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Axios Austin
Six places to swim in Austin this summer
It's about to get hot, y'all. Luckily, there are plenty of places to cool down in Central Texas.What's happening: We've rounded up some of our favorite spots for a dip as temperatures hover in the 90s this week.Public poolsThe city of Austin operates dozens of pools and splash pads across the city.Barton Springs: The city's crown jewel remains open year-round.Swim at your own risk hours are from 5-8am Friday through Wednesday and 5-9am Thursday. Barton Springs Pool is open year-round. Photo: Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty ImagesBig Stacy: This spring-fed pool nestled in the Travis Heights neighborhood is great for lap...
Four places to play pickleball in Austin
The rise in pickleball's popularity hasn't slowed down.Driving the news: Local companies have created trendy gear for the sport, restaurants and bars are building courts, and the Austin area has seen a surge in private pickleball clubs.Plus, Austin is home to Major League Pickleball's Texas Ranchers.By the numbers: Austin had 4.7 pickleball courts per 100,000 people at the time of a 2023 analysis by Trust for Public Land, a pro-parks nonprofit.Grab a paddle and a friend. We've got you covered with options for spots to play pickleball around Austin.1. City courts: The city of Austin has plenty of public courts,...
How South Congress is evolving
South Congress, the trendy strip, is getting a little more corporate.Why it matters: The commercial area is shifting from bohemian, one-of-a-kind spots to high-end chain stores that can absorb higher rents.Nike, Hermรจs, Parachute Home, Lululemon, Reformation and Warby Parker have opened on the street in recent years.Driving the news: The emporium Mi Casa posted on its website that the South Congress store closed after 28 years at the location and has reopened in Johnson City under the name Camino.Relative newcomers Sunroom and The Good Company's owners told KVUE they were forced to close after their rent increased by more than...
How protests shaped UT's graduation arrangements
Commencement went off smoothly at the University of Texas earlier this month, but records newly obtained by Axios show how the university beefed up security guidelines issued to the public in the wake of a year of unrest.Why it matters: The guidance, titled "Graduate and Guest Conduct Guidelines," was absent in last year's posted commencement security guidelines, which Axios obtained through an open records request.It reflects a campus on edge after protests led to clashes with police.What they're saying: "Thank you in advance for fostering a celebratory atmosphere for our graduates as we recognize their achievements," says the start of...
This weekend in Austin chow down on pancakes and dance to Tameca Jones
Here's what's in store this weekend.๐ถ Groove to Tameca Jones with Daniel Fears tonight at the Long Center's H-E-B Terrace and the Hartman Lawn, part of the weekly summer Drop-In series. Tickets are free with a reservation, and doors open at 7pm.๐บ Enjoy screenings, cast reunions and all things television during the ATX TV Festival from tonight through Sunday in downtown venues. Badges and single ticket options are still available online.๐ช Kick off summer with some Texas country at Buck's Backyard in Buda on Saturday, featuring The Josh Abbott Band. Tickets start at $35, and doors open at 6pm.๐ Celebrate...
What Laotian American Austin chef Bob Somsith takes on a desert island
Chef Bob Somsith runs Lao'd Bar, an East Austin restaurant that dishes out Lao-inflected food like pork bao buns, with smoked pulled pork and pickled onions, and coconut escolar ceviche.Why it matters: Somsith, who grew up in a Laotian area of Dallas, tells Axios that part of his mission is to represent the food and culture of Laos.What they're saying: "The hardest thing is to try to break in with a new type of cuisine," Somsith tells Axios. "But I'm pretty stubborn and I'm going to keep my mission to spread Lao history and culture."Background: Somsith moved to Austin in...
House Speaker Dade Phelan survives challenge as Gov. Greg Abbott wins big
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and Gov. Greg Abbott were big winners in a Republican primary runoff Tuesday dripping with intra-party intrigue and rife with policy implications.Why it matters: Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, staved off a challenger backed by Attorney General Ken Paxton, eager for revenge after his impeachment in the Texas House last year, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has a running personal spat with the more moderate speaker.Former President Trump had also endorsed Phelan's opponent, David Covey.Meanwhile, Abbott continued his streak of victories against House Republicans who crossed him on his school voucher effort last year....
Alpha School expands in Austin
Alpha School, the private school that made headlines last year for its AI-powered, two-hour learning periods, is expanding in Austin.Why it matters: An increasing share of Austin kids are heading to private schools as public schools struggle to attract and keep students.Austin ISD enrollment numbers have yet to rebound after the pandemic exacerbated the declines seen across the country.Driving the news: Alpha officials tell Axios they'll open three more Austin-area schools for students this fall โ an Esports Academy in Northwest Austin for fifth to eighth graders, a K-8 GT School for the Gifted and Talented in Georgetown and a...
Japanese value chain Daiso looks to expand in Texas
Japanese value chain Daiso is opening stores across Texas as part of a national expansion strategy.Why it matters: As inflation persists, Daiso offers a wide range of everyday items โ many that you don't normally see in the U.S. โ priced at $1.75.Yes, but: some products sell for up to $15.25.State of play: There are currently 25 Daiso stores in Texas, most in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas, with at least 18 more set to open in the state by the end of the year, per John Clarke, chief development officer for Daiso USA.The chain opened its third Austin-area...
Antonelli's tips for the perfect cheese board
๐ Nicole here with a very serious problem: I can't stop making charcuterie boards.What's happening: I've made a cheese board almost once a week for the last few months.It's fun and intimate to pick snacks off a shared tray with your closest friends.My boards still don't come close to the ones you see on social media, but I've worked hard to make each one better than the last.Get smart: Gesturing to the cured meats often found on these boards, charcuterie comes from French words meaning "cooked flesh." Zoom in: As part of my effort to make a perfect board, I recently...
How Austin FC compares with other MLS teams on player pay
Data:ย MLS Players Association; Note: Guaranteed compensation includes a player's base salary, agent's fees and all signing, marketing and guaranteed bonuses annualized over the term of the player's contract, including option years; Table: Axios VisualsAustin FC salaries remain among the highest in the league.Driving the news: The MLS Players Association this week released its 2024 Salary Guide, which contains annual base salary and annual guaranteed compensation data for all players under contract with Major League Soccer, per the association.State of play: Austin FC ranks sixth in the league in guaranteed compensation for players, although the team's $18.4 million base payroll is...
Things to do in Austin this weekend
Here's what's in store for the long weekend.๐ต Kick off the start of the Long Center's free outdoor concert series tonight featuring Grupo Fantasma. The series continues every Thursday through Aug. 15. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.๐ฌ Catch a 35mm double feature of "Casablanca" and "Top Hat" at The Paramount Theatre tomorrow to mark the return of the Paramount Summer Classic Film Series. Tickets are $12 and doors open at 6pm.๐ Laugh out loud at Austin Sketch Fest with scripted comedy from Austin and beyond through Sunday. A $69 all-fest badge gets you access to all shows at Coldtowne Theater. Individual show tickets available online.๐โโ๏ธ Cheer on triathlon athletes at the Ascension Seton CapTex Tri through downtown on Memorial Day. Olympic race participants begin at 7am with sprint and rookie athletes following.๐ Head to the Dripping Springs Fair and Rodeo from Friday to Sunday at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Events Center. Adult general admission is $15 Saturday and Sunday. Free admission to Friday's breakaway and tie-down roping events.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Austin.
What to expect at Hot Luck Fest
Hot Luck Fest, the annual food and music festival, returns tomorrow through Sunday with a slate of pop-ups, concerts and parties throughout the city.Catch up quick: Aaron Franklin, James Moody and Mike Thelin co-founded Hot Luck in 2017 to feature talented chefs and artists at venues around Austin.Zoom in: This year's festival kicks off with a taco welcome party tomorrow for Whole Enchilada pass holders.The welcome event will feature the Taco Mafia crew, including Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi of Nixta Taqueria and Luis "Beto" Robledo of Cuantos Tacos. Plus, sweets from Sarah Lim of OMG Squee.Hot Luck's main event,...
Austin mainstay Wheatsville plans to close Guadalupe store
Citing logistical challenges and declining revenues, Wheatsville Co-op plans to close its location north of the University of Texas.Why it matters: Wheatsville's Guadalupe Street location is a cultural and commercial touchstone of old-school, pre-fancy Austin, and its closure would fall in line with the shuttering of Nau's Drugs, Vulcan Video, Burger Tex, Las Manitas, Dart Bowl and many others over the last 15 years or so.The big picture: Wheatsville will close its Guadalupe store by the end of 2026 "unless there is a change in circumstances," according to a store bulletin published Wednesday.It plans to attempt small-format stores, on the...
How Austin's leaky pipes are helping trees at University of Texas
In drought times, as much as half the water flowing through a creek at the University of Texas is from leaky city pipes, per a new report by UT researchers.Why it matters: Beyond a commentary on failing infrastructure, the researchers say those broken pipes come with a silver lining โ sustaining trees growing along Waller Creek, allowing them to thrive during drought conditions that take a toll on trees growing along streams in rural areas.Threat level: While recent rains have eased dry conditions in much of the state, most of Travis County west of I-35 is currently facing some level...
The future of podcasts and Austin's Dear Media
Dozens of podcast enthusiasts gathered at Distribution Hall earlier this month to hear from Austin-based Dear Media talent โ many hoping to take their own platform to the next level.Why it matters: Podcast listenership has continued to boom, and Austin-based Dear Media has grown its lineup to over 80 shows since the media company first launched in 2018.Co-founders Michael and Lauryn Bosstick relocated the company's headquarters from Los Angeles to Austin in 2020, and their growth here is another sign of Austin's new influencer market.Dear Media has since "reinvented the internet celebrity," the Washington Post wrote in 2022, and its...
Hospital group rolls out maternal health initiative
Some Austin patients who are at risk for pregnancy complications will be part of a new Ascension program that aims to improve maternal health.Why it matters: Texas has long struggled with high maternal mortality and morbidity rates โ now under a magnifying glass with the state's near-total abortion ban.Black Texans see disproportionately higher severe maternal morbidity and mortality rates โ roughly double the rate of their white counterparts and four times higher than Hispanic Texans โ per a state report using 2019 data.Maternal mortality is defined as a death that takes place during birth or up to a year later,...
Where Texas lost, gained million-dollar cities in the past year
Data: Zillow; Map: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsTexas is one of three states in the U.S. with fewer "million-dollar cities" than a year ago, data shows.Why it matters: Luxury real estate prices are rising elsewhere, largely because the wealthy are best positioned to buy in a market with low inventory and high mortgage rates.Reality check: Competition is cooler in Texas' major metros, where the stock of homes for sale has bounced back faster than in other parts of the country.State of play: Typical home values fell below $1 million in Sunset Valley and Volente near Austin, per a recent Zillow report, another...
70 years after Brown, school segregation is surging
Data:ย Stanford Education Data Archive;ย Note: Index ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 implies no segregation (all schools have identical proportions of Black and white students) while 1 implies complete segregation (no Black student attends a school with any white students, and vice versa); Map: Axios VisualsRacial segregation in schools in Austin and across the country has increased dramatically over the last three decades, according to two new reports and an Axios review of federal data.Why it matters: As the U.S. marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling on Friday, American public schools are growing...
Austin City Council could take a major vote to encourage density
The Austin City Council will vote Thursday on the second phase of the HOME Initiative โ a rule change that would reduce minimum lot sizes for single-family homes.Why it matters: It's the latest effort by city leaders to address Austin's high cost of housing, although the plan has received pushback from some neighborhood groups.State of play: The city's Land Development Code currently requires a 5,750-square-foot lot minimum for a single-family home. The update would reduce the lot size requirement to 2,000 square feet.Council members in December approved Phase 1 of the HOME initiative, which updated the city's Land Development Code...
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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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