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Community Corner

🌱 Lt. Gov Positive for COVID + Local Unemployment Up + Fire in S. ATX

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

Jessica Collins's profile picture
Jessica Collins, Neighbor
(Patch Media)

Happy Monday, neighbors! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. I'm here in your inbox per usual to get you up to speed on the most important local news.

Grab your morning coffee while we cover:

  • Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tests positive a second time for COVID-19.
  • Texas leads the nation in job growth, while Austin's unemployment rate increases.
  • An illegal dumping site catches fire again in southeast Austin.
  • And much more ➡️

First, today's weather and allergy report:

☀️ High: 104 Low: 77. Sunny and hot. Stay hydrated and stay cool, my friends!
🍃 Grass Pollen: low. Ragweed: low. Mold: moderate. Dust & Dander: extremely high.

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Here are the top stories today in Austin:

1) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tests positive a second time for COVID-19. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has tested positive for COVID-19, his office confirmed Sunday. Patrick's office confirmed that he's only experiencing "mild symptoms" and is currently isolating at home and following appropriate COVID protocols. KXAN has more on this story here.

2) Texas leads the nation in job growth, while Austin's unemployment rate increases. Gov. Greg Abbott put out a statement announcing that employers added 82,500 jobs over the previous month, and applauding Texas for setting a new employment record for the eighth consecutive month with 13,431,100 total jobs and 778,700 added jobs since June 2021.

Meanwhile, Texas Workforce Commission data showed the Austin unemployment rate increased to 3.1 percent in June 2022, which was up from May, but the Austin-metro unemployment rate remained below Texas' 4.4 percent and the national rate of 3.8 percent. Check out the full story here at KVUE.

3) Illegal dumping site catches fire again in southeast Austin. The Austin Fire Department responded to a fire at an illegal dumping site near Brandt Road and I-35 on Sunday. This is the second fire in the three days at this location. The cause of the fire is still unknown at this time, but AFD will continue to monitor the area. KXAN has more on this story here.

4) The City of Austin calls on musicians to help identify issues impacting the local music scene. According to KUT: "the City of Austin and a group of over 50 community partners, released a music census to attempt to better understand issues the community is facing."

Local musicians and creatives have continually been vocal about the city's growing housing affordability issues, as well as low-paying wages. Bobby Garza, vice president of programs and community outreach for the Long Center said: "Music is an industry in this town, and we need to think about it from an economic development standpoint, to figure out what series of measures we can provide that will foster and promote healthy business development."

The census is completely anonymous and participants will be asked about how they view diversity, equity and inclusion in the Austin music scene, along with questions about their personal experiences. Check out more on this story over at KUT.

Today in Austin:

  • Virtual Chair Yoga hosted by Stronger Austin. (8:30 a.m.)
  • The Wild Hearts Tour – Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen, And Julien Baker at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park. (Doors at 5 p.m.)
  • Virtual Zumba hosted by Stronger Austin. (5 p.m.)
  • Virtual MixxedFit hosted by Stronger Austin. (6 p.m.)
  • Virtual Full Body Workout hosted by Stronger Austin. (7 p.m.)
  • Clocked Out Comedy at The Creek and the Cave. (9 p.m.)

Community Chatter 💬 :

  • "Join us for a District-Wide Job Fair on Monday, July 25th from 9-11 a.m. at every Austin ISD campus! Visit any of our campuses to meet the principal and potentially walk away with a new, game-changing career!" (Austin ISD via Facebook)
  • "Some fresh faces on the Forty 🤘" (Texas Football via Facebook)
  • Austin's only BIPOC-owned comedy club offer gives the city's rising talent a platform! "Founded by local comedians, Austin's historic Tiger Den has been transformed into East Austin's newest destination for laughs." (KVUE via Facebook)
  • "As Central Texans grapple with inflation and cut back on their spending, the Too Good to Go app offers unsold food at a third of the retail price." (KVUE via Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! See you tomorrow 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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