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SXSW announces notable speakers for in-person festival before deadline for lowest-ever badge prices

(Aaron Rogosin/SXSW)
Ready to switch focus to another global Austin festival? South By Southwest announced over 160 sessions on Wednesday and is offering their lowest prices of the March 2022 event to those that register by 2 a.m. Friday.
Those who register by the deadline will see the lowest possible prices as well as the best deals through SXSW Housing & Travel.
The global music, film and media event released over 160 topics for its SXSW Conference event, which will take place in-person and feature speakers from the forefront of tech, film and TV, music and more from March 11-20. Key topics for this year's panels include a future-forward "2050" section, civic engagement, climate change, tech and startups and more within the media realm.
Notable speakers announced for the 2022 event include Chef Andrew Zimmern, Platformer News Founder Casey Newton, David Kelley, Co-Founder and CEO of The 19th Emily Ramshaw, Nickelodeon's Chief Marketing Officer Jenny Wall and VP at Amazon Web Services Sandy Carter.
The world-renowned fest has brought the best to Austin for over 30 years but was forced to remain virtual for both the 2020 and 2021 events in the midst of the pandemic. Last year's speakers and films included Austin greats including Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey, music legend Willie Nelson and hotel powerhouse Liz Lambert as well as former President George W. Bush.
Check out all of the scheduled conferences so far for 2022 here.
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(Shutterstock)
For years Austin has been one of the top 5 places to live in the U.S., according to an annual ranking from U.S. News and World Report. But this year, Austin dropped out of the top 10.
The publication ranked Austin at No. 13, down from No. 5 last year, No. 3 in 2020 and No. 1 in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Cities ranking in the top this year were No. 1 Huntsville, Alabama, No. 2 Colorado Springs and No. 3 Green Bay, Wisconsin.
So why did it rank lower this year?
The hot housing market is part of the reason. The report states "Austin offers a lower value than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income."
Still, Austin was the highest-ranked Texas city on the list. Adding to its desirability are its live music capital roots and the growing tech scene. The next Texas area on the list was Dallas-Fort Worth coming in at No. 32.
U.S. News says it analyzed 150 metro areas in the U.S. to make the list based on the quality of life, the job market, the value of living there and people's desire to live there.
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(Pexels)
Austin parents and grocery store shelves are feeling the effects of a nationwide baby formula shortage.
Caused mostly by a February recall due to contamination issues, followed by the Abbott Nutrition factory closure in Michigan, the shortage has left Austin shelves barren. However, earlier this week, U.S. officials announced a plan with the facility to restart production.
In the meantime, local parents in crisis have turned toward the Mother’s Milk Bank to keep their babies fed.
HEB on East 7th has been picked clean of formula and is limiting purchases. (Laura Figi/Austonia)
The milk bank—which takes donations from lactating mothers and dispenses milk to babies in the NICU—has been helping feed upwards of 30 families in need as the formula supply tightens.
According to the bank’s executive director Kim Updegrove, Mother’s Milk Bank has seen an uptick in calls from parents with healthy babies in need of help since the shortage began.
“We aren't used to hearing from families with healthy infants,” Updegrove said. “They're typically very upset, angry, frustrated, sobbing—it's scary to not be able to feed your infants. So in the past few weeks, those calls have been significantly increasing.”
Mothers are only able to donate if they are within a year postpartum, so Updegrove said they are constantly bringing on and retiring donors. While donors had been on a 30% decline leftover from 2021 when the shortage began, Updegrove said the shortage has led to mass community interest and more than 90 prospective donors in just the past few days.
“We and other milk banks are experiencing significant interest from the community—becoming milk donors and helping to turn around this crisis,” Updegrove said. “Every infant needs to be fed, every one of us can relate to that need, and we need to make sure as a community that it happens.”
Whole Foods downtown was also cleaned out of typical formula. (Laura Figi/Austonia)
While you may still be able to find formula at places like Whole Foods—which currently has goat milk, soy and plant-based formula in stock—Updegrove said it might not be what a baby needs.
Updegrove said it is best to buy types that say “infant formula,” as they are FDA approved and will provide the nutrients, vitamins and minerals a baby needs. Plant-based, homemade, non-cow's milk or diluting formula may not provide the same nutritional value.
As the community navigates the shortage, Updegrove said the most important way to help out is to not panic buy or stockpile.
“This is a crisis for families,” Updegrove said. “This is the time for the community to gather together and figure out what everyone can do to help families with young infants.”