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Community Corner

🌱 AISD Proposes School Closures + 6 New UT AAAS Fellows + SXSW

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Austin.

Gabriela Cantu Couvillion's profile picture
Gabriela Cantu Couvillion, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy Thursday, neighbors! Here's everything going on today in town.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 62 Low: 43.

Here are the top stories today in Austin:

  1. Following a district survey and conversations among district and school leaders about possibly making some Fridays early release days, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) sent out an email to parents on Tuesday, Jan. 25, regarding the proposal. "If approved, teachers and most campus staff would get two more paid days off and students would get two three-day weekends." The proposed school closure days are Friday, Feb. 11 and Friday, March 4. The school district board will consider the school calendar change at its meeting today, Thursday, Jan. 27. For more information, please visit: (KVUE.com)
  2. Six faculty members from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) were "elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society" which "recognizes important contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics." Daniel Jaffe, vice president for Research said, "UT Austin is immensely proud of these faculty members for their achievement." He added, "They join a select group of scientists and scholars the country over who are changing the world through their academic, classroom and community contributions." For more information and for a list with details of the six new fellows from UT, visit: (UT News | The University of Texas at Austin)
  3. This year's SXSW scheduled from Monday, March 14 to Sunday, March 20, will feature hundreds of live and virtual band performances! The artists will be coming from all over the world, including "North America, The U.K., The Congo, Spain, South Korea, Japan, Lebanon, Taiwan, and Trinidad and Tobago." For more details on this exciting event, and for a full list of artists performing at SXSW 2022, visit: (Billboard)

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Today in Austin:

  • Donate blood and get a free small sub from Thundercloud at We Are Blood. (8 a.m.)
  • Austin ISD Job Fair for food, transportation, maintenance and warehouse positions at the Austin ISD Southeast Bus Terminal. (9 a.m.)
  • Cover to Cover: A Look at the Asiatic Fleet New Exhibit at the National Museum of the Pacific War. (9 a.m.)
  • ShiftED: Creating an Effective LinkedIn Profile — Free Online Session. (11 a.m.)
  • Modern Times Lecture Series: Telling the Untold Story, Featuring Sarah Bird at Neill-Cochran House Museum. (6:30 p.m.)
  • "The Goonies" at Doc's Drive in Theatre. (9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • "The CDC now says cloth masks are no longer as effective in preventing the spread of omicron and that people should wear an N95 or KN95 mask." (Facebook)
  • "Join us in welcoming our new Foster Angels of Central Texas board members, Danielle Delgadillo and Robin Ward! These women are incredible forces we are over the moon to have in the Foster Angels family. Read more about them on our blog at Foster Angels of Central Texas (fosterangelsctx.org)." (Facebook)
  • "TreeFolks and Pease Park Conservancy are hosting a Ready, Set, Plant! event in Pease Park on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 5! This riparian sapling planting program helps restore our creekside and increase biodiversity in the park and Shoal Creek. If you want to help plant saplings that morning, register here!" (Facebook)
  • "The Austin Chamber of Commerce has named Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette, president and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, as the 2021 Austinite of the Year." (Facebook)
  • "Just in case you needed some Willie Nelson in your life today. Visit his statue on Second Street in front of ACL Live." (Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with a new update!

— Gabriela Couvillion

About me: I'm an active mom of two grown sons and lifelong San Antonio resident. I received a BA in Spanish from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and in my free time I immerse myself in creative writing. Thanks for reading Patch, and feel free to reach out if you have any news and happenings you think may appeal to our readers!

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