HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Here’s something even Democrats and Republicans can agree on—chocolate is GOOD!
The Coronavirus
Nationally
Most signs point to the pandemic, once again, being in retreat. With national new cases in the 100,000 per day range instead of twice that like in January, new case counts are dropping in nearly every state. So are hospitalizations; instead of 130,000 Covid patients, current hospitalizations are down to 75,000. Deaths are still high; a record was set on Feb. 12, with 5,344 Americans reported dead that day alone. Hard to believe, but we are close to half a million Americans dead of Covid.
Experts continue to caution about the spread in the US of several worrisome variants, which could quickly reverse the current hopeful trends. The UK variant is expected to be dominant in the US by March, and it seems to be more contagious and more deadly. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/world/europe/covid-uk-variant-deadlier.html This is obviously not the end of COVID-19, and it is crucial to continue precautions.
Vaccinations–the safe path to herd immunity– are speeding along nicely. Recently, the 7-day average exceeded 1.5 million shots administered per day–3 times the activity in January. (Unfortunately, the current winter storm conditions in a large part of the country will slow things down temporarily.) To date, over 50 million shots are reported administered in the US.
And, the forecast is even rosier, due to the Biden administration recently securing another 200 million doses total from Pfizer and Moderna, to be delivered by summer. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/11/white-house-200-million-more-covid-vaccine-doses-.html
Plus, Johnson and Johnson’s one-dose vaccine should be approved for emergency use later this month, providing another option.
In fact, all this good news allowed Dr. Fauci to predict that ALL AMERICAN ADULTS will able to get vaccinated very soon: “I would imagine by the time we get to April, that will be what I would call, for better wording, ‘open season.’ Namely, virtually everybody and anybody in any category could start to get vaccinated.” I am REALLY looking forward to “open season” if it means I can get vaccinated. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/us/fauci-covid-vaccine-april.html
Texas
Cases and hospitalizations are dropping. Over 40,000 Texans are now dead from Covid, but the daily death rate is starting to decrease.
Vaccinations are going local, with small stocks of doses distributed to local pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens and HEB, throughout the state. (I am thrilled, because that is definitely where I want to be vaccinated, as soon as I’m eligible.)
Nearly 3 million shots have been administered in the state, with over 1 million Texans now fully vaccinated. (Just 28 million Texans to go….)
Travis County has given over 130,000 shots, with over 45,000 people fully vaccinated. The Austin Convention Center is still being used for Covid patient overflow.
Recent Covid articles I recommend….
—US could have averted 40% of Covid deaths, says Lancet panel examining Trump’s policies 2/11/21 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/10/us-coronavirus-response-donald-trump-health-policy
—What CDC found about wearing 2 masks 2/10/21 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/masks-cdc-study-finds/story?id=75789183
—Fauci looking ahead to more vaccines in March, April 2/7/21 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/07/fauci-vaccines-march-april-466776
—In Line for Vaccination, and Not Getting Younger 2/5/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/05/health/coronavirus-vaccination-elderly.html
—The Coronavirus Is a Master of Mixing Its Genome, Worrying Scientists 2/5/21 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/05/health/covid-variants-genome-recombination.html
—A Rocky Road On The Way To Herd Immunity For COVID-19 2/3/21 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/03/963373971/a-rocky-road-on-the-way-to-herd-immunity-for-covid-19
—The Pandemic Is Heading Toward a Strange In-Between Time 2/2/21 https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/02/will-there-be-another-surge-spring-mystery/617900/
On the national stage
The impeachment trial resulted in 57 of 100 senators voting to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection, including 7 Republicans. Unfortunately, that was 10 short of the required 2/3 super-majority. Cowards abound in the GOP…. Without Trump, the horrors of Jan. 6 would NOT have happened. Period. History will damn him, along with all his craven enablers. In the meantime, various criminal court cases will be keeping Trump on edge.
Speaking of tyrants, here’s a book recommendation: On Tyranny—Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder (2017). This tiny book (smaller than my hand and only 125 pages) has HUGE insight into our times, plus practical advice on navigating our political reality—and maybe even changing it. Lake Travis Community Library has 2 copies of the paperback version. Amazon sells it in multiple formats.
In Lakeway
To follow up on local issues from last time….
May 1 Lakeway election
Election Day is May 1, but early voting starts April 19. (If you want to vote by mail, you must apply by April 20, but earlier is better.)
We will elect a new mayor. Candidates are Tom Kilgore and Alain Babin.
We will elect 3 Council members. Seven people are running–Kelly Brynteson, Kelley Dinderman, Jessica Howard, Sanjeev Kumar, Steven Clark, Keith Trecker, and Gretchen Vance.
Need full info on all Lakeway election matters? Go here—https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/427/Election-Information
Feb. 1 Council meeting
Council voted unanimously to approve the new Rough Hollow development agreement, with its many terms favorable to the developer, Legends. As demanded, they get 2 very lucrative items–additional condos (generally discouraged in Lakeway) plus a storage facility (something Lakeway has refused to allow anywhere else in town for many years now). The advantages to Lakeway under the new agreement are nebulous, at best. Still, it was obvious this new agreement would be approved; the discussion allowed was just window-dressing. Until Lakeway’s ethics rules prohibit officials from lobbying for and voting on issues concerning those who made campaign contributions to them, our government will be shadowed by far more than the mere appearance of impropriety.
Another item of note was discussion of a Main Street Plan. A consultant lectured on the benefits of the city creating a Public Improvement District (PID) in order to treat as one entity the balance of the road to be built, which runs across land owned by 2 developers (Legends and Stratus). The PID would raise bond funds needed to finance the project, with the developers supposedly on the hook to pay that off—not taxpayers. So, Stratus is clearly still NOT on board to start building its segment of Main Street this year as the city has mandated. Go here to watch the Feb. 1 Council meeting online– https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/112357
Council has its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 6:30pm.
This is an ONLINE meeting. Go here for the Agenda and Meeting Packet— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx
The most interesting item is #11, the proposed Cherry Knoll development on Flint Rock Road, involving a zoning change from the current R-1 and C-1 to creation of a Planned Unit Development (PUD). Having settled a long-running lawsuit with the city, developers want to build 126 detached single-family homes on 25 acres, with several variances. This development is designed to serve the adjacent hospital complex, and the proposal is more in line with Lakeway’s usual requirements than the recent one for apartments. But, nearby homeowners are objecting over density and traffic.
To send comments to Council beforehand and/or request to speak in person at the meeting (there is a 3pm deadline on the meeting date) about any agenda item, go here and create a Public Comment Form–https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx
Go here to watch this Council meeting online (live or after the fact)— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events
Back to me….
I zipped out to Walmart early last week for necessities. Coming home, the odometer on the Civic I bought last June hit 500 miles just as I glided into my garage. Thanks to Covid, it is still on the second tank of gas.
Now, I’m trying to stay warm and keep my feeders filled for the hungry birds. Also, hoping my trees hold up under all the ice, my skylight survives intact, the power stays on, and no pipes break….
The deer did not show up my walks lately, so I’ll continue looking back at the best photos from 2020—does and their young fawns this time.
Panda cub update:
Sweet cuddles–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DlXgFfJ6n0
Sometimes, Mama doesn’t share–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l65llwYV20Y