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Alamo Drafthouse in S. Austin offers private, sanitized screenings
Beloved movie chain Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has filed for bankruptcy after a tough year for the film industry left theaters closed for months.
The filing comes as part of an asset purchase agreement with Altamon Capitol Partners and Fortress Investment Group, which is the financial backer of Gannett, the parent company of the Austin-American Statesman.
The transaction is expected to provide Alamo Drafthouse with much-needed financing to help stabilize the business during the pandemic, which has had a large impact on the movie industry. The locally-headquartered theater has said that operations will remain normal, but some locations are closing down including Austin's downtown Ritz location.
Alamo Drafthouse, founded in 1997 in Austin, has over 40 locations nationwide and like most indoor movie theaters, has faced challenges since the pandemic. Over the last year, the business has seen temporary closures across the nation, debt, expenses and employee layoffs.
Alamo Drafthouse is requesting the bankruptcy court to approve a 75-day timeline for the transaction as well as the $20 million debtor-in-possession credit facility led by Altamont Capital Partners and Fortress Investment Group.
Although the company has faced challenges following its most successful year in 2019, the movie business, like most others, is expected to rebound with the transition of more administered vaccines and a slower spread of COVID-19.
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(AUSTIN, TEXAS) Austonia has hired Claire Partain as a reporter covering Austin FC, the MLS expansion team that will be Austin's first major league sports franchise.
Partain is a former sports editor for the The University Star, Texas State University's daily newspaper. She edited, covered sports, produced podcasts, and hosted a pre-game TXST football tailgate live series. Partain has been freelancing with the company since January, prior to accepting a staff position.
<p data-children-count="0">A native of Fairfield, Texas, Partain grew up playing youth soccer. In her high school years, she played alongside her mother in what was then called the Freestone County Hispanic Women's Soccer League.</p><p data-children-count="0">Claire's coverage philosophy: "I like to bring out the humanity of sports, and I want to make this the most accessible sports coverage possible."</p><p data-children-count="0">She notes that soccer is the predominant sport for young people. "It's a global sport, and we're more connected to the world than older generations."</p><p data-children-count="0">That approach fits the team's already visible presence in Austin, says Austonia CEO Mark Dewey. "Austin FC has established itself as a leading Austin brand, one that stands for a more unified Austin community, a bigger global presence for Austin and fun. Austonia shares those values."</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Partain's soccer coverage begins immediately, with her free, hosted text service—Austonia FC. For updates, special access and inside info, all moderated by Claire, sign up below.</strong></p>
<style>.subtext-iframe{max-width:540px;}iframe#subtext_form{width:1px;min-width:100%;min-height:256px;}</style><div class="subtext-iframe"><iframe id="subtext_form" src="https://joinsubtext.com/austoniafc?form=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><script>fetch("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alpha-group/iframe-resizer/master/js/iframeResizer.min.js").then(function(r){return r.text();}).then(function(t){return new Function(t)();}).then(function(){iFrameResize({heightCalculationMethod:"lowestElement"},"#subtext_form");});</script>
<p data-children-count="0">Austonia is the city's independent, free, locally-owned and all-digital source for Austin news, information and entertainment.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Connect with Austonia through its daily <a href="https://austonia.com/contact" target="_self">email newsletter and text updates</a>, @austonianews Instagram feed, <a href="https://twitter.com/austonianews" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@austonianews</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/austinist" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@austinist</a> Twitter feeds, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/austonianews" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@austonianews</a> Facebook page and its website <a href="https://austonia.com/" target="_self">austonia.com</a>.</p>From Your Site Articles
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In a statewide press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott said that Texas would end the statewide mask mandate and "open Texas 100%."
Effective Wednesday, March 10, Abbott's newest executive order will rescind statewide COVID-19 restrictions, including limiting business capacity and requiring customers to wear masks in businesses. The order will also ensure that any business can now operate at full capacity.
<p>"It is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations ... that state mandates are no longer needed," Abbott said at the press conference. "Every business that wants to be open, should be open."</p><p>Abbott cited lowering case rates, better protections against the virus and record-high vaccine shipments as motivations for lifting the mandate.</p><p>Although the state will not mandate masks or limit business capacity, if a county's COVID hospital capacity reaches above 15% for seven straight days, then county judges may use mitigation strategies. Abbott said that he does not believe this will occur and that no punishments can be enforced if residents choose not to follow the mandates.</p><p>"Under no circumstance can a county judge put anybody in jail for not following COVID orders, and no penalties can be imposed for failing to wear a face mask," Abbott said. "More importantly, we believe there will not be the threshold met for hospitalizations for county judges to even consider implementing those strategies because Texas will continue to work collaboratively with all counties to speed the vaccination process."</p><p><span></span>According to Abbott, Texas has now administered 5.7 million vaccine shots and are now administering about 1 million vaccines a week. Abbott also said the COVID-19 positivity rate is the lowest on Tuesday than it has been in four months.</p><p>Abbott said that 50% of Texas' seniors are projected to be vaccinated by Wednesday, March 10, while all seniors should be able to get a vaccine if they choose by the end of March. Some medical experts have predicted that every Texan who wants a vaccine may be able to get one in a few months.</p><p>While restrictions are lifted, Abbott said that Texans need to continue to be vigilant and follow their own personal safety protocol to keep themselves and their neighbors safe.<br/></p><p>"Removing state mandates does not end personal responsibility," Abbott said. "To stay safe, Texans should continue to follow medical advice on preventing COVID just as they do on other medical issues. At this time, people and businesses don't need the state telling them how to operate."</p>
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This story has been updated with the latest revealed information as of 4:45 p.m. Monday.
A Sunday night shooting at a North Austin apartment complex has left one dead after being shot by an unknown suspect.
Austin police arrived at the scene of Midtown Commons at Crestview Station apartments at West St. Johns Avenue around 11:30 p.m., where they found a man with a gunshot wound. Police performed CPR but the man died shortly after. The man has been identified as 27-year-old Marcel Tramon Pimpton.
Investigators talked to witnesses at the apartment complex and have a suspect in mind. No other information has been revealed at this time.
