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2007 MEMBERSHIP DUES It is time to show your support for the Castlewood—Oak Valley Neighborhood Association. According to COVNA by-laws, dues are payable at or before the February meeting. This will allow distribution of the directory early in the year. Membership dues received by February will guarantee inclusion in the directory. You may join now by clicking here, filling out the form, and bringing to the meeting or sending it to our Treasurer. |
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join the COVNA Email List, click below and send an email Find out the latest neighborhood news and
developments. |
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| President's Message
I get to say Happy New Year again since this will be our first meeting of 2007. Last month our meeting had to be cancelled because of cold, freezing weather. This month our meeting will be on President’s Day, a date set aside to commemorate the birthdays of Presidents Washington and Lincoln. I hope you can attend. Our Vice President, Dominic Chavez, has secured City of Austin’s Energy Conservation Manager, Jerrel Gustafson, to discuss the city’s programs that save energy for the city and money for you. Other matters of concern that may be brought up are: urban coyotes in our area, neighborhood crime, and other City of Austin’s programs that may involve us. If there is something that should be brought to the attention of our neighbors, please let us know and we can spread the word or if appropriate – become involved. Floyd Clark |
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Advertise in the COVNA Newsletter Only $10.00/month. Reaches over 400 homes & Online at COVNA.org Email Doug Tabony at: tabonyproductions@austin.rr.com |
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We Still Need
Help!!! |
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We need a volunteer to act as secretary. The job only takes about two or three hours a month but is vital to the association. |
AISD Considers Boundary Shift The Austin Independent School District (AISD) is building a new elementary in SE Austin—Blazier Elementary. The addition of this new school has forced the AISD Board of Trustees to shuffle some boundaries, including those that impact Kocurek and Cowan elementary schools. Currently COVNA falls under Kocurek’s boundaries. However, the Facility Use and Boundary Task Force was actively considering two boundary options that impacted our neighborhood. The first option would have effectively split COVNA in two sections—one attending Kocurek and the other Cowan. However, after a strong presence from COVNA neighbors, the Task Force adopted the option that largely places COVNA within the Cowan Elementary boundary. The proposed boundary includes all of COVNA north of Crownspoint. On February 13th, the AISD Board discussed the various options but will make its final decision in the near future on the recommendations for new boundaries. For a map of proposed and curent boundaries of Cowan, Kocurek, and other area schools click here. For charts showing data for Cowan, Kocurek, and other area schools (school capacity - actual membership (9-22-06) and projected membership by attendance areas 2007-2011; net transfers for 007; and student breakdown by race/ethnicity and free /reduced lunch) click here, scroll down to and click on link to Blazier data (I can't make direct link work - ed.). |
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| Virtual Postcards For something more entertaining on the web, send virtual vintage Austin postcards by visiting austinpostcard.com. The site states, “Sending a card is easy. Just follow the instructions at each step along the way. After you have completed the card, you will be shown a preview. If you do not like your card, you may edit it and then send it, or just cancel the request. If you choose to send it the recipient will receive an e-mail advising where to find the card. I also want to let you know that the cards are stored in a non-indexed directory so only you and the recipient will know how to find the card. This directory is also pretty secure from spammers, so send your card knowing you will not end up on any junk list.” Below are several postcard pictures you can choose. The postcards range from 1875 to at least 1935 or later.
There are a huge number of old postcards that you can view on this site. They cover downtown, the capitol, UT, rivers, lakes, parks, schools, churches, hospitals, etc. There are also non-postcard photos and essays and articles
about early Austin on this site. Here is an excerpt from an article
about Austin Dam which created Lake McDonald, the state’s largest
reservoir at the time. |
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“On Friday morning of April 6, 1900, it began
to rain at 4:30 A.M. It rained heavily for twenty-four hours. Shoal Creek
overflowed its banks and washed away several homes. By dawn on April 7th
the rain had subsided and people had gathered to watch water flow over
the dam at a depth of eleven feet above the dam’s crest. At 11:20
A.M. the onlookers heard and felt an explosion. The flood broke through
the dam and pushed two large sections about sixty feet downstream. The
ensuing rush of water through the opening hit the adjacent powerhouse
flooding the lower stories. Five workmen and three young boys were drowned.
The flood swept downstream and inundated farms and houses in its path
washing all away. Austin was left without water, power, or light. The
private utility company that had competed with the dam was also shut down
by the flood. It took five weeks for water service to resume and five
months for the electric streetcar service to be restored. The moon tower
lights remained off until January of 1901. It was determined that the
dam had collapsed due to "sliding". As water swept over the
face it had eroded the limestone under the base of the dam on the downstream
side. This continued until the water pressure behind the dam overcame
the friction that bound the dam to its base. A steam plant was opted for
in place of rebuilding the dam for power generation. The dam would eventually
be rebuilt, but would suffer more damage in future floods. Today the Colorado
river has been mostly tamed by a series of dams and flood control reservoirs.
Tom Miller Dam now stands in the place where the granite dam was originally
built and the reservoir behind it is now known as Lake Austin. It is a
constant level reservoir with million dollar homes lining its shores.
A flood on this section of the Colorado today would cause billions of
dollars of damage.” |
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