Posted on by Nina Davis

My March 29 blog covers Lakeway’s spring events and opportunities, with a special LOCAL ELECTION section covering what you need to know about the 7 Propositions and 3 School Board races on the May 3 ballot, as well as cool space news and images, women’s rights update, wildlife photos, some personal news, Covid update, and more.

Here is what is happening in Lakeway.   

The special section on our LOCAL ELECTION is just below, after the newsy items and Lakeway events you don’t want to miss.

Local Author at the Library

On Monday, March 31, 4:30PM, local author Diana Bartlett discusses her new book, The Elixir of Sport: Renew Yourself in Later Life by Playing Sports, in the meeting room at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing).  Her book showcases the folks next door who defy age with resilience and a willingness to look foolish.  Books will be available for purchase and signing.

LTISD School Board CANDIDATE FORUM

On Wednesday, April 2, 6:30PM, don’t miss a forum featuring the candidates running in the 3 races for Lake Travis ISD School Board, held at the Rough Hollow Community Center (903 Highlands Boulevard).  The event is sponsored by V4P and LT Dems.  There will be a neutral moderator, and all 6 candidates have been invited to participate.

Brush Recycling Offered 1st Thursday of Every Month

City of Lakeway offers free yard waste drop-off for residents the first Thursday of every month, 7AM-3:30PM, at the Public Works Department (3303 Serene Hills Drive).  Limit is one pickup truck load of yard waste or up to one 8’X5′ pile.  As a reminder, oak trees should only be trimmed July 1- Jan 31.  Go here for details, including what is accepted: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/62/Public-Works

EGGstravaganza at City Park

Hop over to City Park (502 Hurst Creek Rd.) on Saturday, April 5, noon to 2PM, for Lakeway’s annual EGGstravaganza, with multi-age group egg hunts plus food vendors, a petting zoo, a bubble station, chalk art, face painting, and lots more.  FREE event!  More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/717/Eggstravaganza

TexArts Productions

TexArts has 2025 productions, 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

  • April 5-12: Mean Girls: High School Version
  • April 26-May 4: Alive in Wonderland, JR.
  • July 11-Aug. 10: Bye Bye Birdie

Austin Symphony Orchestra comes to Lakeway.

Treat yourself to “A Night with the Austin Symphony Orchestra” right here in Lakeway on Sunday, April 6, at 4PM.  Location is the Lake Travis Performing Arts Center (3324 Ranch Rd 620 South). This will be Lakeway’s 5th annual collaborative concert experience featuring members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra and talented musicians with the Lake Travis High School Band and Orchestra. Info and tickets here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1960/A-Night-with-the-Austin-Symphony-Orchest

Coffee with a Cop

On Thursday, April 10, 8-10AM, stop by the Lakeway Whataburger (2011 Ranch Rd. 620 S) and meet your Lakeway Police officers.  Bring any questions and concerns, or just say hello!

State of The City Address

On Thursday April 10, 6PM, bring your questions for Mayor Kilgore and City Manager Molis to a public meeting at City Hall (1102 Lohmans Crossing Road).  More info here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/2166/State-of-The-City-Address  

PLUS—If attending in person doesn’t work out, you can watch the meeting live or later here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1062/Videos—Meetings-Events

Masterpiece Concert at LAC

Lakeway Arts Committee presents a FREE concert on Sunday, April 13 at 4PM, at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek).  Classical musicians Emmanuelle Boisvert, (violin), Sari Pearce (violin), Sarah Kienle (viola), Andrew Pearce (cello), and Mikhail Berestnev (piano) will play Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 74, “Harp” and the Franck Piano Quintet.  Performance is 4-5:30PM, followed by a reception from 5:30-6:30PM.

2025 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Community Dialogue #3

On Tuesday, April 15, at 6PM, stop by City Hall (1102 Lohmans Crossing RD) for the third community dialogue meeting on Lakeway’s 2025 Comprehensive Plan.  More info, including updates on the plan after the 2nd Community Dialogue meeting last September, here: https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1547/Comprehensive-Plan

Calling all ARTISTS—Register for ArtWALK by DEADLINE of April 18.

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

LAKEWAY SINGS!

Lakeway Singalong (performing and entertaining audiences since 1999) is now Lakeway Sings!  The group’s spring show is “Getting to Know You,” April 25-26, 6-9PM at Lakeway Activity Center.  More info here:  https://www.lakewaysings.com/events

Lake Travis Democrats

  • April 28–Monthly Meeting, Social at 6PM and Meeting starts at 6:30PM, at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek). Speaker: Zach Despart, an enterprise and investigative reporter focusing on state government for the Texas Tribune.
  • April 29–Banned Book Club, 6:30PM at Lake Travis Community Library (1938 Lohmans Crossing). Book: How We Learn to Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Budde. This book is an inspirational guide to the key junctures in life that, if navigated with faith and discernment, pave the way to become our most courageous selves.
  • Check here for more info: https://www.laketravisdemocrats.com/

Pecan Street Festival coming to Hill Country Galleria

On May 3-4, due to problems with its usual downtown Austin venue, the 50th Annual Spring Pecan Street festival takes place at Hill Country Galleria.  With FREE parking and FREE admission, the festival features arts and crafts vendors, music, food, entertainment and more. Info here: https://pecanstreetfestival.org/event-info/

Teen Scholarship Opportunities—DEADLINES coming up SOON!  

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. Chariothas 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/

Wildfire Prevention begins at 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.  [I did this a few years back and found it very helpful.]  Sign up for your free assessment today 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/

Council Met on March 17.

RESULTS: Six members attended the meeting, all in person.  Council Member Brynteson was absent.

ITEM 6: Discussion and possible action regarding the city providing support or opposition to bills in the current Texas legislative session: This item was pulled from the Consent Agenda for discussion. At the start of the meeting, Rep. Vikki Goodwin spoke on 2 bills promoting water conservation (including forbidding HOAs from disallowing drought-tolerant landscaping or fining homeowners for brown yards during the drought).  At the end of the meeting, Council discussed various categories of bills that could help or hurt the city’s interests.  Motion for the Legislative Subcommittee to continue its work (including supporting the 2 new water bills) PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 11: Financial Report: Compared to the budget, the city is running at a positive variance of $1.18MIL.

ITEM 12: Citizens Participation for Items NOT on the Agenda: 1 person spoke.

ITEM 13: Annual Audit Report: As of Sept. 20, 2024, the auditor noted no problems, with a healthy fund balance.

ITEM 14: Report on the server failure at City Hall: The 2-week long outage was due to failure of a 2019 server and affected most city systems (though the police department was largely unscathed).  Staff is investigating ways to be prevent similar problems, with a budget amendment coming to pay for needed updates and fail-safes.

ITEM 15: Discussion and possible action on Serene Hills median maintenance: The Serene Hills HOA wants City of Lakeway to assume some (not yet specified) of the broad range of landscape maintenance items that now cost the HOA around $160,000 per year.  In addition, it wants the city to take on irrigation costs, which are not yet specified.  Per discussion, the city generally performs only mowing services for the medians of other HOAs.  In addition, it was noted that the Serene Hills median is decorated (with signs, statues, monuments, etc.) to a far greater degree than allowed in most areas, which may have been why the HOA agreed to take on all maintenance of the area.  A MOTION to table this matter (so that the HOA and staff can research the issues) until the regular Council meeting in May PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 16: Zoning change for 0.876 acres of land at 1211 Farris Drive from R-5 (condo) to R-1 (single-family): PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 17: PUD Amendment #8 as to Tuscan Village 2, 17.462 acres at Lohmans Crossing and Lohmans Spur: 4 issues:

–The 21 cluster cottages will be for sale instead of for lease– PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

–Cut and fill allowed up to 25’– PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

–Removing the last age-restriction from the project, so that NONE of the housing in TV2 is reserved for Lakeway’s senior population–PASSED 5:1 (Sherman).

–Allowing a fast-food restaurant with a drive-through at the corner of Lohmans Crossing and Bella Toscana: Council seemed ready to deny this, largely because the specific restaurant was not identified by the developer.  But, they got hung up on whether the developer’s future ask for a specific drive-through restaurant could be made as a special use permit or would require another PUD amendment.  A MOTION to table this single matter (so that staff can resolve that issue) until the regular Council meeting in April PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 18: Report from the Capital Improvement Plan and City Fund Sub-Committee (Kilgore, Sherman, O’Brien): The CIP covers maintaining, renovating and replacing buildings, vehicles, roads, items costing over $25K with a useful life over 5 years, plus parks (once the recent parks bond has been used).  For those items, the budget process will change, to focus on long-term planning with public input and funding other than via bonds.  NO ACTION TAKEN. The CONSENSUS was the subcommittee would continue working, with the CIP part of the upcoming budget process this summer.

ITEM 19: Discussion and possible action as to Baby Box: PASSED UNANIMOUSLY (estimated cost is $800.year; location is ESD8, Pedernales Fire Station).

ITEM 20: Amending The Oaks at Lakeway PUD, being 34.745 acres behind HEB and proposing apartments and a public park, along with building Main Street across the tract.  (NOTE: This item was on ZAPCO’s March 5 Agenda, with developer Stratus withdrawing it at the last minute.  The main issue is whether and when Stratus builds the portion of Main Street across this tract, as agreed; the deadline for road completion was September 12, 2024.) : NO ACTION TAKEN here since Stratus withdrew this from ZAPCO’s meeting.  See ITEM #21 below.

ITEM 21: EXECUTIVE SESSION for legal action/consultation with attorney as to ORDINANCE NO. 2022-09-12-02 (the Stratus agreement to build Main Street by the deadline of September 12, 2024; see item 20 above): Motion that Stratus is in violation of this agreement and must file a ZAPCO packet by April 2, 2025, or staff may enforce penalties per the agreement PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM 22: EXECUTIVE SESSION for legal action/consultation with attorney as to City Center: NO ACTION TAKEN.

ITEM 23: EXECUTIVE SESSION for legal action/consultation with attorney as to West Austin Business Park Legal Intervention: NO ACTION TAKEN.

ADJOURNED at 10:12PM. 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/337623

May 3 LOCAL ELECTION        

       

Lakeway has a local election coming up. 

  • Election Day: Saturday, May 3.
  • Early Voting: April 22-29.
  • Last Day to REGISTER TO VOTE: April 3.
  • Ballot by Mail Application DEADLINE: Must be RECEIVED by April 22.
  • WHERE can I vote?  Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek) is the closest polling place, for early voting and election day.  Other area locations include Bee Cave City Hall (4000 Galleria Parkway) and Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center (607 RR 620N at Kollmeyer). You can vote at any polling place in Travis County.  

There is no election for Mayor or Council in Lakeway this year. 

MAYOR: No one filed to run against Mayor Tom Kilgore, so he will serve his third and last term.

COUNCIL: There were 3 Council seats open, and only 3 people filed to run.  So, Chris Forton and Kent O’Brien will serve their second terms.  Gretchen Vance has already served 6 consecutive years on Council so she is term-limited.  Louis Mastrangelo, who served 6 years and sat out the past year, filed again so he will serve his fourth (non-consecutive) term.

So, what’s on the ballot? 

Lakeway’s ballot has 7 Propositions, as well as 3 LTISD Board races.  Below are sections with info the Propositions and on the School Board races.

7 Propositions 

Propositions mean a lot of reading and trying to make sense of convoluted legal language that may seem designed to trick us.  As a poll worker, I know that voters often get frustrated trying to figure out propositions at the polling place, sometimes giving up and not voting at all on propositions.  We can do better….

Prop A continues a sales tax for road repair.  Props B-G are all proposed changes to Lakeway’s City Charter. 

My advice on the 7 Propositions is simple: Prop A is OK.  Keep Lakeway the BEST–VOTE NO on the REST.  Here is more information, so you can decide how to vote BEFORE you go to the polls.

PROP A: Reauthorize sales tax of one fourth of one percent to maintain Lakeway’s streets. 

This is the EASY one—VOTE YES.  It is nothing new; this use of a tiny sliver of sales tax has been in place for many years and helps Lakeway keep its streets repaired, which is good for everyone.  Prop A is OK.  VOTE YES.

There are SIX suggested Charter changes, Props B through G.  Having sat through MANY Council meetings on this, I think the 6 suggested changes range from dumb to dangerous.  Two of the changes FAILED to pass back in 2020, but Council is trying AGAIN. 

One proposition tells the story.  Prop F eliminates Lakeway’s Board of Ethics.  Not changing its members or how it functions—ELIMINATING it, by deleting all reference to it from the City Charter that has served Lakeway well for decades.  Because Lakeway suddenly doesn’t need ethical rules or a Board to enforce them?  Council says it will come up with an ethics ordinance later. Given how split Council is, it will likely just adopt State of Texas’ rules, which are the bare minimum.  So much for “Lakeway values.”  With a proposed Charter change this bad, can any of the others be trusted?

Briefly, here are all 6 propositions to change the Charter:

PROP B: Changes the Residency Requirement for City Manager, so that he/she can live within the LTISD area, NOT just within Lakeway city limits. 

Residents already voted NO on this, back in 2020.  Council added the “within LTISD boundaries” language to try to slip it through this time.  Our City Manager has immense power in Lakeway government, and a non-resident should not wield that power.  For instance, the City Manager sets the annual budget and proposes the property tax rate to finance it, for Council review. Our City Manager should pay LAKEWAY TAXES.  Our City Manager should deal with LAKEWAY TRAFFIC and abide by LAKEWAY ORDINANCES.  Someone living in Bee Cave, Hudson Bend, Briarcliff Spicewood, Dripping Springs, etc. has none of those concerns.  VOTE NO.

PROP C: Eliminates the Office of City Treasurer.  

Maybe current city staff can handle Treasurer functions, but this is one of several changes that are just too petty to go on the ballot.  Plus, residents voted this change DOWN in 2020, and Council should respect that.  VOTE NO.

PROP D: Changes the approval process for Police Department policies and procedures so the City Manager is in charge.   

This boils down to power and accountability, and Prop D would shift that from Council to the City Manager.  Police Department oversight is too important to slide onto the City Manager’s plate, and giving Council a look at things on an annual basis only is ridiculous.  VOTE NO.

PROP E: Changes the process so that the Mayor and each Council member nominates a person to ZAPCO for a one-year term.  

The Charter says the Mayor appoints ZAPCO members, subject to Council approval, which has worked well for decades.  Currently, the Mayor reviews credentials of those in the volunteer pool and puts qualified people on ZAPCO, with differing views yet creating a balanced group.  But, certain Council members desperately want to put their pals or their political allies on ZAPCO, who will vote their way on development issues.  If you want ZAPCO members to review developments with the best interests of Lakeway in mind, VOTE NO.

PROP F: Eliminates the Board of Ethics.

Lakeway should have a robust Ethics Code and a Board to enforce it, not a passing reference to state law with enforcement in county court.  VOTE NO.

PROP G: Eliminates the City Building Commission.

Maybe CBC doesn’t have much to do now, but this is too petty to be put on the ballot.  VOTE NO.

More info here: 

Remember—leaving the ballot box blank does nothing.  Only YES and NO votes are counted.

LTISD BOARD RACES

There are 3 school board races this year, for Place 3, Place 4 and Place 5 on the LTISD Board of Trustees. 

CANDIDATE FORUM 

On Wednesday, April 2, 6:30PM, head over to the Rough Hollow Community Center (903 Highlands Blvd.), for a forum featuring the candidates running in the 3 races for Lake Travis ISD School Board.  The event is sponsored by V4P and LT Dems.  There will be a neutral moderator, and all 6 candidates have been invited to participate.

For Place 3, school board President Erin Archer faces challenger Jessica Howard. 

These candidates are both very conservative.  Neither one has training or experience in education. 

For several years, Archer has been supported by Gov. Abbott’s pro-voucher group, Lake Travis Families PAC.  Her election site is here: http://www.archerforlt.com/  

Howard is supported by the far-right group, We the People, and her campaign site is  https://votehowardltisd.com/   Community Impact did its usual brief Q&A with the candidates.  Election Q&A: Meet the Lake Travis ISD board of trustees Place 3 candidates 3/5/25 https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2025/03/05/election-qa-meet-the-lake-travis-isd-board-of-trustees-place-3-candidates/

For Place 4, Jonathan Bove faces John Severance, who is supported by We the People. 

Bove has a Master’s Degree in Higher Education, as well as kids attending LTISD schools.  Bove’s campaign site is here: https://www.votebove.com/   He also has an active Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1522465438450483  

Severance is an engineer, and his campaign site is here: https://www.voteseverance.com/Election Q&A: Meet the Lake Travis ISD board of trustees Place 4 candidates 3/11/25 https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2025/03/06/election-qa-meet-the-lake-travis-isd-board-of-trustees-place-4-candidates/

For Place 5, Kris Woodcock is an educator facing Craig Cancienne, who is supported by We the People. 

Woodcock is a certified teacher with over 10 years of classroom experience. Her campaign site is here: https://votekriswoodcock.com/  She also has an active Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573029882086&mc_cid=af516f228f&mc_eid=827a658cd3 

Cancienne is an engineer/consultant.  If his name is familiar, that is likely because he ran last year with huge support from the notorious Lake Travis Families PAC, and he lost to Phillip Davis.  His campaign page is here: https://craigcancienne.com/  Election Q&A: Meet the Lake Travis ISD board of trustees Place 5 candidates 3/11/25 https://communityimpact.com/austin/lake-travis-westlake/election/2025/03/07/election-qa-meet-the-lake-travis-isd-board-of-trustees-place-5-candidates/

(Image credits for portrait shots: Community Impact.)

More on the candidates. 

LT Voices for Progress is supporting Jonathan Bove for Place 4 and Kris Woodcock for Place 5.  They are the only educators in the election.  Read more here: https://ltvoicesforprogress.org/pages/2025-ltisd-school-board-election

Even better, V4P has a series of new videos (just 2 minutes each). 

The first video: Do You Want Educators or Political Stunt People on the Board? gives the background on the school board as well as the 3 current races.   It explains that Lake Travis Families PAC disappeared after losing last year’s school board races; now, Jennifer Fleck’s far-right group, We the People (which promoted book-banning for years), is running ultra-conservative candidates for school board in all 3 races–Howard, Severance and Cancienne, proudly marketing them as “DOGE Candidates.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOYdjacMzc

The second video: Learn why Bove and Woodcock are the Most Qualified LTISD School Board Candidates compares the candidates in Place 4 and Place 5 on qualifications, stances on transparency and book bans, dedication to fight bullying and promote teacher retention, and more.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTl9zo2rfwA

The third video: John Severance & Craig Cancienne are LTISD’s “DOGE” School Board Candidates exposes the negatives, when unqualified people calling themselves DOGE candidates are faced with the many problems our schools now have.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGd_XSEg1NY

The fourth video: Which Candidates Are Best Suited For Tough Budget Times compares candidates with education credentials AND solid fiscal experience to those backed by money-wasting book banners and voucher supporters.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJFgidqIrFs

Concluding…. 

I have heard Jonathan Bove and Kris Woodcock speak, and I chatted with them, as well.  They bring impressive EDUCATION qualifications, as well as being engaging and normal folks sincerely dedicated to helping our kids and improving our schools.  Also, I remember Craig Cancienne’s awkward performance at a candidate forum last year; it felt like he somehow signed up for the wrong election—one he has no training or experience for and no interest in at all. 

So, I’m voting for Jonathan Bove in Place 4 and Kris Woodcock in Place 5.  However, I plan to attend the April 2 Candidate Forum (6:30PM, at the Rough Hollow Community Center), primarily to figure out how which candidate is the lesser evil in Place 3.

Daring Mighty Things                              

On March 14, up on the moon, Firefly Aerospace’s lander, Blue Ghost, witnessed a solar eclipse, as Earth blocked the sun.  Blue Ghost took the above photo (image credit: Firefly Aerospace), capturing the diamond ring effect as the sun slid from behind Earth. Shortly after that, Blue Ghost died a natural death; without the sun, its solar panels were useless, and it lost power. Happily, it functioned as planned the prior 2 weeks, carrying out several experiments and sending back immense data on the moon. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250319.html

A while back, Boeing’s Starliner was deemed unsafe to bring its 2 astronauts home from the International Space Station.  So, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore got to expand their ISS mission to 9 months, then caught a ride home on a SpaceX Dragon.  They splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on March 18; the capsule bobbed in the ocean, surrounded by a welcoming pod of dolphins until the recovery vessels arrived.  (Image credit: NASA.)  Never-‘stuck’ Starliner astronauts return to Earth at last with Crew-9 duo in SpaceX Dragon splashdown 3/18/25 https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/never-stuck-starliner-astronauts-return-to-earth-at-last-with-crew-9-duo-in-spacex-dragon-splashdown

Above is the Pacman Nebula.  But it isn’t gobbling up stars—it is creating them.  Located about 10,000 light-years from Earth, the nebula consists of stellar dust, radiation and energetic winds. (Image credit: Juan Montilla.)  https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250326.html

Forget the mysteries of outer space, our oceans are pretty bizarre.

The above image shows an octopus riding a shark, in waters off New Zealand. Oceanic researchers recently happened to notice something odd about the shark and zoomed in for a closer look.  Specifically, they observed a Maori octopus, typically 6 feet long when unwound and weighing 25 pounds, riding a giant predator, a shortfin Mako shark that tops out at 14 feet long and swims as fast as 46mph.  Both creatures seemed happy with the situation, and calmly passed out of range.  Oddly, the Maori lives on the sea floor, while the Mako tends to prowl near the surface, so they shouldn’t have been interacting at all. (Image credit: Esther Stuck and Wednesday Davis, University of Auckland.) This Octopus’s Other Car Is a Shark 3/20/25 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/science/octopus-riding-shark-new-zealand.html

Also forget about sharks being the “silent killers” in the sea.  Researchers recently recorded the sounds that sharks make.  Listen in here: First shark sound recordings captured by researchers, study shows 3/26/25 https://abcnews.go.com/US/sound-recordings-sharks-captured-researchers-new-study-shows/story?id=120173506

With liberty and justice for all … except women.  

A licensed midwife and her employee were recently arrested and charged with performing illegal abortions at a Houston-area health clinic.  These are the first criminal charges brought under the near-total abortion ban in Texas.  The second-degree felony comes with up to 20 years in prison. Authorities allege the pair performed abortions by prescribing abortion pills.  Houston-area midwife arrested for allegedly providing illegal abortions 3/17/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-abortion-midwife-arrested/

A county clerk in New York refused last week to file $113,000 Texas judgment against a New York doctor accused of providing abortion pills to a Dallas resident via telehealth consultation. The clerk was acting per New York’s telemedicine shield law, which also protected the doctor from being extradited to Louisiana on a similar charge.  Eight states have shield laws to protect their health care professionals.  NY county clerk refuses to file Texas’ fine for doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills 3/27/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/27/new-york-texas-abortion-doctor-pills/

Currently pending in the Texas legislature are various bills that would restrict abortion even further than presently.  A prominent measure is Senate Bill 2880, meant to stop Texans from accessing abortion pills or getting abortions outside the state. The bill targets online pill providers and the tech companies that host abortion-related websites.  Plus, it makes paying or reimbursing the costs of an abortion a felony, punishable by up to life in prison. And, it allows private citizens to sue for up to $100,000 per violation of the law.  Abortion opponents laud bill that would clamp down on pill providers and out-of-state abortions 3/27/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/27/texas-abortion-pill-ban-senate-2880/

Also pending in the Texas legislature is a bipartisan measure, Senate Bill 31, to clarify exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban.  For instance, it specifies doctors can remove an ectopic pregnancy or the remains of a fetus after a miscarriage, and clarifies that doctors are not required to delay, alter or withhold life-saving medical treatment to try to preserve the life of the fetus. Critics say the bill doesn’t go far enough to protect women facing pregnancy-related medical emergencies.  Worse, the bill seems to resurrect 160-year-old laws that could be used to criminalize those who have undergone an abortion or have helped those who receive an out-of-state abortion.  Amid support from doctors group, bill to clarify Texas’ abortion ban does little to save lives, critics say 3/27/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/27/texas-abortion-bill-senate-31/

Studies since 2023 show that abortion bans since Roe was overturned prevented women from ending their pregnancies, in uneven ways.  Not surprisingly, “women who are poorer and younger and have less education are more likely to have an unintended pregnancy, and more likely to be unable to overcome the barriers to abortion care.”  The effect was more pronounced for Black and Hispanic women, women without a college degree, and women living farthest from a clinic.  In Texas (the largest state banning abortion), “births increased more in Houston, where the nearest clinic is 600 miles away in Kansas, than they did in El Paso, where the nearest clinic is 20 miles away in New Mexico. Similarly, births increased more in the South, where states are surrounded by other states with bans, but very little in eastern Missouri, where there are abortion clinics across the border in Illinois.  The Women Most Affected by Abortion Bans 3/17/25  https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/upshot/abortion-bans-births-study.html

Back to me….          

MAXIE

December 18, 2006 to March 12, 2025

Rest in peace, my precious girl.

               

Some would think 18 years with a feline companion would be enough, but it doesn’t work that way.  She was my best girl.

I’m pleased to announce that I’m the new Coordinator of We Are Blood’s Lakeway Community Blood Drive!  Long-time Coordinator Mike Stubblefield has generously shared his secrets for making our drive the BIGGEST AND BEST community drive WRB sponsors, and I intend to keep it that way.  I have promoted the LAC blood drive in this blog for years and will keep it up.  Next drive is Saturday, May 10.  Sign up here: https://weareblood.org/donor/schedule/?location=65131&date=05/10/2025&reschedule

For the last 3 years and as long as it takes.   

SUPPORT UKRAINE rallies continue in Lakeway, once a week.  If you want to participate, message me for details.

The rain washed out a couple morning walks, and appointments pre-empted walking, as well.  Plus, the deer I saw mostly weren’t feeling camera-ready.  Here are a few photos I look recently of our wildlife.

Coronavirus Update

The Texas Tribune had a good article on Covid in Texas.  After Covid, Texas is less prepared for the next pandemic 3/18/25 https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/18/texas-covid-pandemic-readiness/

Newsweek interviewed the leader of Operation Warp Speed, 5 years later.  Five Years Later, Operation Warp Speed Leader Reflects on COVID Lessons 3/27/25 https://www.newsweek.com/operation-warp-speed-michael-anderson-interview-covid-pandemic-lessons-2051671

Covid-19 activity continues appears to have hit a plateau, after several weeks of declining numbers.  On data updated as of March 22, all indicators were flat or just slightly falling.  https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home

As of March 22, national wastewater viral remained at LOW levels, nationally.  Texas was also stable, at MODERATE levels.   https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/index.html

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