Daily Archives: 05/12/2009

(Community Matters)

my dear friend Kevin Keim takes such better pics. His Marfa pics here

(Community Matters) Nice reentry to Austin – dinner at Julio’s with our flatmate, the very earnest and hard working Luke Hayes, very early to bed and now a day of good meetings.

PeopleFund board meeting this morning; final planning for Entrepreneurs Foundation’s Extreme Makeover of Andrew’s Elementary School on Friday when 350 people from 28 different companies will descend on the school to spoil the kids, teachers and premises; OFA lunch meeting; Entrepreneurs Foundation board meeting, then a Umlauf Sculpture Garden reception recognizing past board members for the Austin Community Foundation.

(Community Matters) Three sons of a working class family in Marfa. All three boys have won scholarships to Brown University. The oldest graduated and now taking preliminary courses prior to medical school. While attending Harvard and working in Boston, diagnosed with a virulent leukemia.

Our friends who own Cochineal want to organize a fundraiser. Evidently, he has no health insurance and Tom believes he is unable to afford recommended treatment.

On my way out of Marfa yesterday, I ran into Tim Crowley (just in from travels). Pleased to learn from Tim that the young man is receiving treatment at MD Anderson, not pleased to hear it is particularly virulent and from signs explained, evidently very far along.

Why do bad things happen to such good people? a mystery to us all.

(Community Matters) I must have driven slower than usual, and I did make a few short stops. Also, having received a speeding ticket last time and no real hurry, I know I kept to speed limits – which at 80 and 70, isn’t such a burden.

Tons of work & catching-up on telephone calls during the drive. And, though I’m not on Twitter, I suppose I somehow tweet on Facebook since I was posting status updates along the drive:

(Community Matters) Just pulled into the driveway or else would have been at the press conference.

Congrats to Mayor-elect Leffingwell and thanks to Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken for giving the city his all these last six years.

The ideas of Lee’s & Brewster’s campaigns weren’t mutually exclusive – strong local businesses, neighborhoods, protecting the environment, jobs, economic development, recruiting major employers and promoting & protecting the arts – these are all complimentary and why Austin is such a great city. Lee has been a great council member and will make a terrific mayor. Brewster has been a terrific council member and will continue to be an important community leader – I hope still involved in economic development.

Brewster exhibited his usual class and put the city first in conceding the race without a runoff. Austinites are the winners.