AHEAD BY $470K (with 99% of the year’s property tax collected, with sales tax collection 9% over projections, and with $200K excess sales tax now expected to be collected by year-end). EXPENDITURES WERE $185K LESS THAN PROJECTED.

ITEM 13: Appointment of a Mayor Pro Tem.  GRETCHEN VANCE WAS NAMED MAYOR PRO TEM.

ITEM 14: Citizens Participation. 1 PERSON SPOKE (suggesting Lakeway’s spike in population means we should change to districts for Council elections, as opposed to all members being elected at large).

ITEMS 17 and 18: Annexation of 29 acres off Highlands Blvd. in Rough Hollow and rezoning the tract as parkland, in accordance with the approved consolidated preliminary plan. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ITEMS 19 and 20: Annexation of 16 acres south of Tomichi Trail and east of Rough Hollow Elementary School in Rough Hollow and rezoning the tract as R-1 (although the only allowed use is for water quality ponds and a greenbelt, with no construction of homes), consistent with the approved consolidated preliminary plan.  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ITEM 22: Revising the ordinance covering outdoor storage of lawn and home items, including accumulated refuse and junk, as well as portable storage units.  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

The 3 Executive Sessions were moved up in the Agenda: 

ITEM: 24: Executive Session on Lakeway MUD property request.

ITEM: 25: Executive Session to discuss pending litigation and other confidential matters with the city attorney.

Item A1, added to the Agenda, on May 13: Executive Session to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation and duties of a public employee or officer, per Texas Government Code 551.074.

Council left the room at 8:01PM, returning at 9:29PM.  NO ACTION WAS TAKEN, during Executive Session or later in the meeting, as to the 3 items.

ITEM 23: Revising the Home Occupation ordinance to allow some home businesses to operate while protecting residential neighborhoods.  ZAPCO recommended numerous restrictions, including no more than one employee not living at the dwelling (and that employee is limited to 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week), no more than 3 customer-related round trips per day, and (for daycare businesses) no more than 4 unrelated children and no more than 6 total children. [NOTE: The city is currently being sued for disallowing, per the current law, a daycare business to be run from a home on Vanguard.]

Council reviewed the proposed changes line by line, making minor changes.  Citizens Participation was surprising scant—only 1 resident spoke, other than the daycare operator who is suing the city and her 2 Washington, DC, attorneys. Subsequent discussion on the dais revealed all Council members favor a total ban of employees on site.  In addition, there was disfavor toward ZAPCO’s suggestions limiting customer trips to 3 per day and limiting the number of children allowed in a daycare business.  Various members indicated the issue was balancing the rights of homeowners to use their property as they see fit, with the rights of neighbors to peaceful enjoyment of their property purchased when local law prohibited businesses in residential neighborhoods.  Creating a separate ordinance governing daycare businesses was discussed.  UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to postpone the matter until the JUNE 21 MEETING, with staff instructed to use the evening’s feedback to further revise the ordinance.

ADJOURNED 10:57PM.

Go here to watch the Council meeting online: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/173819

The Meeting Packet is here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx

Council’s Transportation Work Session

Council is hosting a special work session on transportation issues on Monday, June 6, 6:30PM, at City Hall.  Residents who attended the April Transportation Town Hall will be familiar with our many current transportation issues, including replacing decayed culverts, adding needed sidewalks, widening Serene Hills, connecting Birrell to Lohmans Spur, the much-delayed Main Street expansion, the city’s cost share of expanding 620, and more. The work session will explore options for the most pressing issues, prior to summer budget meetings and in anticipation of putting one or more municipal bonds on the November ballot for resident consideration.

Texas Elections

The Primary Runoff Election is on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.  Vote at Lakeway Activity Center, 7AM-7PM.  Other area locations include Bee Cave City Hall and Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center.

Democrats vote in races for Lt. Governor (Mike Collier vs. Michelle Beckley) and Attorney General (Rochelle Garza vs. Joe Jaworski ). 

Republicans will vote for Attorney General (Ken Paxton vs. George P. Bush). 

Ballots for both parties will have contests for Land Commissioner, with Democrats voting for Comptroller and Republicans voting for Railroad Commissioner.  Democrats living in District 21 will have a US House race on the ballot (Claudia Andreana Zapata vs. Ricardo Villarreal).  Republicans living in several area districts will have US House races and state House and Senate contests (including Ellen Troxclair vs. Justin Berry on Lakeway ballots for those living in District 19). 

Go here for more info: 2022 Texas primary runoff election: What you need to know before voting 5/13/22 https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/vote-texas/2022-texas-primary-runoff-election-may-24-voting-austin/269-c051cebd-182f-4ab7-a0cc-a60e2732e841

Also, League of Women Voters has an excellent voters guide online.  Go here and scroll down to select “Click here for Voters Guide”: https://lwvaustin.org/voter-guide#gsc.tab=0

Daring Mighty Things

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft had a successful launch via an Atlas V rocket last week, soon docking with the International Space Station and carrying a test dummy and station supplies on board.  After failure of 2 previous test flights, this uncrewed flight is key to Starliner’s mission of ferrying astronauts to and from ISS, as an alternate to the ongoing SPACEX flights. Starliner is scheduled to return to Earth next week.  Liftoff! Atlas V Clears the Launch Pad with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner Spacecraft 5/19/222 https://blogs.nasa.gov/oft-2/2022/05/19/liftoff-atlas-v-clears-the-launch-pad-with-boeings-cst-100-starliner-spacecraft-2/

NASA has imaged the black hole at the center of our galaxy.  Turns out, it looks like a Halloween doughnut.  1st image of supermassive black hole at the center of Milky Way galaxy revealed 5/12/22 https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/12/world/milky-way-center-black-hole-image-scn/index.html

Back to me….  

The fabulous thing about losing the Council race is that I can return to my normal life. Most importantly–the cats are getting their lunch served on time again.  All is well….

The FAWNS ARE HERE!  Drive carefully.  Dozens of fawns are hit by cars in Lakeway every spring, and every time is just tragic all around.  If you see a doe, assume there is a fawn with her; if you see one fawn, watch for another. 

Here are some recent photos of our deer herd, including one of a newborn fawn on Sunfish; Mama was watching from the next driveway.    

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, 11.8 billion shots have been given, with 60% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated.   

Testing has dropped up to 90% worldwide, compared to a few months ago.  Some countries have all but stopped testing due to Covid fatigue.  In other countries, testing is of little use because anti-viral drugs are not available for anyone testing positive.  Lack of testing means no screening for new variants and thus no warning of what may be on the way as Covid’s next ugly surprise.  

South Africa is having its fifth Covid surge.  Positive testing rates are over 40%.  

In China, Shanghai’s lockdowns continue, with no end in sight as the government persists in its zero-Covid mentality.  The populace is becoming more militant as restrictions tighten. 

In what is supposedly its first Covid outbreak, North Korea announced an Omicron surge on May 12.  In response, it declared a “severe national emergency” and went into full lockdown of its entire population (25 million).  Over 2 years ago, the secretive nation closed its borders as the sole protection against Covid.  Testing has long been scant in North Korea, and reportedly NONE of its population is vaccinated.

New Zealand plans to fully open its borders in July.  The island nation with 5 million residents closed its borders in March of 2020.  It eventually achieved a high vaccination rate and reports one of the lowest death rates (17 deaths per 100,000 people).  On May 16, the country’s prime minister announced she had tested positive.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have increased 53%, hospitalizations are up 30%, and deaths decreased 19%.  We are averaging 108,000 new cases per day. 24,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 300 people per day.  

The nation swings from struggling to cope with the milestone of 1 million dead to trying to ignore it.  It is legitimately hard to grasp loss on that scale, particularly as the death toll could have been drastically reduced in so many ways.  For instance, half the deaths occurred after vaccinations were widely available.  Also, the deaths were NOT evenly distributed. Age was a huge factor, with 75% of the dead age 65 or older; 20% of the dead lived in nursing homes. Hispanics died at 4 times the rate of whites; blacks died at 3 times the rate of whites. Essential workers were also fodder for Covid.  Among regions of the country, the south experienced the highest death rate—nearly 400,000 people, largely due to poor vaccination rates, lack of quality medical care, and high levels of underlying disease.  Worldwide, the US had more Covid deaths than any other country. To bring the overall loss of 1 million Americans into focus, Covid-19 killed more Americans than died in TWO DECADES of car crashes. Also, the Covid death toll is higher than our dead in ALL wars combined.  This interactive article is a stunning account of how the unthinkable happened.  How America Reached 100 Million Deaths 5/13/22  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/05/13/us/covid-deaths-us-one-million.html

With cases and hospitalizations rising again, across one-third of the country and especially in the northeast, the CDC is advising people in those areas to wear masks indoors in public spaces, yet again.

New York City is experiencing its fifth Covid surge, largely caused by Omicron progeny BA.2.12.1.  New daily case totals are over 4,000, even with most testing done at home and not included in official totals.  Hospitalizations are rising moderately.

Remember getting FREE test kits in the mail, twice now?  Round 3 is now available.  The White House will send Americans eight more at-home tests.  Just go here to place your order for 8 FREE test kits: covidtests.gov

Omicron’s many variants are increasingly able to reinfect people who had an earlier version of Covid-19, even recently.  This surprises most experts, who assumed infection would grant some degree of immunity for at least several months.  Instead, people are getting infected 2-4 times a year.  For those who are vaccinated, the infections are generally mild, but each time routines are interrupted and work is missed; plus, the variant spreads to other people.  Each infection brings the possibility of long Covid—having debilitating symptoms for months or even years.  And, every infection is a fresh opportunity for a new variant to evolve.  So far, experts can only recommend updating the vaccines as frequently as possible to cope with the latest variants and getting boosters multiple times a year. 

Congress is reluctant to keep funding the pandemic response.  As a result, the Biden administration is having to cut back on everything from vaccine production to testing and anti-viral medications.

On May 16, the FDA issued a warning about counterfeit over the counter Covid tests kits.  The counterfeits mimic Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Tests and iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Kits. Results from these tests cannot be trusted.  More info is here, including ways to identify the counterfeit test kits: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/counterfeit-home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

As for vaccinations in the US, 66% of the entire population is fully vaccinated (no change in the last 6 weeks).  Average shots administered per day decreased to 366,000.  About 102 million booster shots have been given.  

The CDC is now recommending all adults over age 50 get a SECOND booster (4 months after the first booster).  Prior to the current surge in cases, a second booster was recommended for those 65 and older.

On May 19, the CDC authorized Pfizer booster shots for kids age 5-11, 5 months after receiving the second shot of their original vaccination.

In Texas, the positivity test rate is on the rise, currently 13%.  In the last 2 weeks, new cases increased 31%, hospitalizations rose 8%, and deaths fell 6%.  We are averaging 3,500 new cases and 10 deaths daily.  As of now, there are 1,200 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

Only 62% of all Texas residents are fully vaccinated.  

Recent Covid articles I recommend

A Better Understanding of Long Covid 5/20/22  35 minute podcast https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/20/podcasts/the-daily/long-covid-symptoms.html

The C.D.C. recommends Pfizer-BioNTech boosters for children 5 to 11  5/19/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/19/health/pfizer-vaccine-booster-kids.html

Over 75 Percent of Long Covid Patients Were Not Hospitalized for Initial Illness, Study Finds 5/18/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/18/health/long-covid-hospitalization.html

How Often Can You Be Infected With the Coronavirus? 5/16/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/16/health/covid-reinfection.html

The Lost Americans 5/14/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/14/us/covid-one-million-deaths.html

How America Reached 100 Million Deaths 5/13/22  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/05/13/us/covid-deaths-us-one-million.html

What if Delaware disappeared? 1 million Covid-19 deaths explained in 4 charts. 5/11/22 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/11/1-million-covid-deaths-00031142

White House warns of Covid surges in the winter 5/8/22 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/08/white-house-warns-of-covid-surges-this-winter-00030901

Sorry, everyone.  I lost. 

My heartfelt thanks to ALL my supporters!  I re-established many relationships during the campaign and made countless new friends, as well.  That was the best part of the experience and what I will cherish going forward.  Of course, I will continue to work to MAKE LAKEWAY EVEN BETTER.

Clearly, partisan PAC money played a huge role in the election results—at the Council level and in our school board races. In my opinion, that is very bad news for Lakeway and our school system. 

I’m really sorry I let Lakeway down.  But, there was a lot going on in the background that may come out later—or possibly not at all.  Sadly, local politics are subject to the same ugly slings and arrows we have become accustomed to at the state and national level.

On a practical note—YARD SIGNS.  Unfortunately, they cannot be recycled.  I am happy to come pick up your sign.  Just email your address to  nina4lakeway@gmail.com

If you want the gory details, here is a local article: Incumbent Mastrangelo, newcomers Szimanski and Brynteson win Lakeway council seats 5/7/22 https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2022/05/07/incumbent-mastrangelo-newcomers-szimanski-and-brynteson-win-lakeway-council-seats/

Lakeway Council Campaign Updates

TOMORROW MAY 7 IS ELECTION DAY! 

I’ll be at the Activity Center all day Saturday, waving my sign in the Candidate Zone, so I’m posting this blog a day early.  This has been a LONG campaign; when I planted my first sign in yards, it was late January and there was snow on the ground.  Now, Texas summer weather has definitely hit, as Election Day arrives.

EARLY VOTING

Lakeway’s polling place at LAC handled a total of 2,998 voters during the 9 days of Early Voting (April 25-May 3).  That includes a whopping 654 voters on May 3 alone!

Thanks to the MANY supporters who took the time to stop by the Candidate Zone at LAC as I waved my sign during all 9 days of Early Voting. Cheering words, funny stories, hugs, thumbs up, and even some sign waving of your own—all MUCH appreciated. Honestly, the rain, the heat, the biting bugs and the occasional lull in activity can be very wearing during all those 12-hour days.

Best of all? Beaming smiles on friendly faces of folks I have known here in Lakeway for many years, cheering me on. But, I’m not gonna lie—the tin of freshly-made chocolate chip cookies was a life saver that last day!

Remember—all those who have NOT yet voted need to come to LAC on Saturday, May 7, 7AM-7PM, and VOTE. I expect to see YOU, and I want a BIG SMILE as you pass by. (Cookies are optional.)

WALKING FOR COUNCIL, ALL OVER LAKEWAY

After well over a month, I wrapped up my walking tour of Lakeway on April 23. No, I didn’t get to every home in town, but I did my best and hit just about every neighborhood. My slogan has been Nina Knows Lakeway. Well, NOW I know Lakeway at a granular level, right down to the pavers favored in a given area.

I had SO many great talks with residents, which is why I did my walking tour; distributing door hangers was just the mechanism to get out there. Everyone asks what the candidates think about issues–and I get that–but it was fascinating to hear what residents are interested in and worried about for Lakeway.  I’m SO glad I did this—it was the BEST part of the campaign.

Thanks for the tour, Lakeway—it was a blast!

VOTE FOR NINA

Here’s my candidate pitch. (For the last time, I promise!) 

I’ve lived in Lakeway since 2009. It is my chosen home town, and I love this city. With your help, my goal will always be to make Lakeway an even better place to live. This simple concept should be the measuring stick for every debate, every vote, all developments, all code provisions, etc. As a Councilmember, I will work to amplify what works and fix what does not work, to make Lakeway an even better place to live.

After many years of participation, I KNOW Lakeway.  That makes me ready to work for you on Council.

For details on my views, the Policies page on my campaign site covers my in-depth positions on TEN ISSUES (fixing our traffic problems, developing the few remaining tracts for Lakeway’s benefit, need for more parks and recreation space, and much more) now facing Lakeway. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/policies

Beyond that, I suggest researching ALL the candidates. There are forums and voters guides that will help. Here are some links.

FORUMS:

–April 14 in person Candidate Forum held in Rough Hollow. All 6 Council candidates were there, and we addressed questions on issues currently facing Lakeway. https://youtu.be/-1agU3WKi5o

–April 19 online forum presented by Lake Travis Progressives, Lake Travis Democrats, and Tuscan Village Voters. Again, all 6 Council candidates were there, followed by the 3 challengers for LTISD seats. https://www.facebook.com/events/357169846376093/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D

VOTERS GUIDES:

—The Austin American-Statesman’s profile is here: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/lake-travis-view/2022/04/21/meet-candidates-running-spots-lakeway-city-council/7333870001/?fbclid=IwAR34IfhGuFUvWclMFwqNKKZtIGYMBag4JCV1mBDZrG4shsn2vyO5RTtT1oU

—Community Impact’s coverage of the Council race is here: https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/city-county/2022/04/21/qa-meet-the-candidates-for-lakeway-city-council/?fbclid=IwAR2WQmzWvUWdErQc8SaogPBGEjOu_GnGk1roc45bcKcFQjtNMDdO1hzBbJc

—The League of Women Voters created a May 2022 Local Election Voters Guide. It has Council candidate responses to several questions. The school board candidates are covered, as well. There is also good info on the 2 state-wide propositions to reduce property taxes. Go here and put in your mailing address to get voter info for your ballot: https://www.vote411.org/

1?  2?  or 3?

Lakeway residents are asking an important question: Is it best to vote for ONE Council candidate, or for 3 of them? Well, you can vote for up to 3 people in the Council race, but it is not required.

Someone who understands election theory better than I do explained it this way. If there is one candidate you feel MUST win (for instance, if she doesn’t get on Lakeway Council, you’ll be moving), then ONLY vote for that candidate. That way, you don’t risk helping someone beat your must-win candidate. But, if there are 2 or 3 candidates that you hope will win, then vote for them all.

Vote to LOWER YOUR PROPERTY TAXES (See, this is NOT just about me.)

Your ballot includes 2 Texas Constitutional amendments.  If passed, both would lower property taxes. I’m voting YES on both. This Texas Tribune article explains them: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/04/27/texas-proposition-1-2-constitutional-amendment-election/

Vote for 3 SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS  (Again—NOT all about me.)

Your ballot includes 3 LTISD races, each with 2 candidates running head to head. I am voting for Laurie Higginbotham (who has been on Lakeway Council the last 4 years), Kit Crumbley, and Porter Herring—all challengers ready to step up, take care of our kids, and restore LTISD to a top-ranked system.

REMEMBER TO VOTE on May 7! 

What is going on in Lakeway ….

Enchanted Forest Walk

Stroll under a canopy of magical trees and twinkling lights, enjoying tiny fairy and gnome houses.  Surprises and charming creatures abound in this self-guided walk along the trail behind City Hall.  Free, May 7-22, with ample parking at City Hall and the Activity Center.

Student Job Fair

On May 16, noon-4:30PM, City of Bee Cave is sponsoring a student job fair at LTSH Gym (3324 RR 620 S.).  Local businesses can register here: https://www.beecavetexas.gov/Home/Components/News/News/516/18?backlist=%2F

Household Hazardous Waste Day

On Wednesday, May 18, customers of WCID 17, Hurst Creek MUD, and Lakeway MUD, as well as residents of City of Bee Cave, Lakeway and The Hills, can drop off household hazardous waste at the Lake Travis Regional Reuse & Recycling Center (3207 Neidhardt Dr., Lakeway, TX 78734). Hours are 9:30 AM – 12:30PM.  Free, but a RESERVATION IS REQUIRED.  Go here for a list of allowed items and to make a reservation: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44aca728a1f4c07-household3

Lake Travis Community Library Art Display

Through May, visit the library’s meeting room to view an exhibit by local artist Julie Schmidt.

Aloha Pool Party

On May 28, 5-8PM, Lakeway Swim Center will host an evening of fun in the sun at.  Enjoy luau games, learn to dance the Hula from a Kona Hawaii instructor, dine on Chick Fil A with Polynesian sauce (from concessions), and more.  Plus, the leisure pool will be open for swimming.  Luau attire is welcome.  Free admission with summer membership pass; otherwise, drop-in rates apply. https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/85/Hours-Rates

Memorial Day Service

Plan to attend Lakeway’s Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 30, at 10AM.  Details are pending, but the location will be Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, Emmaus Catholic Parish, at 1718 Lohmans Crossing Road.

Lakeway is HIRING

Open positions include school crossing guard, temporary administrative assistant, police officer, 911 dispatcher, environmental coordinator, senior accountant, temporary senior accountant, finance director, park maintenance worker, lifeguard, and swim instructor. Go here for info and to apply: https://tx-lakeway.civicplushrms.com/CareerPortal/Jobs.aspx

COUNCIL next meets on May 16. 

The Agenda will be published next week.

Daring Mighty Things

NASA released photos last week showing remains of a flying saucer that crashed on Mars.  Instead of proof aliens exist, it was NASA’s own craft that successfully landed the rover Perseverance on Mars in 2021.  Photos were taken by Perseverance’s sidekick, the mini-copter Ingenuity.  NASA’s Mars Helicopter Spots Gear That Helped Perseverance Rover Land  4/27/22 https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-mars-helicopter-spots-gear-that-helped-perseverance-rover-land

In its continuing search for intelligent life, NASA will be beaming this image out into space as part of its Beacon of the Galaxy project.  It depicts a falling object (to indicate gravity and direction), the DNA helix, and 2 nude human forms.  Pundits have had a field day discussing exactly what kind of message this sends about Earth. Is this the first impression we want to make?

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, for vaccinations, 11.6 billion shots have been given, with 60% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

In China, Beijing became the next megacity to suffer a Covid surge.  Mandatory testing of the 22 million population is underway, and residents are stockpiling essentials.  As of May 4, strict restrictions were in place and huge housing complexes locked down; however, the government had stopped short of full lockdown for entire districts. Meanwhile, Shanghai’s nightmare lockdowns continue, with office buildings converted to isolation wards.  Lockdowns are policed by robots and drones, despite food shortages and growing public outrage.

South Africa is starting its fifth Covid surge.  Cases tripled over the last week, due to two new subvariants in the Omicron family–BA.4 and BA.5.  They spread even more quickly than Omicron or BA.2.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have increased 59%, hospitalizations are up 20%, and deaths decreased 3%.  We are averaging 68,000new cases per day. 18,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 366 people per day.

US cases have doubled in the last month, due to the various Omicron variants.  (The increasing use of home tests—whose results are NOT tracked—means there are more new cases than reported.)  Hospitalizations are up less sharply. 

On May 4, the official death tally due to Covid-19 passed the grim milestone of one million Americans. 

Per the CDC, over 60% of all Americans had been infected with Covid-19 by February of this year.  Among children, 75% had been infected.  The highly contagious Omicron variant was responsible for most of the infections.

BA.2.12.1, a descendant of Omicron, is poised to become the dominant strain in the US.  So far, there is no indication it causes more serious illness than its predecessors.

On April 25, the FDA approved Veklury (known as remdesivir and manufactured by Gilead Sciences Inc.), as the first Covid-19 drug treatment for very young children, age 28 days and older.

V-P Kamala Harris tested positive for Covid-19 on April 26.  Fully vaxed and boosted, she had a mild case. 

In early May, several Covid cases have been reported among prominent figures who attended at DC’s April 30 event, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Puerto Rico is experiencing a new surge in cases, shortly after removing all restrictions.

A Carnival cruise ship docked in Seattle on May 3 with hundreds of passengers testing positive for Covid-19.

As for vaccinations, in the US, 66% of the entire population is fully vaccinated (no change in the last month).  Average shots administered per day decreased to 439,000.  About 101 million booster shots have been given.

On April 28, Moderna requested authorization for its 2-dose vaccination for kids under 6. Required data set info has not been submitted.  Pfizer’s 3-dose vax for kids under 5 is still in testing, but it is expected to be presented to the FDA soon.  The FDA has tentatively scheduled consideration of vaccines for youngsters for June.

On May 5, the FDA restricted the 1-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to people who cannot or will not take an m-RNA vaccine, including the Moderna and Pfizer products.  This is due to the rare but possibly fatal complication of developing of blood clots and low platelet counts (thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, TTS) a few weeks after getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

In Texas, the positivity test rate is on the rise, currently 7%.  In the last 2 weeks, new cases increased 27%, hospitalizations dropped 2%, and deaths fell 71%.  We are averaging 2,700 new cases and 10 deaths daily.  As of now, there are 1,100 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

In Texas, only 61% of all residents are fully vaccinated (no change in the 6 weeks).  

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

FDA dramatically narrows use of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine 5/5/22 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/05/fda-johnson-johnson-covid-vaccine-00030505

More uniformly infectious, more treatable, more genetically predictable: How coronavirus is getting closer to flu 5/3/22 https://www.statnews.com/2022/05/03/more-uniformly-infectious-more-treatable-more-genetically-predictable-how-coronavirus-is-getting-closer-to-flu/

Moderna asks FDA to authorize Covid-19 vaccine for young kids 4/28/22 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/27/moderna-authorize-covid-19-vaccine-kids-00028481

Dr. Fauci on why the US is “out of the pandemic phase” 4/26/22 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/dr-fauci-on-why-the-u-s-is-out-of-the-pandemic-phase-2?campaign_id=154&emc=edit_cb_20220427&instance_id=59785&nl=coronavirus-briefing&regi_id=122311001&segment_id=90590&te=1&user_id=85e9340cba19164d75f3915211a487be

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Approves First COVID-19 Treatment for Young Children 4/25/22 https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-approves-first-covid-19-treatment-young-children

If you can donate to help Ukrainians, here are 2 options to consider.

—World Central Kitchen Is feeding people in Ukraine and surrounding countries where refugees have fled. https://donate.wck.org/give/393234/?fbclid=IwAR1i9G-mOHXyjc1iFozb6PB3BhoUCvcxHQTKgqIeZ0QWmwHw_GV03eY8PEE#!/donation/checkout?c_src=ads_fb_ga_it_ad1

Greater Good Charities funds food, shelter, rescue and re-homing of pets in Ukraine. https://store.greatergood.com/products/96527-ukraine-crisis-feed-pets-in-need?gg_medium=content&gg_source=ars&gg_term=2563680&gg_campaign=40-ukrainian-cats-find-homes-in-berlin&gg_content=gtgm-link

Council Campaign Updates

Nina KNOWS Lakeway

1, 2 or 3???

Lakeway residents are asking an important question: Is it best to vote for ONE Council candidate, or for 3 of them? Well, you can vote for up to 3 people in the Council race, but it is not required.

Someone who understands election theory better than I do explained it this way. If there is one candidate you feel MUST win (for instance, if she doesn’t get on Lakeway Council, you’ll be moving), then ONLY vote for that candidate. (That way, you don’t risk helping someone beat your must-win candidate.) But, if there are 2 or 3 candidates that you hope will win, then vote for them all.

People frequently ask me how they should vote. Well, it is time for some hard truths.

First, VOTE FOR ME, of course! I never claimed to be great at campaigning, but I am confident I will be an effective Councilmember and deserve your vote. For years now, I’ve attended Council and ZAPCO meetings. I regularly post on Next Door and Facebook, letting people know what is happening in city government. I publish a blog, covering all things Lakeway. I serve on the new Wildlife Advisory Committee. I know how the city works. I know the issues and the players. I KNOW LAKEWAY.

Beyond that, I suggest researching ALL the candidates. There are forums and voters guides that will help. (See below for links.)

If you REALLY want to dig into the candidates, FOLLOW THE MONEY. Go here, scroll down a bit, and click on the Campaign Finance Report each candidate filed as of April 7: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/427/Election-Information

Otherwise, the 3 other women running are NEW to city government and would have a steep learning curve if elected. A couple of them never volunteered for anything and only started showing up at Council meetings AFTER they filed to run for office this January; the third displayed that pattern last year when she ran and failed to get elected. Having been actively involved here in Lakeway for many years now, I have seen what happens when someone runs for Council without bothering to serve on committees, volunteer for the city in any way beforehand, or even attend meetings; that never ends well. And, they are SINGLE-ISSUE candidates (actually one seems to be a NO ISSUE candidate); I worry they don’t have the interest or desire to handle ALL the important city issues. Those are the ones I’ve seen crash and burn during budget season; hammering out the budget is vitally important, with a challenging meeting schedule all summer long and zero opportunity to give pretty speeches. Plus, Lakeway politics must stay LOCAL and not be diverted to some extreme and divisive national agenda, so please keep that in mind as you evaluate these candidates, what they support, and who supports them.

Finally, the 2 men on the ballot have been on Council the last 4 years, so my advice is to consider what they have done in that time to take care of Lakeway and improve your quality of life. If nothing much comes to mind, maybe it is time for a change.

2 CANDIDATE FORUMS to view

April 14 in person Candidate Forum held in Rough Hollow.  All 6 Council candidates were there, and we addressed questions on issues currently facing Lakeway.  https://youtu.be/-1agU3WKi5o

April 19 online forum presented by Lake Travis Progressives, Lake Travis Democrats, and Tuscan Village Voters.  Again, all 6 Council candidates were there, followed by the 3 challengers for LTISD seats.   www.facebook.com/LakeTravisProgressives/

Voters Guides

The Austin American-Statesman’s profile is here: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/lake-travis-view/2022/04/21/meet-candidates-running-spots-lakeway-city-council/7333870001/?fbclid=IwAR3c-LODHgMAWZ01Baf-68ft-B6oms6Xwy_PMg3AI58zaRIQgV2Z4wSL_AM

Community Impact’s coverage of the Council race is here:  https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/city-county/2022/04/21/qa-meet-the-candidates-for-lakeway-city-council/?fbclid=IwAR2C2J0nCNPGRf2hC2IMpKMmv5BHhVd1Z5xflgVNlrSWUS1KpSmPhd3J4aY

The League of Women Voters Austin Area created a May 2022 Local Election Voters Guide.  It has Council candidate responses to several questions.  The school board candidates are covered, as well.  There is also good info on the 2 state-wide propositions to reduce property taxes.  Go here and put in your mailing address to get voter info for your ballot: https://www.vote411.org/

Hops and Thyme Meet and Greet

What a fun event!  Kudos to the amazing Georgia Migliuri, who organized the whole thing, from reserving the patio months ago to inviting everyone, to booking the perfect singing duo, to remembering to take photos!  This was the perfect boost to get us over the finish line in this LONG campaign.  Photos are here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10228430062604760&set=pcb.10228430067324878

Here is a real way to save on property taxes. VOTE YES on 2 propositions on the May 7 ballot.

First, don’t be fooled by candidates shouting about sales tax vs. property tax in Lakeway. With HEB and other strategic businesses, Lakeway currently does very well on sales tax. Also—Lakeway gets a nice chunk of tax revenue from alcohol sales all over town. (Cheers!)

Unlike Bee Cave, Lakeway has never wanted to be a shopping destination. And, we aren’t built to handle the traffic that comes with throngs of shoppers. Fact is, we have significant commercial space—raw land as well as vacant stores and restaurants–currently unused. And, the city has a hard-working committee devoted to expanding our economy sensibly, including generating more sales tax revenue.

Property taxes are a harsh reality in Texas. But, don’t let candidate rhetoric scare you. Lakeway is financially sound, and I know that from attending Council’s budget meetings the last several years and reviewing current financial info supplied for tonight’s Council meeting.

Remember–the portion of your property tax bill that goes to City of Lakeway is TINY—around 7% for most homeowners, maybe 10% for others (depending on exemptions). The VAST MAJORITY of your property tax payment goes to LTISD. Travis County also gets a BIG CHUNK. Your MUD, emergency/health services, and a few others get the rest. (All this is conveniently detailed on your tax assessments and bills.) And, Travis County assesses home values; the current booming housing market means another increase there. THAT is why property tax bills rise, and City of Lakeway has nothing to do with it.

Now, back to how to LOWER YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL. The upcoming election has 2 state-wide propositions on the ballot that, if passed, will LOWER property taxes. One reduces taxes residents age 65+ or disabled pay to public schools; the state would then cover the reduced revenue. The other raises the state homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000 for school district property taxes–saving the average homeowner about $176.

So, on May 7 (or during Early Voting or via vote by mail), vote YES on these 2 propositions, to lower your property tax bill.

Bits and pieces….

–Last call for YARD SIGNS! If you want a free yard sign delivered, let me know. nina4lakeway@gmail.com

–My Policies page has detailed info on my position on TEN ISSUES now facing Lakeway. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/policies

–Stay updated via my Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

–How to contribute:

*Venmo: @Nina4Lakeway

*PayPal: There is a PayPal button on the campaign website.  https://www.nina4lakeway.com/

*Check: Make it out to Nina Davis Campaign Fund and contact me for the mailing address OR to have it picked up.

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!

What is going on in Lakeway ….

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

On Saturday, April 30, from 10AM-2PM, you can drive through the Police Station parking lot (1941 Lohmans Crossing) and drop off unwanted prescription drugs for secure disposal.  Go here for details, including what will be accepted: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1583

Spring Shred Day at Emmaus Catholic Church

Bring confidential papers to the church parking lot on Saturday April 30, 8AM-noon.   Trucks will be shredding on-site to protect your privacy. Boy Scout Troop 52 will unload and practice social distancing for contactless drop-off.  Event is FREE (but donations to BSA are appreciated).

Lakeway Sing Along

On April 29 and April 30, Lakeway Sing Along returns to the Activity Center in “All You Need Is Love,” celebrating the glories and heartbreaks of love with dinner and music.  Dinner is at 6:30PM, with the performance at 7:30PM. Tickets are $38, available now for Activity Center members, with general sales starting March 28. Call the LAC (512) 261-1010 for info.

Brush Recycling Offered 1st Thursday of Every Month

City of Lakeway offers free yard waste drop off for Lakeway residents the first Thursday of every month, at the Public Works Department (3303 Serene Hills Drive) 7AM-3:30PM.  Limit is one pickup truck load of yard waste or up to one 8’X5′ pile.  Go here for details, including what is accepted: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1584

May the 4th be with you

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be screened at City Park on—of course—May 4, at 6:30PM.

Lakeway Players presents Rough Crossing

This Tom Stoppard comedy runs May 5, 6 and 7.  Members can buy tickets starting March 28.  Non-member purchases start April 4.  https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog/index?filter=dGFiJTVCNzI4MiU1RD0xJnNlYXJjaD0mcmVudGFsJTVCZnJvbSU1RD0mcmVudGFsJTVCdG8lNUQ9

Heritage Trail Bus Tours

This fun annual event returns Friday, May 6, with a choice of 3 free bus tours.  Hosted by Lakeway Heritage Committee members, the tours explore Lakeway by visiting around 20 historical locations.  Times are 9:15AM, 11:15AM or 1:15PM.  Meet at Lakeway City Hall, to see the updated Liebelt Cabin before climbing aboard.  Go here for details and to register:  https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1171/Heritage-Trail

20^th Annual Lakeway Photo Festival

This fun event celebrates the unique beauty of our area and the amazing talents of our local photographers.  Categories include Nature, Wildlife, Community, Artistic and Student plus two brand new categories: Pets and Foodie. Amateur or professional photographers as well as LTISD photography students can enter. All photos must be taken in the City of Lakeway.  Submissions accepted through May 10. Awards reception will be held May 22nd at 4pm at the Lakeway Activity Center. Sponsored by the City of Lakeway Arts Committee. Go here for more info: https://lakewayartsdistrict.com/2022-photo-festival/

Lakeway is HIRING

–Police Officer

–911 Dispatcher

–Environmental Coordinator

–Finance Director

–Senior Accountant

–Deputy Court Clerk

–Park Maintenance Worker

–Lifeguard

–Swim Instructor

Go here for details and to apply: https://tx-lakeway.civicplushrms.com/CareerPortal/Jobs.aspx

Lake Travis Community Library taking applications for TEEN VOLUNTEERS

Teens interested in volunteering this summer need to commit to a weekly shift (2 or 3 hours) and be mature and dependable. Applications due by Saturday, April 30th.  Apply here: https://www.volgistics.com/appform/790742382

COUNCIL Meeting Results

Council met on Monday, April 18.  RESULTS:

ITEM 3: MOMENT OF SILENCE for 3 Lakeway residents who recently passed away: Dr. Lewis Carlson, Robert Neighbors, and David Benson.

ITEM 10: Introduction of NEW POLICE OFFICER Leyna Saucedo. 

ITEM 10A: Introduction of NEW FORESTER Richard Leon.

ITEM 12: Citizens Participation. TWO people spoke.

ITEM 16: Approval of preliminary plan for Phase 1/The Enclave, being 35 acres of the larger 59 acre The Square at Lohmans Crossing PUD. Phase I includes Main Street, Lohmans Spur, the Roundabout, and the residential component consisting of single-family and townhome lots.  [Approved by ZAPCO, with emergency/fire access via a locked gate across Guyan.]  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, with the caveat the security-style gate for emergency access be located inside the property line and connected to the planned wall.

ITEM 17: Amending the sign ordinance to allow political signs lawfully posted at the Activity Center during Early Voting to remain in place until the day after Election Day.  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ITEM 18: Amending ordinances to prohibit outdoor storage of items and to limit temporary storage or moving units on property to 14 days.  TABLED, for staff to refine language.

ITEM 19: Presentation on potential projects to be funded from nearly $4MIL that Lakeway will receive from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED for payment of $124K (for 6 covered items) from this fund (the balance to be handled during budget sessions later this year).

ITEM 21: Executive Session on an economic development prospect.  NO ACTION taken.

ADJOURNED: 9:27PM.

The Meeting Packet is here– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx

Go here to watch the Council meeting online— https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/167586

Council next meets on May 2

Agenda will be published on the city site next week.

Back to me….  

Here are a couple good books I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

You Can Run (2021) by Karen Cleveland—Fast moving and convincing, this thriller is hard to put down and an entertaining read.

Lies, (2017), by T. M. Logan—This riveting thriller, the author’s first novel, kept me engaged and guessing right to the end.

Remember Xiao (AKA Biscuit), Washington Zoo’s panda born in 2020?  He and his mom celebrated 50 years of pandas at the zoo, on loan from China, with a special cake (frozen fruit juice, carrots, sweet potatoes and sugar cane).

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.

Here are some recent photos of our deer herd.  I still haven’t seen any new fawns….

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, the World Health Organization announced that over 15 million people died due to Covid-19, as of the end of 2021.  This is far more than the 6 million figure derived from official totals released by countries, many of which minimize deaths for political purposes.  India, Egypt and Indonesia are notorious for avoiding the appearance of government failure; in most of Africa, there is simply no mechanism for tabulating deaths at all.

Two new variants, BA.4 and BA.5, are being examined in South Africa.  There are indications that mutations may make them more resistant to existing vaccines than the other recent variants.  The new strains have been found in Denmark, Botswana, Scotland and England.

The US evacuated consular personnel from Shanghai, in response to the continued Covid surge there.  Throughout Shanghai, housing complexes have been converted into quarantine centers.

In Canada, Ontario is facing a 6^th wave of Covid infections, this time caused by the BA.2 variant.

As for vaccinations, 11.5 billion shots have been given, with 59% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have increased 52%, hospitalizations are up 2%, and deaths decreased 34%.  We are averaging 46,000 new cases per day. 15,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 366 people per day.

As of mid-April, the BA.2 variant was responsible for 85% of new Covid infections. BA.2 is about 80% more contagious than Omicron.

Case numbers are up all over the northeast and midwest.  New Hampshire and Michigan are both seeing twice the number of new cases, compared to early April. 

Two new variants of BA.2, called BA.2.12 and BA.2.12.1, have been found in New York state, possibly accounting for the surge there.  Experts say the newest variants are 25% more contagious than BA.2, which continues the trend in Covid-19 variants.

Philadelphia reacted to rising new case stats by announcing an indoor mask rule to be reinstituted as of April 18.  Then, on April 21, the city’s Board of Health voted to rescind the mandate. 

High profile people all over the country are testing positive, including NYC Mayor Eric Adams, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many members of Congress, AG Merrick Garland, and several Broadway stars.  But, all are fully vaxed and boosted, so their cases have been mild.

The FDA gave emergency use authorization to a Covid-19 Breathalyzer, a device that accurately and quickly detects infection via a breath sample.  The suitcase-sized system can be used by trained operators in doctor’s offices and hospitals and at mobile testing sites.

An estimated 200,000 American children have had a parent die from Covid.

On April 18, a federal judge in Florida invalidated the CDC’s mask mandate for planes and public transit.  Within hours, major airlines made masks optional. 

As for vaccination, in the US, 66% of the entire population is fully vaccinated (no change from 2 weeks ago).  Average shots administered per day decreased slightly to 475,000.  Nearly 100 million booster shots have been given.

While the FDA approved a second booster for all Americans age 50+ back in March, the new White House Covid-19 response coordinator has strengthened this.  On April 17, Dr. Ashish Jha recommended that everyone age 60+ get a second booster now, in light of compelling data from Israel indicating that a fourth shot significantly reduced infections and deaths among older people.

In Texas, the positivity test rate is on the rise, currently 5%.  In the last 2 weeks, new cases increased 2%, hospitalizations dropped 11%, and deaths fell 11%.  We are averaging 2,600 new cases and 28 deaths daily.  As of now, there are 1,100 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

In Texas, only 61% of all residents are fully vaccinated (no change in the last month).  

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

Americans Over 60 Should Get Second Booster, Official Says  4/17/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/17/us/second-covid-booster-60.html

White House on the lookout for BA.4 and BA.5  4/14/22 https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-pulse/2022/04/14/biden-admin-watching-ba-4-and-ba-5-00025175

Herd immunity now seems impossible. Welcome to the age of Covid reinfection  4/12/22  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/apr/12/herd-immunity-covid-reinfection-virus-world

How Long Do Symptoms Last? When Should You Test? A Covid Timeline.  4-5-22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/09/well/how-long-does-it-take-to-recover-from-ba2.html

Council Campaign Updates

Nina KNOWS Lakeway 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: So sorry, I am NO LONGER RUNNING for Lakeway City Council.

I’m WALKING for Council!

I looked for ways to reach more Lakeway residents, not just those I already know or who are active on social media. One answer was designing a door hanger. I ordered 6,500 of them. (B2B Copies & Printing did a great job!) I’m now walking them ALL OVER LAKEWAY.

Really having great fun exploring Lakeway’s neighborhoods and hearing what residents are interested in, what they are worried about, and where they think things may be going the wrong way. I’m happy to tell people about MY views, but this is mostly about listening to community input.

If I miss you and you find my door hanger when you get back, please reach out to my website or via direct email (all the info is on the hanger). I want to hear from YOU!

I have really enjoyed meeting residents and chatting about Lakeway issues during the campaign. After the election, that will be even more important.

As a Councilmember, I will offer regular OFFICE HOURS. That way, residents can meet with me face to face, if they prefer, not just communicating on social media and via email.

April 7 was the deadline for Council candidates to file their first campaign finance report.

It is always interesting to see the amount of contributions going to various candidates, as well as exactly WHO is supporting them.  Plus—how they spend funds.  This batch of reports was quite illuminating….

This report covers the start of the election cycle, through March 28.  The second report is due April 29.

Go to the city’s election page and scroll down a bit to find the reports– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/427/Election-Information

Council denied the workforce housing project at its April 4 meeting.   Lakeway’s need for workforce housing is obvious; it has been going on for years, but the pandemic and the resulting spike in home costs and rents made it much worse. As I said when it was my turn to testify on that agenda item, usually I’m saying “no, no, no” to the big developments proposed for Lakeway.  This time, I was saying “yes, yes, yes.”

After ZAPCO approved this project in early March, I stress-tested it all over social media.  I found 2 things:

1—There was a huge amount of misinformation out there on this project, being spread by a well-organized group.  With a series of arguments, people were told it was a bad thing, so they were scared of it.

2—Once people got the FACTS, they generally had no problem with the project.

Crucially, I did NOT find any persuasive argument, based on facts or data, AGAINST this project.

I look forward to hearing details on the alternative plans Council must have in the works to remedy Lakeway’s years-long and increasingly severe worker shortage and stem the resulting loss of sales tax revenue to the city (estimated at $2 million dollars). As so many people saw fit to mention at the meeting, loss of sales tax revenue means higher property taxes will be levied in order to fund city services.

For the record, I am the ONLY Council candidate who spoke in favor of the project; the others all spoke against it.

CANDIDATE FORUMS

–Candidate Forum presented on behalf of Rough Hollow

Thursday, April 14, with a Meet and Greet at 7PM and the Q&A session at 7:45PM, at the Rough Hollow Highland Village Pavilion (next to the swimming pools).  While the event is targeted to Rough Hollow, all Lakeway residents are welcome to attend.

–Municipal Elections Candidates Forum presented by Lake Travis Progressives, Lake Travis Democrats, and Tuscan Village Voters

Tuesday, April 19 (NEW DATE), Lakeway Council candidates will lead off at 6PM, followed by LTISD School Board candidates at 7PM, and Bee Cave Mayoral candidates at 8PM. This forum is ONLINE, open to all to VIEW LIVE here: www.facebook.com/LakeTravisProgressives/

—PLUS, there was an in-person forum on March 28.  Held by a conservative group at a large venue here in town, ONLY about 20 people were in the audience.  The event was recorded, and you can watch it via YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btBl_2Dsl3Y  My personal impression was that the first half of the event, with questions from the moderator, was fairly well handled and produced useful insights into the candidates.  However, once it opened up to questions from the audience–clearly the red meat of the event–things got ultra-partisan and divisive, shifting into political territory irrelevant to Lakeway city governance.  But, that’s what fast-forward is good for, right?

Voters Guides COMING SOON!

–Community Impact Newspaper will publish a Voters Guide (print version and online) this month.  Watch your mailbox for the April issue.  Here is a link to the online newspaper: https://communityimpact.com/news/austin/lake-travis-westlake/

–The League of Women Voters Austin Area will create a May 2022 Local Election Voters Guide.  It will be published online at www.LWVAustin.org  and at www.VOTE411.org  prior to April 25 (start of early voting).

—The Austin American-Statesman recently sent questions, advising that a candidate round up will be published before early voting starts.  

Bits and pieces….

–YARD SIGNS are available: If you want a free yard sign delivered, let me know. nina4lakeway@gmail.com

–Watch my campaign site’s Events and Media page for updates on opportunities to learn about the candidates.  https://www.nina4lakeway.com/events-and-media

–My Policies page has detailed info on my position on TEN ISSUES now facing Lakeway. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/policies

–Stay updated via my Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

–How to contribute: CONTRIBUTIONS are gratefully accepted, so I can win a seat in this crowded election.

*Venmo: @Nina4Lakeway

*PayPal: There is a PayPal button on the campaign website.  https://www.nina4lakeway.com/

*Check: Make it out to Nina Davis Campaign Fund and contact me for the mailing address OR to have it picked up.

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!

What is going on in Lakeway ….

Lake Travis Community Library

During April, view the photography exhibit of local artist Mary Seewoster, on exhibit in the library’s meeting room.

Transportation Town Hall

Town Hall Series with City Manager Julie Oakley continues Thursday, April 21 5:30-6:30PM at the Lakeway Activity Center. Topic: Transportation, reviewing potential upcoming projects. After an introduction by City Manager Oakley, residents can visit stations ask questions of city staff and leave feedback. UPDATE: It was announced at the March 31 Council meeting that this Town Hall will include late-breaking info on the future of 620. If you missed the first meeting in this series (which was really excellent), covering Building Development Services, go here to watch the 50-minute video: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/154791

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

On Saturday, April 30, from 10AM-2PM, you can drive through the Police Station parking lot (1941 Lohmans Crossing) and drop off unwanted prescription drugs for secure disposal.  Go here for details, including what will be accepted: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1583

Brush Recycling Offered 1st Thursday of Every Month

City of Lakeway offers free yard waste drop off for Lakeway residents the first Thursday of every month, at the Public Works Department (3303 Serene Hills Drive) 7AM-3:30PM.  Limit is one pickup truck load of yard waste or up to one 8’X5′ pile.  Go here for details, including what is accepted: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1584

Heritage Trail Bus Tours

This fun annual event returns Friday, May 6, with a choice of 3 free bus tours.  Hosted by Lakeway Heritage Committee members, the tours explore Lakeway by visiting around 20 historical locations.  Times are 9:15AM, 11:15AM or 1:15PM.  Meet at Lakeway City Hall, to see the updated Liebelt Cabin before climbing aboard.  Go here for details and to register:  https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1171/Heritage-Trail

Protest your property taxes online

Lakeway Activity Center is offering Texas Property Tax Protest 101, a 2-hour workshop on protesting your own property taxes online. $18 charge.  Workshop covers the documents involved, deadlines, procedures, and how to present an effective case.  Taught by Rachel Duck, senior tax consultant at the property tax law firm, Popp Hutcheson PLLC.  There are 2 upcoming days/times to choose from: May 7, 10am-12pm, May 11, 6pm-8pm.  https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTE4OTU5MzA=

COUNCIL MEETING RESULTS

Council met on March 31.

Councilmembers Kumar and Higginbotham were absent.  RESULTS in ALL CAPS:

ITEM 6 (within the consent Agenda): Creating Aviation Zoning District Study Commission and appointing members as follows:

Mayor Kilgore appoints Ron Massa
Mayor Pro Tem Mastrangelo appoints Matt Sherman
Councilmember Higginbotham appoints William Cotton
Councilmember Kumar appoints Chris Lee
Councilmember Smith appoints Ed LeBlanc
Councilmember Trecker appoints JoAnn Anderson
Councilmember Vance appoints Randy Adams

APPROVED unanimously along with entire Consent Agenda

ITEM 13: Citizens Participation for items NOT on the Agenda.  1 PERSON SPOKE

ITEM 16: Amending the budget to purchase 4 additional police patrol vehicles and 1 motorcycle unit (for $300K from the Capitol reserve Fund) in fiscal year 2022 rather than in fiscal year 2023 as planned, due to supply chain problems that have delayed 2021 purchases and are expected to continue.  APPROVED unanimously

ITEM 17: Lakeway Resort and Spa requests $120,000 in hotel occupancy tax funding for an advertising campaign.  APPROVED unanimously

ITEM 18: Adding 2 more projects to the ongoing transportation engineering study (increasing cost of the study by $39K).  The projects are: 1) connecting Birrell Street from Medical Drive to Lohmans Spur; and 2) connecting Main Street through Phase 2 of The Oaks PUD, but being REVIEW ONLY of the pricing presented by the developer for a 130 ft. bridge spanning Yaupon Creek and connecting to the adjacent property.  APPROVED 4:1

ITEM 19: Funding the city’s required share (10%) of right of way costs associated with the upcoming Hwy. 620 expansion, the amount due being $3,222,096.  CONSENSUS reached for the City Manager to continue working with TXDOT on this matter. 

ITEM 21: Executive Session covering police matters.

The Executive Session was not needed after all.  Council APPROVED unanimously policy changes related to use of force, as requested by Chief Coen.

ADJOURNED at 7:58PM.

The Meeting Packet is here– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3275

Go here to watch the Council meeting online— https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/157897

Council met on April 4.  

Councilmember Higginbotham was absent. RESULTS in ALL CAPS:

ITEMS 4 and 5: As to 16419 Clara Van, being 1.571 acres near the Marina, amending the Future land Use Map from residential to commercial, and also changing zoning from R-6 single-family to Marina. (ZAPCO recommended denial of both actions.)  ITEMS WITHDRAWN BY APPLICANT

ITEM 6: Special Use Permit covering 99 years for a 24-hour convenience store and gas station at 1301 RR 620 N. and Debba Drive.  APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEM 7: As to Lakeway Highlands and Rough Hollow, approval of the resubmitted consolidated and amended preliminary plan, with the addition of added water quality ponds at LCRA suggested locations and the removal of the gas station.  (ZAPCO recommended approval.)   APPROVED (with NO GAS STATION) 4:2

ITEMS 8 and 9: As to 18214 W. Hwy. 71 at Bee Creek Road, a 14.89 tract, amending the Future land Use Map from Commercial to Mixed Use, and also changing the zoning from C-1 (office/retail) to PUD (Planned Unit Development), to include 276 workforce housing apartments and a restaurant. (ZAPCO recommended approval of both actions.)   DENIED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEM 10: License Agreements between Lakeway and various Rough Hollow subdivisions, to legitimize ongoing use of land in the city’s right of way for walls, lights, irrigation, signs, monuments and the like.  APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY

ADJOURNED 10:17PM.

The Meeting Packet is here– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3276

Go here to watch the Council meeting online— https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/158014

Council next meets on Monday, April 18.

The Agenda will be published next week.

Daring Mighty Things 

On April 8, the first private astronaut mission launched to the International Space Station.  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, carrying 3 tourist astronauts who each paid $55MIL for the trip; they will spend a week on ISS, working on scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.  This is the first time NASA has partnered on a tourist venture.  Axiom Private Astronauts Headed to International Space Station 4/8/22  https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/axiom-private-astronauts-headed-to-international-space-station

This awesome video captures in just 2 minutes the intricate and days-long process of NASA’s new Space Launch System rocket being fully stacked along with the Orion Spacecraft inside the gargantuan Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center.  The SLS will power the Artemis I mission, an uncrewed flight test around the moon, launching later this year.  Watch as NASA stacks its Artemis Moon rocket at Kennedy Space Center  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNpAxzg_v9E

Travel back through time nearly 13 billion years via the Hubble telescope.  The light from this star that astronomers just spotted is 12.9 billion years old 3/30/22  https://www.npr.org/2022/03/30/1089626170/the-light-from-this-star-that-astronomers-just-spotted-is-12-9-billion-years-old

The Russian space director insists cooperation with western countries on the International Space Station will be suspended until economic sanctions against Russia are lifted.  Russia to halt cooperation over International Space Station 4/2/22  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/02/russia-to-end-cooperation-over-international-space-station

Back to me….  

Here is a good book I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

The Match (2022) by Harlan Coben—This is the second in Coben’s Wilde series, and I found it a good escapist mystery.

I got my second Covid booster from HEB here in Lakeway on April 1.  Second boosters are available to all age 50 plus, as well as to anyone who is immune-compromised, 4 months after the first booster.  My arm was sore and I felt yucky for a day.  Considering all the meetings and personal contact that are part of running for office, I’m happy to get the extra protection.

Fawn season is coming!  In recent years, Lakeway residents posted photos of new fawn parked in their yards during the first week of April.  Don’t assume the fawn you spot on a walk or in your yard is abandoned; Mama Doe will leave her newborn to rest, while she grazes in the vicinity, before collecting the baby and moving on.  Here is more info on how to tell if a fawn needs 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. 

Here are a couple of the fawn banners that the Wildlife Advisory Committee commissioned; they will be displayed at various sites around Lakeway this spring.

Here are some recent photos of our deer herd.  So far, I haven’t seen any new fawns, but I live in hope!

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, Asia and Europe continue the latest surges.

China continues to fight a massive surge.  In early April, its largest city, Shanghai, was locked down, with mandatory Covid testing commencing for over 26 million residents.  China’s policy of mandatory isolation of Covid patients in government facilities results in parents being separated from children, often for extended periods and with little or no information on the minors’ whereabouts or wellbeing.  Also, food shortages are reported among the millions locked down.  Last week, China deployed 12,000 additional medical workers to Shanghai.

Hong Kong’s Covid death toll continues to set records.  Coffins are now in short supply; crematories and mortuaries are overwhelmed.

The UK is setting new Covid case records yet again.  During the first week of April, there were over 5 million cases, which amounts to 1 in 13 people living in the UK testing positive.  There, the Omicron variant BA.2 is dominant.  Hospitalizations and deaths are also rising.  Citizens are irate that the country no longer offers free testing, despite the current surge.  The UK dropped restrictions and switched over to a living with Covid strategy in March. 

As for vaccinations, 11.4 billion shots have been given, with 58.8% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have increased 1%, hospitalizations are down 22%, and deaths decreased 31%.  We are averaging 30,000 new cases per day. 15,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 550 people per day.

New daily case rates have doubled in both NYC and Washington, DC, since the end of March.  Throughout the northeast, cases are up.  But, in most of the rest of the country, case numbers are flat or decreasing.

On March 28, the CDC announced that the BA.2 variant is dominant in the US, accounting for well over 50% of new infections.  BA.2 is more transmissible but seems no more severe than the original Omicron variant that spawned it.

Experts are surprised that BA.2 hasn’t seemed to cause a new surge in the US.  Some say it is starting in the northeast and will gather momentum soon.  Others say the problem is that lab testing is at a new low, and that is how new case statistics are derived.  In the past couple months, people started relying on home test kits instead of lab testing, which is less and less available nationwide.  To the extent BA.2 cases are severe enough to cause hospitalization, those stats will start to rise, followed by an increase in the death rate.

Many states are scaling back Covid programs.  Free test sites are shutting down all over the country, along with vaccination sites.  Several states no longer release Covid data (new cases, hospitalizations, deaths) daily.

The federal government recently launched a Covid site designed to provide info to the public on assessing local Covid risk, buying good masks, finding nearby test-and-treat centers, local vaccination locations, how to order free test kits, and more.  www.covid.gov

Other than advanced age, diabetes has been the worst harbinger for people with Covid.  Diabetic patients account for 30-40% of Covid deaths.  Diabetes weakens the immune system, as well as causing obesity and high blood pressure which can worsen a coronavirus infection.  Diabetes is rampant in the US, afflicting 34 million people (13% of all adults). Those with Medicare (Part B or a Medicare Advantage Plan) can now get up to 8 FREE Covid test kits EVERY MONTH, from local pharmacies.  Go here for info: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-covers-over-counter-covid-19-tests

As for vaccination, in the US, 66% of the entire population is fully vaccinated.  Average shots administered per day increased to 486,000.  98 million booster shots have been given.

On March 29, the FDA authorized a second booster for Americans 50 and older, as well as for the immune-compromised.  The second booster can be given 4 months after the first booster, and can be either Pfizer or Moderna.  The strategy is meant to protect older people until the fall, when it is expected another shot will be recommended for everyone. Experts hope that by then we will have a modified vaccine tailored to fight recent variants.  

In Texas, the current positivity test rate is 3.6%.  In the last 2 weeks, new cases decreased 44%,hospitalizations dropped 25%, and deaths fell 46%.  We are averaging 2,600 new cases and 28 deaths daily.  As of now, there are 1,300 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

In Texas, only 61% of all residents are fully vaccinated (no change in last 2 weeks).  

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

Covid in D.C.: What to know about the risks of Omicron and BA.2 4/8/22 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/08/dc-covid-omicron-ba2-risks-what-to-know-00023920

Do Home Covid Tests Expire? 4/5/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/05/well/live/covid-test-expiration-date.html

Medicare Covers Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests  4-4-22 https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-covers-over-counter-covid-19-tests

Covid and Diabetes, Colliding in a Public Health Train Wreck 4/3/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/03/health/diabetes-covid-deaths.html

A New Wave of Covid-19 Is Coming. Here’s How to Prepare. 3/30/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/well/live/ba2-omicron-covid.html

F.D.A. Allows Second Coronavirus Boosters for Everyone 50 and Older 3/29/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/us/politics/second-coronavirus-booster-shot.html

We Study Virus Evolution. Here’s Where We Think the Coronavirus Is Going. 3/28/22 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/28/opinion/coronavirus-mutation-future.html

How to help Ukraine—DONATE with confidence the funds will be used to help those who need it.

—Mercy Corps is near the top of every list I’ve seen of groups doing life-saving work in Ukraine.  Plus, it has an A rating from CharityWatch.  https://www.mercycorps.org/

—Charity Watch (a watchdog group that monitors charities and investigates donation fraud) lists several Top-Rated Charities Providing Aid In Ukraine. Go here for info on what each group is doing, with links to click and donate with confidence.  https://www.charitywatch.org/charity-donating-articles/top-rated-charities-providing-aid-in-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR0v_F0qrm5YiOIjpk6YQdUAHr7QVmCcwsrgF3tXj3R0y6JjVcEk-jPrbJY

Council Campaign Updates

Nina KNOWS Lakeway 

It has been 2 months since I filed to run for Lakeway City Council.  Busy times!  Campaign signs, creating a website and a Facebook page, talking to groups, attending meetings, getting to know SO MANY people and LISTENING TO THEM. 

That’s what really matters.  People always ask me what I think about this issue or that one, and I get that; everyone wants to know what a candidate thinks.  But, what really matters is what Lakeway residents think—what they are interested in and are concerned may be going wrong.  So, I have a plan to get more input from all over Lakeway.  More on that COMING SOON!

Current HOT TOPIC in Lakeway: Workforce Housing PUD proposed for Hwy. 71 and Bee Creek Road.  Workforce housing provides reduced rent to workers earning up to 60% of the area’s median income, allowing people to live where they work.  Lakeway needs workers, and workers need housing. This looks like the right project in the right location.  Lakeway Council considers it on April 4.  My campaign’s Facebook page has all the details (look for my March 16, 11 and 2 posts), and updates will be posted there. https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

My Policies page has detailed info on my position on TEN ISSUES now facing Lakeway. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/policies

Local CANDIDATE FORUMS 

Municipal Elections Candidates Forum presented by Lake Travis Progressives, Lake Travis Democrats, and Tuscan Village Voters

NOTE: THE DATE HAS CHANGED.  This Forum will now be held on Tuesday, April 19.

Lakeway Council candidates will lead off at 6PM, followed by LTISD School Board candidates at 7PM, and Bee Cave Mayoral candidates at 8PM. This forum is ONLINE, open to all to VIEW LIVE here: www.facebook.com/LakeTravisProgressives/

Candidate Forum presented on behalf of Rough Hollow

Thursday, April 14, with a Meet and Greet at 7PM and the Q&A session at 8PM, at the Rough Hollow Highland Village Pavilion (next to the swimming pools).  While the event is targeted to Rough Hollow, all Lakeway residents are welcome to attend.

Voters Guides COMING SOON! 

The League of Women Voters Austin Area will create a May 2022 Local Election Voters Guide.  It will be published online at www.LWVAustin.org  and at www.VOTE411.org  prior to April 25 (start of early voting).

Community Impact Newspaper will publish a Voters Guide (print version and online) in April.  Watch your mailbox for the April issue.  Here is a link to the online newspaper: https://communityimpact.com/news/austin/lake-travis-westlake/

YARD SIGNS are available 

If you want a yard sign delivered, let me know. nina4lakeway@gmail.com

How to contribute 

CONTRIBUTIONS are gratefully accepted, so I can win a seat in this crowded election.

*Venmo: @Nina4Lakeway *PayPal: There is a PayPal button on the campaign website.  https://www.nina4lakeway.com/

*Check: Make it out to Nina Davis Campaign Fund and contact me for the mailing address OR to have it picked up.

Facebook

Stay updated via my Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!

What is going on in Lakeway ….

Actually, a LOT is going on.  Lakeway is in full bloom with fun activities and opportunities!

Swim Lessons AND Hiring Opportunities at Lakeway’s Swim Center

Online registration is NOW OPEN for group and private swim lessons at the Lakeway Swim Center. Lessons for kids 6 months to 12 years are Monday through Thursday, June 6 through August 4. Register here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1840/Swim-Lessons

The Swim Center is looking for lifeguards, swim instructors and front desk/concession attendant for the upcoming season. If interested, apply here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/84/Swim-Center

20^th Annual Lakeway Photo Festival

This fun event celebrates the unique beauty of our area and the amazing talents of our local photographers.  Categories include Nature, Wildlife, Community, Artistic and Student plus two brand new categories: Pets and Foodie. Amateur or professional photographers as well as LTISD photography students can enter. All photos must be taken in the City of Lakeway.  Submissions accepted April 1 through May 10. Awards reception will be held May 22nd at 4pm at the Lakeway Activity Center. Sponsored by the City of Lakeway Arts Committee. Go here for more info: https://lakewayartsdistrict.com/2022-photo-festival/

Garage Sale at Lakeway Activity Center

The next community garage sale is Saturday, April 9 from 8AM to noon.  Admission is FREE, but in the LAC lobby you can donate non-perishable food items and items for pets, going to local community food banks and animal shelters.

EGGstravaganza!

Bring your baskets to Lakeway City Park on Saturday, April 9, 2PM.  This free event features vendors, bunny photos, and chalk art competitions.  Age-specific egg hunts will take place between 2:45 and 3:45 PM, each with a ‘golden egg’ and a special prize inside.  Details are here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/717/Eggstravaganza

Protest your property taxes online

Lakeway Activity Center is offering Texas Property Tax Protest – 101, a 2-hour workshop on protesting your own property taxes online. $18 charge. Workshop covers the documents involved, deadlines, procedures, and how to present an effective case.  Taught by Rachel Duck, senior tax consultant at the property tax law firm, Popp Hutcheson PLLC.  There are 3 days/times to choose from: April 9 10am-12pm, May 7 10am-12pm, May 11 6pm-8pm.  https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTE4OTU5MzA=

Transportation Town Hall

Town Hall Series with City Manager Julie Oakley continues Thursday, April 21 5:30-6:30PM at the Lakeway Activity Center. Topic: Transportation, reviewing potential upcoming projects. After an introduction by City Manager Oakley, residents can visit stations ask questions of city staff and leave feedback.

If you missed the first meeting in this series, covering Building Development Services, go here to watch the 50-minute video: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/154791

Lakeway Sing Along Returns with All You Need is Love

On April 29 and April 30, Lakeway Sing Along returns to the Activity Center in “All You Need Is Love,” celebrating the glories and heartbreaks of love with dinner and music.  Dinner is at 6:30PM, with the performance at 7:30PM. Tickets are $38, available now for Activity Center members, with general sales starting March 28. Call the LAC (512) 261-1010 for info.

Lakeway Players presents Rough Crossing

This Tom Stoppard comedy runs May 5, 6 and 7.  Members can buy tickets starting March 28.  Non-member purchases start April 4.  https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog/index?filter=dGFiJTVCNzI4MiU1RD0xJnNlYXJjaD0mcmVudGFsJTVCZnJvbSU1RD0mcmVudGFsJTVCdG8lNUQ9

Lake Travis Community Library offers tech assistance

Those with questions about a computer, phone, tablet, or other tech can drop in for one-on-one technology assistance from volunteer tech coaches.  Sessions are on a first come, first served basis, Monday through Thursday from 12pm to 2pm.  Also, you can email the tech coaches at techcoach@laketravislibrary.org for assistance with any tech questions or challenges you have.  More tech help here– https://laketravislibrary.org/tech-coach/

Lake Travis Film Festival

LTFF offers much more than just watching movies; participants become part of the film-making process. Plus, there are lots of ways to get involved –membership, badges, donation, volunteering, and more. Check it out! https://www.laketravisfilmfestival.com/ Save the date for this year’s film-making adventure—Sept. 15-18.

Blood Drive info

I had a great experience donating blood last week at the Activity Center. Everything was well organized, and I was done and out the door in under 30 minutes. It is an important cause, of course. Plus—FREE JUICE AND COOKIES!

It was run by the group We are Blood, and they are at LAC every 2 months. Some other options nearby are Rough Hollow Yacht Club and BSW Hospital in Lakeway. You can see upcoming dates and make an appointment to donate by entering your zip code here– https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule/

City of Lakeway is HIRING

Open positions include park maintenance, deputy court clerk, accountant, environmental coordinator, police officer, plus (for summer season) lifeguard, swim instructor and front desk concessions.  To get complete info and apply, go here: https://tx-lakeway.civicplushrms.com/CareerPortal/Jobs.aspx

COUNCIL MEETINGS

Severe weather caused Council’s March 21 meeting to be cancelled.  The Agenda was jam-packed with important and sometimes controversial items.  The Agenda items from March 21 are being split into 2 meetings, on March 31 and April 4.

Thursday, March 31 Council Meeting, in-person, 6:30PM at City Hall

It will include appointments to the new aviation study committee, adding 2 Main Street-related items to the ongoing transportation engineering study, and some budgetary/spending items.

Consequential Agenda items include:

ITEM 6 (within the consent Agenda): Creating Aviation Zoning District Study Commission and appointing members as follows:

Mayor Kilgore appoints Ron Massa
Mayor Pro Tem Mastrangelo appoints Matt Sherman
Councilmember Higginbotham appoints William Cotton
Councilmember Kumar appoints Chris Lee
Councilmember Smith appoints Ed LeBlanc
Councilmember Trecker appoints JoAnn Anderson
Councilmember Vance appoints Randy Adams

ITEM 13: Citizens Participation for items NOT on the Agenda.

ITEM 16: Amending the budget to purchase 4 additional police patrol vehicles and 1 motorcycle unit (for $300K from the Capitol reserve Fund) in fiscal year 2022 rather than in fiscal year 2023 as planned, due to supply chain problems that have delayed 2021 purchases and are expected to continue.

ITEM 17: Lakeway Resort and Spa requests $120,000 in hotel occupancy tax funding for an advertising campaign.

ITEM 18: Adding 2 more projects to the ongoing transportation engineering study (increasing cost of the study by $39K).  The projects are: 1) connecting Birrell Street from Medical Drive to Lohmans Spur; and 2) connecting Main Street through Phase 2 of The Oaks PUD, but being REVIEW ONLY of the pricing presented by the developer for a 130 ft. bridge spanning Yaupon Creek and connecting to the adjacent property.

ITEM 19: Funding the city’s required share (10%) of right of way costs associated with the upcoming Hwy. 620 expansion, the amount now due being $3,222,096.

ITEM 21: Executive Session covering police matters.

The Meeting Packet is here– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3275

To send comments to Council beforehand (by noon on Monday, March 28) about any agenda item, go here and create a Public Comment Form– https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx

Go here to watch the Council meeting online (live or later)— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

Monday, April 4 Council Meeting, in-person, 6:30PM at City Hall

It will include consideration of a workforce housing project on Hwy. 71 and Bee Creek Road.

Consequential Agenda items include:

ITEMS 4 and 5: As to 16419 Clara Van, being 1.571 acres near the Marina, amending the Future land Use Map from residential to commercial, and also changing zoning from R-6 single-family to Marina. (ZAPCO recommended denial of both actions.)

ITEM 6: Special Use Permit covering 99 years for a 24-hour convenience store and gas station at 1301 RR 620 N. and Debba Drive.

ITEM 7: As to Lakeway Highlands and Rough Hollow, approval of the resubmitted consolidated and amended preliminary plan, with the addition of added water quality ponds at LCRA approved locations and the removal of the gas station.  (ZAPCO recommended approval.)

ITEMS 8 and 9: As to 18214 W. Hwy. 71 at Bee Creek Road, a 14.89 tract, amending the Future land Use Map from Commercial to Mixed Use, and also changing the zoning from C-1 (office/retail) to PUD (Planned Unit Development), to include 276 workforce housing apartments and a restaurant. (ZAPCO recommended approval of both actions.) [The meeting packet, linked below and starting at page 109, includes detailed info on the apartments and on traffic issues, graphics showing the planned improvements, and an LTISD study relevant to the project’s projected impact on area schools.]

ITEM 10: License Agreements between Lakeway and various Rough Hollow subdivisions, to legitimize ongoing use of land in the city’s right of way for walls, lights, irrigation, signs, monuments and the like.

The Meeting Packet is here– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3276

To send comments to Council beforehand (by noon on Friday, April 1) about any agenda item, go here and create a Public Comment Form– https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx

Go here to watch the Council meeting online (live or later)— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

Daring Mighty Things 

SLS, the mega-rocket designed to go to the moon, rolled out of NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building, carrying the Orion spacecraft as far as the launch pad on March 18.  Testing will happen well into April, checking out all systems right up to launch.  The first planned mission, Artemis 1, will be an uncrewed flight around the moon, tentatively scheduled for May. Artemis 2 will be a crewed flight around the moon, likely in 2024.  Artemis 3 will land a crew on the moon, not done since 1972, and is planned for 2025. NASA’s new moon rocket, its most powerful ever, rolls out for 1st time 3/17/22 https://www.space.com/nasa-artemis-1-moon-mission-rollout-launch-pad

Three cosmonauts docked at ISS on March 19, wearing yellow suits with blue trim.  The official statement is that crews always get to choose the color of their suits, and this time it just happened to match Ukraine’s flag.  Russian cosmonauts board ISS wearing colours of Ukraine flag 3/19/22 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/mar/19/russian-cosmonauts-board-iss-wearing-colours-of-ukraine-flag

Back to me….  

Here is a good book I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

Watergate–A New History, 2022, by Garrett M. Graff—I thought I knew pretty much what happened with Watergate.  Turns out, I did not.  This amazing book covers EVERYTHING, including scores of other plots and scandals with tangential connections to what finally brought Nixon down.

Fawn season is coming!  In recent years, Lakeway residents posted photos of new fawn parked in their yards during the first week of April.  Don’t assume the fawns you spot on a walk or in your yard 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 here on how to tell if a fawn needs 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.  COMING SOON: New roadside banners (courtesy of the Wildlife Advisory Committee) reminding drivers about wobbly and erratic fawns. Here are some recent photos of our deer herd. 

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, the new BA.2 subvariant of Omicron became the dominant variant, per the W. H. O on March 23.

Asia and Europe are fighting Covid surges, causing new cases globally to start rising again.

In Asia, Omicron is the culprit.  Hong Kong is the world’s hot spot, largely due to vaccine skepticism, which in turn arises from distrust of the increasingly repressive Chinese government.  The new case rate there finally started dropping last week, but the death rate (already the highest in the world) is expected to continue rising for several weeks.

China continues to battle an Omicron surge, reporting the highest number of cases since the start of the pandemic and locking down province after province.  China is one of very few countries still working a zero tolerance policy, as opposed to shifting toward endemic strategies.  Disney Shanghai has closed, due to the surge.

South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Singapore, and many other Pacific countries are also battling Covid surges.

In Europe, the problem is BA.2, Omicron’s even more contagious variant. Britain, Germany, France, Italy and some other European countries are starting to report a surge of cases.  Austria reinstituted an indoor mask mandate.  Yet, Poland is dropping its indoor mask mandate and other restrictions next week, despite a low vaccination rate (59% of its population).

As for vaccinations, 11.2 billion shots have been given, with 57.9% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

Africa has the lowest vaccination rate, still only 14% across the continent.

Canada still prohibits unvaccinated foreign visitors from entering the country.  So, unvaccinated MLB players cannot enter Canada to play against the Toronto Blue Jays.  Per the league’s new labor agreement, these players will not be paid while the team is abroad.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have decreased 14%, hospitalizations are down 38%, and deaths decreased 37%.  We are averaging 30,000new cases per day. 19,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 800 people per day.

Cases are still falling overall, but the Covid pendulum may well be swinging us back into a surge. Last week, the 7-day average of new Covid cases in the U.S. rose for the first time since January.  New York, Connecticut and Arkansas reported cases rising by over 20%.  But, hospitalizations are still falling.  Deaths are under 1,000 per day for the first time since Omicron appeared.

In the US, BA.2 accounts for a growing proportion of new infections, about 25% as of March 20.  This variant is estimated 30-50% more contagious than original Omicron.  If BA.2 continues to spread, the 2-month long trend of falling case totals will reverse–just in time to ruin another summer.  In another worrisome indicator, agencies that monitor Covid via wastewater report rising levels.  Finally, experts point to the new surge in Europe; since the beginning of the pandemic, surges in the US have been presaged by surges in Europe.  On the other hand, all the recent Omicron infections may protect people from this variant.  Plus, being vaccinated and boosted all but guarantees very mild disease. 

The US Capitol, closed to the public for over 2 years due to Covid, will begin reopening to tourists next week.

As for vaccination, in the US, 65% of the entire population is fully vaccinated (no change in 2 weeks).  Average shots administered per day decreased to 224,000.  97 million booster shots have been given.

U.S. Covid vaccination rates have stalled. About a quarter of eligible adults remain unvaccinated, and half haven’t gotten a booster shot, as the loosening of pandemic restrictions lessened demand for vaccinations.

On March 16, Pfizer requested emergency authorization from the FDA for a second booster for those age 65 and older.  On March 18, Moderna Pfizer requested emergency authorization from the FDA for a second booster for ALL adults.

The Biden administration has been debating a second booster, with experts split on the need for it.  One view cites incomplete data on the waning of immunity from the first booster; there is also concern that, absent another virulent wave of infection, the vaccine would be largely wasted, while much of the world waits on any shots at all.  The other view is that another wave is inevitable, and a second booster for older Americans would save countless lives as well as guard against minor cases causing hospitalization and/or resulting in long Covid, just as the first booster did against Omicron.  As of March 26, it appears that a second booster (patient’s choice of Pfizer or Moderna) for those age 50 and up will be made available as an option in the US, but without specific recommendation that it is needed.  The FDA and CDC would need to approve, but Americans 50+ could be getting second boosters at their local pharmacies as soon as early April.

New studies indicate the J&J vaccine is better than was thought, likely as effective at Moderna and Pfizer for preventing Covid-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

In Texas, the current positivity test rate is 2.6%.  In the last 2 weeks, new cases increased 5%, hospitalizations dropped 38%, and deaths fell 46%.  We are averaging 4,700 new cases and 52 deaths daily.  As of now, there are 1,700 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

New cases are on the rise again in Texas.  We had 32,000 new cases last week, as opposed to 25,000 new cases two weeks ago.  Travis County reported the same trend.

However, Travis County ended COVID-19 restrictions last week.  Austin Public Health Risk-Based Guidelines remain at Stage.

In Texas, only 61% of all residents are fully vaccinated.  

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

Biden Administration Plans to Offer Second Booster Shots to Those 50 and Up 3/25/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/25/us/politics/biden-second-booster-shot-older-americans.html

Drugmakers, scientists begin the hunt for long COVID treatments 3/25/22 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/drugmakers-scientists-begin-hunt-long-covid-treatments-2022-03-25/

Another Covid Surge May Be Coming. Are We Ready for It? 3/19/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/19/health/covid-ba2-surge-variant.html

Once again, America is in denial about signs of a fresh Covid wave 3/16/22 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/16/once-again-america-is-in-denial-about-signs-of-a-fresh-covid-wave

Pfizer and BioNTech Seek Authorization of a Second Booster Shot for Older Americans  3/16/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/us/politics/pfizer-second-booster-shot-older-americans.html

As Virus Data Mounts, the J.&J. Vaccine Holds Its Own 3/15/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/health/covid-johnson-vaccine.html

How to help Ukraine—DONATE with confidence the funds will be used to help those who need it.

Charity Watch (a watchdog group that monitors charities and investigates donation fraud) lists several Top-Rated Charities Providing Aid In Ukraine. Go here for blurbs on what each group is doing, with links to click and donate.  https://www.charitywatch.org/charity-donating-articles/top-rated-charities-providing-aid-in-ukraine?fbclid=IwAR0v_F0qrm5YiOIjpk6YQdUAHr7QVmCcwsrgF3tXj3R0y6JjVcEk-jPrbJY

What is going on in Lakeway ….

Nina KNOWS Lakeway

For years now, I’ve attended Council and ZAPCO meetings.

I regularly post on Next Door and Facebook, letting people know what is happening in city government.

I have published this blog, covering all things Lakeway, for over 2 years now.

I serve on the new Wildlife Advisory Committee.

So, I know how the city works. I know the issues and the players. Unlike others in the race who are new to city government, I will jump right in, without a steep learning curve.

VOTE for the candidate who KNOWS Lakeway.

–UPDATE: My campaign website now has 10 items on the Policies page. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/policies

Wildlife       Traffic      Airpark     Golf Carts         New Development   Home Businesses (AKA the daycare fiasco) 

Justice Center      YMCA Sidewalks New Stratus Proposal to Complete The Oaks and Connect Main Street  

Be warned, I go into detail, not only stating my position but demonstrating how I got there. I believe in showing my work. Personally, I’m disappointed when candidates point at a problem, offer platitudes, and then act like they have accomplished something.

Are there other local issues YOU are concerned about and think need review? Let me know.

–Amazing local photographer Ron Brauer allowed me to use his GORGEOUS Sunset in Lakeway shot (taken recently) on my campaign site’s Policies page.

–BALLOT ORDER: City of Lakeway did its random drawing on Feb. 28, determining the order of the 6 candidates on the ballot.  And, I will be number 4.  Oh well, I’ve gotten this far without being particularly lucky!  I’ll just need people to VOTE FOR ME INTENTIONALLY, as opposed to relying on a bump from a few voters who just check the first 3 boxes.

–Upcoming MEDIA: The League of Women Voters will publish (print and online) a Council candidate survey in its April Voters Guide.  Also, Impact Magazine will cover the Council race in the election guide of its April issue.

–Stay updated via my Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

If you want a yard sign delivered, just let me know. nina4lakeway@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTIONS are gratefully accepted; they will help me win a seat in this crowded election.

Venmo: @Nina4Lakeway PayPal: There is a PayPal button on the campaign website (link above).

Check: Make it out to Nina Davis Campaign Fund and contact me for the mailing address or to have it picked up.

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!

LTISD election

VOTE Laurie Higginbotham for LTISD Place 3 on May 7!

After 2 terms on Lakeway Council, Laurie decided to run for LTISD.  Our schools need her, but she will be missed on Council.  Check out Laurie’s website: https://laurieforltisd.com

Laurie’s campaign sign is in my yard, and she has my vote.

Mayor Kilgore’s Live Update

The Mayor’s next live update is Wednesday, March 16, 2PM.   https://www.facebook.com/cityoflakeway

OPEN HOUSE for proposed Workforce Housing PUD on Hwy. 71

The developers will present their vision and take questions from the public, on Wednesday, March 16, 5-7PM, at the Activity Center.  (See ZAPCO March 2 meeting below for a full review of this proposal.)

A Night with the Austin Symphony Orchestra

The Austin Symphony Orchestra performs with Lake Travis High School students on Saturday, March 26, at 7pm.  Brought to you by the City of Lakeway Arts Committee, this concert will take place at the Lake Travis Performing Arts Center. Tickets, $15-50, are on sale online at www.ltisdschools.org/finearts

Household Hazardous Waste Day

On Wednesday, March 30 Lakeway residents can drop off batteries, paint, cleaners and more hazardous waste (NO LIGHT BULBS ACCEPTED) at the Lake Travis Regional Reuse & Recycling Center, 3207 Neidhardt Dr., Lakeway, TX 78734.  A reservation is required.  Go here for a list of what is accepted and to make a reservation: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44aca728a1f4c07-household2

Lake Travis Community Library

During March, the watercolor art of mother-daughter duo Helen Faythe Green and Amanda Green is exhibited.  Award-winning works as well as new pieces are on display, some drawing from nature and others portraiture.

Lakeway Arts District website

Looking for a resource for all things ART in the Lakeway area?  Interested in local artists, upcoming events, arts and culture articles?  Check out Lakeway Arts District!  https://lakewayartsdistrict.com

ZAPCO March 2 meeting

VERY interesting meeting, as to 2 different matters.

FIRST, a new workforce housing project had its first airing.  The proposal is for 276 apartments with amenities on 14.89 acres out on 71, at the corner of Bee Creek Road.  There will also be a restaurant; having both residential and commercial on the tract requires Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning.  The surrounding properties are all commercial.  Density will be less than the 20 units per acre allowed for R-9 multi-family housing. 

The location complies with the Comprehensive Plan, which calls for this type of project along our major highways, so that traffic concerns in town are minimized.  Plus, the restaurant will provide sales tax revenue.

Variances requested are few and minor.  The slope allows for buildings to be 3 stories from frontage, with a 4^th tucked under the slope.  The total number of parking spaces will exceed the statutory requirement, but most will be covered (in a parking garage), so a variance is needed there.  Inside the garage, turning radius would be reduced (to what, it seems, is standard for the industry).  Cut and fill is increased.  The developer will pay $1.2MIL as fee in lieu of parkland.  That is ALL being asked for, as variances—a HUGE change from the outrageous laundry list that other projects demand.

Lakeway’s need for workforce housing is obvious.  Teachers, police officers and fire personnel cannot afford to live in or near Lakeway; with commuter traffic so bad and no mass transit available, people take jobs elsewhere.  This also applies to medical, restaurant, hotel, retail, and office staff.  Our business owners cannot hire and retain the staff needed.  Residents habitually complain that places open and close before they even get a chance to try them.  They also bemoan our lack of certain high-end restaurants and stores.  Well, a lot of that is because of staffing problems that are due to the lack of housing options.

Lakeway desperately needs workers, and workers need housing.  Per the info available to date, this looks like the right project in the right location.  ZAPCO agreed, voting to recommend to Council changing the Future Land Use Map from the existing commercial to mixed use, as well as changing zoning from the existing commercial to PUD.   I do think that details on how applicants qualify for the project and what rates are changed/discounts given need to be made crystal clear during Council review.  In addition, references to things like exterior materials used for the buildings being the same as in the 2021 Nightingale proposal need to be replaced with exact language in the current PUD document.  But, overall, I see this proposal as an exciting and overdue step forward for Lakeway!

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The developers will present their vision and take questions from the public, on Wednesday, March 16, 5-7PM, at the Activity Center.

SECOND, many Rough Hollow residents have been upset lately over learning that a gas station in Rough Hollow was approved many years ago, in the original development agreement.  And, Legend Communities appeared ready to build it, by the Welcome Center.

The consolidation of Rough Hollow’s several development agreements was on ZAPCO’s agenda as a seemingly routine matter.  This was resolving a water quality issue from last fall; LCRA changed Legend’s suggestion for location of retention ponds.  As ZAPCO was preparing to accept that change, the City Manager mentioned this would also be a good time to consider the gas station.  First, everyone sat there, jaws dropped.  Then, Commissioners noted there is widespread public opposition to the gas station.  And, they voted to recommend Council approve consolidation of the Rough Hollow development agreements, with LCRA’s retention pond location and WITHOUT the gas station.

In all the Council, ZAPCO and committee meetings I have attended over the last several years, I have never been as shocked, in a GOOD way, as I was at this one. Go here to watch the meeting online: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/155516

Council meets Monday, March 21

The Workforce Housing PUD should be on the agenda, which will be posted on the city site next week.  If planning to attend in person, be warned that the last Council meeting adjourned at 1AM.  Given the rancor of opponents already gearing up to kill the project, this meeting is likely to be a real pajama party. 

Texas elections–March 1 primary election results

Less than 20% of registered voters in Texas bothered to cast a ballot in this election. 

O’Rourke, Abbott and Patrick won their primaries, as expected.  Parties’ activist wings see mixed results in Texas as Abbott advances, progressives fall short of goals 3/2/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/02/texas-primary-2022-results/

But, the Democratic slot for Lt. Governor will be decided at the run-off election on May 24.   So will BOTH sides of the Attorney General race.  Land Commissioner and Railroad Commissioner will also go to run-off.  Here is a good review of ALL the races heading to run-offs in May. These statewide Texas races are heading toward a runoff 3/3/22  https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/03/texas-primary-races-heading-may-24-runoff/9342824002/

Garza will face Jaworski in AG run-off. Democrat Lee Merritt suspends campaign for attorney general nine days after election day, clearing path for runoff 3/10/22  https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/10/texas-attorney-general-election-lee-merritt-runoff/

Daring Mighty Things 

The US and Russia have partnered for decades on running the International Space Station, largely immune from political friction.  Now, due to Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and resulting sanctions, ISS is in jeopardy.  Plus, after the space shuttles were retired in 2011, US astronauts were ferried to the ISS and back on Russian Soyuz craft, along with supplies; recently, private companies started doing some of that, but an American astronaut is scheduled to return from ISS on a Soyuz March 30.  How Sanctions on Russia Affect International Space Programs 3/7/22 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sanctions-on-russia-reach-outer-space-180979679/

Back to me….  

Yesterday was my Mom’s birthday. Some of you knew her, Deanna Davis-Turner. She moved here with me from Maui, back in 2009. She would have been 83 yesterday–though she would NEVER have admitted it! Mom passed in 2016, but I still see or hear something fun and just for a tiny second think “Gotta tell Mom.”

Here are 2 good books I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

The Deepest of Secrets (2022), by Kelley Armstrong—The unusual detective series set in the Yukon wilderness continues, but this time the town of Rockton—whose very existence is shrouded in secrecy—finds its own dirty secrets exposed, resident by resident. This 7^th book in the series manages something rarely done, upending the entire premise in a credible and plot-driven way.  Can’t wait to see how book 8 proceeds.

A Game of Fear (2022), by Charles Todd—The excellent Inspector Rutledge series set in post-WWI England was written for decades by a unique duo—mother and son.  Well, Caroline Todd died in 2021, leaving son Charles to carry on alone.  This book presents an intriguing mystery, solved by a detective like none other.  Happily, it also manages to transport the reader instantly to a radically different world as it existed 100 years ago.

Fawn season is just around the corner.  Look for parked fawns all over Lakeway, starting in early April.  Don’t assume they are abandoned; Mama Does park newborn fawns to rest, while they graze in the vicinity, before collecting the babies and moving on.  More info here on how to tell if a fawn needs help, plus lots of adorable fawn photos from past seasons: https://ninawriteorwronginlakeway.com/parked-fawns-injured-deer/

Drive carefully!  A shocking number of fawns are hit by cars every spring.  If you see a doe, assume there is a fawn with her; if you see one fawn, watch for another.  Look for new roadside banners (courtesy of the Wildlife Advisory Committee) reminding drivers about wobbly and erratic fawns.

Here are some recent photos of our deer herd. (This time of year, it is fun to look for the fawn bumps.)

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, the official death toll from Covid19 exceeded 6 million people last week.

Two years ago, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic.  More memorably, perhaps—that day, the NBA suspended its season, and Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announce they had tested positive.

Now, 2 new variants are being watched.  “Stealth Omicron” or BA.2 is worldwide but milder than Omicron and not predicted to cause new surges; the vaccines and immunity from an Omicron infection protect against it.  However, BA.2’s extremely high transmissibility may slow the end of Covid outbreaks and complicate treatment. Just announced last week, the newer Deltacron is a recombinant virus with genes from both Delta and Omicron.  It has been found in Europe and in the United States.  Deltacron is still new enough and rare enough that experts cannot assess its severity or how well vaccines and treatments will work against it.

Hong Kong continues to struggle with its Omicron surge, reporting the highest death rate in world.  Mortuaries are overwhelmed, leaving bodies of the dead at hospitals far beyond their storage capacities; photos showed bodies stacked high in rooms with living patients.  Ambulance wait times can stretch to a full day.  A threatened lockdown has caused a panic over groceries and essentials, emptying stores.

South Korea experienced a severe Covid surge during an important and close national election. On election day, March 9, the general public voted 6AM to 6PM, and then people diagnosed with Covid were asked to vote 6PM-7:30PM, in order to minimize infections.

China has also been hit by the current Omicron surge through Asia.  Lockdowns are in force in Shanghai and over a dozen provinces.

Germany reported over a quarter million new cases on March 10, a record for that country.  Officials have announced all restrictions will be lifted by the end of March.

Canada is dropping its indoor mask mandate, due to a sharp drop in current cases.

As for vaccinations, 11 billion shots have been given, with 57% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

After nearly 2 years, Australia opened ALL borders to travelers, provided they are FULLY VACCINATED.

Austria dropped its vaccine mandate, due to Omicron’s milder cases.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, the Omicron surge continued to subside.  Cases have decreased 49%, hospitalizations are down 43%, and deaths decreased 33%.  We are averaging 35,000 new cases per day.  31,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 1,200 people per day.

As America approaches the milestone of 1 million dead from Covid-19, many millions more mourn the people who were lost.  Studies show that every death left behind, on average, 9 close family members.

Remember ordering 4 FREE Covid test kits back in January, with the federal government mailing them to you via USPS?  Well, everyone can now order 4 MORE FREE TEST KITS.  (I ordered mine on March 7, and they were delivered on March 11.)  Just go here and complete the form again—https://special.usps.com/testkits

The Biden administration announced expansive plans for the country to move into a new normal with Covid.  One new process is called “test to treat.”  People will get tested (free of charge) at pharmacies, and those with positive results will be issued antiviral pills on the spot (again—free of charge) to minimize the chance of serious disease, hospitalization and death.

Mask mandates for the vaccinated were lifted for the White House and Congress as of March 1.  Several states followed suit, leaving only Hawaii with an indoor mask mandate; state officials announced on March 8 that, in light of its Omicron surge rapidly subsiding, the mask mandate there will end on March 26.

Masks will continue to be required by TSA, through April 18. So, passengers on planes, buses and trains still must wear masks, along with anyone in airports, stations and transit hubs.  The CDC is considering a change in guidelines for travelers, so this will likely change in April.

The NFL lifted Covid restrictions, the first athletic league to do so in the US.

As for vaccination, in the US, 65% of the entire population is fully vaccinated (no change from 2 weeks ago).  Average shots administered per day decreased to 266,000.  96 million booster shots have been given.

In Texas, the current positivity test rate dropped to less than 3%.  In the last 2 weeks, cases decreased 22%, hospitalizations dropped 46%, and deaths fell 42%.  We are averaging 4,500 new cases and 96 deaths daily.  As of now, there are nearly 2,900 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

On March 5, Travis County dropped to Stage 2 guidelines, for the first time since Delta appeared last summer.  (It was just on March 1 that we moved down to Stage 3.)

In Texas, only 60% of all residents are fully vaccinated (no change in last 2 weeks).  

Recent Covid articles I recommend….

The Covid cloud is starting to lift – but two years on, its legacy of grief lingers 3/12/22 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/12/covid-pandemic-two-years-later

What is the Deltacron variant of Covid and where has it been found? 3/11/22 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/what-is-deltacron-covid-variant-uk

‘Stealth’ Omicron Is Stealthy No More: What’s Known About the BA.2 Variant 3/11/22 https://www.nytimes.com/article/omicron-variant-ba2.html

Do Covid Precautions Work? 3/9/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/briefing/covid-precautions-red-blue-states.html

Covid May Cause Changes in the Brain, New Study Finds 3/7/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/health/covid-brain-changes.html

Pfizer Shot Is Far Less Effective in 5- to 11-Year-Olds Than in Older Kids, New Data Show 2/28/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/health/pfizer-vaccine-kids.html

New Research Points to Wuhan Market as Pandemic Origin 2/27/22 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/26/science/covid-virus-wuhan-origins.html

We all know that what is happening in Ukraine is wrong. 

In 2022, the world should be better than this.

Also, watching the news coverage, I’m struck by all the beloved pets in jeopardy along with their owners.  It really brings the situation home, when TV coverage shows a Ukrainian fleeing with a dog on a leash or a cat in a carrier, while leaving behind keepsakes and essentials.  Painful as it is, I can’t help but identify with that.  I say an extra prayer that they find refuge.  This notice from Poland is comforting.

In Lakeway 

Nina4Lakeway!

The deadline to file for a slot on the ballot has passed, and there are 6 candidates running for 3 seats.  Voters can choose up to 3 candidates.  These are open seats, so the 3 people getting the most votes will win. 

Interesting tidbit: On Monday, Feb. 28, the City Secretary will draw candidate names out of a bag, to determine the order we appear on the ballot. 

People are already asking me how they should vote.  Well, VOTE FOR ME, of course!  Beyond that, I suggest researching ALL the candidates. 

Here’s my take:  The 3 other women running are new to city government and would face a STEEP learning curve if elected.  And, at least 2 of them are SINGLE-ISSUE candidates; I worry they don’t have the interest or desire to handle ALL the important city issues.  Plus, Lakeway politics must stay LOCAL and not be diverted into some EXTREME AND DIVISIVE NATIONAL AGENDA, so please keep that in mind as you evaluate them. Finally, the 2 men on the ballot have been on Council the last 4 years, so my advice is to consider exactly what they have done in that time to take care of Lakeway and improve your quality of life; if nothing much comes to mind, maybe it is time for a change.

Starting in March and heating up in April, there will be question/answer surveys published, from League of Women Voters and Impact Magazine.  Groups will also sponsor forums (in person, I hope, and not just via Zoom).  These will be publicized here and on my campaign’s Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

And, if YOU would like to host a small gathering, I would be happy to come and talk about Lakeway’s current issues, things coming up for review by the city, and more.  Just let me know!

Here is an item from my Policies page:

Sidewalks are good, and Lakeway should have more of them. 

Residential streets without sidewalks can be dangerous.  I walk a couple hours every morning, and I get all over Old Lakeway.  We have groups walking for their health, joggers wearing earbuds who cannot hear oncoming traffic, folks with dogs on leashes, parents pushing strollers, kids going to school or bus stops, and more.  I have seen many close calls.  Maybe it was fine decades ago when Lakeway got started, but now it is a problem for pedestrians to be sharing our tight and twisty roads with cars.

At a recent Council meeting, I suggested during Citizens Participation that the code be amended to require sidewalks in all new residential developments. 

I also asked the city to look into fixing some of our existing streets that need sidewalks the most.  Start by seeking input from residents on what roads really need sidewalks and then have Public Works assess options for those streets.  Only one side of the street is fine, and it doesn’t have to be the entire street—just where walking on the street is dangerous.  All of Lakeway’s residential streets can’t be fixed, obviously; retrofit is difficult and expensive.  But, to the extent some sidewalks are installed where really needed, Lakeway will be a better place to live.

Keep an eye on the Policies page, as MUCH MORE will be added soon. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/about-4  Be warned, I go into detail, not only stating my position but demonstrating how I got there. I believe in showing my work. Personally, I’m disappointed when candidates point at a problem, offer platitudes, and then act like they have accomplished something.

Follow my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway If you want a yard sign delivered, let me know. nina4lakeway@gmail.com Donations are gratefully accepted; they will help me win a seat in this crowded election. –Venmo: @Nina4Lakeway –PayPal: There is a PayPal button on the campaign website (link above). –Check: Make it out to Nina Davis Campaign Fund and contact me for the mailing address or to have it picked up.

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!

Garage Sale

Lakeway’s next city-wide indoor garage sale happens on Saturday, March 5, 2022.  It runs 8AM to noon, at the Activity Center on Cross Creek.

POSTPONED–Fun Run/Walk for Animals

Texas Animal Fund’s Fun Run/Walk at Lakeway City Park was scheduled for Feb. 26.  Bad weather forced postponement until Saturday, March 5.  Funds raised will benefit a spay/neuter program in the Rio Grande Valley, where the level of unaltered cats and dogs is critical.  Go here for details and to register to participate or sign up as a volunteer: https://www.texasanimalfund.org

Lakeway Council met Tuesday, Feb. 22.

RESULTS are in ALL CAPS. Councilmember Trecker was absent.

ITEM 12: Feb. 25, 2022, was DESIGNATED AS Jerry Hietpas Day.

ITEM 13: Police Chief Glen Koen was SWORN INTO OFFICE.

ITEM 14: Citizens Participation for items NOT on the Agenda. 3 PEOPLE SPOKE

ITEM 16: Creating an Aviation District Study Committee (with 6 members), and appointing Mayor Kilgore, Councilmember Vance, and Assistant City Manager Molis as the city’s 3 members.  Instead of a study committee, Council decided to create a REGULAR COMMITTEE OF 7 RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS, WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO NOMINATE SOMEONE AT THE MARCH 21 COUNCIL MEETING.

ITEM 17: Update from the Wildlife Advisory Committee. COUNCIL ACCEPTED THE COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATION THAT NO ACTION BE TAKEN TO CONTROL THE DEER HERD, AS THE RECENT SURVEY FOUND IT TO BE STABLE IN SIZE AS WELL AS HEALTHY, SUGGESTING CONTINUED DATA COLLECTION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AS TO DEER AND OTHER WILDLIFE INCLUDING COYOTES.

ITEM 18: Special Use Permit for a medical lab [TABLED from the previous meeting].  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ITEM 20: Replat of 1303 Teck Circle, in the ETJ.  APPROVED 5:1

ITEMS 21 and 22: Second Reading of requests to approve changes to the Eastside Landings Development Agreement and grant R-1 and R-1* zoning for 43 acres at 17301 Flint Rock Road. The development changes (Item 21) were APPROVED 4:2. The zoning changes (Item 22) were UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

Addendum item A.1 Memorial Day.  COUNCIL AGREED TO MOVE THE CITY’S MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE FROM THE TRADITIONAL FRIDAY TO THAT MONDAY.

Executive Sessions:

–ITEMS 25 and 26: Executive Sessions to consider matters relating to the Police Department and a Lakeway MUD property request.

–Addendum items A.2 Executive Session on litigation (new lawsuit, King vs. City of Lakeway) and A.3 Executive Session on security issues of city officials.

NO ACTION TAKE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR LATER AS OF ANY OF THE 4 ITEMS.

ADJOURNED 12:59am

Go here to watch the Council meeting online:  https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/155043 Go here for the Agenda, Meeting Packet and Presentation: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx

Texas elections 

March 1 primary election

Early voting is over for the March 1 PRIMARY RACES.  If you haven’t voted, be sure to do so on Tuesday, March 1.  Lakeway’s polling place on Election Day is the Activity Center.

As of today, Feb. 26, only 7% of the registered voters in Texas had cast a ballot.

Go here to see your ballot and get answers to all your election questions: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/17/texas-primary-election-2022-voter-guide/?mc_cid=96c4eebded&mc_eid=fc281ae7cc

Go here to see how redistricting changed voting districts for you in the various races. https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2021/texas-redistricting-map/

The League of Women Voters has published its guide, with detailed profiles on all the candidates.  Given redistricting changes and especially with some of the down ballot races that have gotten less publicity, this guide provides info to help you make your decisions.   Here is the link: https://lwvaustin.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=334869&module_id=474680

May 7 municipal election

VOTE FOR NINA  VOTE FOR NINA  VOTE FOR NINA  VOTE FOR NINA   VOTE FOR NINA

Actually, I covered the who-to-vote-for thing at the top of this blog….  Do your research!

The May 7 election will include 2 state-wide propositions related to property taxes going to school districts.  One would reduce property taxes paid to public schools by elderly and disabled Texans.  The other would raise Texas’ homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000 for school district property taxes.  Texas voters will decide whether to lower some property tax bills in May election 2/17/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/16/texas-school-property-tax-school-election/

Daring Mighty Things

After a full year, the mini chopper called Ginny is still flying high.  1 year later, Ingenuity helicopter still going strong on Mars 2/17/22  https://www.space.com/nasa-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-one-year-anniversary

Back to me….  

Running for office has its ups and downs, that’s for sure. Also, it is exhausting. But fun! Once the primary election has passed, attention will turn to the local races, and there are already some events planned. Exciting times to come!

Have a few minutes and need to clear your head?  Name some colors.  This site will show you a “new” color, and you can suggest a name for it—something that would be used on paint samples.  The name has to be unique, so you’ll need to be creative to get a name accepted. Oddly soothing, or maybe just odd…. https://colornames.org/color/07c7a0

Here’s a good book I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

Something to Hide (2022), by Elizabeth George—This isn’t an easy read, given the plot revolves around FGM, but as always the author beautifully writes a complex mystery for Lynley and Havers to solve in modern-day London.

Our deer are relieved that the annual survey results confirmed the herd is stable in size, as well as healthy.  Plus, the ones I see regularly are happy and loving Lakeway, just like the rest of the residents.  Here are a few recent photos.

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­countries fall into 2 wildly different categories: waving bye-bye to Covid or awash in the pandemic.

In the UK, it was announced on Feb. 20 that Queen Elizabeth, age 95, was ill with Covid-19.  She has cancelled activities since then.  Prince Charles contracted Covid-19 for the second time in mid-February, and his wife, Camilla, also tested positive; they had mild cases due to vaccination. At the same time, the UK ended nearly all its Covid restrictions.

Europe is moving on from Covid—or trying to do so.  Many countries (Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Poland) are lifting restrictions currently or over the next 2 weeks. Italy will end restrictions March 31.

Per the World Health Organization, the subvariant of Omicron, BA.2 is now the dominant variant in China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines.  BA.2 is even more contagious that Omicron.

Hong Kong is experiencing a fierce surge.  Lines for testing circle soccer fields.  Patients are overflowing hospitals out onto sidewalks and parking lots; the government retained 10,000 hotel rooms to use for patients.  Officials there avoided mandates, trying to “live with Covid,” in part as rebellion against China’s rigid restrictions.  The elderly In Hong Kong are at high risk, as that group is not well vaccinated.  In an effort to control spread, the government announced that the entire 7.5 million population will be tested 3 times during the month of March.

South Korea on Feb. 18 reported over 100,000 new daily cases, for the first time in the pandemic.

Singapore is re-instituting restrictions, as another surge hits.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have decreased 63%, hospitalizations are down 44%, and deaths decreased 23%.  We are averaging 68,000new cases per day.  55,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 1,800 people per day.

The continued high death rate remains disproportionately large in Republican areas of the country, due to the continued partisan slant on vaccination.

Omicron’s high death toll is surprising, given the early determination its infections were milder than other variants.  It killed mainly unvaccinated people, which is no surprise.  Most of the dead are in their 30s and 40s with no underlying health issue—and that is a huge surprise.

In January, more people caught Covid-19 WHILE HOSPITALIZED than ever before during the pandemic.  Each week in January, over 3,000 patients hospitalized for other things caught Covid.

Washington, D.C., New Mexico and Maryland are relaxing mask rules.  Washington state will end mask mandates in March.  That will leave Hawaii as the only state mandating masks.

Virginia’s new Republican governor has banned masks requirements in schools and is limiting remote instruction.

Omicron is fading, and many businesses are yet again looking at return-to-office schedules.  Microsoft is leading the pack, along with many national banks.  Several such schedules have evaporated during the surges of the last 2 years.

On Feb. 25, the CDC issued new guidelines for countries to use in calculating risk factors of high, medium and low.  This, in turn, allows the populace to know whether we should wear masks, avoid indoor spaces, and social distance.  Vaccinated people only need to mask and follow other precautions in high-risk situations.  Unvaccinated people need to do so all the time.  To calculate the risk factor, counties consider new Covid hospitalizations, percentage of hospitalizations for Covid vs. other causes, and the rate of new Covid cases per 100K people during the last week.  As a result, about 70% of the US population is now at low to medium risk and need not take precautions IF vaccinated.  This does apply to schools, essentially cancelling mandatory masking in school.  But, the federal rule requiring masks on public transportation, including on airplanes, is still in effect, though under review.

In Texas, the current positivity test rate is 7%.  In the last 2 weeks, cases decreased 65%, hospitalizations dropped 46%, and deaths fell 19%.  We are averaging 5,800 new cases and 164 deaths daily.  As of now, there are nearly 5,400 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

Travis County dropped to Stage 4 of the Austin Public Health risk-based guidelines last week due to a lower number of hospitalizations.

Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity

Worldwide, 10.7 billion shots have been given, with 56% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

Sweden advises people 80 and over get a second booster.

Two UK studies found that vaccinated people were less likely to develop LONG COVID (medium or long term fatigue, headache, weakness in the limbs, muscle pain, hair loss, dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of smell, lung scarring).  Plus, people who already have long Covid often find symptoms ease after being vaccinated.

In Canada, the long-running anti-vax protests staged by truckers blockading numerous border crossings and occupying the nation’s capital city of Ottawa were finally countered by the government in the last week.  After emergency measures were enacted, police made hundreds of arrests and hauled away vehicles. During the weeks of the siege, the movement morphed from vaccination complaints to more general anti-government rants.  Many protesters wore body armor and were armed, some carrying assault rifles.  Overall, it became Canada’s Jan. 6, sparking illegal activity and violence distinctly out of character for the Canadian populace, known as unfailingly nice and typically law-abiding.

Israel is opening up to unvaccinated tourists, as of March 1.  Tourists must pass 2 PCR tests—before departure and after arrival.

In the US, 65% of the entire population is fully vaccinated.  Average shots administered per day decreased to 372,000.  94 million booster shots have been given.

A new, two-shot Covid vaccine demonstrates 75% efficacy against moderate disease, and 100% efficacy against severe disease.  It may be an effective booster for other vaccines.  Created by European companies Sanofi and GSK, this is a traditional vaccine and not an mRNA product.  The manufacturers received billions of dollars for development from Operation Warp Speed early I the pandemic, and they will apply for authorization for the vaccine from European and U.S. regulators.

On Feb. 14, New York City fired 1,400 workers (less than 1% of the city’s workforce), for failing to get vaccinated.

Tyson Foods is starting to relax is mask requirement for fully vaccinated workers.

Coachella and Stagecoach festivals announced there will be no mask or vaccination requirements for attendees this year, and no testing will be done.

In the US, a 4^th booster is not planned in the foreseeable future, with experts saying adequate immunity will last months to years after 2 or 3 shots, particularly the T-cell response.

In Texas, only 60% of all residents are fully vaccinated.  

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

CDC eases masking recommendations for 70% of country, including inside schools 2/25/22 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cdc-eases-masking-recommendations-70-country-including-inside/story?id=83111596

Got a Covid Booster? You Probably Won’t Need Another for a Long Time 2/21/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/21/health/covid-vaccine-antibodies-t-cells.html

Who is dying of COVID amid omicron surge and widespread vaccine availability? 2/21/22 https://abcnews.go.com/Health/dying-covid-unvaccinated/story?id=82834971

Experts warn ‘not to get too cocky’ as US contemplates life after Covid 2/20/22 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/20/us-covid-coronavirus-mask-mandates-warning-experts

How Long Covid Exhausts the Body 2/19/22 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/19/science/long-covid-causes.html

Nowhere is safe: Record number of patients contracted Covid in the hospital in January 2/19/22 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/19/covid-hospitals-data-00010283

Red Covid, an Update 2/18/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/18/briefing/red-covid-partisan-deaths-vaccines.html

Vaccination reduces chance of getting long Covid, studies find 2/15/22 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/15/vaccination-reduces-chance-of-getting-long-covid-studies-find

Controlled studies ease worries of widespread long Covid in kids 2/14/22 https://www.statnews.com/2022/02/14/controlled-studies-ease-worries-widespread-long-covid-kids/

In Lakeway 

May 7 Council election

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!

Nina4Lakeway!  Check out my WEBSITE: https://www.nina4lakeway.com/ and my FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway

SIGNS are going up, BIG roadside signs and yard signs.  If you want a yard sign delivered, let me know nina4lakeway@gmail.com

Donations are gratefully accepted; they will help me win a seat in this crowded election.

–Venmo: use @Nina4Lakeway

–PayPal: There is a PayPal button on the campaign website (link above).

–Check: Make it out to Nina Davis Campaign Fund and contact me for the mailing address or to have it picked up.

Here is a brand new POLICY POSITION for my campaign—it isn’t even on my campaign site yet.  (Full details on the development proposal are below under Special Joint City Council & Zoning & Planning Commission Meeting.)

The Stratus proposal to (finally) complete The Oaks and connect Main Street

In my opinion, rejecting the proposal would be a financial disaster and a transportation nightmare for Lakeway.

Anyone worried about the density of this development needs to realize that far worse has already been approved and is on the way for that area.  Rejecting this proposal on density grounds would do no good.  But, it would do a great deal of harm–we would lose Main Street.

I’m not happy about it, but (based on what is known now) I think Lakeway should take the deal.  BUT, don’t bother pretending it is a great development or that residents favor it.  Admit that it is extortion by Stratus, enabled by the gross mismanagement of past administrations, such that we are stuck with numerous dense projects AND we now have no good options to get Main Street connected.  If the city builds that segment of Main Street and the bridge, the cost for engineering and construction is estimated at $5MIL.  Sure, the city could sue Stratus, but litigation is never the quick, simple or cheap way to get results.

Before signing anything, the city should at least try to negotiate and improve the development.  Items really needed include reducing the number of apartments as needed so that the buildings are 3-story and NOT 4-story, more workforce housing (15-25% instead of the paltry 5% offered), moving the townhouses to the apartment side so the park is a full 16 acres, generous parking areas so everyone can use the park, and a trolley to connect that entire area to The Square at Lohmans above and The Oaks shopping area below. 

The documentation must be airtight as to the timeline for start and completion of the road, with heavy fines if violated.  Also, make it clear that no additional variances will be approved down the line, so Stratus doesn’t nickel and dime the city to death like Legend Communities habitually does.

For complete info and to see how I came to this conclusion, read the material below under Special Joint City Council & Zoning & Planning Commission Meeting.

Town Hall Series

The City is hosting a series of Town Halls with City Manager Julie Oakley.  Four meetings are planned for 2022, and the first will be on Thursday, Feb. 17, 5:30-6:30PM, at City Hall.  The discussion with CM Oakley and various city staff members will cover local development, along with permits, code compliance and other aspects of the building & development services department.  The event can be watched online here– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

Fun Run/Walk for Animals

Texas Animal Fund is hosting a Fun Run/Walk at Lakeway City Park on Feb. 26.  Funds raised will benefit a spay/neuter program in the Rio Grande Valley, where the level of unaltered cats and dogs is critical.  Go here for details and to register to participate or sign up as a volunteer: https://www.texasanimalfund.org

Lake Travis Community Library DELIVERS

The library offers a Monthly Home Delivery service.  Patrons who are unable to visit the library or bookmobile due to diminished mobility can pick favorite authors with current titles, and they will be delivered by a volunteer.  If you or someone you know needs this service, call at (512) 263-2885 for details and sign-up.

Special Joint City Council & Zoning & Planning Commission Meeting held Feb. 9.

Starting with some history, Stratus developed the commercial part of The Oaks (HEB and the rest) back in 2015, then ignored the residential portion of the project, as well as failing to build Main Street heading toward Lohmans.  For over a year now, the city has strongly urged Stratus to complete the project, Main Street in particular.

The meeting was informative, yet incredibly frustrating.  Here are the highlights:

–For the 24-acre tract (sitting between HEB and Legend’s very dense City Center development approved in 2021) the NEW PROPOSAL is for 261 multifamily units (1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, with amenities) in 5 buildings up to 4 stories high, on the Birrell side of Main Street, plus 28 townhouses (2 or 3 stories) and a 14-acre park on the Rolling Green side of Main Street.  With a total of 289 units, that comes to 12 units per acre (which is medium density).

–Compare this to what was approved in the Stratus PUD back in 2014—100 patio homes, a 200-room 5-story hotel, and assorted tidbits no one recalls at this point (but NO PARK).  That comes to 300 units on 24 acres—slightly MORE dense than the new proposal.

–As to dense development, the City Manager showed a drawing of ALL the developments in the Lohmans/Main Street area.  Several of them—some built, others on the way, and a few likely dead on the vine—were already approved with more dense housing than 12 units per acre.  Looking at that patchwork of disjointed city planning over the last decade should make us all weep.

–Stratus has zero interest in building the patio homes and hotel, so unless the city agrees to changes, nothing will happen—just like nothing has happened since HEB and The Oaks were allowed to open without adequate roadways to handle the traffic.  That includes Main Street; thanks to mishandling by city officials back in 2014-15, the legal document requiring Stratus to build the road WAS NOT SIGNED. 

–The Main Street segment on this tract goes over a creek.  Turns out the area is environmentally sensitive.  So, traditional bridge construction with pilings in the creek bed would require state and federal environmental review; that equals YEARS of delay in building the bridge and the road.  The solution is $$$$$.  It will cost roughly an additional $1.8 Mil to build the bridge spanning 140 feet over the creek, bringing the cost to build the bridge up to $3.1 Mil. Stratus says the 26 townhomes are needed to pay for the extra cost to build the bridge without triggering environmental concerns and delays.

–Stratus indicated that, once agreement is reached and the PUD changes are approved, it could complete the fancy bridge and its segment of a 4-lane Main Street in about 1 year.  After that, building of the rest of the development would commence.  Legend is committed to completing its segment of Main Street by November of 2023.  The long-threatened widening of 620 through Lakeway remains an ominous cloud over the city, with no hard timeline.

And these are my primary concerns:

–The Stratus rep was vague and inaccurate, corrected multiple times by officials and city staff on many different points.  To every suggestion, he sort of agreed, even when he should have said “No.”  That is never good….  Overall, my impression was the proposal isn’t very serious, and I question if Status would really move forward promptly, if the city agreed.  Is this just another delaying tactic, trying to keep the city from suing?  The PUD Committee has been working with Stratus for a long time now, so they are in the best position to judge.  But, if Stratus is screwing around, then the city needs to cut bait, build the bridge and the road, and then sue Stratus to recoup some of the cost.

–The city needs to be SURE Stratus is right about the bridge issue and capable of building it without triggering environmental concerns and resulting delays. 

–The city must nail Stratus down to a timeline for start and completion of Main Street, with heavy and enforceable fines if dates are missed.  The same goes for the bridge issue.

–I’m happy to see high-end apartments in the center of town.  Seniors downsizing or escaping yard work, as well as newcomers to town, need that option.  Plus, residents sick of paying high property taxes will have a local apartment alternative.

–Stratus agreed to 5% of the apartments being in some form of work-force/affordable housing program. That is only 13 units, which is ridiculous.  The city should negotiate that up to 10% or 20%.  Our business owners are unable to hire restaurant and retail workers, due to the lack of housing awful commute, and Lakeway will benefit if our teachers, first responders and medical workers are able to live in our community.

–As far as traffic—who can really say at this point?  A traffic study will be done.  People living in this development may well drive less, due to the nearly amenities.  That is doubly true for those who also work here; they will no longer be commuting.  The graphic showing the many dense development already approved in the area—Legend’s Square on Lohmans and all the rest—makes it clear that Lakeway officials have been approving dense development for decades. Hitting the brakes now—and sacrificing Main Street—might be emotionally satisfying, but is it logical?

–Walkability was mentioned a lot, but walking is feasible here for less than half the year.  Have Stratus look into running a trolley, looping from HEB, past the park, up between the apartments and the town homes, and even connecting to Legend’s mess above. 

— I REALLY want that park, for all of us.  Residents are always asking for more green space and natural areas, for public use and as breathing room for our wildlife.  Well, this would be 12 acres of it, right in the center of town, including a gorgeous pond.  And surely the park would be a boon to the homes on neighboring Rolling Green, who have long fought building next to them.  BUT, generous parking areas, along Main Street and down at the bottom on the park must be added, so people from all over town can use it.

In the end, there was no vote, as this was just a work session.  Council agreed city staff should continue working with the developer with an eye to moving forward, also working on communicating all this to residents and gathering feedback.  As always, I urge people to watch the meeting and form their own opinions.  https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/154254

Texas elections 

Early voting is Feb. 14-25 for the March 1 PRIMARY RACES.  Dems and Reps choose candidates to face off in November for congressional and legislative offices, plus State Board of Education and judicial seats.  Feb. 18 is the last day to apply to vote by mail in this election. 

Lakeway’s early voting location is Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center, 607 Ranch Road 620 North; this is near Kollmeyer and Lake Travis Elementary School  But, you can vote at ANY early voting location in Travis County. Go here to see your ballot and get answers to all your election questions: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/17/texas-primary-election-2022-voter-guide/?mc_cid=96c4eebded&mc_eid=fc281ae7cc

This 7-minute video covers the 3 Republicans trying to beat Ken Paxton in the March primary for Attorney General, by hammering Paxton as unfit to serve due to the multiple federal indictments pending against him for many years now.  Watch: Embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton fights for political life in GOP primary 2/4/22  https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/03/ken-paxton-attorney-general-primary-texas/

Daring Mighty Things 

NASA scientists have started the 7-phase alignment process on the Webb telescope, now orbiting Earth 1 million miles out.  Estimates put operational status at late summer.   The alignment of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has begun 2/3/22  https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-alignment-begins

Back to me….  

Running for Council is definitely interesting—as in the Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times. 

Just in case I am not the LAST person on the planet to stumble onto Wordle, give it a try. (It is a good thing there is only 1 word per day, or I would get NOTHING done). https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html

Loving the figure skating at The Olympics.  Nathan Chen’s blowout win was sweet redemption!  Watch his awesome long program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zVL9WY3dUw The latest Russian doping scandal is shocking but not really a surprise; Russia is currently banned from international competition due to widespread state-sponsored doping scheme at the 2014 Olympics.  However, Russian athletes are allowed to compete if they prove they are drug-free.  Clearly, some Russian athletes are finding ways to compete with drugs on board.  Figure skating has long been rife with bizarre doings, from Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan’s whacked knee in 1994, through MANY sexual abuse allegations, to the judging scandal in 2002 that resulted in gold medals awarded to TWO teams in the pairs competition.

Here’s a good book I recently finished (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

Robert B. Parker’s Bye Bye Baby, by Ace Atkins (2022)—This is the 8^th book in Atkins’ continuation of Parker’s excellent Spenser detective series.  The first few books were a bit rocky, but Atkins has broken the code; in this one, he even got Hawk pitch-perfect.  I really needed some comfort fiction, and this book was perfect.

Our deer herd is happy and healthy.  Here are some recent photos.

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, reported Covid-10 cases soared past the 400 million mark last week.

Countries are on wildly different paths now, some deep in the worst throes of Omicron infections and deaths, but others rushing to declare themselves done with the pandemic.

Poland’s Omicron surge is just beginning, with new cases skyrocketing; the country has only vaccinated 57% of the population, the lowest rate in Europe.  During the last 2 weeks, Iran reported new cases doubling every 24 hours; as of Feb. 4, half of its 290-member Parliament had Covid.  Since early February, Turkey has had record daily case numbers, with soaring deaths as well; Turkey’s president announced Feb. 5 that he and his family had Omicron.  Russia has reported new cases at record levels for weeks now, including Feb. 11 at 200,000 cases.  South Korea is also reporting more new cases than ever before.  On Feb. 4, Japan reported 100,000 daily cases, a new record. Hong Kong’s Covid surge has resulted in severe restrictions including business closures, a ban on public gatherings, and mandatory use of an app that requires proof of vaccination to enter shopping and restaurant districts.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada tested positive on Feb. 1, along with family members; fully vaccinated and boosted, he was in isolation after being exposed. 

As of Feb. 4, India’s Omicron surge had crested, with daily infections finally starting to decline.

Many European countries, including Britain, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, and Denmark, are essentially ending their Covid restrictions.  This is generally due to a combination of high vaccination rates, sharp Omicron downturn, insecure politicians, and overwhelming public exhaustion over all things pandemic.

Australia, with 95% of adults vaccinated, has lifted lockdowns and stopped contact tracing, indicating the country is ready to live with Covid.  Its citizens aren’t so sure; Facebook groups are doing their own contact tracing, and people in many areas remain at home.

China is strictly policing The Olympics, making every attempt to keep Covid from passing to Chinese residents.  All participants (from athletes to media) arrive in the country via special planes and are met by medical personnel in hazmat suits.  After passing rigorous testing, the participant is assigned to a bubble that ONLY includes the competition venue/assigned housing/official transportation in between; no shopping, sight-seeing or restaurants are allowed.  And, the housing facilities are surrounded by 10’ fences with armed guards.  Everyone is tested daily; that comes to over 70,000 tests done PER DAY.  Several headline athletes have tested positive, forcing last minute withdrawal from competition.  To keep human workers to a minimum, robots perform many cleaning and food service duties.  The human workers who are in the bubbles will live there inside 2 months; they will quarantine when the games are over, not allowed to go home until March.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have decreased 66%, hospitalizations are down 33%, and deaths decreased 2%.  We are averaging 187,000 new cases per day.  99,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 2,400 people per day.

Last week, the US passed the milestone of 900,000 dead people from Covid-19.  That is like burying the entire population of San Francisco, or of Indianapolis.  The US has suffered more Covid deaths than any other country in the world, whether calculated by total numbers or proportion of population, despite free and safe vaccines being available to all for the past year. (Indeed, HALF the deaths occurred after vaccines were available, so those deaths were avoidable.)  Due to idiotic vaccine conspiracy theories and Omicron, the latest 100,000 of America’s pandemic death toll were added in under 2 months. Experts project the 1 million mark being reached by April.

Some states, especially those where Omicron hit early and has now eased, are relaxing Covid restrictions.  The strategy is to shift from the pandemic outlook to an endemic one, where people learn to live with Covid.  (Also, officials up for election soon or just desperate to shore up polling are looking to endear themselves to pandemic-weary voters.)  Delaware dropped its indoor mask rule last week, and it will drop mask rules for schools as of March 31.  New Jersey is dropping its statewide mask rule for schools as of March 7; however, localities will be allowed to require masks as needed.  New York dropped its statewide indoor mask rule last week.  Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Rhode Island followed suit.  California also signaled that rules on masking and mass gatherings will soon be modified. 

Amazon announced Feb. 11 that fully vaccinated employees could work without masks,

However, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Oklahoma are still recording record new case numbers, with overwhelmed hospitals.

Rapid tests will be available to Medicare enrollees, from local pharmacies at no charge.  This federal program should be running by early spring.

On Feb. 11, the FDA gave emergency approval to a new monoclonal antibody drug by Eli Lilly that effectively fights Omicron infections.  The drug, called bebtelovimab, is given as a quick intravenous injection by a health care provider and must be administered within seven days of the onset of symptoms.

In Texas, the current positivity test rate is 17%.  In the last 2 weeks, cases decreased 62%, hospitalizations dropped 30%, and deaths are up 23%.  We are averaging 16,000 new cases and 202 deaths daily.  As of now, there are nearly 10,000 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity

Worldwide, 10.3 billion shots have been given, with 54% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

A big change in vaccines may be coming.  Researchers are experimenting with NASAL SPRAYS instead of shots.  This would deliver the vaccine directly to the location the virus invades and colonizes, providing early protection to vulnerable airways.  Also, this type of vaccine is easier to administer than an injection and is more appealing to many people.

Africa has only vaccinated 11% of its population.  Significant vaccine supplies are on hand, but funds are needed to organize distribution throughout the continent, in order to get shots in arms.

Australia is welcoming VACCINATED visitors, as of Feb. 21.

Austria is the first western country to require by law that all adults be vaccinated for Covid-19, starting Feb. 5.  Only very narrow medical exceptions exist.  By March, heavy fines will be assessed on those violating the law.  Currently 76% of the population is vaccinated.

Canadian truckers, protesting vaccine requirements, have staged blockades at several US border crossings over the last week.  The result is an increasingly serious stoppage of trade across the border.  US car manufacturers have shut down production due to the blockade.  If Canada allows this to continue, the US supply chain will be severely impacted.

In the US, 64% of the entire population is fully vaccinated (no change since January).  Average shots administered per day decreased to 569,000.  91 million booster shots have been given.

Moderna’s vaccine for adults was granted full use approval by the FDA on Jan. 31.  Pfizer’s vaccine received full use approval last August.

On Feb. 11, the FDA announced a 2-month delay in approval of vaccines for kids under 5, in order to collect more data.

GET BOOSTED.  The US lags all other wealthy nations in booster administration, with less than 30% of the population boosted.

Again, GET YOUR BOOSTER.  As have many other studies, the CDC found that being vaccinated strongly protects people from dying of Covid, but getting boosted takes the protection to a whole new level. Only 1 in a million boosted people die from Covid.

In 2020 and 2021, the leading cause of death among police officers in the US was Covid-19.  Vaccination rates are notoriously low among police.

T-Mobile will fire corporate employees not fully vaccinated by April 2, unless they received an exemption on medical, religious or state law ground.  Oddly, this does NOT apply to most workers at the company’s retail stores.

The US Army, with a 97% vaccination rate, is starting the process of dismissing roughly 3,000 service members who have failed to get vaccinated, as required by law.  The Navy, Air Force and Marines have already dismissed a miniscule number of unvaxed troops.  National Guard members are also required to be vaccinated, as part of the military’s combat readiness requirement, but they have another month to get vaccinated.

Since SCOTUS cravenly voided the OSHA mandate for vaccines in large businesses, companies are at the whim of state laws that vary widely.  So, Disney DOES require workers to be vaccinated in California, but it does NOT require workers to be vaccinated in Florida.  Plus, in Texas, asking CUSTOMERS about vax status can get a business fined or result in loss of state licensing.  Before, companies scouted states to locate in based on taxes and regulations; now, they must look at how state vaccination rules will impact them.

In Texas, only 59% of all residents are fully vaccinated (no change since January).   

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

Covid booster effectiveness wanes after 4 months, but still provides protection against hospitalization, CDC study shows 2/11/22 https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/11/covid-booster-effectiveness-wanes-after-4-months-but-still-provides-protection-study-shows.html

Vastly unequal US has world’s highest Covid death toll – it’s no coincidence 2/6/22 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/06/us-covid-death-rate-vaccines

US Covid death toll surpasses 900,000 2/4/22 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/04/us-covid-death-toll-surpasses-900000

“Light at the end of the tunnel”: Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations down as omicron wave appears to crest 2/2/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/02/TEXAS-OMICRON-HOSPITALIZATIONS/

U.S. Has Far Higher Covid Death Rate Than Other Wealthy Countries 2/1/22 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/01/science/covid-deaths-united-states.html

A Conversation with Dr. Fauci. 1/31/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/podcasts/the-daily/we-need-to-talk-about-covid-part-2-a-conversation-with-dr-fauci.html

In Lakeway 

Local election on May 7 will fill 3 Council seats.

To date, 6 residents have filed to run.  Including Nina4Lakeway—that’s me!

Let’s Make Lakeway Even Better!  I’m happy to “Talk Lakeway” with one and all, to get a clear idea of the current issues and concerns residents have regarding our lovely city.  I would greatly appreciate your support. Yard signs will be available soon. https://www.nina4lakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Nina4Lakeway Venmo: @Nina4Lakeway

Lakeway’s Wildlife web pages are ready!

The newly constituted Wildlife Advisory Committee was tasked with providing residents with helpful information on our deer herd and all the other wildlife we live with here in Lakeway. An education subcommittee was created, and we greatly expanded the existing pages. Now, there is a page for the DEER, covering everything from parked fawns to dangerous fences (and how to make them safe for animals and people). In addition, there is a page with sections on all our OTHER wildlife–coyotes, foxes, skunks, birds, snakes, and many more amazing creatures. You will find tips on co-existing with local wildlife, rescue help and info on rehabbers, links to additional resources, and much more. Of course, there are gorgeous photos, nearly all locally sourced.

Start on the deer page (link below). You can just scroll down for section after section, or use the left-side menu to jump around. Don’t forget to use that menu to access the Lakeway Wildlife page; you will see a list of species you might be curious about or need help with, and the left-side menu lets you navigate, as well.

Many thanks to the City’s Communication office for bringing our vision to life. Enjoy!  https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/…/Lakeways-White-Tail-Deer-Herd

City of Lakeway is HIRING.

There are 4 positions open at The Swim Center for the summer season—Head Lifeguard, Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, and Front Desk-Concession.  Plus, Lakeway is looking for a 911 Dispatcher for the Police Department.  Go here for info– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/124/Current-Job-Openings

Oak pruning season ends Jan. 31 and will not return until July.

Pruning in the interim is dangerous to the trees, due to high risk of deadly oak wilt. There is also a city ordinance fining pruning done February-June.

RESULTS of Lakeway Council’s Jan. 18 meeting:

Lakeway Council met in Regular Session on Tuesday, Jan. 18.  All members attended; Councilmembers Smith and Mastrangelo did so remotely.  Consequential Agenda items include:

ITEM 9: Lake Travis Film Festival requests $43,000 of Hotel Occupancy Tax funds.  (POSTPONED from last meeting.) UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ITEM 10: Proposal to refund certain existing bonds and replace them with 1 large new bond at a better rate. UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ITEM 11: Proposal to move forward with engineering services ($191,000) as to several transportation projects (roads, drainage, sidewalks).  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ITEMS 14 and 15: Annexation into Lakeway from the ETJ and designation of R-1* zoning for 6.34 acres located at 314 Clubhouse Drive, with 16 single-family homes to be built per a Development Agreement.  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ITEM 16:  Special use request for a medical lab on Cavalier Canyon Drive.  (TABLED from the last meeting after discussion, as Council had several questions for the owner, who was not able to attend that meeting.)  POSTPONED to the next regular meeting, so staff can gather information on safety procedures and equipment, waste disposal contracts, state license requirements, traffic expectations, and more.

ITEM 18: Revising the code to make the offices of physicians, dentists, optometrists, and chiropractors a permitted use by right in a commercial zoned space, while clarifying that medical offices such as rehab facilities, labs, and testing facilities remain conditional uses when within 300 feet of a residence or school, requiring Council approval.  (TABLED from the last meeting for staff to refine the language used.)  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ITEM 19: First Reading: Amendment of Eastside Landing Development Agreement.  (POSTPONED from Council’s November meeting.)  NO ACTION TAKEN, SINCE FIRST READING, but there was considerable discussion on the requested changes to the development agreement and on the viability of a Flintrock Road connection.

ITEM 20: Discussion of communications strategy and new social media use policy.  (POSTPONED from the last meeting, as presenter was unavailable.)  The new social media policy was UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

ITEM 21: Approval of the May 7, 2022, city election, as terms are expiring for Councilmembers Higginbotham, Mastrangelo, and Smith.  UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

ADJOURNED at 10:01pm.

Go here for the Agenda, Meeting Packet and Presentation— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx

Go here to watch the Council meeting online– https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/153088

Texas elections 

This is a handy voters guide.  Texas’ primary election is March 1. Here’s what you need to know to vote. 1/17/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/17/texas-primary-election-2022-voter-guide/

Here are the details on the 3 Dems vying for Lt. Governor in the March primary.  Meet the three Democrats competing to oust Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick 1/26/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/26/texas-democrats-lt-governor-primary/

This article details contributions received by Paxton, Guzman and Bush, in addition to latecomer Gohmert.  Louie Gohmert said he’d run for attorney general if he could raise $1 million in 10 days. He didn’t get close. 1/20/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/20/louie-gohmert-texas-attorney-general/

How long will voters tolerate Paxton’s defiant malfeasance?  Attorney General Ken Paxton defies county official’s order to release records related to Jan. 6 Trump rally 1/21/22 https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/21/ken-paxton-travis-county-jan-6-texas/

Daring Mighty Things 

On Jan. 24, the Webb telescope arrived at its L2 destination and entered Earth orbit roughly 1 million miles away.  WEBB update site: https://www.space.com/news/live/james-webb-space-telescope-updates

Back to me….  

Having never run for elected office before, I’m learning a lot.  There is so much to do, and much if it is way out of my comfort zone.  The saving grace is being surrounded by a team of really savvy and helpful people.  I’m confident I will be a good Councilmember, but most days I feel like a terrible candidate.  And, then—something good happens!  So, all’s well.

I’m seeing fewer deer these days, but that is the usual pattern this time of year.  Here are a few recent photos.

Just finished this excellent book (available at Lake Travis Community Library):

Justice on the Brink: The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Rise of Amy Coney Barrett, and Twelve Months that Transformed the Supreme Court (2021), by Linda Greenhouse—Fascinating analysis of the Supreme Court’s shocking shift on several areas of law, due to personnel changes on the bench, political upheaval, personal agendas, Covid-19, and more.  Greenhouse won a Pulitzer Price for her lifetime spent reporting on the court, and it shows in this book; SCOTUS is notoriously opaque, but Greenhouse teases out and explains every nuance, to make sense of what they rule AND when they don’t bother to do anything at all.

On the other hand, I gave up on Diana Gabaldon’s latest in the intriguing Outlander series, Go Tell the Bees that I Am Gone (2021).  I’m sure it is excellent, but at 902 pages, I can’t help thinking her editor needs to get to work; reading a book shouldn’t feel like perpetual bicep curls.  I’ll just watch the series unfold on Starz.

I’m looking forward to The Olympics, despite all the weirdness due to Covid and China.  I’ve been an avid figure skating fan since forever. Of the 4 skating disciplines, the US is a 2022 medal contender in Men’s and Ice Dance.  2022 Olympics: U.S. figure skating team, schedule, medal contenders 1/28/22  https://theathletic.com/news/2022-olympics-us-figure-skating-roster-schedule-medal-contenders/FSUMKOH5qN2f/

The Coronavirus   

Worldwide, the Omicron surge is subsiding in some areas, while still rising in others.

New cases on the continent of Africa dropped 20% during the last week. While some European countries are seeing cases decline, Eastern Europe is still in a worsening Omicron surge.  Nations reporting cases still on the rise include Russia, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia.  Russia broke its record for new cases several days in a row last week.

BA.2 is the new variant to watch.  It is an offshoot of Omicron and sometimes called Stealth Omicron.  The new strain has been found in over 40 countries including the US, Britain, and India. Denmark reports BA.2 caused 45% of recent infections there, is more contagious than Omicron, but does not cause more severe disease than Omicron.  This variant is still being studied, but so far the World Health Organization has not designated BA.2 a “variant of concern.”

New Zealand, the poster country for Covid success, announced a surge in Omicron cases on Jan. 22.  As a result, restrictions were imposed including mask wearing and gathering limits.  The Prime Minister also postponed her planned Jan. 29 wedding until the surge is contained.

The UK abruptly lifted most Covid restrictions on Jan. 19, including public masking, vaccine passes for large events, and working from home.  New cases are on the downturn in the country.  However, the move seems to be the Prime Minister’s effort to appease calls for resignation in light of an ugly scandal involving wild parties at Downing Street (then lying about it in a months-long cover-up), in violation of the Covid lockdown he had imposed on the nation.

Pacific island nations (including Kiribati, Samoa, Palau and Solomon Islands) are experiencing Omicron surges, after being largely Covid-free for the last 2 years.  Caribbean island countries are seeing more new cases than ever before during the pandemic.  Tourism is likely responsible for the spread in these areas.  Due to limited health care and remote locations, officials are highly concerned. 

Central and South American countries (including Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina) report sharp increases in cases and hospitalizations.

Bangladesh on Jan. 21 shut down all schools and colleges for at least 2 weeks, due to a rapid rise in new cases.

Canada’s Prime Minister went into isolation on Jan. 27 after being exposed to someone with Covid.

In China, as athletes and support personnel arrive for the Olympics, stringent testing is turning up a multitude of positive results, including after people have been living in the Olympic bubble for several days. As of Jan. 29, several athletes testing positive on the way to China have withdrawn from competition. On Jan. 22, Beijing residents were advised not to leave the area, due to a rash of Omicron cases found in the city; 2 million tests will be conducted there.  Back on Jan. 17, China announced that tickets to Olympic events will not be sold to Chinese citizens, due to fear of Omicron spread.  With foreign spectators already banned, officials said “screened spectators” (likely vaccinated government workers) would attend some events.  Meanwhile, all over the world athletes scheduled to compete at the Olympics are sequestered in training bubbles away from the public, many dropping out of interim competitions to avoid possibly catching Covid and being disqualified.  China has reason to worry about Omicron spread in that nation; the shots given in China are inactivated vaccines, which seem to be far less effective against Omicron than the mRNA activated vaccines.

In the US, in the last 2 weeks, cases have decreased 31%, hospitalizations are down 2%, and deaths increased 30%.  We are averaging 555,000 new cases per day.  149,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with Covid, and the death rate averages 2,500 people per day.

Omicron accounts for over 99% of new infections in the US, per the CDC on Jan. 22.  With new daily cases now well below mid-January’s 800,000 record, the Omicron surge has crested.  Improvement is clearest in the northeastern states where Omicron struck early on.  Several states scattered across the nation are still seeing rising infections and hospitalization, including Montana.

Death rates are still rising nationally, despite Omicron’s reputation for generally causing milder cases.  On Jan. 26, the country’s daily death count exceeded the high during the Delta surge. 

On Jan. 18, the federal site providing free test kits to Americans went live, a day early.  Each household can request that 4 free rapid tests be mailed by USPS.  (I ordered Jan. 18, and my 4 free tests arrived Jan. 25.)  https://special.usps.com/testkits

Starting the week of Jan. 23, free N95 masks were available to the public, at retail pharmacies and community health centers.  (Eventually a nation-wide program, this is rolling out regionally, and it doesn’t seem to have reached Central Texas yet.)   

All over the country, Broadway road shows of Hamilton, Harry Potter and more have shut down due to infections among the players.  Buffalo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Baltimore and San Antoni had shows pause until Omicron passes.

NBC announced on Jan. 21 that ALL its Olympic coverage will be done remotely from a facility in Stamford, Connecticut. No play-by-play announcers, broadcast crews, etc. will travel to China, due to Covid concerns.

In Texas, the current positivity test rate is 31%, down slightly from the record 36% in mid-January.  In the last 2 weeks, cases decreased 29%, hospitalizations rose 16%, and deaths are up 72%.  We are averaging 44,000 new cases and 165 deaths daily.  As of now, there are 14,000 Texans hospitalized for Covid-19. 

As of Jan. 29, the Texas “hot spot” map is blazing pretty much EVERYWHERE.

For the period Jan. 9-18, Austin/Travis County posted record numbers of hospitalizations, more than ever before in the pandemic.  Over 70 Texas hospitals were out of ICU beds, during the week of Jan. 17.  On Jan. 27, Texas had the lowest available ICU capacity at any time during the pandemic.

While case numbers started falling last week, Austin Public Health issued a warning on Jan. 28 that the new Omicron variant, BA.2, has been found in Texas AND in our area.  It is spreading quickly. Even more contagious than Omicron, BA.2 could launch a fresh surge.

Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity

Worldwide, 10 billion shots have been given, with 52% of the planet’s population fully vaccinated. 

The billionth Covid-19 vaccine shot under the global Covax initiative was delivered on Jan. 15, in Rwanda.

Australia eventually booted unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic out of the country prior to his playing in the Australia Open, for lying on his Visa application and being a public health risk and an all-around jerk. 

In Italy, nearly 2,000 doctors and dentists had their licenses suspended for failing to get vaccinated, as the national mandate requires.

Switzerland now reports Covid deaths in 3 categories—unvaccinated, fully vaccinated, and boosted.  This recent table shows that VACCINATIONS SAVE LIVES, and BOOSTERS SAVE EVEN MORE LIVES.

Pakistan is only allowing fully vaccinated people into mosques.

In France, officials are questioning whether patients who refused vaccination should have their Covid hospital bills paid by public insurance in the country’s universal healthcare system.

In the US, 64% of the entire population is fully vaccinated.  Average shots administered per day decreased to 865,000.  87 million booster shots have been given.

New Jersey mandated booster shots for prison, nursing home and hospital workers.

Starbucks no longer requires workers to be vaccinated or tested for Covid-19.  Adjust your beverage needs accordingly….

Department of Homeland Security is requiring proof of Covid-19 vaccination for ALL foreign travelers coming in via land ports of entry and ferry terminals from Mexico or Canada.  (Air travelers were already subject to this rule.) This means that the previous exceptions for foreign essential workers (truck drivers, nurses, students and others) are void, as of Jan. 22.

GET BOOSTED.  A recent US study found that booster shots kept people from being hospitalized due to Omicron 90% of the time. Boosters also reduced visits to ERs and urgent care centers.  Another study showed that unvaccinated Americans 50 years and older were 45 times more likely to be hospitalized that were people fully vaccinated and boosted.

In Texas, only 59% of all residents are fully vaccinated. 

Recent Covid articles I recommend…. 

New Research Hints at 4 Factors That May Increase Chances of Long Covid 1/26/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/25/health/long-covid-risk-factors.html

Charting an Omicron Infection 1/22/21 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/01/22/science/charting-omicron-infection.html

What we now know about lingering COVID-19 known as long COVID 1/23/22 https://www.statesman.com/story/news/healthcare/2022/01/23/what-we-now-know-lingering-covid-19-known-long-covid/6592875001/

Covid Hospitalizations Plateau in Some Parts of the U.S., While a Crisis Remains in Others 1/21/22 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/01/21/us/covid-hospitalizations.html

Booster shots are instrumental in protecting against Omicron, new C.D.C. data suggest. 1/21/22 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/21/health/cdc-covid-booster-omicron.html

How to Reuse N95, KN95, and Other Disposable Masks 1/20/22 https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/how-to-reuse-n95-kn95-and-other-disposable-masks/