Save the Date! Please join the West Austin Neighborhood Group for our Annual Meeting, social gathering and board election on Sunday, October 27th, 11:30 AM -1:30 PM at the Lions Municipal Golf Course. Lunch and beverages will be provided! Enjoy visiting with neighbors at the historic Lions Muny Clubhouse and beautiful patio, surrounded by trees. Renew your WANG membership or JOIN WANG! Hear news and updates about the neighborhood and get to know your neighbors! All are welcome.

The Austin Founder Lions Club and Muny Conservancy invite everyone to celebrate

Muny's 100th Anniversary on October 3rd at 9:30 AM!

A salute by Smokey the Cannon will kick off a parade with antique cars, proclamation by the Mayor, distinguished speakers and SPECIAL SURPRISES!

Don't miss this once in a lifetime event to celebrate Muny's 100th birthday!

Parking for the Centennial Celebration will be in the LCRA garage off Enfield Rd., with golf cart shuttles to and from the event at the Muny Clubhouse. Come early and get a good seat!

by Holly Reed

Dear Neighbors:

It’s time for a CELEBRATION!!

Please join the Austin Founder Lions Club and Muny Conservancy NEXT WEEK on Thursday, October 3, 2024 for the Muny Centennial Celebration at Lions Municipal Golf Course! We will gather around the LION at Muny for a very special morning filled with surprises! The event kicks off at 9:30 AM with the Texas Cowboys firing Smokey the Cannon, followed by a parade of antique cars. A proclamation by the Mayor, music and distinguished speakers will follow.

Parking for the event will be in the LCRA parking garage just off Enfield Road at Robin Hood. Golf cart shuttles will transport guests to and from the event at the Muny Clubhouse. Come early and get a good seat! Thursday is a holiday and AISD will be out of school. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime event to celebrate Muny’s 100th anniversary in Austin. 1924-2024, Muny is 100 Years Young!

This event is free and open to all!

WANG would also like to encourage all neighbors to attend the upcoming CANDIDATE FORUMS for City Council and Mayor. We live in District 10 and will be electing a new City Council Member. Please read on in this newsletter about forums, information on candidates, and make plans to VOTE in this very important election!

We wish everyone a safe and happy Fall!

WANG is participating with our neighboring West and Northwest Neighborhood Associations to host a CANDIDATE FORUM on OCTOBER 9, 2024 at 6 PM at St. Matthew’s, 4121 Steck Ave, Austin, TX 78759. The candidates for City Council District 10 and Mayor will answer questions submitted by neighbors.

(in alphabetical order)

https://www.kathieforaustin.com/about

Kathie Tovo is a dedicated advocate for working families and everyday Austinites, with a long career in public service, both as a community leader and an elected official where she championed progressive values at City Hall.

https://www.kirkwatson.com/

Friends - We've made a lot of change and a lot of progress at City Hall since last January. Most importantly, we've taken immediate action to help make Austin more affordable, to help solve our homelessness crisis, and to improve public safety. With a full four-year term, we can keep working together to get City Hall to do even better. I ask for your vote.

The deadline to register to vote is quickly coming up in Texas for the November election. How to check your registration and what you need to know about getting registered:

Keep in mind....

In Texas, you cannot register to vote online but you can print out an application, fill it out, and mail it to:
Travis County voter registration division
2433 Ridgepoint Drive
Austin, TX 78754

You can also drop off the application at a county tax office.

You can pick up Applications at:

• All Austin Public Libraries,
• Tax Offices,
• U.S. Postal Service Offices
• State offices for the Texas Department of Public Safety
• Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

Additionally, you can request an application be sent to you via the Texas Secretary of State website.

Visit the Texas Secretary of State’s voting website and click “Am I registered?”

It's easy! You just need your name, county, date of birth, and your driver’s license number or voter unique identifier number.

WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP

Minutes of Board Meeting

September 9, 2024, 6 pm

Lions Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse

We will add the Meeting Minutes soon so you can check back and click on the on-line version of the October Newsletter

by Alison Alter

I was ready to hit “send” for this Back to School newsletter last week when I learned that the Austin Police Department (APD) had thwarted a terror threat at Hill Elementary in District 10. I have since been in touch with APD leadership, AISD Superintendent Segura, AISD Trustees, the AISD Police Department, District Attorney Garza and Principal Drummond. This morning I joined the Hill community for a parent coffee, and AISD Police reiterated that there is no existing threat to Hill Elementary.

In this case, we were fortunate that APD was able to act quickly to arrest the adult suspect and that his parent recognized the danger and notified the authorities. Each of us can help keep our community safe by following the advice of “See something, Say something.” You and your family can report issues or potential threats at Austin ISD schools by calling AISD dispatch at (512) 414-1703 or by calling 911. Alternatively, as appropriate, you can use AISD’s anonymous tip line.

Continue Article here ...

by Joe Bennett

ACL@WestAustinNG.com

Austin City Limits Music Festival General Information (click below)

Your 2024 Map is here! Check it out to locate stages, find festival activities, plan your entrance and exit routes and much more.

Check out this years Festival Map! (click below)

by Wizzie Brown

Field crickets seem to be popping up in large numbers in Central Texas lately and the big question that I receive is WHY? Adults are out and about in the fall because it’s mating season and they need to mate and lay eggs before they die from old age or cold winter temperatures. Crickets overwinter as eggs in the soil.

Field crickets are about 1” long when fully grown and dark brown to black in color with large hind legs used for jumping. They also have two cerci, or appendages that come off the tip of the abdomen. Female crickets have a large sword-like structure, the ovipositor, protruding from the tip of the abdomen (see image below). The ovipositor is used to deposit eggs into soil.

These caterpillars can grow up to one inch in length and are greenish yellow to orange in color with small black and white dots along their body. They have hairs that emerge along the body but are not densely covered. Genista caterpillars create webbing like that of webworms, but to a lesser degree. Larvae, or caterpillars, feed on leaves within webbing causing defoliation of the plant. Eggs are laid in overlapping clusters on the underside of leaves. Pupation occurs in a small, white silken cocoon that is attached to plants or structures. There are two generations per year.

Crickets feed on plant material as well as other insects. They can cause damage to seedlings and sometimes large populations can be destructive. Large masses of dead crickets around doorways or other areas can be distasteful to view and cause a foul odor.

Field crickets are primarily outdoor insects but may occasionally venture indoors. When crickets do come indoors, they may bother residents with their chirping. Males chirp to attract a mate creating the sound by rubbing their forewings together.

Cricket management is more easily accomplished in the summer when nymphs, who cannot fly, are present. Unfortunately, this usually isn’t when large populations of crickets are discovered.

Before turning to pesticides to manage your cricket problems, try these ideas:

• · Turn off outside lights at night or use bulbs that are less attractive to insects
• · Seal cracks & crevices where insects can enter structures with sealant
• · Remove debris stacked near the structure
• · Keep lawn & surrounding areas mowed
• · Stuff weep holes with copper mesh

Fortunately, “cricket season” usually lasts around 4-6 weeks so they won’t be here forever….until next year.

Tell your Friends and Neighbors to sign up for our Newsletter! It's free!!

Send an email to

Newsletter@WestAustinNG.com

or

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO HELP US MAKE IT BETTER

Organized 1973......"To preserve our neighborhood and protect it from deterioration"

Board of Directors

• President: Holly Reed President@westaustinng.com
  
• Secretary: Cathy Kyle Secretary@westaustinng.com
• Assistant Secretary: Blake Tollett AsstSecretary@westaustinng.com
• Treasurer: George Edwards Treasurer@westaustinng.com
• Past President: Cathy Kyle PastPresident@westaustinng.com

All Current Board Members (click on name to send email)

• Holly Reed ............................member since 2015 (President)
• Cathy Kyle ............................member since 2010 (Secretary)
• Blake Tollett .........................member since 1994 (Asst Secretary)
• George Edwards ..................member since 2004 (Treasurer)
• Mary Arnold .........................member since 2006 (Muny Tract)
• Michael Cannatti .................member since 1999 (CWANPCT)
  
• Joseph M Bennett ...............member since 2001 (Membership/E-Newsletter)
• Craig Lill ...............................member since 2017
  
• Joyce Basciano ...................member since 1999
• Sarah Hawthorne Cain.........member since 2020 (Advertising)
• Heidi Gibbons.......................member since 2020 (ANC Liason)
• David Bolduc ........................member since 2023
• Open board seat
• Open board seat
• Open board seat

Honorary Committee Members

• Honorary Kirk Watson
• Honorary Alison Alter

Contact your City Council Representatives:

(click on name to send email)

· Mayor: Kirk.Watson@austintexas.gov 512-978-2100

· District 1: Natasha.Madison@austintexas.gov 512-978-2101

· District 2: Vaness.Fuentes@austintexas.gov 512-978-2102

· District 3: Jose.Velasquez@austintexas.gov 512-978-2103

· District 4: Jose.Vela@austintexas.gov 512-978-2104

· District 5: Ryan.Alter@austintexas.gov 512-978-2105

· District 6: Mackenzie.Kelly@austintexas.gov 512-978-2106

· District 7: Leslie.Pool@austintexas.gov 512-978-2107

· District 8: Paige.Ellis@austintexas.gov 512-978-2108

· District 9: Zohaib.Qadri@austintexas.gov 512-978-2109

· District 10: Alison.Alter@austintexas.gov 512-978-2110

Email All of the Council: Entire Council and Mayor

REMINDING EVERYONE TO GET OUT AND VOTE.....

Click on the link City Stage photo above

(Austin Center for Events)

for more info of everything happening around Austin !!!!

upcoming events...

_________________________________________________________________________________________

DON'T MISS THE PHOTOS BELOW SENT IN FROM OUR NEIGHBORS

Send Photos with description to Newsletter@westaustinng.com

EMERGENCY.......................................911

Fire......................................................911

Ambulance (EMS) .............................911

Police Dept.......................512-975-5000

Austin ISD......................................512-533-6000

Casis Elementary School.............512-414-2062

Austin High School.......................512-414-2505

O.Henry Middle School...............512-414-3229

City of Austin........................................512-494-9400

Texas Gas Service.............................1-800-700-2443

Grande Communications...................512-220-4600

AT&T (new service)...........................1-800-464-7928

Time Warner Cable (Cust. Svc)...........512-485-5555

Austin/Travis Hazardous Waste.........512-974-4343