MAN DROWNS TO DEATH AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL

by Clay Dafoe
June 6, 2013

A 21-year old man Timothy Guerra died on Wednesday, June 5th at the historic Barton Springs Pool in south Austin, Texas after drowning to death. After reportedly being under the cool 68 degree waters for approximately 30 seconds, the breath of life escaped Mr. Guerra and he was later pronounced dead shortly after 6:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. According to YNN, friends who personally knew Timothy Guerra pulled him from the ancient springs and uncovered his lifeless body before the 13 lifeguards on duty at the time reached him. The death of Timothy Guerra is the first reported drowning of an individual at Barton Springs Pool since the year 1990.

http://www.kvue.com/news/Father-speaks-about-learning-of-sons-Barton-Springs-Pool-death-210484471.html
http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/292332/barton-springs-pool-incident-serves-as-stark-summer-safety-reminder
http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/barton-springs-pool-safety-top-priority-9072.shtml

AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL SPENDS $3,900,000.00 TO CHANGE AUDITORIUM SHORES, RELIES ON C3 PROMISES

by Clay Dafoe
June 6, 2013

The Austin City Council has voted to approve the transfer of nearly $4,000,000.00 of funds from the Parks and Recreation Department to the Special Revenue fund in order to renovate Auditorium Shores just south of the Colorado River adjacent to downtown Austin, Texas. Auditorium Shores has long been home to numerous events and specifically concerts hosted by the City of Austin.

While many of those city sponsored events during certain times of year have historically been free, other private groups such as the Austin Reggae Festival formerly known as Marley Fest and the Austin Food & Wine Festival have been known to charge sizable prices for admission. The initiative to move $400,000.00 in funds to fund an architectural firm The Broussard Group, Inc. d/b/a TBG Partners and its design plan and $3,500,000.00 in funds to allocate on unspecified changes to Auditorium Shores is predicated on the claim that $3.5 million will be paid back to the City of Austin by C3 Entertainment, the music promotions group who runs the Austin City Limits Music Festival and owns Stubb's Barbecue on Red River Street in downtown Austin.

http://www.kvue.com/news/Austin-City-Council-meeting-210495741.html
http://austin.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=403&doctype=agenda 
http://austin.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/cache/2/v2tzdteib5s2waogn2ojx1re/51776406072013120417651.PDF

ACC TO REVAMP HIGHLAND MALL, MORE MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL CONDOS TO COME

by Clay Dafoe
June 4, 2013

Austin Community College's board of trustees is mulling over the future of its recently acquired property at North Central Austin's well known Highland Mall. They are considering a proposal from Red Leaf Properties to create mixed-use residential and retail condominium development in the almost abandoned mall space along Interstate 35 and Airport Boulevard. Impact News reports that Matt Whelan of Red Leaf Properties testified to the board that overall construction of the massive retail-residential condominiums may take a period of 10-20 years to complete. Permitting of the building of these properties has yet to begin and must go before the Austin City Council elected representatives to be approved. Matt Whelan recently met with Northfield Neighborhood Association in which he outlined plans for the groundbreaking changes and corporate redevelopment of the sprawling Highland Mall. ACC plans to use the space to create a massive new campus that includes a wellness center, a fine arts complex, a educational culinary space and a center for hospitality which appears to cater to service industry job training.

http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/central-austin/plans-for-acc%27s-highland-include-apartments,-retail/
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/austin/acc-breaks-ground-on-highland-mall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF_mcTBLzgc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0u4h3aRVAY

NEW AUSTIN CENTRAL PUBLIC LIBRARY BREAKS GROUND

by Clay Dafoe
June 4, 2013

On Thursday May 30th, Mayor Lee Leffingwell and officials with the Austin Public Library system broke ground on what will become the new Austin Central Public Library on the banks of Shoal Creek and the Colorado River in downtown Austin. The project stems from a bond package which was approved in the year 2006, which will allocate $90,000,000.00 for the construction of the state-of-the-art library. According to KVUE News, the structure will be a five story 200,000 square feet building and will feature large windows, its own self-contained rain irrigation system and enlarged reading rooms and event spaces. The fate of the current central library at Guadalupe Street and Ninth Street, the John Henry Faulk branch built in 1979, remains unknown. The library will be set to open reportedly sometime in spring 2016.

http://www.kvue.com/news/editors-pick/New-downtown-Austin-library-breaking-ground-209480921.html?google_editors_picks=true
http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/22220530/new-central-library-groundbreaking-set-for-may-30
http://austintexas.gov/news/city-break-ground-new-central-library-shoal-creek-area-project

BRUCE TODD APPOINTED TO TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT

by Clay Dafoe
June 4, 2013

The Travis County Commissioners' Court has a new member this week. Bruce Todd was appointed to the Place 2 position, which was recently vacated by former Commissioner and current candidate for County Judge Sarah Eckhardt. Bruce Todd previously served as Mayor of Austin from 1991 - 1997. Concurrent with his appointment to the Commissioners' Court in Travis County, Todd has said he will not officially resign his position as a registered lobbyist with the law firm Linebarger Goggan Blair and Sampson, LLP but claims he will not work as a lobbyist in Travis County during his term. Todd was appointed by retiring County Judge Sam Biscoe. Both will serve the remainder of the terms which will expire on January 1, 2015.

http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/central-austin/former-austin-mayor-tapped-for-commissioner-seat/
http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas/ap_texas/Former-Austin-mayor-Todd-joins-county-commission_39791546
http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/292274/biscoe-taps-bruce-todd-for-precinct-2-seat