ATX PULSE 8/26/24: WilCo Deputies Seize 100 Pounds of Marijuana // APD Investigating Two E. ATX Homicides // Hutto Council Deadlocked Over 15% Tax Hike Proposal // 50 Acre Industrial Park to Rise Near Samsung // Austin FC Earns Big Road Win

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MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2024

Compiled by Matt Mackowiak

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TODAY’S WEATHER

H: 93° / L: 74°. Not as hot, 30% chance of rain. Storm chances increase today and tomorrow. Latest forecast from KVUE’s Shane Hinton here.

TOP NEWS

“Williamson County deputies seize more than 100 pounds of marijuana during traffic stop in Georgetown,” KVUE’s Johann Castro — “A traffic stop on I-35 in Georgetown led to a major drug bust in Williamson County on Wednesday.

According to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, a deputy performed a traffic stop on a 2020 Honda Accord in the 4600 block of I-35 just before 1 p.m. on Aug. 21. The driver, an 18-year-old from San Antonio whose identity was not revealed, was the only person in the vehicle.

The deputy asked to search the vehicle, but the driver denied the request, prompting the deputy to call the K-9 Unit to the scene.

The K-9 sniffed around the vehicle and gave a positive sign of contraband in the vehicle. Deputies then searched the vehicle and subsequently found and seized over 124 pounds of marijuana and more than $2,000 in cash.

An investigation is still ongoing. The status of the driver was not provided by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.” KVUE

“Trail connecting Austin and Manor now complete,” KVUE’s Johann Castro — “A trail connecting Austin and Manor is now complete, ending a project that spanned over a decade.

On Saturday, city leaders celebrated the completion of the 5.5-mile trail that connects Manor with Austin's trail network.

"Greenspaces are very important and our residents have communicated those things to us over surveys and data that we've collected for some time and so it's been a priority for us," Manor mayor Dr. Christopher Harvey said Saturday. "It's an important feature that we want to make sure our city has for today and years to come."

Manor's population has boomed significantly over the last decade, with the city's population growing by more than 170% between 2010 and 2020, according to U.S. Census Data.” KVUE

THE BLOTTER

~ “APD investigates homicide on East Sixth Street,” KVUE’s Morgan McGrath – “The Austin Police Department (APD) is investigating the city's 41st homicide of the year Monday morning in Downtown Austin. 

In a media briefing held Monday, APD said at around 1:30 a.m., officers were patrolling East Sixth Street when they were informed of a woman who was injured nearby. 

Law enforcement said they found the woman suffering from injuries in the south alley 500 block of E. Sixth St., which is near the intersection of Neches Street. 

The woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. 

Officers are currently questioning a person of interest as they attempt to learn more. There is no threat to the public at this time. 

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Homicide Tip Line at 512-477-3588 or the Austin Police Department TIPS Hotline at 512-472-8477.” KVUE

~ “APD investigating East Austin homicide; no suspects arrested,” Austin American-Statesman’s Bianca Moreno-Paz – “Austin police have made no arrests in connection with the killing of a man in East Austin, the law enforcement agency said at a news conference last week.

Authorities arrived at the 6300 block of Thurgood Avenue after 8:30 p.m. Thursday and found a man with one gunshot wound to his chest, said officer Jeremy Fisher, a spokesperson for the Austin Police Department.

Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, Fisher said.

At the time of the news conference, police had not identified the shooter and were interviewing multiple witnesses, Fisher said. Police believe the shooting was an isolated incident, he said.

Fisher encouraged anyone with information about the shooting to reach out to the homicide unit at (512) 477-3588 or the department's tip line at (512) 472-8477.”" AAS ($)

~ “Child drowns in pool at Pflugerville apartment complex,” via Fox 7 Austin – “A child drowned in a pool at a Pflugerville apartment complex early Saturday morning, according to police.

The Pflugerville Police Department responded to the complex at 1010 S Heatherwilde Boulevard just before 8:30 a.m. August 24. 

When officers arrived, they found a bystander performing life-saving measures on the child, which were then supplemented by officers until fire and EMS crews arrived.

The child was taken to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead.” Fox 7 Austin

~ “’Pure evil’: Liberty Hill family on edge after man is caught on camera trying to break in with machete,” KVUE’s Kelsey Sanchez – “A Liberty Hill man said he did what he could to protect his family after a shirtless man walked onto his property with a machete and tried to break into his house.

The incident happened on Aug. 21, according to the homeowner who prefers not to share his name.

Surveillance video captured the man in the backyard, where he's seen collapsing onto the grass. He then quickly gets up, starts marching up a staircase, and attempts to open a back door.

"We have no idea who this person is," the homeowner said. "[A] complete stranger just showed up like pure evil, just showing up on our property out of nowhere."

He said he was home with his wife, two children and the nanny. A contractor they had hired for a project was also there when they noticed the individual in the backyard. That's when the homeowner said his survival instincts kicked in.

"I ran upstairs and luckily there was a firearm in the house, and I grabbed a nine millimeter and came downstairs," he said.

Texas has a "Stand Your Ground" law, which means a person is allowed to defend themselves if they feel a threat to their life and safety. Fortunately for the homeowner, he said he didn't have to shoot and police arrived to take the man into custody.

"Thankfully, he chose to just drop the machete and then started backing up and jumped over the fence and started walking around the house," he said. "A few minutes later, the sheriff's department came and took him into custody."

KVUE reached out to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office for more information on the case and the suspect, but did not hear back. As for the homeowner, he said his family is still reeling from the incident, and he plans to upgrade the security around the house.” KVUE

~ “Two arrested in Travis County for theft of property,” CBS Austin’s Monique Lopez and Isabella Bass – “The Travis County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested earlier this week on theft of property charges for amounts over $10,000.

Lynn Brennan was booked on August 21 at 5:30 a.m. and was released on a personal recognizance bond less than fifteen minutes later. Brennan is charged with theft of property greater than or equal to $30,000. Bail is set at $20,000.

Angelica Williams was booked in on August 20 at 9:32 a.m. and was released on a personal recognizance bond ten minutes later. Williams is charged with theft of property greater than or equal to $2,500. Bail is set at $10,000.

Brennan and Williams both worked in the City's Human Resources Department starting in the summer of 2022. They also resigned in 2022 for unspecified reasons after being placed on administrative leave.” CBS Austin

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

~ “Two former Austin city employees indicted, on leave amid AISD probe,” CBS Austin’s Stephanie Becerra – “Two former City of Austin employees are on administrative leave after being indicted by a grand jury on charges stemming from their time working for Austin ISD.

It's not clear what those charges are.

Lynn Brennan and Angelica Williams have both worked in the City's Human Resources Department since the summer of 2022.

A city spokesperson says when they were hired there were no records of any wrongdoing during their time with AISD.

The district clarified to CBS Austin that Brennan and Williams both resigned in 2022, but didn't specify why.

The City is currently looking into contracts and accounts they may have been involved with during their tenure.” CBS Austin

~ “Hutto City Council faces deadlock over proposed 15% tax hike amid rapid growth,” CBS Austin’s Andrew Freeman – “Hutto City Council is at odds over next year's proposed budget, which potentially includes a fifteen-percent tax increase.

State law requires five votes to pass a budget, but three members of the seven-person council are pledging to reject any rates that are "no-new-revenue."

It's a busy time of the year for city councils across Texas, and Hutto is no exception.

"I feel like it's both an exciting time, but it's also a challenging time." Councilmember Brian Thompson said.

The city is quickly expanding, growing from nearly 15,000 people to close to 40,000 in the past ten years.

"We moved here in 2001, just seen phenomenal growth," Mayor Pro Tem Peter Gordon said. "I think in the last few years, specifically, we've seen just a massive amount of traffic."

Gordon says the proposed $300 million budget accounts for that growth, with infrastructure improvements and the hiring of more personnel. To pay for it, a 15-percent increase is being proposed on property taxes, going from $.42/$100 to nearly $.46, or $200-300/year on average.

"I'm a member of this community as well, and I don't want to see my taxes skyrocket through the roof," Thompson said. "But I also understand that being a part of a community, there's a responsibility to grow your community."

But Mayor Mike Snyder and two other council members have pledged not to support any tax rate that's not the no-new-revenue rate of more than 39 cents. That's because property values in Hutto have increased, and they need less in taxes to keep the same amount of revenue as last year.

"I can't control the cost of gas. And I can't control the cost of milk," Snyder said. "But what I can do is play a part in limiting an increase to their house payment or their rent payment."“ CBS Austin

BUSINESS NEWS

~ “Velocis responds as Austin suburbs sue to stop its industrial project,” Austin Business Journal’s Sean Hemmersmeier – “A Dallas-based developer is defending a planned industrial project after two nearby Austin suburbs took legal action to stop its plans.

Velocis, a Dallas-based private equity real estate fund manager, is building a 270,000-square-foot industrial development known as the West Austin Business Park near State Highway 71 and Sweetwater Village Drive.

A Velocis spokesperson said Aug. 23 that the company wants to find an amicable way forward with the cities of Bee Cave and Lakeway, which are behind a lawsuit that alleges the project violates a 2015 development agreement that only allows for a commercial or office project to be built at the site.

Bee Cave officials have said the industrial project is “inappropriate” for the area because it would generate noise and pollution. The 23-acre project is in the extraterritorial jurisdiction area of Bee Cave. The city of Lakeway joined Bee Cave’s lawsuit on Aug. 19 because the project is located near one of its residential areas.

“Velocis strongly believes it will prevail if forced to litigate the city’s claims,” the Velocis spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “However, Velocis remains focused on working constructively with the City of Bee Cave to achieve a successful outcome for all parties and has proposed that both parties participate in a collaborative mediation as the preferred path forward.”

Velocis filed a response in court to Bee Cave's lawsuit on Aug. 23 that claims it doesn't need to follow the city's zoning regulations because it's located in the city's ETJ. Velocis also claimed in the filing that its project is considered a commercial project under Bee Cave’s current regulations. 

In its legal response, the company also said that the city was notified of Velocis' plans to build a warehouse facility on the land when it purchased the property in 2023 from WS-COS Investments LLC. Language in the 2015 development agreement states that the agreement applies to WS-COS Investments and any subsequent owner or developer of the land.

During an Aug. 19 Bee Cave City Council meeting, Mayor Kara King said she was never told about the project and learned about it the same as residents did by “watching it go up.” In that same meeting, many Bee Cave residents expressed concerns over the project and said it should be stopped since it's not suitable for the area.  

Velocis said in its filing it “has gone above and beyond” to follow the current standards for development. It also said the West Austin Business Park isn’t meant for heavy-distribution tenants, but rather tenants that are interested in operating closer to communities west of Austin.” ABJ ($)

~ “50-acre industrial park may rise near Samsung plant in Taylor,” Austin Business Journal’s Justin Sayers – “More than 850,000 square feet of industrial space could be headed to Taylor, potentially adding yet another large industrial project to the city as it preps for the opening of the multibillion-dollar Samsung Electronic Co. Ltd. factory.

Sugar Land-based Transcend Group Holdings LLC on Aug. 22 was considered by the Taylor City Council to establish an employment center plan for what the company is calling Taylor 50, an industrial project on 50 acres north of U.S. Highway 79 and east of County Road 101.

Plans for the project include 853,000 square feet of industrial space spread across eight buildings – about 687,000 square feet of that would be for large industrial uses and 166,000 square feet for flex industrial space, according to Council documents. It also has about 5 acres of civic spaces centered around a detention pond.

During the meeting, Taylor assistant city manager Tom Yantis noted that the proposed plan would allow for the developer to request an amendment for more mixed uses on the site if they can demonstrate a lack of demand for industrial space after a three-year period.

He also said that the proposed site is ideal for industrial development because the topography is flat.

A public hearing was held at the recent meeting and the ordinance was introduced, but Council will vote whether to approve the proposal at a later date.” ABJ ($)

OTHER NEWS

~ “Students at West Campus complex say they have no power, water, A/C or answers,” Fox 7 Austin’s Tan Radford– “College students at a West Campus apartment complex say they are without power, water and air-conditioning and are getting no answers, all while trying to move in for their fall semester.

"I just climbed up 23 flights of stairs because the elevators were down, I had no running water, and I went in my room to a sweet surprise of 82 degrees right now," said resident Grace Pohl.

On Saturday morning, students say they woke up to high temperatures and were unable to use the bathrooms or elevators at the Rise at West Campus near the University of Texas at Austin.

"My mom and I have been calling, and they just don't answer. I heard that the managers aren't here, but they do have a college student working here today, but we don't have anybody, so tonight I think I have to stay at a hotel," said Pohl.

"I got an email saying the power was out, our elevators aren't working. I found out like an hour later after reading that email that the water wasn't working," said resident Zarina Ards.

Ards says she lives on the 17th floor and has electricity but no air-conditioning.

"I am able to use my plug-in fan to circulate air, but other than that, our A/C is broken as well, so it is getting hotter and hotter as the day goes on," said Ards.

Pohl says she has been dealing with the 80-degree temperatures in her 23rd floor apartment for weeks.

"I haven't had A/C for about 10 to 12 weeks all summer. I didn't have AC, my apartment would be 80 degrees, 82 degrees, and they put portables in, and I might have A/C for one day," said Pohl.

This weekend, students are moving into the building preparing to go back to school.

"When we were coming down the stairwell to get down, we saw a big box in the middle of the stairwell, and we were assuming they were pushing the box up the stairwell with their stuff in it," said Ards. 

In a statement to FOX 7 Austin, Rise at West Campus said in part:

"We experienced an issue earlier today with the air conditioning due to a power outage at our West Campus property in Austin. The team is working as quickly as possible to resolve the issue with maintenance onsite all day."“ Fox 7 Austin

~ “Great Hills Market future uncertain following Arbor Cinema demolition,” Community Impact Austin’s Anna Maness– “After three decades of playing movies on the big screen, Regal Arbor 8 Cinema @ the Great Hills Market retail center was demolished this summer along with Macaroni Grill.

D.A.R. Demolition began tearing down the theater and restaurant June 17, and the project was completed in early August, according to an email D.A.R. sent to Community Impact. As of late August, both lots are fenced off and down to concrete slabs.

The tear-down came from a redevelopment proposal for the area in 2017, which was put on hold due to ongoing business leases including Manuel’s, a Mexican restaurant adjacent to the cinema. While Manuel’s lease is currently set to expire in December 2025, the owners said they are in lease extension negotiations.

Manuel’s co-owners Jennifer McNevin and Greg Koury are discussing leasing details with Trademark Property Company, who leases and manages Manuel’s property.

The husband-and-wife duo do not have plans to close and are hopeful to extend the lease, McNevin confirmed. McNevin remembers people frequenting Arbor Cinema, and noted its uniqueness in showing foreign films and documentaries.

“It is a big loss for our neighborhood,” McNevin said.

Trademark Property Company had no updates to share about Manuel’s lease, said Liana Moran Zabowski, senior vice president at The Wilbert Group, who spoke on behalf of Trademark in an email sent to Community Impact on Aug. 23.” Community Impact

Mackenzie Price guest column: “More AI in Central Texas classrooms could help free teachers and students from burdens,” via Austin American-Statesman — “The pandemic left a devastating mark on our kids’ education because it left a devastating mark on our teachers. What if AI could help?

Across Central Texas, kids are going back to school, but there’s little relief in sight for beleaguered teachers, students and administrators.

And on their way to class, they’ll see billboards looking for teachers who want to move to Dallas.

That’s how tough the education industry is these days, when 70% of Texas teachers are considering leaving the profession due to burnout and inadequate pay and, as American-Statesman education reporter Keri Heath recently wrote, more than 40% of new teachers in Central Texas aren’t fully qualified yet.

It’s particularly rough in places like Austin, where voters will be asked to approve a tax increase to help cover only a portion of the Austin Independent School District’s $78 million deficit. This is on top of news that federal COVID relief funding, which provided a crucial lifeline during the pandemic, will dry up in September.

When the best way to retain teachers is to pay them more and schools are facing a financial cliff, they are forced to ask tough questions: Do we cut essential staff, or do we compromise on programs designed to help students? Do we fix our buildings or our teacher pay? Which would you choose?

I want us to ask a different question: How can AI help?

As many of us are finding out, AI can be extremely helpful for doing things like administrative tasks or summarizing information. It can do a lot of work quickly and leave us more time to do other things.

But AI can do so much more. Students at Alpha schools start each day with two hours of AI-assisted learning that a decade of experience has shown leads to students learning twice as fast as they do in a traditional classroom while rediscovering a love of learning. AI frees up their time in the afternoon to work on projects and learning activities that reflect their interests.

AI has been a game-changer for my schools, particularly for students with any kind of learning or attention issues. In more traditional environments, AI also helps teachers by automating administrative tasks, freeing them to focus more on teaching and personalized interactions with students.”

MacKenzie Price is the co-founder of Alpha schools and 2Hour Learning. AAS ($)

2026

~ “Two Austin City Council members amass tens of thousands years out from their 2026 election,” Austin American-Statesman’s Ella McCarthy– “Well over two years out from their next election, Austin City Council Members Ryan Alter and Zohaib "Zo" Qadri have amassed tens of thousands of dollars for their reelection campaigns, a move that only recently has become legal under city code.

For years, Austin had a "blackout period" on campaign fundraising for local elections, meaning candidates for the City Council or mayor could accept campaign donations for a limited window of time. Most recently, donations were allowed within a year of election day, only a quarter of the typical council member's four-year term. 

Such laws are among many regarding both the timing and amount of money candidates and officeholders can accept broadly put in place to deter the influence of cash on legislative agendas and the appearance of corruption. Members of the Texas Legislature, for example, cannot accept contributions during the legislative session.

But after a federal judge for a second time in the last decade ruled that Austin's existing blackout period was unconstitutional, the City Council repealed the section of the ordinance that outlined time constraints. This makes Austin's governing body more analogous to Congress, which also meets routinely throughout the year and whose members raise money for their campaigns seemingly nonstop.

Qadri reported raising more money in the latest financial reporting period, Jan. 1 through June 30, than all did but one of the mayoral candidates who will be on the ballot this November, raking in just over $130,000 and maintaining about $121,500 cash on hand. If he continues at that pace, Qadri could be positioned with a massive war chest heading into his 2026 election.

While money doesn't guarantee election day results, the amount of cash raised early on gives candidates an edge, showing donors who is competitive and, for incumbents, potentially making would-be challengers think twice about running for their seat.

"If you can't show you can raise money, then there's a presumption that you don't have the kind of support that you need to be able to follow through," Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor and author, told the American-Statesman in an interview. "The difficulty of raising money for a municipal election is sufficient to keep most people from doing it, but those candidates who can raise that money are definitely going to be ahead of the pack."

Alter was the first to make use of the shift in campaign finance regulations, raising more than $66,000 since the August 2023 order from U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman invalidated Austin's one-year fundraising window. Alter reported raising more than $55,000 prior to Dec. 31, and about $11,600 during the Jan. 1 to June 30 reporting period.

"I love being able to serve the community, and the only way to continue to be able to do that job in now two years is to be able to have the funds to launch an effective campaign," Alter, who represents District 5 in South Austin, told the Statesman in an interview. "I felt it was worthwhile to start that process now so that I can have the resources necessary to hopefully continue to do this work."

While the City Council has changed the ordinance on fundraising after Pitman's ruling, the parties in the case are waiting for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to settle questions about nominal damages and jurisdiction. Oral arguments occurred on Aug. 7.” AAS ($)

SPORTS

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “‘We have some unfinished business’: Hungry Longhorns feel they still have a lot to prove,” KXAN’s Billy Gates — “In their last season as members of the Big 12 Conference, the Texas Longhorns left on a high note, achieving their goal of winning the conference title and riding off into the sunset. Everything was going great.

Then, they lost in the College Football Playoff semifinals to Washington, replacing the joy and elation of winning a championship with the gut-wrenching most uncomfortable feeling of “what if?”

It’s something that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was awful during the moment, but now as the Longhorns summon all the uneasy feelings from getting close but not close enough last year to gear up for the Southeastern Conference, it becomes fuel.

KXAN Sports Director Roger Wallace sat down with Sarkisian for an exclusive, 1-on-1 interview ahead of kickoff for the 2024 football season. You can watch the complete interview Saturday evening on the CW Austin after the Dallas Cowboys-Los Angeles Chargers preseason game, which starts at 3 p.m. Saturday.

“There wasn’t one person in that locker room that wasn’t pissed, livid, upset, emotional because when you get that close, you want to achieve it all,” Sarkisian told Wallace in an exclusive interview. “It set us into the offseason with a real sense of hunger, a real sense of we need to get back there, we have some unfinished business. As the coach of it all, I’m like, this is perfect. This is exactly what we need because it wasn’t a team that rested on their laurels, thinking that we won the Big 12 and they’ve arrived. We know there’s more out there.”

Sarkisian knows what to expect from every team the Longhorns will face this season, and that’s their best shot. Last year’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek mantra of “embrace the hate,” has turned into a very intentional slogan “tough all day,” inspired by none other than former Longhorns fireballer Roger Clemens, who coincidentally was Sarkisian’s favorite baseball player growing up.

The Rocket signed a Boston Red Sox jersey for Sarkisian after a practice with the tagline on the shoulder, and now it’s within the fabric of the team’s culture. When you’re on the road and 90% of people in a giant stadium want you to fail, there’s a level of toughness and mental fortitude that takes time to develop.

“This is perfect for us. That’s what we need to be,” Sarkisian said. “If you’re not a Longhorn, everyone hates you, right? In the end, we have to be tough all day. We have to be tough every time we work, every time we take the field. We have to be really tight and stick together.”” KXAN

~ TEXAS FOOTBALL: “Texas football lands commitment from Jonah Williams, 5-star DB in 2025 class,” Austin American-Statesman’s Caleb Yum — “The Texas football program scored a big win Saturday, as five-star linebacker/safety Jonah Williams announced his commitment to the Longhorns. He chose Texas over LSU, Texas A&M and Oregon.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound linebacker is the 10th-ranked player in the Class of 2025, according to the 247Sports' composite and is the first top-10 recruit that Texas has landed this cycle. Coming out of Galveston Ball High School, Williams is the 18th commitment in the class and second five-star recruit, with receiver Kaliq Lockett being the other.” AAS ($)

~ LLWS: “Boerne finishes 4th at Little League World Series,” KXAN’s Billy Gates — “Boerne finished fourth at the Little League World Series on Sunday following a 4-3 loss to Venezuela at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The Southwest region champs jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, but the Latin American champions posted a pair of runs in the second and third innings and clamped down defensively to grab the win.

Boerne had two of its four hits in the opening frame, singles by Julian Hurst and Cooper Hastings, and they scored two runs on a Venezuela fielding error. Another run scored on a passed ball to give Boerne the early lead.

Venezuela took the lead after a bases-loaded walk in the third inning.

Boerne had two great chances to regain the lead late in the game. An Aiden Munoz single and two walks loaded the bases for Boerne, but Gray Collins’ line drive toward second base was caught to end the game.” KXAN

~ AUSTIN FC: “Stuver, Bukari star as Austin FC earns valuable road win in Nashville,” Austin Chronicle’s Eric Goodman — “In its return to MLS action following the month-long Leagues Cup hiatus, Austin FC picked up one of its most significant results of the season with a 2-0 win on the road against Nashville SC.

Goals from wingers Jon Gallagher and Osman Bukari, coupled with a man-of-the-match performance from goalkeeper Brad Stuver, lifted the Verde and Black to just their third away win of the 2024 season and a crucial three points towards the club’s pursuit of a playoff berth.

It could have been a very different 90 minutes, though, if not for an early highlight reel moment from Stuver. Just 80 seconds into the match, Nashville’s Jacob Shaffelburg took a counter-attack into the ATX penalty box. Defender Brendan Hines-Ike attempted a sliding tackle that sent Shaffelburg to the ground, and after a lengthy VAR review, the host side was awarded a penalty.

Nashville star Hany Mukhtar drove the spot kick to Stuver’s right with pace, but the ATX goalkeeper dove the correct direction with strong hands to parry the ball onto the post and out.

Stuver would go on to make six more saves, including another full-stretch effort in the second half to deny a beautifully struck volley from Tah Anunga, to preserve Austin’s seventh clean sheet of the season.” Austin Chronicle

AUSTIN CULTURE

~ BAKERY: ”Noted layer cake bakery SusieCakes is opening in Clarksville” Austin Eater

~ BBQ: ”Leroy & Lewis makes Southern Living’s best new BBQ list” Culture Map Austin

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND

~ LIVE MUSIC: Eric Gales. Antone’s (downtown). Doors 7pm, show at 8pm. SOLD OUT (check Stubhub, etc).

~ NEXT WEEKEND: “Where to Celebrate Labor Day Weekend in Austin with Food, Drinks and Parties” Austin Eater

COOL JOB ALERT

~ Constituent Liaison: Austin City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly. Salary: $27/hr to $31/hr. Info / apply here.