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Whispers
Thursday, March 11, 2021 by Tai Moses
AISD steps up efforts to get staff vaccinated
AISD is working with community partners like Ascension Seton, CommUnityCare, Code 4 and Austin Public Health “to provide opportunities for district staff to be vaccinated since the announcement on March 3 by the federal and state governments to prioritize educators.” Director of Health Services Alexandra Copeland said in a news release that the actions by the federal and state government “will ensure our schools will be that much safer for our students, teachers, and families and will lead us towards more students and teachers returning to the classroom.” While AISD does not provide vaccines, the district “is taking advantage of vaccine opportunities” and working “to connect staff to opportunities as they become available.” As of March 10, the school district had offered 2,670 vaccine opportunities to its employees.
Thursday, March 11, 2021 by Tai Moses
PARD resumes seasonal passes policy
Starting Friday, the parks department will resume its policy of requiring seasonal passes for visitors to Emma Long and Walter E. Long Metropolitan Parks, Friday through Sunday and holidays. Vehicle passes will be required March 12 to Oct. 31; pedestrian passes are required March 12 to Sept. 7. Buy your passes online at AustinTexas.gov/Parks. Park visitors should continue to practice social distancing, hand sanitation and wearing face masks. Parking is not allowed on the right of way outside the two parks; please reserve day passes and park only in designated parking areas.
Thursday, March 11, 2021 by Tai Moses
TxDOT does its bit to help save monarch butterflies
The monarch butterfly, one of the nation’s most iconic insect species, has been in decline for years due to the widespread loss of its native habitat and decades of pesticide use. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reports that populations of the orange-and-black pollinator in the U.S., Canada and Mexico “have dropped by about 90 percent over the past 20 years.” Now the Texas Department of Transportation is stepping up to help save the monarch by joining the Monarch Butterfly Candidate Conservation Agreement for Energy and Transportation Lands, a historic accord that “encourages transportation and energy partners to participate in monarch conservation by providing and maintaining habitat on millions of acres of rights-of-way and associated lands,” according to the news release. Monarchs visit Texas every fall and spring as they migrate from their breeding grounds in the north to spend the winter in Mexico. To aid in the monarch’s recovery, TxDOT is “enrolling 1.238 million acres of land, consisting of 73,038 center lane miles of highways and interstates.” James Stevenson, TxDOT maintenance division director, points out that state rights-of-way “are excellent habitat for wildlife, including pollinators such as the monarch butterfly as well as bats, bees, birds, and many more. Since milkweed is a crucial host plant for monarchs, TxDOT fully supports milkweed growth on state rights-of-way. Thousands of acres of milkweed appear on rights-of-way every year due to TxDOT’s longstanding wildflower and pollinator programs.” And the butterflies aren’t the only creatures who will benefit; while the agreement was designed with monarchs in mind, the conservation measures will be beneficial to all pollinating insects.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 by Elizabeth Pagano
Kite Fest returns to Austin in a new format
Though it will be taking a slightly different form, the ABC Kite Fest is scheduled to return to Austin on March 27-28. This year, instead of holding the celebration at Zilker Park, organizers are encouraging Austinites to fly their kites at nearby green spaces while maintaining a safe distance from others, in accordance with CDC guidelines. “The ABC Kite Fest is one of the city’s most anticipated annual events and we’re honored to be a part of it,” said Colin Wallis, CEO of Austin Parks Foundation. “This year presents the perfect opportunity for Austinites to explore the nearly 300 parks and green spaces our community has to offer as we extend the festival beyond Zilker Park,” he said. “We can’t wait to see the entire city filled with kites and families enjoying this time-honored tradition at their local parks.” Participants are encouraged to share photos by tagging the festival on social media. More information on the modified festivities, and how to safely hold community kite contests, can be found on the festival website.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 by Tai Moses
AISD furnishing free meals for spring break
AISD wants families that rely on school meals to know that the district will continue to provide access to healthy food while campuses are closed next week for spring break. The district will be providing free seven-day meal packs before the break, available at the curbside pickup sites this Thursday, March 11. According to the announcement, “Seven-day meal packs are free for any child younger than 19 as well as those older than 19 who utilize special education resources or who are enrolled in school to complete the requirements for a high school diploma.” The healthy meals feature “protein, grains, fruits, vegetables and milk.” All food is served chilled and is intended to be reheated at home. Additional seven-day meal packs will be available at the Central Texas Food Bank’s mass distribution event at Toney Burger Stadium, 3200 Jones Road, on Tuesday, March 16, 9 a.m. to noon. An “assortment of supplementary food” will also be provided at that time. The regular curbside meal distribution will resume on Thursday, March 25.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 by Tai Moses
Art installation celebrates Ann Richards’ legacy
A new public art installation celebrating Ann Richards, “Texas’ trailblazing, sharp-witted former governor,” made its debut yesterday along the Ann Richards Congress Avenue bridge, where 96 8-foot-tall banners “featuring quotes and images of the legendary governor” will flap in the breeze on the way to the state Capitol throughout the spring. The project commemorates the 30th anniversary of Richards’ inauguration and celebrates “one of her key legacies, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.” A collaboration between the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Writing on the Walls initiative and the Ann Richards Legacy Project, the colorful banners can be seen on both sides of a nearly 12-block span of Congress Avenue.
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 by Tai Moses
AISD hosts live session on STAAR
Students, staffers and families who have questions about the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness might want to attend AISD’s live virtual engagement session about STAAR and End of Course exams. According to a district news release, “The STAAR assessment is one of the many ways AISD supports academic student growth.” The session will feature Chief of Schools Anthony Mays and Carolyn Hanschen, executive director of accountability and assessment, who will answer questions from a moderator and audience members via Facebook comments. Tuesday, March 9, 5:30 p.m., on AISD’s Facebook page and AISD TV.
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 by Tai Moses
Learn about those harmful algae blooms
Texas Parks and Wildlife is hosting a webinar about the harmful algae blooms in Lady Bird Lake in 2019 and 2020. After a number of dogs got sick and died after “being exposed to toxic cyanobacteria mats” in the lake, the city’s Watershed Protection Department and TPWD began to monitor the lake for the presence of toxins in the algae. Senior environmental scientist Brent Bellinger will discuss the findings of the studies and “the conditions that have given rise to the blooms in the reservoir.” Tuesday, March 9, 6:30 p.m. Register here.
Monday, March 8, 2021 by Elizabeth Pagano
Aquarium ‘moss balls’ found to contain invasive zebra mussels
In dispiriting news, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is urging places that sell aquarium products to remove items known as “moss balls” from their stock after highly invasive zebra mussels were found to be traveling the country on them. According to a press release from TPWD: “These ‘moss balls’ are a species of algae that form green balls up to a few inches in diameter and are sold as an aquarium plant under names such as ‘Betta Buddy Marimo Balls,’ ‘Mini Marimo Moss Balls’ and ‘Marimo Moss Ball Plant.’ They may be sold separately or provided with the sale of betta fish. These moss balls are believed to have been imported from the Ukraine and distributed across the continental U.S.” The agency confirms that Petco stores have been working to remove the product from their shelves, and urges all other stores and aquarium owners in possession of the product to dispose of them. At home, this can be done by “completely drying, freezing, or placing the moss balls into a plastic zipper bag and then disposing of it in a garbage bag. Aquarium water should be replaced, and filters/cartridges replaced or disinfected. Aquarium water can be disinfected prior to disposal by adding one cup of bleach per gallon and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes before disposing the water down the drain. This method can also be used to disinfect gravel, filter, and other structures, and is highly recommended if zebra mussels are found attached to the moss or in the aquarium.” Zebra mussels have been wreaking havoc on Texas waterways as the invasive mollusk continues to work its way through the state. “It is important that we take all possible precautions to prevent them from being introduced elsewhere,” said Brian Van Zee, TPWD inland fisheries regional director. More about the mussels and other invasive species in Texas can be found at the TPWD Stop Invasives website.
Monday, March 8, 2021 by Tai Moses
HEB sticks to mask policy, asks for ‘kindness and understanding’
While the governor continues to ignore the science that finds face masks help to slow the spread of Covid-19, HEB says it will “continue to expect shoppers to wear masks while in our stores. Additionally, we will still require all our partners and vendors to wear masks while at work.” In a press release dated March 5, the San Antonio-based supermarket chain declares it “has always been a strong proponent and advocate of mask use even before mandates and orders were passed.” HEB has had “several safety protocols in place since the early days of the pandemic, and until all Texans including our partners have access to the Covid-19 vaccine, we will continue these efforts.” In a subtle slap at the governor, the chain says that the lifting of the state mask order puts “real pressure on retailers to enforce an emotional topic for many. We ask for kindness and understanding from our customers in our expectation of them to wear masks in our stores.” The press release ends with a plea for common sense and unity: “As Texans helping Texans, let’s continue to protect each other while in our stores. Let’s keep wearing masks, to protect yourself, our fellow Texans, and our dedicated partners who are committed to helping our communities throughout this pandemic and every other crisis this state may face.”
Friday, March 5, 2021 by Elizabeth Pagano
Zaffirini files bills aimed at preserving transparency
Just about a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, state Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) has filed a series of bills that address how municipalities are handling open government issues under a constant state of emergency in which public meetings are held over videoconferencing software. The seven bills, which address a variety of issues, were filed individually and also bundled into Senate Bill 923 as an omnibus bill. If passed, meetings broadcast live and held by videoconference would have to provide video and audio feeds of the meeting online and allow the public to participate via videoconference, and open meetings will be available to the public within 24 hours of their conclusion. The legislation would also define a “business day” in order to prevent municipalities from claiming “skeleton crew days” that are not considered business days. The bills further define the rules around public information requests for electronic records. “Transparency is essential to preserving democratic governance,” Zaffirini said in a press release about the bills. “The more complicated our government becomes, the greater the potential damage of poor stewardship or outright abuse – and the greater the need for transparency. … This is especially true during emergencies, whether they’re winter storms, pandemics, or even recessions. The public’s right to the truth never changes, but its need for it is never greater than during times of crisis.”
Friday, March 5, 2021 by Tai Moses
Food bank struggling to meet demand
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Winter Storm Uri, food insecurity has escalated dramatically in Central Texas, and demand for the Central Texas Food Bank’s services have skyrocketed. In the hopes of reaching as many hungry people as possible, the food bank is planning several mass food distribution events this month. The food bank will distribute “an assortment of food items which will vary, depending on available supplies. While these food distributions are primarily designed as drive-through events, no one in need of food will be turned away.” Find the locations and hours for Austin-area food distribution events at centraltexasfoodbank.org. The website also shows locations where those in need can “Find Food Now.” If you are in a position to help others, Central Texas Food Bank is in need of monetary donations to buy food for hungry families. Want to pitch in with your own two hands? Volunteers are needed to help with distribution events and with food sorting in the warehouse. Learn more about volunteering for the Central Texas Food Bank here.