SAVE AUSTIN NOW: SAN Begins Radio Ads to 3rd CoA: 'Do Your Job' // Take Action Now: Call 3rd COA // Rainey Street Murder Appears to be a Suicide // 3rd RR Shooting Participant Arrested
We will never to fighting to improve QUALITY OF LIFE for all Austin residents.
Good morning -
This is a regular update email from Save Austin Now, the ONLY nonpartisan organization in Austin focused solely on IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE for all of the residents.
As you **may** know, Save Austin Now is the LARGEST grassroots organization in Austin history — 63,000+ email addresses, 75,000+ citizen petitions signed and collected, more than $5M raised and spent from 8,000+ unique contributors (~98% from City of Austin residents), and more than 1,000 volunteers.
Our most significant accomplishment: Passing Prop B (reinstatement of the homeless camping ban) in May 2021 by a margin of 58%-42%, earning more than 90,000 votes over the opposition of former Mayor Steve Adler and 9 out of 10 council members (only CM Mackenzie Kelly supported Prop B). More on Prop B below.
In this substack, we will periodically update you on important public safety, homeless, affordability, transportation and transparency matters in Austin — so you can be fully educated and so you can take action if you wish.
» To become a paid subscriber for exclusive content: Please become a paid subscriber for $5/mo, $50/yr or $150 one time to become a founding member. You can become paid at saveaustinnow.substack.com.
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Here are this morning’s updates:
SAVE AUSTIN NOW LAUNCHES RADIO ADS CALLING ON 3RD COURT OF APPEALS TO ‘DO THEIR JOB’ AFTER 340+ DAY DELAY
Last Wednesday, Save Austin Now PAC launched a radio ad, ‘Do Your Job’, demanding that the 3rd Court of Appeals end its unconscionable delay and issue a ruling on the Prop B lawsuit. The ad began running this morning on KLBJ 590am today and will run through next week, with expanded ad buys under consideration.
Here is the ad:
Enough is enough.
Whether the explanation for a 338-day delay in issuing a ruling from the 3rd Court of Appeals was hiding behind one of their members in a primary runoff in May, the recent Supreme Court ruling, or sheer laziness, it is now time for them to DO THEIR JOBS, respect the taxpayers, and issue a ruling. Justice delayed is justice denied. The will of the voters of Austin was clearly expressed in May 2021 and their will is not being enforced. We will continue fighting for public safety, the rule of law, and the right of citizen-led petitions. The 3rd Court of Appeals should be embarrassed. We are not going away.
Prop B passed 58%-42% in May 2021, reinstating the homeless camping ban and overriding the failed homeless camping ordinance authored by former Mayor Steve Adler and championed by then-Council Member Greg Casar when it was passed in July 2019 by a 9-2 vote.
Despite that overwhelming vote, Austin refuses to fully enforce the camping ban in violation of city ordinance, the will of the voters, and state law.
The U.S. Supreme Court last week ruled 6-3 that cities like Austin can enforce camping bans, overruling a 9th Circuit ruling that absurdly claimed clearing encampments violates the 8th Amendment.
According to data collected by @DocumentingATX and a data visualization created by local UIUX startup Nomakik.AI, Austin has more than 6,000 homeless people in more than 230 illegal encampments throughout the city.
Save Austin Now filed a lawsuit (case 03-23-00051-CV) on January 26, 2023 (532 days ago) and is stuck on the second step of a six-step judicial process. The 3rd Court of Appeals has had all filings and briefs since August 2, 2023 (344 days ago) and has refused to issue a ruling. The 3rd Court of Appeals received a Motion to Expedite decision on March 27, 2024 (106 days ago!) and STILL REFUSES TO ISSUE A RULING.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Call the 3rd Court of Appeals (512-463-1733) and tell them do DO YOUR JOB and issue a ruling on Prop B lawsuit.
They will ask for the case #: 03-23-00051-CV.
Background here.
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Here is the ad script:
'Do Your Job' ad script (0:60)
Save Austin Now PAC
Why has the homeless camping ban not been fully enforced?
In May 2021 more than 90,000 Austin voters reinstated the homeless camping ban, ending Steve Adler’s camping disaster.
Since then … (crickets sound) … it’s been crickets.
Now the Supreme Court ruled cities like Austin can enforce homeless camping bans.
More than 500 days ago Save Austin Now sued the city for refusing to FULLY enforce the camping ban.
The City of Austin is using delay tactics.
The 3rd Court of Appeals is outrageously refusing to act, as they have had all briefs and filings for more than 330 days. They still refuse to rule.
We filed a motion to expedite ruling 100 days ago and they refuse to rule on that!
Enough is enough.
Call 512-463-1733 and tell Chief Justice Darlene Byrne and Justices Thomas Baker, Gisela Triana, Chari Kelly, Edward Smith and Rosa Theofanis and tell them to DO THEIR JOBS.
Visit Save Austin Now PAC dot com to help us fight this insanity.
This call was paid for by Save Austin Now PAC. Leland Bickers, Treasurer.
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» Watch 3 minute CBS Austin TV news segment here.
» Listen to the radio ad here.
» HELP US KEEP THIS AD ON THE AIR: Donate here.
To learn more about Save Austin Now PAC, please visit
http://www.SaveAustinNowPAC.com
To support our overall efforts to improve quality of life, donate here. You can also make a check to “Save Austin Now PAC” and mail it to: SAN PAC 807 Brazos Street, Suite 304, Austin, TX 78701.
To support our Prop B lawsuit, donate here.
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OTHER NEWS OF NOTE:
“APD clarifies man died of suicide, not blunt force trauma, on Lady Bird Lake,” Austin American-Statesman’s Bianca Moreno-Paz — “The Austin Police Department is investigating a suicide near Lady Bird Lake and Rainey Street that was initially identified as the result of blunt force trauma, the law enforcement agency said on social media.
Police responded to an urgent welfare check call about 5:30 p.m. Friday on Waller Beach in Town Lake Metropolitan Park reporting a man with life-threatening injuries on the trail, said officer Austin Zarling, a spokesperson for the department. Austin police, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services and the Austin Fire Department all responded to the scene. The man was pronounced dead 15 minutes later, Zarling said.
The death is not being investigated as a homicide, Zarling said. The man has not yet been identified.
Zarling said the man sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound and not blunt force trauma, as indicated in initial accounts. Police believe it was an isolated incident.” AAS ($)
“Third suspect arrested in connection with shooting at Round Rock Juneteenth celebration,” via KVUE — “A third suspect has been arrested in the investigation into the deadly shooting on June 15 in Round Rock at the Juneteenth Festival at Old Settlers Park, according to the Round Rock Police Department.
Eighteen-year-old Keshawn Dixon was arrested and charged with deadly conduct on Saturday in Killeen and taken to the Bell County Jail.
A person can be charged with deadly conduct If they "recklessly engage in conduct that places another in imminent danger of serious bodily injury," according to the Texas Penal Code. Dixon may be charged with other offenses, according to Round Rock police.
Two women were killed and 14 others were injured in the shooting during a Juneteenth event. Police said the incident began when two groups of people started fighting with each other near the vendor area of the festival. At least one person then pulled a gun out and started shooting before leaving the scene.
The two women, Ara Duke and Lyndsey Vicknair, were both innocent bystanders in the shooting, according to police. The injured victims’ ages range from 10 to 62 years old.
This arrest brings the total number of suspects up to at least three. Two teenagers have already been arrested in connection with the shooting.” KVUE
“Massive industrial projects en route near Tesla Gigafactory,” Austin American-Statesman’s Shonda Novak — “With ongoing demand for warehouse and distribution space in Central Texas, massive industrial projects are on track to be neighbors to Tesla's Gigafactory near Southeast Austin.
The developments come in a part of the region that is seeing explosive growth, including thousands of new apartments, single-family homes, commercial development and more.
One of the latest industrial projects broke ground in May by St. Louis-based developer Sansone Group, partnering with Principal Asset Management. Located off the Texas 130 toll road, the project ultimately will bring more than 1.35 million square feet of industrial space in six buildings, to be constructed in three phases.
The development, Austin Hills Commerce Center, is being built on about 134 acres at 11801 Decker Lake Road, a few miles north of Tesla Inc.'s 4.3-million-square-foot electric vehicle manufacturing plant.
The Austin region's population growth and “robust industrial market fundamentals" make the area a good fit, Nick Sansone, principal at Sansone Group, said in an email.
“Austin maintains its status as one of the nation's leading growth markets, fueled by sustained demand in the industrial sector, particularly from suppliers serving companies such as Samsung and Tesla,” Sansone said. AAS ($)
“Alamo Drafthouse to reopen five previously closed theaters after recent Sony investment,” Austin American-Statesman’s Beck Andrew Salgado — “Weeks after being acquired by Sony Entertainment, Alamo Drafthouse has announced that it will be reopening five previously closed theaters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The theaters were closed last month after a franchisee — Two Is One, One is None LLC — that operated all the North Texas theaters filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and immediately closed the locations.
"After the sudden closure of our Lake Highlands, Richardson, Cedars, Las Colinas, and Denton locations by their former franchise owner, we are thrilled to announce that we have officially purchased and plan to reopen all five of the DFW-area theaters!" the Austin-founded company said in a statement.
As for what the reopening plan will look like, Alamo Drafthouse has said it will be bringing back the theaters in rapid succession when each theater is ready. Additionally, the theater chain will be offering discounts and promotions, the details of which will be announced soon, during each theater’s grand reopening.
The handful of re-openings is the first public movement from the iconic Austin theater chain since it was acquired by Sony Pictures last month. Here's what you need to know about that deal, and if it means the motion picture palace is now in a growth mindset.
In mid-June, Sony Pictures went from summer blockbuster movies to summer blockbuster deals when it announced it had acquired dine-in movie giant Alamo Drafthouse.
When the deal was made, Sony Pictures said in a statement that Alamo Drafthouse will be managed within Sony by a newly established division, Sony Pictures Experiences. The deal reinforces Sony’s long-held commitment to theatrical exhibition and gives the company new territory within the theater industry.
After the acquisition was announced, Sony made clear that Alamo Drafthouse CEO Michael Kustermann would remain in place leading the Lone Star dine-in movie theater chain. Kustermann will also head Sony Pictures Experiences.
The acquisition should not affect the theaters too much since Sony said that Alamo Drafthouse will continue to operate all 35 of its cinemas under the Alamo Drafthouse brand. Alamo Drafthouse-owned Fantastic Fest, the world-renowned genre film festival, is included in the acquisition and will also continue to be operated by Alamo Drafthouse. The company’s headquarters has remained in Austin since the deal was made.” AAS ($)
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As we have said before, we have only begun to fight!
Thank you!
For Austin,
-Matt Mackowiak & Cleo Petricek
Co-founders, Save Austin Now PAC
> Questions? Email Cleo. Or Email Matt.
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Will you please support our efforts now?
You may donate to our efforts to hold Jose Garza accountable here: https://secure.anedot.com/save-austin-now-pac/c256eee684ec4a4d310ab.
You may donate to our legal effort here to force full enforcement of Prop B here: https://secure.anedot.com/save-austin-now-pac/save-austin-now-pac-legal-fund-c4cfa533f8ab98c9da232.
Pol. ad. paid for by Save Austin Now PAC. Leland Bickers, Treasurer. SaveAustinNowPAC.com.