May Ukraine Have Peaceful Skies Again
Here is what is happening in Lakeway….
Debris Collection after Winter Storm Mara
Wow—that’s A LOT of pink! The above map shows huge progress, with cleared streets traced in pink.
As of March 22, the city reported that crews have collected nearly 1,100 large truck loads of debris from 266 streets, and crews have ground those limbs down to large chipped piles at Public Works. (In April, free mulch will be available to residents.) Equipment was brought in to assist in collection under a low tree canopy. Completion of city-wide collection is expected around the end of March.
The city’s updated map page, where you can search by street and zoom in, is here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2053/30408/Brush-Tree-Limb-Curbside-Pick-Up-Map
Go here to see a March 22 1-minute video showing Public Works activity: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1257633061847654
Mayor Tom’s FB Live
On March 16, Lakeway’s Mayor Tom Kilgore gave a 10-minute update on storm debris collection, upcoming events, and more. Watch here: https://www.facebook.com/cityoflakeway/videos/1685838781872237
Shred Day
LT Senior Services’ spring Shred Day is Tuesday, March 28, 9-11AM in the Lakeway Aquatic Physical Therapy parking lot (900 Ranch Road 620 S, Suite A103). Help will be available to unload papers into locked bins for shredding. FREE event, but donations are accepted.
Eggstravaganza at the Park
On Saturday, April 1, 2-4PM, bring your basket to Lakeway City Park for a FUN and FREE Easter event. There will be photo ops with the Easter Bunny, a petting zoo, giant bubbles, face painting, snacks and more. For the age-structured egg hunt schedule and info on the event, go here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/717/Eggstravaganza
A Night with the Austin Symphony Orchestra
LAST CALL! On Saturday, April 1, 2023, 7PM, members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra and students at Lake Travis High School will present a 3rd annual performance at the Lake Travis Performing Arts Center. Go here for details and tickets: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1960/A-Night-with-the-Austin-Symphony-Orchest
Sunday Concert Series
On Sunday, April 16, 4PM, Metamorphosis Dance will perform The Coppelia Suite at LAC (105 Cross Creek) This FREE event is presented by Lakeway Arts Committee.
Enchanted Forest Walk
April 17-30, dawn to dark,behind City Hall.Lakeway and other Lake Travis organizations are working together to bring the Enchanted Forest Walk to life. Want to create a whimsical miniature scene for display on the trail? Contact the Parks Department at 512-314-7530. More info is here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1816/Enchanted-Forest-Walk
Spring Sing Along
Come On, Get Happy! Choose from 2 performances: Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29, starting at 6PM both nights. Ticket sales started March 20 for LAC members and begin March 27 for non-members. More info and tickets are here: https://secure.rec1.com/TX/lakeway-tx/catalog/index?filter=c2VhcmNoPWdldCUyMGhhcHB5JnJlbnRhbCU1QmZyb20lNUQ9JnJlbnRhbCU1QnRvJTVEPSZiMWFjOWQ4NzQzMzNiOTZkZGU3ZmUzODI0ZTFjODBlOD02NDE1N2Q5YTBmY2VhYjg1ZGFhMjNkYjhlZTBjOTQ1NQ==
Council Met on March 20
All 7 members attended at the start of the meeting, with Council Member Kumar on video. He exited the meeting at the end of Item 14 (and that exit left 6 members present, which turned out to figure into how Item 15/Daycare was decided).
RESULTS:
ITEM 12: Financial Report. REVENUE was $848K over budget projections (due to permit fees). EXPENDITURES were $321K under budget projections (due to salary savings on unfilled positions). STORM DAMAGE COSTS were at $965K, most of which is expected to be covered by federal relief funds.
ITEM 13: Citizens Participation. ONE COMMENT.
ITEM 14: Update from Central Texas Water Coalition.
REPORT by President Jo Karr Tedder. https://centraltexaswatercoalition.org/ NO ACTION TAKEN.
ITEM 15: Special Use Permit for Home Occupation/Daycare, as the owner of 702 Vanguard has made another request after denial in January. This is a review to see if the new request is significantly and relevantly different from the previous request; if so, the owner will be allowed to go through the zoning process again. The new request seems to limit the number of children to 5 (plus applicant’s own 2 children), with a part-time worker.
After lengthy discussion, VOTE WAS TIED 3:3 (Kilgore, Mastrangelo and Szimanski FOR; Vance, Trecker and Brynteson AGAINST). The tie vote meant the applicant’s request to apply again for a permit FAILED.
ITEM 16: Update on the Sailmaster Pickleball Courts and Parking, with more options and pricing. NOTE: See the Meeting Packet (link below) for details on the options now presented.
After numerous public comments and lengthy discussion on the dais, Council favored the recommendation of Parks and Rec Director Andra Bennett to go with OPTION 4:
–City Park’s basketball court would be left as is, with 6 new pickleball courts built next to it. Estimated time is 5 months; cost is still being calculated but well within the savings realized by cancelling the Sailmaster parking lot;
–A temporary basketball area at City Park is needed since the existing court will be closed during construction;
–The pickleball courts on Sailmaster will remain open in the interim, provided the parking crisis there is calmed; and
–Once the new pickleball courts are open, the Sailmaster courts will be repurposed as a pocket park for residents (estimated cost of $45K).
Staff was directed to proceed on the path outlined above (including looking into a NO PARKING zone on Sailmaster and the city providing a shuttle service for pickleball players parking at City Hall or the old Justice Center), reporting back at the next Council meeting. [Mayor Tom’s Pickleball Racket Gavel was awesome!]
ITEM 17: Special Use Permit for Short Term Rental at 1404 Lakeway Drive. APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY
ADDENDUM ITEM A.1: Regional Lift Station on Main Street. APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY
ADJOURNED at 9:10PM.
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/222340
As I noted on Facebook afterward: This really was a good meeting! I haven’t seen that many smiles up on the dais in a long time. Lots of opinions, but things stayed good-natured even with a rare tie vote. Best of all, important work got done–nothing glamorous, but a lot of residents were heavily invested in both the daycare and the pickleball agenda items. On the latter, staff clearly did BIG work in the 2 weeks since the last meeting to get Council the options and data needed. Kudos all around!
Lakeway ELECTIONS
The local election is on May 6, with Early Voting starting April 24. (If you aren’t registered to vote, the deadline is April 6.)
Polling Places
For EARLY VOTING, residents can vote at any polling place in Travis County, but the only local polling place is the Lakeway Activity Center.
On ELECTION DAY, Lakeway Activity Center is our main polling place, but Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center will also be open at 607 Ranch Road 620 North, Lakeway, TX 78734 (off 620 to the right just before Kollmeyer). This location is NEVER crowded.
Note that Bee Cave had no contested races, so City Hall in The Galleria is NOT a polling place this time.
Candidate Forums
–Tuscan Village will host a Meet the Candidates event at the TV clubhouse on Thursday, March 30, 6:30-8:00 PM. This event is for Tuscan Village residents only (due to the small venue).
—UPDATE as of March 26 –We the People City of Lakeway Candidate Forum is on Monday, April 10, 7-9PM, at River in the Hills Church (1310 Ranch Road 620 S, Unit C10—near The League). All candidates have been invited, and the event is open to the public.
–The Lakeway Civic Corp will present a candidate forum at the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek) on Thursday, April 13 at 7-9PM. Candidates for Mayor and Council will answer questions in a non-partisan format. Open to all Lakeway residents.
–Lake Travis Democrats club on Tuesday, April 18 at 6:30PM, has invited all 7 active candidates to introduce themselves and speak briefly, followed by a group Q&A. This is part of LT Dems’ monthly meeting, at the Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek).
–Rough Hollow Candidate Forum on Tuesday, April 25 at 7PM at Rough Hollow Welcome Center Pavilion. It is open to all.
SCROLL DOWN to see how the candidates answered the question I sent them all.
Independent? Or PAC?
The candidates are in 2 groups—independent or PAC-backed. Three of the 7 candidates are endorsed and funded by a Political Action Committee. The BAD thing about PACs is they conceal the identity of those contributing to political campaigns. I think Lakeway residents deserve to know exactly who is funding these campaigns, and to what extent. $50 is no big deal, but $500 may well come with strings. And, this PAC gave $20,000 to ONE candidate for Council last year. Wonder what they got for their money? And who exactly is trying to BUY THIS ELECTION? The PAC in question is The Committee to Protect Lakeway (CtPL), also known as the Lakeway Renewal Project, and (going by the list of its 2022 contributors) it seems to be funded by people in several groups, including those in power during past administrations (often stained with scandal), those orchestrating recent ugly episodes involving our police force and our airpark, and developer-types intent on making even more money on Lakeway deals. I have asked the PAC founders, Kimberly and Erik Mulloy, to disclose their 2023 contributors so that Lakeway residents can be informed before voting, but they have refused.
Mayor’s Race
The *2 candidates remaining in the race for Mayor are:
–Incumbent Tom Kilgore was elected Mayor in 2021. In a very busy 2 years, he helped the city recover from the pandemic’s economic effects, guided us through extensive and much-needed city ordinance updates, made possible the completion of Main Street, oversaw practical assistance to residents during the recent ice storm as well as collection of debris afterward, and much more. Mayor Tom managed all this while keeping Lakeway’s share of our property tax bills low. https://kilgoreforlakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064819487089
–Ron Cooper is a Rough Hollow resident and close associate/business patner of Legend Communities CEO Haythem Dawlett. An insurance adjuster, Cooper has lived in Texas and in Lakeway for just 3 years; his only city service to date is a brief stint on the Ethics Committee. He is endorsed and supported by the CTPL PAC (see above about the PAC). https://www.roncooperformayor.com/ https://www.facebook.com/RonCooperForLakewayMayor
* Roy Paar withdrew from the race AFTER the county’s deadline to take his name off the ballot. Please don’t waste your vote there.
Council Race
These 5 candidates are running for 3 seats (you can vote for up to 3 of them):
–Incumbent Gretchen Vance was originally elected to Council in 2019 and currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem. She is an entrepreneur who has lived in Lakeway for 13 years. https://www.vote-vance.com/ https://www.facebook.com/gretchenvancelakewaycitycouncilmember/
–Dan Vardell is a multi-disciplinary technology manager who has lived in Lakeway for 8 years. He served on the Parks and Recreation Committee, was a member of the Comprehensive Plan Committee during recent updates, and he now serves on the city’s Zoning and Planning Commission. https://www.vote-vardell.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090762070845
–Kevin Bernzott is a financial CEO and has lived in Lakeway for 3 years. He is a member of the City Building Commission. ttps://www.facebook.com/kevinbernzott https://www.facebook.com/kevinbernzott
–Chris Forton works in life insurance and has lived in Lakeway for 8 years. He serves on the city’s Zoning and Planning Commission. He is endorsed and supported by the CTPL PAC (see above about the PAC). https://www.chrisforton4lakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ChrisForton4Lakeway
–Kent O’Brien is an engineer who has lived in Lakeway for 14 years. He served on the Parks and Recreation Committee from 2010-12. He is endorsed and supported by the CTPL PAC (see above about the PAC). https://www.kentforlakeway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kentforlakeway
CANDIDATE Q&A
I emailed ONE question to ALL the candidates back on March 16 (with a reminder on March 23). Candidate Ron Cooper did not respond. Here are the responses I received, organized by office sought and in the order they arrived:
QUESTION–Recently, there seems to be a growing split, with Old Lakeway on one side and the newer neighborhoods (notably Rough Hollow) on the other. For instance, some Rough Hollow residents complain about the city’s primary amenities being inconvenient for them to access; others characterized last spring’s workforce housing proposal on Bee Creek Road as Old Lakeway distancing an undesirable development. On the other hand, some Old Lakeway residents feel that those living in the newer areas don’t appreciate Lakeway’s history or value its peaceful charm. What part of Lakeway do you live in, and, if elected, how would you represent the ENTIRE city?
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
TOM KILGORE: Thank you for this question. I live in “Old Lakeway” on Electra. For the last several years I’ve been the Mayor of Lakeway, all of Lakeway. I campaigned on making city hall more transparent, and treating everyone equally. It doesn’t matter if you have been here for 30 years or 30 days – you will get the same treatment from the Council and City Staff.
Rough Hollow residents correctly point out that our city facilities are far away from their neighborhoods. That will change with the city annexing Butler Park and significant areas of the greenbelts. Moving these green spaces to the city is long overdue; thankfully the prior council enforced the timeline. Now we will be able to develop the park for our residents.
The issue of the proposed and rejected workforce housing project wasn’t really a neighborhood problem. Occasionally, residents suggest solutions that move a problem from their neighborhood to another location. However, the council is focused on solving the underlying problem, not a location preference. The proposed workforce housing projects failed as they were incompatible with the underlying zoning and the city’s plans for commercial space.
The way you represent the entire city, is to represent the entire city – as I have done since my election in May 2021.
RON COOPER: NO RESPONSE.
COUNCIL CANDIDATES
DAN VARDELL: One beauty of living in a small town is we are all in this together. There is simply no upside in trying to invest in one area at the cost of another or ignoring one group of residents to benefit another. When residents bring issues to ZAPCO or Council, we ask for their address to get a bit closer to the neighbor we are talking to. This is never to identify a neighborhood to determine whether this resident’s opinion is to be valued more or less than another’s. It is the responsibility of city leaders to ensure all areas are represented, investments and impacts are balanced, and residents in each neighborhood have a full and equal voice. When I finally had the opportunity to buy a home in Lakeway, I intentionally targeted one of the more historic homes in Old Lakeway because I respect the history of this town and that neighborhood. But that respect extends to the entire town and all our residents. And, if elected, I will surely act to support them all because that is the only way Lakeway thrives.
CHRIS FORTON: I live in Lakeway! I don’t see the need to divide people into ever smaller categories. We are all fortunate to live in this great city, regardless whether your house was built last year or 30 years ago.
I don’t agree with the assessment that there is a growing split between what you call “old” and “new” Lakeway. I actually feel it is opposite. Most people don’t seem to care where people live in the city. I have friends and supporters in all areas around Lakeway and I’ve only been asked where in Lakeway I live once, twice if you include query.
The workforce housing wasn’t an “old” or “new” Lakeway issue. It was a Lakeway issue. The housing was denied on 620 the same as on 71. It wasn’t what the people wanted. The council was unanimous on that decision after considerable community feedback at both locations. Additionally, there were inconsistencies in the traffic impact analysis.
The members of ZAPCO including myself voted for it because there was some merit for it once they included the restaurant to make it into a mixed use development. However, we vote based on the comprehensive plan. City council is the voice of the people.
I will represent the citizens of Lakeway the same way I have been as chairman of ZAPCO. Listening to their concerns and utilizing the comprehensive plan. There are countless instances where we have listened to community concerns, worked together, and compromised to come up with what was best for the city. I feel that is the best approach !
KEVIN BERNZOTT: Lakeway has a total area of about 13 square miles, some 5% of which is water, and a population of around 20,000 folks. The statement that “some Rough Hollow residents complain about the city’s primary amenities being inconvenient to access” does not resonate with me. Everything in Lakeway is easy to access and the Rough Hollow residents allegedly complaining are closer to Lake Travis and the marinas. As a City Building Commissioner, I think an undesirable development is one that does not conform to our planning, zoning and building standards or does not adequately mitigate its traffic impacts. We live in Rough Hollow, and Lakeway’s peaceful charm is among the chief reasons we moved here. Given Lakeway’s size, I envision no conflicts representing all of it – all of us. I think the challenge is going to be insulating Lakeway from the anarchy overtaking Austin. Criminals don’t care about city limits. They can keep Austin weird – I’ll focus on keeping Lakeway… Lakeway.
GRETCHEN VANCE: Lakeway is a growing and diverse community. As a resident of neither Old Lakeway or Rough Hollow, our street is a microcosm of everything Lakeway is. Young families, working couples, retirees, business owners and a multitude of other residents that live on our street. Sometimes referred to as “Lakeway Proper” the area that spans Duck Lake, Clubhouse, Rolling Green, Lakeway Boulevard from 620 to Lohmans is a mix of “old” and “new” and a perfect example of how people from all walks of life make this city special.
In regard to any new development in Lakeway, either parks & recreation, residential or commercial, the city’s “FLUM” or “future land use map” is a guiding document of zoning that helps the council place developments across the city that have the proper infrastructure and surrounding zoning to create a cohesive neighborhood.
KENT O’BRIEN: You are absolutely correct in that there is a peace and charm to this community that is unique. Why would anyone want to change that? We must hold tight to these treasures. As your City Councilor, my focus will always be attentive to assure the specialness of Lakeway is maintained and pursued, and anything/anyone who wants to change this will be a non-starter. We need to continue to build upon this specialness as the City continues to grow with new neighborhoods and developments and as older parts of Lakeway are reconstructed and rehabilitated. Each and every resident and business must own its part in this effort. I live in what I believe you characterize as “Old Lakeway”.
In all of my discussions with residents during my 15 years living in Lakeway and during my campaign, I have not heard much concern about a growing split between “Old Lakeway” and newer neighborhoods. While I know there are different areas within the community, this is not uncommon or atypical of any community. I do not perceive there are divisive splits in this community, but as humans, we sometimes allow divisive splits to generate, especially if one feels their voice is not being heard.
My response is that as a City Council member, I will represent all of Lakeway no matter the neighborhood, focused on serving all. I will always look for the good of the community, listening to all parties to assure all voices are heard. When I sat on the Lakeway Parks And Recreation Board in 2010 to 2012, we looked at the entire community to assess opportunities to enhance park amenities including new parks, existing park rehabilitation and improvements. We heard from many members of this community. We used this input to identify several opportunities and began to develop a plan and strategy to implement. It was this plan and strategy that was part of the beginning of our current Parks Master Plan. I commit to you to continue to implement this plan. I also, have other ideas that I want to bring to Council to make the plan better and more comprehensive for all of Lakeway.
Unfortunately, I had to step off of this Committee due to City policies on conflict of interest as O’Brien Engineering Services began business and our desire was to serve Lakeway. And, we were blessed with the opportunity to provide multiple improvement projects for the City including the parking lot and restroom improvements at Hamilton Greenbelt and other projects.
Daring Mighty Things
Black with orange and blue accents plus an attached backpack–instead of strutting down the runway, this fashion ensemble will walk on the moon. NASA recently unveiled the privately sourced suits that Artemis astronauts will wear. Axiom Space noted that when astronauts are on the moon’s surface, the top layer of the suit will be WHITE, to reflect sunlight and keep the wearer cooler. Spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis III Moon Surface Mission Debuts 3/15/23 https://www.nasa.gov/feature/spacesuit-for-nasa-s-artemis-iii-moon-surface-mission-debuts
On March 17, astronauts on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket recorded a gorgeous video showing Earth (above left) in much the same way that Apollo 17 did in its iconic Blue Marble photograph back in 1972 (above right). Spectacular SpaceX video shows Earth as beautiful blue marble in blackness of space 3/22/23 https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-video-earth-march-2023
Twice in 1 week, the ISS was forced to lurch out of the way as space waste hurtled by. These near-misses are becoming more frequent due to an escalation in the number of space vehicles and resulting debris. International Space Station fires thrusters to dodge space junk 3/14/23 https://www.space.com/international-space-station-dodge-space-junk-march-2023
With liberty and justice for all … except women.
Republican legislators in South Carolina are considering enacting a law punishing women who get abortions with the death penalty. There is no exception for abortions after incest or rape. South Carolina GOP lawmakers propose death penalty for women who have abortions 3/13/23 https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3898383-south-carolina-gop-lawmakers-propose-death-penalty-for-women-who-have-abortions/
On March 17, abortion pills were banned in Wyoming, the first state to pass legislation of this type. Going into effect in July, the law punishes doctors, pharmacists and anyone else prescribing, providing or selling drugs to induce abortion with 6 months in jail and a $9,000 fine. On March 20, a law went into effect making it a felony to provide surgical and medication abortions in Wyoming. Wyoming Becomes First State to Outlaw Abortion Pills 3/17/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/us/wyoming-abortion-pills-ban.html
Now, women nationwide are under threat from a “zombie law.” An absurd Texas lawsuit remains pending, but now we know what is going on behind the scenes and causing the delay. Conservative Christian plaintiffs are contesting the FDA’s approval over 20 years ago of the abortion drug mifepristone, in an Amarillo federal court, before a Trump-appointed judge who has previously issued rulings hostile to abortion rights. A ruling was expected in February, but it turns out U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk set hearings in early March but refused to publish the schedule, for fear of protests. The hearings were closed, but reportedly plaintiffs urged the judge to use the Comstock Act of 1873 to ban mailing anything related to contraception or abortion. The Comstock Act is an anti-obscenity law considered dormant for decades. A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs would stop medication abortions nationwide, pending appeal that would likely end up in the US Supreme Court. How an old law found new life in lawsuit seeking to revoke approval of abortion pill 3/20/23 https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/20/texas-fda-abortion-pill-comstock-act/
Back to me….
Happy 3rd Anniversary to my blog! Hard to believe, but I started this project in March of 2023.
Still not adjusted to the time change. For me, the bright evenings do not make up for the dark mornings.
Remember the odd situation back in 2021, when resident complaints revealed that Haythem Dawlett’s Legend Communities and the Rough Hollow HOA had installed surveillance cameras/license plate readers along Highlands Boulevard? It was done without the City of Lakeway’s knowledge or approval, even though the cameras were placed in the right of way owned by the city. Well, we now know a lot more about that bizarre chain of events, and also about former Police Chief Radford’s subsequent resignation. Read all about it here: https://theintercept.com/2023/03/22/hoa-surveillance-license-plate-police-flock/
Mr. and Mrs. Pickles recently welcomed triplets, named Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño. They are tortoises, and have lived together at the Houston Zoo since 1996. He is 90 years old, and she is 53; their species (known as radiated tortoise, living up to 150 years) doesn’t reproduce easily or often. So, WELL DONE! [Credit Jackelin Reyna/Houston Zoo.]
Our deer are still in a decidedly anti-social mood. Small groups of does are camping out in wooded areas, concentrating on growing baby deer, and the bucks are completely AWOL (after a job well done, I guess). But, we have FAWN SEASON to look forward to, starting mid-April. Here are a couple photos I was able to get recently.
The Coronavirus
In the US, in the last 2 weeks, the official stats show new cases fell 29% and hospitalizations dropped 10%. Also, deaths decreased 2% to an average of 294 Americans per day. See the chart below for current stats. The national testing positivity rate dropped to 6.9%.
Covid-19 drove up the maternal death rate in the US by 40% in 2021. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 1,205 pregnant women died in 2021, a 40% increase in maternal deaths compared with 2020 (861 deaths) and a 60% increase compared with 2019 (754 deaths). Pregnancy is a serious risk factor for severe Covid, resulting in ICU stays or death, due to the stress being pregnant puts on the body. The virus also makes it more likely that a woman will give birth prematurely and that the baby will require neonatal intensive care.
Paxlovid, used to treat Covid-19 in the last year under emergency authorization, has been endorsed by a panel of FDA expert advisors for treating adults with Covid who are at high risk for progression to severe illness. This step is expected to lead to full approval of the drug soon. The FDA found that Paxlovid reduced hospitalizations and deaths among both unvaccinated and vaccinated people. Paxlovid could save 1,500 lives and avert 12.000 hospitalizations EACH WEEK in the US.
In Texas, in the last 2 weeks, infections decreased 59%, and hospitalizations dropped 10%. Deaths fell 64%, with an average of 11 Texans dying each day. See the chart below for current stats. The positivity test rate dropped to 8.2%.
Recent Covid Articles I Recommend
Should You Get Another Covid Booster? 3/24/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/health/covid-booster-older-immunocompromised.html
The Times Switches to C.D.C. Covid Data, Ending Daily Collection 3/22/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/us/covid-data-cdc.html
America Has Decided It Went Overboard on Covid-19 3/17/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/opinion/covid-19-pandemic-masks-china.html
F.D.A. Advisers Endorse Paxlovid’s Benefits as a Covid Treatment 3/16/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/health/fda-paxlovid-covid.html
Covid Worsened a Health Crisis Among Pregnant Women 3/16/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/16/health/covid-pregnancy-death.html
What to Know about the Covid Lab Leak Theory 20-minute podcast 3/15/23 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/15/podcasts/the-daily/covid-lab-leak-theory-china.html