The Austin Chronicle 2013-01-11

61.8 MB·English

by  The Austin Chronicle

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O Manuel Gonzales Brings Literary
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K U VOTE!
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2 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 11, 2013 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m
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a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 11, 2013 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 3
cONTENTS
pUblisHEr
Nick Barbaro
VoLume 32, Number 20 H JaNuary 11, 2013
Editor
Louis Black
SENIOR EDITORS
Managing Editor Kimberley Jones arts Robert Faires
news arts food screens music filM Marjorie Baumgarten nEWs Michael King
MUsiC Raoul Hernandez nEWs Managing Editor Amy Smith
sCrEEns, books Kimberley Jones asst. nEWs Editor Monica Riese
8 POINT AUSTIN 23 The story behind 30 REVIEW 32 Dan Harmon talks 37 PLAYbACk spECial issUEs, gUidEs, onlinE Editor Mark Fagan
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by aMy SMith Manuel Gonzales Meal Times 34SNAkES AND Ltheet’ sh adrrdinwko rtkoi ng cONTRIbuTINg wRITERS
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Bus: Next Stop at territory while recalls the high Schragin PRODucTION
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THE FLOW Herd the Third: assoCiatE pUblisHEr Mark Bartel
The next life of More Concerti by advErtising dirECtor Cassidy Frazier
Waller Creek Bach for Multiple sEnior aCCoUnt ExECUtivEs Jerald Corder, Carolyn Phillips, Lois Richwine
by ari PhilliPS Harpsichords aCCoUnt ExECUtivEs Jeff Carlyon, Heather Frankovis, Ali Garnel, Dora Lee Malouf,
Elizabeth Nitz, Angela Specht
20 LETTERS AT 29. AFTER A FASHION rsEEntaioilr oCplEarsastifioiEndss M aaCnCaogUEnrt TEoxbEiC WUthiivteEs Brian Carr, Bobby Leath
monline 3AM by StePhen PLuS CadlavsErsitfiisEidnsg aCCoCoorUdnint aEtxoErC UKtriivsEti nMei kTeo fHtearrell lEgal notiCEs Jessica Nesbitt
onlY bveyn Mtiucrhaael MMaocSMerillan MpraorMkEottiinogn sd idriErCEtCotro/rs/ppEECrisaol nEavlEsn/tCsi rECriUnl Catoilolienr Dan Hardick
otHis pCHrrooMnottoiUornasg ME aCnoaugrtEnre yN Boyërld M, Barriitet aPniyt tCs ampbell, Benjamin Dixon, Kelsey Charles,
Elissa Kroman, Joe Layton, Whitney McCaskill, Cara Tillman, Derek Van Wagner,
cweek Bryan Winslow. Media Team: Andrew Gonzales, Jillian Jacobs, Brett Rivera, Jordan
Roberts, Drew Stanley
national advErtising Voice Media Group (888/278-9866, www.voicemediagroup.com)
.SCREENS: free week reviews, listings, OffIcE STaff
eAn extended and photo galleries at ControllEr Liz Franklin
interview with sUbsCriptions Jessi Cape CrEdit ManagEr cindy soo
lDan Harmon austinchronicle.com aCCoUnting assistant Cassandra Pearce info CEntEr Derek Van Wagner
systEMs adMinistrator Rebecca Farr CoUrt HoUnd Hank
cGAY PLACE: asst. systEMs adMinistrator Brandon Watkins
Bernadette’s ExECUtivE assistant to tHE Editor Alicia Rutledge
ireopens. cIRculaTION
nFOOD: PEreicrr yM DcKrainknee, yT,o Gmr aFnat irMcehlicldh,e Rr, uPbaeunl MFlionroers, ,N Joornmin Rae Feode, lD-Saonme mRiecrhsa,r dBsreonnt, EMraicl kSuhsu, m an,
We get our first Zeb Sommers, Chris Volloy, Nicholas Wibbelsman, John Williamson, Bryan Zirkelbach
otaste of new cONTRIbuTORS
Ethiopian restau- calendar back Shawn Badgley, Greg Beets, Rob Brezsny, Rachel Feit, Doug Freeman, Amy Gentry,
rrant Habesha. Ryan Hennessee, Chase Hoffberger, Sam Hurt, Ivy Le, Tony Millionaire, Jillian
Owens, Ari Phillips, Austin Powell, Adam Schragin, Chuck Shepherd, Jen Sorensen,
hARTS: 42 thiS Week 48 film Zero Dark Thirty, Gangster Squad, 71 Shot in the Dark Michael Toland, Tom Tomorrow, Roy Tompkins, Jay Trachtenberg.
Sneak peek The weekend’s Freestyle Texas Chainsaw
under the Canopy Frisbee Tourney ain’t just whis- THE LUV DOC
ccorne aStpivrien gcdoamleplex tlin’ disc-y 50 SHOWTIMES COMIx
n THE ARTS The Austin Chronicle offers nonpaying internships.
iItMnhtiUrrdoSd-IgCuec:n inegra ati on GbyA YK aPtLeA CX EM eSSer 56 mFArceeeuy aWlSoenieeCk,e BnR.dEB PC. aKOriMtn g2M,, ECpNhluuDsrE cJDha s o o n n M M o o n rd a a n y, , 73 ClaMSRS. SiMfAiReTDY PSANTS Contact Kate Messer at the intern hotline, 454-5765 x303.
tMcMurtry (Curtis) DAY TRIPS Alejandro Escovedo, Lucinda Williams,
saanndgr ay Snoatm-sooa-n by gerald e. Mcleod Hmeuacrht lemsosr eBastards, My Jerusalem, and 78 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY TC5ho1er2p /Ao4ura5stt4iion-n5 C7wh6er6eo kn©liyc2 l50e2 1( 3ItSi mASueNss:t ip1ne0 Cr7 hy4er-oa0nr7 iac4lte0 4 )C 0ios0r 0pp .u NAb.ll liI s-r3hige5hd,t s bA ryue sTstheinerv, AeTudXs . 7ti8n 7C5h1ro. n icle
(Gregg Turner) SOCCER WATCH
u by nicK barbaro 60 VENUES SPeurbiosdcircipatlsio Pnoss: tOagnee Pyaeaidr :a $t 6A0u s2tinnd, TcXl.a ss. Half-year: $35 2nd class.
a 62 ROADSHOWS + CLUb LISTINGS PAuOsStiTnM, TAXS 7TE8R7:6 S5e.nd address changes to The Austin Chronicle, PO Box 49066,
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a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 11, 2013 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 5
Postmarks
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General email address: [email protected]
Postmarks forum:
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Mailing address: The Austin Chronicle, PO Box
49066, Austin, TX 78765
Trying Times for
souTh AusTin CommuniTy piece entitled “The Future of South Lamar,” Reader Comments WhAT AbouT AusTin yogA insTiTuTe?
they wrote, “And with any major change comes
Dear Editor, questions. Will South Lamar lose its charm? on rick Perry representing texas: Dear Editor,
Re: “Southern Exposure” [News, Dec. 28]: I What will the traffic be like? What is happening “Regarding Gov. Perry, I can tell you that peo- Page 20 of the Dec. 28 edition was a huge
have been a devoted resident of South Lamar to our neighborhood? One concern is that the ple here in Ohio don’t know what to make of him. disappointment to Austin Yoga Institute as a
for nearly a decade. Through the vast and rap- retail spaces attract tenants like Barley Swine, He seemed so dim-witted during the clown car 15-year resident of South Lamar Plaza [“Southern
idly changing projects that have occurred over rather than McDonald’s. Like it or not, change primaries that my friends were all asking, ‘This Exposure,” News]. We have occupied the strip
the years, I have seen the city development as is coming.” guy is governor of a state?’ None of us are from mall you said sayonara to for longer than most of
a kind of microcosm of what the entire Central As a part-owner of a small local business Texas, so for all we know Perry represents the the businesses you mentioned, and we’re no less
Texas region is undergoing. For every small vic- myself, it seems to me that this agency is really state well. God, I hope not.” – MarkInOhio stymied by the puzzle of maintaining our bearings
tory locals have enjoyed here, we’ve had twice as out of touch with the character of the area. Am “Top 10 State Stories,” News, Jan. 4 in our changed landscape. For a decade and a
many losses. I the only South Lamar resident who gets to austinchronicle.com/comments half, we have offered Iyengar Yoga classes, dance,
But to be honest, despite the traffic, despite Barton Springs Road and wonders, “Why the hell and aikido; amazing workshops with international
the increase in property prices, despite all of do we still even have a McDonald’s here?” I know teachers like Gabriella Giubilaro, Ramanand Patel,
the desolate incompleteness, I have found the I’m not. So why does Spyglass Realty express TAx guns To PAy for sChool guArds Rodney Yee, and Manouso Manos; and vipassa-
growth to be less than offensive. South Lamar this sentiment as if people like myself are the na/mindfulness meditation, as well as kirtan with
has still maintained an influx of local businesses ones saying it? It’s fairly insulting and a depress- Dear Editor, Krishna Das. Now that South Lamar appears to be
and maintained a few of the beloved ones. And ing reminder of not only the shift in scenery, but The National Rifle Association’s CEO Wayne in the midst of a huge transformation and rents
while we’ve lost a few that cannot be replaced, a gouging of the spirit that used to dwell here. LaPierre insists that his idea of having armed have tripled and quadrupled, we are as challenged
like Ray Hennig’s Heart of Texas Music, the cul- These are trying times for people of South guards in schools would prevent tragic shoot- as Alien Scooters, the HighBall, Big Bertha’s, and
ture of South Lamar doesn’t seem to be in too Lamar, who have always seen themselves reflect- ings. This ludicrous idea made me wonder how the South Austin Gym to keep our doors open.
much jeopardy. ed culturally in the environment surrounding he would have us pay for such a plan, given that We have updated our website, and we invite our
That is, until very recently, when I received them. This packet is just a tiny nail deeper into many cities are already having trouble providing friends to visit us at 4006 South Lamar #700,
a real estate report from Spyglass Realty filled the Heart of Texas. adequate police protection. So, here’s my plan: next to Tuesday Morning and Active Life Healing
with info that seemed almost ironic. In the Kevin Martin How about extra taxing on all gun sales and hav- Center in the Brodie Oaks shopping center.
ing annual licensing fees for all guns with rates Sayonara for now,
high enough to provide those guards? We do that Peggy Kelley
for buying and owning cars.
Stephen Cooper
Reader Comments
Reader Comments re: the sex Pistols’ san Antonio show:
“Great article, I remember as a teen read-
on trailer food author tiffany harelik: ing about the gig at Randy’s in Rolling Stone
“Tiffany is as sweet as a Buttermilk Pie from in Canada. San Antonio was the gig where Sid
the Cutie Pie Wagon, and I’m glad to see her [Vicious] took his bass off and hit somebody in
getting the recognition she deserves. She was the head with it. [Malcolm] McLaren’s decision to
instrumental in putting Austin’s trailer food have them perform not in L.A. and New York but in
culture on the map and both of her books the South and Texas was brilliant as he knew they
are awesome!” – Amy K would be facing more hostile crowds and get more
“Book Review: ‘Trailer Food Diaries Cookbook,’” publicity; but and for the same reason, these gigs
On the Range Food blog, Jan. 4 sowed their inevitable demise.” – david
austinchronicle.com/comments
“Anarchy in S.A.,” Music, Jan. 4
austinchronicle.com/comments
“PAGE TWO” is taking a break.
6 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 11, 2013 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m
hhhhhhiiiiiissssssttttttoooooorrrrrryyyyyy...... ppppppeeeeeerrrrrrffffffoooooorrrrrrmmmmmmeeeeeedddddd nnnnnniiiiiigggggghhhhhhttttttllllllyyyyyy......
Tomorrow!
jAN jAN jAN jAN
11 13 16 17
A VERy SPECIAl EVENING WITH jAN
MIKE BIRBIGlIA lUCINDA WIllIAMS DR. BRIAN GREENE 19
AND HER GUITAR PlAyER DOUG PETTIBONE
My girlfriend’s boyfriend B.B. KING AND KENNETH BRIAN the hidden reality THE FlATlANDERS
FEB jAN jAN FEB
06 18 25 13
jAN
WyNTON MARSAlIS & jOHN FUllBRIGHT CARRIE RODRIGUEz jOHN PIzzAREllI qUARTET
27
Music coming Stateside
jAzz AT lINCOlN CENTER
TICKETS & INFO: AUSTINTHEATRE.ORG OR 512 474-1221 Tfrhoism ptrhoeje Tcet xiass f uCnodmemd iasnsido ns uopnp otrhtee dA ritns paanrdt biny ap agrrta bnyt Tinh isp aprrto jbeyc t ai s gfruanndte dfr aonmd tshuep pToerxteads
the City of Austin Economic Growth & Redevelopment Commission on the Arts, and is
Services Office/Cultural Arts Division believing an supported in part by an award from
PARAMOUNT THEATRE  713 CONGRESS AVE | STATESIDE AT THE PARAMOUNT  719 CONGRESS AVE investment in the Arts is an investment in Austin’s future. the National Endowment for the Arts.
Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
“A universal expression of the human
subconscious...it transports you.”
— The Washington Post
Funding for this program is provided by Judy and Charles Tate and Leslie and Jack Blanton, Jr. Additional
funding is provided by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the
Humanities, and the Carolyn Harris Hynson Centennial Endowment at the Blanton Museum of Art.
The University of Texas at Austin | MLK at Congress
Austin, TX 78701 | blantonmuseum.org | [phone]
facebook.com/BlantonMuseumofArt
a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 11, 2013 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 7
14 tHE HiGHtoWER REPoRt 16 tHE nEXt LiFE oF WaLLER CREEK @ACNewsdesk
NEWS
Headlines
›
As the new year gets rolling, the first regular
City Council meeting is next Thursday (Jan. 17,
work session Tuesday), with a brace of Austin
Energy solar rebates for nonprofits (“Then
There’s This,” p.10), and some zoning cases
from 2012 (“Council Preview: A Bar on
Burnet?!?,” p.12).
›
Austin ISd trustees have revived their contro-
versial plans to create three single-sex
schools. These had seemed dead in December,
with few tears shed in the community, but they
returned at the Jan. 7 work session: a magnet
boys’ academy, funded in part by the Moody
Foundation, mirroring the Ann Richards
School for Young Women Leaders; plus turn-
ing Pearce and Garcia middle schools into
twinned single-sex institution. In discussion, the
board glossed over the lack of evidence for ben-
efits of gender-based segregation.
›
On Jan. 8, the Lower Colorado River Authority
board of directors voted to request drought relief
– withholding water from downstream farming –
if severe drought conditions affecting the High-
land Lakes do not significantly improve by March
1. The request requires confirmation from the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
›
Travis County Commissioners discussed but
a view of the rotunda didn’t vote on a potential ban on gun shows at
on opening day of the county facilities (Saxet Gun Shows are held regu-
83rd Legislature. see larly at the Travis County Exposition Center).
“Lege opening Day: After consulting privately with county attorneys,
users and abusers,” Judge Sam biscoe cast doubt on the legality of
p. 12, and a photo gallery Ja such a ban.
n
at austinchronicle.com. a B › The 83rd session of the Texas Legislature
ir began on Jan. 8 with splits among the Repub-
c lican leadership: Gov. Rick Perry talked about
h
u tax cuts and fetal pain, Speaker Joe Straus con-
m
centrated on education and transportation, while
Backstage at the Circus Antonio Democrat Leticia Van de Putte Lt. Gov. david dewhurst has put water at the
top of his agenda. See “Point Austin,” left, and
accepted her election as president pro tem.
“Lege Opening Day: Users and Abusers,” p.12.
She noted the same state demographic
›
trends, adding that most of the growth – Comptroller Susan Combs’ latest forecast pre-
The Lege melodrama can be a hard act to swallow welcomed in the abstract by conservative dicts an extra $8.8 billion in revenue for the cur-
rent biennium and $96.2 billion in the coffers for
pols – is in the Latino population and
the 2014-15. Let the fighting begin.
After a couple of decades of following the expected to arrive over the next two decades. requires a renewed commitment to educa-
›
Texas Legislature, I admit I find it increas- With that in mind, the session’s priorities, tion, lest Texas waste a “historic opportuni- Responding to persistent criticism that the new
state-run and funded Texas Women’s Health
ingly difficult to embrace the return of the he declared, should be “quality education, a ty to build something grand.” Ever hopeful,
Program is unlikely to be able to provide servic-
biennial circus. Oh, they’re entertaining reliable water supply, a healthy transporta- Van de Putte reiterated her welcoming es to all women in need now that Planned
enough, I suppose. This week’s opening tion system, and an honest state budget.” catchphrase: “Bienvenidos, y’all.” Parenthood has been banned, the Health and
episode featured the farcical denouement Straus is no liberal, but it’s hard to argue Human Services Commission on Monday
Hard Shell Game
of Longview Republican Rep. David Simp- with his call to sustain the “core responsi- released a report that it says shows the program
son’s challenge to the House speakership of bilities” of government. He even dared a sly It would be delusional, of course, to has the capacity not only to handle the clients,
but also to expand. See “HHSC Says Texas
incumbent Joe Straus. Simpson dig at the reckless secession talk describe that optimism as the week’s domi-
Women’s Health Program Just Fine Without
(aka the Scourge of the Trans- disfiguring Texas political dis- nant Capitol note. The Senate’s president Planned Parenthood,” Newsdesk, Jan. 8.
port ation Safety Admin istra- course in recent years: “Our pro perm – Lt. Governor David Dewhurst –
›
The u.S. Supreme Court this week rejected an
tion), with the always rhe- by miChaeL economy is so vast and fresh from a hard-right trouncing in his appeal brought on behalf of Rosa Jimenez, sen-
torical help of hard-right diverse that if Texas were U.S. Senate campaign, has vowed to make
tenced to 99 years for causing the 2003 chok-
backbenchers and blog- POINT its own country – and no, Texas “the most fiscally and socially conser- ing-related death of toddler bryan Gutierrez,
gers, had puffed himself don’t worry, that isn’t vative” state in the union, by which he pri- whom she was babysitting. Jimenez’s appeal will
up like one of those something we’re going marily means “repeated tax cuts” and what- now move back to federal district court for fur-
harmless lizards inflat- to do this session – but if ever else the Tea Party wants. Gover nor-for- ther proceedings. See “Supremes Reject
AUSTIN Jimenez Appeal,” Newsdesk, Jan. 8.
ing his jowls to frighten we were, we’d be the Life Rick Perry beat the same drum, even
predators. In the end, he 14th largest economy in continued on p.10
withdrew without a the world.”
humiliating vote, mutter- King He reiterated the
ing gracelessly about need to focus on education “Bienvenidos, y’all.”
QUOTE
alleged and unspecified – likely to be a budget flash-
“retaliation.” Straus was reelect- point after the radical cuts last
– Sen. Leticia Van de Putte,
ed by acclamation. session – suggesting at least some of the
D-San Antonio, following her
In that context, it was refreshing to hear willingness to address the structural short-
WEEK election Tuesday as president
the speaker accept the job with a real sense fall for both public schools and higher ed..
pro tem of the Texas Senate
of public responsibility rather than political Alas, it’s unlikely that he’ll have many or
sabre-rattling. Straus noted that the Legis- sufficient GOP allies.
lat ure’s job is to represent all Texans, Intriguingly, Straus’ emphasis on educa-
including the 10 million or so newcomers tion was echoed in the Senate, where San
8 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 11, 2013 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m
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a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 11, 2013 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 9
NEWS
Point austin continued from p.8 Solar for Lease Tim Harvey, conservation programs spe-
as the manufactured holes in this year’s cialist for the utility, sees the new arrange-
yet unwritten budget will have to be filled ment as a win-win for both nonprofits and
by rising revenues already spent in the It just got easIer for nonprofIts to go green AE’s entire electric delivery system, particu-
last one. But the governor again called for larly during peak demand periods of long
“tax relief” – rather than responding to the With very little fanfare, the City c summer afternoons. “The nonprofit benefits
state’s critical needs in education and Council last month approved the ou because the meter rolls back – it’s called
r
health care, he’s content to applaud growth first solar-lease project – an te net metering – when the solar’s producing.
while refusing to pay for it. innovative financial model that sy They’re able to use the power, and it reduces
For Perry, in good times and bad, tax allows nonprofits, schools, and of the need for them to use the power from the
cuts are always the priority – that, and other cash-strapped entities to m electric grid,” he said.
e
fviontdeirnsg f rhomot- bthuet tsohne lils sguaems etso b deiinstgr apclta ythede rbeuaspti nthge t hbee nbeafnitks toof psaoyla fro wr iitth. out ridia Making it Work
wIDit,h a tnhde irp mubolnice ys. cWhiotohl rfeidniasntrciec ticnugr,r venottelyr Thhaeve C ao ufanrc-rile’sa cdheicnigs iiomnp caocut ldo n n sol leaFdoerr yoena rtsh,e F ogruenedna teionne rCgyo mfromnut,n bituiets i tws apsio an eer-
punted to the courts, Perry’s nominated the city’s energy future – pos- ar ing solar endeavors were among those that halt-
distractions for this session appear to be sibly adding tens of thou- THEN Meridian solar is building ed when AE implemented the PBI plan. “That
drug-testing of working people (i.e., public sands more power-gener- a solar-powered parking essentially broke the deal for us as a nonprofit,”
assistance and unemployment insurance ating solar panels to THErE’S structure at LifeWorks, said Sunshine Mathan, the nonprofit’s design
applicants) and the ever-reliable anti-abor- rooftops across 437 similar to this one at and development director. Mathan, an active
tion crusade. square miles of Austin ut-arlington. player in the solar community, worked with Karl
It’s that sort of pandering that makes it Energy’s service area. THIS Rábago, AE’s former head of conservation
difficult, bi-year after bi-year, to extend a LifeWorks, a next two years trying to efforts, to fashion a plan that would benefit non-
full-throated Austin welcome once again resource organization for the figure out how to get profits without hitting the utility’s pocketbook. “It
to the state’s dominant political players. young people and fami- by amy nonprofits back on board. didn’t really land anywhere, unfortunately.”
While there are quite a few pols in the lies, is the first nonprofit Under the new financial Once the solar lease idea emerged,
Straus and Van de Putte mode, they are to become eligible for per- smiTh model, LifeWorks is installing Mathan again set about trying to make the
unhappily outnumbered by folks ready to formance-based incentives a fairly extensive photovoltaic plan work for Foundation Communities. But
follow the Perry and Dewhurst model: per- through a new solar-lease power generation system at its while the lease agreement proposals are set
manent cynics, permanent campaigners, arrangement with Meridian Sol ar, an Sooch Foun dation Youth & Family for Council approval next week, Mathan says
permanent panderers. Austin-based installation company. Now other Resource Center, which opened last year the nonprofit is still parsing the details and
nonprofits, churches, schools, and govern- at 835 N. Pleasant Valley, near Austin considering vendors. “We’re not sure [the
The Limits of Citizenship ment agencies – entities that are neither Community College’s Eastview Campus. proposed agenda items] are going to go
So bienvenidos it is, but with very mixed flush with cash nor eligible for federal solar Lifeworks’ Chief Operating Officer Mitch through,” he said. “It’s up to us to determine
emotions. The spectacle of grown men tax credits – are exploring similar solar-lease Weynand said they started reviewing solar whether the financials work.”
(and some women) putting on all that agreements with AE-approved vendors. Some options during construction of the East As for LifeWorks, Weynand says he’s
pomp and circumstance in order to (in have advanced as far as the Council’s Jan. Austin facility, in trying to make it a five-star pleased his organization made the jump. He
recent example) prescribe invasive gyne- 17 agenda, which includes proposals that green building. Merid i an had put forward a pointed to Meridian’s precise breakdown of
cological procedures for pregnant Texas would provide performance-based incentives proposal to install a 276,000-kilowatt array how Austin will benefit from the new system,
women while they simultaneously make it to affordable housing communities owned by on top of the three-story building and a cov- once it’s up and running. According to Merid-
impossible for many thousands more of Found a tion Communities and the city ered parking structure. The nonprofit wanted ian’s calculations, the system will save about
those same women even to visit a gyne- Housing Authori ty, as well as two Goodwill to go big on solar, except there was one 253,417 kWh a year – about what it takes to
cologist – that process has an undeniable Industries facilities. major obstacle: a lack of funding. power 22 average Austin homes. Taking that
entertainment value, even an educational PBIs used to be cold, hard cash rebates, “LifeWorks didn’t have the money to just a step further, the savings are equivalent to
aspect, in the fine art of institutional but after Austin Energy exhausted its solar buy the equipment, so that’s when the seeds planting nearly 4,000 trees or eliminating 29
hypocrisy. It’s painful to watch – mortify- rebate budget for commercial and nonprofit of a leasing arrangement were planted,” cars from Aus tin streets. As for air emissions,
ing even – but instructive nonetheless. On organizations a few years ago, the utility hit Weynand said. It turned out that AE had been Meridian estimates LifeWorks’ system will
the other hand, there are thousands of real the pause button in 2010 and crafted the PBI looking at the same type of financial model. save 168 tons of carbon dioxide, 211 pounds
lives at stake – Texas families, Texas chil- plan, paying 14 cents for every kilowatt-hour Now, with the blessings of the utility and the of sulfur dioxide, 234 pounds of nitrogen
dren, Texas working people – making it of energy churned out by a solar system for city, LifeWorks will lease the equipment for a oxide, and 163 pounds of carbon monoxide.
difficult simply to laugh and turn away. up to 10 years. That’s when solar became 10-year period, with the goal of purchasing it Put in those terms, it’s easy to visualize
Not surprisingly, Perry’s opening-day cost-prohibitive for nonprofits, which had previ- with financing gained through energy savings solar and other renewable energy sources
speech to the Lege bypassed Texas women ously relied on up-front rebates to help and funding from the PBIs, which is estimated someday rendering power plants obsolete.
altogether, to embrace instead the unformed finance their systems. So the utility spent the to cover more than half the $660,000 project. Even in Texas. n
contents of their wombs: “We also need to
better protect our most vulnerable citi- CIVICS 101
zens, the unborn, by expanding the ban on
abortion to any baby that can feel the pain
of the procedure.” That official “protec-
tion,” of course, will not extend to “citizen- Thursday 10 Wednesday 16 OngOing
babies” actually born – since the governor LEGISLATIVE WISH LIST Staffers from the Texas Observer want HoLIdAY MuLCH PICKuP Mulch from the trees collected during SAVE THE dATE To
has repeatedly made it clear he will oppose all sorts of things from this Lege session – from a state income tree recycling will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. SAVE TEXAS SCHooLS
any expansion of Medicaid that in fact tax to air conditioning for prisoners. What are their chances? Desert willow seedlings are also available. Zilker Park, Mark your calendars for
7pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop. 2100 Barton Springs Rd. www.austintexas.gov. the biggest Save Texas
pays for most of these Texas births, and
Schools rally ever, Feb.
will also do everything in his power to saTurday 12 Thursday 17 23 at the Texas Capitol.
undermine national health care in Texas. With budget cuts, vouch-
CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING at the Zilker Polo Fields, Jan. A CoNVERSATIoN WITH REP. ALLAN RITTER The Texas Tribune’s
ers, and standardized
In Perry’s political universe, citizen vul- 12-13, 10am-2pm. Today is also the last day to recycle your tree Evan Smith talks about the water crisis with the chairman of the
testing all looming this
nerability has an expiration date. “Fetal at Austin Community Landfill, 9900 Giles; Williamson Co. Landfill & House Natural Resources Committee. 7:30am. The Austin Club, session, the fight for
Recycling Center, 600 Landfill Rd. 110 E. Ninth. Free. www.texastribune.org.
pain,” he proclaims, is to be outlawed. our future is now.
Once that citizen takes her first breath, SouTH AuSTIN CoMbINEd NEIGHboRHood PLAN kickoff MoNEY ≠ SPEECH CITY CouNCIL RESoLuTIoN RALLY to sup- www.savetxschools.org.
event. Residents of the Westgate, South Manchaca, and Garrison port a Council resolution “calling for a Constitutional Amendment
however, she’s on her own. When the gov- Park neighborhoods can join the planning process for this first and/or other legislative actions ensuring that money is not speech,
ernor says, “Suffer the little children” – he neighborhood plan developed since Council adopted the Imagine and therefore the expenditure of money to influence the electoral
really means it. n Austin Comprehensive Plan last June. Upcoming: a community or legislative process is not a form of constitutionally protected
visioning workshop Feb. 16 and a design workshop March 23. speech, and shall be regulated.” 4-6pm. Austin City Hall Plaza, Cesar
Follow Point Austin on Twitter @pointaustin. www.austintexas.gov/department/south-austin-combined-neighborhood-plan. Chavez at Lavaca. Free. www.facebook.com/events/177669525690578.
10 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 11, 2013 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m