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What the fuck is wrong with you, Austin?


crash_davis

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16 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

Damn paywall so can't read the article, but if they're interviewing the city manager of Bozeman, a city of 50,000, they're dragging the bottom of the barrel for candidates.

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33 minutes ago, royiv said:

Damn paywall so can't read the article, but if they're interviewing the city manager of Bozeman, a city of 50,000, they're dragging the bottom of the barrel for candidates.


Victoria, Tx has 65,000+ just down the road. CoA would save on moving costs !

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3 hours ago, crash_davis said:

Fuck this asshole. At least have the audacity to move here before claiming what a shit show Austin is. And only we can make fun of Austin, not some dipshit from Bozeman.

Take comfort in knowing he wasn’t even a real candidate for the job. He’s just talking shit to a subordinate about a job he can’t get while he talks his way out of the job he has. 
 

 

3 hours ago, Deej said:

He's not wrong, though.

Did you listen to the recording?  Dude was a know-nothing clown. He didn’t even know what form of government we have or how many people he would answer to. He sounds like a lot of people on this thread.

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https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/woman-charged-with-impersonating-officer-robbery-theft

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Quote

AUSTIN, Texas — A woman has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies including impersonating a public servant, robbery, and theft after allegedly forcibly pulling a car over and pretending to be a cop before robbing the victims of their IDs and other belongings.

According to court documents, Westlake Hills Police Department officers responded Friday to a call of a robbery in progress in West Austin.

Evelyn Ibarra Fernandez, 23, allegedly chased the victim's car for a mile on Westlake Drive with her hazards flashing and horn honking before turning and blocking the car in a driveway on Trailview Mesa Drive. She then pulled one woman from the car, falsely identified herself as a police and took the victim's ID, Air Pods, a cell phone, and more than $800 in cash.

Fernandez then allegedly went through belongings in the backseat of the victim's car taking cash, credit cards, and IDs from a backpack. The affidavit says despite a language barrier, the women resisted Ibarra-Fernandez until the real police showed up.

As a 20-year veteran of law enforcement, Tyler Owen with the Texas Municipal Police Association says becoming a cop is a real achievement for many like himself.

"All the men or women out there that are working right now some have you know, that was a lifetime goal for them," Owen said.

But thanks to the internet, he says instances of cop impersonators are becoming more common.

"Purchasing emergency lights has become more readily available, you know, and that's just daily," Owen said. "We do see a lot of these cases that are mental disorders. You know, time's going to tell in this investigation, to maybe unveil why this person did what they did."

Fernandez was detained until Travis County Sheriff's deputies arrived, although documents say she denied stealing anything or ever impersonating a police officer. She also told deputies she was only trying to help the back passenger who she thought was drugged.

Owen says if you ever find yourself uncomfortable during a suspicious traffic stop, put on your hazards and call 9-1-1. Dispatch will either be able to tell police you're looking for a safe area to pull over, or get help sent to you.

"Be aware of the officers within your community," Owen said. "And if you're traveling through a community you know, again, just kind of be aware of what you're driving through and who's behind you."

He says under Texas law, all traffic stops must be done in marked vehicles. So especially at night, pull over in a well-lit area and be vigilant.

"I think law enforcement is going to be compassionate and they're going to show compassion when the citizens don't feel safe pulling over in not well-lit or dangerous situations," Owen said.

Fernandez was taken into custody at the scene. She is charged with a third-degree felony count of impersonating a public servant, a second-degree felony count of robbery by assault, and a state jail felony count of theft from a person.

 

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20 hours ago, Mittens said:

Exercise/enjoyment.  I would say that 90% of my riding is on fairly well protected lanes or trails.  The majority of my riding is in the evening or weekends when car traffic is low as well, so that helps.

Are you having to pay for a bike registration in the CoA?

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20 hours ago, crash_davis said:

Racially motivated? 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/06/us/austin-stabbing-palestinian-american-cair/index.html

The incident happened just after the victim and three other Muslim Americans attended a pro-Palestinian protest, CAIR said in a news release.

They were driving home when the suspect allegedly tried to “rip a flagpole with a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf reading ‘Free Palestine’ off of their car,” CAIR said in a news release. The suspect screamed the N-word and pulled one of the group from the vehicle and attacked him, CAIR said, citing the victims. The three others got out and fought the suspect, who then allegedly stabbed the victim with a knife, CAIR said.

 

Stabber: Bert James Baker

f_webp

A skinhead in Austin, and in the West Campus area no less? 
 

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5 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Is this because there is no longer going to be any sort of rail, we will continue with the status-quo, but still have the Project Connect tax?

Someone said they're moving the bus/bike lanes but the rail line is still being built.

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7 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Is this because there is no longer going to be any sort of rail, we will continue with the status-quo, but still have the Project Connect tax?

You know that was the endgame the moment Project Connect was approved by voters.

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4 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Just wait, city council drooling over this.

 

Adler would be all over that for a homeless shelter….as long as it isn’t near his luxury condo in the W building.

And his wife “brokers” the deal.

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Austin seeks to save Blues on the Green after owners announced its 2024 cancellation
Could Blues on the Green return this spring?

Organizers of the popular free music event held in Zilker Park announced in January that they would not be able to host the festival this year, citing rising costs.

But the Austin City Council is seeking to take action that could help Blues on the Green and provide support for other area music and arts events.

Four City Council members have sponsored a resolution that, if approved, would authorize the city to negotiate with organizers of Blues on the Green to make it a city co-sponsored event.

The city manager would then be directed to return with a resolution or ordinance for any associated fee waivers, co-sponsorships, or related budget authorizations, according to the draft resolution.

Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, who is one of the sponsors of the resolution, told the American-Statesman she hopes this action from the City Council can bring back Blues on the Green this year, but that there are lots of moving parts that would contribute to that.

This same sort of co-sponsorship and city support could also be applied to other Austin-area events under the resolution.

"We should be able to produce the kind of programmatic efforts and supports that can be applied to, and duplicated, regardless of the event," Harper-Madison said.
The City Council will vote on the resolution on Feb. 15. The resolution directs the City Manager to come back with a related resolution or ordinance by Feb. 29.

Why was Blues on the Green canceled?
Blues on the Green has been a longstanding Austin tradition. In what would have been it's 33rd season for the concert series, the organizers announced in January that the festival would be shuttered this year, but hopes to be back in the future.

"Without admission fees or bar sales, it's become more challenging every year to produce an event that's grown to this size and still keep it free and open to the public," a statement from Austin City Limits Radio said. "It's our hope that we can work with the city, community, and sponsors to return sometime soon."

The festival, which used to be a summer-long affair, has been scaled back over the past decade.

Coming out of the the pandemic, they dropped down to doing just four shows with two back-to-back dates for two months in a row. This past year they did two shows total.

Bruce Walden, the general manager of Waterloo Media, provided a statement to the Statesman saying the company was humbled by the ways the community has rallied behind the festival.

“We’re grateful for Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison and her co-sponsors for their embrace of free, open-to-the-public live music events and their work towards securing city co-sponsorship for Blues On The Green," the statement says. "As this works its way through the council process, we’re continuing to talk to sponsors, partners, city leaders and the Austin Parks Department to find more paths forward for Blues On The Green. We remain hopeful.”
 

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17 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Adler would be all over that for a homeless shelter….as long as it isn’t near his luxury condo in the W building.

And his wife “brokers” the deal.

Again, those fucking hotels that we spent millions on? They are literally boarded up and urban blight now. They used to actually be open businesses. 

I cannot express my rage enough at not only did they not making things better, their dumb scheme actively made things worse. 

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48 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I cannot express my rage enough at not only did they not making things better, their dumb scheme actively made things worse. 

The housing first/only people are some of the most delusional people in this town. I’m being charitable calling them that, because I want to believe they actually care, or at least some of them do. But the fact is that what they were going was just another version of stashing the problem in the woods.

Both approaches are by far more expensive than actually giving the homeless what they need, because of the cost of healthcare, EMT, etc. 

It is actually possible to virtually eliminate permanent homelessness in Austin. Not just possible, but cost effective.
But we will never do it, because the know-nothings would rather throw good money after bad by pretending it’s a law enforcement problem to vent their anger at the world, and the know-everythings would rather pretend it’s a real estate problem so they can demonstrate moral superiority. 
 

“Let them have hotels!”

 

Edited by Bozo_Casanova
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Honestly, we're a few months away from a non-existent train station being announced that will take you to Zilker Park for a Blues on the Green that isn't happening.  

Does fucking Bob Wheeler run Project Connect?  

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10 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Honestly, we're a few months away from a non-existent train station being announced that will take you to Zilker Park for a Blues on the Green that isn't happening.  

Does fucking Bob Wheeler run Project Connect?  

This would be the least surprising outcome. Almost four years since Prop A was approved by voters and there's still not even a design ready to submit for federal funding. If the train ever breaks ground, it's going not going to look like anything that the voters were sold on and it won't open until the mid-2030's. 

Don't get me started on airport expansion or, more accurately, lack thereof. The City of Austin can't do infrastructure. It's just not in the city's DNA.

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My favorite part is still when right after the bond vote, they announced a huge chunk of the downtown plan had to be scrapped because it violated the Capitol View Corridor rules.  Like that was brand-new, mind-bottling set of development codes that had just gone into effect.  Second favorite was when they announced, "Oh, out to the airport as we promised?  Nah, I can't get you an airport train at this price (David Puddy car salesman voice)"  That was the only reason I thought the whole package had any legs was because at least the downtown to airport run made sense.  

Yeah, the airport expansion thing is gonna be another shitshow.  But at least there's some federal oversight of it all.  I've recommended it on here before, but check out Ray Brimble's String Theory blog or linkedin newsletter.  He does all kinda shit with airport development from public internationals to private FBOs to military bases.  His blog covers all kinda other topics, but that guy has forgotten more about airport infrastructure than all of us will ever learn collectively.  He's more long-winded than me and also way smarter---a very rare combo these days ;)  

I can't fucking believe though the money we piss around in this fucking town we can't get Blues on the Green and Children's Choo-Choo at Zilker in under a decade.  Don't want to get too political here, but I am sorely disappointed in Watson so far.  I know he's pacing himself because of the new Mayoral election cycle and hedging shit, but come the fuck on man---just come out and do something besides, "Hey, wouldn't it be fun if your Hyde Park house had an even more shittastic parking situation because your lot would have 8 trash bins out in front of it instead of 2?"  

Edited by YGIFS
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1 hour ago, Samson's Wig said:

Chiming in very late to say I love the downtown library.  One of the few things this city has done right in the last twenty years or so.

Agreed except for the parking garage. Pain in the ass. I usually park at the Trader Joe's garage.

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53 minutes ago, gofuckyourself said:

Agreed except for the parking garage. Pain in the ass. I usually park at the Trader Joe's garage.

i heard they were towing before the new year.  don't know how they verified drivers and cars though.

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Just now, gsoda3 said:

i heard they were towing before the new year.  don't know how they verified drivers and cars though.

I think they use a company that captures license plates associated with a cell phone # and auto-payments. I guess they could tow anyone who doesn't set that up. I have it, plus I usually go to Trader Joe's and buy something regardless, due to my "privileged parking guilt." Thanks bin Laden.

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I've always heard that the Trader Joe's garage has all kinds of issues and that they ticket/tow, etc. 

I try to find street parking in the Seaholm area or I park at the city library.  Besides, Library rates are better...

Seaholm Parking

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Library Parking

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Edited by texasdago
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I'm actually not opposed to some sort of recall on the Project Connect vote. In my opinion, it was disingenuous at best to show that big pretty map and tell people "this is what you're voting for." That's not what was voted on at all.

I didn't vote for PC. It passed and my taxes went up. Sucks in my opinion, but that's democracy. But to see what's planned now is a total rug pull.

 

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3 hours ago, Samson's Wig said:

Chiming in very late to say I love the downtown library.  One of the few things this city has done right in the last twenty years or so.

2 hours ago, gofuckyourself said:

Agreed except for the parking garage. Pain in the ass. I usually park at the Trader Joe's garage.

They designed that garage to favor tiny cars on purpose (or people walking or biking up).  Parents with multiple kids in a minivan or even a small/medium SUV need not try.

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