All posts by Debby Thompson

Early Voting Begins!

by Christine Bloemsma

Hello, neighbors, and happy fall!  As one of our MANY neighborhood Volunteer Deputy Registrars of voters for Travis County, I wanted to bring together some important election information for you all in one place, and I’d like to ask you to add voting to your calendar for this busy season if you were registered to vote on or before Monday, October 7, 2019.

Generally, the attention and turnout will be on the national primaries and Presidential elections in March and November of 2020, but remember: odd years are worth your time as well!

Historically, odd-year elections get lost in the shuffle.  Texas voter turnout in 2017?  Less than six percent.  Travis County generally has a more-energized electorate, but still brought out only 13.4% of registered voters in 2017.

What’s on the ballot?

To be sure what you’ll see before you go, Travis County voters can use the “voter lookup” feature on this web-page:  https://www.votetravis.com/vexpress/display.do which will find the voter and display a sample ballot.

The League of Women Voters also has a very thorough, nonpartisan voter’s guide: https://lwvaustin.org/voter-guide/

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 – General Election (Constitutional)

Early Voting:
Monday, October 21, 2019 – Friday, November 1, 2019

Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (received, not postmarked):
Friday, October 25, 2019

Travis early voting locations: https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/polling-locations.html

Williamson early voting locations: https://www.wilco.org/Departments/Elections/Voting-in-Person/Early-Voting

**NOTE:  the two-county site at McNeil High School’s Performing Arts Center will not be open this year.  Travis County voters may vote at Northwest YMCA across McNeil from the high school. Williamson ballots will not be available at that location.Your vote is your voice!  See you around the neighborhood!

Wells Branch Crime Initiative

by Craig Smith, Major
Law Enforcement Bureau
Travis County Sheriff’s Office

During the months of June and July of this year, TCSO noticed an increase in burglary and theft in the Wells Branch area.  This was determined by using data collected monthly and prepared by an analyst.  This type of analysis helps us pinpoint where crime is increasing, as well as help us pro-actively work to prevent crime.  Captain Poole, who oversees our East Area Command, worked with his staff to come up with a crime initiative targeting burglary and theft in the Wells Branch area.  The initiative was four weeks in length, using various units such as, Auto Theft, Criminal Investigations, Traffic, and the Special Response Team. In situations where individuals are accused of burglary or theft, seeking legal counsel from a criminal defense lawyer is paramount. These legal experts specialize in defending individuals facing criminal charges, ensuring that their rights are protected throughout the legal process. By enlisting the support of these lawyer, individuals can navigate the complexities of the legal system with confidence, knowing that they have dedicated legal representation advocating for their rights and best interests. The criminal defense attorney in Manassas appreciates the efforts made by this society to spread awareness and lends a helping hand for poor people to fight their legal battles. Teams of deputies and detectives conducted surveillance, utilized bait vehicles and packages, and increased traffic enforcement. The Naegle Law Firm, PLC is where one can get a good attorney. The public must be given awareness about various kinds of lawyers available to deal with different kinds of cases. Now a days, it has become so easy to find out the best lawyer fighting criminal defense charges not only with the number of cases that they have handled but also with the good credibility and client satisfaction. Your lawyer may also explain felony bond conditions in Texas if you are planning to post bail.

The four week initiative was very successful, resulting in the following:

  • 3 recovered stolen vehicles, valued at $48,913.00
  • 1228 traffic citations issued
  • 27 persons arrested
  • 14 Felony Charges
  • 14 Misdemeanor Charges
  • 4 Felony Arrest Warrants
  • 17 Misdemeanor Arrest Warrants
  • 8 DWI Arrests
  • Stolen property recovered, valued at $8,700.00
Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez, Flynn Lee and Nelson Linder address the residents of Wells Branch during the TCSO Townhall on September 7 at the WB Rec. Center.

I am very pleased with the work done by everyone involved.  I am confident this will impact the crime in Wells Branch and help make the community a safer place.  The holiday season has started and we will continue to monitor crime statistics so that we can immediately address areas of concern. The domestic violence attorneys helping clients in Dallas can help the victims come out of troubled households.

A video of the presentation by Captain Poole is available on the WBNA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WBNA.WellsBranchNeighborhoodAssociation/videos/2690101737688542/

Donations to ATXHAW

Once again, we’ll be collecting donations for those experiencing homelessness at Extreme Clean this Saturday, October 12, from 8am-2pm.  Please see below for a list from their website of items NEEDED as well as those accepted.

Austin Humanists at Work
Humans helping humans…no strings attached
http://www.austinhumanistsatwork.org/donate/what-do-we-need/

Welcome to our traffic light shopping guide! Below is a list of our staple items, which was last updated on October 1, 2019.  Your donation is tax-deductible!  We are a 501(c)(3) organization.

For a complete list of everything we do and don’t accept, please see our Donate page.

As of February 24th, 2019, we cannot accept clothing (t-shirts, jeans, shorts, etc.). We continue to accept accessories that can be placed on our giveaway line, such as socks, underwear, bras, shoes, belts, hats, etc. If you’re not sure whether to donate a certain item, please email donations@austinhumanistsatwork.org.

Green Light (we really need these items!):

*Sunscreen
*Nail clippers
*Condoms
*Women’s underwear
*Non-perishable grab and go foods
*Hair oil/ leave-in conditioners for coarse hair
*Grab and go fruit for the day of the Giveaway
*Shampoo
*Conditioner
*Toilet paper
*Combs/brushes/hair picks (brushes and combs for all hair types)
Lip balm
Hair elastics
Emergency blankets
Insect repellent
Notepads
Pens
Men’s underwear

*means that we are completely out of these items!

Yellow Light (we probably have enough of these items, but a few more wouldn’t hurt):

Women’s socks
Men’s socks
Tissues
Toothpaste
Hand-sanitizer
Mouthwash, dental floss

Red Light (we don’t need any more of these items right now):

Soap & body wash
Toothbrush covers
Lotion
Toothbrushes
Razors
First aid kits
Baby wipes
Cotton balls
Q-tips
Floss picks
All feminine hygiene
All plastic Ziploc style bags

Shredding Services at Extreme Clean

FREE on-site secure document shredding services at Extreme Clean THIS Saturday, October 12, from 8am-1pm* for Wells Branch MUD In-District residents ONLY.

***They will leave promptly at 1pm.  Please drop off shredding prior to 12:45pm.