March 20th by Oak Hill Gazette

oakhillgazette.com

March 20, 2014 Volume 19, No. 6 Southwest Austin’s Community Newspaper Since 1995

TxDOT to talk about funding options for Oak Hill Parkway by Bobbie Jean Sawyer OAK HILL - The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and TxDOT will host a workshop on funding options for the Oak Hill Parkway project on Saturday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Oak Hill United Methodist Church. Melissa Hurst, community outreach manager for the Mobility Authority, said the meeting will focus on the multiple ways transportation projects are funded, including federal and state gas tax, motor vehicle registration fees, property taxes, local options, tolling and public-private partnerships. David Ellis and Ben Ettelman of the Texas A&M Transportation In-

stitute, along with multiple members of the Oak Hill Parkway project team will speak about funding options for the project. “These workshops are important for those interested in shaping the Oak Hill Parkway project,” Hurst said. “At each workshop, we focus on one area of the project, solicit public input and then take that input back to the project team and create change. We want to create a project that represents the values of Oak Hill.” The question of how to fund infrastructure improvements is a statewide dilemma. According to the Texas 2030 Committee, the projectSee TXDOT on page 17

Only 4 days to save tree $1,500 of $20,000 goal left to raise by Bobbie Jean Sawyer

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Bowie junior left-hander Kyle Gray pitches as the Bulldogs rallied from six runs down to defeat the Austin High Maroons 10-9 in a game played Wednesday over Spring Break. More sports on p. 14.

OAK HILL - The deadline for transplanting the historic heritage tree oak at the intersection of William Cannon and U.S. 290 has been extended until March 24th. The Austin Heritage Tree Foundation is $1,500 short of reaching its $20,000 goal, said executive director Michael Fossum. See ONLY on page 17

The ‘Taco Bell’ heritage oak tree at William Cannon and Hwy. 290.

2 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

Civic Agenda This space is reserved for information on civic happenings that occur in, or relate to the Southwest Austin area. To be included in the Civic Agenda, a meeting or event must relate to public policy. For other community events please see our community calendar on page 10. If you would like to be included, please e-mail editorial@oakhillgazette.com with the subject “Civic Agenda” and include details of your meeting or happening, along with any relevant agenda items. Oak Hill Parkway workshop on funding options Saturday, March 22, 9 a.m. - noon Oak Hill United Methodist Church in the Fellowship Hall, 7815 Hwy. 290 West, 78736 The Mobility Authority and TxDOT will share information with the community about transportation funding options for the Oak Hill Parkway project. The project team has invited representatives from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute to provide information about options for financing the project should a build alternative be recommended at the conclusion of the environmental study. Attendees will learn more about transportation funding mechanisms, how they work and their effect on project delivery timelines, tolling and state and local policies. Community Health Improvement Plan forum Wednesday, March 26, 2014; 6:30pm-8:00 pm Crockett High School, 5601 Manchaca Road Learn more about steps being taken to improve community health. Regardless of background, education or income, everyone should have the chance to make choices that lead to a long and healthy life. To make

that happen, efforts are underway to decrease obesity, increase access to healthy foods, improve city transportation and access to primary care and to mental and behavioral healthcare. Come for an evening of community engagement, free sandwiches and amazing door prizes. The event is sponsored by Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department and its partners including Capital Metro, Seton Healthcare Family, Central Health, St. David’s Foundation, Austin/Travis County Integral Care, UT School of Public Health and Travis County Health and Human Services & Veterans Services. For more information contact CHACHIP@austintexas.gov or call 512-972-5862. The Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan are available at: http:// www.austintexas.gov/healthforum. Public Hearing on Municipal Civil Service rules Wed., March 26 from 4 to 8 p.m. Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road. The City of Austin is holding this hearing to get feedback from the public and City employees on draft personnel rules. Anyone wanting to comment can do so anytime during the four-hour block. Each speaker will be allotted three minutes and additional time can be donated up to 12 minutes total to one speaker from others that have signed up to speak and are present at the hearing. The Municipal Civil Service system was created by an amendment to the City Charter approved by Austin voters in November 2012. The Commission will help to establish personnel rules, and then sit as the ruling body on appeals of disciplinary actions by certain City of Austin employees.

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The Commission is expected to recommend to Council a set of Municipal Civil Service rules governing hiring, promotions and lateral transfers; reductions in staffing levels; disciplinary actions; and appeals to the Commission for employees who are discharged, suspended, demoted, denied a promotion or put on disciplinary probation. The draft rules can be viewed at www.austintexas.gov/hr. CAMPO Open House for Travis County Monday, March 31 5:30-8:30 One Texas Canter, Rm. 325, 505 Barton Springs Rd CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) is holding public meetings to collect input on the Long Range Transportation Plans and the Transportation Improvement Program. Attendees will be able to view a list of proposed amendments to the 2035 and 2040 plans and can share comments and concerns. For more information go to www.campotexas.org or call 512-974-2275. Voter Registration Logo Contest Deadline for entry is March 31 Travis County Voter Registration is looking for a new logo symbolizing efforts to help citizens take the first vital step in the democratic process

Now in its 17th year, the Oak Hill Gazette is locally owned and is published every other Thursday. With a circulation of 7.500, it is home delivered to over 5,000 homes in Southwest Austin and is sold in stands for 50¢. Publisher/Editor: Will Atkins Co-Publisher/Advertising: Penny Levers Webmaster: Taylor Christensen Circulation Manager: Ingrid Morton Reporters/Writers: Ann Fowler, Tony Tucci, Patrick Olson, Travis Atkins, Bobbie Jean Sawyer T. Q. Jones, Roger White, Mike Jasper, Donna Marie Miller and Joanne Foote, To advertise or subscribe: 301-0123 • advertising@oakhillgazette.com

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story and photos by Joanne Foote OAK HILL - Questions abound regarding Austin Independent School District’s (AISD) draft proposal of the Facilities Master Plan. At two separate meetings held at O.Henry Middle School on Tuesday, March 18, a small group of parents met with the Austin High Vertical Team to discuss the new draft plan, which is still in the fine-tuning stages. Bowie High School will host a similar meeting on April 2. After the last attempt at a Facilities Master Plan in 2011, which left a bad taste in the mouths for many Austin families, it appears the district is seeking an abundance of community feedback this time around. “The purpose of this meeting is two-fold: All the high school vertical teams in the district have been charged with informing the community about the draft of the Facilities Master Plan. The second part is to solicit feedback to take back to the FMP Committee,” explained Pete Price, Principal of O.Henry Middle School. Vertical teams consist of a high school and all of its feeder schools. Using Austin High School as an example, and working backwards, Clint Small and O.Henry Middle Schools, respectively, feed to Austin High, and nine elementary schools feed into the two respective middle schools. Price is part of the Austin high Vertical team. “This is a daunting endeavor. I have been with the district for 15 years and for much of that time, as a district, we had seemingly no longterm planning in place,” said Price. Underscoring the FMP debacle in 2011, he added, “The committee was crystal clear that they don’t want anyone to panic, and no schools closures are on the table at this time. The FMP is about where we are now as a district and how we can plan better in the future. In AISD, the average building is 40-years-old. (O. Henry will be celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.) In addition, there are 128 schools in AISD, which include some that are either overcrowded or under-enrolled. The long-range plan

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property-wealthy even though, as a district, we are 60-percent low-income students. Until this formula is recalibrated by the state, AISD will continue to send a huge chunk of its Continued on page 16

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by Roger White Shakespeare nailed it when he said it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Or was that Kipling? Whatever. That’s what it is, all right. Around our house, it’s the best of times because our eldest offspring has been accepted into two top-tier universities. And it’s the worst of times because our eldest offspring has been accepted into two top-tier universities. As parents, we couldn’t be more proud—or more terrified. If you haven’t window-shopped prices of higher education lately, let me explain it this way: Imagine you are a master chemist and you’ve cooked world-class blue crystal meth for years until you’ve amassed eight barrels of nicely laundered cash. Now, imagine a gang of neo-Nazi thugs meets you in the desert, shoots your DEA agent brother-in-law, and takes seven of your cash barrels, leaving you with only one. OK, never mind. Bad analogy. I’m in no way likening college to a gang of neo-Nazi thugs. In fact, let me state for the record here and now that I am extremely pro-higher education. However, I am also extremely pro-eating food on a daily basis and pro-paying the light bill and pro-not living in the highway median with the nocturnal wildlife and those creepy guys in the wool sweaters who hang out at the stoplight. Yes, folks, college be expensive. Sticker shock isn’t the term for it. It’s more like sticker electrocution.

With two girls nearing high school few episodes because my kids were graduation, the wife and I figure watching it. Actually a cute show, that I can retire around age 146. The although I thought the guy playing good news is I can gear down to a Hannah’s dad just wasn’t believable part-time job at about age 125 or so. in that role. Anyway, no daughter of mine is goNeedless to say, we are hunting high and low and medium for any ing to twerk for anybody anywhere, if I have something to and all forms of finansay about. At least not cial aid, scholarships, for anything less than a grants, loans, subsidies, full ride, textbooks, and handouts, lottery tickroom and board. ets, coupons, cash-back This got me thinking, programs, and loose if a rapper can step up change. We’ll take S&H and sponsor this unique, green stamps if you have albeit disgusting, higher them. ed opportunity, why This is why I was can’t others? How about morbidly curious when Apple offering a Texting I read somewhere that Tuition Scholarship? a rapper by the name I know for a fact my of Juicy J recently ofRoger White youngest can text and fered a $50,000 college tweet longer and faster scholarship to “the best chick who can twerk.” If you’ve than anyone I know. Sprint could been cave-dwelling or living in perhaps pony up big money for the Nebraska of late, twerking is, and Best Selfie Student Grant Program. I’m quoting here, “a type of dancing Maybe the automotive industry in which an individual, usually a could get behind a Guess the Next female, dances to popular music GM Recall Scholarship. Or what in a sexually provocative manner about a Dennis Rodman Foreign involving thrusting hip movements Policy International Studies Student and a low squatting stance.” Yeah. Loan Program? The potential here It’s that highly objectionable derri- is unlimited. Unfortunately, my retirement ere-shaking move that an obviously chemically-altered Miley Cyrus account isn’t. Pass the peanut butter performed on stage last year at the and crackers, please. MTV Video Music Awards. NeedRoger White is a freelance writer less to say, I’ll never watch Hannah living in Oak Hill with his lovely wife, Montana the same way again. Not two precocious daughters, a very fat that I ever watched Hannah Mon- dachshund, and a self-absorbed cat. tana. No, seriously. I only watched a Visitoldspouse.wordpress.com. Stone in Austin! Largest Selection of

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Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 5

The Word from Oak Hill Mike Jasper

It’s absolutely a world-class facility. That said, I’ve got some questions. The word from Oak Hill is... First and foremost, how will the stuOrb. dio stay booked in this new world of As in Orb Studios. A world-class recording studio quality home studios? And who’s the opened in our own back yard, just target? Major labels? Indies? Both? Given that Lil Wayne and Justin off Hwy. 290 on Ledgestone Terrace, Bieber visited last week, I’m guessing about five miles away from the Y. It’s the brainchild of C.B. Hudson major labels are in play. I’ll write and Matt Noveskey, members of more on this Oak Hill enterprise Houston alt rock band Blue October. in the future, but to see what I’m Orb recently held a SXSW grand talking about check out orbrecordopening party and it was impres- ingstudios.com. ••• sive—valet parking, a Along with the opening Bloody Mary bar by Tito’s of Orb Studios, I went to Handmade Vodka, BBQ other SXSW events worth from Rudy’s and Dos mentioning, mainly the Equis beer, which I drank NotSXSW shows at the because I do not always G&S Lounge put on by drink Bloody Marys, but John Conquest and his when I do I prefer… music magazine 3rd Coast Probably the nicest Music. SXSW event I went to all Mike Jasper Local Oak Hill musiweek long. It was outside of town in the brisk countrified air, cians Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus there was plenty of parking, it was performed and hosted the acoustic well organized, and the people were music shows at G&S Lounge last friendly, courteous and in general Thursday, which included performances by BettySoo, Hank and laid back. Music was provided by Quiet Shaidri Alrich, Mark Ambrose, and Company, Tori Vasquez and a “sur- Oak Hill’s own Michael Fracasso. But last Sunday’s performance by prise guest,” who I wasn’t able to see since I had to flee to another event southwest Austinites Mark Viator & Susan Maxey blew me away, at 3:30 p.m. Although my main gig is at the especially their new song “Bottom Gazette, I’m also a contributing of the Blues” from their soon-to-beeditor for Tape Op, a magazine for released album of the same name. recording geeks. I do gear reviews, Definitely worth checking out at so I know what it takes to make a viatormaxey.com. Be sure to check out the NotSXSW great recording studio, and Orb’s got it. Vintage Neumann mics from shows next year. They’re all free. ••• Germany, Neve preamps, Sta-Level Here’s my last SXSW tidbit. The and Tube-Tech compressors, Universal Audio gear, Marshall, Fender, U.S. Postal Service issued a Jimi Gibson and all the usual suspects so Hendrix stamp, and there was a familiar to me and, sorry, possibly show at SXSW to celebrate and commemorate it. baffling to you. Slash from Guns & Roses, Wayne Trust me, Orb rocks. It’s got an A room with an SSL console in it’s Kramer from MC5 and even Robby 528sq. ft. control room, a 672-sq.ft. Krieger from The Doors were on live room, and a separate 336 sq. ft. hand to usher in the new Hendrix piano room. The B room is smaller stamp. Part of the 2014 Music Icons series, and suitable for singer-songwriters like me or just as a mixing room, the next icon planned for stampdom and both spaces were acoustically later this year will be none other than designed by Acoustic Spaces owner Janis Joplin. Stamps from the 2013 Music Icons Mark Genfan. There’s a lounge, with a pool table, series include Ray Charles, Johnny video games, a kitchenette, TVs, Cash and Lydia Mendoza. There. Don’t say I haven’t done WiFi—all housed in a brand new building created specifically for anything for you philately. ••• the recording studio. Didn’t see a hot tub, but I’m sure that’s coming. Continued on page 9

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Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 7

Commissioner’s Corner

Precinct 3

Thoughts on traffic and urban rail must invest in a robust, multi-modal transit system that includes rail”… “Rail or Fail”. While it’s true that Austin “did My Thoughts on Austin’s Traffic Congestion and Urban Rail – Part 1: mostly just sit as our population With great interest, I read the grew” and failed to build a compreAmerican-Statesman’s February hensive road system, it’s misleading 26th report on Mayor Leffingwell’s to imply that we have not invested State of the City speech, and the in public transit. As a matter of fact, February 27th report that the WE HAVE INVESTED BILLIONS. Mayor declined the Democratic Since 1985, we’ve “invested” over $2.7 billion in our public National Committee’s transit system via the offer to apply for the sales taxes collected for 2016 convention. I feel Capital Metro—not to compelled to comment mention the hundreds on both of those. of millions we’ve received First, regarding the from the feds. And what 2016 Democratic Nahave we gotten for that? tional Convention…the Census Bureau Data reason we had to decline shows that Austin’s Work the invitation to apply is Trip Market Share for simple, as Mayor LeffinTransit in the year 2000 gwell said, we don’t have a large enough venue to Gerald Daugherty was 2.5%. For 2010, it hold the required number of people. was 2.3%. THAT’S A DROP, folks. But using the reason “unlike peer Contrast that with Work at home cities such as Charlotte, N.C. , Austin (includes Telecommuting)… in does not have an urban rail system 2000 Austin’s market share was that can easily transport visitors to 3.6%, in 2010 it was 7.3%. That’s a and from a convention site” troubles doubling! As for all those “peer cities that me. While I have the utmost respect for Mayor Leffingwell, this reason invested billions in rail”, how has makes no sense to me. Here’s why: that worked out for them? Has rail Democratic National Convention helped their transit systems gain eligibility rules require buses and market share? Once again, here’s adequate transportation to get del- Census Bureau data regarding Major egates to and from convention sites. Metropolitan Commuting Trends The rules DO NOT REQUIRE RAIL. from 2000 to 2010. As reported in As for mentioning peer city Char- Newgeography: “In a number of the lotte’s rail system that “could easily metropolitan areas with the largest transport visitors to and from a con- expenditures for new rail systems, vention site”, the Charlotte Observer there were either LOSSES, or comreported that, for security reasons, muting gains were concentrated in the end-of-the-line downtown rail the more flexible bus services”. stations near the convention arena Here are examples: Portland (whom were closed. What good was that Austin seems to want to emulate) rail line for convenience in getting continued its 30-year transit market share erosion, despite adding three to the convention site? Second, regarding the Mayor’s new light rail lines between 2000 and State of the City speech, I was espe- 2010. Atlanta lost more than 3000 cially intrigued by quotes attributed rail commuters. Charlotte, Minneto the Mayor in speaking about how apolis-St. Paul, and Phoenix—modto deal with our traffic crisis: “For est ridership increases, with most years, we did mostly just sit and of those on their bus systems. Salt watch as our population grew and Lake City—a small decline in transit our traffic got worse, while peer commuting. Dallas-Fort Worth—its cities invested billions in rail”… light rail system more than doubled “Our competitors figured out the in length, yet they lost more than equation and took action”… “Austin 3000 daily transit commuters (tranby Gerald Daugherty, Precinct 3 Commissioner

sit’s market share in DFW dropped from 1.8% to 1.4%). Houston—lost nearly 3000 daily transit commuters (transit market share dropping from 3.2% to 2.3%), despite building their first light rail line during this period. My issue is with the term “Multi-modal”, because every time we see that word today it really means “RAIL”. We already have a multi-modal transit system. We have buses of all kinds (Local, Express, Airport Flyer, MetroRapid, UT Shuttle). We also have MetroAccess, van pools, bicycles, and sidewalks so people can walk. We also have a rail component —Metro Rail, a $100 million plus system, with $13 million in yearly operating costs, that carries about 1750 riders a day (that’s about 0.3% of the approximately 550,000 commuters in Travis County). We don’t need to spend the billions it would cost for more rail, wherever it would be built. Rail won’t help you get to any more places than you already can today. Next time I’ll talk about the issue of rail in Austin, some cost-effective congestion fighting measures, and my simple plan for the proposed Urban Rail corridor.

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practices, games, coached scrimmages, speed and Expert Music Instruction by small-sided Austin Pro Musicians agility training and a daily World Cup tournament! 7003 Pinto Cove, Austin TX 78736 512-964-6778 www.david-mendoza.com YMCA of Austin Buck Mayers Golf Academy Studio or on-site music lessons and workshops 22 locations in Travis, Hays & Bastrop Counties (Located at The Golf Club at Circle C) Ages 9 to Adult – Beginners welcomed – No contracts 512-236-9622 7401 Hwy 45 Austin, Texas 78739 Rates: Please call forwww.austinymca.org rates, gift certificates available 512.301-2932 LearnCenter to play the Drums, Guitar, Bass, or Sax at your own pace! $155-$210 per week Academic Therapy Child’s Way Creative Learning Ages 5 – 14 Center sessions Junesets, 3 – Aug. 23. Locations include Oak Our spacious studio Weekly features 2 drum advanced audio II, 2500 William Cannon Blvd Unit 101 7212 Oak Meadow Drive essions StonegateSchedule and price list on website: www. Hill UMC, Baranoff and Kocurek Elementary Schools. recording/playback facilities, and fun! Austin, Texas 78745 288-0802 www.childsway.com ptions, (512) 330-4222 buckmayersgolfacademy.com Infants-10 years building activities. Studio Camps We will teach the basic skills of golf in a fun and$140-$250 structured www.academictherapycenter.com Price: per two week session dependingeonSummer 7612-F Hwy 71 W environment. Regardless of skill level or age, weofhave theage right fit. Grades K-8 number days and of child. Give your child an advantage in August! Build reading and 4 themed 2 week sessions (from June 512-301-1600 www.studioeaustin.com 2 through Aug. 1) o You writing skills this summer. Small groups, multi-sensory and one 1 week session (August 4-8): The Land Down Circle C Tennis Club Documentary Camp: June 5 – 16, two groups: ages 10 – 13, and 14 – 17; learning. Camps for spelling, comprehension, study skills Under Australia, Vive La France, India Namaste, Que 7401 Highway 45 - Austin, TX 78739 Summer Musical Camp: July 5 – 21st, ages 12 and up; Summer Cabaret s & more! 301-8685 Linda es Mexico and Land of the Free USA, Choose 2, boot camp review. July 19 – 30, ages 13 and up; Camp: An all-singing ents, $20/ 3 or 4 day/weekprograms. 9am-2pm with early and late 4 yrs old and up, beginners through Tournament players Summer Short Play Program: August 9th – 25th, ages 13 and up; Summer hours available. ssons Badgerdog Creative Writing Summer Schedules, Registration and Fees can be found in the website: London Theater Trip for ages 14 and up, see website for details. Camp www.circlectennis.com School, 8700 S. View Rd. cks ranAustin on Waldorf Hopes Ranch Day& weekly sessions available per age divisions.Dream Generalofratio is 6 players to Zion Rest Missionary Baptist Church 512) 542.0076 “A Special Place for Special People” 1 pro. All Instructors are certified Tennis Professionals. Camps are open to both 3326 Paisano Trail www.austinlibrary.org 4515 Keota Drive, Austin, TX 78749 Age range Circle pricing: risingClub 3rd-12th graders /and $450non-members who reside in the area. C Tennis members c Austin writersandlead 512-791-0160 for further information892-2682 or 892-8880 www.zionrestvbs.com creative writing workshops, inspiring and www.dreamofhopesranch.org Summer Day Camp: May 30-August 11, 7 am-6pm instructing Mad young people in the crafts ofSummer poetry and prose Camp Science Ages2006 8 to adult writing. All campers are published in a professional anthology. Kindergarten-6th grade $70 per week Half and full day camps for ages 4 to 12 lunch & snacks. qualified staff, loving Christian environment, Multiple Locations a nominal fee. June 9 thru Aug. 15. Breakfast, Adult (18+) only camp h. The Biscuit Brothers Fine Arts Farm Bible based curriculum, weekly field trips, computer based learning, week of July 7. 892-1143 www.madscienceaustin.com rnoon or6036 all W US Hwy 290 Austin TX 78735 A camp for mild to moderate specialTAKS needs tutorial, children and Imagine a room filled with happy children “Learning Science” in an arts & crafts, fun Fridays. 512-291-6371 n website. adults who are emotionally and physically well. Behavior informal Mad Science camp that entertains and sparks curiosity. That www.biscuitbrothers.com must be within our guidelines; no biting or hitting. Field range is and $250 a week, 9am-5pmproviding after-school classes, thepricing: goalGrades of MadK-5, Science, a company er Age Early and late drop off/pickup for nominal fee. special events, and birthday parties summer camps,available in-school workshops, motor skills, learning safety, how to express our feelings, Come explore the magic of Music, Theater, Art and Dance. for children in central Texas. Some topics children exploreskills are and robots, job training much more. There will be 60’s week, Movie Magic week, even Pirate week! rocketry, engineering, chemistry, physics and tons more. Sign up for one or all, Fun for sure! KidsActing Studio 27: Circus White Bird Montessori Adventure Kid’s Club 14 Locations! Brandy Perryman Shooting Camp ely Luau. 512-836-KIDS PO Box 40354 Austin, TX 78704 Promoting stewardship of the earth, independence, (5437) positive ys 512-799-8891 self-esteem, creativity and lots of fun! www.kidsactingstudio.com Ages 4-19, price varies www.bperrymanshootingcamp.com 900 Manchaca, Austin TX 78748 512-291-0090 FUN! Award-winning camps in 14 locations across Ages 7-16, $215 per session Ages 6-12 years, May 30 -July 28 Central Texas. One and two week BPSC is a 4-day, shooting intensive basketball camp $150/week, $540 month camps! Full-Scale Productions, for boys and girls. We take great pride in developing Ride horse, catchbyaproviding fish, paint a masterpiece, a picture, Musicals, shoot Plays, Star Wars, campers to theirafullest potential a positive, ympic Ar-upbeat experience hike thethrough woods,positive tour the museum, fossils,Peter garde, ZOMBIES, Pan, Annie, competition and hunt for amp. 15,000 Sound studies, of Music and More! individualized drills.crafts swimming, native flora & fauna drama, Native American & Western lore.

This Summer Guide will be published in every issue through June 2013. Call us at 301-0123

your camp or activity here. Call us at 301-0123 to find out how to list your camp or activity here.

Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 9

The Word from Oak Hill Continued from p. 5 April 8 at 6:30 p.m. the Scenic Brook Neighborhood Association will have a general membership meeting to discuss, among other things, moving the “official” general membership meeting from October to April. The idea is to coincide the collection of dues with the election of board members and officers. In the past, dues were collected in April but board members were elected in October. That means if you decided to join the board as a member, you paid a full year’s worth of dues in October and paid again in April. If this change goes through as part of the rewritten SBNA bylaws, the election of new officers—President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer—will take place at the end of the April 8th meeting. For more information, please email Desiree at deswhitely@austin. rr.com. And because I believe in full disclosure, yes I’m the SBNA Vice President, and yes, this is my pet issue. Send me an email with your neighborhood association’s info and I’ll print yours as well. ••• As part of AISD’s Art Month, ten billboards designed by Julia Lund, a 12th grader at Bowie High School, will be displayed throughout the city. Not bad exposure for a young

budding artist. More than 1,500 artworks representing 113 schools will be on display for the public at One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress Ave., for the next month as part of Austin ISD’s Youth Art Month beginning this weekend. A reception will kick off the art celebration 1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 23 at One Congress Plaza. Refreshments and free parking in the plaza’s parking garage will be available. ••• A buddy of mine is working at the Sherwood Forest Faire in McDade as a medieval villain called Nordic Von Horhees. You know. Like Nordic as in the icy cold north, and Von Horhees as in Jason from Friday the 13th. That’s right. Rich is one scary dude (dude!) as is his son Clifton, who shares the role in shifts with his dad. Nordic’s mission in life is to hunt down and kill Robin Hood, and Rich assures me will do just that the last day of the show because he’s had it up to here with the Hood’s overacting. Just kidding. But I bet it made you want to go. So go. It’s open every Saturday and Sunday through March 30th from 10 a.m. until dusk at 1883 Old Hwy. 20. Just remember the rules. First, no firearms. Because they weren’t invented yet. Second, all bladed

weapons must be peace-tied (zip tied so it can’t be drawn). Third, no pets except for guide dogs, and finally, no outside food or drink. Don’t worry. There’s plenty of food and drink inside, and Rich tells me the mead is superb. But remember, the food and beverage establishments accept only cash, so plan to bring a wad or make use of the three to four ATMs on the premises. For more info, check out sherwoodforestfaire.com. Be-eth there or be-eth squire. ••• People keep asking me to write about Linda, the little homeless woman who used to occasionally sleep in the doorway of the old Gazette office on rainy nights. She passed away a few weeks ago, but I’ve gotten different reports as to why. Some say it was from complications from a bout with flu, others say it was from full-on pneumonia. But she was a fixture on the islands of the ‘Y’ intersection for years, as she hit motorists up for money during red lights. Sadly, she was trying to turn her life around in the months before her death. Even had an AA sponsor. Some people just can’t catch a break. But everyone deserves an obit. ••• (Want your neighborhood association highlighted? Have a story you need to tell? Would you like to rat out a neighbor? If so, be sure to email me at mail@mikejasper.com and get the word out.)

Lilly needs a home!

This 1 year-old female/spayed Jack Russell, white w/black spots, 14 lbs, needs a good home. She is current on all vaccinations and is heart worm negative. She is smart and energetic. She loves running and playing with her ball. She needs to be in a one dog ONLY home because she is a very typical Jack Russell alpha girl. She loves every human she encounters but does NOT seem to like other dogs. She has been getting her basic commands training at the Canine Behavior Center in Oak Hill and knows sit, down, stay, and come. She is a sweetheart and deserves a good home. She is curious and will need a good fence. She would absolutely love agility and/or search and rescue. She is a GREAT dog...the only thing missing is her perfect human.

Please contact:

Vision Hills Sanctuary – Austin TX 78704 Email: info@visionhills.org http://www.visionhills.org/dogapplication.html

Gazette Pet Guide Call us at 301-0123 or email us at advertising@oakhillgazette.com to advertise your business in our Pet Guide

•YOUR AD HERE• Classi Diva Pet Spa All inclusive grooming :

512.383.5663 classidivapets.com

Call 301-0123 to advertise for less than $50/month

•VETERINARIAN•

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Dr. Alfredo Geigel,VMD

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10 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

Arts & Entertainment Ongoing Events

in a round robin, open mic atmosphere following the featured preSundays sentation. On the third Thursday of every month. Free. Food pantry doLive Jazz Brunch- 10am-2pm. nations are welcomed. 7pm at New Nutty Brown Cafe, 12225 Hwy. 290 Life Lutheran Church, 120 Frog W., 78737. 301-4648. www.nuttyPond Lane in Dripping Springs. For brown.com. more info call 858-2024. Tessy Lou Williams & The Shotgun Stars- 3pm at Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. No cover.

Mondays Charles Thibodeaux and the Austin Cajun Aces- 6:30pm at Evangeline Cafe, 8106 Brodie Lane. 282-2586. Texas Songwriters Showcase - 6:30pm Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. No cover.

Tuesdays Kem Watts - 4pm Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-03183

Third Thursday at The Blantonfree evening of art and activities. 5-9pm at Blanton Museum, Brazos and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. blantonmuseum.org/.

Sunday, March 30

Friday night Dance Club- w/ Western bands and a Pot Luck break. 7:30pm-10pm at South Austin Activity Center, 3911 Manchaca RD, Austin. $4.50.

Lightwire Theater Presents: Dino-Light! - 2pm & 4:30pm In Dinolight!, electroluminescent creatures light up the darkness in a heartrending original tale. Truly unique and visually dazzling, DINO has been praised for its cutting edge blend of puppetry, technology, and dance audiences all over the world. Paramount Theatre 512.472.5470 info@austintheatre.org

Saturdays

April 1 - April 6

Fridays

New Events March 7 - March 29

Brennen Leigh - 7pm at Evangeline Cafe, 8106 Brodie Lane. 282-2586.

STOMP - Incorporating dance, and using everything but conventional percussion instruments, the award winning eight-member troupe of STOMP consistently delights audiences of all ages. The Paramount Theatre 512.472.5470 info@austintheatre.org

Wednesdays

Wednesday, April 2

No Bad Days Open Mic - 7pm at Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood.

Fifteenth Annual Five x Seven - 6:30pm a festive evening celebrating creativity! This year, over 300 artists have donated original works of art for sale to raise funds for the exhibitions program at The Contemporary Austin. Brazos Hall // 204 E. 4th Street info@thecontemporaryaustin.org

50+ Singles Dance- 7:30-9:45 The Odd Couple - This beloved hit Live Music. Senior Activity Center play by Neil Simon is both surpris29th & Lamar. 2874 Shoal Crest. ingly poignant and side-splittingly www.fiftyplusdanceaustin.com funny. The City Theatre 3823 Airport Blvd. 512-524-2870 Trivia Night - Wednesdays at Waterloo Ice House, Southpark MeadMarch 28 - March 30 ows, 9600 South I-35 Service Rd. SB, Suite D-100. 512-301-1007. waBallet Austin presents the 5th terlooicehouse.com. Biennial New American Talent/ Dance Competition - Fri. & Sat. The Peacemakers- 10pm at Evan8pm, Sun. 3pm “There’s no dance geline Cafe, 8106 Brodie Lane. showcase or competition quite like 282-2586. this in North America.” The Austin Chronicle The Long Center 701 W. Open Mic Night- at Nutty Brown Riverside Drive, (512) 457-5100; Cafe, 12225 W Highway 290, Free. info@thelongcenter.org Thursdays Saturday, March 29 KGSR Unplugged At The Grove -every Thursday evening through Sept 6th. Join KGSR every Thursday for 23 consecutive weeks at Shady Grove on Barton Springs Road for one of Austin’s longest running free concert series. Karaoke- at Boomerz Nightclub, 6148 Hwy 290 W.. 892-3373. Tony Harrisson / Dance Lessons / Jesse Dayton- 6pm - 9:15pm / 9:15pm at the Broken Spoke, 3201 S. Lamar. 442-6189. Open Mic with your host, Garett Endres. Starts at 9pm every Thursday 290 West Club 12013 W Hwy 290 “Thirsty Thursday” gatheringPoems and songs will be shared

Jerry Jeff Walker - 7pm There’s no better Austin tradition than Jerry Jeff’s annual Texas Bash at the Paramount Theatre. The celebration began over 20 years ago, and Jerry Jeff’s fans - the Tried & True Warriors - continue to make it the great party that it is. The Paramount Theatre 512.472.5470 info@austintheatre.org

April 3 - Apri 13 Merrily We Roll Along - Book by George Furth, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Mary Moody Northen Theatre St Edward’s University 3001 South Congress Avenue 512.448.8484 Available online at http://www.stedwards.edu/mmnt April 4 - April 6

Community Clubs & Events Ongoing Events South Austin Mystery Book Club - 7:30 pm on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, at the Sunset Valley Barnes & Noble on Brodie Ln. Our April 16th book is Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. If you have questions please email dschieck@yahoo.com. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Meeting - Bannockburn Baptist Church room 103 Every Wednesday, 7pm - 8:30pm Anne Slater 512-215-9719 for more info Free Conversation Cafe - Drop in for open, public dialogue on a variety of topics. Every third Saturday from 10:30am-11:30am at the Hampton Branch of the Austin Public Library at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Rd.. Free and open to the public. 512974-9900 / cityofaustin.org/library. Classes and meditation - with Western Buddhist nun, Gen Kelsang Ingchug. Every Sunday at 9:30am at Chittamani Buddhist Center, 1918 Bissel Lane, 78745. Everyone welcome. Spiritual counselling by appointment. Call for free brochure. 916-4444. meditationinaustin.org. Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas Chapter - Meets monthly on the second Sunday of the month at 2pm at the Recycled Reads (part of the Austin Library system) at 5335 Burnet Road www.hotxsinc. org. VFW Post 4443 meeting - Meets on first Tues. of month from 7-8:30pm at 7614 Thomas Springs Road in Oak Hill. Members and potential members are encouraged to be there around 6pm to gather for dinner. There is no cost. The Oak Hill Rotary Club -Meets at noon on the first three Mondays of the month at Mandola’s Italian Market, 4301 W. Wm. Cannon. More info at 288-8487 See www. oakhillrotary.org for other activities and events. Circle C Area Democrats 6:30-8:30pm at Santa Rita in the Escarpment Village. Meets on second Mondays of month. For in formation:circlecareademocrats. org.

Tapestry Dance Company presents Rhythm, Reason & Reality - a collection of rhythmic creations including the tap work “Anacruses” (1990) “Listen” from Footprints (2005), Voices of Rhythm, Ears Wide Open (Austin Chronicle’s “Best Dance Concert”) and The NEA American Masterpieces production of The Souls of Our Feet. Long Center 701 W. Riverside Drive, (512) 457-5100; info@thelongcenter.org

Toastmasters Groups - Build leadership and communication skills in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. Visitors welcome. Tejas Toastmasters: 288-7808/ tejastoastmasters.org. Meets every Mon. at 6 pm at IHOP, 1101 S. Mopac. South Austin Toastmasters: meets first and third Tuesday at noon at ACC South Austin Campus, 1820 W. Stassney Lane. Phone 443-7110 or 288-7808. Oak Hill Toastmasters: meet every

Thursday from 6:45-8pm at Western Hills Church of Christ, 6211 Parkwood Drive. Open to ages 18 & up. 956-494-4809 / oakhill.freetoasthost.biz for more info. Alzheimer’s Caregiver SupporGroup - 2nd Wednesday of the month at noon at Arveda Alzheimer’s Family Care, 11013 Signal Hill Drive, 78737. Anyone caring for a loved-one with dementia and needing support is invited. RSVP to 512-637-5400 and feel free to bring your own lunch. www.arvedacare.com. Senior Luncheon Program - Seniors (over 60) meet at 8656 Hwy. 71 W, Bldg A, next to JP bldg every Tues, Wed and Thurs from 10am2pm. Transportation available. Call 512-854-2138 for more info. Oak Hill Neighborhood Planning Contact Team - Meets fourth Wednesday of the month at the ACC Pinnacle Campus, 10th Floor Board Room. www.ohnpct.org. MOMS Club of Austin - Southwest Oaks - Social and support group for stay-at-home moms and their children. Meet new friends, and enjoy a guest speaker. Monthly meeting at Oak Hill United Methodist Church, 7815 W Hwy 290. 10am on the first Thursday of every month. For more info, email momsclubswoaks@gmail.com. Southwest Networking Group (SWING) - meets for breakfast at Waterloo Ice House, Slaughter Ln. & Escarpment Blvd., 9600 Escarpment Blvd.. 8-9:30am. Bring business cards. For more info call 482-9026 or 921-4901. Thursdays. South Austin AARP Chapter 2426 - Tom Bauer will talk about leadership styles and best practices, 1pm - 4pm at South Austin Senior Activity Center, 3911 Manchaca Rd. Free. Meets on third Wednesday of the month. For more info call Mary at 280-8661. www.southaustinaarp.org. OHBPA Meeting - (Oak Hill Business Professionals Association). Meets every first Thursday of the month from 11:30am-1pm at Mandola’s Italian Market, 4301 W. Wm. Cannon $15. ohbpa.org. Retired Austin Travelers - a group for people who love to travel. Regular meetings are held the second Wednesday of odd-numbered months, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM,in the Oak Hill Library at 5124 Convict Hill Road.. ratsonline.org. Creative Arts Society - Meets on first Wed. of month (except Jan.,July, Aug.) at ACC Pinnacle, 10th floor, faculty lounge. 6pm networking. 7pm program. All artists and art enthusiasts are welcome. creativeartssociety.org 288-0574.

South Austin Lions Club -Meets every second and fourth Thursday 6pm – 7pm Premier High School at Travis 1211 E. Oltorf On the campus of Travis High School, follow Premier sign as you enter driveway, veer right. http://www.eclubhouse.org/sites/austin_south/ Austin Public Library Computer Training Classes - Adult computer classes covering everything from the basics to finding a job online. Classes are held in various languages, with some requiring registration beforehand. Call or go online for a complete schedule and additional details. 512/9747400 library.austintexas.gov Sat. & Sun. February 8 & 9

New Events Through May 23 A+ Education Foundation’s 2014 Grant Program - Founded in 2005 by A+ Federal Credit Union, funds grants up to $1,000.00 for central Texas educators. Grants are funded for equipment, supplies, materials, training, and new and continuing programs. Check out aplusfcu.org/grants for the grant application Through April 4 Registration open for Great American Cleanup and Don’t mess with Texas Trash-Off - Any Texan can participate! Online registration is now available at www. ktb.org for localorganizations to schedule events in their communities and gain access to valuable resources. March 24 - March 30 Austin Beauty Week Spring 2014 - enjoy full-service treatments at a discounted price from spas, salons, cosmetic doctors, and fitness and wellness experts. Services vary from facials & skin care, massage, hair care, manicures, anti-aging, fitness, medical-grade cosmetic treatments and more. Contact: Meredith Davis O: (512) 360-8770 C: (214) 796-4784meredith@austinbeautyguide.com Wednesday, March 26 Community Health Improvement - 6:30 - 8pm Come for an evening of community engagement call 512-972-5862. Crockett High School, 5601 Manchaca Road Thursday, April 10 “Technology Addiction, & What Parents, Teachers & Children Can Do About It” - 7pm - 8:30pm Bethany Luthern Church 3701 W. Slaughter Ln. 292-8778

Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 11

Outdoors & Fitness Ongoing Events Farmer’s Market at Sunset Valley - Locally grown fresh produce at Tony Burger Center, 3200 Jones Rd. Saturdays from 9am-1pm. www.sfcfarmersmarket.org. Free Introduction to Dance Class - for adults and teens. Every Saturday at 11am at Tapestry Dance Company & Academy, Western Trails Blvd., Austin. www. tapestry.org. Docent Tours of AMOA - Each Saturday and Sunday 1pm Docent-led tours of the recently restored 1916 Driscoll Villa, the intimate art exhibition Laguna Gloria Grounded and the historic gardens overlooking Lake Austin. at Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress Ave. 512-495-9224 www.amoa.org. Texas Outdoor Women’s Network - Open to women of all ages interested in outdoor activities. fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking and more! No experience required. Free monthly meetings on fourth Tuesday of each month at 6pm at the LCRA Red Bud Complex, 3601 Lake Austin Blvd. . www.townaustin.org. Hill Country Outdoors- “Austin’s Most Active Outdoor, Sport and

Social Club” Specializing in adventure with outdoor events such as hiking, camping, biking, road trips and rafting. www.hillcountryoutdoors.com. Westcave Preserve public weekend tours- Sats. and Sundays, 10am., noon, 2pm & 4, $5 adult/$2 child/$15 family. One mile hike into the canyon & back. Kids welcome w/ adult. No pets. For more info call (830)825-3442 westcave.org . Thursday, Novemver 28Guided Hike - Second Saturday & second Sunday of each month at 9am at Bright Leaf Natural Area, 4400 Crestway Dr., Austin. Hikes are usually 4 miles long and last about 2 hours. Wear sturdy shoes and bring your own water. www.brightleaf.org Boot Camp Workout - At 9am every Saturday, our expert coaches will lead you through a muscle toning, fat burning, FREE 45 minute boot camp class! Bring your ten closest friends and jump start your weekend. Mills Elementary School 1-877-801-8171, extension 710 Nature Hike at McKinney State Falls - Free interpretive hikes to discover the diverse range of flora and fauna that can be seen at McKinney Falls. Hikes are offered

the 2nd & 4th Saturday of each month starting at 10am from the Smith Visitors Center. Wear comfortable shoes, a hat, and bring water. Hikes last approximately 1.5 hours. Info contact: jeanneffia@ gmail.com

New Events Sunday, March 23 2014 Austin CROP Hunger Walk - 1:45pm Austin CROP Hunger Walk brings together faith organizations, community non-profits, and others interested in combating hunger in our community and around the world by participating in a fundraising 2.2 mile walk around the grounds of Camp Mabry. 2200 W. 35th Street Saturday, March 29

cluded with regular Zoo admission. 10808 Rawhide Trail, Austin 78736. For additional information, call 512288-1490 or visit www.austinzoo. org.

Second Saturdays are for Families - $7 per family; $5 Member families. Noon-4pm at Austin Museum of Art, 823 Congress Ave. New Events Please RSVP to akichorowsky@ amoa.org to give an idea of materi- Friday, February 21 - May 3 als needed. 512-495-9224 / www. amoa.org. The Cat in the Hat - Dr. Seuss’s classic children’s book comes to At Austin Children’s Museum: life in a wild ride of physical comCommunity Night - Come out and edy. Kleburg Stage Zach Theater. play EVERY Wednesday night at 202 South Lamar (512) 476-0541 5pm and enjoy exhibits, storytime Ages 3 up and a variety of hands-on activities. Themed stories, songs,d activities. Fri.,March 21 & Sat.,March 22 Tuesday - Saturday: 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Baby Bloomers- Every Mon.. For kids 3 & under & their caregivers. Storytimes 9:30 & 11am; Singa-long 10:30am at Austin Children’s Museum, 201 Colorado St.. 4722499 / ausinkids.org. Storytime - Tuesdays & Wednesdays at the Hampton Library, 5125 Convict Hill Rd. Toddlers Fridays at 11am, . 892-6680. wiredforyouth.co Austin Zoo & Animal Sanctuary - Join us in making Animal Enrichment (toys for animals) every Monday and Wednesday at 11:30am in the Picnic Grove and Story Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:15am and 1:15pm in the Peacock Barn. Both activities are in-

Alladin Jr. Musical - 7pm Fri and 5pm Sat. River Place Student Theater. You’ll be amazed at the talent of this cast of 60 from River Place Elementary. The Church at Canyon Creek 9001 FM 620 March 1 - March 23

New Events Thursday, March 20 Lissa Hattersley’sTrip Trio - 7pm Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie 2822586 evangelinecafe.com Sunset Valley Boys - 6pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 442-6189 brokenspokeaustintx. com Chet O’Keefe - 7pm Johnson830:pm Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies.net Soul Wagon - 7pm Satellite Bistro & Bar 5900 Slaughter Ln #400 288-9994 satellitebistroandbar. com Friday, March 21 The SNIFFS - 10pm Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie Lane 282-2586 evangelinecafe.com

7th Annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour - 9am The ride begins and ends at the LBJ airstrip with routes of 10, 30, 42, 62 and 85 miles taking riders on quiet country roads, past historical landmarks. For registration and further information: www. lbj100bicycletour.org

Kids Calendar Ongoing Events

Arts & Entertainment cont.

Rapunzel - Sat at 10am Sun at 2pm The EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens 101 FM 2325 Wimberly 512847-6969 Sunday, March 23

Vallejo - 8pm Strange Brew 5326 Manchaca Rd 512-828-7636 strangebrewloungeside.com Eleven Hundred Springs - 9:30pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 442-6189 brokenspokeaustintx.com

Texas Skyz Band - 7pm Senor Buddy’s 8600 Hwy 290 West (512) 288-0437 senorbuddys.com Naga Valli - 6:30pm Central Market 4477 S. Lamar Blvd. 512-8994300 centralmarket.com

Mente Clara - 7:30pm Satellite Bistro & Bar 5900 Slaughter Ln #400 288-9994 satellitebistroandbar.com

Saturday, March 29 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 12pm Laugh and sing along with Alexander’s misadventures in this hilarious musical based on the best-selling book by Judith Viorst. One World Theater 7701 Bee Caves Road www,oneworldtheater. org

The Nowhere Men - 7pm Senor Buddy’s 8600 Hwy 290 West (512) 288-0437 senorbuddys.com Sunday, March 23 Gospel Brunch w/ The Purgatory Players - 11am Strange Brew 5326 Manchaca Rd 512-8287636 strangebrewloungeside.com 4th Sunday Brunches with Hot Club Soda - 7:30pm Satellite Bistro & Bar 5900 Slaughter Ln #400 288-9994 satellitebistroandbar.com

Two Tons of Steel - 9:30pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 442-6189 brokenspokeaustintx. com 10th Annual CRAWFISH BOIL - 7pm 1000 pounds of crawfish and music by Charles Thibodeaux & The Austin Cajun Aces, no cover! Free facepainting and a moonbounce for kids. Crawfish will be sold by the pound at your table. Nutty Brown Cafe 12225 Highway 290 West 512-301-4648 nuttybrown.com No Dry County - 9pm $7 Amber Lucille - 11:55pm $7 Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies.net

Chet O’Keefe - 7pm Johnson830:pm Chapel Blues - 10:30 Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies.net Jess and the Echoes - 10pm Strange Brew 5326 Manchaca Rd 512-828-7636 strangebrewloungeside.com My Buddy Todd - 5:30 Chisos Grill 512. 263-7353 12921 Hill Country Blvd, Suite D2-130 Friday, March 28 Fletch Clark - 10pm Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie Lane 282-2586 evangelinecafe.com

Monday, March 24 Texas Songwriters Showcase: W.C. Jamison Hosts Wake Eastman Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies.net WrenFro w/ McKinney & Scalzo - 8pm Strange Brew 5326 Manchaca Rd 512-828-7636 strangebrewloungeside.com Tuesday, March 25

Charlie Pierce - 4pm Richard Jessee Project - 7pm Aaron Eeinhous - 11pm Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies. net

Saturday, March 22

Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train LIVE! Buddy’s Big Adventure 3pm Come join Buddy, Tiny, King, Don and more in this fun-filled, interactive and immersive live trip back in time to an age when dinosaurs roamed the earth….and rode in trains! The Long Center 701 W. Riverside Dr. (512) 457-5100 info@ thelongcenter.org

The Tea Merchants - 6:30pm Central Market 4477 S. Lamar Blvd. 512-899-4300 centralmarket.com

Dale Watsom - 9:30pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 4426189 brokenspokeaustintx.com The Vudoddes - 8pm Senor Buddy’s 8600 Hwy 290 West (512) 288-0437 senorbuddys.com

Armadillo Road - 6pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 4426189 brokenspokeaustintx.com Dime Store Poets - 7pm Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie Lane 282-2586 evangelinecafe.com John Edward Baumann - 4pm Kem Watts - 6pm Tommy Elskes - 8:30 Poodie’s Hilltop Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies.net Wednesday, March 26 Rick McRea - 7pm Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie Lane 282-2586 evangelinecafe.com Mike and the Moonpies - 9pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 442-6189 brokenspokeaustintx. com Thursday, March 27 the Love Leighs - 7pm Satellite Bistro & Bar 5900 Slaughter Ln #400 288-9994 satellitebistroandbar.com T Jarod Bonta - 7pm Evangeline Cafe 8106 Brodie Lane 282-2586 evangelinecafe.com

Charlie Pierce - 4pm Debbi Walton - 10pm Poodies Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies.net $10 Randy Rogers Band with William Clark Green - 7pm Nutty Brown Cafe 12225 Highway 290 West 512-301-4648 nuttybrown.com Saturday, March 29 The Eggmen - 7pm Nutty Brown Cafe 12225 Highway 290 West 512-301-4648 nuttybrown.com Alvin Crow - 9:30pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 4426189 brokenspokeaustintx.com Danielle Reich Trio - 7:30pm Satellite Bistro & Bar 5900 Slaughter Ln #400 288-9994 satellitebistroandbar.com Carlo Hutchens - 9pm Poodies Bar & Grill, 22308 Hwy. 71 W., Spicewood. 264-0318 poodies. net $7 Sunday, March 30 Story Behind the Song with: Marcia Ball & Monty Warden - 9:30pm Broken Spoke 3201 South Lamar 442-6189 brokenspokeaustintx.com

12 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

School News

Youth Art Month kicks off Sunday AISD sets dates for Bowie High senior designed billboards for event graduation ceremonies More than 1,500 artworks representing 113 schools will be on display for the public at One Congress Plaza, 111 Congress Ave., for the next month as part of Austin ISD’s Youth Art Month beginning this weekend. A reception will kick off the art celebration 1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 23 at One Congress Plaza. Refreshments and free parking in the plaza’s parking garage will be available. The artworks use Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills on perception, response/evaluation, creative expression, history and culture. By studying art styles from pre-historic to modern times, the students have incorporated art history to express their own cultural and personal style. The works of art, which range from printmaking and painting to jewelry and photography, can also be viewed 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday

Baranoff Elementary student Marley Hall designed this year’s T-shirts. through Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 12th grader at Bowie High School, on Saturday. will also be displayed throughout Parkway Properties, an AISD art the city. Marley Hall, a second program sponsor, has donated the grade student at Baranoff Elemenspace for this annual event. tary School, designed this year’s As part of AISD’s Art Month, ten art T-shirts, themed “Art Can Take billboards designed by Julia Lund, a Many Shapes,” being sold at schools.

Gazette Automotive Guide

The Austin Independent School District will hold high school graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2014 June 3-7. All but two of the 15 graduation ceremonies will be held at the Frank Erwin Center. The Rosedale School will hold its ceremony at its campus. Premier at Lanier and Travis high schools will hold their ceremonies at the LBJ Auditorium on the University of Texas at Austin campus. Ceremonies held at the Frank Erwin Center will be webcast live on the district’s website at www. austinisd.org. The schedule for the ceremonies is:

Women Leaders--2 p.m. Reagan High School-4 p.m. Eastside Memorial High School-6 p.m. Garza High School-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 3 Rosedale (at Rosedale School)-2 p.m.

Saturday, June 7 Premier at Lanier and Travis High Schools (LBJ Auditorium at UT)-1 p.m. Bowie High School-3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 4 Ann Richards School for Young

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Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 13

Southwest Austin music and arts

The Sunset Valley Boys are country music classics story and photos by Donna Marie Miller The South-by-Southwest Music Festival may have ended, but live music continues at venues all over town for us locals. In Southwest Austin, a few older gray-haired musicians can still draw big crowds any night of the week—even if the majority of folks dancing qualify as senior citizens as old as 91. The familiar saying “the older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune” applies to the Sunset Valley Boys, musicians mostly 65 years old or older. Their original steel player, Craig Park, has been recovering from a stroke he suffered 18 months ago. Current steel player, Mark Erlewine, 65, owns Erlewine Guitars, a custom design shop that often repairs Willie Nelson’s “trigger” at 4402 Burnet Road. Erlewine joined the band last New Year’s Eve. Other original members of the band include: attorney Polk Shelton, 71, who plays rhythm guitar and sings lead vocals, 65 year-old semi-retired business man Ken Simpson, on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Gordon Fowler, 71, on lead guitar. The Sunset Valley Boys also includes Charlie Irwin, 66, who plays bass—he also performs with four or five other local bands, including Bill Kirchen and Commander Cody. Sherman Lindsay, 66, who plays drums, works for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department by day. Referred to as “the punk kid in the band,” 35-year-old fiddler player Mark Seale works a day job as a tech with Xerox. The band has three regular gigs. They perform the third Wednesday of the month in the dining room of the Broken Spoke, 3201 S. Lamar, from 6 to 8 p.m. They also play down the street at Baker St. Pub and Grill, formerly the Alligator Grill, at 3003 S. Lamar, the first Saturday of every month from 3 to 5 p.m. They play

at the South Austin Senior Activity Center, 3911 Manchaca Road, the third Friday of every month from 7:30 to 10 p.m. They also play frequent gigs at: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8925 off 8707 FM Road 812, VFW Post 8456 in Geronimo, Texas about 10 miles east of San Marcos at 6808 State HWY 123, and Sons of

Hermann Hall at 9611 Decker Lake Road. They have also played a few special occasions at the Elks Lodge at 700 Dawson Road, off Barton Springs Road in Austin. Fowler has been an accomplished Continued on page 25 Right: Current steel player, Mark Erlewine, 65.

14 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

Gazette Sports: Austin • Bowie • Crockett

Student Athlete Spotlight sponsored by Oak Hill Body & Paint

Mariah Garcia

by Patrick Olson As a four-year veteran for the Austin High softball team, Mariah Garcia brings a consistently impressive performance at the plate and in the field for the Lady Maroons. “Mariah is a great kid who works hard and knows what she wants,” coach Liz Wissel said. “She is really in the zone right now and taking care of business.” Garcia’s bat helped Austin High begin district competition with four consecutive victories, as the senior drilled three home runs. In the district opener versus Lake Continued on next page

Mariah Garcia, Austin High

Jonathan Garcia

Gazette: Emmeline R. Aguirre

Bowie shortstop Dustin Jourdan steps on the base to make an out. Austin High moved in front 9-3 after three innings, Bowie then rallied with four runs in the bottom of the fourth frame before Marcel Carter smacked a three-run game winning home run over the left field fence at Burger in a 10-9 black and red victory.

Bowie opens District play with wins by Patrick Olson The Bowie baseball team has blasted off to three straight wins to open district competition. “We’re playing together as a team and we’re having fun,” first year varsity head coach Sam Degelia said. “We’ve been hitting all year long, putting the ball in play and not striking out much. We’re playing good defense. It’s always good to win.” Junior southpaw Kyle Gray fanned a dozen Chaps in Bowie’s district opening 7-3 win over Westlake. Catcher Joe Davis delivered a triple, and AJ Lionberger collected three hits in three plate appearances.

Centerfielder Austin Eschenburg then hit a home run in a 10-8 win over Lake Travis. The Bowie bats produced 14 hits in the victory over the Cavaliers. Austin High built an early advantage over the Bulldogs on a breezy Wednesday during Spring Break. Allik Anchondo singled home Neilsen Mercer before scoring the seventh Maroons run as Austin High moved in front 9-3 after three innings. Bowie then rallied with four runs in the bottom of the fourth frame before Marcel Carter smacked a three-run game winning home run over the left field fence at Burger in a 10-9 black

and red victory. “He’s knocking the cover off the ball,” Degelia said of his senior third baseman. “He’s seeing the ball real well.” Even the ninth hitter in the Bowie lineup contributes significantly to the offense, as Thomas Varner sports a .417 batting average in his first year on the varsity club. Pitchers Dustin Jourdan and Gray have both earned a pair of wins and have yet to take a loss. Third starter Chris Logan gives Degelia another option on the mound. “Chris has been throwing the ball real well,” the skipper said. Bowie takes on Akins Friday at Burger with the first pitch set for 7 p.m.

by Patrick Olson Jonathan Garcia has excelled in two sports during his four years at Crockett High School. “We’ve been very lucky to have him as a starter for four years,” said Cougar baseball coach Miguel Trevino. “He has a great attitude and is very coachable.” Garcia had a single, a walk and a stolen base in Crockett’s 7-6 extra inning win over LBJ Tuesday night. Born in Austin, Jonathan attended Odom Elementary before progressing to Bedichek Middle School where he also played basketball. Upon arriving at Crockett, Garcia scored mulContinued on next page

Jonathan Garcia, Crockett

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Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 15

Student Athletes of the Week Continued from p. 14

Mariah Garcia

Travis, the shortstop smashed a pair of three-run homers in an 11-1 win over the Cavaliers. Then she hit another home run in a 7-1 triumph over Bowie. The infielder’s defense also helped the Maroons in a 6-3 victory over Akins. The eldest of three children born to Peter Garcia and Cheriese Mills, Mariah sharpened her softball skills during the summer playing for select team the Bombers, traveling to tournaments in Colorado, California, Oklahoma, Dallas and Houston. Garcia’s younger siblings Isaiah and Aleriah both play basketball in the 6th and 8th grades respectively. “Play hard and never give up on anything,” she replied when asked if she had advice for younger pupils aspiring to compete in sports at the high school level. “Remember the people that helped you get to where you are now.” Mariah attributes the Maroons’ success this season to a good attitude and an intense focus. “This year we haven’t been worried about stats,” she noted. “We just play our game. Our defense and pitching is really solid.” On Tuesday, Garcia’s tworun blast propelled the Maroons past Anderson 13-1. Following graduation, Garcia will attend the University of Houston to reunite

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with former Maroon softball and basketball standout Selena Hernandez who transferred to the Cougars from Texas State.

Jonathan Garcia

tiple touchdowns as a receiver for the freshman football team. Since his sophomore year, Garcia has roamed in the Cougar secondary as a free safety for the varsity football squad. This past fall, he snagged six interceptions and earned first team all-district honors. The middle sibling of three children born to Rudy and Bertie Garcia, Jonathan intends to continue his education at North Texas or Texas State. His older sister Katie played softball at Crockett. Completing an impressive college essay for a junior English class ranks as his favorite academic moment at Crockett. Recording a hat trick (3) of interceptions against LBJ remains his best athletic experience for the brown and gold. Garcia’s grandfather Joe Gutierrez provides a positive influence for the senior centerfielder.

Gazette: Emmeline R. Aguirre

Bowie outfielder and first baseman AJ Lionberger (#6) bats for the Bulldogs in their win over Austin High.

16 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

AISD seeking community input on District Facility Master Plan Continued from p. 3

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funding to other parts of the state,” stated Price. According to the AISD website, for fiscal year 2014, AISD is projected to send $135.6 million to the state for distribution to property poor schools. Since 2002, AISD has paid the state more than $1.5 billion in recapture payments. Amy Jones, a parent who has students in the district and is on the Austin High track, recently was part of the FMP Committee Work Group, which wrapped up their work last December. “The FMP is basically a roadmap for the district. What will be passed in June may not identify any specific school, but instead provide a road map for what the trigger criteria would be under certain circumstances, for example, overcrowding at a specific school. The plan would then provide steps for how to resolve problems that may arise around the district.” What is a Facility Master Plan anyway? AISD provides this definition from their website: The Facility Master Plan outlines the current status and future use of district facilities, guides the development of future capital improvements and supports planning for future bond elections. It is a living document and will be reviewed through a recommended review cycle. The AISD Board of Trustees has come up with a living document, which includes seven ‘Guiding Principals’ for the FMP, with expectations and strategies under each of the seven, which are:

• Health, Safety and Security • Academics and Co-Curricular Supports • Protection of Financial Investment • Optimal Utilization (Overcrowding/Under-Enrollment) • Equity in Facilities • Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability • Communication and Community Engagement Like biology students in the lab, the group in attendance dissected and discussed each of the seven guiding principals and provided feedback to the FMP committee. Under Health, Safety and Security, which the district has listed as first and foremost the number one priority, the group’s biggest question is what is the districts’ measurable indicator for implementation and how will this work at older campuses? “I am wondering how much of this is idealistic versus reality,” said Cassie Wenmohs, parent of two students, one at Oak Hill Elementary and the other who attends Austin High School. The second guiding principle is Academics and Co-Curricular Supports, where the group points to a key sentence under the first strategy listed on the page, ‘Construct new school facilities and renovate existing facilities to produce physical environments that support differentiated 21st Century instruction.’ Price finds this intriguing. “The 21st-century piece is interesting—it doesn’t just mean

having a cell phone. I wonder how it is being defined? In many ways, we seem locked into a 50’s mode of teaching with 30 kids in a room, all desks facing the front, but the 21st century looks very different and we should reflect the real world. Maybe get rid of desks, have tables, get up and move around. There are so many innovative ways to educate our students now,” he said. Optimal Utilization refers to achieving a target enrollment range at all schools of between 75%-115% of permanent capacity, beginning with the 2016-17 school year. This is something AISD has been struggling with for years. Parts of the district have grown at different rates and population has shifted, leaving some campuses far over capacity and others under-enrolled. In the FMP document it states that while campuses will be reviewed every two years, any affected campuses that could face potential changes as a result of the reviews should be given at least three years to implement a plan to bring enrollment within the target range. Some of the group felt like three years is too long for schools that are bursting at the seams. “The whole thing about three years implementation doesn’t really work for all campuses. In under enrolled schools, that time frame would be fine, but in over-enrolled schools that should be handled differently—there becomes safety and security concerns when the school is functioning over Continued on page 22

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AISD parent Heather Sendera, who has students in the vertical track from Oak Hill Elementary up through Austin High, shares her thoughts about the abundance of meetings the district is hosting on the Gazette: Joanne Foote FMP, as Pete Price listens.

Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 17

TxDOT to talk about funding options for Oak Hill Parkway Continued from p. 1 ed revenue available for pavement and bridge maintenance over the next 25 years is $100 billion, leaving a $170 billion gap between public revenues and infrastructure needs. David Ellis, research scientist with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, said the state’s economic success and population boom are to blame for its transportation crisis. “Texas is kind of a victim of its own success in a lot of ways,” Ellis said. “Because our economy is so strong and because population growth in the state has been very rapid— Austin is certainly one of those areas—that puts a strain on the infrastructure and it affects the state’s ability to keep up.” Ellis said while traditional funding mechanisms, such as gas and diesel tax and vehicle registration fees, still fund the majority of infrastructure projects in Texas, non-traditional methods, such as tolling and public-private partnerships, are increasing across the state. “How you finance projects becomes critical to their ability to move forward,” Ellis said. “What you’ve seen over the last decade or more has been an increase in the number of toll projects and public-private partnership comprehensive development agreements to help do these projects that wouldn’t get done otherwise because there’s not enough public

money available.” Ellis said it would take a variety of funding methods to solve the congestion clogging Texas roads. “All of these different funding techniques have given the people and the state more options,” Ellis said. “There’s no silver bullet out there. There’s not one answer to funding infrastructure. What you want to have is a tool kit, so to speak, that allows you to use the best tool for that particular project.” Ellis said because projects relying on public revenue from gas tax and vehicle registration are queued up to get funded based on need, opting to build a toll road can greatly speed up the process. It comes down to determining whether accruing more immediate benefits outweighs the cost of borrowing money, Ellis said. “Is there going to be enough traffic on the road to make it so that there will be enough revenue for us to pay off the bond that we used to build the road? You have to do that analysis,” Ellis said. “Communities need to be a part of that decision making process and that’s part of what these public outreach meetings are about—to explain what the financing options are and see what people think.” Tom Thayer, a member of Fix 290, a grassroots community alliance proposing an environmentally responsible project alternative with a minimal concrete footprint, said

discussing funding options early on in the process is crucial for the project. “I think bringing up how the project will be paid for is vital this early because how it is paid for will affect the design. Whether or not it is tolled or even how it is tolled—all mainlanes or express lanes—needs to be taken into consideration in the (Environmental Impact Study),” Thayer said. “Non-tolled options likely open up a wider array of designs.” Thayer said the workshop is likely in response to overwhelming community interest in how the project would be funded. “I think many people submitted comments about this during the last round of meetings, so I think this is why this is coming up now,” Thayer said. Bruce Melton, engineer and member of Fix 290, said assessing funding possibilities helps eliminate financially irresponsible and unattainable build options. “I have been a professional engineer for 30 years and some sort of evaluation of funding options is a mandatory part of any engineering selection process,” Melton said. “It does not have to be a complete evaluation, but the process needs boundaries defined so completely infeasible alternatives are not drug through the entire vetting process.”

Only 4 days to save ‘Taco Bell’ oak Continued from p. 1 The 130-year-old oak tree, known as the Taco Bell Oak, currently stands in the way of TxDOT’s planned continuous flow intersection renovations at the intersection. Kelli Reyna, TxDOT public information officer, said the deadline was extended another week at the request of the foundation. “The Austin Heritage Tree Foundation requested a week delay to make sure there wouldn’t be any issues with AT&T utilities,” Reyna said. “It’s my understanding that both sides are in agreement on that date, but I cannot say with certainty whether the date could change again.”

If transplanted, the tree will be moved to Beckett Grove, a line of oak and pecan trees east of the intersection of U.S. 290 and William Cannon, named for the Beckett family who owned the former ranch land in the 1870s.

is for the “Austin Heritage Tree Foundation- Taco Bell Tree.” · Donate with a credit card at this link: https://www.austinparks.org/ adopter-donations.html. Click on the Austin Heritage Tree Foundation box.

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For all donations, email mfossum@ austin.rr.com with the amount and donor’s name and specify that the donation is for the Taco Bell Tree. The Austin Heritage Tree Foundation operates under the Parks Foundation, which manages the tree fund. Donations are tax deductible. For more information visit www. austinheritagetreefoundation.com.

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Religious Services 18 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

ANGLICAN St. Philip’s Anglican Church 1408 W. 9th St, Austin. 78703 Fr. Gary Francis, Vicar Holy Communion 1928 Book of Common Prayer Sunday 11:00 am gkfrancis@suddenlink.net Traditional Anglican Worship

CATHOLIC St. Catherine of Siena 4800 Convict Hill Rd. 78749 892-2420 Pastor Rev. Patrick Coakley Weekend Masses: Sat. 5pm, Sun 8:30am, 10:30am, 12:15pm, 5pm Weekday Masses: Mon-Fri. 12noon, Sat. 9am, Tues & 1st Fri 7pm

ASSEMBLY OF GOD

CHURCH OF CHRIST

New Life Assembly of God 7612 Cooper Lane, Austin. 78745 (Between Wm. Cannon and Dittmar) Call: (512) 445-5433 Pastor: Charlie Hilburn Sunday Services: Sunday School 9:30am; Worship & Children’s Church 10:30am; Prayer and Worship Service 6pm Wednesday Services: 7:00pm Kidtastic! * Missio Dei Youth Ministry * Adult Class newlifeaustin@agchurches.org www.newlifeaustin.org connecting...growing...reaching

Western Hills Church of Christ 6211 Parkwood Drive 892-3532 www.westernhillscoc.com whcc@westernhillscoc.com Sunday Services:9am Bible Classes (all ages),10am Worship (with Children’s Church) Evening - groups & worship alternating weeks Wednesday: 7pm Worship, classes for all ages, 6pm Meal together We have an inspiring and Biblically rich worship service, a very active Youth Ministry and a growing Children’s Ministry! “We are... a place to believe, a place to belong, a place to call home”

BAPTIST Bee Cave Baptist Church 13222 Hwy. 71W (at Hwy. 620) (512) 263-5058 Pastor: Rev. Jim Roquemore Services: Sun. 10:45am & 6:30pm, Sunday School 9:30am Children’s church available Sun. am Wed. Prayer & Bible Study 7 pm First Baptist Church of Oak Hill 6907 Convict Hill Rd 78749 512) 288-7570 Pastor: Rob Satterfield Services: Sun. 10:50am & 6:00pm Bible Study Sun. 9:30am Wednesday Prayer 6:45pm www.fbcoakhill.org Oak Hill Primitive Baptist Church 11408 Camp Ben McCulloch Rd. Pastor: Elder Richard Halbgewachs Church: 288-4994 Pastor: 791-0678 Services: Every Sun. 10:30am

BUDDHIST Chittamani Buddhist Center Without Inner Peace, Outer Peace is Impossible. Classes and meditation currently on the 4 Noble Truths. Every Sunday 9:30am -11 am www.MeditationInAustin.org 1918 Bissel Lane, 78745 (off Manchaca) 512-916-4444 Sitagu Buddha Vihara 9001 Honeycomb Dr. 78737 (4 miles west of the “Y”). We are a monastery, meditation center, community center, education center and home of a beautiful Burmese pagoda. Daily activities. sitagu.org/austin/, (512)301-3968 sitaguvihara@yahoo.com.

COWBOY CHURCH Cowboy Church of the Hill Country 8305 Sharl Cove (slightly south of intersection of Loop 45 and Camp Ben McCulloch Road) (512) 587-2242 Pastor: Jerry Kelley pastor@cowboychurchhc.com Services: Sunday 10 a.m. www.cowboychurchhc.org facebook.com/Cowboy ChurchHC info@cowboychurchhc.org We do things the Cowboy way!

EPISCOPALIAN St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 11819 So. IH-35 (exit #223, FM 1327; take north access road 1.1 mile) 282-5631 www.stalbansaustin.org Seeking the transformation of lives through sharing God’s love and grace Rector: The Rev. Margaret Waters Services: 9 a.m. Come & See! (Blended worship w/ sermon & Holy Eucharist) 10:00 a.m. Coffee Hour 10:15 a.m. Christian Formation for All Ages (Please go to the website for more details) 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II 12:45 p.m. Coffee Hour Children’s Chapel at both services, and professional nursery from 8:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Youth Group, Sundays 4-6 p.m. Bible Study, Thursdays 9:30-11 a.m. St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church 8724 Travis Hills Dr. 78735 (between SW Parkway & Old Bee Caves) (512) 288-0128 www.stchristopher.net Rector: The Rev. Bo Townsend Services: Holy Communion at 10am Sundays; Children’s Chapel at 10 am

Christian Ed. 9am (Sept. 10-May 20) Seeking God’s Truth, Sharing God’s Love

HINDU TEMPLE Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple Radha Madhav Dham, 400 Barsana Road, Austin, Texas 78737 (FM 1826, 7 miles from 290 W) 288-7180 Sunday Services: 11:00am- 12:30pm; 7:30-9:30pm Visiting hours: 8:1510am & 3-5pm daily

ISLAM Masjid Ibrahim Islamic Center Religious Services/Youth & Children Activities 1701 W Ben White Blvd. Bldg. #3 512-693-2924 Friday Sermon @ 1:00 PM Mosque open 7 days for 5 daily prayers Check Mosque website for prayer timings and weekend programs www.masjidibrahim.org Email: admin@masjidibrahim.org

LUTHERAN Abiding Love Lutheran Church “Sharing God’s Love” 7210 Brush Country, 78749 (512)892-4040 Sr. Pastor:Lynnae Sorensen Assoc. Pastor: Brad Highum Sunday Services: 8:30am and 11am Education Hour: 9:45 am (for all ages) Evensong–acontemplativeworshipgathering Sundays at 5 pm. Evensong blends chant music, scripture, silence, prayer and communion in candlelit peace. Children’s Center 892-2777 Director: Debbie Tonne Full & PT programs M-F, 7am-6pm Food Pantry- Mondays 1:30-3:30pm info@abidinglove.org www.abidinglove.org Bethany Lutheran Church “Where Jesus Meets His Friends” 3701 West Slaughter Lane (next to Bowie High School) 292-8778 email: info@blcms.org Pastor: Rev. William B. Knippa Assoc. Pastor: Rev. Kevin D. Lentz Sun. Worship Services: 8am (Trad.) 9:30 & 11:00 am (Blended Traditional & Contemporary Music) 6:00 p.m. (Contemporary Praise) Sunday School & Bible Study: 9:30am Nursery During Services Bethany Preschool, Mon & Wed program, Tues & Thur program www.blcms.org Holy Cross Lutheran Church 4622 S. Lamar 892-0516 Rev. Magdalene Holm-Roesler, Pastor Services: 10:00 am Sunday Study Hour: 9:00 am Sunday Fellowship & Coffee after services Adult and Children’s Sun. School www.hclcaustin.org You’re always welcome here.

Mt. Olive Lutheran Church 10408 Hwy 290 West (4 miles from the “Y” in Oak Hill) 512-288-2370 info@ConnectwithJesus.org www.Mt.OliveAustin.org Pastors: Paul Meyer and Ben Braun Services: 8 am traditional and 10:30 am contemporary. Education Hour: 9:15-10:15 am Preschool: 18 months to Pre-K, Preschool Phone: 512-288-2330 Full and part-time hours. Risen Savior Lutheran Church-WELS 2811 Aftonshire Way 78748 280-8282 Rev. Paul Kuehn, pastor Services: Sunday Worship— 9:30am Sunday School/Bible Classes for all ages, Sunday— 11:00am; Thursday Night Worship— 7:00 pm www.risensavioraustin.net

METHODIST Oak Hill United Methodist Church 7815 Hwy. 290 W. 78736 288-3836 Rev. Jim Roberts, Rev. Pam Sheffield, and Rev. Stella Burkhalter Services: Sunday 8:45, 10 & 11:15am (Interpreted for the deaf at 11:15 service) Wednesday ReCharge service 6:15pm Sunday School: 10 & 11:15am Children’s Sunday School: 8:45, 10 & 11:15am Youth group: 5pm www.oakhillumc.org open hearts, open minds, open doors! Manchaca United Methodist Church Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors! 1011 FM 1626 (SE corner of FM 1626 & Manchaca Rd) www.ManchacaUMC.org; office@ ManchacaUMC.org; 512.282.7274 Pastors: Rev. Laura Adam, Rev. Tracey Beadle Sunday Schedule: 8:30 am – Traditional Worship with Communion in the Sanctuary. 9:45 am - Sunday School; adult, youth and children. 11:00 am - Traditional Worship and Hymns in the Sanctuary. 11 am - Life on the Road - Casual Praise Service in the Family Life Center 5 pm - High School & Middle School youth programs Wednesday Worship: 6:00 am Individual Prayer and Meditation with Communion

NON - DENOMINATIONAL Austin Ridge Southwest 7416 Hwy 71 W, 78735 512-288-8000 Worship services: 9:15 and 11:00 Children’s Ministry: 9:15 and 11:00 Middle/High School 6 pm www.austinridge.org

Hope in the City 4407 Monterey Oaks Blvd, 78749 Phone; 512-892-4673 Senior Pastor: Britt Tucker Sun. Service 10:15 am www.hopeinthecity.org We value loving God, loving one another and loving Austin and the Nations. LifeAustin 8901 W Hwy 71 78735 Phone: 512-220-6383 Lead Pastor: Randy Phillips Sun. Services: 9:30 am, Celebration Service, 11:15 am Wed Services: 7 pm Life University, 7 pm Student Life LifeAustin is a Bible Church - a cosmopolitan community of healing and hope. We are all about connecting people to Christ and to each other. Unity Church of Austin 5501Hwy 290 West, 78735 (512) 892-3000 unity@unitychurchaustin.org Interim Minister: Rev. Denise Creech Service 11:00 pm “Our God is love,our race is human and our religion is oneness.” www.unitychurchaustin.org

ORTHODOX St. Sophia Orthodox Church 225 Rose Dr. in Dripping Springs Fr. Peter Smith, Pastor 512) 638-0721 / pcmsmith@hotmail. com (Fr. Peter’s email) www.stsophiachurch.us Services: Sundays- 8:45 a.m. Orthros (Matins) & 10:00 a.m. Divine LiturgyWednesdays- 7:00 p.m. Daily Vespers or other special services according to the season Saturdays- 5:45 pm. Ninth Hour & 6:00 pm Great Vespers and Confession Special feast day services as announced All services are in English and visitors are always welcome. The Orthodox Church is the original, historic, pre-denominational Church of the New Testament. Please join us for worship soon!

PRESBYTERIAN Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church 5226 W William Cannon 78749 Pastor Larry W. Coulter; Assoc. Pastors Michael Killeen, Britta Dukes Worship Schedule: 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. Shepherd of the Hills Brodie Campus at the corner of Brodie Ln. & Hewitt Ln. 12420 Hewitt Lane 78748 Ted Thulin, Campus Pastor Worship Schedule: 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. Web site: www.shpc.org

Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 19

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Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 21

Civic Agenda, continued continued from p. 2 – registering to vote. The new logo will be seen on banners, buttons, t-shirts, news ads and other promotional materials. The contest will also help determine a new slogan. Hundreds of slogans were submitted by Travis County Volunteer Deputy Registrars and were narrowed down to six finalists: • Get Registered! • Ready…Set…Register! VOTE! • Get Loud! Be Proud! Register! • Be Counted. Get Registered! Vote! • Everyone Counts in Travis County. Register & Vote! • Your Voice - Register & Vote! Anyone interested in entering the logo contest can select their favorite slogan, design a logo, and submit it to the Travis County Voter Registrar. Cash prizes of $500, $250, and $100 have been provided by private donation. Full contest rules can be found at www.traviscountytax.org/pdfs/ VR-LogoContest.pdf. For more information, contact the Travis County Voter Registrar at 512-8549473 or tax_office@co.travis.tx.us. Volunteers sought for Airport Crash Training Drill Wed., April 2, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport The City of Austin, in cooperation with its regional partners, is conducting a full scale exercise demonstrating proper planning by implementing its Airport Emergency Plan, and is recruiting volunteers who would like to assist. The City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is actively enrolling area residents to volunteer to take part in the exercise. The City needs 80 to 100 volunteers to act in various roles in order to train emergency responders how to realistically respond to and mitigate an aircraft incident. Volunteers will be selected as someone who is: an injured passenger; an injured airport employee; an uninjured passenger; or a family member going to the airport to pick up a passenger. The level of “injuries” assigned will range from severe to minor. Some volunteers will be selected to receive fake injuries applied via latex or makeup from trained personnel. For more information, visit AustinHSEM.com or contact Sonia Goodman, at 512-974-0471. Volunteer Deputy Registrar training

Tues., April 7, One-hour sessions at 10:30 am, 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Travis County Tax Office, 5501 Airport Boulevard, Austin, TX 78751. Help citizens register to vote by becoming a Volunteer Deputy Registrar. Volunteer Deputy Registrars promote voter registration most commonly at community events and within their own social networks. They distribute voter registration applications and confirm that all of the applications they provide are completed correctly. They also provide a receipt to show proof of registration and deliver applications to the Voter Registrar within 5 days of completion. To volunteer, you must be age 18 or older and must attend a one-hour training session. During training, you will review the qualifications to become a VDR, learn how to register voters correctly and be officially sworn-in. For more information, visit www.traviscountytax.org or call (512) 854-9473. Join in online discussions about Town Lake Metropolitan Park Austin Parks Foundation, the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) and Tur Partners invite you to join in a new and excit-

ing way to help imagine the future of Austin’s premier lakefront park, Town Lake Metropolitan Park. They have launched an online virtual public engagement forum that allows community members throughout Austin to share their experiences, views and ideas toward a long-term vision for this park. This website is built upon discussions initiated during the first four visioning sessions held Fall 2013 and Winter 2014. All sessions are part of a larger initiative to collect community input that will inform the future vision of Town Lake Metropolitan Park. Austin Parks Foundation is working with Tur Partners, LLC to conduct a study that will provide recommendations for enhancing public access and enjoyment of Town Lake Metropolitan Park. The final report will be delivered in April 2014. To join the online discussions, visit townlakepark.mindmixer.com. For more information about Town Lake Metropolitan Park, visit the Austin Parks Foundation’s “Special Initiatives: Auditorium Shores” webpage, http://www.austinparks. org/auditorium-shores.html, or contact Josh Strickland: (312) 5066950; jstrickland@turpartners.com.

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March 20 -April 2 , 2014

AISD seeking community input on District Facility Master Plan Continued from p. 16

capacity. Over-enrolled schools need relief now,” commented AISD parent Heather Sendera, who hopes the district will take a firmer stance on this issue. “I feel like there can be a better balance. I’d like to know how other comparable districts do. From my experience, some districts make their decisions in the spring and implement in the fall. What’s realistic on how to handle immediate problems? Should that be case-bycase, school-by-school or just deal with it? Who’s the decision maker on that and how are those decisions made?” The sixth guiding principle, Equity in Facilities, stresses that each facility will provide students access to quality academic and specialized programming, including technology. The group noticed that the district addresses financial limitations, but wondered why this line was added so far into the document, feeling that it should have been listed much sooner to be more realistic. “The word ALL needs to be inserted here as in ‘All Students, and All facilities’ so that it is more specific and clear that this is for every student in the district,” said parent Barbara Legere, who has several kids in the pipeline following this vertical track. In addition to physical structures, several parents felt like bus transportation should be added as well. “The current use of buses does not always seem equitable. Buses are provided for some magnet programs, such as the one at Kealing Middle School, but not for others that are more like a school within a school program, such as the recently added Fine Arts program at Lamar Middle School,” commented Amy Jones. “We have to have equitable programming, schools, transportation, etc. If schools were equitable, then transportation would become a non-issue. But if a student needs to transfer for a program, then transportation needs to be equitable,” Jones added. Parent Tracy Remmert brings up the new graduation plans passed by the state in House Bill 5. “It’s a beautiful thing to agree to, but not clear

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how it will be achieved,” referring to all the specific graduation plans which will begin being implemented for high school in the fall of 2014. Not every school can provide every plan suggested by the state. It’s just not feasible.” The final two guiding principles are Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability and Communication and Community Engagement. “Environmental Stewardship/Sustainability is a big one, especially when looking at so many old structures in the district,” said Price. “Our portable buildings are inefficient, but a necessary evil. How would this work at older campuses?” he added. Regarding the district keeping open communication with the community, Sendera felt like the district is in overkill regarding the FMP. “Enough is enough. Everybody should be heard, but the opportunity of providing feedback needs to be balanced with actually taking action! I have been to eight of these meetings in the last few months,” she said. Others thought the lengthy process was likely a response to the previous botched attempt to complete an FMP, when the district hired an outside consultant to make recommendations, leaving the school community in an uproar when they were told their respective schools were going to close. Bringing the district’s planning process into the 21st-Century and making a more logical roadmap includes community feedback. Regional community meetings have been set and School Board Trustees

will be present to hear comments on these guidelines. Two meetings will take place in south Austin: Akins High School will host a meeting on April 1, and Bowie High School will host a meeting on April 2. Comments can also be shared with individual trustees and/or submitted to the entire Board by email (trustees@austinisd.org), or through the District’s website (www.austinisd.org). The board will consider feedback from all the meetings, and Board action on the proposed FMP is set for June 16, 2014. For a direct link to the FMP on AISD’s webiste: www.austinisd.org/fmp

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Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 25

Southwest Austin music and arts

The Sunset Valley Boys are country music classics Continued from p. 13 artist for 40 years; he formerly served as an adjunct art professor at the University of Texas at Austin and currently teaches at Austin Museum of Art School on Laguna Gloria campus. Fowler’s wife is the well-known rhythm and blues singer Marcia Ball, and his father is Wick Fowler, the founder of “2-Alarm Chili.” “So we make enough money to keep the wolves away from the door. We’re very very fortunate to be able to do what we like to do. It’s not about money, it’s about freedom and not having to answer to anybody and doing what you love to do,” Fowler said. Fowler and Shelton as kids played in one of Austin’s earliest rock and roll bands in the late 1950s through the early 1960s, the Nite Lites, as teenagers. They played rhythm and blues and rock and roll—mostly cover songs during a time when only country bands performed at honky tonks in town. “We started playing in high school and we played in honky tonks. We played out on the lake, at the Lake Austin Inn, where we were the house band. We played at the Jade Room, on San Jacinto and the old New Orlean’s Club that once was on Red River Street where Symphony Square is now. We played dances and frat parties. We played a couple of rough places, like Pac’s Lounge. It was rougher than hell. It was a place we knew we shouldn’t have been in. That was right next to where the Armadillo World Headquarters opened ten years later. Of course, this was 10 years before that.” He and band members played for $20 each to play gigs during the “Teen Canteen” day summer camps once offered around town by the City of Austin. “That was fun, we played all over town doing that. Twenty dollars back in the day—in the 1960s—was a lot of money. You fill your car up with gas for $2, cigarettes were .25 cents a

pack, and beer was about $1.10 for a six-pack. So we sometimes had $20 or $30 in our pockets. We thought we were rich,” Fowler said. “Polk was left handed and couldn’t find a left-handed guitar because they were more expensive and harder to find. So we bought him a right-handed one and taught him to play,” Fowler said. After high school at 22 years old, the U.S. Army drafted him, but Fowler joined the Marines instead. He served two years and a 13-month tour of Vietnam. Over there, he continued to play guitar as a hobby during his free time when he wasn’t chasing stories on the battlefields as a writer. He suffered injuries twice in the line of duty. “This is the first band that I’ve played in since way back—just after high school,” Fowler said. “If I had been smart I could have been in special services in the Marines and just played music the whole time I served. Instead, I ended up being a writer for the military. I thought it would be a safe job, but it wasn’t. We had to serve in combat the whole time with a notebook in our pockets.” As a Marine stationed in Vietnam, Fowler wrote feature stories for the publication Stars and Stripes and sent press releases to soldiers’ hometown newspapers. “We wrote our stories on a typewriter when we could find them, but sometimes we wrote them on the back of a cardboard box that once held C-rations, using a pencil to write with. We’d write our story on the cardboard and send them back to headquarters by helicopter once it landed. We would hand the cardboard to the ‘crew chief ’—the guy who sat at the helicopter door with a machine gun. We would ask the crew chief to file the story for us in Da Nang. It was rare, but we did it,” Fowler said. Fowler’s love for playing music had never left him, not since he first

plucked strings on an old $10 beat up guitar in the second grade. When he turned 12, his father bought him a nicer instrument, an electric Gibson. A few years after that, he bought himself a Fender guitar. “Back then I liked rock and roll, but it was just getting started in Texas. Chuck Berry came out with ‘Johnny Be Good’ in 1955 when I was in the sixth grade, so we got interested in that early rock and roll. Basically, nobody wanted to be in an old hillbilly band and that’s basically all Austin had back then,” Fowler said. “Now we’re playing all that old country stuff. It’s vintage country music played by some vintage guys too—except for our fiddler, a ‘punk kid’ who keeps us young.” The “Boys” play mostly Merle Haggard and George Jones tunes and other country songs made popular before the 1960s. They will perform music by Chuck Berry too, upon request. “Those old folks love to dance. We enjoy playing those senior places because they dance every dance,” Simpson said. “We’ll play private parties too, as long as they’re inside. For our age, we don’t like to play outside in the cold and the heat.” The Sunset Valley Boys performed their first gig together as a band at Evangeline’s Café in April of 2006. A band member who at the time lived in Sunset Valley, came up with the moniker, though the group has gained a following and a name for itself in Southwest Austin by performing solid gold standard hits. “The first time we played in Evangeline’s we probably had 75 people squeezed in that little building and from that day forward the crowd just got bigger and bigger,” Simpson said. “We had no room for dancing, so we just outgrew the Evangeline Café.” Seniors who come to see the Sunset Valley Boys come to dance; they come early and they stay late, he said. Continued on next page

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26 ...Oak Hill Gazette

March 20 -April 2 , 2014

Sunset Valley Boys Continued from p.25

“We still have folks who are 91 who come and dance every dance, from jitterbug to polkas, Two-Steps, and shuffles,” Simpson said. “Some of that old Johnny River stuff, they’ll get out there and jitterbug, but if we play too many fast ones in a row, they come up and tell us ‘Don’t play so many fast ones,’ and they don’t beat around the bush. They’re all

fun shows and none of them are late-night shows. Everyone gets to go home early.” The latest the band has played was 12:30 a.m. last New Year’s Eve at the Son’s of Hermann Hall’s bash. Every one of the band members have separate careers by day, or work jobs before 5 p.m. and nobody talks about retiring any time soon. Shelton and Fowler attended

Eanes Elementary together since the second grade and have played together since attending O’Henry Middle School. Afterwards, Fowler moved to San Angelo for a short time and Shelton attended Austin High School before his folks sent him to Kemper Military School in Boonville, MO. “We all did that—we all left and came back to Austin. I came back in 1961 and attended UT,” Shelton said. As a student at the University of Texas, Shelton played psychedelic rock on weekends, sitting in at the

Orleans Club with Roky Erickson and his band, the 13th Floor Elevators. Shelton left Austin again in 1965 to attend St. Mary’s Law School in San Antonio. Meanwhile, he performed at the Pearl Pavilion at the Hemisphere Fair there. “When I came back to Austin in 1970, it seemed the whole world had changed,” Shelton said. He became a criminal defense lawyer by day and a country singer and performer by night in Austin. Playing music has helped remove the dark images that remain in his thoughts at night after working all day long with criminals. “Dang near everybody I know deals in darkness all day, every day,” Shelton said. “This is my therapy. This helps me. If I gave this up, I don’t know what I’d do.” Shelton grew up listening to folk

and blues musician Huddle William Ledbetter known as “Lead Belly,” a virtuoso who once played multiple instruments including a 12-string guitar. “My father had this enormous collection of 78s, from jazz, to Lead Belly and big band stuff. As kids, we watched the ‘Peter Gunn TV Show’ and listened to music like its theme song arranged by Henry Mancini. So that stuff influenced me.” His parents named him after James Polk, the 11th president of the United States, who helped acquire more than 800,000 square miles of the western territories, but he tells everyone that they named him after James Polk Street in Austin. Shelton performed at Saxon Pub as a soloist and later had a trio band that played happy hours there from 1996 through 2000. Continued on next page

As a student at the University of Texas, Polk Shelton played psychedelic rock on weekends, sitting in at the Orleans Club with Roky Erickson and his band, the 13th Floor Elevators.

Oak Hill Gazette March 20--April 2, 2014.. 27

Sunset Valley Boys Continued from p. 26

“I came on just before Rusty Wier, and I always picked up Rusty’s crowd because they began coming in during my set, so that was good. It was an early happy hour crowd for the day drinkers,” Shelton said. “Rusty came in about 7 o’clock and he had a good band with quite a following.” Shelton said he doesn’t ever remember performing at Donn’s Depot, 1600 W. 5th Street, but he did play there too, more than 16 years ago back when he drank alcohol. The bar’s proprietor Donn Adelmann has been a friend for years. “I don’t remember playing there as much as I drank there. I thought Donn’s Depot was a savings bank, you know? And I went to get my 401K out and Donn said ‘Polk, you done drank it up.’ Donn didn’t know that I was spending my savings there. I’ve since been sober 16 years. I just thought musicians drank until I became a lawyer.” Shelton is also a songwriter, who in 1975 became a finalist at Kerrville’s Country and Western Jamboree, with judges that included Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings. He also sang on the soundtracks for two videos: “Exploring Entertainment” in 1998 and “Front Porch Music” in 2000. He seldom performs his originals today, but chooses instead to sing cover songs to please local audiences. “People always want to hear something else, something they know. I did a few of my originals back in the 1990s. I don’t do anything of mine here. People won’t dance to them,” Shelton said. “They dance around here [Broken Spoke] in the dining room and they really dance a lot at Baker St. when we play there.” He said that he enjoys playing and singing close to his audience. The band has a regular following, wherever they perform. “When you play at the Broken Spoke, there’s no tellin’ who’ll show up,” Fowler said. “Those who do show up regularly, we know their names.” He and his wife, Barbara Shelton, have been married 33 years. They have three daughters and one grand daughter. Simpson didn’t start playing music

professionally before 15 years ago. He had a couple of businesses that he ran and sold before he semi-retired and started playing in a “hobbyists’’ band at the former Acapulco Restaurant in the HEB center at the ‘Y’ off US 290 West in 2002. The band didn’t have a name until it became a steady hobby for a few musicians. “We originally were (practicing) in Sunset Valley, in a guy’s house. We started playing at the Acapulco Restaurant on Sundays. People started showing up,” Simpson said. “We kind of got started by mistake.” First Fowler showed up, then Shelton. Soon, they started booking gigs wherever they could. “I learned how to play the guitar, then I injured my hand and I couldn’t play the guitar anymore, so somebody asked if I could sing and I’ve been singing ever since. I finally figured out how to pick with my injured hand,” Simpson said. “I play rhythm guitar, but Polk is a much better rhythm guitar player than I am.” Simpson became interested in playing country music while attending William B. Travis High School. He graduated in 1966 and then joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He later joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Reserve and discharged honorably in 1973 before starting his own business, Midway Welding and Iron, off East First Street. He sold the building and the company in 1988 to become an associate with Joe Bush Ironworks. He semi-retired in 2001. He didn’t play guitar at all during his military years. When he started working in the steel business, he picked up his instrument again from time-to-time. “These days we do a couple of George Strait songs from the ‘80s, but we don’t get much newer than that,” Simpson said. “Sometimes

when we play the senior citizen centers, we’ll play ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie,’ by Brooks & Dunn. That’s about as new as we get, but we go all the way back musically to Jimmy Rogers. Polk knows all the songs we play and who played them and when.” Erlewine has owned his guitar shop 45 years and performed for 20 years musically— from the 1960s through the 1980s—before taking a 16-year hiatus in the 1990s. “When I had a child I gave up the night life. I spent 16 years raising him and stayed out of the bars. He’s 20 now and in the US. Air Force. So my wife, Dianne, talked me into playing. She kept asking: ‘Why don’t you play steel anymore?’” Erlewine said. When Erlewine moved his guitar shop here from Ann Arbor, MI in 1974, he immediately found gigs playing at Armadillo World Headquarters with the Reynolds Sisters and also with The New Oso Band. He played with Kenneth Threadgill in his band in the late 1970s and continued through the ‘80s. Erlewine also played for nearly 20 years with Al Dressen and his Sunset Riders at the Broken Spoke and other places in town. Dressen had another band, the Super Swing Review, that Erlewine played in too at dance halls all over Texas. Off stage and while away from his custom guitar shop, Erlewine enjoyed a recording career as well. “I even got to record on one of ZZ Top’s albums, El Loco, in 1981, and I got a gold record for it that hangs in my shop,” Erlewine said. “I’ve also made a lot of guitars for famous people like Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Mark Knopfler of the Dire Straits band. Keith Urban just ordered a guitar that I’m building for him. I’m excited about that.” Erlewine likes the music and the “low pressure” gigs that Sunset Valley Boys play. “I like all the guys in the Sunset Valley Boys band and we always have a good time,” Erlewine said.

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