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Axios Austin
Golden Hour brings wine and bites to South Austin
New café and wine bar Golden Hour offers up delicious bites and plenty of natural wine to South Austin residents.Why it matters: It's the latest sign of how innovative cooking is now pushing out to areas far from downtown.Spacious, elegant and full of natural light, the spot south of William Cannon — at 7731 Menchaca Road, Suite 100 — serves up a rich, small menu from a postage stamp-sized kitchen. Perfect for days when you want to work from a coffee shop or get together in the afternoon with friends.What they're saying: "What we offer is serving the community in...
Austin's Tori Bertschy talks Dry January
We're halfway through Dry January, and Austin resident Tori Bertschy wants to inspire others to cut back on the booze all year round.State of play: While Gallup polling shows that the percentage of U.S. adults who drink has held steady around 63% for years, Americans are consuming fewer drinks per week than at any point since 2001.Meanwhile, Dry January participation dropped 4 percentage points, from 19% in 2022 to 15% this year, according to a recent Morning Consult analysis, but young people are increasingly choosing to pursue a "sober curious" lifestyle by limiting their alcohol intake all year round."Fewer drinkers...
University of Texas bans TikTok from its network
The University of Texas on Tuesday blocked access to TikTok on its Wi-Fi networks.The big picture: The decision by UT shows how efforts to ban the Chinese-owned app over cybersecurity fears by Republican and Democratic officials is filtering down to everyday use of the short-video colossus.The UT announcement comes in the wake of Gov. Greg Abbott's Dec. 7 directive barring the use of TikTok on state devices. "TikTok harvests vast amounts of data from its users' devices — including when, where and how they conduct internet activity — and offers this trove of potentially sensitive information to the Chinese government,"...
ABIA makes the top 10 U.S. airports for gun confiscation
Data: TSA; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosWhen packing for that weekend trip to visit your grandparents, please remember to put your Glock in your checked baggage.Driving the news: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was a top-10 city for firearm discoveries in 2022, per the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. By the numbers: 150 guns were found at the ABIA security checkpoints in 2022 — up from 110 guns 2021.Nationally, 88% of the 6,542 firearms discovered in carry-on bags last year were loaded.For the record: Guns must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container — and transported as checked baggage only.Replica firearms — including firearm replicas that are toys — and silencers may be transported in checked baggage only.Yes, but: Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on baggage.Of note: A traveler with an improperly stored gun who has been approved for TSA PreCheck will lose PreCheck privileges. Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Madonna to return to Austin on Celebration tour
Madonna will bring her Celebration tour to Austin this year — the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer's first tour stop here since 1985.Details: The 35-city North American tour will kick off July 15 in Vancouver, with a show at Moody Center on Sept. 21.She'll also make stops in Dallas and Houston.What they're saying: In a press release, Madonna said she is "excited to explore as many songs as possible" on the tour that's described as an "artistic journey through four decades."Why it matters: It's the latest sign that the Moody Center has transformed the city's live music scene as...
Austin-area parents look to warn parents about fentanyl
Janel Rodriguez, whose son Noah, a 15 year-old student at Johnson High School in Buda, died last year from a fentanyl overdose, tells Axios. Mounting Central Texas fentanyl overdose deaths have left parents, school administrators and public officials desperate to raise alarms.Driving the news: At least four Hays CISD students have died from fentanyl poisoning since last summer — and there was a suspected fifth student overdose this month.Travis County saw 118 fentanyl deaths in the first six months of 2022 — the same number as all of 2021.Data has not yet been released for the second half of 2022.Details:...
'More California than California': Why people move to Austin
Noting the population boom in Texas, we asked recent transplants to tell us why they made the move.Laurel M. moved to Austin just a month ago from Philadelphia."I’d lived in Philly for a year, but after living in Dubai, UAE, for 13 years before Philly, I wasn’t vibing there. I came to Austin in search of a similar-ish Middle East climate and expat-ish population with all of the city’s transplants."James Paul B., who is deaf and 26 years old, moved to town in August from Minneapolis, partly because Austin "has a bigger Deaf community with more young Deaf adults at...
E-bike popularity soars as Austin Energy rolls out pilot program
Data: Austin Energy; Chart: Axios Visuals Austin is aiming to be ahead of the curve as cities race to give residents incentives to switch to electric bikes — experiments intended to reduce car traffic and improve people's health.Why it matters: E-bikes are environmentally friendly alternatives to cars and trucks, but they're expensive, and a renewed push from Austin officials aims to make them more accessible.Driving the news: Austin Energy rolled out a $300,000 pilot program on Jan. 1 that doubled e-bike incentives for residents and fleet owners, part of an effort to accelerate the adoption of electric bikes and other...
Things to do in Austin, Jan. 13-16
Honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Austin Public Library Central Branch's free panel discussion and live music show from 12-2pm Friday. Free and open to the public.Plus, Austin's annual MLK community march and festival will start at 9am Monday at the MLK statue on the University of Texas campus and ending at Huston-Tillotson University.The Round Rock Black History Organization will hold its annual MLK walk and celebration from 1:30-3:30pm Saturday.🎨 Shift your perspective at the opening reception for "Walking in My Shoes: The Art of Robert R. Jones," a new exhibit at 1006 Congress Ave. The Saturday exhibition from 1-4pm is free and open to the public.🎤 Catch the first of Carpenter Coffee Bar's Vinyl Night series tonight, featuring tunes by Arturo of Crate Digger's Gold, alongside stacks of records, drinks and snacks.🛼 Take part in a local tradition during Texas Roller Derby's opening bout from 5-9pm Saturday at the Palmer Events Center. Tickets for the matchup between the Cherry Bombs and Las Putas Del Fuego start at $30.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
University of Texas releases NIL contract after open records fight
More than a year after Axios asked the University of Texas for a contract with a firm that offers advice on handling the new frontier of student-athletes and sponsorship money, the state attorney general's office forced university officials to fork over an unredacted copy.Why it matters: University administrators officially took no stance on the full release of the contract, but they acknowledged they defer to business interests who want information kept under wraps and asked for an opinion from the attorney general — instead of simply releasing it to the public.Details: UT officials had refused to tell Axios Austin how...
Good luck finding Prince Harry's memoir at Austin-area libraries
Austinites hoping to check out Prince Harry’s memoir, "Spare," should settle in for a long wait.What happened: The book came out Tuesday, but you can't find a single copy on the shelf at Austin-area libraries.By the numbers: More than 331 Austin Public Library patrons have joined the waitlist for one of 54 copies of the book.An additional 360 holds were placed on 25 copies of the eBook.Roughly 400 people were in line for one of 29 copies of the downloadable audiobook.Yes, but: Central Texans in surrounding cities might have better luck.The Round Rock Public Library has ordered two copies with...
Some of Austin's best pizza is moving to a permanent location
Always on the lookout for great pizza, we finally had the chance to stop by Sammataro pizza truck at 1108 E. 12th St., which first launched in 2020 as a pop-up in East Austin.Why it matters: It might be the best pizza in Austin, and owner Isaac Flores has big plans for the shop in 2023. The big picture: The unassuming trailer in the same lot with Cuantos Tacos offers up three choices of 16-inch pies made with a thin crust, baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven.The classic features fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, aged parm, basil and olive oil.Or...
A voter registration campaign tells part of the story of Democratic stumbles in Texas in 2022
A deep-pocketed progressive organization that aimed to register 150,000 young Texans ahead of last November's election netted just shy of a fifth of that figure.Why it matters: Amplifying the Texas Democrats' dismal 2022 showing, the anemic registration figures show just how far liberals are from any 2024 success in the Lone Star State.By the numbers: NextGen America, a national operation underwritten by California billionaire and erstwhile presidential candidate Tom Steyer, managed to register 28,805 Texas voters aged 18-35 in the 2022 cycle.The operation gave the information to Axios Austin after we asked how close they had come to meeting goals...
As Texas lawmakers meet in Austin, here's what to expect on abortion, guns and betting
Get your suits pressed and your shoes polished — it's legislative time.Driving the news: Lawmakers from all points of Texas descend on Austin to make laws that shape our daily lives.What we're watching: Property tax cuts and school safety are major pieces of the agenda.Expect socially conservative legislation, such as protection for libraries willing to ban books with LGBTQ+ themes.How much more money is allocated to border security, as Gov. Greg Abbott ties immigration to drug trafficking — while some Democrats question the spending.More than 1,500 bills have already been filed this session — though most of them will not...
How to keep up with the Texas Legislature
With thousands of bills making their way through the Capitol, it can be tough to keep up. We’ve rounded up the best ways to keep track of your government.The big picture: Lawmakers meet every other year for 140 days.The only bill they have to pass, per the Texas Constitution, is a budget. But, there's plenty more the legislators will want to get done.In other words: Things move fast, especially as the deadline approaches, and most bills don’t stand a chance.By the numbers: Republicans hold a firm grip on both chambers and statewide offices. The 150-member House is made up of...
Austin issues to watch as Texas Legislature reconvenes
Lawmakers will head into this year's legislative session with an unprecedented budget surplus, and how they decide to spend it can directly impact Austin's property taxes, schools and more.The big picture: Expect the time-honored tradition of Austin-bashing bills to draw headlines, but there are plenty more storylines for Central Texas.Why it matters: Newly sworn-in Austin Mayor (and former Democratic state senator) Kirk Watson campaigned, in part, on his ability to finesse a more constructive relationship with the Legislature as a way to protect liberal Austin policymaking. Here are a few issues he and other Central Texas local officials will have...
Eight ways to become a Texas Capitol pro
The Texas Legislature is back, and whether you're a new Capitol staffer or just a civically engaged Austin townie, we've wrangled up the best ways to stay informed and look the part under the pink dome.📚 One book to read: "The Gay Place," the definitive Texas political novel.🏛️ Two clashing memorials to visit: The Texas African American History Memorial and the Confederate Soldiers Monument.👂 Two podcasts to listen to: The Houston Chronicle's "Texas Take," hosted by Scott Braddock and Jeremy Wallace, and The Texas Tribune's "TribCast."☕️ The perfect Capitol Grill order: Texas pecan coffee — great for staying alert...
Violet Crown Clubhouse to soon close
In the annals of Austin pandemic closures, we're sorry to report that Violet Crown Clubhouse in Crestview is soon shuttering.The big picture: Situated in a former pharmacy, with checkerboard floor tiles and lots of wood paneling, the milkshake-and-arcade joint has been the perfect spot for kids to chill after school — or for adults to revive their killer joystick skills. Part of the interior of the Violet Crown Clubhouse. Photo: Asher Price/AxiosThe neighborhood hangout has Galaga, Tron and Ms. Pac-Man on hand — and even little stools so 6-year-olds can reach controls. Plus: The clubhouse, which opened in 2019, played...
Meet the Austin-area lawmakers stymieing Kevin McCarthy
Two Central Texas Republican members of the U.S. House have been giving Kevin McCarthy grief as the GOP leader seeks the speakership.Catch up quick: McCarthy has lost his bid for the role 11 times so far.Driving the news: Chip Roy, who represents parts of southwest Austin, and Michael Cloud, who represents part of Bastrop County, are among 20 or so Republican rebels voting against McCarthy. As members of the House Freedom Caucus, Roy and Cloud say they're trying to loosen the power of the speaker to make the holder of the gavel more accountable.The other side: Fellow Republicans say these...
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