BG Reads | News You Need to Know (May 17, 2019)
[AUSTIN METRO]
With new map, Austin takes first step toward school closures (Austin American-Statesman)
On Monday, the school board will vote on a set of guiding principles to be followed during the consolidations. The proposed principles include placing more students in improved learning environments; ensuring they have equitable access to academic programs; and reducing costs that aren’t directly tied to student learning, such as rising maintenance costs for aging schools or transportation costs associated with busing students. In August, district administrators are expected to specify schools for possible consolidation. And in October, trustees are slated to make the final decisions on those schools’ fates… (LINK TO STORY)
Skyscraper to blend progress with preservation on Austin’s main strip (Austin Business Journal)
Its 42 feet wide. That’s smaller than the width of an NCAA basketball court. The square footage is only 7,000. In residential terms, that wouldn’t even be a mansion.
The former Reynolds-Penland menswear store at 721 Congress Ave., at the northeast corner of Eight Street, is a challenge to develop, to say the least. It was an equation that no one seemed able to solve for nearly two decades.
Building big on the tiny lot comes with definite structural challenges, not to mention the cooperation of the Austin Theatre Alliance, which controls the State and Paramount theaters next door. In fact, 721 Congress and the State share a basement, giving the alliance a say in whatever happens at the corner… (LINK TO STORY)
People Keep Moving To Austin, But Where Are They Coming From? (KUT)
For the last decade or so, Austin has been one of the fastest growing cities in the country – last year the city's population grew by about 145 people a day on average. But that number only tells part of the story. The rest of that story – the where – is a proverbial question for our ATXplained project… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Distributor group on board with beer-to-go sales (Austin American-Statesman)
One of the final hurdles that Texas brewers faced in their quest to get beer-to-go sales legalized in the state has been removed, just days before a crucial vote in the Texas Senate.
The Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Beer Alliance of Texas and the Texas Craft Brewers Guild giving support for beer-to-go sales at the state’s manufacturing breweries, according to a document posted online and confirmed by the guild. Such breweries include Real Ale Brewing, Celis Brewery and Austin Beerworks locally… (LINK TO STORY)
Runoff outcomes could shift San Antonio City Council’s ‘progressive’ tilt (Rivard Report)
The outcome of three City Council runoffs could cause San Antonio’s progressive-leaning City Council of the last two years to swing back to a more philosophically divided body, posing to a challenge to whoever becomes mayor.
Voters in districts 2, 4, and 6 will choose their representatives in a June 8 runoff amid a citywide vote for mayor. But how effective that mayor will be depends largely on his ability to gather a majority of votes from council members willing to back his initiatives. Four out of seven incumbents have endorsed Mayor Ron Nirenberg, whose platform is largely viewed as progressive. Likewise, his initiatives largely have been supported by most Council incumbents except Clayton Perry (D10) and, on occasion, John Courage (D9)… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
White House launches survey looking for tech industry bias (Time)
On the heels of President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions claiming anti-conservative bias by tech companies, the White House has launched an online form asking people to share their experiences if they think political partisanship has led them to be silenced by social media sites.
The White House’s official Twitter account tweeted a link to the form Wednesday, saying that “The Trump Administration is fighting for free speech online.” The tweet continues that “no matter your views, if you suspect political bias has caused you to be censored or silenced online, we want to hear about it!”… (LINK TO STORY)
[BG PODCAST]
Episode 46: Austin FC Updates from Club President Andy Loughnane
On today's episode Austin FC President Andy Loughnane sits down for club updates with the Bingham Group Senior Consultant Paul Saldaña and CEO A.J. Bingham.
Andy was named president of the Major League Soccer (MLS) club on January 3, 2019. Most recently he was president of business operations for MLS’ Columbus Crew SC.
Check out Episode 46 here!