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Axios Austin
Abbott wins big on election night
Gov. Greg Abbott's name wasn't on the ballot Tuesday, but he was the big winner.Driving the news: Five of 10 Abbott-endorsed challengers defeated incumbents while three others forced runoffs.Why it matters: Abbott spent more than $6 million between late January and late February against Texas House Republicans who defied him on school vouchers, and last night's results show Abbott's power to shape the Texas Republican Party.What they're saying: "I'm concerned with what's going to happen at the state Capitol next year," Rep. Steve Allison, R-San Antonio, told KSAT as it became clear that he had lost to Abbott-backed challenger Marc...
Travis County District Attorney José Garza triumphs in Democratic primary
Travis County District Attorney José Garza survived a well-funded opponent to win his Democratic primary.Why it matters: The victory affirms the staying power of progressive prosecutors.Garza swept into office as part of a wave of reform-minded prosecutors elected after national social unrest following George Floyd's 2020 murder.Catch up quick: In an election about criminal justice priorities for Austin and Travis County, Garza stressed his efforts to go after the root causes of domestic violence and gun crimes.His primary opponent, Jeremy Sylestine, who far outraised Garza in a key stretch leading up to the election, argued the district attorney was soft on crime.Between the lines: On Tuesday, Elon Musk emailed Tesla employees, asking them to vote for a new district attorney in Austin who will "actually prosecute crimes," Bloomberg reported.What they're saying: "We scored a major victory for our progressive movement and for criminal justice reform in this town," Garza told supporters last night at Hotel Vegas.What's next: Garza faces Republican Daniel Betts in November, but will be heavily favored in deep-blue Travis County.Sign up for Axios Austin for free.
Texans heads to the polls on Super Tuesday
Texans across the state head to the polls Tuesday to weigh in on federal, state and local elections.Why it matters: Democrats are choosing a nominee to face U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas is running against San Antonio-area state Sen. Roland Gutierrez.The intrigue: Republicans are deciding whether to punish or re-elect Texas House members who defied Gov. Greg Abbott on school choice legislation.The big picture: At stake in Texas are also 161 presidential delegates in the GOP primary and 244 in the Democratic primary — the second biggest Super Tuesday prize for each party.State of play: About 1.8 million Texans — 10% of registered voters — cast an early ballot this election, per the Texas Tribune. That's slightly less than in the last presidential primary in 2020 when 12.6% of registered voters participated early.What we saw: Axios' Nicole Cobler observes that when she voted at the noon hour at her local Austin public library branch it was busier than she expected — but still no wait to speak of.Sign up for Axios Austin for free.
Waymo to test cars without humans behind wheel in Austin
Starting Wednesday, Waymo will test its Austin vehicles fully autonomously — with no human behind the wheel — as it prepares to roll out its ride-hailing service.Why it matters: The company hopes to succeed in Austin where other companies — notably Cruise — have had a rocky road as it tries to remake how we get from point A to point B. How it works: Waymo, a subsidiary of Google's parent company, Alphabet, will test across 43 square miles of the city, including downtown, Barton Hills, Riverside, Hyde Park and East Austin.For now the company will provide rides only to...
Dry January is now Dry February and beyond
Data: NIQ; Chart: Axios VisualsFor many, the "damp" or "dry" lifestyle has gone beyond January.Why it matters: This year, huge interest in the annual booze-free challenge Dry January marked a change in the way American adults think about alcohol.The shift has to do with the fact that longevity and sleep have become major health priorities, write Axios' Carly Mallenbaum and Alice Feng.By the numbers: Although alcoholic beer sales are fairly flat, non-alcoholic beer sales are on the rise in the U.S., according to NIQ, which tracks buying behavior.A major non-alcoholic beer brand driving the trend: Athletic Brewing Company. Austin-based Whole...
How a campaign mailer from a shadowy group is roiling a Texas district attorney's race
A shadowy group's campaign mailer has roiled the Travis County district attorney's race.Why it matters: The Democratic face-off between incumbent José Garza and Jeremy Sylestine is the marquee local race in tomorrow's primaries, involving key questions about Austin's public safety priorities amid tensions with the state government over policing.Garza told Axios he is focused on ending gun violence, addressing the root problems of domestic violence and treating drug use as a public health crisis.Sylestine said Garza has "a weak approach to crimes that matter to Travis County citizens."Driving the news: A group called Saving Austin, with an address of a...
Why Austin leads nation in luxury home price decline
Data: Redfin; Note: Luxury homes are in the top 5% by metro-area market value, while non-luxury homes are in the 35th to 65th percentile; Chart: Axios VisualsAustin saw the biggest decline nationally in the sales price of luxury homes, according to the latest Redfin data.Why it matters: Just as the giddy highs of the pandemic housing market touched everyone in town, apparently the decline is, too.Zoom in: The typical Austin-area luxury home sold for $1.69 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, an 8.6% year-over-year drop, per Redfin.Worth mentioning: The Redfin report defined luxury homes as those estimated to be...
How Ken Paxton is making life hard for John Cornyn
John Cornyn, the senior senator from Texas, has a Ken Paxton problem.Why it matters: Republicans have a strong chance of retaking the Senate, and Cornyn announced Thursday he wants to succeed Mitch McConnell as GOP Senate leader."Throughout my time I've built a track record of listening to colleagues and seeking consensus, while leading the fight to stop bad policies that are harmful to our nation and the conservative cause," Cornyn said in a statement Thursday announcing his bid.Behind the scenes: MAGA is eager to fill the void.Cornyn and South Dakota Sen. John Thune — McConnell deputies whom former President...
The bathhouse at Barton Springs may be renamed for pioneering Black activist
The bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool is poised to be renamed for a Black woman who was key to the pool's integration.Why it matters: The pool, widely considered an embodiment of inclusivity in Austin, was once off-limits to people like Joan Means Khabele.Flashback: In 1956, Khabele, the oldest child of civil rights activists Bertha Sadler Means and James Means, was one of the first Black students to enroll at all-white Austin High School, according to a city memo.When Khabele and other Black students were denied the opportunity to swim at Barton Springs during the Austin High School annual senior picnic,...
This weekend in Austin: Flag-making and chamber orchestra finals
It's going to be a very pleasant weekend in the Texas capital. 🎤 Bring your best rhymes to the Leap Year Poetry Slam, tonight at 8pm at the Meridian in Buda, hosted by DFOY Music with DJ Mr. G. $10.🇺🇸 Get your patriotic craft on at the applique flag workshop. On Saturday at 1pm at the Munday Library at St. Edward's University. Free.🪩 Boogie down at the all-ages Family Dragtivity Show at 2pm Saturday at Cheer Up Charlies. Free, with storytime, lip-syncing and arts and crafts.👢 Tap into your inner Texan at Independence Brewing's Brew and Boots celebration of Texas Independence Day. Saturday starting at 3pm, with a lasso station and a Western fashion show and costume contest. Free.🎻 Listen in on the semi-final and final rounds of the Coltman Chamber Music Competition, starting Saturday and Sunday mornings at the UT Butler School of Music. Free.🎭 Attend a free workshop reading of the play "A Part of It," with a script by Jenny Larson-Quiñones, at 2pm Sunday at the Trinity Street Playhouse.Sign up for Axios Austin for free.
How book bans are spilling into local Texas politics
The arguments over book bans that have engulfed a Central Texas county are now spilling over into local political races. Why it matters: The goings-on in Llano County, to the northwest of Austin, are a window into just how much issues of cultural friction, free speech and parental control dominate rural, deep-red Texas politics. Catch up quick: Alleging a "literary witch hunt," a handful of Llano County residents in 2022 asked an Austin federal judge to stop officials from removing public library books, claiming their First Amendment rights had been violated.After the judge ordered the officials to return...
Why some Texas schools aren't hiring armed guards despite state law
Many Texas school districts haven't hired armed security officers at every campus, as required by a new state law, because of a lack of funding.Why it matters: After 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, the Republican-led Legislature passed new mental health and school safety standards last year.A key provision was posting an armed officer at every public school.Catch up quick: House Bill 3, which went into effect in September, expanded and reinforced existing school safety efforts, such as required mental health training.The law allocated $15,000 per campus and $10 for each student, but lawmakers...
How nonprofit boards can bridge the diversity gap
The best way to combat historical imbalances in nonprofit leadership is with mentor programs and transparent board recruitment processes, per a report to be released Wednesday by an Austin organization.Why it matters: The findings come as key Texas institutions have shuttered their DEI initiatives and corporations are generally rethinking their diversity strategies, part of a larger backlash to social justice reforms inspired by the reaction to George Floyd's 2020 murder. Driving the news: The report, "Breaking Barriers: Bridging the Nonprofit Board Representation Gap," examines a cycle in which existing board members tend to recruit individuals similar to themselves.It was conducted...
How Alabama's IVF ruling might spill over into Texas
Whether frozen embryos are people could be Texas' next big political fight.Why it matters: Following an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization are legally considered children — and many Alabama fertility clinics subsequently pausing IVF treatments — Republicans nationwide have been scrambling to address the politically dicey issue.Between the lines: Former President Trump gave anti-abortion Republicans everywhere a big umbrella of political cover when he wrote in a Truth Social post last week that the Alabama state legislature should "act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama."The...
More Austin kids are heading to private school
Data: Census Bureau; Chart: Axios VisualsAn increasing share of Austin kids are heading to private school. Why it matters: The changing school demographics throw into relief the challenges faced by Austin public schools to attract and keep students — and point to a shift in Austin's identity as wealth pours into the city.Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott is pushing to give some families taxpayer money for private education.By the numbers: In 2010, 11.1% of Austin students attended private schools.By 2022, the share was 14.7%, per the latest available U.S. Census Bureau data.Plus: The number of accredited private schools in...
Things to do in Austin this week
Here's what's on deck this week.🎾 Watch women's professional tennis at the ATX Open all week long. Single match tickets are available online.🎷 Enjoy a live jazz band at Opa's weekly jazz night, every Wednesday from 7-9pm. The evening includes a specially crafted menu, and entry is free.🎬 Watch a screening of "Respect" at 5pm Thursday at the Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, part of the library's film series for Black History Month.🎶 Groove to the Undercover Dream Lovers on their Time Lapsed Tour from 7pm to midnight Tuesday at The Ballroom at Spider House. Tickets are $15 and available online.💌 Swoon over a gallery of more than 100 love letters written by Texans, at Genuine Joe Coffeehouse, daily until March 1.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Bosses Office offers up unique cocktails in East Austin
We recently grabbed a drink at Bosses Office, the cocktail bar on East 7th.Details: The lounge from the Jacoby Restaurant Group took over the former Swift Pizza Co. space in 2022.Bosses Office offers unique cocktails and small bites in a moody, low-light atmosphere.Probably not the best spot for a work happy hour, but perfect for a special date.To drink: We loved the Janis Joplin ($18), an earthy cocktail with cognac, mushroom, thyme, lavender and honey.Cocktail menu prices range from $15-$19.If you go: 3223 E. 7th St. Reservations are encouraged.Open Wednesday and Thursday from 5-10pm and Friday and Saturday from 5pm-12am.Happy hour is every night from 5-6pm.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
Why rent is still high for many Texans
Data: CoStar; Note: CoStar rates multi-family buildings on architectural design, structure, amenities, site and certifications; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosTexas renters with the deepest pockets are more likely than others to score a deal.Why it matters: A flood of new construction is pushing down rents at the high end, where there are more apartments than renters who want them.The big picture: Demand for more affordable apartments is helping to keep middle-of-the-road rent prices from slipping as far.Zoom in: That's the case in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, according to real estate firm CoStar Group, which rates buildings based on design, amenities, location...
Austin FC aims for a redo
Austin FC launches its fourth campaign Saturday, and we'd just as soon pretend the last season never happened.Why it matters: After a stellar second season in 2022, which ended in a loss in the Western Conference Final to eventual champion LAFC, Austin FC came crashing back to earth.The team did not muster enough points to make the playoffs in 2023, even with an expanded 18-team format.What's happening: Sporting director Rodolfo Borrell, who took over midseason last year, has taken steps to help the club improve defensively and add attacking firepower.He'll look to make more roster moves during the summer transfer...
Bite club: Pregame tacos at Taqueria Mi Zacazonapan
Perhaps the best pregame meal on offer for Austin FC games is just outside the stadium gates, in the Sunoco gas station parking lot.Six taco trucks feature regional Mexican specialties.Where we ate: Taqueria Mi Zacazonapan, named after the owner's hometown, about 3.5 hours southwest of Mexico City.The menu features street tacos, sopes, quesadillas and a torta Cubana.What we ordered: Campechana taco ($3.50) — succulent bistec and chorizo on a corn tortilla with cilantro and onion and slices of cucumber. Try the green salsa for some heat.Of note: On Saturdays, the truck offers goat barbacoa tacos with consommé.📍 If you go: The Sunoco is on Braker Lane, just north of the stadium.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
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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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