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(Coca-Cola Company)
The Coca-Cola Company is expanding the popular Topo Chico line to include hard seltzer.
Calling all Topo Chico lovers: your favorite mineral water brand is coming out with its own hard seltzer.
<p>The Coca-Cola Company, which acquired Topo Chico in 2017, <a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com/press-releases/announcement-of-topo-chico-hard-seltzer" target="_blank">announced</a> today that a new hard seltzer will hit the market late this year. The drink comes in a can and is "tangy lemon lime" flavored.</p><p>The announcement stated that Topo Chico Hard Seltzer will be available in select Latin American cities later this year. And, the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/coca-cola-to-offer-alcoholic-topo-chico-in-latin-america-u-s" target="_blank">company told Bloomberg News</a>, the U.S. can expect the drink to hit the market in 2021. </p><p>Topo Chico, a favorite of many Austinites, follows other companies into the hard seltzer market, including Austin Eastciders. </p>
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(Roschetzky Photography/Shutterstock)
When Steve Davis, 34, moved to Austin from Indianapolis on July 5, it was two months later than planned—and to a much different city than the one he'd visited months earlier.
<p>"My main purpose was to get out of my Indy bubble and meet new people," he told Austonia. "I haven't been able to do that."</p><p>Davis, who works for a mortgage company, began charting his move early this year. He planned to transfer from his employer's Indiana headquarters to a satellite office in Austin. When he visited the city in February, friends organized a party bus to drive their group from Salt Lick to a distillery and the Oasis on Lake Travis. </p><p>When the pandemic hit, Davis was unsure if a move would even be possible. "I kind of got over it and was like, 'OK, I'm just going to be stuck in Indy and not get to move,'" he said. </p><p>When Indiana and Texas began to loosen restrictions in late May, Davis visited Austin again. He signed a lease and confirmed an early July move-in. "I was like, 'I want to get down there before the second wave hits, so I can at least meet people and make friends,'" he said. "Well, it seems like that second wave hit when I was moving."</p><p>Now in Austin, Davis chose to work out of his new office even though it means wearing a mask all day. "I'm single, I live alone, and I didn't want to be stuck at home and not see anybody," he said.</p><p>Despite the challenges, Davis is glad he made the move—and hopeful that the city will open up in the coming weeks. </p><p>He is not alone. </p><p>Although the impact of the pandemic on moving trends is not yet known, people continue to arrive in Austin, which U.S. News and World Report named <a href="https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/best-places-to-live" target="_blank"><u>the best place to live</u></a>—for the third year running—in May.</p><p>The adjustment can be hard when gathering places—such as parks, pools and bars—are closed and social gatherings are taboo. </p><p>Matthew Winters created a Facebook group for 20- and 30-somethings new to Austin in 2013. It now has 9,411 members, many of whom post about wanting to meet people. </p><p>But the utility of such groups changes in a pandemic. "The longer that it goes on, what I've noticed is events are just generally dying," Winters said. </p><p>Before COVID-19, members would post about gathering for discos or to network. When local stay-home orders took effect in late March, some members who work in tech organized creative virtual events—a game night or playing music as a group—but they have since tapered off. </p><p>There is also more trolling and negative commentary. "I've just noticed that kind of animosity a lot more during COVID than before," Winters said. </p><p><br/></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<a href="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUyMzQ1Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTIxMjg0NX0.bI2271BBIp4K4A75c3Aa3izESN7iZMBQOrxlsBnmmsk/img.png?width=980" target="_blank"><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4faea6edf1e75f71f6a2d3d1321582c9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="71826" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUyMzQ1Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTIxMjg0NX0.bI2271BBIp4K4A75c3Aa3izESN7iZMBQOrxlsBnmmsk/img.png?width=980"/></a>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Katie Bennett moved to Austin in mid-June.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
(Katie Bennett)
</small>
</p><p>Some people are still connecting with others.<br/></p><p>Katie Bennett, 28, moved to the Riverside neighborhood from Denver in mid-June for a job in finance. She quickly found a group of friends after joining a Facebook group for women new to Austin. </p><p>After organizing a socially distanced meetup at a dog park, she and some of the other members rented a boat for a lake day and went out to brunch. One woman brought along someone she had met on Bumble BFF, expanding the circle. </p><p>Finding new friends has eased Bennett's transition to a new city. "We understand where each other is coming from," she said. "I don't want to say that any of us have too many complaints, but we can commiserate with each other and the situation that we're all in." </p><p>One topic of conversation: dating. </p><p>"My experience on dating apps has been different, whether that be Austin or the pandemic," she said. "And I wouldn't say that's a positive difference." </p>
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Garrett Foster, 28, was shot and killed during a protest against police violence on Saturday.
Garrett Foster, 28, was shot and killed by someone in a car on Saturday while attending a protest in downtown Austin. Earlier in the evening, he was interviewed on a livestream while wearing an AK-47 across his chest.
Here is what else we know about the incident so far.
<p><strong>What do we know about Garrett Foster?</strong><br/></p><p>Foster had attended the ongoing protests regularly with his fiancée Whitney Mitchell, a quadruple-amputee, with whom he purchased a home in Austin two years ago, his mother, Sheila, told <a href="https://abc7.com/austin-shooting-downtown-protest-murder/6335183/" target="_blank">Good Morning America</a>.</p><p>Mitchell's mother, Patricia Kirven, organized a GoFundMe to pay for Foster's funeral and burial costs. It raised <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/official-garrett-foster-memorial-fund?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR249VfvN3hkP2aS358os8CCF0Ctd1Kl8DCTmKHGfor0TiqcG2e9DNUUTdU" target="_blank">more than $107,000</a>.</p><p>"He fought against injustice, served in the military and was fiercely protective of his fiancée," Kirven wrote on the fundraising page. "They fell in love at 17 and were never apart."</p><p>Foster left the military to take care of Mitchell when she became sick with an unknown illness, which led to her amputations, Kirven told <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas/2020/07/26/man-fatally-shot-at-protest-in-austin/" target="_blank">the Dallas Morning News</a>. Foster had served as her full-time caretaker for nearly a decade.</p><p><strong>Was he armed?</strong></p><p>Foster was carrying an AK-47 at the protest.</p><p>Earlier in the evening, he spoke about the weapon to an independent journalist named Hiram Gilberto Garcia, who has been broadcasting live footage from the Austin protests. "They don't let us march in the streets anymore, so I got to practice some of our rights," Foster said in the interview, which was <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/w/1YqJDpVaEPDJV" target="_blank">streamed on Periscope</a>.</p><p>Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday <a href="https://twitter.com/KennethCasaday/status/1287373267318300674" target="_blank">tweeted a link to Garcia's video interview with Foster</a> on Sunday. "This is the guy that lost his life last night," he wrote. "He was looking for confrontation and he found it."</p><p>Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said at a press conference on Sunday that the driver who shot and killed Foster told dispatchers that Foster approached his window and pointed a rifle at him.</p><p>But some witnesses dispute this account. James Sasinowski <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/us/austin-protest-shooting-witness/index.html" target="_blank">told CNN</a> that the driver aggressively drove into the crowd of protestors and incited the violence..<br/></p><p><strong>What is the status of the investigation?</strong></p><p>APD is actively investigating Foster's death, Manley said on Sunday, including reviewing available video, photos and witness statements. The Travis County Medical Examiner's office will conduct an autopsy.</p><p>Texas has a fairly broad <a href="https://www.kut.org/post/4-things-you-should-know-about-self-defense-law-texas" target="_blank">stand-your-ground law</a>, which doesn't require individuals to retreat when defending their home or other property.</p><p><strong>Who organized the protest? </strong></p><p>The Mike Ramos Brigade has organized regular protests against police violence and white supremacy in Austin.</p><p>In recent tweets, the brigade has referred to Foster as a <a href="https://twitter.com/mike_r_brigade/status/1287250590100262912" target="_blank">"comrade"</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mike_r_brigade/status/1287462038541946888" target="_blank">"one of our own."</a></p><p>The group's members have not identified themselves, but <a href="https://austonia.com/city/austin-antifa-looting/particle-1" target="_self">APD confirmed last month</a> that there is crossover between the brigade and another controversial local group called Defend Our Hoodz, which organized <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-may-day" target="_self">a rent strike and May Day protests</a> earlier this year.</p><p>Mike Ramos was shot and killed by Austin police in April. His mother, Brenda, <a href="https://austonia.com/city/austin-police-brutality-protest-sunday/particle-3" style="" target="_self">has said</a> her family is not associated with the Mike Ramos Brigade.</p><p><strong><span></span>What are local officials saying about Foster?</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Austin Mayor Steve Adler tweeted on Sunday, "This is horrible as is all gun violence. There are too many guns."</p><p>Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison criticized the police response to Foster's death, including a Sunday press conference in which Manley spoke about rising violent crime in Austin and staffing shortages.</p><p>Council is in the middle of <a href="https://austonia.com/city/hundreds-speak-out-on-cuts-to-police-budget-at-austin-city-council-hearing" target="_self"><u>budget deliberations</u></a> about whether to cut APD funding and staffing. Last week, hundreds of residents called into a meeting to urge council to cut more than the $11 million currently proposed.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="162229f270815aa753064800e15e8b9d" id="93c39"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1287845455922110464"><div style="margin:1em 0">My thoughts on the death of Garrett Foster and our police chief's Sunday evening press conference: https://t.co/eCINuRkWis</div> — Natasha Harper-Madison (@Natasha Harper-Madison)<a href="https://twitter.com/NatashaD1atx/statuses/1287845455922110464">1595881258.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"Whether we halve APD's budget or double it, nothing will bring back Garrett Foster," she wrote in a Facebook post on Monday, "and using a press conference about his death as a platform for political purposes is beneath contempt."</p>
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A woman who was in a standoff with police on the South First Street Bridge Monday has been taken into custody, and all lanes are open.
<p><br/></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="135e7e7d97484473285d5ec2d93efd35" id="8deb7"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1287825580029870083"><div style="margin:1em 0">All lanes are now open. #ATXtraffic https://t.co/d8Ngxe0hW9</div> — ATX Transportation (@ATX Transportation)<a href="https://twitter.com/austinmobility/statuses/1287825580029870083">1595876519.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The woman barricaded herself in a vehicle Monday morning, shutting down several major streets, <a href="https://www.kut.org/post/police-activity-shuts-down-austins-south-first-street-bridge" target="_blank">KUT reports</a>. Officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety said that it <a href="https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austin-first-street-bridge-closed-barricaded-subject/269-6b9dbb20-f960-4791-831d-cdda94a3f7fd" target="_blank">started as a traffic stop</a> but escalated. The standoff lasted several hours.<span></span></p><p><em>This story will be updated.</em><br/></p>
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(Mariana Gonzalez/Bri Cheairs)
Looking for love has always come with obstacles, and they've only been magnified by COVID-19. Nevertheless, many Austinites continue to navigate these uncharted waters. We'll be sharing their stories every week right here.
"There weren't many things to distract us"
When Mariana Gonzalez got out of a relationship at the beginning of April, she thought to herself, "I'm probably not going to meet anybody all pandemic. Who knows how long it's gonna last?"
<p>She was wrong.<br/></p><p>Bored and mildly heartsick, Gonzalez got on Tinder a few weeks later. It didn't take long for her to hit it off with Bri Cheairs. After a successful, hours-long FaceTime date, they met in person on May 15, with the understanding that they were both looking to keep things casual and find somebody to spend time with during the pandemic. </p><p>"It was kind of weird because we kind of jumped into that part of a relationship—even though we weren't in a relationship—where you're just comfortable being around the house with each other, because it was really the only option," Gonzalez says. </p><p>Gonzalez and Cheairs kept seeing each other throughout the next month. They had an unintentional "first date" in mid-June when they walked to Planet K at 37th and Guadalupe, picked up a pizza from the neighboring Domino's and ate it at a desolate Central Park. </p><p>Despite their noblest intentions, they were both catching feelings for each other. </p><p>"I think obviously with the pandemic going on, there was less possibility for me to go on half-assed dates," Gonzalez says. "There weren't many things to distract us or pull us away from each other."</p><p>On July 11, Gonzalez and Cheairs made their relationship official. In reality, they just put a label to the activities they had already been enjoying together for nearly two months, like watching vintage horror movies at the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In Theatre and hiking isolated trails around Austin. (They attempted one ill-fated trip to a packed Barton Creek, which Gonzalez describes as a "lawless place.") </p><p>"It's been going great so far, and we both are kind of still navigating this world and this landscape," says Gonzalez, who credits the pandemic for accelerating her and Cheairs' emotional connection. "I don't know if I would have ended up in a relationship like this outside of what's going on in society."</p><p>They're both looking forward to visiting museums and aquariums when life returns to relative normalcy, and hopefully taking advantage of the flights Gonzalez booked to Cancún for early 2021. Gonzalez is also excited to introduce Cheairs to her friends, though the prospect of going out in a post-social distancing age raises one minor concern for both of them.</p><p>"When we first started dating, [Cheairs] said something like, 'How are you supposed to date somebody if you don't even know if they can dance yet?'" Gonzalez jokes. "We're gonna be like six months into this relationship, realizing the other person can't dance."</p>
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(GoFundMe)
A peaceful Black Lives Matter rally turned violent Saturday night when a person drove up to a crowd of protesters on Congress Avenue before stopping, shooting a man and quickly driving off, according to news reports, Facebook Live video and police.
<p>The victim, identified by <a href="https://abc7.com/austin-shooting-downtown-protest-murder/6335183/" target="_blank">his family</a> and <a href="https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/downtown-austin-shooting-congress-sixth-street/269-9cd396c1-169c-45be-9529-c1e4662f838e" target="_blank">later</a> by police as 28-year-old Garrett Foster, died at Dell Seton Medical Center. No other injuries from the incident were reported, but police said that a second person in the crowd drew a weapon and fired at the car as it drove away. Both shooters were questioned by police,<a href="https://www.kut.org/post/austin-police-release-two-people-who-fired-handguns-deadly-incident-during-protest" target="_blank"> but both have since been released</a>.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9e0deba148fcb92fdcaf00222b9299e0" id="d4ab9"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1287521417861500928"><div style="margin:1em 0">Watch: @Chief_Manley provides media briefing in regards to Homicide #28
https://t.co/PSZRZAVwWz</div> — Austin Police Department (@Austin Police Department)<a href="https://twitter.com/Austin_Police/statuses/1287521417861500928">1595804001.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Much of the hours-long march was live-streamed on social media, including around the time the suspect shot Foster. Gunshots can be heard during this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ImHiram/videos/295346775139805/?t=9328" target="_blank">Facebook Live video.</a><br/></p><p>The incident began around 9:50 p.m. when the suspect, driving down Fourth Street, honked at protesters before turning and speeding down Congress Avenue. The car came to an abrupt stop after appearing to hit an orange barrier. Several protesters then approached the car, including Foster, who may have been holding a rifle, police said. The driver of the car then pointed a gun out his window, fired several times and left the scene.</p><p>Foster had been attending the protest with his fiancé, a quadruple-amputee, and was pushing her wheelchair, according to <a href="https://abc7.com/austin-shooting-downtown-protest-murder/6335183/" target="_blank">Good Morning America</a>, which spoke to Foster's mother. </p><p>A protester who had seen Foster before said he often brought his rifle with him, <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20200725/austin-protest-shooting-victim-remembered-for-devotion-to-fianceacutee-racial-justice" target="_blank">the Austin American-Statesman reported</a>. His sister told the newspaper that she did not believe he would ever point a gun at someone.</p><p>Foster and his fiancé, Whitney Mitchell, had attended many protests peacefully over the past few months, according to his mother and other protesters. After initially dispersing following the shooting, Mitchell and several dozen other protesters reconvened by the Austin Police headquarters early Sunday morning. Mitchell was surrounded by protesters chanting Foster's name and sharing their condolences.</p><p>A GoFundMe page<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/official-garrett-foster-memorial-fund?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR249VfvN3hkP2aS358os8CCF0Ctd1Kl8DCTmKHGfor0TiqcG2e9DNUUTdU" target="_blank"> has been set up</a> as a memorial to Foster.<br/></p><p><em>This story has been updated with new information.</em></p>
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As Austin continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, it looks like we'll all be wearing masks for the foreseeable future. Check out these five local businesses selling unique face masks.
Red Moth Art
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxMDE4My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MDg0OTcxNX0.dEbuln6vI90YJwOUJj6B1jOonsA4VVfiz1v4qOkHDMs/img.jpg?width=980" id="832cc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6ec8639d1192a9946c0e7f2828cf5dfc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Kimberly Grau, a local artist and designer, hand-paints the designs on each mask she sews. This cherry blossom mask is <a href="https://www.redmothart.com/product/cherry-blossom-face-mask/" target="_blank">selling for $25</a>. </p>UCARE
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxMDE2Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTU1MjY0NX0.0UUWlJh7PLYfZNFGLeEGYNZU0fX2uRK_0h3fbNBW1WU/img.png?width=980" id="42bac" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="54310c4ed9302b1c271787083d0c924b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>UCARE masks are designed by artists in Austin and New York, and every mask purchased helps provide masks for frontline workers. This mask is <a href="https://ucaremask.com/collections/filter-plus/products/ucare-filter-electric-blue-hey" target="_blank">on sale for $12</a>. </p>Austin School of Fashion Design
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwOTk1Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDQ2MjY5OH0.noaHtpk2J9XnJB3GY8VZ-hxyekE8l1rs_bsCjwXLWi4/img.jpg?width=980" id="cde6e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f6824e23f208041d0c9a5779b669acb9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Austin School of Fashion Design is selling handmade <a href="http://www.austinschooloffashiondesign.com/spring-2016-registration/summer-camp-2017-full-day-10am-to-3pm-y599z-sacph" target="_blank">masks starting at $10</a>. </p>May Designs
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxMDM1OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTUzNTIyNH0.XNCa85pZjiJiqIlbo-uPqCEf74a5WUP0PYn3yUoWABI/img.png?width=980" id="7dd02" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6b16d3c63f289687673eed7d1af7bed6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>For every mask purchased from May Designs, a mask will be donated to a frontline worker. This mask is <a href="https://omg.maydesigns.com/collections/protective-face-masks/products/face-mask-cover-shibori" target="_blank">selling for $22</a>. </p>Mama Bird & Co.
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUwOTg0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTgyMjg3MX0.nWqkWit5rT9-2aDTVFXR2SjtWAUBAQ1p5Syedcyytoo/img.jpg?width=980" id="89e54" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c42cd7e9f4a9f844c76235c231f0f513" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>This floral mask from Mama Bird & Co., a family-owned and -operated business, is <a href="https://mamabirdandco.com/collections/face-covers/products/daily-masks-pink-floral" target="_blank">listed for $12.95</a>. </p><h5>Want to read more stories like this one? Start every day with a quick look at what's happening in Austin. Sign up for Austonia.com's free daily morning email.</h5>
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(Kate Volti)
Back when being a freshman in high school meant noisy hallways teeming with teenagers and weekends overflowing with dances and games and first dates, Cassidy Miller, 14, had things to look forward to in ninth grade.
<p>But now, as <a href="https://austonia.com/education/austin-school-closures" target="_blank">Travis County schools delay opening </a>and attempt to keep the coronavirus from spreading, Cassidy imagines high school to be a warped version of the all-American experience she excitedly anticipated.</p><p>Masks on everyone, isolated lunches, Plexiglass dividers, fear of the virus. No pep rallies, no fun.</p><p>Cassidy wants to go anyway. </p><p>"It's hard not knowing what you're missing out on and feeling like you're not a part of something," she said. "I miss all my friends, a lot."</p><p><strong>Weighing isolation against risk</strong></p><p>Teenagers and young adults <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/18/health/coronavirus-children-schools.html" target="_blank">are believed to spread the illness more easily</a> than their younger counterparts, but there are also compelling arguments<a href="https://austonia.com/Coronavirus/teen-pandemic" target="_blank"> suggesting the emotional and academic costs </a>of online-only classes could be disproportionately high for older kids.</p><p>And so for their parents, the decision on whether to let them go to high school in person or keep them home for online classes is fraught with contradictions.</p><p>Pitting academic success and their own mental health against the risk of exposing themselves and their families, older students are in a lose-lose scenario.</p><p>"It's such an unnatural and unfair situation to put young people in," said Kate Volti, Cassidy's stepmom, who wants to see a better pandemic situation before she feels comfortable with Cassidy returning in person.</p><p>Outside the social aspect, Cassidy also says she needs a collaborative classroom and plenty of structure in order to do well in her classes, which she said was lacking in the spring when classes were online.</p><p>Ariela Choiniere, a 16-year-old Austin junior in the marching band, is willing to go online because she believes school isn't safe enough yet—but she's also hoping to find a way to get around it a little bit.</p><p>"If there's one day where band says I have to be there, I'm pretty sure [the administration] won't mind if I'm there in school for that day," said Ariela, who faced challenges with the online technology last semester, in part because of her dyslexia.</p><p><strong>Considering other kids</strong></p><p>Some households also have the complicating factor of younger siblings.</p><p>Volti and her husband, Mike, plan to avoid day care and in-person school for their younger son and daughter, ages 8 and 3.</p><p>But their learning "pods"—in which a handful of families come to a quarantine agreement and agree to only socialize and learn with each other—would only remain an option if Cassidy doesn't attend school in person, because the other families say they worry about her being exposed and then putting them at risk, Volti said.</p><p>"I totally get it. Nobody's doing anything that's wrong or illogical," Volti said. "But it's a really tough situation where it feels like the best interests of one kid is sort of at odds with the best interests of another kid."</p><p>Then there's the disconcerting notion of a high school experience—Cassidy calls it "scary"—that will look very different from what students are hoping to recapture by going back in person right now.</p><p>"High school and the social dynamics of high school are ingrained in the fabric of our society. We're fascinated, we cling to it. And that's just been turned on its head," Volti said. "Since we can't achieve normal, is the benefit of what is left of that experience really worth the risk?"</p>
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