The Allandale Reporter

Austin Energy Working along Great Northern this week

Contractors for Austin Energy are trimming trees and removing fast growing invasive species that interfere with the transmission lines that run along the Union Pacific tracks.

Neighborhood reps have been working with Austin Energy to review the work plan. There are few homes impacted by this project. Austin Energy is working with these homeowners directly.

(If you have not received a notice, this project does not affect your property.)

The work should proceed quickly, but crews will be in the right of way. The necessary equipment will be in the street and bike lanes while the work is in progress. Drive with caution.

Contact me if you have any questions.

- Linnea
Beautification Chair
linneakay@austin.rr.com

Free Concert in the Park with Sarah Pierce

Come join your friends and neighbors on Sunday, December 7, 2008 for a free concert in the park with Sarah Pierce. This should be a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing way to kick off the holidays. Sarah is an accomplished singer/songwriter (www.sarahpierce.com) just coming off a tour in Italy. Roger Beasley Mazda is the primary sponsor of the event. Eric Hanke will be the opening act, (www.erichankeband.com). Amy's Ice Cream will be there as will Russell's Bakery. In addition to ice cream, Amy's will be serving their new Belgian Hot Chocolate with homemade marshmallows. The concert will be outdoors at Northwest Park on the hillside adjacent to the playground. Music starts at 3:00. Sarah is an Allandale resident recently profiled in the Allandale Neighbor. Come join your friends and neighbors for this FREE event.

Top Notch to Reopen on Monday

According to today's article in the Austin American-Statesman, "Top Notch to reopen Monday," our very popular local hamburger place will be reopening. The Stanish family, owners of the restaurant, is pulling together to make it happen after the death of its manager James Stanish.

Allandale Takes Second in the City's Wildlife Habitat Challenge

As part of an effort to become the first Certified Community Wildlife Habitat in Texas, the City of Austin challenged neighborhoods to encourage homes and businesses to set up Wildlife Habitats on their property. The objective was to get as many sites to become certified as natural habitats by the end of October. Allandale took the challenge and succeeded in placing second overall among participating neighborhoods with 25 new certified habitats within the challenge period. Jester Estates took first place with 36.  Getting certified was relatively easy. It involved providing food and water sources, cover/shelter for wildlife, and practicing sustainable gardening practices such as mulching, reducing/eliminating the use of invasive non-native plants, and conserving water. The what's-in-it-for-me factor is by setting up these wildlife habitats you attract more birds, toads, lizards, and butterflies to your yard. The Habitat Challenge winners will receive : 1st place: Picnic celebration in a local park for all residents who certified their yards during the challenge. 2nd place: Native trees for neighborhood treee planting projects. 3rd place: A two-hour Wildlife Habitat Design Workshop.

Cheryl Silver, certified wildlife habitat steward, took responsibility for promoting the Habitat Challenge and helping with planning, answering questions, and directing people to related resources. Part of the project was to remove non-native invasive plants. Allandale volunteers accomplished this at the July Northwest Park pond cleanup organized by Allandale's Beautification Chair Linnea Lemon. During that cleanup volunteers skimmed duckweed from the surface of the pond. 

Cheryl represented Allandale at the November 20 City Council when Council Member Lee Leffingwell read the proclamation awarding Allandale second in the Habitat Challenge. Each neighborhood representative had 

November EC Meeting

The November Allandale Neighborhood Association EC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 25, at Covenant Presbyterian Church at 6:30. Directions to the meeting room will be posted. It will be in the big building to the left of the stairs.

A Home Inspection Can Save You Money

Here is a money-saving tip: SECURE YOUR HOME. If you have APD Officer A.J. Rodriguez conduct a home security inspection and it passes, you could qualify for as much as a 20% reduction on your home owner insurance. That is a savings of $200 or more a year. Last Wednesday night, November 8th, many of us met Officer A.J. Rodriguez at one of Allandale's homes to learn about home inspections. The inspection was at the invitation of Allandale's Neighborhood Safety Coordinator, Laura DiCarlo. She scheduled it with Officer Rodriguez and sent out an invitation to neighborhood block captains. 

Austin Energy Tree Trimming Planned

UPDATE - A map of the upcoming trimming has been provided by Austin Energy. Click here for map.

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Austin Energy has sent us a notice that they will be doing tree trimming in Allandale. At this point, we don't know the specifics, but we'll keep folks posted as we get more information. Until we know more about the locations here are a few reminders about working with Austin Energy:

• If there is trimming along residential property, a notice with a work plan will be placed on the door. (Just like other flyers.)
• The plan is specific to the address.

Austin Energy's 5th Town Hall Meeting

As you know, Austin Energy has been holding a series of Town Hall Meetings to present the Draft Resource and Carbon Reduction Plan for the next decade. The next meeting will be held at 6:30pm on November 19th at Metz Recreation Center, 2407 Canterbury Street. There will be a presentation of the plan and plenty of time for questions, answers and comments. Please see www.austinsmartenergy.com for additional information.

 

Please come and help shape Austin’s energy future. Please let me know if you have immediate questions about the process.

 

Thanks,

Paul N. Smolen

Top Notch Closed

From today's Austin American-Statesman, "'Mr. Top Notch' known for secret recipe, organizing skills". The restaurant's manager, James Stanish, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sunday and the restaurant has been closed since. Members of the family who own the restaurant say they don't know when or if they will reopen. Read the article here.

Meeting Minutes - MoPac Neighborhood Association Coalition (MoNAC)

October 21, 2008

Harris Bell Hall, Westminster Manor, 4100 Jackson Ave.

President Kay Newell called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.

Kay asked for approval of the minutes of the October 16, 2007, meeting. Tom Whatley, seconded by Frances Allen, moved to approve the minutes. The motion was adopted without objection.

MoPac expansion update

Kay recognized representatives of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) for an update on plans for the addition of a managed lane and sound barriers on MoPac (Loop 1). The principal speakers were CTRMA executive director Mike Heilingenstein and Mark Herber, TxDOT’s Loop 1 project director. John Kelly of DMJM Harris, the consulting firm for the project, and other representatives of TxDOT and CTRMA were present.