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May 12, 2016 Volume 21, No. 9 Southwest Austin’s Community Newspaper Since 1995
Possible SH45 SW delay is for the birds by Ann Fowler OAK HILL - A small central Texas songbird could possibly delay the planned construction of State Highway 45 Southwest (SH45SW). It seems appropriate that the bird, a golden-cheeked warbler, has as much drama in its past as SH45SW. City of Austin biologist Lisa O’Donnell was conducting a bird survey on a tract of city property in the vicinity of the proposed SH45SW
toll road when she heard the song of the golden-cheeked warbler: A buzzy zee, zoo, zeedee, zeep. “It was not a huge surprise,” she said, citing multiple observations in the area since 2013. The songbird, a federally protected species, spends winters in Mexico or northern Central America. They return to Texas in March for nesting season. The female warbler uses juniper bark to build her nest.
What this sighting means to the construction of SH45SW is not clear. The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) was designed to allow for mitigation when development plans clash with protected species. In 1992, Austin voters approved $22 million in bonds for “the acquisition and improvement of land to protect water quality, conserve endangered species, . . . and providing open space for passive public use…”
BCP is actually a system of preserves that span thousands of acres operating under a permit by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act. The BCP was formed to protect eight endangered species—one of those is the golden-cheeked warbler. It is jointly held by Travis County and the City of Austin. BCP program manager Sherri See POSSIBLE on p. 19
“Zee, zoo, zeedee, zeep,” — Golden -cheeked warbler on SH45 tract.
Mental Health Month Oak Hill area workshop slated by Penny Levers OAK HILL - May is “Mental Health Month” and the Austin Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a calendar of relevant events in the Austin area—and for the first time, in Oak Hill. From a screening of a movie about postpartum depression, to a live storytelling show, to a series of short documentaries from the Mental Health Channel made in partnership with KLRU and the Texas Tribune, there are a lot options that are sure to be insightful. Considering the fact that 1 in 5 adults in this country live with some form of mental illness, there are few families that are not to some extent affected by mental illness. In any given year, more
than 1 person out of 25 will suffer from a Serious Mental Illness (SMI), which will result in “serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. For people who are trying to come to grips with a family member’s diagnosis, the Austin chapter of NAMI has been offering free help in the form of support groups and classes. “Family-to-Family” is a 12-session program “designed to help See MENTAL HEALTH on p. 3
Gazette: Hans Landel
Chris Alanis slides in home to score for Bowie in their first-game win in a three game playoff series with Pflugerville. After the weekend games, only one local team remains to advance in the playoffs—Sports p. 12.