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Axios Austin
Five questions with IBM's Nickle LaMoreaux
Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM's senior vice president and chief human resources officer, knows AI will transform jobs.Driving the news: LaMoreaux leads IBM's employee experience strategy on a team that supports more than 250,000 employees, and recently spoke at SXSW about the future with AI.LaMoreaux chatted with us about how the company leverages AI, responsible AI usage and the technology's role in the future of hiring.Why it matters: As IBM bets big on its AI offerings, LaMoreaux revealed how the company is using the technology to train its own talent.Zoom out: IBM recently made headlines for having the most AI-related U.S. patent...
Brace your budget before buying a house in Texas
Texas home sales are picking up, largely driven by buyers who waited out last year's sky-high mortgage rates, according to Jef Conn, chairman of Texas Realtors.Why it matters: You can't control housing prices and inventory, but you can strengthen your finances to strike when the time is right.What they're saying: "While rising inventory will offer buyers more options, median price is expected to remain relatively flat across the state," Conn tells Axios.State of play: People are generally holding onto homeownership as the American dream, but it might feel far from reality, depending on where you live.In Texas, where real estate...
Texas Medical Board proposes guidance for abortion ban exceptions
The Texas Medical Board's proposed guidance on exceptions to the state's abortion ban does not offer doctors enough clarity, critics say.Why it matters: The ban, which makes performing an abortion a felony, has led some hospitals to refuse to treat even patients with serious pregnancy complications โ though the law makes an exception for medical emergencies.Texans facing dangerous pregnancy complications have been forced to seek abortions out of the state.Driving the news: The board's proposed guidance, unveiled Friday, defines a medical emergency as "a life-threatening physical condition" aggravated or caused by a pregnancy that "places the woman in danger of...
University of Texas women's basketball starts NCAA tournament run
The University of Texas women's basketball team kicks off its NCAA tournament Friday, competing as a No. 1 seed for the first time since 2004.Why it matters: With famous players like Caitlin Clark in the mix, this edition of the women's tournament promises to be the most high-profile ever, so a deep run by the Longhorns could build campus support for a program that often plays second fiddle to the men's squad.And the higher exposure could boost recruiting.Catch up quick: The Texas women's team is led by phenom Madison Booker, who is the first freshman in Big 12 women's basketball...
Austin startup's blood testing system to launch this summer
Some pharmacy customers in Austin and San Antonio will soon have the option to get routine blood tests with just a prick of the finger.Driving the news: Austin-based health care technology startup Babson Diagnostics announced Thursday that it will launch its blood testing system BetterWay at select Austin H-E-B pharmacies, Peoples Rx and Lake Hills Pharmacy starting in July.Babson Diagnostics expects the technology will be in more than 100 retail locations across Austin and San Antonio by the end of the year, according to Nicholas Turos, the company's vice president of business development.The company declined to say which H-E-B locations...
How spring temperatures are rising in Austin
Data: Climate Central; Chart: Axios VisualsThe spring temperature in Austin has increased by an average of 3.4 degrees since 1970, per a recent Climate Central analysis.Why it matters: Seasonal climate change discussions often focus on summer and winter, when temperatures are typically at their annual high and low extremes.But the "between seasons" are affected too.What they found: Average springtime temperatures warmed by 2.2 degrees from 1970 to 2023 across nearly 230 U.S. cities analyzed by Climate Central, a nonprofit science and communications organization. The group's analysis is based on NOAA data and looks at meteorological spring, which begins March 1 and ends May 31.Spring has gotten notably warmer in the American Southwest, where average seasonal temperatures have risen by more than 6 degrees in some places.Zoom in: In Austin, the average springtime temperature was about 65 in 1970. It was 70 last year.The bottom line: Warmer springtime temperatures can lead to longer allergy seasons and changes in agricultural growing times.Sign up for Axios Austin for free.
Things to do in Austin this weekend
It's shaping up to be a beautiful weekend in Austin. Here are our picks. ๐ง Bid greetings to Malin, the giant new troll sculpture, made of local and repurposed wood, in Pease Park.๐ Hear โโParker Adams, in conversation with Meg Gardiner, talk about the release of his new heist thriller, "The Lock Box," at 7pm Friday at BookPeople. Free.๐งบ Spread your picnic blanket and listen to Austin music stalwart Guy Forsyth play blues at the French Legation as part of the "Under the Oaks" series, Friday, 5-7:30pm. Free. ๐ญ Check out "Bridging With Mother," a theater-and-music performance that combines Indian art forms, at the Vortex at 7pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday. $15. ๐ฟ๏ธ Listen to the Squirrel Nut Zippers in a concert that evokes 1920s New Orleans at the Paramount at 8pm Saturday. Tickets start at $20.๐ธ Bring the family to Phish for Kids at the Mohawk at 11:30am Sunday. $15.๐ฎ๐ณ Shake your hips at the Bollywood Fusion Dance Workshop at 11am Sunday at Bravo by Balance. $31.Sign up for Axios Austin for free.
The meal a James Beard-winning chef would take to a desert island
We caught up recently with Diner Bar chef Mashama Bailey, the 2022 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef winner, to play the game in which we press Austin cooks and restaurateurs on the meals they'd like most on a desert island.Bailey is the co-founder of Savannah-based Grey Spaces, the hospitality group behind The Grey Market Austin, which features Southern fare in the Thompson Austin hotel.The Diner Bar, also at the Thompson, serves Texas-inflected dishes like chicken-fried quail and clams-and-chorizo.Background: Bailey was raised in Savannah, Georgia, and New York City, and after graduating from cooking school began working her way up in...
Projecting the solar eclipse's impact on Austin
Data: NASA; Map: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsIn just three weeks, Central Texans and thousands of visitors will crane their necks up toward the sky to get a good look at the total solar eclipse.Why it matters: The April 8 natural wonder is expected to bring an extra 1 million tourists to the Austin area on an already busy weekend, with the Capitol 10,000 race and CMT Music Awards scheduled for Sunday.The Lone Star State is expected to see the majority of eclipse visitors, according to a Great American Eclipse model.The big picture: Areas in the path of totality have been competing...
Where to watch the total solar eclipse
Austin will experience a total solar eclipse for the first time in over 600 years, with the next one coming in 2343.It's time to make plans for April 8.How it works: The closer you are to the path of totality, the longer you'll experience darkness as the Moon's shadow passes over the Earth.Head to the Hill Country to spend more than four minutes under the Moon's shadow. Towns like Fredericksburg, Llano, Marble Falls and Burnet will all experience more time in darkness than the Austin area, which will see closer to two minutes.State of play: From state parks to viewing...
UT students drop foreign language classes
Data: University of Texas; Chart: Axios VisualsUniversity of Texas students are showing less and less interest in foreign language classes, mirroring national trends.Why it matters: The trend is part of a broader movement from liberal arts to STEM classes on university campuses.By the numbers: The total number of undergraduate enrollees in 11 foreign language classes, from Arabic to Spanish, dropped from 4,750 in the fall of 2014 to 4,224 in the fall of 2023, per data provided by UT to Axios.In 2014, Spanish classes made up 39.2% of all of the university's foreign language enrollment. By 2023, that number was...
Outdoor Voices to close all retail stores, employees say
Austin-founded athleisure brand Outdoor Voices is shuttering retail stores nationwide and moving online, several former employees told Axios.Why it matters: Outdoor Voices took a big bet with prime locations in many of the country's fastest-growing cities, but the storefronts were short-lived, some lasting only a year or two.Driving the news: Current and former Outdoor Voices employees at stores in Austin, Denver, Atlanta, Charlotte, New York, Houston and San Diego told Axios reporters that their stores would shutter by Sunday.Outdoor Voices did not return Axios' requests for comment.What they're saying: One Austin employee who worked on the company's marketing team said...
Timeline for I-35 expansion comes into focus for Austin
The timeline of the state's multibillion-dollar I-35 overhaul is coming into focus, and Austin commuters may want to reacquaint themselves with a map of the city as they try to ferret out shortcuts.Why it matters: The misery of moving north and south at rush hour through Austin's chief arteries is about to get a lot worse.What's happening: The Texas Department of Transportation has moved past the public input and design phase and is acquiring right of way, potentially displacing businesses and people from more than 140 properties.Zoom in: The $4.5 billion, 8-mile central piece of the project, the most costly...
How the Texas prison population has grown
Data: Bureau of Justice Statistics; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosTexas' prison population grew 4.4% between 2021 and 2022.Meanwhile, it fell nearly 20% between the peak year of 2010 and 2022.Why it matters: Prison numbers are an indicator of how our society approaches criminal justice.Plus, in Texas, where prisons are generally in rural areas and incarcerated people are often from urban ones, the prison population has important implications for Census counting and political clout.Data: Bureau of Justice Statistics; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosBy the numbers: 139,631 people were in state or federal prisons in Texas in 2022, per the DOJ's data, compared to 173,649 in...
What to see at SXSW on March 13
Here's what's in store for March 13, day six of South by Southwest.Learn about Waymo's autonomous future in Austin at a fireside conversation between Waymo's co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana and Mostly Human's Laurie Segall. 10-11am at Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon H.Dive into NBA legend Dwyane Wade's business impact off the court in a conversation between Wade and Inc. Business Media's Tom Foster. 11:30am at the Austin Convention Center, Ballroom D.Catch a session on Amazon's decision to invest in artificial general intelligence between Axios' Ryan Heath and Amazon's Vishal Sharma. 11:30am at Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon H.Watch a screening of "The Truth vs. Alex Jones," which follows how Sandy Hook families took on the far-right conspiracy theorist in an Austin courtroom. Screening at 6:15pm at Alamo Lamar.Listen to over 30 bands at Austin Eastciders music showcase from 12-10pm at 979 Springdale Road. Free and open to the public.Sign up for Axios Austin for free.
Why the University of Texas is once again requiring standardized tests
Sharpen those pencils and prepare to fill in those bubbles: the University of Texas is once again requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores. Why it matters: The move by the state's flagship university is part of a national return to pre-pandemic admissions practices.Yale, Dartmouth and Brown โย among others โย are reviving their own standardized test requirements.UT suspended its requirement in spring 2020.What they're saying: Standardized scores, combined with high school GPA, lead to "early identification of students who demonstrated the greatest academic achievement, the most potential, and those who can most benefit from support through our student success programs," university president...
South by Southwest preview: What to expect around Austin
South by Southwest begins on Friday, bringing hundreds of thousands to Austin for nine days of programming and parties centered around music, film and technology.What to expect: Gear up for traffic jams, long waits at restaurants, a busy airport terminal and a generally hectic month around Austin.The festival starts today and ends March 16, with airport officials warning of a busy spring travel period through the end of the month.SXSW, NASCAR and Texas Relays take place in rapid succession, or in some cases at the same time.Meanwhile, the University of Texas, Austin ISD and many surrounding districts have their spring...
Why a UT professor scored a $250,000 teaching award
A University of Texas professor recently won a top teaching award. Why it matters: From elementary school to graduate school, teachers deserve recognition.Catch up quick: Jay Banner was awarded Baylor University's Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching, which comes with a $250,000 prize.Banner, whose teaching interests are in sustainability, environmental science, geochemistry and environmental justice, is a professor in UT's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and director of its Environmental Science Institute.Plus: He oversees the public lecture series Hot Science โ Cool Talks, as well as a scientist-in-residence program that partners graduate-student researchers with K-12 teachers, and a new...
10 free events during SXSW
You don't need a badge or wristband to experience the fun of South by Southwest.What's happening: We've wrangled up a list of some events that are free and open to the public during the festival.1. REI's International Women's Day partyHonor International Women's Day with a party at REI.Details: Music from DJ Big Reeks and Kam Franklin and Friends, and panel discussions on sustainability in retail, from 1-8pm Friday.๐ Where: 601 N. Lamar Blvd.2. International Women's Day runTake a jog with Austin's women runners to celebrate International Women's Day.Details: 5K run from Fleet Feet and a recovery meetup with giveaways from...
Why Rooster Teeth is shutting down
Rooster Teeth, the Austin entertainment firm that started in a Buda garage 21 years ago, has been shut down by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. Why it matters: Rooster Teeth successfully bottled a strain of irreverent, creative Austin, one that blended anime, gaming, fandom, sarcasm and slackerdom with shows that ranged from puppeteering to podcasts.The company closure will lead to layoffs of roughly 150 full-time employees โ and freeze work for dozens of contractors and content creators as well, Variety reports.The big picture: The company, arguably best known for its sci-fi satire "Red vs. Blue," launched in 2003 and ultimately fell...
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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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