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Community Corner

🌱 SXSW Brings $280M To ATX + Best Oysters In Town 🦪 + Feel Good News

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, Austin. Happy Thursday! It's me, Jessica, your host of the Austin Daily — here to share all of the latest news and updates for our community.

Kick your feet up and grab your morning coffee while we dive into:

  • Feel good news: local hit & run victim is gifted a new wheelchair.
  • Roy Kizer Golf Course is back in business (soon)!!
  • SXSW 2022 created a $280 million impact on Austin's economy – but is it enough?
  • Line dancing lessons, best oysters in Austin, live music, theater, and much more ➡️

But first, today's weather and allergy report:

☀️ High: 101 Low: 73. Sunshine and hot, hot, HOT.
🍃 Grass Pollen: high (⬆️). Ragweed: moderate. Mold: high (⬆️). Dust & Dander: extremely high.

Here are the top stories today in Austin:

1) Feel good news: A recent hit & run survivor was gifted a new, replacement wheelchair. Rogelio DeLuna survived the recent accident with a few bumps and bruises, but his power wheelchair was completely destroyed. Austin Cops 4 Charities and Martin Mobility banded together to have DeLuna's power wheelchair replaced and restore his mobility.

Neighbors, we are always stronger together, as a community. Head to KVUE to learn more about this heartwarming story.

2) University of Texas President Jay Hartzell outlined his recent accomplishments, his vision for the school's future, and how he's investing in faculty and staff during his annual State of the University address on Tuesday evening. President Hartzell also stressed that tenure, academic freedom, and civic discourse were key to UT and its staff members.

President Hartzell stated that tenure "is an essential tool for attracting world-class scholars that enables them to take risks on big ideas, work on the hardest problems society faces and strive for profundity, not simply production. Public research institutions have not wavered in protecting tenure, because it provides time and freedom to cultivate world-changing ideas."

Hartzell also announced the first renovations to the UT Tower for the first time in its 85-year history! Exciting things happening over on the Longhorn Campus. Head to the Austin American-Statesman to learn more about this story.

3) Roy Kizer Golf Course is officially back in business (soon)!! Austin's Parks and Recreation Department has officially announced a grand re-opening of the course slated for Thursday, Sept. 29 from 7-10 a.m. The course has been closed since March 2022 while the city resurfaced the putting greens and finished a few additional improvements. The re-opening event will feature a live onsite radio broadcast, plenty of golf, music, giveaways, and breakfast for all attendees. Head to the city's website to learn how you can attend.

4) South by Southwest 2022 came back with a vengeance this past spring, delivering millions of dollars to Austin's economy. Festival organizers reported that this year's festival created a $280 million impact on Austin's economy. That said, officials report that 2022's impact was not enough to surpass the $355.9 million the 2019, pre-coronavirus festival brought to the city, as well as other totals in years before that.

Local economists report that while the 2022 economic impact was below pre-pandemic figures, the festival's ripple effects was felt by hotels, restaurants, live music venues, retailers, and transportation companies such as taxi and shuttle bus operators. Head to KXAN to learn more about the 2022 festival and what organizers plan to do to make sure 2023 is a success.

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Today in Austin:

  • "Fistful of Tango" at Draylen Mason Music Studio. (6 p.m.)
  • Hope After Dark at LBJ Presidential Library. (6 p.m.)
  • Line Dancing Class at McKinney Falls State Park. (6:30 p.m.)
  • Come Together for Texas: Music, Voter Registration, Fundraising at Austin Mote. (7 p.m.)
  • Hunter Cox & John Hart with Montclair at Empire Control Room. (7:30 p.m.)
  • Charlie Martin at Mohawk. (7:30 p.m.)
  • "Macbeth" at Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms. (8 p.m.)

Community Chatter 💬 :

  • ☕ Austin has some of the best cups of joe....in the country? WalletHub reports that Austin ranks in the Top 20 of the Best Coffee Cities in America of 2022! (CBS Austin via Twitter)
  • 👀 Harry Styles is coming to Austin. The teen heartthrob is gearing up to play 6 nights in Austin, and Austin 360 has all the info you need to know. (Austin 360 via Facebook)
  • 🦪 Did you know in spite of being miles from coastland, Austin has over 20 local restaurants with oysters on the menu?! Eater Austin has compiled their top picks for raw oysters in the area. Yum!! (Eater Austin via Facebook)
  • 🎨 New public art alert: Downtown Austin Alliance announces plans to add a new mural and more to the "secret porch" at 301 Congress. (Downtown Austin Alliance via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with a new 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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