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Community Corner

🌱 Alex Jones To Pay $4M In Damages + Animal Shelters Are Overcrowded

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

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Jessica Collins, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Hello, everyone. Happy Friday! I'm back in your inbox this warm morning with everything you need to know about what's happening in town today.

Settle in with your morning coffee while we dive into:

  • Austin jury ordered Alex Jones to pay over $4 million in damages to the parents of a child killed in the Sandy Hook massacre.
  • City shelter struggles to maintain its no-kill status in the face of overcrowding and mismanagement.
  • A new report shows how much Austinites need to make per hour to afford local rent prices.
  • And much more ➡️

📣 Our readers love to celebrate good news! You can now shout out your big announcement at the top of the Austin Daily newsletter. Whether it's a grand opening, new product for sale, birthday, anniversary, engagement, wedding or new baby, let everyone celebrate alongside you! Submit your announcement here.

First, today's weather and allergy report:

☀️ High: 102 Low: 77. Partly sunny and hot.
🍃 Grass Pollen: low. Ragweed: low. Mold: low. Dust & Dander: extremely high.

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Here are the top stories in Austin today:

1) An Austin jury ordered Alex Jones to pay over $4 million in compensatory damages to the parents of a child killed in the Sandy Hook massacre. After deliberating for less than one day, the jury determined that the conspiracy theorist and media personality, Alex Jones, is required to pay $4.1 million to the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim who sued him for defamation after he repeatedly claimed the school shooting was a hoax. The Texas Tribune has more on this developing story here.

2) City shelter struggles to maintain its no-kill status in the face of overcrowding and mismanagement. As the City of Austin rebounds from the pandemic, policy changes, an affordable housing crisis, and staffing challenges between Austin Animal Center (AAC) and its nonprofit partner Austin Pets Alive — local shelters are left operating at well over capacity. The Austin Chronicle reports that: the "Council, employees, stakeholders, and volunteers are all uniformly disappointed with the state of animal rescue in Austin." Learn more on this story here at The Austin Chronicle.

3) New report shows how much Austinites need to make per hour to afford local rent prices. The National Low Income Housing Coalition released its 2022 Out of Reach report, which breaks down the cost of living in each U.S. state. According to the report, the average Austin resident needs to make $27.90 an hour to afford a two-bedroom rental home or apartment. Forty-one percent of those living in the Austin-Round Rock area are renters, with the average renter making an estimated $26.69 an hour."

In the words of the great Apollo 13 astronauts: "Houston, we have a problem!" FOX 7 Austin has the full story on this report.

4) Q2 Stadium to host first ever European friendly this November. Two German football clubs, FC Köln and VfB Stuttgart, will go head-to-head at Q2 Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. Austin FC has more on this historic announcement here.

Today in Austin:

  • Virtual Zumba hosted by Stronger Austin. (8 a.m.)
  • Swim and Screen at Goldfish Swim School. (2 p.m.)
  • Wiz Khalifa and Logic at Germania Insurance Amphitheater. (6:30 p.m.)
  • COIN: Uncanny Valley Tour with Blackstarkids at Stubb's. (Doors at 7 p.m.)
  • Hot Summer Nights: Luna Luna, The Selfless Lovers, More at Empire Control Room. (7 p.m.)
  • Hot Summer Nights: P1nkstar, SOBBRS, Tombus at Mohawk. (Doors at 7:30 p.m.)
  • Connor King: Live in Austin at Vulcan Gas Company. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Father Sheed at My Oh My. (8 p.m.)
  • ISHIDA Dance Company Presents: No Speaking Left in Me at Dell Fine Arts Center. (8 p.m.)
  • "Mean Girls (The Musical)" at Bass Concert Hall. (8 p.m.)
  • Poetry Jam: Open Mic & Showcase at Victory Grill. (8 p.m.)
  • Hot Summer Nights: The Well, Amplified Heat, White Dog, TINY at Chess Club (9 p.m.)
  • Hot Summer Nights: TC Superstar, Tony 22, Indoor Creature, Flyer Club at Swan Dive. (9 p.m.)
  • Heavy Sets Comedy Show at Vulcan Gas Company. (10 p.m.)

Community Chatter 💬 :

  • The more tacos, the merrier! Taco Flats is doubling its number of Austin-area locations. (Austin 360 via Facebook)
  • The Red Bull BC One is coming to town. Austin gets first big break as host of world breakdancing championship qualifier! (CultureMap Austin via Facebook)
  • Austin ISD's back-to-school countdown clock is ticking! 11 days until the new school year starts. (AISD via Facebook)
  • Welcome back, Longhorn Football 🤘 – Check out photos of the squad training for their upcoming season. (Longhorn Network via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! See you again on Sunday morning for another update.

— Jessica Collins

About me: Jessica is happy to call Austin her home for the past 10+ years. She loves the outdoors, arts & cinema, dining, and all of the natural beauty that Central Texas has to offer.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Austin Daily? Contact me at DowntownAustin@patch.com

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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