Local news and fun, every day 6am.
Featured
austonia newsletter
Most viewed

NASCAR wrapped up at the Circuit of the Americas track on Sunday. (COTA)
Just after NASCAR’s EchoPark Grand Prix wrapped up on Sunday night, Circuit of the Americas Chairman Bobby Epstein announced yet another draw to Austin's track: a new amusement park.
Epstein confirmed to Austonia the park would be "family-friendly," with more than 30 rides, two “mega-coasters,” and will “rival any other” amusement park in the country. Epstein expects the kids section of the park to open this summer and the rest in 2023, with additional rides coming in 2024.
"The amusement park is -and always has been- part of our overall goal: to be a world-class destination for sports and entertainment," Epstein said. "We want to be 'the playground for today, making memories forever.'”
COTA has over 400 events planned at the venue this year, including 40 concerts. Epstein said with 1,500 acres to work with, they plan to keep adding events.
The venue has already provided a kiddie park with a Ferris wheel, carousel, zip-lining and go-kart track.
Over the past 10 years it has been in Austin, the COTA track has brought $5 billion to the local economy.
Not to mention foot traffic—October’s Formula 1 race drew more than 300,000 people for the weekend and has already sold out this year. Last month, Epstein secured a five-year contract with its main event, F1, and said he expects MotoGP to return for at least five more years. MotoGP, which attracts crowds of 70,000 or more, will return in April this year.
With its 10-year anniversary coming up this year, Epstein said to be on the lookout for announcements regarding the milestone celebration as it is going to be “legendary.” The next time you're driving along Toll 130, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the new Ferris wheel.
- COTA to add in luxury trackside 'car condos' for racing enthusiasts ... ›
- Formula 1 in Austin: A complete guide to the 'biggest event on the ... ›
- NASCAR is making its way to Austin's Circuit of The Americas ... ›
- F1 tickets at Circuit of the Americas go on sale March 16 - austonia ›
- Don't expect traffic problems around Circuit of the Americas to be fixed anytime soon - austonia ›
Popular
(Moriah Wilson/Instagram)
Austin police are investigating the killing of Moriah "Mo" Wilson after she was found with gunshot wounds inside an Austin home.
Wilson, a gravel and mountain bike racer, was visiting Austin from Colorado in preparation for the Gravel Locos race on Saturday taking place in Hico, a small town 2 hours from Austin.
On Wednesday, her roommate came home and found Wilson unresponsive with "a lot of blood near her,” police said. It is now being investigated as a suspicious death. No further information on the suspect or motive behind the killing are available at this time.
Wilson recently had become a full-time biker after winning a slew of races in the past year.
(Pexels)
Some of your favorite Instagram filters can’t be used in Texas anymore and Austinites are sounding off on social media.
Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, announced on Wednesday that certain filters would no longer be available in Texas.
The change is a result of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company uses facial recognition technology that violates laws in Texas. A release from Meta says it stopped using facial recognition tech in November 2021 and denies Paxton’s allegations.
Some Austinites bemoaned the shift, saying some of their favorite filters were now unavailable.
This was my FAVORITE filter on @instagram and they done removed it cause I’m in Texas ! Like wowwwwww pic.twitter.com/uX60hdIC0Q
— Pinkyy Montana (@inkstar_pinkyy) May 11, 2022
i heard that instagram filters got banned in texas? what the actual fuck y’all better give me my favorite filter back
— lia 🤍 (@liatootrill) May 11, 2022
loved this stupid filter sm i hate texas pic.twitter.com/DXr9mmUc64
— birthday boy jeno 🎂 (@beabtox) May 12, 2022
But more often than not, locals joked about the ban.
Texas women seeing the filter ban on IG pic.twitter.com/yDMcP3Qtsr
— Christian (Anabolic) Flores (@christian_flo24) May 11, 2022
So, the state of Texas has banned filter use on IG? THE END IS NEAR. 😂
— THE FRANCHISE! Франшиза (@NYCFranchise718) May 12, 2022
And some in-between chose to show off some natural beauty.
I live in Texas, but no filter needed. 😉 pic.twitter.com/A6teRgYMKn
— bad and bruja (@starseedmami) May 11, 2022
filter, no filter..texas women still reign supreme.
— 🎍 (@_sixile) May 11, 2022
Finally, some are trying to cash in on the opportunity.
Texas IG users- if you want to filter your picture cashapp me $1.50 $ErvnYng
— Gemini (@ervn_y) May 11, 2022
Meta said it plans to create an opt-in system for both Texas and Illinois residents, who are facing the same issues.