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Axios Austin
More business travelers are turning to buses
Luxury bus travel is becoming an increasingly popular mode of transportation for business and leisure travelers, and companies are rapidly expanding to meet demand in Texas.Why it matters: In a state that relies heavily on highways — and lacks a speedy rail system — expanding bus travel could mean reducing road congestion, pollution and traffic deaths, transportation experts say.State of play: Luxury bus service Vonlane this fall boosted the number of departures available to its passengers across the state, while charter services platform CharterUP announced Wednesday that it's rolling out hundreds of luxury sprinter vans for smaller groups of travelers...
Vonlane brings luxury bus travel to Texas
I visited my parents in Fort Worth last weekend and — for the first time — opted to get there by bus rather than car.Details: I've been hearing a lot about Vonlane through friends, who are turning to the luxury bus company for business trips and travel across the state.Each ride includes unlimited snacks, drinks, complimentary Wi-Fi and — depending on the time of your trip — a sandwich, salad or wrap. Beer, spirits and wine are available for purchase.Be smart: Vonlane operates buses out of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.Typical one-way fares range from $89 to...
UT Longhorns earn a lot in the NFL — but not as much as Alabama players
Even though its football program has a storied history, lately the University of Texas has been sending fewer star players to the NFL than its blue-chip brethren.The big picture: There are currently 34 NFL players who attended UT, and they cumulatively earn about $320 million, per Spotrac, which tracks money in sports.That's $9.4 million, on average.Yes, but: That sounds like a lot — it is a lot — but while UT has the 11th-most players in the NFL, their cumulative earnings don't even rank in the top 25, suggesting that many of them ride the pine.Alabama, by contrast, leads with 67 active players in the NFL, and they make, on average, $17.8 million, per Spotrac.Between the lines: For years, UT has had a relatively mediocre football program — and the NFL payroll numbers reflect that fact.What we're watching: The Longhorns (6-1) are on the upswing, currently ranked seventh nationally.Former Texas running back Bijan Robinson was drafted eighth by the Atlanta Falcons and has been crushing it his rookie season.And Longhorns backup quarterback Arch Manning stands to earn a major payday if he's anywhere near as good as his famous uncles.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Why Austin is among the most educated cities in the U.S.
Austin is the nation's fourth-most educated city, according to a new report from Forbes Advisor.Why it matters: Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that workers with bachelor's degrees earn nearly 68% more than those with only a high school diploma.The most educated cities, Forbes says, produce more innovation and tax revenue, which attract companies and ultimately lead to higher concentrations of educated residents.Details: Forbes analyzed high school dropout and college graduation rates, undergraduate and advanced degree attainment rates, and the racial and gender inequities in degree completion rates to rank the nation's 100 most educated cities.By...
The gender gap in Texas politics extends to campaign donations
Reproduced from Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics; Note: States with top-two or top-four primary systems were also excluded; Map: Axios VisualsMore than half of all state political campaign donors in Texas are women, but their contributions only account for one-fifth of total donations, per a new analysis.Driving the news: While 51% of contributors in Texas were women, their money made up just 20% of state-level candidate donations in 2022, according to a new report on the gender "donor gap" from Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP).Women donors across the country made up 29% to 33% of...
Desert Island Dish with Progress Coffee's James Benson
As part of our continuing Desert Island Dish series, we caught up with James Benson, a co-owner of Progress Coffee + Beer in Cherrywood. The backstory: Benson, a coffee roasting specialist, started working at Progress' old location, off East Fifth Street, shortly after he moved to Austin in 2010 for grad school at the University of Texas, where he wrote about social media behavior. Progress has rebounded big-time from the COVID-19 pandemic, which took a bite out of its roasting business. Tech companies had been buying its coffee in bulk — and then everyone started working from home. You're headed...
Why Austin FC had a terrible 2023
Austin FC's season ends Saturday — and the final game can't come fast enough for a team limping into the offseason.The big picture: The 2023 campaign has been a huge disappointment.Catch up quick: After a hugely successful 2022 that saw the squad reach the MLS Western Conference finals, this year's edition, with 10 wins to 15 losses and 8 draws, isn't even making the playoffs.The Verde and Black has won just one game since July 15.Austin FC's last game will be at the San Jose Quakes at 8pm Saturday.What they're saying: "If disaster is too strong a word, it's only...
What to do in Austin during Formula 1
Hundreds of thousands of Formula 1 fans will head to Circuit of the Americas this weekend for the U.S. Grand Prix.Why it matters: The Austin airport sees some of its busiest travel days around F1 weekend, while local economists estimate the economic impact to be in the billions.Matt Patton with AngelouEconomics told KVUE that Austin sees over $110 million in hotel impacts, generating $27 million in sales and use tax and $4 million in hotel occupancy tax.Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this week said F1 has brought in about $10 billion in tourism for the state over the event's 11 years.Be...
Bad Bunny will perform in Austin in 2024
Reggaeton star Bad Bunny will perform two nights in Austin in 2024 as part of a 47-show tour.What's happening: Live Nation announced Thursday that the singer's Most Wanted Tour will kick off in February in Salt Lake City.He will take the stage at the Moody Center on April 26-27.Driving the news: Last week, the three-time Grammy winner made history with his new album, "nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana," as it became the most-streamed album in a single day in 2023 so far on Spotify.The album has amassed more than 900 million streams.Of note: Fans can register for tickets now until Sunday, Oct. 22 at 11:59pm EST. Once registration closes, there will be a random drawing to receive a code that grants access to the sale on Wednesday, Oct. 25.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Bad Bunny will perform in Austin in 2024
Reggaeton star Bad Bunny will perform two nights in Austin in 2024 as part of a 47-show tour.What's happening: Live Nation announced Thursday that the singer's Most Wanted Tour will kick off in February in Salt Lake City.He will take the stage at the Moody Center on April 26-27.Driving the news: Last week, the three-time Grammy winner made history with his new album, "nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana," as it became the most-streamed album in a single day in 2023 so far on Spotify.The album has amassed more than 900 million streams.Of note: Fans can register for tickets now until Sunday, Oct. 22 at 11:59pm EST. Once registration closes, there will be a random drawing to receive a code that grants access to the sale on Wednesday, Oct. 25.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Why Austin commute time is declining
Data: Census Bureau; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosThe share of Austin workers with relatively speedy commutes has increased compared to pre-pandemic times, per a new Axios analysis of census data.Why it matters: Quicker commutes are tied to better mental health, greater job satisfaction and a host of other personal benefits, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Alice Feng report.Plus, the less time Americans spend in cars, the better for the environment.By the numbers: 22.9% of Austin workers had a commute of less than 15 minutes in 2022, up from 20.3% in 2019.Meanwhile, 6.9% of Austin workers had a commute of one hour or longer...
When to expect the first frost in Austin
Data: Midwest Regional Climate Center; Map: Rahul Mukherjee/AxiosThe first fall cold front arrived in Central Texas earlier this month, and Austin's first frost of the winter isn't too far off.What to know: The median first frost — 32 degrees or cooler — for Austin is Nov. 30, according to the Midwest Regional Climate Center.Why it matters: The agriculture sector depends on these dates to protect crops and plants that are sensitive to weather patterns.It can affect food sources for wildlife and change their habits.Not to mention, it's helpful to know for your own backyard.Yes, but: There's still plenty of time to soak up the sun.National Weather Service forecasters expect a high of 95 on Friday.The big picture: Median first frosts can be as early as July and as late as January, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center.Seneca, Oregon, had the earliest median first frost, on July 7.Many Florida cities don't see frost until Jan. 1.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Six Halloween-themed bars in Austin
There are plenty of spots to grab Halloween-themed drinks before the month ends.What's happening: We've rounded up four spots for themed cocktails, scary decorations and more.1. Lefty's Brick Bar Boo! Two scary drinks from Lefty's Brick Bar. Photo: Nicole Cobler/AxiosDetails: The East Sixth patio bar is now Lefty's Shop of Horrors, an interactive Halloween pop-up with ghostly decor, themed cocktails and punch bowls.Pro tip: Check their Instagram for special events like Halloween drag bingo, a dog costume contest and weekly tarot readings.📍 If you go: 1813 E. 6th St.2. Sign Bar Sign Bar is decorated for Halloween and has featured...
Here's what it's like to be an Austin children's librarian
To launch an occasional new interview series with Austinites who do important but overlooked work, we're spotlighting the children's collection librarian at the Austin Public Library's Pleasant Hill Branch.Having grown up in a military family that moved all around the South, Jace Furches moved to Austin nearly two decades ago and studied at the University of Texas, including graduate work in information and preservation.Furches started at the Austin Public Library seven years ago, starting as a clerk at the Yarborough Branch before becoming a circulation lead at the Old Quarry Branch and eventually a reference librarian at the Central Library...
San Antonio Spurs to host Austin pickleball event
Expanding their Austin footprint, the San Antonio Spurs are hosting a pickleball event in Austin next week to help pay for local parks improvements.Why it matters: The Spurs say they're dedicated to San Antonio, but in the last few years they've made a move to extend their brand in the wide-open, and potentially lucrative, Austin market.They now play some NBA games at the Moody Center and have sent players to disperse merch and even bag groceries at the East Riverside H-E-B.In September, Spurs rookie and former Texas Longhorn Sir'Jabari Rice unveiled a basketball court renovation at Garrison Park in South...
U.S. 183 road project aims to improve congestion
As part of our occasional series on planned and ongoing road projects around Austin, we're looking at a stretch of U.S. 183, an increasingly in-demand road in northwest Austin.Previously, we've written about the future of I-35 and examined the Oak Hill highway project in southwest Austin.The big picture: Through what it calls the 183 North Mobility Project, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is building as many as six new lanes — four of them tolled — along a 9-mile stretch of U.S. 183 between State Highway 45 North and MoPac. A schematic of toll lanes. Image courtesy of CTRMAIt's...
Austin startup offers $10,000 tattoos
An Austin firm is hoping to shake up the tattoo industry with a computer-driven pixelation technique that it says can offer more precise body art.Why it matters: The new technique lowers the barrier to entry for artists whose work would have been tricky to translate to human parchment.Driving the news: Blackdot emerged from stealth mode late last week, unveiling its patented automated tattooing machine and opening up bookings for the first Blackdot tattoos at its Austin operation.How it works: Artist designs are scanned into a machine that renders tattoos in many tiny dots — rather than freehand line drawing.The company...
UT historians' thoughts on the Middle East crisis
As the terrible events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, we talked with two University of Texas historians about how they're thinking about this moment.Yoav Di-Capua teaches modern Arab intellectual history and was a 2022 recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.Ahmad Agbaria is a historian of the modern Middle East.Of note: These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.Is this war different from previous conflicts in Israel?Agbaria: "This war is different. It started in the wake of the massacre that Hamas inflicted on innocent Israeli citizens … It revealed the scale of its hostility to Israelis."How did Hamas...
Your guide to the annular solar eclipse in Austin
Austinites can catch a rare glimpse of a celestial event that much of the U.S. will miss on Saturday.What's happening: An annular solar eclipse — also known as a "ring of fire" eclipse — will darken skies above a narrow swath of the country from the coast of Oregon to the Texas Gulf Coast, according to NASA.Austin will see roughly 89% coverage, according to UT's Department of Astronomy, and San Antonio is in the direct path.An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth at or near its farthest point from Earth. The Moon's apparent diameter...
Austin diners are eating earlier
Data: Resy; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosMore Austinites — some who continue to work remotely — are making earlier dinner reservations: 5pm early.The big picture: The shift to eating and exercising while the Sun's still out appears to be part of a larger trend to prioritize work-life balance and sleep over hustle culture.By the numbers: 5pm dinner reservations are slightly more popular now than they've been in the last five years, according to data Resy shared with Axios.And reservations made for the 6, 7 and 8 o'clock hours in Austin have dropped.Between the lines: Eating dinner early could benefit your metabolic health,...
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Axios Austin, anchored by Nicole Cobler and Asher Price, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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