Here is what is happening in Lakeway.
Art around town during the month of May.
The work of local artist Gray Beinke work is on display in the meeting room of Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing). Gray is a senior at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School.
Lake Travis High School students have their work on display at Lakeway City Hall (1102 Lohmans Crossing). Stop in Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Visitors can vote for their favorite piece. The winning artwork will be announced during an artist reception on Saturday, May 17, 2PM-4PM, at City Hall.
Fawn Season is HERE! SLOW DOWN and DRIVE CAREFULLY.
The first newborn fawns were seen in Lakeway in late April, and we are coming into prime FAWN SEASON. Please, SLOW DOWN and DRIVE CAREFULLY, as these babies are tiny, fragile, and clueless about roads.
Want your own yard sign (imaged here) to protect fawns in your neighborhood? Local artist Victoria Waite created these a while back and sells them for $20 each (to cover printing costs). She will even deliver to your house, locally. Contact her at victoria.waite.art@gmail.com to get a sign.
Parked Fawns
Remember—the vast majority of fawns you see in Lakeway are FINE, just parked in a safe spot and waiting for Mama to return to feed/clean/move the baby to another safe parking spot. If the fawn’s ears are curled or its bottom is dirty, Mom has been gone too long, and it needs help. Our closest expert is Leanne Dupay, permitted wildlife rehabilitator with Texas Parks & Wildlife 512-694-1811. She lives in The Hills, and her fawn guidelines and contact info are in the image above.
You will find lots more info (and really cute photos from past years) on the Fawn page of my blog. It also has several local contacts if you find a fawn (or other wildlife) truly in distress. https://ninawriteorwronginlakeway.com/parked-fawns-injured-deer/
City of Lakeway has good deer information on its site. (I helped set that up a few years back, so it borrows some text and photos from my Fawn page.) https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1728/Lakeways-White-Tail-Deer-Herd
Upcoming Council Meetings
Lakeway Council has a Special Meeting on May 13 (at 1PM), but per the Agenda the only item is accepting the final results of the May 3 election, as provided by Travis County.
Council’s Regular Meeting will be held on May 19 (at 6:30PM). A few days prior, check here and scroll down to City Council Agenda and Meeting Packet: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/archive.aspx
Teen Court—10th-12th graders have until May 16 to apply to participate as jurors.
Lakeway Teen Court is a voluntary alternative sentencing program allowing Class C Misdemeanor defendants to handle their citation through community service and involvement in the judicial process. A volunteer jury of the defendant’s peers will assess a sentence of community service following the guidelines set by the Municipal Court. Teens in grades 10-12 can apply to be jurors. The DEADLINE is May 16. More info and link to apply are here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2211/Teen-Court
Celebrate Arts and History May 16-18
For May 16-18, the city has lined up events celebrating arts and history. These include a FREE live performance at TexARTS featuring production excerpts, Liebelt Cabin tours, and more. Go here for info: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2129/ArtWALK
NOTE: The ArtWALK event was cancelled; it may be held in the fall.
Masterpiece Concert at LAC
On Sunday, May 18, 4-5:30PM, Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek) hosts the next concert in the Masterpiece Series. FREE event. Performers include Sari Pearce (violin), Bruce Williams (viola), Andrew Pearce (cello) and Rick Rowley (piano). A reception follows the performance. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1862/Sunday-Afternoon-Concert-Series
Wildfire Preparedness Virtual Town Hall
City of Lakeway will present a Virtual Town Hall on Wildfire Preparedness, via its social media channels (FB, X, YouTube). This happens on Thursday, May 22 from 6-7PM. as city leaders, along with Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Pedernales Fire Department and our emergency management director discuss wildfire preparedness in the area. Go here to participate: https://www.facebook.com/events/950536347157679/?rdid=7GiEPcrfqJvFjy2m&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16LxMy4od7%2F
Aloha Day at the Swim Center
On Saturday, May 24, 5-7PM, head over to Lakeway Swim Center (3103 Lakeway Blvd.) for an Aloha Pool Party with music, games, fun and food. Daily fees apply. More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1835/Aloha-Pool-Party
Memorial Day Observance in Lakeway
City of Lakeway’s Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Monday, May 26, 11 AM, at Emmaus Catholic Church (1718 Lohmans Crossing), remembering and honorin g military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. More info to come here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2141/Memorial-Day
Lake Travis Democrats
Banned Book Club—Tuesday, May 27, 6:30PM, at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing). The book is Interior Chinatown: A Novel, by Charles Yu.
LTDems is taking a summer break, but check here for any announcements and events: https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/
Community Garage Sale
The next community garage sale is Saturday, May 31, 8AM to noon, at Lakeway Activity Center. Admission is FREE, but in the LAC lobby you can drop off non-perishable or canned food items, to be donated to local food banks and charities. You can also donate new or gently used children’s books, for the Free Little Books bin at the entrance. Want to sell stuff? Space permitting, LAC members ($30) and non-members ($35) can reserve a booth, call 512-261-1010.
Summer Reading Programs at the library—June and July
Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing) has Reading Challenges, age-appropriate Reading Lists, Camps, and Special Programs this summer. Go here for info: https://laketravislibrary.org/summer-reading-program/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Summer%20Reading%20Program&utm_campaign=New%20Newsletter%20Template
Register to participate in Lakeway’s July 4 Parade—DEADLINE: June 23.
Celebrating 50 YEARS as a beloved tradition in Lakeway, our 2025 parade will be held on Friday, July 4. The theme is: Lakeway: A Golden Legacy. Register now (FREE of charge), to participate. Deadline to register is June 23. More info and registration here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/718/July-4th-Celebration
Spirit of Freedom Monument Applications—DEADLINE: July 5.
Periodically, past and present Lakeway veterans are honored, with their names placed on the Spirit of Freedom Monument system at Heritage Park. Applications will be accepted now until July 5. Send the completed application along with proof of Lakeway residency and Service record information as instructed on the form. The monument honors those residents who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of armed conflict, including World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Panama, and Operations Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom (Iraq), and the Global War on Terror. Application and more info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/97/Heritage-Center-Park
Daring Mighty Things
Astronomers have long searched for additional planets in our solar system. The above image is an artist’s rendering of Planet Nine, a mysterious object first discerned in deep infrared surveys back in 2014. The hypothesized massive planet would have a mass greater than Neptune and lie 700 times farther from the sun than Earth’s position. (Image credit: Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Getty Images.) Evidence of controversial Planet 9 uncovered in sky surveys taken 23 years apart 5/1/25 https://www.space.com/astronomy/solar-system/evidence-of-controversial-planet-9-uncovered-in-sky-surveys-taken-23-years-apart
Elon Musk now has his own company town in Texas. (Image credit for the Musk statue above: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images.) The 200-plus SpaceX employees living at his launch site (called Starbase), located at the southern tip of Texas, voted on May 3 to make the 1.5 square mile tract a town (also called Starbase). The above image shows the town’s extremely long, skinny and twisty boundaries, resulting from being surrounded by local, state and federal protected lands, as well as Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. (Image credit: NY Times.) Rocket launches, engine tests, and moving equipment around the base require the closure of a local highway and access to Boca Chica State Park and Boca Chica Beach. The town designation is expected to strengthen SpaceX’s authority to close the beach. Local groups say beach closure authority should stay with the county government, which represents a broader population that uses the beach and park. Members of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas tribe consider the area sacred. Frictions are intensifying; SpaceX plans to increase the number of South Texas launches from five to 25 a year. [This sharp increase was approved by the FAA on 5/6/25—see below.] Elon Musk’s Starbase on its way to becoming a Texas city after lopsided early voting results 5/3/25 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/03/elon-musks-starbase-on-its-way-to-becoming-a-texas-city-after-lopsided-early-voting-results-00325256
Last week, the FAA approved SpaceX’s request to increase launches/landings of its Starship mega-rocket from South Texas from 5 per year to 25 per year. (Image credit: SpaceX.) The FAA found that the increased schedule “would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment.” This is despite the fact that Starship’s last 2 test flights resulted in massive explosions that rained debris on inhabited areas in the US and islands throughout the Caribbean, suspending aviation and causing property damage. Starship’s 9th test flight is imminent. Heads up…. SpaceX gets FAA approval for 25 Starship launches per year 5/6/25 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/spacex-gets-faa-approval-for-25-starship-launches-per-year
Trump’s proposed 2026 budget slashes 24% of NASA’s funding, the biggest cut in the agency’s history. If Congress approves this budget, many prominent NASA programs would be cut, including the return of samples collected on Mars by rovers over the past decade and the moon-orbiting space station known as Gateway. Also, Project Orion’s moon exploration would be limited to 3 flights. The only budget INCREASE ($650 million) NASA gets is dedicated to “human space exploration,” and is earmarked for Elon Musk’s obsession–sending humans to Mars. Trump administration proposes slashing NASA budget by 24% 5/2/25 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/trump-administration-proposes-slashing-nasa-budget-by-24-percent
With liberty and justice for all … except women.
The above chart shows that in Texas the rate of sepsis—an often-fatal complication after miscarriage—is far higher for women living in Houston than for women living in Dallas/Fort Worth. Four years ago, Texas enacted an abortion ban with criminal penalties, including imprisoning doctors and punishing hospitals over procedures commonly needed after pregnancy complications. There was an exception for a life-threatening emergency, but it was vague. Even after women miscarried, doctors were unsure if and when they could provide the standard care of emptying the uterus to stop infection. When they waited too long, women died from sepsis. Since the abortion ban, the statewide rate of sepsis after miscarriage rose 50%. Turns out, the 2 largest metro areas in Texas handled this crisis differently. Hospitals in Dallas/Fort Worth allowed doctors to intervene before patients’ conditions worsened, inducing deliveries or performing procedures to empty the uterus. There, sepsis only increased 29% (far less than the 50% statewide figure). In Houston, doctors dithered. And, sepsis shot up 63% there (far worse that the 50% statewide figure). Of course, the public cannot know which hospitals or doctors will offer options during miscarriages. As time passes, the evidence of the fatal consequences of abortion bans mounts; the risk of maternal mortality is nearly twice as high for women living in states that ban abortion. Under Texas’ Abortion Ban, Where a Pregnant Woman Lives Can Determine Her Risk of Developing Sepsis 5/7/25 https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-abortion-ban-sepsis-rates-dallas-houston
The Texas Senate recently passed a bill that would crack down on abortion pills in much the same way surgical abortion was prohibited here in 2021. Per the law, anyone who manufactures, mails or delivers abortion pills to someone in Texas could be sued for $100,000. It also expands when and how people can sue for wrongful death after an abortion and goes after internet providers that host information on abortion pills and financial services that facilitate transactions. As written, the law could not be challenged in state court before it goes into effect; any state court judge ruling the law invalid could be sued for $100.000. It also discourages litigation by making attorneys liable for legal fees for both sides. Finally, it extends the usual 2-year statute of limitations to 6 years. In order to take effect, the Texas House must pass a similar bill. Wide-ranging crackdown on abortion pills passes Texas Senate 4/29/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/texas-senate-abortion-pill-bill/
Another bill floating around in the Texas Senate has the end goal of banning both birth control pills and abortion pills. Per the bill, Texas would begin testing community wastewater for traces of substances related to birth control pills and abortion pills, specifically synthetic estrogen. Why do that? Well, the stated aim is to protect the environment, and keep estrogen from getting into waterways and harming fish. But, that doesn’t even sound like a valid concern in Texas. In fact, synthetic estrogen used in birth control accounts for less than 1% of trace amounts in waterways, while 90% of the estrogen there comes from agriculture—and Texas legislators are definitely NOT going after agriculture. This has nothing to do with water quality. For many far-right extremists, banning abortion in Texas was just the first step. This bill moves toward banning birth control pills, as well as abortion pills. Sewage testing for birth control and abortion pills? Texas eyes a long game 4/28/25 https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/columns/2025/04/28/birth-control-abortion-pills-texas-senate-bill-1976-sewage-testing-grumet/83270470007/
Back to me….
FAWN SEASON IS HERE. The first newborn fawns were spotted in Lakeway in late April, and are coming into prime FAWN SEASON. SLOW DOWN and DRIVE CAREFULLY, as these babies are tiny, fragile, and clueless about roads.
Here are some deer photos I took recently. No fawns yet, but lots of big-bellied does and some adorable baby bucks….
