NEWS BRIEFS
News the Austin area
Capital Metro head to leave for position in D.C.
Advocates urge area leaders to take action on county drug deaths
“ALL ALONG MY DESIRE HAS BEEN TO SEE MORE COMMUNITIES SERVED THROUGH PROVIDING BETTER ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT, AND IT’S BEEN AN HONOR TO HAVE SERVED THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS.” RANDY CLARKE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CAPITAL METRO, IN MARCH 2018
BY CARSON GANONG
$7.1 billion transit plan. Clarke will begin his new job in late summer. “I’m proud of the work that we’ve accom- plished under Randy’s leadership over these last four years,” said Je ery Travillion, Travis County commissioner and Capi- tal Metro board chair, in a release. “He’s brought us together in so many ways, from building the community’s trust to
BY DARCY SPRAGUE
Capital Metro Pres- ident and CEO Randy Clarke announced May 10 he accepted a position as general manager and CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C. Since joining Capital Metro in 2018, Clarke has overseen e orts that include securing funds for Project Connect, a
The Texas Harm Reduction Alliance hosted a two-hour town hall May 3 on the rising number of drug-related deaths in Travis County. Activists, people with a history of substance abuse and emergency med- ics spoke during the town hall, urging elected leaders to do more to address overdoses and focus on community work—rather than policing. The THRA and other speakers focused on the need for harm reduction. Through their harm reduction work, THRA is providing drug users with supplies, such as fentanyl test strips, and naloxone, brand name Narcan, that can be used during an overdose, and syringes. They also provide medical care and connections to community resources as well as advocate for the needs of people using illicit drugs and people who are experiencing homelessness. DRUG DEATHS UP Overdoses resulting in death have risen 72.5% from 2019 to 2021.
secure funding for Proj- ect Connect to building trust with our sta that led to improved opera- tions and better relations with our labor union. I’m grateful for his time with us, and our board wishes
him great success in our nation’s capital.” According to the release, Clarke will meet with the Capital Metro board this month to discuss next steps for the transition of leadership.
Historic tag suggested for West Fourth LGBTQ bar block
BY BEN THOMPSON
Plans to demolish a portion of Austin’s LGBTQ entertainment district were put on hold May 4 following weeks of community outcry, although the redevelopment project could still move forward in the coming weeks following further city review. In a unanimous vote, the Historic Landmark Commission initiated historic zoning on a section of West Fourth Street covering the buildings between 310-312 Colorado St. and 201-213 W. Fourth St. The historic tag came in response to a request from Hanover Co. to tear down those structures before partially reconstructing their facades at the base of a new high-rise.
A high-rise is proposed at the site of several bars. (Rendering courtesy city of Austin)
2021: 333 deaths
plans were rst detailed during an April meeting of the commission’s architectural review committee. Ahead of the May vote, Hanover representatives acknowledged the signi cance of the bars and the block to Austin’s gay community and said they had crafted the redevelopment based around a recognition of their status.
The properties are now home to LGBTQ bars such as Coconut Club and Oilcan Harry’s, and the district’s status in the local gay community drew dozens of residents to the commission meeting to speak to the fate of those establishments. The redevelopment proposal had also generated widespread community discussion after project
2020: 262 deaths
2019: 193 deaths
SOURCE: AMERICAN BOARD OF FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • MAY 2022
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