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Community Corner

🌱 Sgt. Busted For Selling Fentanyl + Power Outage Downtown + Free 🧘

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)

Good morning, neighbors! It's a cool Wednesday in Austin and I'm back in your inbox with the latest and greatest community updates.

Settle in with your morning coffee while we dive into:

  • Fort Hood sergeant sentenced to six years for selling fentanyl to Austin cops.
  • Austin area rent prices continue to skyrocket.
  • Nearly 2k Austin Energy customers were without power on Tuesday afternoon.
  • Harry Styles (Night 3), kid-friendly events, free workouts, and much more ➡️

Today's weather and allergy report:

☀️ High: 92 Low: 60. Sunny, and very warm.
🍃 Grass Pollen: medium. Ragweed: high. Mold: medium. Dust & Dander: extremely high.

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Here are the top stories today in Austin:

1) A former Fort Hood sergeant who sold fentanyl to Austin cops is sentenced to six years in prison. The Statesman reports that Eri Gutberto Parra-Lopez, a 25-year-old who was an active-duty Army sergeant at the time, sold roughly 3,150 tablets of fentanyl to APD undercover officers between May and July of 2021. So far, Parra-Lopez has pleaded guilty to one count of fentanyl distribution. The Austin American-Statesman has more on this story.

2) Austin area rent prices continue to skyrocket. A new report shows that the Greater Austin area saw an increase of 86 percent in rent prices, from Aug. 2021 to Aug. 2022. Ouch!!! The report also showed that single-family rental homes (SFR) continue to be the most in-demand properties for renters across the nation. In Austin, as of Aug. 2022, the average monthly rent for an SFR was $3,210, up 60 percent from Aug. 2021. Head to KVUE to learn more about where Austin's rent prices rank among other major U.S. cities.

3) Nearly 2k Austin Energy customers were without power on Tuesday afternoon. According to the local utility company, roughly 1,980 customers near I-35 and Cesar Chavez Street in downtown Austin were impacted. KXAN has more on this developing story.

4) Austin's beloved art house movie theater, Regal Arbor, has finally closed its doors. If you wanted to catch an indie film or a good foreign movie, Regal Arbor Cinema at the Arboretum has always been the place to go. After almost two decades of incredible programming, the theater has finally closed its doors for good. The Austin American-Statesman has more on the theaters' bumpy recent history and other local theaters where you can catch an indie flick!

5) As interest in electric vehicles grows, a team of University of Texas Austin researchers are determined to improve the battery quality. The team, who has previously made strides in the lithium-ion battery industry, developed a new electrode for EV batteries that could draw greater power and allow faster charging. Go Longhorns, go!! Head to UT News to learn more.

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Today in Austin:

  • (Kid-Friendly) Venardos Circus at Moontower Saloon. (6 p.m.)
  • Wine Wednesdays at The VORTEX. (6 p.m.)
  • KUT Presents: "ATXplained" Live at The Paramount. (6 p.m.)
  • Harry Styles (Night 3) at The Moody Center (6:30 p.m.)
  • Sitting On Stacy at Empire Control Room. (7 p.m.)
  • Spune Presents: William Fitzsimmons with Stuart Smith at Parish. (7 p.m.)
  • Butterfly Bluegrass Jam - The VORTEX (8 p.m.)

Community Chatter 💬 :

  • 🍤 Suerte's new, Mexican coastal restaurant "Este" is set to open in the former Eastside Cafe space. Come October, Este will be serving fried fish tacos, oysters, grilled shrimp and more from its new eatery! Mmm – I cannot wait. (Eater Austin)
  • 🤘 Giveaway time: The Longhorn Foundation is giving away two seats in a suite for Saturday's Longhorn game against West Virginia! Head to Twitter for the deets. (The Longhorn Foundation via Twitter)
  • 🎤 The City wants to hear from YOU: Have an opinion on the future of I-35? Let's get real – we all do! The city has released a survey to members of the company to voice their opinions on the I-35 Cap and Stitch program. Don't miss your chance to weigh in. (Community Impact)
  • 🧘 Free weekly workouts at Waterloo. Classes are free and open to the public. Yoga, meditation, dance, Pilates, cardio, strength and so much more! (Waterloo Greenway)

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You're officially in the loop for today. See you all 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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