[0:05] Welcome to City View. I'm your host, Renee Teyes. In this episode, we'll have details of

[0:09] a program that lowers utility bills for low-income residents. And we'll learn about the newest

[0:13] museum in town. But first, we're going to take a look at some of the most recent city

[0:17] of Austin News.

[0:18] Austin residents could soon have some of the fastest internet speeds in the world.

[0:23] The city council recently adopted a resolution to bring ultra-high-speed broadband networks

[0:27] to Austin. The resolution is in response to Google's recent announcement of their

[0:31] plan to install and test the superfast networks in a small number of trial locations across

[0:36] the country.

[0:37] Now competition between cities is expected to be fierce for the fiber networks which

[0:41] will allow for internet speeds over a hundred times faster than what's currently available.

[0:46] The city council is handling the official application process but Google is going to

[0:50] consider what residents have to say and city officials are asking for your help.

[0:54] You're encouraged to send in your own responses to Google telling them why Austin would

[0:58] be the perfect location for the pilot project.

[1:01] You can fill out the Google form and learn more information on the Google project by

[1:05] visiting biggigaustin.org.

[1:08] That's biggigaustin.org.

[1:11] The deadline is March 26th.

[1:13] Now it's time for an update from Larry Scholar on actions your city council took at the

[1:17] latest city council meeting.

[1:19] Need a job?

[1:21] The Austin City Council has some ideas.

[1:23] Council approved agreements with Facebook and Ying Lee Green Energy that are designed

[1:27] to bring hundreds of jobs to town.

[1:29] Facebook is promising at least 200 jobs in sales and operations.

[1:34] Yingli says it will create at least 300.

[1:36] The city will provide grants to the companies worth a little over $500,000 over 10 years

[1:42] if the companies accept the agreements with the city and comply with the terms.

[1:46] There's more on the agreements available at the city's website.

[1:49] Council also directed the city manager to get more information about average wages

[1:54] for jobs at Facebook, Yingli and other companies that might receive economic development grants

[1:59] from the city.

[2:01] Meanwhile, the city approved plans for a new animal shelter in East Austin.

[2:05] Voters approved bond funding for the site that will eventually replace the existing

[2:08] Townlake Animal Center.

[2:10] The new shelter should open in the second half of 2011.

[2:14] Also, Council set a goal of having 90 percent of shelter animals leave the shelter alive

[2:19] beginning two years from now.

[2:21] Council also agreed to purchase 13 acres of land to expand Barton Creek Wilderness Park.

[2:27] The city's purchase will ensure the preservation of the land near the Twin Falls and Sculptured Falls swimming holes.

[2:33] Council also endorsed the Let's Go to Work initiative, working to help homeless Austinites get housing and jobs.

[2:40] The council said it would support the initiative's pursuit of partnerships and grants.

[2:44] In all council considered 66 items at its March 11th meeting, its next meeting is March 25th.

[2:50] For CityView, I'm Larry Schooler.

[3:21] This project will improve the streets of East 7th Street for everyone, all the way from

[3:27] Houston-Tellitson University to Strata Cleaners and Joe's Bakery and the many other small

[3:33] businesses along the way and, as I said, for visitors coming to Austin for the first time.

[3:39] This project will enhance the functionality and appearance of the street from Navajo to

[3:44] Pleasant Valley with revitalization keyed to the culture and art of East Austin.

[3:51] The goals for the project were set out by community stakeholders and focus on safety

[3:56] enhancements, improved corridor appearance, and to pursue compliance with all city codes

[4:01] and to help stimulate revitalization.

[4:04] We are going to increase mobility, we're going to enhance 7th Street, hopefully we're

[4:08] going to create better accessibility.

[4:12] But I do want to issue once minor caution and that is in order to achieve these improvements

[4:18] we are going to have to struggle a little bit because there is going to be construction

[4:20] going on for up to 18 months.

[4:23] The contractors that are in place have bonus provisions so if we do it sooner than 18 months

[4:28] they get to receive the rewards of that and so we are certainly going to do everything

[4:32] we can to be on time.

[4:33] The City of Austin is making it easier for low income residents to get a discount

[4:36] on their utility bills.

[4:38] Customers who already receive benefits through the state Medicaid program or the Travis County Energy Assistance Program are now automatically eligible for the discounts.

[4:46] The savings work out to be about $45 a month for the average customer, more than $500 a year.

[4:51] If you think you might be eligible for this program, contact Austin Energy's Customer Service Center at 494-9400.

[5:00] Our Parks and Recreation Department recently opened the newly restored home of Joseph and Susanna Dickinson as a museum in downtown Austin.

[5:06] Susanna Dickinson-Honey played a significant role in the history of Texas.

[5:12] After the Battle of the Alamo, Santa Ana spared her life

[5:17] so she could carry the message of defeat back to Sam Houston,

[5:21] earning her the nickname, The Messenger of the Alamo.

[5:27] She later settled in Austin with her husband Joseph Hanning in this home

[5:31] that has recently been restored and turned into a museum.

[5:40] Small building, but it took us literally about a year and four months to do the preservation

[5:44] work. Most of that was the rock work and the re-pointing. What's amazing was that they

[5:48] moved this house. I equated to picking up a handful of sand and not dropping a grain.

[5:52] I don't know how they did it. It's just amazing that they actually got the house

[5:54] removed without destroying the house.

[6:00] It's amazing that it's gone from what it was

[6:02] to what it is today. It's just an incredible project.

[6:05] It was a perfect place to have the history and the culture and the celebration of

[6:11] but most importantly those who fought at the Alamo.

[6:16] So it's very important to Austin that we remember our Texas history, our past,

[6:22] and in particular to remember the stories of those who defended Texas Liberty.

[6:32] This museum gives a voice to the women and children survivors of the Battle of the Alamo.

[6:39] The museum is located at 411 East Fifth Street

[6:42] and it's open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. for free tours.

[6:46] Visit susanadikinsonmuseum.org for more information.

[6:50] Now, you might notice some new artwork in the Juniper Olive Historic Neighborhood.

[6:54] With the assistance of a grant from Keep Austin Beautiful's Neighborhood Beautification

[6:58] program and bond funds, residents design murals reflective of the neighborhood's diverse

[7:02] culture in front of vacant houses and lots.

[7:06] Robertson Hill Neighborhood Association brought to us several months ago a project of where

[7:11] they wanted to have a mural contest and be able to place them in the neighborhood at some

[7:16] of the homes that the city owns and are planning to renovate these historic homes behind me,

[7:20] part of Juniper Hall of Historic District.

[7:23] While we've been waiting and working through all of the issues behind making affordable

[7:27] housing out of these historic homes, it was great to have Valerie's idea to

[7:30] come forward and put these murals on site in the interim.

[7:34] During a neighborhood association meeting, my neighbor Harold McMillan suggested that

[7:39] we paint murals on the vacant houses to draw attention within our neighborhood's boundaries.

[7:44] Building upon Harold's seed of an idea, we applied for and received a neighborhood beautification

[7:50] grant offered by Keep Austin Beautiful.

[7:52] We wanted neighborhoods to come to us with what they want to see in their neighborhood.

[7:57] And the fact that all of these murals are done from neighbors, that they are

[8:02] going to stay here even after the homes are restored is really priceless and I

[8:08] think through the whole process it's captured our goals of showing the

[8:12] neighborhood what a difference you can make. It's a beautiful day to get

[8:16] together and to see neighbors come out of their houses and come together as

[8:21] a community to stroll around and get to know each other, where the other

[8:25] neighbor lives. Really take a look at the artwork, talk about what they want

[8:29] to do with their houses. It epitomizes what we're trying to do which

[8:32] to create community and make lasting change in areas.

[8:35] Well, I did this piece just before the first night.

[8:40] I had a group taking part in the parade,

[8:42] so I wanted something that reflects that.

[8:44] But this one is very special because I didn't get paid for it.

[8:48] No, no, no.

[8:50] The reason it was special is because it says something

[8:52] about East Austin.

[8:53] And we're trying to be positive over here

[8:56] and do something that is very, you know,

[8:58] bring more life to the community.

[9:00] You can do a self tour of the murals by starting at the corner of Branch and

[9:04] Juniper Street and then walking east. City Hall looks a little different these

[9:08] days. The 2010 collection of the artwork for the People's Art Gallery was

[9:12] recently unveiled. New this year was the edition of the Faces of Austin

[9:15] multimedia program that showcases local films about Austin. Tonight is the

[9:21] sixth annual opening for the People's Gallery here at City Hall

[9:24] which is a wonderful exhibition of artwork on the first three floors and

[9:28] that features works of local artists from over 160 artists in the building.

[9:33] I think it's an excellent program to have art throughout City Hall.

[9:38] It's a great building and it looks all that much better with all this art representing

[9:44] the people of Austin.

[9:45] So I think it's great.

[9:47] Over 160 works of art are featured in this show by over 130 local Austin artists and

[9:52] it really is a way that the city is celebrating its commitment to arts and culture here

[9:58] here in City Hall, defining this space as not only a place for government and to do business,

[10:02] but also as a place to see great art.

[10:05] I really think it's important for the city to do this to invite people from every walk

[10:10] of life, every age, to just share their experiences.

[10:15] Another interesting aspect about this show is tonight we're also introducing 10 more

[10:20] contributions to the Faces of Austin project.

[10:23] That is digital media works that we've asked local artists to commission, featuring

[10:27] creative aspects about Austin and they'll be shown on the digital screens here in City Hall.

[10:32] Well I think the faces of Austin thing is great. I mean you know it's really great that the city

[10:36] you know recognizes that there are so many talented filmmakers in Austin and that's

[10:41] you know one of our best cultural exports of Austin is filmmakers and you know to to put a

[10:47] focus on filmmakers who are kind of turning their eye on certain things about Austin

[10:52] that make it very unique and very special. It's just great that the city itself is embracing

[10:57] Austin's a very supportive community for pretty much everything, not just filmmaking.

[11:02] Something I like about living here is that I feel like any sort of idea that comes up

[11:05] that people have, the whole sea kind of goes for it.

[11:09] Like, let's have a hot sauce festival and there's like a gigantic hot sauce festival

[11:12] with a busily and different kinds of hot sauce.

[11:14] We made a movie about moving a trampoline and we said,

[11:17] hey we want to move a trampoline and then we got, you know,

[11:19] almost 70 people to help us move a trampoline.

[11:21] Everybody's pretty much up for anything.

[11:23] Like everyone likes hanging out outside and being together and it's really exciting.

[11:28] This Faces of Austin program is very good because it works as a nice platform where you're

[11:35] exposing to Austin what's going on here in town with filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers

[11:39] and people who are learning and honing out the craft, such as myself.

[11:44] All of the artwork will be on display through January 2011.

[11:47] Come check it out.

[11:48] And you can watch all the Faces of Austin films at the City of Austin's YouTube

[11:55] or pick up a free guide and tour the City Hall art days and evenings during regularly

[12:00] open hours.

[12:01] That's all for this edition of City View.

[12:03] I'm your host, Renee Teyes.

[12:04] The next episode of City View premieres on March 26.

[12:07] Thanks for watching.

Mar 12, 2010 CityView 3/12 Episode (Council Update from 3/11 Meeting)

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