Flash Flooding from Hermine Prompts Water Rescues

Here in Austin, we live in one of the most flood-prone areas of the country, according to FloodSafety.com. The majority of flood-related deaths are caused by people trying to drive through running water, particularly at low-water crossings.

Despite continual reminders from emergency personnel and local media to "Turn Around, Don't Drown," as well as road closures and the threat of arrest for crossing barriers, several people have been the subject of water rescues since Tropical Storm Hermine swept through Central Texas.

Rescue crews are still trying to recover a woman who, according to witnesses, drove a Lexus SUV around barricades and was swept away into Bull Creek. The search was called off Wednesday night and scheduled to resume Thursday morning.

There are still several roads closed due to flooding conditions. Check the City of Austin's Office of Emergency Management site for more information on road closures.

Empower Kids to Be Safer, Not Sheltered

by Sarah and Ryan Loyd 

The recent news about a teenage girl who said she was attacked by men while she was walking to school was shocking to many parents, to be sure. I have no doubt that for many of them, the immediate reaction was to drive their kids to and from school the next day, just in case.

As it turns out, the girl recanted most of her story, and police have called off the investigation. But I hope that Austin parents, instead of throwing their kids behind lock and key in response to the big "what if", instead teach their children about what they should do in such a situation.

I asked Lenore Skenazy, a nationally-syndicated columnist and the author of the book Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe Self-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts with Worry, what she thought about the situation and how parents can prepare their kids to deal with such a situation.

Skenazy, the so-called "worst mom in America" for giving her own child the chance to ride the subway alone in their home of New York City (but with proper preparation and adequate fare money) offers several tips.  She says that parents need to teach children to be familiarized with the neighborhood.  Skenazy also says to teach them to ask strangers for help if they are in trouble.  "Since most people are NOT predators, they will help rather than hurt your child," she told the Austin Citysphere.

"Teach them they can scream, kick and run away from anyone bothering them."  She also says that teaching kids basic self-defense isn't a bad idea.

Skenazy also advises parents to make sure they have good communication with their kids so that if anything does happen, children will be more willing to come forward.  "Teach them ... that they CAN tell you if anything 'bad' happens (or is attempted) and that you won't be angry at them.  You're on their side.  Open lines of communication keep kids safer from the FAR more common threats of abuse at the hands of someone they know (a family member or family friend)."

For more on empowering kids to be safe, check out Skenazy's Free Range Kids blog or find her book online.

When events like this happen, parents should not freak out; instead, prepare them for the road ahead and teach them how to handle themselves.  You can't lock them up because they eventually grow up.  Then what?   Skenazy practices what she preaches, which earned her the worst mom in America title by the media.  Parents used to let their children go to the bus stop without a second thought.  Kids used to ride their bikes down the street or to the market by themselves.  What happened to that?

It's true: the world may not be as simple as it once was.  But responsible parenting and smart thinking by kids is the best parenting a mom and dad can give to their child(ren).  New parents ourselves, we want to protect our child no matter what.  But the old adage, "Give the man a fish, he eats for a day.  Teach a man how to fish and he eats for life" is very true here.

What do you think?  Let us know.

Early "No Refusal" Stats Show Increase During Labor Day Holiday

APD has released preliminary statistics for the Labor Day "No Refusal" weekend, covering just one night (September 4, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 4 a.m.). There were 31 arrests overnight, including 18 people who provided a breathalyzer test, one person who consented to a blood draw, one person who was subject to a mandatory blood draw for felony DWI and 11 people for whom police obtained blood search warrants.

During the September 4 counting period in 2009, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., police made 26 arrests.

APD says the final results from the 2010 Labor Day Weekend no refusal period will not be available for a few weeks.

Personal Watercraft Banned on Lake Austin This Weekend

The APD Parks and Lake Patrol Unit has announced a personal watercraft ban during Labor Day Weekend on Lake Austin.

The ban includes use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards and similar devices and lasts from sunset tonight, September 3rd, through sunrise on Tuesday, September 7.


APD bans personal watercraft every year during the Labor Day holiday to ensure the safety of the crowds of people on the lake and in the parks. They'll be patrolling the lake as well.

If you have an emergency on the water or need to report reckless boating, call 911. If you have any questions about the ban, call APD's Lake Patrol Unit at 329-8841.

TxDOT: Safer Roads Mean Fewer Fatalities

The Texas Department of Transportation is crediting safer roads as a major factor in an 11% drop in road fatalities, according to a recent report.

In 2009, there were 388 fewer fatalities on highways in Texas. "This is great news for Texans, and evidence that the resources we’ve put into safety projects across the state are paying dividends in lives saved," Gov. Rick Perry said.

Over the past five years, TxDOT has concentrated $1.2 billion dollars on highway improvement projects that had the greatest potential to reduce crashes. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also attributes the decline to other factors as well, including improved seat belt usage, successful drunk driving and distracted driving campaigns, safer vehicles, and motorists cutting down on their driving.

The recent "Click It or Ticket" campaign has helped Texans set a new record of 93.8% statewide seat belt usage for 2010. Deirdre Delisi, Texas Transportation Commission chair, says the safety campaigns coupled with improved road safety have made a phenomenal difference.

"TxDOT and its law enforcement partners across the state conduct a variety of outreach campaigns encouraging motorists to drive safer. The agency's annual Click it or Ticket and the Drink, Drive, Go to Jail campaigns are examples of educational programs designed to change driver behavior," she said.

Seat Belts on Buses Face Funding Cuts As Date Looms

A 2007 law mandating three-point seat belts on all new Texas school buses takes effect this Wednesday. Any buses purchased after September 1st must be equipped with the seat belts. The law, HB 323, was drafted by State Rep. Mike Hamilton and State Sen. Eddie Lucio.

During the 2009 legislative session, lawmakers appropriated $10 million for fiscal year 2011 for the seat belt program, dependent on developing a plan to reimburse school districts for the cost associated with seat belts on new buses. That reimbursement plan, developed by the Texas Transportation Institute and Texas Education Agency, is complete. However, authorization by the Legislative Budget Board is pending.

A representative from TEA told local news outlet KXAN that the LBB has not yet approved the implementation and reimbursement plan, and that TEA is not authorized to implement the program until it's approved. Meanwhile, TEA recommended the fund be cut from $10 million to just $3.6 million.  TEA and other state agencies were asked to cite programs where cuts could be made in order to reach a 5 percent total budget decrease.

Beware Burn Bans in Central Texas Counties

Williamson County Judge Dan A. Gattis has put a burn ban in place for the entire county, in effect until further notice. The ban prohibits the burning of household yard waste, such as leaves, grass, brush and other yard trimmings. Burning to clear brush is also forbidden.

Travis County is also under a burn ban until September 22nd.

Austin Chock Full of Weekend Fun

Austin is known for its non-stop events.  Isn't it great?  The to-do lists of fun activities are endless!

This weekend, they won't be stopping for anything, and drivers beware!  Below is a list of several events, details about them, and maps of event locations. 


Taco Shack 5K and Kids Triathalon

Motorists traveling in the area of Shoalwood Avenue and Ramsey Park should expect delays between 4 a.m. and 12 noon Saturday, June 5 for the Taco Shack 5K and Kids Triathalon.  Full road closures will take place along the event route starting at 44th St. and traveling south on Rosedale Ave. and Burnet Rd., west along 40th Street, north along Sinclair and Shoalwood avenues to 49th Street, then loop back to Shoalwood Ave. via Woodview Ave.

Officers will be on hand to guide the flow of traffic across intersections and ease delays.  For those traveling in the area, alternate routes are recommended including north and south along Lamar Blvd. and Mopac, and east and west along 38th Street and North Loop Blvd.

For a complete list of street closures, click here.  For a map of street closures, click here.

Pride 5K and The Austin Gay and Lesbian Parade

The Pride 5K will take place Saturday, June 5 between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and road closures will take place along the same route as the parade Saturday evening between 7:30 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Full road closures will take place during these times along S. 1st Street from Riverside to Cesar Chavez, and W. 4th from Congress Ave. to Colorado Street.  The closure on W. 4th Street will take place from 6 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday.

Partial closures will also be in place along the event route, which travels from S. 1st Street to Cesar Chavez, north on Congress Ave., west on 4th Street, and south on Guadalupe Street.  Officers will be on hand to guide the flow of traffic and ease delays. For those traveling in the area, alternate routes are recommended including north and south along San Jacinto Blvd. and Lamar Blvd., and east and west along Barton Springs Road and 6th Street.

Shuttles will operate from several locations around town and cost $2 per passenger. For a complete list of transportation options including shuttle services, taxi services and parking garages, please visit the Austin Pride website.  For a complete list of street closures, click here.  For a map of street closures, click here.

Night of the Bat

The Night of the Bat celebration will take place Sunday, June 6 and travelers should be aware of a full road closure along Ann Richards Bridge (Congress Avenue) from Cesar Chavez St. to Barton Springs Rd., from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

To avoid delays for travelers in the area, alternate routes are recommended including north and south along 1st Street and Lamar Blvd. Parking will be available in the City Hall Garage at 2nd Street and Lavaca.

For a complete list of street closures, click here.  For a map of street closures, visit this page.

Missing Trooper Found at Lake Travis

The body of State Trooper Wesley Chenault was found early Wednesday morning on the west bank of Lake Travis, near his home.

Chenault ventured out in a flat-bottomed aluminum boat to check his trot lines Monday evening and never returned. The thunderstorms that rolled through the area Monday night are believed to be a factor in his death.

Searchers found his boat, with the motor still running, Monday night at a dock. Several agencies worked in the search, including the Department of Public Safety, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Burnet County Sheriff's Office and Marble Falls Emergency Management Services.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reported that boating accident deaths were down in 2009 compared with the year before. 2008 saw a spike in such incidents.

TPWD statistics showed that 207 boating accidents on Texas public waters last year caused 139 injuries and 38 deaths, compared with 272 accidents, 175 injuries and 62 deaths in 2008.

However, one-boat accidents are a continuing trend, including boats that capsize, run aground, collide with fixed or floating objects, or boaters that fall overboard.

Game Warden Maj. Jeff Parrish, the state’s marine safety chief, says there are a few simple rules to safety on the water.

“Staying safe while boating is simple as one, two, three,” Parrish said. “First, wear a personal flotation device. The new inflatable jackets are lightweight and comfortable, and they save lives. Second, don’t drink and boat. Third, take a boater education course.”