Headlines

An airplane banner flying over Austin on Tuesday afternoon let one opinion about Anthony Precourt's efforts to purchase city-owned parkland to build a soccer stadium for his Columbus Crew be known. For more on those efforts, see "Courtship, by Precourt," March 23. (Courtesy of Bayless Parsley)

City Council resumes regular meetings today, March 22, with a 99-Item agenda: mobility bond contracts, flood buyouts, another Champion Tract, and the Baker Center. See "Council: From Soup to Nuts ..." and "It's Baker Center, Not Baker Homes," March 23.

Council's week began early Monday, with a press conference hosted by Ora Houston to mark the 90th anniversary of the city's segregationist 1928 Master Plan; Houston sees a long shadow. See "Point Austin: In Search of a Plan, Not a Master Plan," March 23.

CPCs at SCOTUS: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over a California law that would force anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers to disclose the fact they aren't medical clinics. A decision is expected this summer. Austin's City Council passed a similar "truth in advertising" measure in 2010, only to have it struck down by a federal judge when it was challenged on free speech grounds. Texas is home to more than 24 taxpayer funded CPCs.

The Pajama Man: Reports out of Washing­ton say Corpus Christi Congressman Blake Farent­hold is considering resigning before his term ends next January. (Thank gawd.) In December, Farenthold was found to have used taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. He said he would repay the $84,000 but hasn't yet done so. Just another reason for him to skedaddle.

And Another One: Ricardo Turullols-Bonilla announced he's filing as an independent candidate for Congress in U.S. House District 21. The science teacher and theoretician ran for City Council (District 3) in 2014, garnering 201 votes (1.97%). He says he intends to inaugurate the "Age of Sapience." Bring it on.

STFU Ken Paxton: Amid the chaos of Tuesday's falsely suspected bombing, our state's attorney general went on national propaganda outlet Fox News and said that people he was talking to told him the device that detonated at a South Austin Goodwill was related to the other bombs, a statement that contradicted local officials. Paxton walked the claim back later. At best, he's an idiot; at worst, he purposely undermined local officials of a city he publicly loathes.

In a landmark scientific report sure to be ignored or shrugged off by zealous anti-choice lawmakers, researchers concluded legal abortions in the U.S. are safe and effective, but the quality of abortion care depends on where women live. While GOPers claim they're making abortion "safer" with strict laws, the study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine find that placing restrictions on abortion care actually makes women less safe. Go. Figure.

There's an implosion scheduled for Ashbel Smith Hall (601 Colorado) early on Sunday, morning. Don't ... be alarmed.