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(Peppermint Parkway/Facebook)
A new holiday light experience is driving into town. Tickets are now on sale for Peppermint Parkway, a drive-thru Christmas experience with millions of lights and a carnival at the Circuit of the Americas.
Guests will be able to drive through Peppermint Parkway from Nov. 27 to Jan. 3. The event will operate from 6-10:30 p.m. on weekdays and from noon-10:30 p.m. on weekends.
The one mile drive-thru experience will allow guests to journey though Peppermint Parkway's Candy Cane Lane, ATXmas, Gingerbread Alley, Enchanted Forest, Frozen Land, North Pole until finishing off at Club Sleigh.
Upon arrival, guests can purchase popcorn, cotton candy and water before experiencing the show.
After driving through Peppermint Parkway, The Circuit of the Americas will also host Peppermint Plaza, where guests can enjoy the COTALAND Kiddie Amusement Park with a ferris wheel, games, trains, food and a meet and greet with Pepper and Mint, the Peppermint Parkway mascots. Peppermint Plaza will open alongside Peppermint Parkway on Nov. 27.
Tickets for standard admission are $35. Guests can also purchase three different types of upgraded tickets ranging from $60-$90 per vehicle. Tickets and more information on the Peppermint parkway can be found here.
More on holiday events:
Austin Trail of Lights drive-thru tickets now on sale
(City of Austin)
From Your Site Articles
(Texas Longhorns/Instagram)
Game Preview: Longhorns face off against #13 Cyclones
The Texas Longhorns take the field for the first time in two weeks after postponements and bye weeks, making them one of the most well rested teams in the conference.
<p>Their opponent Friday will make or break the Longhorns' hopes to take home a Big 12 title this season as #13 Iowa State comes to town. It will also mark the last home game of the season and the final home game for a group of seniors who have stuck with Texas through thick and thin. </p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d2ac37e4be54c6759f88e2be26392271" id="e9d6a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1331417815933399041"><div style="margin:1em 0">Thankful - 11 - Senior Day
@sehlinger3 https://t.co/TSWPxQU9Tt</div> — Texas Football (@Texas Football)<a href="https://twitter.com/TexasFootball/statuses/1331417815933399041">1606269718.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>After the Kansas game was <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/texas-vs-kansas-game-postponed-due-to-covid-19-issues-within-jayhawks-football-program/" target="_blank">pushed to the end of the season</a> due to COVID-19 concerns, Coach Tom Herman and the Longhorns got an extra week to prepare for a showdown against the Iowa State Cyclones.<br/></p><p>The new College Football Playoff rankings, which were released Tuesday, put 6-2 Iowa State four spots ahead of #17 Texas. Neither team has a real shot at making the playoffs this season, with 100-to-1 odds of the Big 12 Champion even making the playoffs, <a href="https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/futures/" target="_blank">according to most gambling websites</a>.</p><p>The new College Football Playoff rankings, which were released Tuesday, put 6-2 Iowa State four spots ahead of #17 Texas. Neither team has a real shot at making the playoffs this season, with 100-to-1 odds, <a href="https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/futures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">according to most gambling websites</a>.</p><p>the Big 12 Champion evening <a href="https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/futures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">getting a chance to make the playoffs 100 to 1</a> according to most gambling websites. However, Friday's match up still will decide a lot, including the possible future of Herman at Texas.</p><p>The Texas defense under Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash has been underrated to say the least. The Longhorns, led by junior linebacker <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4362094/joseph-ossai" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joseph Ossai</a>, have the 16th ranked defense in yards allowed per rush.</p><p>The defense will have their work cut out for them with one of the conference's best running backs, Iowa State sophomore Breece Hall, coming to Austin. Hall is averaging 6.5 yards per attempt.</p><p>The Longhorns defense was able to bottle up Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard (72 yards, no TDs) and West Virginia's Leddie Brown (47 yards, 1 TD), two of the conference's other top backs.</p><p>On offense, this will be the last time Sam Ehlinger take the field at home as a Longhorn. The senior quarterback has a lot on his plate.</p><p>The Cyclones have a solid defense, allowing only 23.4 points per game and the second fewest rushing yards per game in the Big 12. That might change the way that Ehlinger gets used Friday. The quarterback is known more for what he can do in the play action and run-pass option than what he can do in the pocket.</p><p>The Cyclones pass defense will have to be prepared for whatever the Longhorns throw their way, but fans can almost count on a great performance for Ehlinger.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8ee9437fd0d4c20967ae1e243b203c7f" id="f364d"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1331291988759601154"><div style="margin:1em 0">Sam Ehlinger ahead of his final home game at Texas:
"I hope to be remembered as a quarterback and leader that led… https://t.co/SGKMOKJo9n</div> — Jeff Barker (@Jeff Barker)<a href="https://twitter.com/JeffBarker_/statuses/1331291988759601154">1606239718.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>All week, Ehlinger has been focused on the task at hand: beating #13 Iowa State and having the Longhorns fight their way back into Big 12 title contention.</p><p>With Oklahoma State's loss to Oklahoma last week, the Cyclones are currently in sole possession of first place in the conference, with Oklahoma coming in second. If the Longhorns can win out, beating Iowa State, Kansa State and Kansas, then Texas will have a shot at the trophy to end the year.</p><p>Friday will also see the unveiling of the newest addition to the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium monument collection.</p><p>Julius Whittier was the first AfricanAmerican football letterman and played from 1970-1972 for legendary head coach Darrell K. Royal. Whittier was part of the 1970 National Championship team that is also being honored Friday on the 50th anniversary of the title.</p><p>Whittier made history in 1970 in the season opener against Cal as the first Black football player to start for the Longhorns. He was on the roster for three Southwest Conference titles and a national championship.</p><p>The San Antonio native died in 2018 from Alzheimer at 68.</p>
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(Tito's Handmade Vodka)
Ingredients:
- 750 mL Tito's Handmade Vodka
- 1 1/2 cup toasted pecans
Directions: Toast pecans in a 350°F oven until they become aromatic (about 5 minutes). Let pecans cool, drop them into a resealable jar, and fill with Tito's Handmade Vodka. Store in a cool, dark place for 1 month, if you can wait that long.
(MangoNic/Shutterstock)
Before the pandemic started, Adult Care of Austin on Menchaca Road didn't offer telemedicine appointments.
Now, the private practice conducts almost all of its visits virtually, either over the phone or on HIPAA-compliant video platforms.
Dr. Steven Dobberfuhl, an internal medicine physician, said telemedicine saved his practice—and has been a boon to his patients, around 75% of whom are 65 years or older and at high risk of contracting COVID-19.
"I didn't believe it would work as well as it has," he said.
<p>Dobberfuhl is not alone. </p><p>With policy changes enacted at the state and federal level earlier this year, including requirements that insurance companies <a href="https://austonia.com/telemedicine-offers-health-care-at-a-social-distance" target="_self">reimburse doctors</a> for telemedicine appointments, the technology finally made financial sense for many local physicians.</p><p>"Sadly, if it's not getting paid for, it's not getting done," Dobberfuhl said.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthit.gov/topic/health-it-health-care-settings/%20-and-telehealth" target="_blank">Telemedicine</a>—which includes live videoconferencing, recorded videos, remote patient monitoring and mobile health, such as texts—offers convenience and limits doctors and patients' exposure to the coronavirus. </p><p>But there were kinks to work out.</p><p>"Everything was sort of bottlenecked through telemedicine," said Dr. Terry Rascoe, medical director of telemedicine virtual urgent care for Baylor Scott & White Health, which expanded its telemedicine services <a href="https://austonia.com/telemedicine-offers-health-care-at-a-social-distance" target="_blank">early on in the pandemic</a>. </p><p>Over the last eight months, however, physicians and patients alike have discovered the benefits of telemedicine—and been able to return to in-person visits where they make sense now that the state has allowed elective procedures to resume. </p><p>"It was a crisis period (in March and April)," said Dr. Ashis Barad, medical director of virtual specialty care services for BSW Health. "We were replicating in-person care back then out of necessity. Really the hope now is to enhance care."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<a href="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkxMDE2MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzgwNjUzMX0.8ik0qBqJZBPaJtnL_2RcENC7KxniTAGcfCJJERBEHU8/img.jpg?width=980" target="_blank"><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4fc65ae2446d4f9e44adfb1edffe29ed" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="15c35" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkxMDE2MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzgwNjUzMX0.8ik0qBqJZBPaJtnL_2RcENC7KxniTAGcfCJJERBEHU8/img.jpg?width=980"/></a>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
(Steven Dobberfuhl)</small>
</p><p><strong>The telemedicine revolution</strong><br/></p><p>For Barad, who is also a pediatric gastroenterologist, this means using telemedicine for follow-up visits and for those families who may live far from his Temple clinic, which serves dozens of counties in Central Texas. </p><p>"Patients are going to drive this," he said of telemedicine's continued use. "And I think in general, our patients love telemedicine." </p><p>Other physicians echoed this assessment.</p><p>Although no longer a necessity, telemedicine continues to save patients time. Instead of spending hours commuting to a doctor's office and possibly losing out on pay, they can instead pop into a video or phone call for 30 minutes. </p><p>"The patients are really seeing the benefit of not having to take a half day off of work," Dobberfuhl said.</p><p>There are also benefits to the doctors themselves. </p><p>Dobberfuhl likes getting a glimpse into his patients' homes—a kind of 2020 house call. </p><p>"For better or for worse, I kind of like having a little bit of that insight," he said. (Although there are some occupational hazards that crop up: "I've had patients not put on shirts.")</p><p>Overall the change has been a positive one.</p><p>"It's a good revolution," Dobberfuhl said. "We all really hope that parts of it stay (beyond the pandemic)." </p><p><strong>A tool in the toolbox</strong> </p><p>But telemedicine is not a panacea.</p><p>Many physicians and private practices are still reporting depressed patient volume as a result of the pandemic and haggling with insurance companies over reimbursement rates. </p><p>"They're still struggling," said Tom Banning, CEO of the Austin-based Texas Academy of Family Physicians. "There's no question about that."</p><p>Although telemedicine is useful in many instances, it doesn't address every problem caused by the pandemic. Banning estimates that patient volume has rebounded to about 85% of pre-pandemic levels, but that still leaves a 15% gap, which he attributed in part to patients losing their jobs—and with them their health insurance.</p><p>"I think telemedicine is just going to be one bullet in the gun," he said of the challenges facing doctors today. </p><p>Another reason for the drop in patient volume may be the success of COVID prevention measures.</p><p>"This time of year we're typically slammed," said Dr. Brian Temple, a co-owner and partner at Beansprout Pediatrics, which has locations in Bee Cave, Dripping Springs and Spicewood.</p><p>With kids wearing masks and social distancing, however, the common flu and cold cases are much less common. </p><p>Still, telemedicine is a useful tool for Temple's practice, especially for screening patients with COVID symptoms without having to bring them into the office, where they might infect staff. </p><p>With cases surging, this is a critical safeguard. </p><p>"If we didn't have that, I don't know what we would do," he said. </p>
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The challenge for all of us this Thanksgiving is letting go of what we've lost in this tough year and treasure what we still have.
We at Austonia are thankful for you. Since we launched our site in April, we've done our best to connect you to Austin, with stories ranging from the important to the delightfully superficial. Your response has been strong and we are grateful.
At this time of thanks, we have a variety of stories for you. Laura Figi writes about "a greener holiday," food trends, and Friday shopping. Emma Freer writes about a nearby annual Native American heritage celebration. And Roberto Ontiveros brings us a thoughtful piece that looks at the human toll of Austin's gentrification—the often painful flip side to having shiny new bars, restaurants, and apartments—in this case it's displacement of the Black community on East 11th Street. Finally, we ask you how you're celebrating the holiday this year.
Our best to you and your loved ones!
—The Austonia Team
You can now buy earrings designed by UT students at Kendra Scott
Small businesses have struggled through a long and arduous year, working to keep their livelihood afloat in a sea of uncertainty. This holiday season poses the opportunity to not only give gifts to your favorite people but also give back to your favorite local artists, Austin icons and small businesses.
So skip the line and shop small. There are hundreds of businesses to support around Austin, so if nothing here strikes a chord, visit the <a href="https://ibuyaustin.com/Find-a-local-business/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Austin Independent Business Alliance directory</a> for more.
<p class="">Make sure to check business hours before heading out, it is COVID-19 after all.</p>
The Austin Winery
<div id="7f64f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3400579315aa2bd42eeff0f20ebc659e"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CH5zZd0FC6w/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p><a href="https://www.theaustinwinery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Austin Winery</a>, located on 440 E. St. Elmo Road, already gives bulk discounts, because let's face it, 2020 has been a rough year. Whether you gift this local wine to someone else or stockpile for the next pandemic, <a href="https://www.austintexas.org/coupon/20%25-off-pickup-orders-free-wine-delivery-in-austin/1168/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">take 20% off</a> a pickup order and get free Austin delivery through the rest of the year.<br></p>Away Spa at W. Austin
<div id="b2292" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c7920a53b54fdbe6b4f3cfb882b1f751"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHx4JPoJWbu/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Give the gift of the oh-so-important self care this year, plus enjoy a little bit of it for yourself as well. With a $250 gift card purchase, receive an extra $25 spa voucher. Located on 200 Lavaca St., Austin residents also receive <a href="https://www.austinawayspa.com/texasresidents" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">20% off of certain services</a>—how can you afford not to go?</p>Half Price Books
<div id="1fe88" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7f5ac65fbadb3b621ba9a69d6556aa28"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CH0pVWOhkHC/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Texas-business Half Price Books is not skimping on the sales this year, and some of the deals even carry over into the new year. <a href="https://blackfriday.com/ads/black-friday/half-price-books" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Take 20% off</a> of your online book haul and for every $25 gift card you give away, any HPB will give you $5 off in January. </p>Kendra Scott
<div id="9364d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0dffe48a630a52143f0f01295d32318c"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CH8HBNNgvfj/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Kendra may not be a "small" business anymore but it started small with Austin roots. From Nov. 29 through Dec. 2, take 25% off of everything (yes, everything!) in the store and an extra 30% off of $300 or more for the "Yellow Friday" sale.</p>Lilla & Beth
<div id="4c901" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f95a34010ca819c655a05ddb7c0933cf"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CH8F_Oulu1n/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>For some unique Austin-centric decor, gifts, clothes and accessories, <a href="https://www.lillabeth.com/" target="_blank">Lilla & Beth</a>, located on 1911 Aldrich Street, has you covered this year. The more you buy, the more you save so take 10% off purchases under $50, 15% off purchases over $50 and 20% off purchases over $100. Everyone will wish they had gotten you as their secret Santa!</p>Record Store Crawl
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyNzk5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODcyOTIzMH0.tGkJ9sOB3AI3Mev0rf_h-ZaUOO4-KfVgRO3mUckvzPQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="6e233" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4a20cc26c9be0201045b17c0d7993ab4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Self-described "magic school bus that takes you to record stores and bars," the 2020 <a href="https://www.recordstorecrawl.com/?frontpage=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Record Store Crawl</a> will make holiday shopping more fun than ever before. The Record Store Crawl will drive you to 10 record stores in the area, complete with a band on the bus for entertainment. Last year, the event helped sell 2 million records at local retailers nationwide, so this is a great way to have fun and help out the music industry.</p>Roam Homegrown
<div id="e2418" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ed8000c5859b55fc66cca94b64ecfa2"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIBGx0urxvs/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Give the gift of relaxation with the help of <a href="https://roamhomegrown.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Roam Homegrown's collection</a> of candles, soaps, scents and self care goodies. To celebrate the holidays, the Austin-based, women-owned company is giving 10% sitewide until Dec. 31. This offer has no minimum so you can gift as much or as little as your heart desires.</p>
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Aztec dancers perform as part of the virtual grand finale of the Sacred Springs Power on Nov. 21.
Normally, the Sacred Springs Powwow draws a crowd of thousands to San Marcos, where it is hosted each year by the Indigenous Cultures Institute.
But this year's event, like so many others, occurred online. Sixty Native American dancers competed via streamed performances on Saturday, and vendors, singers and storytellers submitted videos for the audience to view at their leisure.
<p>"This is historic," Executive Director Maria Rocha told Austonia. "No other powwow is doing a virtual (event)."</p><p><strong>Staying connected</strong> </p><p>The Indigenous Cultures Institute has transitioned its other programs—from its week-summer camp for indigenous youth to its ongoing campaign to rebury ancestors' remains currently held by the University of Texas at Austin—online since the advent of the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected local Native communities. </p><p>"Historically, indigenous practices were illegal," Garza said. "That caused some people to maintain their culture and go underground. And it caused other people to erase it."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bd246f7b3614a9507b4ba9472d225243" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" type="lazy-iframe" scrolling="no" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x3yJNW0hmgQ?list=PLfk-2-CkoV4TSF_C6nJSgpgUvfCHvCjnE&rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Keilani Arch | Sacred Springs Powwow 2020 Dance Competition</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3yJNW0hmgQ&list=PLfk-2-CkoV4TSF_C6nJSgpgUvfCHvCjnE&index=60" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>Only in the last couple generations have Native American cultural practices reemerged, on a public scale, in the U.S. But there are still challenges.<br/></p><p>"Even today, we're told, 'But there aren't any Indians in Texas,'" Garza said.</p><p>On the contrary, although there are only three federally recognized tribes in the state, Garza estimates that as many as half of Texas Latinos have Native American heritage. </p><p>"Their people, our people, have been in Texas <a href="https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/campfire-stories/native-americans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">for 14,000 years</a>," she said.</p><p>Making people aware of this legacy and maintaining indigenous cultural practices, is a work in progress. For example, the institute continues to push for Native American history to be taught in Texas public schools. </p><p>"I think that there has always been an effort to teach (this history), but it hasn't expanded visibly to people," Garza said. "Now we're talking about it because we feel that it has to be a visible part of society." </p><p><strong>A moment of opportunity</strong> </p><p>This work may resonate now more than ever given the pandemic, which has exacerbated inequities and prompted a reckoning about systemic racism and other injustices.</p><p>Fewer than 1% of Austin residents identify as Native American, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But the population has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.</p><p>In the last two weeks, the local Native American population saw the highest or second highest rate of positive COVID test results of any race or ethnic group, according to Austin Public Health. It remains close to 15%, compared to the overall positivity rate of 6.5%.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2c210f3491253f7d4de189be69507758" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="642ef" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwNzQ1My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDgyMzk3Mn0.rMqd5xhVmcZliBAMEWyhaW5HWRxZmFQ_Jsx9Oy_ypNs/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Austin Public Health) </small></p><p>Garza attributed this to the more collective orientation of Native communities, which includes many intergenerational households.<br/></p><p>"When you have a lot of people depending on each other … that creates COVID spread because they can't stay isolated," she said. </p><p>There are other factors, as well, including higher rates of poverty and a lower likelihood of having health insurance. </p><p>Many Central Texas elders have opted to remain at home, despite COVID symptoms, to avoid dying in a hospital alone, Garza added. </p><p>But she is hopeful that the pandemic, along with the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer, will help increase Austinites' awareness of Native Americans and the issues they face.</p><p>"You see the writings of people who are doing academic writings about systemic injustice, and all of them are using the term people of color," she said. "Because we are not just talking about Black Americans. We are talking about all Americans who are not white."</p>
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(Isabella Lopes/Austonia)
Austin's East 11th Street, with its brunch crowds and boutiques, is a slick and shining example of the gentrification that has taken over what was once designated by the city as the old "negro district."
<p>For long term residents of the historically Black neighborhood, the upscale office spaces and vintage apparel shops are little more than blunt reminders that the once familiar streets are no longer theirs.</p>
<p>Brenda Mims Malik, president of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, describes the "horrific" effects of gentrification as a total disappearance of community and cohesion.</p>
<p>"We had businesses, Black-owned businesses, up and down 11th Street and now you can maybe count them on one hand, and I don't think you could get to five," says Malik. "And 12th Street is the same way, so, yeah, it has been a very rapid deterioration of Black-owned businesses and homes."</p><p>Malik, who in the late 1970s and early '80s worked as a project manager for the Robertson Hill HUD project, helped bring basic services such as alley trash pick-up, street lighting and sidewalk paving to the area she grew up in. She recalls a world of Black-owned restaurants, clubs, newspapers and theaters. </p><p>She says it all changed in the span of 20 years.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="87cb0c02c2c3c2763f6cd4456aabd4f0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="8c99a" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0MjA3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDgwMjQ0OX0.1qroxGHu3f0sYVpiKpKotJekQTbTjFlMlzmoWv62pT0/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Isabella Lopes/Austonia)</small></p>
<p>Prior to this current gentrification, East 11th Street was almost entirely Black and this was no accident. Almost a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation zoning laws were illegal, the city of Austin put into action its "1928 Master Plan" to create a "Negro District" in East Austin. In order to motivate Black residents to move to the area, the city placed the only public schools that Black residents could attend there.<br/></p>
<p>East Austin is now, of course, a highly coveted area for developers to build in and for newcomers to settle into. Between 2011 and 2014 the median home price in East Austin's 78702 ZIP code tripled from $125,000 to $375,000.</p>
<p>"What happens is developers will offer daily incentives for our residents to move out," says Malik.</p>
<p>"It is an aging population," she adds. "What happens is that when they pass on. Instead of having generational wealth, the inheritors, the children of those folks who have passed on are confronted with higher taxes and sometimes higher mortgages that they cannot pay. Some look at the offer and see it as a way to get some money very quickly. So they take that offer and they move out."</p>
<p><strong>The problem with inheritance</strong> </p>
<p>Pat Calhoun, who took over the taxes for the East Austin home her parents built in 1960 (located in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District) when her mother died in 2015, speaks to the difficulty of inheriting property in a historic district that has suddenly become hot property. </p>
<p>Prior to inheriting the home, Calhoun had been assisting her mother, who had benefited from a homestead exemption, with the property taxes for over a decade. </p>
<p>"What I would come to realize is the inequity for heirs," Calhoun explains. "If you inherit a home it is treated as though you purchased the home as a new buyer and that, to me, is not equitable because you're not purchasing the home. You have an inherent tie to the home. "</p>
<p>Calhoun added that this tax pressure can accelerate displacement. </p>
<p>"There are a lot older heirs who are unable to stay in the homes," says Calhoun. "Whilst I helped my mom in her later years, I was paying the taxes and I inherited the home. She passes away and I go ahead and move here permanently and suddenly my taxes are almost three times what I had been paying: from $2,500 to almost $9,000 and that's very difficult to sustain, particularly when you are retired. Consequently I <em>can't </em>retire."</p><p>As a result, many people opt to sell their homes, which may be their only asset. </p>
<p>"And you think of how our parents and relatives endured unequal salaries but they managed, they sacrificed, they built homes, they purchased homes and the next generation to just lose them ... it's just hard to take," Calhoun said.</p>
<p>Raul Alvarez, whose non-profit group East Austin Conservancy seeks to help families with tax relief, calls it a travesty. </p>
<p>"History is repeating itself," he says referring to Austin's 1928 master plan. "The Black and brown people used to live downtown and when the city wanted to redevelop downtown and basically kick Black and brown people out of downtown … it seems like that's what's happening again."</p>
<p><strong>How gentrification happens</strong> </p>
<p>Daniel Llanes, a 71-year-old artist and activist who has lived in Austin since he was 25 describes East Austin as "the classic gentrification take over of a Black area." </p>
<p>"Dear God, there ain't no Black culture left," he says. "The children of the people who grew up here cannot buy houses here."</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f52103a848c7395610ae36edbb883a5f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="f276f" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0MjA2Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMzM1MDEyM30.X7DEpNFiSZrtxPaMBI7Rh2Ixd1NT-Rb6T3uY9Czrpjw/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Isabella Lopes/Austonia)</small></p>
<p>As an artist who lived in West Austin for 22 years before moving to East Austin in 1997, Llanes sees even his own move to the area as typical of how gentrification occurs. </p><p>"West-side artists could not afford to live in west-side Austin anymore, so in the late 1990s (and) early 2000s a lot of them started moving to the East side because it was cheaper to rent here. That's the first domino effect of displacement of Black and brown people," says Llanes.<br/></p>
<p>Ricardo Lowe, a research associate for the Institute for Urban Policy Research & Analysis at the University of Texas at Austin, points out that the two main factors that are leading to the diaspora of East Austin are affordability and education.</p>
<p>Between 2000 and 2010 Austin's Black population was the only population in the nation that had declined in a large metropolitan city. Lowe points to r<a href="https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/iupra/_files/pdf/those-who-left-austin.pdf" target="_blank">esearch done by University of Texas' Dr. Eric Tang</a>, who sought to identify the causes behind this Black migration out of East Austin.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="40575a183404820e49365e9e93707eba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="f63cf" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0MjA4NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTU1NTUwMX0.i5afd75P85V2vm2mEBzduHAKlOc78VF-Qc3fcsStI0g/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." spellcheck="false">(Institute for Urban Policy Research and Analysis and Division of Diversity and Community Engagement)</small></p>
<p>The research identifies housing affordability as the leading cause for the migration to East Austin. The second leading cause was for the schools.<br/></p>
<p>As Lowe explains AISD "is incentivizing displacement and gentrification in a way by ensuring that the quality of the schools remains limited and once they do create an alternative, those new facilities are going to be there as a marketing strategy to appeal to those incoming families who are moving to East Austin and are of higher means."</p><p>Lowe is suspicious of Austin's recent plans to close older schools and replace them with new buildings.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f0269dba4b0df6572d03948126264aba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="bd4bb" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0MjA3Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0ODQzMjYyMn0.fZeq_dWe6LlbgCzErtINrnXJhwR9jzx9WbEtGHaljOY/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Blackshear Elementary School still stands today. It is unknown when this photo was taken.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Austin History Center)</small></p>
<p>"Who are these schools for? Are these schools for this new population that you are expecting to have in the future or are these schools really for our kids?" he said. "That is the war that is happening right now in East Austin. People making decisions on where they want to live are very tied to local schools."<br/></p><p><strong>What this means for Austin's Black residents</strong> </p>
<p>Lowe views the atmosphere of change in East Austin as absolutely demoralizing to the local Black community.</p>
<p>"Now if you got on 11th street now you're going to see condos, and different things like that that doesn't make East Austin even look the same. You see the graffiti in some of these spaces there, there's a Jamaican restaurant there, there's things there that are set to preserve the cultural significance of Black people in Austin, but the people there— they're not, they're not <em>there</em> anymore, a lot of them are being gentrified out," says Lowe.</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b9c08e0445e2f7dbdcb0938051dd33b3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="0fd7b" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0MjA3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTg1NTIwMX0.XQn0cHKAL6Fkzvozexdv8jH0zn2lNNaRe-0cBMaQAgI/img.jpg?width=1200&coordinates=0%2C764%2C0%2C764&height=800"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Roberto Ontiveros/Austonia)</small></p>
<p>Lowe see's the underlying problem as systemic racism. He says the story of East Austin is not just one of gentrification and displacement, but it is also the story of how institutions continue to persist on making it difficult for people just to remain put. People are being forced to move out of the area when they can't pay for the cost of living.<br/></p>
<p>"It is apparent that Austin is becoming a city that in order for you to live in, you have to contribute to that economy, because Austin wants to become a global economy," says Lowe. "Those who are not able to participate in making the global city more economically profound are finding it increasingly difficult to live there."</p>
<p>Roxanne Evans, member of the East Austin Coalition for Quality Education, says she believes the city is committed to affordable housing which will slow the rate of gentrification, and she hopes families who have left the area will be drawn back to the area.</p>
<p>"Progress is well and good, development is well and good, but not if it pushes people out and changes the whole nature of the community," says Evans.</p>
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