■ Basketball and voting PAGE 5
FREE Vol. 37 No. 7
February 15, 2023 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
‘It wasn’t supposed to be political, but it was’
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A Austin ti llove affffair, i page 6
A group of men from Black Men United unload a truck full of furniture that would later be raffled off to deserving families outside of the 15th police district on Saturday, Feb. 11.
West Side police district council candidates talk about dealing with objections By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter
When West Side activists filed to run for the new police district councils, most of them didn’t expect that someone would try to kick them off the ballot. The candidates, who, in the main, had never run for any kind of elected office before, didn’t see the race as political. After all, the police district councils are supposed to serve as liaisons between the community and the police. Wasn’t it supposed to welcome average people who would otherwise never get involved in politics? “Someone had said to expect it, and I was like – not in this race,” reflected activist Karen Winters, who is running for the 15th District police council. “I didn’t think anyone was going to spend the money.” But that is precisely what happened throughout the city, including in three out of the four police districts that serve the West Side. While all the candidates in the 15th and 25th districts, which collectively encompass all of Austin, stayed on See POLICE COUNCIL on page 4
SHANEL ROMIAN/Staff
West Side group organizes love-filled furniture giveaway Black Men United partnered with Ald. Taliaferro, World Vision and 15th District to host Feb. 11 event
By SHANEL ROMAIN Community Narrative Reporter
On Feb. 11, local clergy leaders, politicians and police officers gathered for a community giveaway ahead of the Valentine’s Day
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See BLACK MEN UNITED on page 8
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