Architecture firm recommends preservation of school’s historic core

storms is expected to drop any significant rain upstream from Austin over the Colorado River tributaries that feed the Highland Lakes. Two critical water resources, lakes Travis and Buchanan, were a combined 85 percent full, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. The water elevation at Lake Travis, though, was almost a foot lower than the historical average for April.

Friday temperatures should top out around 85 degrees in Austin, but overnight temperatures could bottom out around 55 degrees, forecasters say. Rain chances diminish to 30 percent by Friday evening, and south winds of 10 to 15 mph will switch to cooler northwest breezes.

Meanwhile, elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions also are possi- ble Friday afternoon over the western Hill Country, forecasters said. Under such conditions, including low relative humidity and high winds, wildfires can spread more easily and quickly. The winds whipped up by the passage of the cold front could extend critical fire for the purpose of renovat- ing a house in Washington called the Freedom House. But the check was deposited at a bank branch in Webster, Texas, into an account set up by Stockman doing business as Life Without Limits, according to the affidavit.

Financial records show that Stockman made no sig- nificant expenditures toward the purchase, renovation or operation of Freedom House, which never opened. According to the affidavit, Stockman secretly diverted the money to pay for a variety of personal expenses and to fun- Let’s hope that there’s a debate,” O’Rourke said.

White has been pushing for debates: “A few debates between the two of us before the runoff would make the eventual nominee all the stronger,” he said. “And who doesn’t love a good debate?”

The realpolitik answer to that rhetorical question is that sometimes a potentially overconfident front-runner doesn’t love a debate, good or otherwise.

A week after the primary, Valdez campaign spokesman Kiefer Odell expressed qualified support for debates.

“We will be glad to work out a debate schedule when the voters become more focused on the race, but this primary won’t be won on 30-second debate responses,” he said. “While we understand why someone who received such low support in most of Texas’ major urban areas and the Rio Grande Valley needs a debate to create buzz, Sheriff Valdez is focused on developing substantive relationships with voters across the state — just as she has done in Dallas County for the last 13 years.”

So far, I know of two upcoming joint appearances by White and Valdez, one in Houston on April 25 and one in Austin on April 29. Both will include candidates in several Democratic runoffs, and organizers say neither event is a debate.

But, after talking with Valdez about it, I’m happy to report there will be a debate or debates. I think.

“You know,” she told me, “I’ve always been willing to do debates. Right now, all of that is being taken care of by my staff. They’re looking at logistics and everything else that needs to happen.”

But, I asked, you are committing to them?

“I have been willing to do them,” she said. “Yes.” So there will be debates? “It’s being worked out. I’ve commit—,” she said, stopping prior to complet- Should thunderstorms occur, hail and high winds are the main threats. weather conditions also to areas east of I-35 on Saturday.

The extended weekend forecast includes potentially gorgeous picnic weather: lots of sunshine and mild spring- time temperatures in the 60s and lower 70s.

Although Saturday should be mostly sunny with a high nel contributions to his campaign under the guise that they were from other people.

Stockman’s attorney, Sean Buckley, has said Stockman committed no crime in using the money as he did. Following his arrest in March 2017, Stockman said a “deep state” shadow government was targeting him.

His three-week trial included testimony from a conservative operative who said Stockman also hired people to spy on three Republican state lawmakers. Benjamin Wetmore told jurors that shortly after Stockman took office in 2013, he became concerned that one of the lawmakers, Rep. James White of Woodville, was con- sidering a primary challenge ing the word “committed” and opting instead to say, “I’ve been willing to do debates.”

Any reason, any potential logistical reason why it won’t happen?

“I don’t see any. I can’t think of any right now,” she said.

What would be a good number of debates?

“Again, that’s an issue to be taken care of by my team,” she said.

Later, after she had spent more time chatting with voters, I asked her why she’d be a better governor than White.

“First of all,” she told me, “I come from the poorest ZIP code in San Antonio, and I had to struggle to get to where I am. I had to struggle to go to school. I had to struggle to go to college. I had to struggle in the military. I was always a person struggling to get further along. I know what it is to have to struggle in your everyday life. And the majority of Texans are still struggling today. I know what it is to want to send your child to better schools, to get a decent education.”

She spoke about a living wage and how Texas’ school finance system is “totally broken.” I led her through an abbreviated version of the school finance questions a gubernatorial candidate might get in a debate.

Valdez said the current system unfairly is “on the backs of the property owners,” and we need more of a “level playing field.” near 72, north winds of 10 to 15 mph could include gusts as strong as 20 mph. Satur- day night, the clear skies and dry air could allow temperatures to fall to as low as 44 degrees.

Expect a chilly start to Sunday before sunshine warms things up to a high near 73, forecasters said. to Stockman.

Stockman said in a text to Wetmore that White, who is black, worried him.

“Republicans love black conservatives,” Stockman wrote.

Wetmore said he was hired by Stockman to oversee the surveillance. He told the court that three months of trailing White yielded nothing incriminating.

Stockman served a term in the U.S. House from 1995 until 1997, and then another from 2013 until 2015, representing an area east of Houston. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 2014 but lost in the Republican primary to incumbent John Cornyn, who went on to win re-election.

I asked if all options, including a state income tax, should be considered if we work toward a new school finance system.

She didn’t say no. “Again, we don’t want this on the back of the everyday Texan. We need to make this fair across the state,” she said. “I think — as a matter of fact, I know — if we just make it a level playing field and everybody pays their share, we’ll have what we need.”

I asked her what tax most fairly makes everyone pays their fair share.

“The service fees, the property fees, the businesses, everybody needs to pay their fair share. And we need to get back to having the state put in their fair share and not on the backs of the everyday person,” she said by way of sort of answering.

(FYI: After the interview, a Valdez aide told me Valdez opposes a state income tax.)

I wrapped up by circling back to the reason I made the drive to San Antonio: “And there are going to be debates between you and Mr. White?”

“More than likely,” she said.

That’s just short of yes, I told her.

“Short of yes. More than likely,” she said. “All of that is being taken care of by my team. If you want time, date and all of that, that’s going to be taken care of by them.” will in prison.

Shana Elliott was found guilty on two counts of intox- ication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault on March 9. Elliott was sentenced to seven years in prison on each count of intoxication manslaughter, and 10 years of probation for the intoxication assault charge.

Authorities informed Elliot on Thursday that her prison sentences would be served consecutively, covering the next 14 years. Her probation will be served concurrently with her prison sentence.

In Aug. 2, 2016, Elliott slammed head-on into a Toyota Corolla carrying 23-year-old Fabian Guer- rero-Moreno and his preg- nant wife, 24-year-old Kris- tian Nicole Guerrero.

Guerrero-Moreno and the fetus died from their injuries. Guerrero was treated the 14 years

Travis County is one step closer to finding a new life for the Palm School after commissioners signaled Thursday that they will be convening a citizen committee to decide what to do with the historic building and set conditions for the site’s sale.

The building’s fate has been hotly contested since 2015, when county leaders raised the idea of selling the school land and were met with resistance from preser- vationists, civic activists and other community members.

The downtown building, among its many uses, served as an elementary school for East Austin communities for 84 years before closing in 1976.

The building, at the corner of Interstate 35 and Cesar Chavez Street, houses the county’s Health and Human Services and Veteran Ser- vices departments but will be vacant by 2020 when the county plans to move those offices to its campus on Air- port Boulevard.

On Thursday, representatives from Antenora Archi- tects presented the results of a historic review that recommended that at a mini- mum the historic core of the building from 1892, 1910 and 1924 be preserved.

“This is the oldest portion of the building, and it retains stylistic integrity to the 20th century appearance,” the report reads. It recommends that new development be concentrated to the north of the historic building, that the development maintain a relationship with Palm Park and that parking be limited to a below-grade garage to maximize space.

The report alsoproposes that the site be rezoned into the Central Business District to allow for a taller redevelopment. Its current zoning of family and friends that are struggling. We thought if we were all together it would give us a chance to express our feelings.”

Jill Henderson said she plans to unveil a new foundation set up in her son’s honor, which will use proceeds from his soon-to-be- finished fashion line to pay for travel excursions for families that have suffered similar tragedies.

“It is a way to get out of your environment, feel like you are experiencing some- thing different,” she said. “We feel that really helped our family.”

Nearly 200 people have been asked to Friday night’s for her injuries at a hospital, “where she learned that her husband had perished in the crash, and that her unborn child had died,” the Hays County District Attorney’s office said in a news release on Thursday.

“Unable to induce labor immediately due to Ms. Guerrero’s own injuries, she was forced to carry her deceased child for several days until she had recovered enough to deliver,” the news release said.

Dur i ng Elliott’s trial, Guerrero took the stand to describe the crash and the impact it had on her family to jurors. She also addressed Elliot directly during the trial in March, calling her a murderer and a thief.

“You stole my life,” she said.

Da v id Wannamaker, Elliott’s defense attorney, carries a height limit of 60 feet and a low floor-to-area ratio whereas business district zoning would allow for unlimited height and higher floor-to-area ratios.

The firm also came up with three scenarios to show commissioners Thursday as examples of how both restoration of the historic core of the building and redevelopment of remaining space could work in a single proj- ect.

The conceptual designs offer examples of how com- mercial or mixed-use build- ings could wrap around the historic core building, located at the center of the site.

The challenge for the county will be balancing restoration costs and mak- ing a profit, said Mark Gilbert, the county’s strategic planning manager. Gilbert cautioned commissioners to keep in mind that restoration is costly.

The restoration of the old federal courthouse, at 200 W. Eighth St., which the county attained from the General Services Administration in July, is roughly similar in size to Palm School and is set to cost $28 million, Gilbert said.

He recommended commissioners gather public input from a citizen committee on what they want to see hap- pen to the building and site overall. The committee’s rec- invitation-only event in North Austin. The family is also expected to provide updates on the murder case, which has yet to go to trial.

Nine people have been charged with intentional homicide in Bakari Hender- son’s death, which occurred July 7. Seven are still being held in a Greek jail, and two were released on bail. They face up to life in prison if convicted.

Among the evidence likely to be presented at trial is a black-and-white video of the fight that occurred that night, which shows Hender- son running from a gang of men before being tackled, thrown against a parked car and beaten and kicked repeatedly. He died from head injuries.

Different accounts seem said Elliott was prepared to accept whatever sentence the jury gave her.

“She wants to make amends,” Wannamaker said, adding that he will begin focusing on getting Elliott out on parole when she becomes eligible.

According to the Hays County District Attorney’s office, Elliot’s earliest possible release date will come after five years and four months, which would leave her with nearly five additional years of probation.

“The jury had a tough decision to make in how to sentence a young woman who made some very bad choices leading to some horrific consequences for an innocent family,” Criminal District Attorney Wes Mau said.

“This is a tragic case whose only good outcome can be found in the hope that the next Shana Elliott will choose not to drink and drive, saving the lives of the next Guerrero family, and avoiding the loss of an enormous part of their own life to the prison system.” ommendations could then be approved by commissioners before staff moved forward with a deed-restricted sale.

Commissioner Margaret Gómez said she thinks the county’s priority should be preserving the history of the building.

“We do have a role in the preservation of history in this area, and I’m very much interested in pursuing that,” Gómez said.

Surrounded by skyscrapers and other new development downtown, Palm School is the “last heirloom” in the area, Commissioner Jeff Travillion said. He wondered aloud whether the city of Austin might be willing to use its hotel occupancy tax revenue to help pay for restoration.

“I want to know how we can not only preserve but maybe extend its cultural relevance,” Travillion said.

Commissioner Brigid Shea raised the idea of including a component of affordable housing in the redevelopment.

While Commissioner Gerald Daugherty acknowledged the importance of preserving the historic core, he said he wants to make sure the county is still able to “monetize the property as much as we can.”

Gilbert said the item could come before the Commissioners Court for a vote as soon as May 1. to offer conflicting versions about what led up to the brawl.

Henderson graduated from the University of Arizona in May with a degree in business finance and entrepreneurship. He was born and raised in Austin, interned with the Texas House and Senate, and was described by friends and family as driven and ambitious.

“His future was as bright as his smile,” a news release for Friday’s event said. “Although his stay on Earth was cut tragically short, he demonstrated what it means to live fearlessly, taking calculated risks to reach his educational and entrepreneurial goals.”