Dark and Stormy Night
Intense lightning storms were on display for parts of Central Texas north of Austin last night as a weak cold front entered the area. Those storms could return to other parts of the region over the next day or so bringing needed, though scattered and probably short lived, rain showers. Of course, any lightning carries the risk of fire. And the National Weather Service reports that gusty winds that may come with this disturbance. Potentially a dangerous combination for the drought-stricken area.
Keystone X-L Hearing Tomorrow in Austin
Central Texas residents and government officials will get a chance to tell the federal government what they think about the proposed Keystone X-L Pipeline project. A public hearing on the pipeline is set for noon tomorrow at the Thompson Conference Center. The company TransCanada wants federal and state permits to add about 530 miles of pipe in Oklahoma and Texas to bring oil from Canada, but some residents and environmentalists oppose the project.
School Board Dives Back in to Facilities Planning
The Austin Independent School District has more than one-hundred schools and 12-million square feet of space. And for over a year now, it’s been trying to develop a facilities master plan to make the best use of it. As KUT reports, the school board is ready to give the superintendent another shot at coming up with a strategy.
Carstarphen Contract Continued
Also last night, the Austin school trustees voted to extend Superintendent Carstarphen's contract by one year. The contract now ends in June 2014. The extension did not include any increase in salary or benefits.
