No Arrests at Occupy Austin
Things have been running smoothly at the Occupy Austin event, a local version of the Occupy Wall Streetprotests in New York. There had been concerns about possible arrests, but police say there weren’t any last night. Relations between the protesters and police were friendly and cooperative. Occupiers were told by APD that they wouldn't be allowed to erect any tents. There was a brief moment of tension when police realized a tent meant to store equipment was filled with protesters. But according to Sergeant Balagia, the issue was sorted out quickly.
"Chief Acevedo went and spoke with the people in the tent. They came to an agreement to have one tent set up over night. So that was it," he said.
Occupy Austin organizers say their movement will continue for weeks, and are sending out press releases with their scheduled events. Today, they'll march on Bank of America at 4 p.m. Find more coverage of Occupy Austin here, here, and here.
Opening of Bastrop State Park Delayed
TheBastrop State Park will not be open to the public until at least December 1st. The park closed following the destruction caused by the Bastrop Complex Fire in early September. Texas Parks and Wildlifesay forced to move back the opening date because of scheduling delays. The department had previously thought the park could re-open sometime in November. A re-roofing project will begin as soon as the fire reconstruction and cleanup is complete, meaning cabin reservations for the coming months have all been canceled.
Third Vote in City Council Election Move
Austin City Council will meet this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. for a third vote on the proposal to move city elections from May to November. Yesterday the council voted against the move, 4-3. There are more details on this story here and here.
Big 12 Football News
UT Men's Athletic Director Deloss Doddsreleased a statement reacting to the news that Texas Christian Universityhas been officially invited to join the Big 12.
Dodds says, ""We’re proud that TCU has been invited to join the Big 12. Their commitment to academics and success on the field make them an excellent fit. With a solid budget and strong financial support, they have been proactive at improving facilities. Their close proximity to all conference institutions makes for a comfortable travel situation."
The Longhorns take on the University of Oklahoma tomorrow at 11 a.m. in Dallas.
Bastrop County Old Potato Fire Update
All evacuees from the Old Potato Fire in Bastrop County have been allowed to return home. All roads in the area are now open to the public.