🌱 Pecan Street Fest + Sugar And Spice Home Baking + Protect Your Pets

Hello, neighbors! It's me again, Gabriela Couvillion, your host of the Austin Daily.

---

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and hot. High: 97 Low: 75.

---

Here are the top stories in Austin today:

1. Despite the heat, "hundreds of attendees walk among tents and booths on Sixth street at the Pecan Street Festival" that took place on Sunday, May 8 in Downtown Austin. "The Pecan Street Festival is a free two-day arts festival held twice yearly in downtown Austin's Sixth Street Historic District." For more on the recent event, as well as pictures with details, please visit: (Austin American-Statesman)
2. Erin Lawler has been dealing with anxiety and depression most of her life, but after the Austin mom gave birth to her daughter, her problems worsened as she developed postpartum depression. She said, "it was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I felt like my brain was on fire." However, during that time the pandemic was going on, so she had "plenty of unstructured time" and decided to launch a baking blog called Sugar and Spice Home Baking. By doing that, she was able to "spend more time with her daughter and put her love of baked goods to work." Lawler now wants "to combine her baking skills and personal experience to raise awareness and hope for people struggling with PPD," and will be "participating in the Depressed Cake Shop, an initiative promoted by NAMI Central Texas each May during National Mental Health Awareness Month." The event which originally "launched in England as a way to jumpstart conversations on mental health" will continue until Saturday, May 14, and there will be "nearly 20 businesses and bakers participating in this year's challenge." For more event details please visit: (KXAN.com)
3. Now that the hot weather is here, it's very important to protect your pets from the heat, and Austin Pets Alive! has tips to help you keep them safe: Before taking your pet for a walk, please check the pavement "by placing your hand on it for 10 seconds" and "if it's too hot for you, it's too hot for their paws." During hot weather, "make sure your pet has plenty of drinking water and allow them to take a swim in cool water." Susie Chase from Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) said, "If your dog's eyes are bloodshot and their tongue is hanging way off to the side, they might be close to overheating." Do not leave your pet in the car, even for a short while, because it can get very hot. Do not leave your pet in the car, even for a short period of time. According to APA! "On a 95-degree day, a car can reach 129 degrees in 30 minutes." If it's too hot, "limit outdoor activities to short walks in shaded areas or consider waiting until the evening to take a stroll." For more information and tip details, please visit: (KEYE TV CBS Austin)

---

Today in Austin:

• Bring a Friend with You to Donate & Get a Limited-Edition T-shirt at We Are Blood. (8 a.m.)
• The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Sense in person in the Crum Auditorium (in Rowling Hall 1.400) located at 300 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. or via Zoom here. (5 p.m.)
• Long-range Planning Committees (LPC) Meeting. To register visit the LPC Meeting page. For more information visit the Austin ISD website. (6 p.m.)
• Virtual MixxedFit Online Class by Stronger Austin. (6 p.m.)
• Virtual Full Body Workout Online Class by Stronger Austin. (7 p.m.)

---

From my notebook:

• "By a sweeping margin, voters in Austin appear to have approved a proposition to sanction small amounts of marijuana and ban the use of no-knock warrants by police." (Facebook)
• "The proposition to keep Leander's 37-year partnership with CapMetro is on track to pass with about 59% support." (Facebook)
• "A neighbor in Austin's Colony would like to know if anyone in Chaparral Crossing/Austin Colony area has any skills or experience with AC units? Any assistance or referrals would be appreciated." (Nextdoor)
• "A neighbor from Sweetbriar West needs an A/C repairman as soon as possible. Please message them with a quote via Nextdoor site." (Nextdoor)

---

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Something More — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• Second Saturday Divorce Workshop-What Everyone Needs to Know About Divorce (May 14)
• Zoom meeting about deck repair in Austin, Texas (May 19)
• Add your event

---

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday off right. See you all tomorrow for another 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!

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