Yesterday, local officials warned area residents impacted by flooding to be aware of and report suspicious activity or fraud. The city said, “Some of the most common post-disaster fraud practices include fraudulent housing inspectors, building contractors, pleas for donations and fake offers of disaster aid.” As measures of precaution, they advise people to act cautiously and research individuals and companies. They also note, “Disaster survivors should also keep in mind that relief workers always carry photo identification badges and do not ask for or accept money. There is no fee required to apply for or to get disaster assistance. Additionally, local disaster assistance agencies will not call to ask for private financial account information. Unless a survivor calls a charity or agency, personal information should not be given over the phone.” According to a press release about the issue, those wishing to complain “can call local law enforcement, or the Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721, fax at 225-334-4707 or email disaster@leo.gov. Calls can be made anonymously and confidentially. Residents can also report scams (including remolding/repair scams and price gouging) to the Texas Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 621-0508. The Austin Regional Office is at 300 West 15th Street, 9th Floor, PO Box 12548, Austin, Texas 78711-2548. The local telephone numbers are 512-463-2185 (office) or 512-473-8301 (fax).”

Today, Travis County Commissioner candidate James Nortey will reveal a proposal to provide paid leave for Travis County workers at the regular meeting of the Commissioners Court. According to a press release about the plan, Nortey will be joined by Lea Downey, who works for the county and hopes to start a family in the near future. In the press release, Nortey explained, “Travis County should be a leader on family-friendly policies that create economic security for working families and encourage all of our workplaces to better support parents regardless of gender or sexual orientation.” According to a document released by the campaign, Nortey will ask the county to evaluate the cost of up to six weeks of paid parental leave for all parents (paternal, maternal and adoptive) that could be taken anytime during the first year following the birth or adoption of a child. The city of Austin already has a plan like this in place and offers 30 days of paid leave to city employees to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.

Earlier this week, the Trail Foundation announced that its newest project will be a major upgrade of the trail under the north end of the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. Anyone who has experienced the current configuration (and blind curve) of this elevated section of the trail will understand the need for improvements, and the foundation will spend $2.5 million to make those improvements through its “Trail Bridge at Congress Avenue” project. According to a press release about the overhaul, the funding comes from donor Robert F. Smith, who is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Vista Equity Partners. He has committed a pledge of $1.25 million toward the new project. The foundation launched its own matching campaign and will raise $1.25 million more. The new bridge is expected to be completed in two years and, when done, will be 14 feet wide.

Due to technical difficulties, our regular Monday posting of the Austin Monitor‘s KOOP show was delayed. Please enjoy our Tuesday posting today, which is much like the Monday post would have been, one day later.

Police said Sunday that they had no new information to share about the investigation into Friday night’s shooting of Travis County District Judge Julie Kocurek. Kocurek, who is the presiding felony judge, was shot as she returned to her West Austin home shortly after 10 p.m. on Friday. Her neighbors reported hearing four shots. Kocurek was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge Hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition in the intensive care unit. Mayor Steve Adler expressed a wish for her speedy recovery at Sunday’s special called meeting of the City Council. Kocurek was appointed to the newly created 390th district court in 1999 by then-Gov. George W. Bush. Although she was elected as a Republican initially, Kocurek switched parties in 2006, noting that she was more comfortable as a Democrat.

The city will hold an informational community meeting today for residents impacted by recent flooding. The meeting will offer answers to questions about home repairs and permits, home buyouts, cleaning and debris removal. That meeting, which will offer supervised activities for children and Spanish interpretation, will take place at Perez Elementary School from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Additionally, City Council Member Delia Garza will hold a District 2 town hall meeting on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. until noon. The meeting will take place at the Del Valle Opportunity Center, 5301 Ross Road.

The annual Zilker Holiday Tree Art Contest is officially open for entries. Kids ages 5 to 10 years old are invited to submit original drawings of the Zilker Holiday Tree by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. Not only will the winners be publicly recognized for their work, but they will also help with the official tree lighting on Nov. 29. Six winners will be selected in total, three from each of two categories: Junior Division (ages 5 to 7) and Senior Division (ages 8 to 10). According to an announcement from the city, contestants may use crayon, watercolor, ink, colored paper, paint or pastels as their chosen medium. For more on the contest rules and instructions for entry, see the city’s website, here.

On Sunday, a volunteer reception center opened. That center will host a coordinated volunteer effort for people interested in helping with cleanup, debris removal and other activities in the wake of last weekend’s flooding. More information about the center and how to volunteer is available here, and volunteers are encouraged to sign in here before their arrival to help coordinate efforts. The center is located at Crossroads Christian House of Prayer, 5201 East William Cannon Drive, and it will be open from Monday, Nov. 9 to Saturday, Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, the Onion Creek Plantation Neighborhood Watch Program and Keep Austin Beautiful will hold a litter/flood debris cleanup for Paces Mill Street in Onion Creek Plantation from 8:30 until 11:30 a.m. Those interested in participating should meet at Palm Elementary. More information is available by calling Annie Harton at 512-771-7405.

Citing potential weather conditions, the Parks and Recreation Department has canceled a public meeting at Emma Long Metropolitan Park that was originally scheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 7. The meeting has been rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the park. The parks department is holding the meeting to seek public input on the Emma Long Park Vision Plan. The meeting will be a “family-friendly event with activities for kids,” according to an announcement from the city. More information about the vision plan can be found here.

The city’s Animal Advisory Commission announced yesterday that it will be changing the location of its monthly meetings, which until now took place at the Austin Animal Center. Beginning with the next scheduled meeting on Nov. 9, the commission will meet at City Hall in the Boards and Commissions Room. The meetings will continue taking place on the second Monday of each month, starting at 6 p.m. According to an announcement from the city, the new space will have more capacity than the Animal Center, and it will also allow for meetings to be recorded by ATXN so that those who can’t attend will be able to watch the proceedings on television or online.

At the request of neighbors adjacent to the site of a proposed planned unit development called the Grove at Shoal Creek, the Environmental Commission postponed a public hearing on the plan’s environmental merits on Wednesday. The commission requested a staff briefing on the proposal at its next meeting on Nov. 18 and will consider the item on Dec. 16, despite attorney Jeff Howard’s statement that the developer, ARG Bull Creek LTD, agreed to a postponement only on the condition that the public hearing be set on Nov. 18. City staff has not yet made a recommendation on whether City Council should approve the planned unit development zoning request. Chuck Lesniak, environmental officer with the Watershed Protection Department, said that although the proposal has met the department’s standards for environmental superiority, there are other issues that must be sorted out.

Mayor Steve Adler declared a local state of disaster on Thursday because of record flooding that struck the city on Oct. 30. That declaration will be in effect for seven days or until it is ratified and extended by City Council. There will be a special Council meeting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, during which Council will consider an extension of the declaration, although it is not clear exactly how long that extension might be in effect. Travis County has already issued a disaster declaration. Sunday’s agenda also includes three other flood-related items. Council will consider an ordinance waiving permitting and development fees, as well as “reimbursing certain fees and costs required to address damage resulting from the flooding,” the agenda says. In addition, Council will consider waiving the usual residency requirements for the city to purchase properties in the 25-year floodplain of Onion Creek and 100-year floodplain of Little Onion Creek. If this item passes, the owners of homes in those areas will not be required to live in their homes for the 90 days prior to the city’s purchase, and the homes will be appraised at the value they had on Oct. 29, the day before the flood. There are more than 200 homes in this category. There is also a catch-all item at the end of the agenda that says, “Consider and take appropriate action related to the flood event beginning on October 30, 2015.”