Tarrytown - June 2021 by Peel, Inc.

TARRYTOWN

JUNE 2021

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 06

My OIT Journey by Major Jaimes NAMED FINALIST IN 31st ANNUAL MIDWEST BOOK AWARDS Winners announced June 26, social media premiere with book giveaways to follow My OIT Journey: How It Worked for Me! by Major Jaimes was named a finalist in the Children’s Nonfiction category of the 31st annual Midwest Book Awards. The awards program, which is organized by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MiPA), recognizes quality independent publishing in the Midwest. Major is a local eight grader here in Austin and published this book in January of 2020. He has an anaphylactic allergy to milk and was treated with oral immunotherapy (OIT) three years ago. Following completion of OIT, he can now eat ice cream, pizza, and any dairy product he chooses. He no longer has to worry about what he is eating and is thrilled about his newfound freedom. Because it was such a life altering experience, he decided to write a book about his journey for other kids considering OIT. He hopes by sharing his positive experience with other food allergic children, they can live a life free from worrying about anaphylaxis. The 31st annual Midwest Book Awards was open to books published and copyrighted in 2020 in MiPA’s 12-state Midwestern region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This year’s competition garnered 241 entries in 35 categories, submitted by 74 independent publishers and judged by a panel of nearly one hundred librarians and booksellers from throughout the Midwest. Historically, an awards gala is held in Minneapolis to announce the winners, but this year, as in 2020, winners will be announced and celebrated online, first in a Zoom webinar open to MiPA members and finalists, and shortly thereafter in a social media premiere that can be shared with friends and family. A period of book giveaways and winner highlights will accompany the social media premiere. “This shift to celebrating online has enabled us to engage with a larger publishing community throughout the Midwest,” said Jennifer Baum, executive director of MiPA. “The number of entries received in 2020 grew by about 25% compared to the prior year, which can be attributed to our greater online presence.” Following the conclusion of the gala celebrations, winners will be encouraged to participate in MiPA’s second season of the Virtual Reading Series, a limited series launched last year on MiPA’s YouTube channel. Finalist books will also be for sale in MiPA’s affiliate shop on Bookshop. org, a website that shares proceeds with independent booksellers. Buyers Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

can opt to select which independent store will receive the commission, or to leave it in a general pool to be distributed among independent booksellers. For a complete list of finalists, visit www.mipa.org/midwest-bookawards. Follow @MIPAMidwestBookAwards on Facebook for updates on the gala’s social media premiere and book giveaways. The Midwest Book Awards, which began in 1989, recognizes the best independent literature to come out of the Midwest each year and is organized by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MiPA). Founded in 1984, MiPA exists today as a vibrant professional nonprofit association made up of traditional presses, university presses, author- publishers, hybrid presses and related support industries, such as graphic designers and printers. MiPA serves the Midwest independent publishing community through regular educational programming, networking and peer recognition. Debut author, Major Jaimes shares his story about overcoming his dairy allergy through oral immunotherapy (OIT). Written by a middle schooler to help his peers understand the ups and downs of OIT, My OIT Journey: How It Worked for Me! is a candid and inspirational story. Perfect resource or gift for someone with a food allergy who may or may not yet be considering OIT. Available for purchase on Amazon or directly from the author at www.MyOITJourney.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Major is currently in middle school in Austin, Texas. He lives with his mom, dad, older sister, two little brothers and his dog Lulu. He loves watching Texas Longhorn football and basketball. In his free time, he loves to read dystopian novels, play video games, and go fishing with his dad. Since finishing OIT, he has a newfound love for pizza, cookies-and- cream ice cream, as well as macaroni and cheese. Tarrytown - June 2021

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Tarrytown - June 2021

IMPORTANT NUMBERS EMERGENCY NUMBERS EMERGENCY.................................................................... 911 Fire....................................................................................... 911 Ambulance........................................................................... 911 Police Department...............................................512-975-5000 Sheriff – Non-Emergency.....................................512-974-0845 Animal Services Office......................................................... 311 SCHOOLS Austin ISD...........................................................512-533-6000 Casis Elementary School......................................512-414-2062 O. Henry Middle School......................................512-414-3229 Austin High School..............................................512-414-2505 UTILITIES City of Austin......................................................512-494-9400 Texas Gas Service Custom Service..............................................1-800-700-2443 Emergencies......................................................512-370-8609 Call Before You Dig..........................................512-472-2822 Grande Communications.....................................512-220-4600 AT&T New Service...................................................1-800-464-7928 Repair............................................................1-800-246-8464 Billing............................................................1-800-858-7928 Time Warner Cable Customer Service..............................................512-485-5555 Repairs.............................................................512-485-5080 Austin/Travis County Hazardous Waste...............512-974-4343 OTHER NUMBERS Ausitn City Hall...................................................512-974-7849 Ausitn City Manager............................................512-974-2200 Austin Police Dept (Non Emergency)...................512-974-5000 Austin Fire Dept (Non Emergency)......................512-974-0130 Austin Parks and Recreation Dept........................512-974-6700 Austin Resources Recoovery.................................512-494-9400 Austin Transportation Dept..................................512-974-1150 Municipal Court..................................................512-974-4800 Post Office..........................................................512-2478-7043 City of Austin...........................................www.AustinTexas.gov

TARRYTOWN The Tarrytown Newsletter is a private publication published by Peel, Inc. It is not sanctioned by any homeowners association or organization, nor is it subject to the approval of any homeowners association or organization, nor is it intended, nor implied to replace any publication that may be published by or on behalf of any homeowners association or organization. At no time will any source be allowed to use the Tarrytown Newsletter's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER Peel, Inc...............................................................512-263-9181 Editor.................................................... tarrytown@peelinc.com Advertising...........................................advertising@peelinc.com

Tarrytown - June 2021

TARRYTOWN By Cheryl Conley

Immature leaffooted bugs.

Adult leaffooted bug.

Leaffooted bug adults may be mistaken for stink bugs while the immatures may get confused with assassin bug nymphs. Leaffooted bugs are larger than stink bugs and have an elongated body. Often, leaffooted bugs have an expanded region on their hind leg that looks similar to a leaf, hence the name leaffooted bug. Adults are fairly large and grayish-brown. Immatures, or nymphs, look similar to adults, but are often reddish-orange in color and do not have fully developed wings. Leaffooted bugs feed on a variety of fruits, nuts and seeds, such as tomatoes, peppers, pecans or sunflower seeds. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts with which they puncture fruit to suck out juices. The opening left behind after the mouthpart is withdrawn can allow access to secondary invaders like bacteria or fungus. Leaffooted bugs can be managed by hand-picking (be sure to wear gloves if utilizing this method), using hand-held vacuums to suck the insects off the plant, or by treating the plants with pesticides. If choosing to use a pesticide, read the product label and make sure it can be used in the area you are treating (i.e. vegetable garden). For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service or the Texas A&M AgriLife Research is implied. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides equal access in its programs, activities, education and employment, without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity. 4

Tarrytown - June 2021

If you’re like me, you’re making regular trips to the nursery to replace plants lost during the big freeze in February. I’ve decided to plant more native plants and those specifically recommended for Texas landscapes because of the benefits they offer. Certain plants, trees and shrubs are better suited to our soil and climate conditions and are more resistant to insects and diseases. Some of the plants, shrubs and trees you might want to consider are: • Turk’s cap – some nurseries refer to this shrub as a Drummond wax mallow. It gets 2 to 3 feet tall and prefers partial shade. It gets bright red flowers and got its name because the flower resembles a Turkish turban. • Dwarf Mexican petunia – this plant gets about a foot tall and spreads so make sure you give it plenty of room. If it gets out of hand, you can always dig up the plants that are spreading too far. It likes sandy soil. • Gulf coast muhly grass – this is a green, airy ornamental grass getting 2 to 3 feet tall. Its real beauty happens in the fall when the top foot or so turns a lovely purple. I love these en masse! • Texas lantana – talk about a tough plant! Lantana grows best in full sun. It flowers profusely and once established, requires very little care. • Eastern purple coneflower – This beautiful plant blooms profusely spring through summer and attracts butterflies. • Heartleaf rosemallow – this is a type of hibiscus. It produces bright red flowers all year as long as it stays above freezing. It’s very droughttolerant. • Texas sage – this is a shrub that produces purple, bell-shaped flowers year-round. It can reach 8 feet tall but it looks best if you keep it pruned back. • Nuttall Oak – this is one of the best large shade trees to plant in the Houston area. It’s a red oak that is native to Houston. It can be difficult to find, however. • Drake elm – this is a fast-growing shade tree and is also known as a Chinese elm. It’s a beautiful tree and can survive in many soil conditions. Some nurseries in the area have sections that are devoted to native plants. This makes it much easier to plan your landscaping. You can also do a search on the internet for native Texas plants. Happy gardening! Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

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meet the salamanders by Jim and Lynne Weber

NW-Austin Blind Salamander Rare and under threat of decreasing population, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has stated that the Jollyville Plateau Salamander (Eurycea tonkawae) warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act, due to its habitat undergoing rapid degradation as a result of urban and suburban sprawl. Found only in the wet springs and caves of the Jollyville segment of the Edwards Plateau region of Travis and Williamson counties, the area this salamander inhabits is roughly bounded by the Colorado River, Mopac (Loop 1), Lake Travis, and U.S. 183. More specifically, its known range is limited to only six stream drainages, all of which are facing water quality issues. Very little is known about this small, localized amphibian. Juvenile Jollyville Plateau Salamanders are less than 1.5 inches long, and the adults grow to up to 2 inches long. They have large well-developed eyes, wide yellowish heads, feathery external gills, blunt rounded snouts, dark greenish-brown bodies, and yellowish-orange tails. Most salamanders have feather-like external gills when they are young, but the Jollyville Plateau Salamander is neotenic, or keeps these external gills and remains aquatic for its entire adult life. Since they never take a terrestrial form, these salamanders prefer cool, shallow, clean water containing loose gravel. During drier periods, they remain in underground caves and water is provided for them by the infiltration of surface water through the soil into the aquifer which discharges from the springs as groundwater. Two other local salamanders have received protected status by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. These are the Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum) and its lesser-known cousin the Austin Blind Salamander (Eurycea waterlooensis). Urbanization has been known to cause excess sediment to accumulate into the aquifer these salamanders inhabit and this sediment impairs their ability to avoid predators, locate food, and find mates. In addition, development of upstream salamander habitat provides sources of various other pollutants such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and petroleum products. During rainstorms, water runs off these urban areas and transports these pollutants into the salamander’s aquatic habitat. This degradation of water quality has been shown to be linked to deformities of the Jollyville salamander in some locations, as well as to declines in abundance of salamanders compared to areas that are undeveloped. Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

While the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) provides some water quality benefits for the Jollyville Plateau Salamander through the preservation of drainages in the open space, several of the areas within its range have been or are being affected by water quality degradation occurring upstream and outside of the preserved tracts. Work is being done to monitor and improve these areas within the BCP, but residents in neighborhoods surrounding the preserve can go a long way in helping to restore and maintain water quality by carefully disposing motor vehicle fluids, washing cars at a commercial car wash (where the water is captured & recycled), fertilizing wisely (organically), using compost, and planting native plants that have no need for chemical pesticides & herbicides. And lastly, do what you can to help support the purchase and preservation of open space, unique natural features, and rare inhabitants of the hill country -- it Keeps Austin Beautiful! Send your nature-related questions to naturewatch@austin.rr.com and we’ll do our best to answer them. If you enjoy reading these articles, check out our books, Nature Watch Austin, Nature Watch Big Bend, and Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies (all published by Texas A&M University Press), and our blog at naturewatchaustin.blogspot.com.

NW-Barton Springs Salamander Tarrytown - June 2021

TARRYTOWNLettuce Recycle!

RECYCLE & RESUSE DROP-OFF CENTER (RRDOC) *AN AUSTIN GEM* When the RRDOC was closed during the pandemic, Austinites really came to appreciate the center and were anxious for it to open again. I received emails daily from my readers saying things like “I am overrun with Styrofoam! Can’t wait for the center to open again.” and “I have spent weeks in isolation passing the time by cleaning out my garage – can’t wait to be able to take all the stuff to the RRDOC.” I had the privilege to interview Donald Hardee, the Division Manager of the RRDOC, to learn more about the center’s history and to get Mr. Hardee’s personal perspective on the this “Gem” ‘s operations. Here is a summary of my interview. HISTORY The RRDOC began as a hazardous materials collection center. When the City purchased the property where Ecology Action (EA) was located, EA decided to close and go into a different direction – environmental education. The City wanted to continue the work of EA, so it expanded the Household Hazardous Waste Center to collect the same items EA had been collecting (including Styrofoam). That’s when the Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center was created. CHALLENGES When asked what the biggest challenges of the center are currently, Mr. Hardee said, “space and convenience of location”. • Space – The facility was not designed to handle the current amount of traffic from the public dropping off material or the large trucks hauling the recycling material away. The “by appointment only” system has helped control drop-off traffic and allowed more time and space for the hauling trucks. The RRDOC will continue to use this system for the foreseeable future. Go to http://www.austintexas.gov/department/ recycle-reuse-drop-center to make an appointment. • Location – Far south Austin is not convenient for a large part of Austin. The City hopes to eventually have another facility in north or

Tarrytown - June 2021

by Dena Houston

west Austin, but there are no definite plans or locations at this time. FUTURE PROJECTS There are some exciting Styrofoam repurposing projects being developed at the RRDOC. Some of the densified Styrofoam is being formed into polyethylene blocks to create wheel chocks (blocks of sturdy material placed closely behind wheels of large trucks to prevent accidental movement). RRDOC is also investigating the use of the Styrofoam for curb stops in parking lots. STORY TO SHARE I asked Mr. Hardee for an interesting story from his experiences at the RRDOC. Here is the story he shared. One day, a woman brought in a vial of something she had found in her basement after her husband had passed away. He had been a pharmacist and this substance had been used in cardiac medication. She didn’t know what to do with it or exactly what it was. It was labeled ‘Tetrodotoxin’, which is Pufferfish toxin. Tetrodotoxin is deadly to humans – up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide and there is no known antidote. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans. The center accepted it and disposed of it properly. They were so grateful she brought it in rather than throw into her trash or, worse yet, her compost bin. IN CONCLUSION I am very grateful that Mr. Hardee took time out of his busy day to share his RRDOC knowledge with me and my Lettuce Recycle readers. We are very fortunate in Austin to have the Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center to help Austin reach it’s Zero Waste commitment. Here is a very informative City of Austin recycling website: http:// www.austintexas.gov/what-do-i-do. Stay tuned for future tips that will include creative ways to recycle or reuse. If you have any questions, please send them to recycling@ hpwbana.org.

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TARRYTOWN REAL ESTATE

Ju n e M a r k e t r e p or t

by Trey McWhorter

The latest metrics for Tarrytown real estate are below. All of the observations from my May article are still true, pricing is up, transactions are up relative to 2020 and consistent with 2019, and days on market still suggest a very hot seller’s market. Other comments: • As I write this, there is only ONE active listing in MLS for the Tarrytown area. Everything else is under contract. Have not seen that before. •

There were 12 new listings in MLS in April, the last month for which there is full-month data, which is about 50% of the pre-COVID average for Tarrytown, typically closer to 24.

•

Construction cost anecdote: I have spoken to a few different builders that have all remarked at the skyrocketing cost of materials, in particular lumber. A board that cost $15 twelve months ago runs closer to $75-85 today.

So as you think about your plans, keep in mind the continued inflow of luxury buyers into the Austin market and the limited inventory available. These factors are likely to continue and be favorable for sellers. If you’d like to learn more, or are curious what the market value of your home may be, please let me know and I would be happy to provide an assessment of your home and its potential market value.

Note: All data comes from the Austin Board of Realtors’ MLS report, reflecting activity through May 15, 2021.

Tarrytown - June 2021

TARRYTOWN 1405 Brandi Ln Round Rock, TX 78681

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Tarrytown - June 2021