Federal funds for post-Harvey recovery of schools.
Texas schools impacted by Hurricane Harvey have $89.4 million in assistance coming from the United States Department of Education (DOE) for post-hurricane recovery. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will disperse funds to public, charter, and private schools. To put the amount of damage suffered by Texas schools in perspective, a small, but hard-hit school district like Aransas County ISD estimated $55 million in damages. To read more…
Shadow special election set.
Monday, the early resignation of Rep. Larry Philips (R-Sherman) became effective and Governor Abbott called a special election for November 6th. The special election is being held concurrently with the General Election, shadowing it, instead of being a separate election for House District 62. HD 62 borders Oklahoma and includes Grayson, Fannin, and Delta counties. To read more…
Texas in top 10 of most fun states.
Texas ranks #7 in a recently released list of Most Fun States in America. All 50 states were compared across 26 fun indicators ranging from movie costs to accessibility of state parks. Texas did particularly well in the areas of movie theaters and restaurants. To read more…
Only in Austin…
Since 1981, Texas French Bread Bakery and Bistro has been an Austin favorite for freshly-baked breads, pastries, deserts, and the perfect lunchtime sandwich. In recent years, dinner service has been added. New executive chef Max Mackinnon plans to take Texas French Bread to the next level in European bistro and tradition French dining. Bon Appetite! To read more…
Early voting began Monday for the May 5th special election to fill Texas House District 13, formerly held by Rep. Leighton Schubert (R-Caldwell). This election is for the remainder of his term, ending January 2019. Early voting ends May 1st. 
Governor Abbott has called an emergency special election for June 30th to replace U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Corpus Christi). Texas law allows the governor to suspend certain statutes if they interfere with disaster recovery, and Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion giving the go ahead to do so. Abbott has said he wants the constituents of Congressional District 27 to have new representation as quickly as possible as they continue to recover from Hurricane Harvey. Candidate filing deadline is Friday. 
Oral arguments in the Texas redistricting case began before the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. At the core of the ongoing lawsuit is whether certain congressional and house districts were drawn with intent to discriminate against voters of color. SCOTUS will issue its ruling sometime this summer. 
Looking for an event that truly keeps Austin weird? Look no further than Eeyore’s 55th birthday party in Pease Park. This annual event hosted by the Friends of the Forest Foundation raises funds for several local non-profit organizations including: Emancipet, Hospice Austin, Keep Austin Fed, and Mother’s Milk Bank. Come meet Eeyore himself! 
Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) has been appointed Chair of the Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus. Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) resigned as she continues her campaign for Congress. 
Former Sen. Tommy Williams, currently Senior Advisor for Fiscal Affairs to Governor Abbott, is going over to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) after a Texas State Auditor’s report was critical of contracting practices. This is not the first time the agency has been under scrutiny in recent months. 
This Saturday, April 21st, Texas Football makes its spring appearance inside the Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the annual Orange-White Game. Kickoff is at 6:30pm. 
U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) will not seek re-election. Speaker Ryan just wrapped up a fundraising stop in Texas raising $4 million. This announcement could lead members of the Texas congressional delegation to seek positions in House leadership. 
Rep. Oscar Longoria (D-Mission) has been appointed to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) by Speaker Joe Straus. The 10-member LBB recommends legislative appropriations for all agencies of state government, creating a starting point for the state budget. 
Friday, U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Corpus Christi) resigned, although he originally said he would serve the remainder of his term. Because it is too late to hold an election for Congressional District 27 on the next uniform election date (May 5th), Governor Abbott will need to call a separate special election to fill the seat for the rest of this term. A runoff for the Republican primary for this district is May 22nd. 
Athena, the Wildflower Center’s resident horned owl, returned in February to nest near the entrance once again. In the last couple of weeks, two owlets have been spotted. These owlets will remain in the nest for 6-7 weeks before setting out as fledglings. It’s not too late to visit Athena and her owlets, but you’ll want to do it soon. 
Former Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has been named acting assistant secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks. This appointment comes along as she awaits confirmation for another post at the Department of the Interior—assistant secretary for policy, management, and budget. 
Since the indictment of Senator Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio), Senatorial aspirations have been growing, although Sen. Uresti currently holds his seat. Some have called for his resignation, which would trigger a special election. Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) has already declared his candidacy and former state representative and congressman Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) will formally announce his candidacy tomorrow. 
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia (San Antonio). In his ruling, he agreed with civil rights groups that Texas violated the federal National Voter Registration Act by failing to register residents to vote when they updated drivers’ license information online. One possible “fix” could be using online voter registration. 
East Austin Succulents is a cactus and succulent nursery on the Eastside of Austin. Looking for cacti, succulents, or rare plant species—this is the place! You can find already made arrangements or make your own. With hotter and dryer weather headed our way, a water wise plant may be the answer to having a green thumb. 
That’s a question the U.S. Commerce Department has added to the 2020 census. Why does this matter? An accurate census is critical to the drawing of representative political districts and how to distribute federal funds for healthcare, education, housing, and transportation projects. This additional question could result in lower response scores. 
It’s that time of year where the state flower is blooming on roadsides and fields. So, is it illegal to pick a bluebonnet in Texas? Actually…no, there is no law against picking a bluebonnet. There are, however, laws protecting private property. So, don’t trespass to take home a floral souvenir. 
Everything is bigger in Texas, even when it’s tiny. Village Farm is in its initial phase of development with 40 tiny home lots and an additional 112 planned for phase 2. Each house is 250-399 square feet, built with eco-friendly materials, and outfitted with solar panels and rainwater harvesting capabilities. Village Farm includes a general store, school, and other amenities that make it reminiscent of villages in the past. Anyone looking to downsize? 
The Texas river otter population is doing well, and they are repopulating Texas waterways. Evidence of the return of these energetic and playful animals can even be seen in Houston’s urban Buffalo Bayou! 
Mayfield Park’s historic cottage and its two acres of cottage gardens are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A 21-acre natural area also surrounds the park and is home to plenty of wildlife. The park is also home to several showy peacocks. 
Governor Abbott has appointed former San Angelo Mayor Alvin New to the Texas Transportation Commission. In his first Commission meeting, New said he looks forward to working with everyone on getting food, fuel, and fiber to the population centers of Texas. The Transportation Commission oversees the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). 
“Yippee Ki Yay” is complete and open to the public at Pease Park. The structures are made from locally harvested Texas ash, Ligustrum, and depression willow—much of it brought in from Hershey Ranch near Stonewall. It took 8 tons of natural materials, three weeks, and a team of volunteers to bring the vision of Patrick Dougherty to life. To read more…