This Week in Texas: Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Posted October 23, 2019 in The Mignon Memo

Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen Will Not Seek Reelection

Speaker Dennis Bonnen on Tuesday announced he will not seek reelection as a member of the Texas House of Representatives when his term ends in January 2021.  He has served in the body since 1997 and was elected Speaker at the beginning of the 2019 legislative session.

Houston Astros Return to the World Series!

The Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees Saturday, winning the American League pennant and sending the Astros back to the World Series for the second time in three years.  The 2017 World Champion Astros and the Washington Nationals, appearing for the first time in the World Series, met last night in game one of the championship series.  While Houston lost last night, we are sure they will ultimately be World Series champs again.  Game two is tonight — Go Astros!

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush Visits Students in Round Rock and Pflugerville

Fourth graders at Round Rock Christian Academy and Pflugerville’s Riojas Elementary received a special lesson on Texas history Monday.  Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a former teacher, made visits to both schools as part of his Year of Education initiative, in which he intends to visit 50 schools.  Students pretended to be cartographers using gloves, magnifying glasses and replica maps from 1830, and even had the opportunity to hold a cannonball from the Battle of the Alamo.  Comm. Bush said the initiative was developed after a historic investment in public education by the state legislature.

Only in Austin…

Austin’s Pease Park recently celebrated a groundbreaking to start work on Kingsbury Commons, the southern entrance to the 84 acre park located close to downtown along North Lamar Boulevard.  Pease Park is a beautiful urban space known to Austinites as the home of the very unique Eeyore’s Birthday Party every April.  Park improvements will feature multiple playground areas including a very large “treescape” sphere, sports facilities, improved trails and a community event space.  The grand opening is anticipated for the spring of 2021 – a very cool 3D fly-through video of the project can be found within the link above.  What a great place to walk the doggos one day!