BG Reads | News You Need to Know (June 27, 2023)
[BINGHam GRoup]
Join us in welcoming Larry Holt as a Consultant for Bingham Group! Larry brings over 20 years of experience in economic and workforce development to the the firm.
His work with Bingham Group will include identifying and securing funding and program support from Texas state and municipal workforce and economic development entities on behalf of clients.
Larry most recently served as Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. He was previously Director of Economic Development for the City of Grapevine. He was also Assistant Director of Economic Development for the city of Cedar Park with a focus on aerospace, advanced manufacturing, information technology, and clean energy.
[AUSTIN METRO]
Former City Hall and One Texas Center eyed as possible arts and music spaces (Austin monitor)
The city once again appears to be willing to make a high-profile downtown building available for cultural and creative uses, along with a handful of other city-owned properties under consideration for use by local musicians and artists.
A memo released last week regarding a number of initiatives related to the preservation and enhancement of the local creative community noted that the former City Hall building on the corner of Eighth and Colorado streets is one of the sites that “may be appropriate” for cultural uses. The memo is the latest response to a May 2020 resolution passed by City Council that directed staff to take several steps to preserve the artistic community, with the use of city-owned real estate as one of the options to help local arts organizations…(LINK TO FULL STORY)
Nobel Prize-winning UT Austin professor John Goodenough dies at age 100 (KVUE)
John Goodenough, a University of Texas at Austin professor who is known worldwide for the development of the lithium-ion battery, died Sunday at the age of 100, UT announced Monday.
The lithium-ion battery is the predominant type of battery used in both portable electronics and electric vehicles. In 2019, Goodenough was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his battery work, becoming the oldest person to receive a Nobel Prize… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Nate Paul pleads not guilty to federal charges (Austin Business Journal)
Austin real estate investor Nate Paul has pleaded not guilty to eight felony counts for allegedly lying to lenders to obtain $172 million worth of loans between March 2017 and April 2018.Paul, the founder and CEO of embattled real estate investment firm World Class Holdings, also waived his right to appear at an arraignment that had been scheduled for June 26 in Austin.
A federal judge on June 23 filed an order accepting the waiver of appearance and directed a plea of not guilty to be entered for Paul.
Pretrial motions are due within 14 days after the latest scheduled arraignment date, according to documents filed with the court.
The not guilty plea is another early stage in federal prosecutors' case against Paul, long considered a lightning rod on Austin's real estate scene. The World Class CEO was arrested June 8 after being indicted by a federal grand jury June 6; each of the eight counts against him carries a maximum sentence of 30 years and a fine of up to $1 million… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Uber launches teen accounts for rideshare, delivery services (KXAN)
Uber announced Monday it had rolled out specialized account services for teenagers in Austin. Through the program, teens ages 13-17 with parental supervision could use the app to request rideshare and food delivery services.Parents or guardians can set up a teen’s account via the Uber app’s Family Profile section. The parent or guardian can invite the teen to make an account, sending an invitation link to the teenager to download the app, create a teen-specific account and “complete the mandatory safety onboarding process.”
The app employs live trip and delivery tracking technology for families to receive real-time updates and live trip tracking for teens who request a ride or place a delivery order. Parents and guardians will receive the driver’s name, vehicle information and requested drop-off location for any teen-requested rides… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Effort to reimagine Congress Avenue hits design benchmark (Austin monitor)
The city’s Downtown Commission heard an update on the Congress Avenue redesign project at its regular meeting last week.
The Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative is a partnership between the city of Austin and the Downtown Austin Alliance to reimagine the stretch between Riverside Drive and 11th Street known as the “Main Street of Texas.”
Work on the vision plan launched in 2017 and was completed in 2022. It will be the first overhaul to Congress Avenue in more than 30 years. Currently, a design team consisting of McCann Adams Studio and HDR Inc. is working to complete the initial design phase… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Texas to receive $3.3 billion in federal funds to boost broadband expansion efforts (Texas Tribune)
Texas will receive more than $3.3 billion in federal money — the most of any state — to help expand broadband availability statewide, the Biden administration announced Monday.
The money will be distributed from the $42.45 billion in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program as part of President Joe Biden’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funds aim to connect more than 8.5 million households and small businesses nationwide — and nearly 2.8 million of those households without broadband are in Texas. Each state received at least $107 million… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Texas A&M University System starts “ethics and compliance review” of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts ahead of ban (TexaS Tribune)
The Texas A&M University System is starting to take stock of all university activities, programs or groups that try to foster a diverse and inclusive campus environment as it prepares for a new law to go into effect next year. That law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 14 bans diversity, equity and inclusion offices, trainings and programs at all of the state’s public colleges and universities.
According to a June 13 memo obtained by The Texas Tribune, A&M System leaders have launched a “Systemwide Ethics and Compliance Program Review” to ensure its universities are following state and federal equal employment opportunity laws and the new bill that bans DEI offices, Senate Bill 17. They directed presidents at the system’s 11 public universities to provide copies of all campus work related to diversity, equity and inclusion… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
As revolt in Russia subsides, U.S. and allies brace for what comes next (Washington Post)
While they struggled to make sense of Saturday’s chaotic and fast-moving events inside Russia, the Biden administration and its Western allies were keenly aware there was little they could do about it beyond watching from afar. President Biden consulted with top national security aides and his British, French and German counterparts. Secretary of State Antony Blinken convened Group of Seven diplomats. A message was conveyed to the Russian government, reminding them of their obligations to protect the safety of the U.S. Embassy and diplomats in Moscow. Top Pentagon officials made their own calls, canceled trips abroad and sought to reassure Ukraine, transfixed by the bizarre spectacle of Russian mercenaries of the Wagner Group marching toward Moscow for a shootout with the Russian military. And then, as quickly as it began, with Wagner head Yevgeniy Prigozhin declaring an open conflict with Russia’s military leadership, it seemed to be over. As Saturday became Sunday in Russia, both Prigozhin and the Kremlin declared that a deal had been struck, Wagner troops were turning back and there would be no “Russians against Russians” battle.
Yet, just as little was clear during a day of confusion and upheaval, “we don’t know if it’s over,” said Alexander Vershbow, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow and former deputy secretary general of NATO. “We can speculate all we want, but the fact is we have little idea of what happens next.” While events were unfolding, the administration trod lightly in making public statements or taking any action, such as putting forces in Europe on alert, to avoid what analysts and former officials said might suggest the United States was trying to exploit the situation and play into long-standing Kremlin narratives about U.S.-led attempts to weaken Russian security. Terse statements about consultations and briefings were all that emerged. President Biden went to Camp David as scheduled, and Vice President Harris traveled to North Carolina for an event marking the first anniversary of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Neither made any public mention of the Russia crisis. The administration also told the Russian government that the United States considers this a “Russian affair in which the U.S. would not involve itself,” according an official familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[BG PODCAST]
On this episode we welcome Jack Craver, independent reporter and founder of The Austin Politics Newsletter.
Jack and Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham, catch up on the past 6 months of Austin politics and city hall moves.
For city hall watchers and those looking to get a handle on the state of play now, this is worth a listen.
>>> SHOW LINK <<<
Also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
EPISODE 201
LINKS:
The Austin Politics Newsletter -> www.austinpolitics.net
Jack Craver on LinkedIn -> www.linkedin.com/in/jack-craver-60348414/
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