Karen Brooks Harper
Karen is a contributing editor and writer for Austonia.com, where she covers criminal justice and social issues. She is a veteran Texas journalist with more than 20 years in newspapers, TV and digital media. Karen studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, son, and four rescued pets. Twitter: @kbrooksharper
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Life was so sweet for live music junkies living in the Live Music Capital of the World—up until the venues closed, the stages went dark, and the world of Austin music closed down.
Miss your places? Miss your people? Miss blowing all your money on music?
<p>Don't fret, fans!</p><p>You may not be sitting on the patio at Sahara or chilling in the Continental Gallery on a Wednesday evening, but in the months that Austin has been on lockdown, local musicians, venues and studios have figured out how to bring a world of live music to you online.</p><p>So check out our sampling of the myriad ways you can get your live music fix from your own home, any day of the week. This is not comprehensive—start with these and go down the rabbit hole on your own! </p><p>From studios to artists to venues to radio stations, we have a solid list that will get you started on your journey back into the live music world that is the very heart of our city.</p><p>Also, these are regular shows, not one-offs, and they are all free or very cheap—but if you have the means, you'll find a link to let you tip the musicians or bartenders.</p><p>It's going to be a long road back, but as Patrice Pike would say, keep the faith and, as we all would say, long live the music.</p>
<div></div><div></div><div><br/></div>
Jagtronica Wednedsays, Purple Bee TV
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9a2cab8a9562f05e4d4667d82dfca7bd"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KbeRftaXIZg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Interstellar grooves and psychedelic explorations improvised by a full band - live in the <a href="http://purplebeetv.org" target="_blank">Purple Bee</a> studios. Wednesdays 8 p.m.</p>Patrice Pike Band Keep the Faith Livestream
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a94897344c627ae7362202afe441fa05"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/PatricePikeBand/videos/324002002065701" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>Iconic hard rock favorite unplugs in her home space. Thursdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. </p>Afro Jazz Saturdays at the Sahara Lounge
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d5519cfcd8eee1dc9add8a63b3c1b66f"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/SaharaLoungeATX/videos/217338429591881" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>Join this East Austin gem of a bar for regular virtual live shows from the stage, including a regular online residency by African jazz musicians Ibrahim Aminou and Aboubacar Sylla. Saturdays 8 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/SaharaLoungeATX</p>KUTX Livestreams
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="950f84e2286e0dc0304d59aa99edfbc1"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QNVfbrr_v0M?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>This local Austin-centric arm of KUT hosts various performance livestreams nearly every day of the week. Find their schedule here. </p>Live in the Virtual Gallery with Bonnie Whitmore
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGY29udGVudCUyRjU2ZTVkNGU4MWQwN2MwNzQzZDI4MWQ2MyUyRjE1OTYxNDgzMjQ1MjctTlQ2VlFQM1ZNM0daR0VMNTQ1OEElMkZCVyUyQmF1Z3VzdC5wbmclM0Zmb3JtYXQlM0QxNTAwdyUyNmNvbnRlbnQtdHlwZSUzRGltYWdlJTJGcG5nJmhvPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGaW1hZ2VzLnNxdWFyZXNwYWNlLWNkbi5jb20mcz00OCZoPWQ0YmY4MjkzMTA2OTRkNjdjNzQ1ZmNhODhjNGQ3ZDI4YWY3YTE2ZDgyZjM3OTI4MjVkOGJmY2U3MTk0NjU2YWYmc2l6ZT05ODB4JmM9MTI2MDUxNzQxNiIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE2NDg3MTY2NzJ9.J2ntaGHE00UZvxWETyI9XZ3xC3iC1nAAo8bk38ILkyA/img.jpg" id="72e14" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dc34d23c5508b20dfea2642717052bfd" />August 2020 — Bonnie Whitmore <p>Raucous and talented local singer-songwriter Bonnie Whitmore brings back the Continental Gallery with musical guests every weekend. Fridays 8:30 p.m. </p>BettySoo's Nobody's Happy (Online and Isolated) Hour
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.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.gaEmnDK5F-J8rgXWUIAnXGHJOveE-ub3wm8UUPTLrhA/img.jpg" id="82829" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d4fa34ac0fa355da87c02e8572d3fe46" />BettySoo's Nobody's Happy Hour - Summer 2020 <p>Take the heartfelt lyrics of Townes and mix it with the comedic timing of Janeane Garofalo and the voice of an angel, you might come close to defining this engaging and popular performer. Tuesdays 1 p.m. </p>DJ Mel's Living Room Dance Party
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="45581c8bb0ae6cf0ddbe03e775d6825f"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3446714958713944" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>A streaming staple practically since the day the venues shut down, DJ Mel Cavaricci (aka DJ Mel) spins from his living room. Saturdays 6-10p.m.</p>Dreadneck Wednesdays from the Flamingo Cantina
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.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.Txy1LrSKsTPNG0dDU0xjlU2KkBu5cmcE8txaOdO8I_M/img.jpg" id="7c376" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ebccf8a39ef46845384013bb233d0747" />Dreadneck Wednesdays Live Stream w/ Mau Mau Chaplains <p>The Mau Mau Chaplains bring the irie back at this iconic 6th Street venue each week. Wednesdays 8:30 p.m. </p>James McMurtry's Wednesday residency
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="46c8760066753cce717a6a3335d5f43d"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/8637988681/videos/608632053134073" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>A fixture on the alt-country music scene in Austin and beyond, McMurtry brings his weekly residency at Continental Club home to you (from his place) with opening acts. Wednesdays 8 p.m. </p>Not at Donn's Depot
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b8a0b32db58eccac4a2695a8eb2f4747"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/chrisgageaustin/videos/10159892023859008" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>The slightly obvious but oh-so-telling title for pianist Chris Gage's Monday livestream, where he tickles the ivories from his home studio, joined occasionally by wife Christine Albert, and recreates his popular and long-running Monday residency at Donn's. Mondays 8 p.m. </p>Jackie Venson
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d41a9251d5c15ad731ae31c77455a79a"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/43xotR5fRNM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Austin born-and-bred singer songwriter, brings her guitar and her truth-telling music to her live-streaming page. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays at 9 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m. <a href="https://jackievenson.com/livestream/" target="_blank">https://jackievenson.com/livestream/</a></p>
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The Austin Independent School Board delayed the school year to Sept. 8 in an early-Friday vote, giving teachers three more weeks to prepare for online learning and the community more time to see a drop in COVID-19 cases before students, faculty and staff return to the classroom.
<p>The first four weeks of classes will be virtual-only for most of the district's 80,100 students, with exceptions made for students who don't have access to the required technology, but the board also voted to ask the Texas Education Agency to allow up to four more - potentially delaying full access to the district's 130 campuses until early November.</p><p>If granted, the board stipulated, the waiver "would serve as a period where students who selected on-campus instruction may return to on-campus learning in phased-in smaller groups." Families were asked to choose between in-person or online, with the option for virtual-only students to switch to on-campus classes after the first grading period.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/austinisd/videos/3284478401646954" target="_blank">Thursday night virtual meeting</a> lasted more than six hours and drew hundreds of community members, teachers and staff who called in to comment, with the vote happening past 3 a.m. on Friday. </p><p>On its agenda documents for the meeting, the district cited "local health conditions," the need for teacher training and the fact that COVID-19 disproportionately affects the Hispanic community, represented by a third of teachers and more than half of the district's students.</p><p>The district said staff and faculty will see no reduction in pay and in most cases, no change in pay schedule. The last day of the school year was pushed to June 3, 2021.</p><p>On Monday, Education Austin, the union representing 3,000 AISD employees, <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-public-schools" target="_self">asked the district to consider pushing back the official first day of school,</a> which Gov. Greg Abbott said was within the rights of local districts, not health officials.</p><p>AISD posted <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/austinisd/Board.nsf/files/BS63YY0936A1/%24file/Attachment%203%20SY-2020-21-Attendance-and-Enrollment.pdf" target="_blank">this document</a> with frequently asked questions, updated July 30, about attendance, enrollment, class size and more during the upcoming school year.</p>
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Austin Mayor Adler talks COVID, inequity, homelessness and policing in 'State of the City' address
05 August
(City of Austin)
Austin Mayor Steve Adler delivered his annual "State of the City" address Wednesday—virtually.
This story has been updated to include quotes from the mayor's speech.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler delivered his annual "State of the City" address Wednesday evening, in which he discussed the coronavirus pandemic, police funding, the local economy, homelessness, transit and equity issues.
<p>Usually delivered to a crowd at City Hall, tonight's address was—as are all things Council these days—virtual.</p><p>"This could have been a speech only about COVID-19," Adler said. Instead, much of his 25-page address focused on the opportunities presented in this moment. </p><p>"Perhaps only at times such as these, where our routines and inertia are so utterly disrupted, can we be freed and forced to dream and act big," he said. "So let's do big things. Let's end homelessness. Let's bring real mobility to Austin. Let's reimagine how we keep one another safe. Let's address race and do something about correcting centuries of injustice because it is the fundamental injustice that fuels so many others." </p><p>Below are some quotes, excerpted from a transcript shared in advance. </p><p><strong>On the coronavirus</strong> </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"We all want the local economy—and our lives—back as we knew them. But the governor's decision to reopen before we had sufficient testing and tracing in place and before our numbers were low enough compounded the challenge. … Truth is, the virus was never gone. <a href="https://austonia.com/testing-asymptomatic-austin" target="_blank">It just hides</a>, waiting for us to invite it back into our lives." </p><p><strong>On the economy</strong></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Unemployment is at unimaginable levels. Businesses have shuttered - some temporarily and some lost forever. Many of our neighbors don't know how they're going to feed their families or whether they'll be evicted from their homes. Tenants struggle with rent; homeowners and landlords struggle with mortgage payments. Our hospitality and creative workers and industries, so great a part of our economy, are reeling. For many, it's already too late." </p><p><strong>On homelessness</strong> </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"To the people <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-texas-homeless-petition" target="_blank">that signed on to the petition</a> because they were desperate for a solution for people experiencing homelessness, I want to say that I share your impatience. Having chosen this more just path, though, and having rejected the false promise of cosmetic fixes, our work is incomplete unless we follow through with the commitment to house the homeless. This will require us to do a better job of inclusively managing shared public spaces." </p><p><strong>On transit</strong> </p><p style="margin-left: 40px;">"Project Connect is <a href="https://austonia.com/transportation/project-connect-austin" target="_blank">a bold transit plan</a> for the just and accessible city we aspire to be. It certainly addresses traffic, but it will do so much more. … Project Connect will connect our entire city, creating new opportunity for Austinites, reducing our dependence on expensive personal vehicles, and save lives." </p><p><strong>On police funding</strong> </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"I want to address police department leadership. … We need not only an openness to consider change but a keen desire to move past the status quo and to look at public safety more broadly than [ever,] mainly focusing on ensuring we're best equipped to deal with unsafe moments when they occur. We need more than just a willingness to accept change <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-city-council-police-policy" target="_blank">if it happens</a>; we need a champion for change at its best."</p><p><span></span>Want to read the whole speech? Here's the transcript. </p><p class="pdf-loader"><a class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bdab21c224a6f214f9ee5a4066743481" href="https://roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/documents/6988/SOTC 2020 FINAL.pdf">SOTC 2020 FINAL.pdf</a></p><p>Make it a game! Adler invited residents to use this bingo card to mark off every topic mentioned in the speech. Can you get to bingo? Share it on social media with #ATXSOTC.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6b0e4c3e305d794e5a8d90586202a727" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="99d54" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUzNzU2OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1Njg4NTY1NH0.wzAmDm1N9F0NflybdxcR9O5shzZ_8EsH-H8Dhs40ywM/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(City of Austin)</small></p>
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(Shutterstock)
After more than a year with no initial public offering in Austin, the local business scene is having its second in less than a week, according to a report in the Austin Business Journal.
<p>BigCommerce plans to begin trading on the Nasdaq today, Aug. 5, under the ticker "BIGC," the report says:</p><p>"The Austin-based company is offering more than 9 million shares of common stock at $24 apiece, according to an <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bigcommerce-announces-pricing-initial-public-020200438.html" target="_blank">Aug. 4 announcement</a>, which would generate more than $216 million."</p><p>On Friday, the Austin company <a href="https://vitalfarms.com/" target="_blank">Vital Farms</a> went public and is now valued at over $1.5B, according to the report.</p><p>"Prior to that, the last Central Texas company to IPO was Yeti Coolers <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2018/10/25/yeti-coolers-steps-up-to-nyse-but-cuts-offering.html" target="_blank">in late October 2018</a>," the report says.</p>
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Remembering Guillermo Perez, local Marine among 9 killed in San Diego training accident - report
05 August
Friends and family remember Lance Corporal Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels as a man with a bright smile who was "always laughing," according to a Tuesday report by News4 San Antonio.
Perez, a trained rifleman based in Camp Pendleton, was among nine men who died on July 30 in a training accident in San Diego, Calif. He enlisted June 24, 2019, according to a report in the Orange County Register.
The amphibious assault vehicle that sank during the accident was recovered earlier this week, military personnel said Tuesday.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family of Perez, known as "Willie" by his friends.
Austin ISD considers delaying first day of school, extending virtual classes
The Austin Independent School Board is considering pushing back the first day of school to Sept. 8 and applying for eight weeks of virtual-only classes, citing "local health conditions" and the fact that COVID-19 disproportionately affects Hispanics, who represent a third of teachers and more than half of the district's students.
<p>The moves will be voted on in a special meeting called for 9 p.m. Thursday night. The meeting, which will be held virtually, will include a <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/austinisd/Board.nsf/Public" target="_blank">public comment portion</a> at 9:35 p.m. The vote will happen after the public comments. </p><p>The meeting agenda cites the following local health conditions:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>High COVID-19 numbers in Travis County (averaging 367 new cases per day in July 2020)</li><li>Current Austin Public Health Risk Guidance places Austin, Travis County in Stage 4</li><li>3-4 people of 1000 are estimated to be infected with a current multiplier of 3</li><li>COVID-19 disproportionately impacts the Hispanic population in the Austin-Travis County area. Some 34 percent of the Austin population is Hispanic, while 57 percent of hospitalizations are among Hispanic patients. Thirty-two percent of AISD staff and 56 percent of students identify as Hispanic, according to agenda documents. </li></ul><p>"This delay will allow for our community to adjust to the latest in-person requirements in the changing health conditions of our city with safety at the forefront of every decision," reads the agenda item on the vote. </p><p>In addition, AISD will limit in-person attendance for the first four weeks of school as already planned but vote Thursday on <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/austinisd/Board.nsf/Public" target="_blank">whether to ask the state for a waiver </a>to allow an additional four weeks, delaying full access to on-campus instruction through early November. </p><p>Students without access to technology will still be allowed in-person instruction, as per state guidelines, but full access by all students would be delayed if the board approves the action and the state allows it. </p><p>"In the event a board extends the initial four-week transition, at least some on campus instruction must be provided each day during the extended transition period," the agenda reads. </p><p>On Monday, Education Austin, the union representing 3,000 AISD employees, <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-public-schools" target="_self">asked the district to consider pushing back the official first day of school,</a> which Gov. Greg Abbott said was within the rights of local districts, not health officials. </p><p>AISD posted <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/austinisd/Board.nsf/files/BS63YY0936A1/%24file/Attachment%203%20SY-2020-21-Attendance-and-Enrollment.pdf" target="_blank">this document</a> with frequently asked questions, updated July 30, about attendance, enrollment, class size and more during the upcoming school year. </p><p><a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/tx/austinisd/Board.nsf/Public" target="_blank">Click here</a> to find out more and learn how to participate in the public comment portion of the meeting. </p>
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(Pexels)
The union representing Austin Independent School District employees wants the schools to delay the first day of school, arguing that teachers need more time to learn how to teach their online classes effectively.
<p>The move would also give the community more time to stem the spread of the coronavirus before the state requires schools to start offering in-person classes, said Ken Zarifis, director of Education Austin, which represents 3,000 AISD teachers and employees.</p><p>Austin schools are set to start on Aug. 18 with virtual classes only. Schools across the state are given up to eight weeks to limit in-person instruction before they must start offering in-person instruction as an alternative for any family who wants to return to the classroom—or risk losing funding from the state if they don't have the approval to continue online only, according to <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/31/greg-abbott-texas-schools-reopening/" target="_blank">recent rules</a> issued by the Texas Education Agency. </p><p>Schools do have the freedom to set their own official start dates, Gov. Greg Abbott <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/31/greg-abbott-texas-schools-reopening/" target="_blank">has said</a>.</p><p>The union wants to see the official school start date moved to Sept. 8, both to let the virus subside and to give school teachers time to learn how to best serve students in virtual classes, Zarifis said. </p><p>"You have teachers that don't even know how to operate a Google doc, wouldn't even know how to videotape themselves for online instruction," he told Austonia. "It goes from that basic too much more complicated issues. Then you've got people who are completely adept at this, that know how to do it, and they could be training people on their own campus virtual. This is not happening." </p><p>Requiring in-person classes disproportionately affects families of color, he said.</p><p>The union also wants schools to delay in-person classes entirely until there have been no new virus cases in the community for at least two weeks. </p><p>The entire list of demands, which also include universal school safety guidelines, canceling STAAR and other related assessment tests, and guaranteeing 100% pay for all employees regardless of whether they choose to work from home, <a href="https://educationaustin.org/news/reopening-demands/" target="_blank">can be viewed here.</a></p>
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President Trump suggested on Twitter Thursday that the November presidential election be delayed due to the possibility of mail-in voter fraud. Texas' two U.S. senators responded publicly, saying that the president doesn't have the authority to move the election, according to a report in the Texas Tribune.
