| Dear Neighbors, On Monday, Austin will celebrate the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a citywide celebration. Now in its 24th year, the Annual Community March in Austin will honor Dr. King's vision with a short program at The University of Texas followed by a march to the south steps of the State Capitol and then on to Huston-Tillotson University. Please be advised that the march will require partial street closures along the route.
The celebration will also include a community festival where attendees can enjoy live music and explore local vendor booths. For more information on the celebration, including a food drive and day of service, please visit the MLK Celebration website.
One of Dr. King's legacies is a commitment to civic engagement and public participation. Below, I've highlighted several upcoming opportunities for you to engage with the local community.
Kind regards,
Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10
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Table of Contents - 2018 Bond - New Public Testimony Opportunities
- City of Austin Mobile Apps
- Neighborhood Kickball Tournament Open for Signups
- CodeNEXT Facebook Live Shows
- Community Forums on the Future of ARCH - Downtown Event Added
- FotoATX 2018
- Nominations Open for Austin Women’s Hall of Fame – Jan. 31 Deadline
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| | | 2018 Bond - New Public Testimony Opportunities
Following the successful town hall meetings in 2017, the Bond Election Advisory Task Force has scheduled additional opportunities for the public to comment on the 2018 bond development program. Below are the dates, times, and locations of the remaining meetings. The public will be given three minutes each to address the task force directly. Sign up will be available at the beginning of each meeting. More information can be found at http://www.austintexas.gov/2018bond.- Jan. 11, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. – Yarborough Branch Library (2200 Hancock Drive)
- Jan. 17, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. – Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex (1156 Hargrave Street)
- Jan 18, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. – Austin Community College - South Campus (1820 W Stassney Lane)
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| | | City of Austin Mobile Apps
To improve your experience with city departments and services, the City of Austin has developed several apps that can be conveniently downloaded onto your smartphone. Below, find some useful apps the city offers free of charge.
• Austin 3-1-1: The Austin 3-1-1 smartphone app makes it possible for residents to create service requests with their smart phones and attach photos related to their request. Citizens can also track the status and location of each service request.
• Austin Police Department: The AustinPD app allows residents to stay informed and engaged by getting direct access to important APD services. Features include station locations, crime prevention information, news updates and the ability to file certain reports directly from the app. Users can also send tips into APD and have the option to be anonymous. Tipsters can include their GPS location, text, a photo and have a secure two-way chat with officers.
• Austin Public Library App: The ATX Library app for iOS devices enables you to search for library materials, place holds, renew checkouts, and view your account information. You can also find out about Austin Public Library events, read recent blogs, send questions to our librarians, and explore our Twitter and Facebook pages.
For a full list of City of Austin apps, please visit the city’s App Library. |
| | | Neighborhood Kickball Tournament Open for Signups
On Jan. 20, Northwest Austin Civic Association (NWACA) and Northwest Austin Kickball (NWA) are partnering to host their first annual neighborhood kickball tournament. This event is family-friendly and for all skill levels and ages. All proceeds from the tournament will go to support Murchison Playground.
The tournament, which will be played on the NWA kickball fields on Far West, has two divisions. The exhibition division will be open to all ages, and the games will be just for fun. The competitive division will be for players 18 and older and will be a competitive, double-elimination tournament. Both divisions are co-ed.
The games will take place between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Each team of 8 to 12 players will play at least two games. The game times will be announced and distributed the Thursday before the tournament takes place.
If you are interested in participating, please find a group of players, decide what division you want to play in, nominate a team leader, and register your team by emailing kickball.nwa@gmail.com. If you are unable to find a team but want to participate, please email caroline.m.alexander@gmail.com.
About Murchison Playground Murchison Playground is designed to be an all-ages playground outside the fence at Murchison Pool adjacent to the kickball fields. It will be open all day, every day for everyone in the community to use. Climbing structures, swings, spinners (both large and small), and balance logs will create a dynamic playground. There will be shade structures to help block some of that strong Texas sun, and a drinking fountain to keep everyone hydrated. There will be tables with seats to accommodate anyone who might want to play a game or have a cup of coffee, and a beautiful stone seating wall for parents and children to enjoy. The budget for this project is $330,000. While the NWACA Parks Committee is busy writing and submitting grants, they have a goal of raising $165,000 from the neighborhood. So far, they have just over $50,000. For more information, visit www.MurchisonPlayground.com. |
| | | CodeNEXT Facebook Live Shows
Starting Jan. 10, the city’s CodeNEXT team will be hosting Facebook Live shows every Wednesday in January to help answer pressing CodeNEXT questions. Each week will feature a different subject-matter expert to take and answer questions live. To participate, please follow along on the CodeNEXT Facebook Page, and post your questions during the show. The schedule is below; the topics link to the theme pages in case you want to learn more about the subject before the show begins: Starting Jan. 22, the CodeNEXT team will also be launching brief educational videos on the City of Austin's main Twitter and Facebook accounts about some of the main issues raised with CodeNEXT. Topics include: - Neighborhood Plans
- Equity
- Affordable Housing
- Flooding
- ADUs
- Parking
- Mobility
- Draft 3
Follow the city’s CodeNEXT team on Twitter and Facebook for more updates in preparation for the release of Draft 3 next month. |
| | | Community Forums on the Future of the ARCH - New Downtown Event Added
Austin Public Health is seeking community input and ideas about services at the downtown Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH). The ARCH has been operating as an emergency night shelter for men as well as a day resource center for all, with co-located partner agency services since its opening in 2004. Join Austin Public Health for one of the forums below, including a newly added downtown location. - Downtown Forum: Friday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m. – Noon; Austin City Hall (301 West Second Street)
- Friday, Jan. 19, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.; Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center Gym (2800 Webberville Road)
Each forum will begin with a brief presentation by Acting Assistant Director of Austin Public Health, Adrienne Sturrup. The forum will have an interactive format where participants can learn about the history and purpose of the ARCH, and offer input and ideas about services for individuals experiencing homelessness in Austin/Travis County.
For more information, or to submit comments electronically, contact |
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FotoATX 2018
FotoATX is a new photography festival that was launched earlier this month. FotoATX inspires Austinites and tourists alike to experience the city’s unique character and voice through multiple photographic perspectives in sites all over town. The program – a collaboration between the Cultural Arts Division, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department's Museums & Cultural Centers, The PrintAustin Festival, and other community partners – was developed to showcase the abundance of talent in Austin and to promote the city as a vibrant destination for visual arts tourists.
Sites for the festival include the Asian American Resource Center, the Elizabet Ney Museum, and the Austin Central Library, among others. There will be an all-day unified open house on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, at all participating sites. For a complete list of sites, events, and exhibitions, please visit http://austintexas.gov/page/fotoatx.
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| | | Nominations Open for Austin Women’s Hall of Fame – Jan. 31 Deadline
The City of Austin’s Commission for Women is seeking submissions for the 2018 Austin Women’s Hall of Fame. Each year, the commission recognizes women who have made significant contributions to Austin and Travis County by breaking through barriers for women, working to better the lives of women and girls, or through other forms of public or community service.
Inductees will be chosen through a nomination process. Eligible nominees must be women who reside (or resided, if deceased) in Austin or Travis County. Inductees will be honored at a ceremony to be held in March at City Hall.
To nominate an outstanding Austin woman for this honor, visit the Women’s Hall of Fame page on the City’s website and complete the online nomination form by Jan. 31, 2018. Information provided in this application will not be shared with any other organization. |
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