Two weeks ago Burnt Orange Report was named the "Best of Austin" for the 4th time since 2004 in the Austin Chronicle's annual local readership awards. We have been honored as the "Best Local Politics Blog" for 2009, the first time we have been selected in the category in a non-presidential year, having won it in 2004 and 2008. (In 2005, we won in the "Best Local Blogger" category back when PinkDome first broke on the scene).
This is our 2nd award this year from Austin's traditional press. In March, we were voted the "Best Blog" by Austin American-Statesman readers in their annual "A-List Awards". Thank you for your support and your continued readership! We have some exciting news to share with you in the coming weeks so stay tuned...
-kt, matt, phillip, katherine, david, todd, & michael
"Too many political blogs play nice with elected officials just to say they were there, but the Burnt Orange boys aren't here to make friends. The site may have outgrown its University of Texas roots, but its coverage of state and local politics has only become tougher and smarter while still staying unashamedly progressive."
"Austin's first role - other than that buffalo camp thing - was as capital of an independent republic. Every since, politics has overshadowed most other activities in the city. And despite the rise of higher education, sports, high tech and entertainment as competing pastimes, politics still makes for popular reading.
That's one conclusion to take away from the A-List poll for best blog. Four of the five top sites are primarily political in nature: Hyperactive Burnt Orange Report walloped the competition with 40 percent of the vote. Eileen Smith's In the Pink came in second with 17 percent, while Rachel Farris' MeanRachel.com snatched third with 16 percent. PinkDome crossed the line fourth with 8 percent."
Over the years Burnt Orange Report has been fortunate to win the "Best of Austin" a few times, and each time, we are humbled to be in such great company as Elise Hu, Eileen Smith, Charlie Ray, and many many many others.
This year, we have sat around our new office and racked our brains about who we support for this prestige community based award. We aren't advocating you vote one way or the other but we wanted to merely let you know how the senior staff voted this year. This is the small, incomplete list of people and places that we think make Austin the best place to live, work, and play.
We hope you will make the case for any of these nominees or someone we left off the list. Consider this, your best of Austin open thread.
Performance Space: Salvage Vanguard
Comedian/Comedy Troupe: Johnny Zavant
Movie Theater: Alamo Drafthouse
Emergent Local Filmmaker: David Hartstein
Party of the Year: Travis County Democratic Party/Turn Texas Blue - Driskill Hotel Election Night Party
FOOD & DRINK
24 Hour/Late: Magnolia Cafe
Neighborhood/Dive Bar: Scholz Garten
Wine Selection: Vino/Vino
Cocktails/Cocktail Menu: Malverde
Best Kept Secret: The Whip In
MEDIA
Journalist: Richard Whittaker
Local Non-Chronicle Publication: Community Impact
Music Station: KGSR
Talk/News Station: KUT
Radio Talk/New Host: David Kobierowski
Locally Produced TV Show: Austin Un-Cut
Local TV News: KVUE
TV Reporter: Reagan Hackleman
Local News Website: KXAN or Austin Post
Local Entertainment Website: Austinist or Do512
Local Blogger: Mean Rachel
Local Blog: Austin Sound
POLITICS & PERSONALITIES
News Story: Capitol Chubbing
Scandal: Rick Perry Calls for Secession
State Legislator: Rep. Elliott Naishtat
Texas Lege Moment: Betty Brown on the Naming of Asians
Council Member: Lee Leffingwell
City Program: Single Stream Recycling
Unsung Behind-the-Scenester: Matt Glazer
Nonprofit/Activist Group: Texans for Obama or Texas Freedom Network
Activist: Eleanor Thompson
Local Politics Blog: Burnt Orange Report
Local Politics Blogger: Karl-Thomas Musselman
Environmentalist: Sarah McDonald
WILD CARD
Glen Maxey & the Obama Store for Best Grassroots Business
What happens when the alternative becomes mainstream? As the city of Austin delves further into its live music and hipster vices, with $200 ACL-fest ticket and plethora of skinny jeans, suddenly grunge is luxe. In last night's Hustle for Mayor, hosted by the alternative weekly newspaper the Austin Chronicle, the two mainstream candidates Lee Leffingwell and Brewster McCracken sipped coolly on Lone Stars and Miller Lites while answering softballs in front of a youthful, sweaty crowd at The Mohawk.
Strangely absent from the stage -- but not the venue -- were lesser-known mayoral candidates David Buttross and Josiah Ingalls. Nevertheless, Buttross managed to distribute glossy push-cards to attendees and Ingalls, a janitor at the Downtown Hilton, stood awkwardly in a poorly fitting suit and tie at the back of the audience. He was, as one Chronicle staffer put it, "uninvited."
The Chronicle, representative of Austin perhaps now more than ever in its scenester popularity, seemed unapologetic for eschewing an alternative voice in its Austin mayoral debates. A questioning of senior staff writer Michael King resulted in him saying "I don't think he's a serious candidate - do you?"
Ed. note: We dedicated a lot of time to this issue because of its importance to our local and state community. Texas absolutely must be a national and world leader in the renewable energy industry -- both in wind and in solar. As we at BOR expand into our own office space, we hope to continue bringing this level of discussion to the big picture issues that matter most.
As the Austin City Council prepares to pass the solar energy plant as we speak (and they may have done it by the time I finish with this post), I wanted to provide a single place to look back at the coverage of the past week.
The Austin Chronicle noted our work in their "headlines of the week:"
The perfect forum attendance of mayoral front-runners Lee Leffingwell and Brewster McCracken has spread to the Internet: Burnt Orange Report (www.burntorangereport.com) queried both candidates extensively this week on the future of solar energy.
The Chronicle had their own excellent story on the intricate policies of the solar legislation for the city. The article, titled, "Cool City: Solar Subsidies" rounds out a lot of what I wrote last week regarding the Green Choice program and other cost programs.
91.7FM KOOP Radio Airs Both Sides of the Controversial Austin Issue: Proposition 2!
What: David Kobierowski, host of 91.7FM KOOP Radio's "A Neighborly Conversation" interviews Michael King, News Editor, Austin Chronicle and Brian Rodgers, Founder, Stop Domain Subsidies, as they go head-to-head on the issues of Proposition 2!
When: Wed., Oct. 29th, 12:00noon-1:00pm
Where: 91.7FM KOOP Radio on your FM dial or stream our show live and free at www.koop.org between 12:00noon-1:00pm, Wed., Oct. 29th.
Don't miss this controversial discussion from both sides of Proposition 2!
Prop 2 is about RETAIL SUBSIDIES. It's on our Nov. 4th ballot for City of Austin residents. Be sure to vote!!
"A Neighborly Conversation" airs every Wednesday, 12:00noon-1:00pm on 91.7FM KOOP Radio and streams live at www.koop.org. Our weekly radio show focuses on issues important to the citizens of Austin and our community. We typically report stories not covered in the mass media. Often we're the 1st to cover local stories before the mass media! Here it first on 91.7FM KOOP Radio!!
MY TAKE: I'm personally voting YES for Prop 2 because I want a fair and level playing field for local businesses. It's not fair for one developer to get subsidies while others don't. Even Simon Properties recently decided to go AGAINST retail subsidies in El Paso, stating "tax subsidies are anti-business because they favor one developer over others".
I've followed this story at KOOP Radio for almost a year. The #1 argument against Prop 2 has been the threat of litigation. But Brian Rodgers puts that argument to bed during my interview. He explains during the interview that the city CAN opt out with no legal implications. "The out of court settlement states that the City is NOT obligated to pay".
Listen to the interview on Wed., 12:00noon, and decide how to vote...
FYI: The ballot language is confusing. A supporter of Stop Domain Subsidies recommended to think of it this way: "If you're against retail subsidies, vote YES on Prop 2. Another way of saying it, if you agree with over 500 local Austin businesses who are all voting YES for prop 2, then say YES to local businesses and vote YES for prop 2".
Best,
David Kobierowski
91.7FM KOOP Radio
Winner: Best Radio/Talk News Host 08' by Austin Chronicle
Before yesterday's debate, Austin Chronicle writer Lee Nichols laid out his two question test for Rick Noriega to pass in the 1st Senate debate.
Let's see how Rick did.
1) 1. Don't have that deer-caught-in-the-headlights look that he so often has when he gets asked challenging questions. I certainly hope he has really worked hard on the debate prep for all eventualities.
For those that watched the debate last night, Rick certainly passed that. So check that one off.
2. Hammer Cornyn hard on his support for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. Congress may have been sold on it, but the public hasn't. Cornyn has opened up a window of vulnerability.
Let's see what the lead is from the Dallas Morning News report on the debate...
Sen. John Cornyn and his Democratic challenger, state Rep. Rick Noriega, clashed over the financial industry bailout and health care in their first debate Thursday.
At the outset, Mr. Noriega assailed Mr. Cornyn's support for the $700 billion Wall Street rescue package.
"We can't believe anything that we hear out of Washington, D.C., any more," Mr. Noriega said in a debate broadcast statewide on public television.
"This decision was made in haste," he said, adding that the stock market's negative reaction shows the bailout wasn't well thought out.
"It didn't have the accountability," Mr. Noriega said. "Quite frankly, we need to see that people go to jail."
Wells Dunbar took the City Hall out of City Hall Hustle this week. Wells recaps the highlights of the convention and the low lights of local bloggers (Wells got me on tape after one too many...).
Check out the Chronicle and the videos of your favorite candidates and elected officials below the fold!
Please vote - encouraged by the knowledge that the relative importance of your single vote increases in inverse proportion to diminishing run-off turnout.
Railroad Commissioner: Dale Henry
... Henry is our preferred candidate because of his extensive oil-and-gas experience and his familiarity with how the commission operates. That's the type of knowledge he'll need if he expects to conquer long odds and oust the incumbent Republican chairman, Michael Williams, in November.
District Attorney: Rosemary Lehmberg
We are impressed by Lehmberg's experience in building the office, in developing and expanding innovative and progressive programs, and in her broad sense of the office's wide-ranging responsibilities, as well as the nuances of addressing high-profile political cases. ... The campaign has noticeably strengthened Lehmberg's public profile and her comprehension that the D.A.'s job is not just administrative, not just prosecutorial, but a communitywide engagement. We believe she will be a better public official because of it.
Constable Precinct 1: Danny Thomas
Although we've had our differences with him on specific issues, Thomas' professionalism and knowledge of the community would be excellent assets in this eastern Travis Co. precinct.
Early voting is next week, March 31- April 4. Election Day is April 8.
