Here is what is happening in Lakeway.
DELAYS on Lohman’s Crossing near library/police station, for the next 6-7 weeks.
Construction is scheduled to start Feb. 17 regarding the JOVI II project (the second phase of Tuscan Village in City Center. It requires closing one lane of Lohmans Crossing, for an estimated 6-7 weeks. Use another route or plan to be delayed.
Man arrested for painting swastikas in Lakeway and surrounding area.
Paul Bryan Zegarra, age 41 and a Spicewood resident, was arrested by Lakeway Police on Feb. 3, charged with criminal mischief and graffiti pecuniary loss in connection to 20 different graffiti tagging incidents during 2024. The incidents happened in Lakeway and Bee Cave, as well as in unincorporated parts of Travis County. Zegarra currently faces up to 2 years in jail. He may also be charged with recently painting a swastika on a car belonging to District Judge Jan Soifer. (Image credit: Lakeway Police department.) Austin-area man charged with painting swastikas in at least 20 incidents over last year 2/7/25 https://www.statesman.com/story/news/crime/2025/02/07/authorities-charge-man-in-connection-to-spree-of-swastika-paintings/78344791007/
Art Displays during February
At Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing), work by local artist Villa Shurielle is on display in the meeting room.
At City Hall, (1102 Lohmans Crossing, open 8AM-5PM weekdays) work bylocal artist Guy Burchak is on display. Go here for info on the display and about how to apply to present your own art at this venue: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2040/City-Hall-Art-Gallery
Black History Month Story Walk
During February, take a walk along City Hall Trail (1102 Lohmans Crossing) and read about the significant contributions African Americans have made to America, celebrating Black History Month.
Wildfire Prevention begins at YOUR home.
Worried about wildfire risk here in Lakeway? Lake Travis Fire and Rescue offers FREE risk assessment of your property. An expert comes and walks the exterior of your home with you, discussing problem areas and solutions, then following up with a written assessment; some fixes are super-simple, others are more involved. You can make the suggested changes, or not—all your call. [I did this a few years back and found it VERY helpful.] Sign up for your free assessment by emailing wildfire@ltfr.org In addition, City of Lakeway has a wildfire page with a lot of good info and resources to explore: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/235/Wildfire-Readiness
Protect yourself and your family–Get Emergency Alerts.
The Capital Area Council of Governments/CAPCOG provides an emergency notification system to residents of Central Texas. Registering with WarnCentralTexas allows local officials to contact you by phone, email and text in case of a disaster or public safety event. As noted at the Feb. 3 Council meeting, this is how residents would be notified of evacuation routes from a wildfire, as well as provided with many other types of emergency information. Sign up—FREE—for Warn Central Texas Alerts here: https://warncentraltexas.org/
Lakeway City Council next meets on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Due to Monday, being a holiday, the regular meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6:30PM at City Hall. Consequential Agenda items include:
ITEM 10 (within the Consent Agenda): Approving replacement of 2 park bridges, the Hamilton Greenbelt Bridge and the Smith Greenbelt Bridge, for a total cost of $194,950. The winning bid was from Alinea Construction Corporation, and the amount was included in the 2025 budget.
ITEM 12: Financial Report.
ITEM 13: Citizens Participation for Items NOT on the Agenda.
ITEM 14: Discussion of an ordinance establishing a Hotel Occupancy Tax Group to promote business, specifically providing Lakeway hotels assistance in winning over group meeting and event business against non-Lakeway properties. Funds would come from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund, with the group having $200,000 in HOT funds for the first year of operation.
ITEM15: Presentation by the city’s internal AI Committee regarding an Artificial Intelligence usage policy.
ITEM 16: Discussion on changing the structure of the city’s PUD Development Committee (which provides early-stage feedback to developers on potential projects, currently in meetings closed to the public and attended by just a few elected officials) as to committee members and opening meetings to the public.
ITEM 17: Discussion of how to use the $1,418,299 in FEMA funds (being federal reimbursement of 75% of the $1.8MIL the city spent on debris management and emergency services for Winter Storm Mara recovery in 2023). Suggested options include: 1) Leave it in the General Fund, here the money came from in 2023; 2) Use some or all of the funds to bolster future Emergency (purchase of equipment and vehicles, additional software, wildfire and flood mitigation, enhanced emergency planning, etc); 3) Use some or all of the funds to create a dedicated Emergency Fund to handle future emergencies; or 4) Fund the new Capital Improvement Plan, designed to cover major projects over the next several years.
ITEMS 18, 19, 20: Executive Sessions on: West Austin Business Park legal intervention; legal issues related to City Center; and the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property (Rebel Park and Sailfish Park).
View the Agenda, Meeting Packet, and/or Presentation (scrolling down to City Council documents) here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx Go here to watch the Council meeting online (live or later): https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events
Lake Travis Democrats
- Check https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/ for club activities each month.
- Monthly Meeting—NEW LOCATION–Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6PM, at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing Rd.). The speakers are Brian Pena (UT Democratic President) and Mara Richards Bim (discussing how evangelicals are infiltrating politics into Christian Churches throughout Texas). NOTE: March and April meetings shift back to LAC (but in the larger Room B) AND change to the 4th Monday of the month, March 24 and April 28. Details coming soon.
- Banned Book Club—Tuesday, Feb 25, 6:30PM, at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing Rd.). Our book is Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You written by Jason Reynolds with research by Ibram X. Kendi, author and historian at American University.
TexArts Productions
TexArts has 2025 productions scheduled, presented at its NEW theater located in the heart of Lakeway at 1110 Ranch Road 620 South. Go here for details and to buy tickets: https://www.tex-arts.org/upcoming-productions
- Feb. 14-March 2: Tick, Tick … Boom!
- April 5-12: Mean Girls: High School Version
- April 26-May 4: Alive in Wonderland, JR.
- July 11-Aug. 10: Bye Bye Birdie
Highlands Boulevard Safety TOWN HALL Meeting
On Monday, Feb. 24 6-7:30PM, City of Lakeway hosts a Town Hall discussing pedestrian and vehicle safety for Highlands Boulevard. The location is Rough Hollow Welcome Center (903 Highlands Blvd.). Info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=5184&month=2&year=2025&day=24&calType=0
Business Networking Event
Lakeway’s Economic Development Committee is hosting a special networking event for the local business community, on Tue., Feb. 25, 9AM-10:30AM at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). Lakeway’s Sign Ordinance will be discussed, with committee members fielding questions and taking feedback. FREE event! Go here for more info: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1793/Economic-Development
The Odd Couple
The Lakeway Players present their “female version” of Neil Simon’s classic play The Odd Couple, running Feb. 27-Mar. 1, at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). Tickets on sale now. Bring your own dinner; doors open 6:30PM, with the curtain rising at 7:30PM. Go here for info and tickets: https://www.thelakewayplayers.com/
Sunday Concert Series–SungEun Park on Piano
On Sunday, March 2, 4PM, pianist SungEun Park performs at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). She has extensively performed as a solo pianist and chamber musician throughout Korea, Italy and the United States. FREE event!
GIVE BLOOD at LAC.
The next blood drive at LAC is on Saturday, March 8, 8am-noon. The event is well organized, clean and friendly. You will be done and out the door in under 30 minutes. It is an important cause and helps countless people right here in the Texas Hill Country. Plus—FREE JUICE AND COOKIES! While walk-ins are welcome (up until 11AM), those with appointments have priority. You can see upcoming dates and make an appointment to donate by entering your zip code here– https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule/
Garage Sale at LAC on March 15
Go shopping at Lakeway’s first community garage sale of the year, on Sat., March 15, 8AM-noon, at Lakeway Activity Center, which will host over 30 local sellers. (Sorry, booths are sold out.)
Spring Shred & Recycle Event Coming Up
Plenty of time to organize and declutter, before this FREE opportunity to drop off papers for shredding, plus hard-to-recycle items. On Tuesday, March 18, 9-11 AM, LT Senior Services will sponsor a shredding and recycle station in the parking lot of Lakeway Aquatic Physical Therapy Parking Lot, (by Reid’s Cleaners and the Brazilian Steak House, in Lakeway Commons, 900 RR 620 S, corner of 620 and Lakeway Blvd.). Recycling items which will be accepted include plastic bags/wrap, batteries, empty ink cartridges, styrofoam, paint and household chemicals (limit 5 gallons/person).
Heritage Trail Bus Tours
Registration is OPEN for the next FREE historical bus tours taking place Friday, March 28 at 10 AM, noon, and 2 PM. Tours begin and end at Lakeway City Hall. Start with a tour of the historic Liebelt Cabin, before boarding a bus (featuring restrooms). Tours covering around 20 historical locations are narrated by a member of the Lakeway Heritage Committee, in about an hour. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1171/Heritage-Trail
Summer Camp Kickoff at Lakeway Activity Center
On Saturday, March 29, 10AM-noon, head over to LAC with the family to meet the summer camp instructors. Find out what camps are offered and when, as well as enjoying a petting zoo, face painting, balloon twisting, and more.
Oak Pruning PROHIBITED February through June
Due to high risk of oak wilt transmission, pruning oaks is prohibited now through June. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/353/Prune-when-the-Risk-is-Low
Need a RIDE? Want to VOLUNTEER to drive seniors?
Chariot is a FREE service providing rides (for medical appointments and grocery shopping) to non-driving folks age 60 and over. Chariot has been operating across Central Texas (including Lakeway!) since 1988. Riders must be mobile to use the service; wheelchairs cannot be accommodated. Mission statement: “Chariot enriches lives and communities by providing transportation and socialization to non-driving seniors, helping them to age in place.” Volunteer drivers, who must be over 21 with a high school diploma or higher plus a valid driver’s license, are critical to Chariot’s success and use their own vehicles. Click this link or call 512-445-5552 for info and to either set up a ride or volunteer as a driver: https://chariot.org/
Calling all ARTISTS—Register for ArtWALK
Artists of all types can sign up now to participate in 2025’s ArtWALK, which takes place May 16-18, showcasing art, music, community and culture in Lakeway. Deadline to register is Friday, April 18, and there is a $35 booth fee. Info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2129/ArtWALK
Council had a Special Meeting on Monday, Feb. 3.
Council took action on 2 items teed up the previous meeting (limiting sidewalks use and banning heavy trucks), review wildfire prevention, considered how to use $1,400,000 in FEMA funds, discussed making interim improvements on 620, made a FINAL decision on putting up to 6 Charter amendments on the May ballot, and more.
All members attended the meeting, all in person. RESULTS:
ITEMS 6 and 7 (within Consent Agenda): Limiting sidewalk use to pedestrians, bicycles, electric bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices, as well as making it an offense to operate heavy trucks on Flint Rock Road, Serene Hills Drive, Bee Creek Road and Highlands Boulevard, with some exceptions and a fine of $500.
–PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
ITEM 8: Presentation on Tri-City Emergency Management Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation
–NO ACTION TAKEN, other than directing staff to communicate with residents on some of the main points in the presentation, including the vital importance of signing up for Warn Central Texas Alerts (free, sign up here https://warncentraltexas.org/ ) AND getting a wildfire home assessment (free, email here wildfire@ltfr.org ).
ITEM 9: Discussion of Interim Projects to Improve 620 (at an estimated cost to the city of $250,000, and happening BEFORE the TXDOT expansion).
–In summary, the suggestion is to widen the 4 intersections on 620 (at Lakeway Blvd, Dave Drive, Main Street and Lohmans Crossing), to make U-turns easier and safer. After discussion, CONSENSUS was to review updated accident reports for this part of 620, continue negotiations with TXDOT, refine plans, and report back to Council.
ITEM 10: Discussion and Possible Action Regarding FEMA Funds (total of $1,418,299), with at least 4 possibilities: leaving the money in the General Fund; spending the funds on emergency response vehicles and equipment or on wildfire mitigation; establishing a new Emergency Response Fund; and establishing a new Capital Improvement Plan.
After discussion, CONSENSUS was for Council Members to review the suggestions and pass along preferences to staff, for later action.
ITEM 11: Calling a Special Election on May 3 for up to 6 Charter Amendments (in this NEW order): [I re-lettered the 6 Props as B-G for a reason—see NOTE below.]
–Prop B Revising the Residency Requirement for City Manager
Shall Section 4.01(a) be amended to require the City Manager reside within the boundaries of the Lake Travis Independent School District, instead of within the City limits?
–Prop C Eliminating the Office of City Treasurer
Shall Section 4.06 be deleted, thereby eliminating the volunteer office of City Treasurer, and other Charter provisions be amended as necessary to remove references to the City Treasurer?
–Prop D Changing the Approval Process for Police Department Policies and Procedures
Shall Section 4.07 be amended so that the policies and procedures adopted or changed by the Chief of Police for the Police Department shall be approved by the City Manager and reported to the Council at least annually, instead of having the City Council approve them when adopted by the Chief of Police?
–Prop E Changing the Process for Appointing Members of City Boards and Commissions and Changing the Terms of Office of Each Member of a Board or Commission
Shall Section 7.01 be amended to change the process for appointing members of City Boards and Commissions so that the Mayor and each Council member shall nominate a person for a one-year appointment to each Board or Commission, subject to Council approval?
–Prop F Eliminating the Board of Ethics
Shall Section 7.05 be deleted in its entirety, thereby eliminating the Board of Ethics?
–Prop G Eliminating the City Building Commission
Shall Section 7.06 be deleted in its entirety, thereby eliminating the City Building Commission, which is responsible under the City’s development ordinances for determining whether to grant certain variances and waivers; and to transfer those functions to other City Boards or Commissions, or to City staff, as determined by Council?
–PASSED 5/2 (Kilgore and Sherman against).
NOTE: As Mayor Kilgore pointed out and the City Attorney belatedly concurred, the Charter amendments on the ballot will start with Prop B and run through Prop. G. That is because the question of whether to renew the 1/4% gas tax to pay for street repairs was passed last meeting, so it will be Prop A on the ballot.
ITEM 12: Executive Session on legal issues relating to City Center.
–NO ACTION.
ADJOURNED at 9:04PM.
View the Agenda, Meeting Packet, and/or Presentation (scrolling down to City Council documents) here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx Go here to watch the Council meeting online: https://lakewaytx.new.swagit.com/videos/333686
Daring Mighty Things
The above image shows an aurora that appeared recently in Norway, looking a lot like a hummingbird. (Image credit: Mickael Coulon.) https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250210.html
Shown above, the Bullseye Galaxy is two and a half times the size of our Milky Way and 567 million light-years away from us. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, Imad Pasha/Yale, Pieter van Dokkum/Yale.) The Bullseye Galaxy has 9 rings (6 more than any other known galaxy) and was likely created by 2 galaxies colliding 50 million years ago. Hubble Space Telescope spots a spectacular Bullseye in deep space 2/4/25 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/hubble-space-telescope/hubble-space-telescope-spots-a-spectacular-bullseye-in-deep-space-image
The above image was taken in Chile last month, showing Comet C/2-24G3, better known as the “Great Comet of 2025” because it has high daytime visibility as well as a stunning nighttime appearance. (Image credit: F. Millour/ESO.) Comet G3 (ATLAS) looks breathtaking above future home of world’s largest telescope 2/5/25 https://www.space.com/the-universe/comets/comet-g3-atlas-looks-breathtaking-above-future-home-of-worlds-largest-telescope-photos
Remember the very large asteroid known as 2024 YR4 that my Feb. 1 blog reported had a rather remote 1 in 83 chance of hitting Earth in 2032? Well, that has changed, for the worse. Recently, odds went to 1 chance in 43 of impact, with damage similar to a nuclear blast. The new figure means there is a 2.3% chance of a strike—doubling the doom estimate. (The above image is an artist’s illustration of a rogue asteroid approaching Earth; image credit: Robert Lea, via Canva.) Experts are watching the asteroid’s approach closely, trying to pin down its exact size as well as its path. This article explains why the odds of a strike fluctuate up and down, like that helps…. Odds of an asteroid impact in 2032 just went up. 2/7/25 https://www.space.com/asteroid-2024yr4-odds-increase-no-concern
Worldwide, space agencies are gearing up for a possible asteroid strike. China created a Planetary Defense Unit to handle this. The European Space Agency says the probability of a strike is now 2.2% and put the asteroid at the top of its risk list. Agencies are discussing ways to thwart a strike; methods include using nuclear weapons or crashing a craft into it to direct the asteroid away from Earth. If a strike does occur, location is key; if it happens to land in an ocean, there might be little damage, but a strike on a city would resemble a nuclear bomb. Plus, size matters; the asteroid is now is estimated to be 130 to 300 feet wide. One expert opined that an asteroid on the SMALLER end of that range “wouldn’t make it to the ground, it would explode mid-air and unleash an air blast that would knock over buildings and people and be extremely lethal.” And, an asteroid on the LARGER end of that range would “make it to the ground, make a crater, and emit a blast wave that would kill people for several miles away by damaging their internal organs through compressive force.” So, small or large, a strike would NOT be pretty. China Sets Up ‘Planetary Defense’ Unit Over 2032 Asteroid Threat 2/12/25 https://www.newsweek.com/china-sets-planetary-defense-unit-over-2032-asteroid-threat-2029774
The above photo shows the latest class of NASA astronauts. Importantly, it represents America. The group, as has been the case for decades, includes women and reflects a multiplicity of races and ethnicities. (Image credit: Robert Markowitz & Josh Valcarcel/NASA.) Trump’s anti-DEI tantrum threatens that. NASA’s process for selecting its astronauts is not entirely gender-and race-blind. With so many outstanding applicants (over 8,000 people applied for this class), choosing a diversified, highly qualified group of candidates was achievable, without sacrificing competence and excellence. As a past NASA administration said, “You didn’t lose sight of wanting your astronaut corps to be reflective of society.” Now, the makeup of NASA’s most visible employees — astronauts — clashes with Trump’s crusade against programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. NASA Astronaut Recruitment Faces Trump’s Moves Against D.E.I. 2/3/25 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/science/nasa-astronauts-dei-trump.html
Above is Starbase, the SpaceX headquarters near Boca Chica, in South Texas. It is located 25 miles east of Brownsville, along the Gulf of Mexico. Cameron County approved a ballot measure for the May election, when the SpaceX employees living there will vote on whether the area becomes a city, named Starbase. It would be run by a mayor and 2 commissioners; the SpaceX Security Manager is the only person running for mayor. Fewer than 500 people (including 120 kids) live in the area, which is less than 2 square miles. SpaceX owns the entire site, aside from 4 home lots. (Image Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune.) County judge approves election to decide whether SpaceX launch site will become a city 2/12/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/texas-space-x-city-election-starbase/
Congressional oversight committees have petitioned the Trump administration as to Elon Musk’s many conflicts of interest. (Image credit: Getty.) As Trump’s unelected mega-donor, Musk leads the unofficial group known as Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is plundering government agencies with the declared mission of cutting costs by getting rid of employees and contractors, as well as programs they don’t like. But, Musk himself is a government contractor with millions of dollars at stake through his companies SpaceX, Tesla, X, and more. In particular, Congress members insist that Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy monitor Musk’s DOGE work at the Federal Aviation Administration. That agency licenses and reviews launches by SpaceX, including placement of Starlink satellites. The FAA recently fined SpaceX for serious safety violations. In reaction, Musk demanded then-FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker be removed; the position of FAA Administrator is non-partisan, but Whitaker resigned last month, with 4 years left in his term. Musk has an even more obvious conflict of interest with NASA itself. Members of the House Science Committee demand that NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro closely monitor DOGE’s work at the space agency. Their concerns include Musk, through DOGE, accessing classified or proprietary data, including information about companies that compete against SpaceX for NASA contracts. Other serious conflicts of interest for Musk include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates automobile safety including driverless vehicles (given Tesla’s high accident and recall rates) and the National Labor Relations Board (given Musk’s rocky and litigious history with employees of all his companies). Members of Congress raise conflict-of-interest concerns regarding Musk’s role in DOGE 2/7/25 https://spacenews.com/members-of-congress-raise-conflict-of-interest-concerns-regarding-musks-role-in-doge/
Musk and SpaceX are represented front and center at Trump’s NASA. Trump shoved aside the person next in line to run NASA, instead naming Janet Petro as Acting NASA Administrator. She promptly removed all DEI guidelines for the agency. She also named a former SpaceX executive as her top advisor. Plus, Trump’s appointee for NASA Administrator is billionaire Jared Isaacman, one of the fake “private astronauts” who years ago bought a seat on a SpaceX Dragon. Isaacman’s nomination has to be confirmed by the Senate, and until then Petro runs NASA. (Image credit: NASA.) Who is Janet Petro, Trump’s pick for acting NASA administrator? 2/10/25 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/who-is-janet-petro-trumps-pick-for-acting-nasa-administrator
ProPublica investigated the relationship between Musk and the FAA, and its Feb. 11 article is worth a read. Here are the opening paragraphs:
When SpaceX’s Starship exploded in January, raining debris over the Caribbean, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily grounded the rocket program and ordered an investigation. The move was the latest in a series of actions taken by the agency against the world’s leading commercial space company.
“Safety drives everything we do at the FAA,” the agency’s chief counsel said in September, after proposing $633,000 in fines for alleged violations related to two previous launches. “Failure of a company to comply with the safety requirements will result in consequences.”
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s response was swift and caustic. He accused the agency of engaging in “lawfare” and threatened to sue it for “regulatory overreach.” “The fundamental problem is that humanity will forever be confined to Earth unless there is radical reform at the FAA!” Musk wrote on X.
Today, Musk is in a unique position to deliver that change. As one of President Donald Trump’s closest advisers and head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, he’s presiding over the administration’s effort to cut costs and slash regulation.
While it’s unclear what changes his panel has in store for the FAA, current and former employees are bracing for Musk to focus on the little-known part of the agency that regulates his rocket company: the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, known as AST. “People are nervous,” said a former employee who did not want to be quoted by name talking about Musk. (Image credit: ProPublica.)
Read the whole thing here, free: One Agency Tried to Regulate SpaceX. Now Its Fate Could Be in Elon Musk’s Hands. 2/11/25 https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-spacex-doge-faa-ast-regulation-spaceflight-trump
With liberty and justice for all … except women.
Back in November, voters in Missouri passed an amendment enshrining reproductive rights in the state constitution. The amendment guarantees the right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Yet, abortion remained unavailable. The state’s main abortion provider fought legal hurdles to resume offering the procedure. Plus, abortion opponents in the Missouri legislature filed multiple bills aimed at thwarting implementation of the amendment. State lawmakers even discussed putting a new amendment on the ballot that would block most abortions; if passed in the legislature, the measure could go to voters later this year. No legal justification was offered for conservatives getting a second bite at the apple. Even Republicans acknowledged they are attempting to subvert the people’s will. (Image credit: ProPublica.) Three Months After Missouri Voted to Make Abortion Legal, Access Is Still Being Blocked 2/5/25 https://www.propublica.org/article/missouri-abortion-ban-amendment-planned-parenthood-lawsuit
BUT, on Feb. 14, a state court finally blocked restrictions that had prevented abortion providers from operating. Planned Parenthood says it is ready to offer care in the state, starting next week. We’ll see if this actually puts into place the Constitutional protections that Missouri voters passed back in November. Abortion access to restart in Missouri, clinics say, following state court ruling 2/25/25 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/15/missouri-abortion-access-court-ruling-019567
Red states are trying to take legal action against doctors in blue states where abortion is legal up to viability, when they confer via telehealth appointments and mail abortion pills to patients in states banning abortion.
Authorities in Louisiana brought felony charges earlier this month against a doctor in New York who prescribed an abortion pill online. Louisiana has a near-total abortion ban. Abortion is legal in New York until the fetus is viable. In addition, New York is one of several states with shield laws protecting medical practitioners there. This is the first criminal charge brought against a doctor for sending abortion pills to another state; Texas filed civil charges against the same New York doctor in December. (Image credit: AP.) New York Doctor Indicted in Louisiana for Sending Abortion Pills There 2/1/25 https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/new-york-doctor-indicted-abortion-pill-louisiana/
As to the Louisiana FELONY case detailed above, last week New York Governor Kathy Hochul rejected a request from Louisiana to extradite the NY doctor. Gov. Hochul: “I will not be signing an extradition order that came from the governor of Louisiana. Not now, not ever.” She also instructed law enforcement in New York not to cooperate with out-of-state warrants for such charges. https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/gov-hochul-giving-new-consideration-to-removing-nyc-mayor-adams-amid-crisis-at-doj-231961669698?cid=eml_mda_20250214&user_email=6ed7408ec573645e45ac2a65b61d1e1e6ab1b9effbafc1d30d0a407afca1b325
As to the CIVIL case Texas filed against the same NY doctor for prescribing abortion pills online (as reported in my last blog), a Texas judge last week ordered the doctor to pay more than $100,000 in penalties. Under NY’s shield law, the doctor is not participating in the Texas suit, and she should be fine (though visiting the Alamo is out of the question.) https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/texas-ny-doctor-abortion-pills-00204266
Back to me….
“I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.” That is how Hagan Scotten, a recently Trump-appointed and impeccably credentialed conservative Republican, resigned from his Dept. of Justice job as the Acting Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He would not cross a line, refusing to compromise justice, common sense, and his personal integrity to drop federal corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams. And, many other principled lawyers in various departments of the DoJ did the exact same thing. But, never mind all that.
The conclusion “It was never going to be me” is hugely powerful. It resonates, right? What line won’t YOU cross? Sure, we all have those lines–personal, professional and everything in between. I confronted the edge of one of my lines last week, quite unexpectedly. Today, I’m relieved I had the sense to step back. I didn’t compromise my values, in order to get something I wanted (though I’m not sure I want it anymore, maybe I just used to want it). I didn’t lose a prestigious job over it, but there are consequences.
I attended a Wildlife Committee meeting last week, and they reviewed the 2024 deer/vehicle strike locations in Lakeway. Far too many deer are killed this way, fawns as well as does and bucks. PLEASE, drive carefully. And, when you see a deer banner or a yellow Deer Crossing sign, pay extra attention because they indicate deer are in that specific area.
Again, as happens this time of year, I didn’t spot many deer on my recent walks. BUT, I was thrilled to see the melanistic fawn that was born near the Live Oak golf course last spring, hanging around yesterday with a small group of does and their youngsters. (Melanistic deer are perfectly healthy; they just have extra pigment, making their coats much darker than the usual caramel-colored white-tail deer, and the trait is pretty common in the Texas Hill Country.) This chocolate fawn is male and now shows the little forehead nubs of a baby buck. He is an oddity on my side of town, though melanistic deer are frequently seen over in the Yaupon Golf Course neighborhoods. Here are a few photos of young Fudge and his pals.
Coronavirus Update
Covid-19 activity continues to drop. On data updated as of Feb. 8, positive testing and deaths both fell. Hospitalizations were finally updated from Jan. 4, with a marked decrease. However, ER visits remained flat. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
As of Feb. 8, national wastewater viral activity remained steady. Nationally, levels are HIGH. Texas as a state remains at a MODERATE level. https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/index.html
Here are 2 recent articles on Covid, flu and RSV this winter:
—How Bad Are COVID, Flu and RSV This Winter? 2/4/25 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-bad-are-covid-flu-and-rsv-this-winter/
—The U.S. Is Having Its Mildest Covid Winter Yet 2/4/25 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/upshot/covid-illnesses-mild-winter.html