Announcements

Austin City Limits Festival 2012

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Neighbors,

ACL is coming up on October 12-14.  You can start to see the beginnings…

This year there are additional officers in the Dedicated Neighborhood ROVING Patrol  10 officers and 1 sergeant (increased from 7 and 1), Roving 10 am until approximately 11 pm daily as well as 2 APD Officers (on Bikes) in the Barton Creek Greenbelt, 12pm-8pm.

The dial in number for ACL related response is (646) 578-8562. 

These officers are stationed and roving to be here in the area(s) impacted.

This year there are a number of streets that will have temporary No Parking zones that will be enforced by the police during ACL. The NP signs will be deployed on Wednesday and Thursday, October 10 and 11, but become enforceable Friday, October 12.

The streets with No Parking zones are shown on the attached map.

Please warn your neighbors. Only a small percentage of the population of the neighborhood is subscribed to this Yahoo Group. Parking within 30′ of the approach to a stop sign, within 15′ of a fire hydrant are illegal and will be enforced. Also, make sure when you park on the street that the right wheels of your vehicle are closest to the curb.

Please don’t put barriers in the street. It is public property and the police will ask you to remove them. I suggest placing orange cones along the curb, but not in the street.

The FAA allows the aerial advertisers. The city and C3 Presents have no control over them.

FAA low flying aircraft information

The San Antonio Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) is the office that would take complaints about safety violations. That number is (800) 292-2023. The FAA does not, however, take calls regarding nuisance complaints.  Nuisance/aircraft noise complaints would go to the Aviation Department. Stephen Dick Stephen.dick@austintexas.gov would be the point of contact for those. His number is (512) 530-5541.

I strongly urge you to use this number to report parking and other violations: (646) 578-8562

See the bottom of this page for road closure info:  http://www.aclfestival.com/plan/getting-here/

If you would like to volunteer to monitor traffic and parking we could always use your help. Contact John Luther jluther@austin.rr.com or myself mwh@austin.rr.com

Thanks,

Melissa

Melissa Hawthorne
President, Barton Hills Neighborhood Association
PO Box 2042
Austin, TX 78768-2042

West Nile Virus season is still upon us

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By Susan Donaldson

With recent rains preceded by a mild winter, this summer has been an active mosquito season. Of particular concern are mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus (WNV).

Mosquitoes are present in Central Texas year round, but the population is largest and most active from April through September. During the season, adult mosquito populations are monitored and tested for mosquito-borne viruses by the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department. Check the Austin/Travis County Arbovirus Surveillance Maps for the latest information on West Nile Virus-confirmed mosquito activity.

Travis County has seen a total of 108 mosquito pools testing positive for WNV in 28 zip codes as of Sept. 4, 2012 — the highest number of positive pools detected since surveillance activities began in 2003.

In Travis County, there have been a total of 68 human WNV cases and three deaths reported from Jan. 1 to Sept. 12, 2012. In Texas, there were 1,182 human WNV cases and 53 deaths were reported from Jan. 1 to Sept. 12, 2012.

Preventing mosquitoes from biting you is the best defense. To help prevent bites, follow the four Ds:

  • Dusk and dawn: Try to stay indoors at dusk and dawn. That is the time when mosquitoes likely to carry the infection are most active.
  • Dress: Wear pants and long sleeves when you are outside.
  • DEET: Apply insect repellent that contains DEET. Read and follow label instructions. Spray both exposed skin and clothing with repellent.
  • Drain: Get rid of standing water in your yard and neighborhood. Old tires, flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, birdbaths and wading pools can be breeding sites for mosquitoes.

Check out this comprehensive article on less toxic or green mosquito control, including product toxicity comparisons, for additional options.

To report a mosquito problem, call (512) 978-0370 or click here to send an email to the City of Austin.

More information visit www.austintexas.gov/westnile.

Be a part of the Neighborhood Habitat Challenge!

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The Neighborhood Habitat Challenge is an annual contest organized by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation. The goal is to make Austin a more wildlife-friendly city. To date, Austin has more than 1,700 certified wildlife habitats in the city, according to the Wildlife Austin! website. Nationwide, there are more than 150,000 NWF certified habitats.

Here’s how you can make your little piece of Austin a part of it:

  1. Turn your yard into a wildlife-friendly habitat. There are four elements you need to transform your yard into a habitat: food, water, cover and places to raise young.  In addition, practice two sustainable gardening measures — such as maintaining a chemical-free lawn, planting native species and conserving water.
  2. Complete the Wildlife Habitat Certification form on the NWF website. You can also download and print the form. There is a $20 fee for certification, but pre-paid applications are available by sending an email to wildlife@austintexas.com. A limited number of applications are available.

The three neighborhoods with the most new certifications by Nov. 14 win recognition from the City of Austin, as well as prizes. Prizes for past years have included neighborhood picnics, tree giveaways and wildlife workshops.

For more information about the program, check out the challenge guidelines and FAQs. For more details about how to get involved, email Melissa Hawthorne.