Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 7h

Mamdani talked about single-stair on Odd Lots, Talarico sponsored the single-stair pre-emption bill in the Texas House, we might have to make this the new litmus test 🤔

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 9h

I would like some of that energy for building the housing, trains, and solar farms our cities need to thrive please

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 9h

One place we remained committed to building state capacity: the DOD

And you know what, it worked! The Second Offset Strategy produced a force that won a ground campaign against an army of a million men in less than 100 hours.

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 9h

The Carter/Reagan era of austerity did so much damage to America’s state capacity, it’s unreal. HUD, USMTA (now FTA), DOE, the GMENAC report, the freezing of the federal workforce—we just about gave up on solving problems we couldn’t bomb, tax, or credit

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 10h

Model station designs for both cut and cover and mined! It favors mined-twin tubed stations (a la Crossrail) because of reduced excavation size. The US/MTA habit of mining boxes underground is likely the most expensive way to build a subway station.

Pdf pgs 55 and 56.

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Reposted by Parker Welch

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 10h

Here are the Subway/Metro Station design guidelines that were compiled by UMTA/USDOT in the 1970s in an attempt to prevent WMATA-style cost overruns again.

It got shelved when everyone at UMTA got laid off and we forgot it. But it's prescient about cost drivers -- rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/11352

DOT ROSA P

ROSA P serves as an archival repository of USDOT-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by USDOT ...

rosap.ntl.bts.gov

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Reposted by Parker Welch

Welcoming Neighbors Network @welcomingneighbors.us · 20h

“If we want an affordable Austin, we have to build it.”

New state laws, championed by @texansforhousing.bsky.social, are making sure they can. 🏆

Opinion: New State Housing Bills Will Help, Not Hurt, Affordability in Austin

If we want an affordable Austin, we have to build it

www.austinchronicle.com

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Reposted by Parker Welch

Jay Blazek Crossley @jaycrossley.bsky.social · 1d

People of Austin (in Travis or Williamson County - ie constituents of CTRMA)!

Please fill out this push poll that wants to justify roadway expansions by October 10, but argue for safety. Click on the map & add comments!

Stop sprawl subsidy! End freeway expansions!

wspengages.com/290Extension...

CTRMA 290 Extension Project

An environmental study for mobility improvements to US 290 including the possible extension of 290 Toll.

wspengages.com

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

Anyone working for ICE right now should ask themselves if they are ready to stand before God and answer for what they’re doing.

I cannot know a man’s heart. But I do know that Christ was murdered, in the name of the law, by the soldiers of another Caesar. I do not believe those were idle details.

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

In their quest to mimic every movie villain they have finally arrived at “Roman Soldiers in Jerusalem”

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 1d

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

(RNS) — Last month, the Rev. David Black stood in front of a Chicago-area U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and spread his arms wide. Adorned in all black and wearing a clerical collar, the pastor looked up at a group of masked, heavily armed ICE agents on the roof and began to pray.

“I invited them to repentance,” Black, a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), said in an interview. “I basically offered an altar call. I invited them to come and receive that salvation, and be part of the kingdom that is coming.”

But when Black began to lower his arms a few seconds later, the agents responded to his spiritual plea by firing pepper balls, or chemical agents that cause eye irritation and respiratory distress, video footage shows. One struck Black in the head, exploding into a puff of white pepper smoke and forcing him to his knees. Fellow demonstrators rushed to his aid, and as the pastor rubbed his face in pain, the agents continued to fire.

“We could hear them laughing,” Black said.

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Reposted by Parker Welch

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 1d

Gonna be thinking about this lede for a minute.

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

Look at how fuzzy she is, she’s like a little kiwi fruit with legs

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

The voters have given Lady Bird a *resounding* mandate and I look forward to her leadership in the days ahead

youtu.be/eDKClugmQbA

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Reposted by Parker Welch

Council Member Mike Siegel @mikesiegeld7.bsky.social · 1d

Big transit news for North Austin: Construction on CapMetro’s newest Red Line station — North Burnet/Uptown Station — kicks off next month!
This is a major step in Project Connect’s vision for a more connected Austin. (1/2)

communityimpact.com/austin/north...

Construction of CapMetro's newest Red Line station to begin next month

Construction on North Burnet/Uptown Station, previously known as Broadmoor Station, is slated to begin in November.

communityimpact.com

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

They were two-door sedans I’m sure, nothing to worry about

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

No one has ever quite been able to explain to me how interest rates could be so much lower in Austin than the Bay Area 🤔

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

I think it comes up precisely because it’s a venue that neither party to the conversation has any influence over. It absolves themselves of blame while trivializing whatever the reformers are trying to do.

Lets them win without ever defending something on the merits.

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

@link-houston.bsky.social

bsky.app

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

Houston folks: LINK is organizing around the issue here

linkhouston.org/red-line-sig...

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Reposted by Parker Welch

Emi the Sweary Cook🌵 @undercoveremi.bsky.social · 1d

Complained about this last week, but I’m doing it again. My nurse last chemo said it’s making everyone in the Med Center late to work and it’s been a disaster for the hospital systems.

Evan @evan7257.bsky.social · 2d

Why is Mayor Whitmire breaking the one part of Metro that didn’t need fixing? | Editorial

www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/edit...

Why is Mayor Whitmire breaking the one part of Metro that didn’t need fixing?

Without explanation or warning, Houston changed downtown and midtown traffic signals so that the Red Line light rail is often stuck at red lights.

www.houstonchronicle.com

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 1d

“The Cuomo of the South” they’re calling him

Evan @evan7257.bsky.social · 2d

Why is Mayor Whitmire breaking the one part of Metro that didn’t need fixing? | Editorial

www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/edit...

Why is Mayor Whitmire breaking the one part of Metro that didn’t need fixing?

Without explanation or warning, Houston changed downtown and midtown traffic signals so that the Red Line light rail is often stuck at red lights.

www.houstonchronicle.com

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Reposted by Parker Welch

EmmanuelSPV @emmanuelspv.bsky.social · 1d

Avant / Après sous le métro aérien près de la Place de Stalingrad dans le 19ème arrondissement de Paris. On est passé de voie générale + bande cyclable + faux trottoir finissant en cul-de-sac à piste cyclable + large trottoir continu. Notez qu'il y a plus de cyclistes au second plan qu'au premier !

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 2d

U-Dems always does a great job with this, but I just think it's really cool to see student groups registering students to vote in an off-year election. This is the stuff of fascist nightmares and I love it.

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 2d

Hell yeah

Zohaib “Zo” Qadri @zoforaustin.bsky.social · 2d

Stopped by @udemstx.com tonight with pizza for their midnight voter registration drive!

Every election matters, and there's 18 items on the ballot in Austin where it's important every student’s voice is heard.

If you’re in Travis County, check your address at VoteTravis.com (www.votetravis.com).

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Parker Welch @parkerwelch.bsky.social · 2d

I picked out two (2) little table lamps that I'm gonna pick up this weekend, because I'm finally declaring independence from the cold, unloving ceiling lights that haunt my apartment

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Reposted by Parker Welch

Kevin Duggan @kevinduggan.bsky.social · 2d

Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani says he still backs universal intersection daylighting – banning parking near corners for better visibility – even as DOT digs in its heels and plans to sway the next mayor against the street safety policy. nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/10/06/l...

Likely Mayor Mamdani Supports Daylighting as DOT Digs In Heels - Streetsblog New York City

The next mayor will have to overcome a deeply entrenched bureaucracy opposed to the common-sense policy.

nyc.streetsblog.org

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