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June 18, 2021 VOl. 40 • NO. 42 I n P a r t n e r s h I P w I t h a u s t I n F C s P e C I a l M a t C h d a y I n s e r t I n s I d e l e G e n d AUSTIN FC Issue t h e G r o w listos t h e S t a d i u m /// t h e G a m e /// t h e F a n d o m /// t h e t e a m auStinchronicle.com / auStin - Fc
ONLINe THIS WeeK juNe 18, 2021 VoL. 40, No. 42 Legendary Lewks Capital City Ball and Austin Black Pride brought the ballroom to Highland Lounge on Friday, June 11, as part of ABP’s weeklong Pride Cover Story: The Austin FC Issue PUBLISHER Nick Barbaro aSSocIatE PUBLISHER Cassidy Frazier celebration. See Jana Birchum’s photo gallery online EDITORIal at austinchronicle.com/photos. EdItoR Kimberley Jones managIng EdItoR James Renovitch find our speciAL nEwS EdItoR Mike Clark-Madison mAtch dAy insert Moontower CoMedy drops Lineup Austin’s pre- aSSIStant nEwS & QmmUnIty EdItoR Beth Sullivan inside mier comedy festival is back – and celebrating its 10th aRtS Robert Faires food Jessi Cape anniversary, no less – for a new calendar slot in ScREEnS Richard Whittaker mUSIc Raoul Hernandez September. Just announced headliners include EvEnT lIsTIngs Margaret Cho, Dave Attell, Bob the Drag Queen, SPEcIaL ScREEnIngS & commUnIty LIStIngS Kat McNevins Leanne Morgan, and Jacqueline Novak. Jana Birchum aRtS LIStIngS & food EvEntS Wayne Alan Brenner cLUB LIStIngS Greg Stitt austin MusiC Bridging Borders Kevin Curtin interviews Project ATX6 sTaff wRITERs creator and filmmaker Chris Brecht about the ongoing music cultural Kevin Curtin, Austin Sanders COnTRIbuTIng wRITERs exchange program and the documentary keeping tabs on it. fILm Marjorie Baumgarten day tRIPS Gerald E. McLeod faStER tHan SoUnd Rachel Rascoe cover by zeke barbaro / photo by david Bird FLies HigH UK songwriter Jade Bird crowns her new Austinite status with tHE vERdE REPoRt Eric Goodman BEER Eric Puga brendan hall – what else? – an Austin City Limits taping. Doug Freeman reviews the show. mR. SmaRty PantS R.U. Steinberg PRODuCTIOn grande daMe gets Her CLose-up Screens Editor Richard Whittaker 4 Feedback 26 Food PRodUctIon / aRt dIREctoR Zeke Barbaro wEB / dIgItaL dIREctoR Michael Bartnett speaks with director Mariem Pérez Riera about what it was like profiling a wEB conSULtant Brian Barry gRaPHIc dESIgnERS Pedro Diniz, Jeff Gammill giant of stage and screen in her documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Staff PHotogRaPHERS John Anderson, Jana Birchum, 5 opinion We Must Not Turn 26 Like fAther Like LAger Decided to Go for It. David Brendan Hall Back the Clock on Voting Beer industry dads discuss PRoofREadERS Lina Fisher, Jasmine Lane, Rights by tom lopach and their favorite crispy boi lagers James Scott, Greg Stitt IntERnS Ramon Rodriguez, Monica Salazar, val benavidez by eric puga FiLM FestivaL Fever Catch up with film reviews from Cine Las Americas, Courtney Song, Morgan-Taylor Thomas, 29 food news buffet the Austin Asian American Film Festival, and New York’s Tribeca Festival. Hannah Williford, Avery Wohleb aDvERTIsIng & 6 News by wayne alan brenner DaviD BrenDan hall 30 Screens maRkETIng advERtISIng dIREctoR Cassidy Frazier 6 Austin At LArge Everywhere you want to be in Austin: Austinchronicle.com/events oPERatIonS managER Trace Thurman by mike clark-madison SEnIoR accoUnt ExEcUtIvES Jerald Corder, Carolyn Phillips, Lois Richwine 8 pubLic notice 30 movie reviews All Light, accoUnt ExEcUtIvES David Kleppe, by nick barbaro Everywhere; Gaia; The Hitman’s Marisa Mirabal, Gloria Williamson Wife’s Bodyguard; The House Next cLaSSIfIEdS/LEgaL notIcES Bobby Leath civics 101 Door: Meet the Blacks 2; Luca; EvEntS & PRomotIonS managER Karena Rogers 10 Bloody Sixth; Women’s Jail; Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway; Rita The ausTin chronicle’s online LUv doc/cIRcULatIon/SPEcIaL EvEntS Dan Hardick natIonaL advERtISIng Voice Media Group Camp Sweeps; more Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided St re (888/278-9866, www.vmgadvertising.com) to Go for It; The Sparks Brothers, OffICE sTaff 14 bikin’ down the highwAy Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Will TxDOT’s plans for Loop Conversation contRoLLER Liz Franklin 360 leave cyclists and pedes- offIcE managER/SUBScRIPtIonS Carrie Young cREdIt managER Cindy Soo trians in the dust? 36 showtimes accoUntIng aSSIStant Chelsea Taylor by benton graham 37 speciAL screenings Info dESk Zach Pearce SyStEmS admInIStRatoR Brandon Watkins HItman’S wIfE’S BodygUaRd’S dog Hank woRkIng on maRIo kaRt coSPLay Smiley 16 Calendar 38 Music CIRCulaTIOn 17 qmmunity by beth sullivan 38 fAster thAn sound Perry Drake, Tom Fairchild, Ruben Flores, by rachel rascoe 18 Arts&Culture Andrew Gerfers, Brandon Gonzales, Trey Gutierrez, Brad Jander, Suzette Johnson, Brooks Lumpkin, Eric McKinney, Grant Melcher, James Meshbane, 40 gArden of ALL creAtivity Norm Reed, Jonina Sims, Bill Smotrilla, Bands practice anew, but does Zeb Sommers, Bryan Zirkelbach 18 bring A new story to the Austin have enough rehearsal space? by kevin curtin COnTRIbuTORs tAbLe Michener Center alum Rob Brezsny, Steve Davis, Benton Graham, Doug Freeman, Nathan Harris pens a surpris- 41 mArk jensen, 1968-2021 Ryan Hennessee, Sam Hurt, Abby Johnston, Josh ingly intimate tale of the Civil ABGB co-founder was commu- Kupecki, Matthew Monagle, War in The Sweetness of Water nity-committed and generous Marc Savlov, Kahron Spearman, Tom Tomorrow, by robert faires to musicians by kevin curtin Derek Udensi 20 Arts review “Balm: 42 pL-AtX List UK trance legend Paintings by Bradley Kerl” Paul Oakenfold spins vinyl at Astro, Lukas Nelson & Promise Arts events of the Real’s new LP puts them A 23 community events Few Stars Apart; plus more dAy trips 44 Live music + streAming by gerald e. mcleod events by greg stitt 24 juneteenth events The Austin Chronicle (ISSN: 1074-0740) is published by The Austin Chronicle Corporation weekly 52 times per year at 4000 N. I-35, Austin, TX 78751. fAther’s dAy events the verde report 47 Back 512/454-5766 ©2013 Austin Chronicle Corp. by eric goodman the Luv doc All rights reserved. Subscriptions: One year: $150 2nd class. comiX Six months: $75 2nd class. mr. smArty pAnts austinChroniCle.Com/store Periodicals Postage Paid at Austin, TX. 48 Classifieds POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Founded in 1981 and committed to The Austin Chronicle, 4000 N. I-35, Austin, TX 78751. a progressive point of view, The Austin Chronicle is an independent, unsolicited submissions (including but not locally owned and operated 54 crossword limited to articles, artwork, photographs, and résumés) are not returned. alternative newsweekly. free wiLL AstroLogy 2 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
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Feedback Letters & Comments Letters to the editor must be signed with full name and include daytime phone number, full address, or email address. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Letters may not be edited, added to, or changed by sender once we receive them. General email address: mail@austinchronicle.com, Letters online: austinchronicle.com/feedback Mailing address: The Austin Chronicle, PO Box 4189, Austin, TX 78765 Schedule SucceSS I often have the feeling the idiots in charge texaS’ true leGacy (not the IT staff, I mean the City Council) are Dear Editor, purposely evasive and obtuse hiding behind Dear Editor, Re: your story on the problems with the City their endless studies while the information Yet another piece on the historical and cultur- of Austin website [“hellsite.austin.gov,” News, remains totally untransparent. This affects all of al heritage of Austin communities that doesn’t June 11], thought I would share my experience. us as we cannot navigate a website that is even mention Mexican Americans! [“City Seeks In March of 2020 went on austintexas.gov/ redundant and non-functional. to Break the Rich, White ‘Historic’ Mold,” News, covid19 to schedule a COVID test. Took me to Take a look at NYC.gov. Perfect navigation, June 11] One good way of working toward equity APH site where I answered evaluation questions easy to use, easy to find anything. and making amends for their displacement to see if I needed to be tested. My answers When I went to search for Sanitation because of gentrification is by preserving Palm said yes, need to test. Then was able to sched- Department, logical if I want to file a health School. For decades the students and the near- ule an appointment in two or three days at con- complaint against my landlord, hours later I by residents were mostly of Mexican descent, venient location, got the COVID test and then couldn’t find the right email and department on and an excellent way to preserve their communi- two days later got an email from APH with the Austin.gov’s website. ty and cultural memories would be to keep doc- results – negative. Did the same thing in August Again, thank you for this article. uments, photos, etc. in a museum in the Palm for a second test. So, for scheduling a COVID Elise Krentzel building. Hopefully some day the Texas school test, the City website worked very well for me. textbooks will cover the true legacy of Texas, Russell Harding which consists of much brutality and land grab. Gotta luv the doc Anita Quintanilla hellSite hardShipS Dear Editor, I have read the Austin Chronicle forever and Dear Editor, never gave the Luv Doc a second thought. The article was so thoroughly researched and Sounded goofy to me. Then I read a letter in u p dat e d da i ly well written as always bravo. [“hellsite.austin.gov,” “Feedback” a few weeks ago from someone ------------------- at ------------------- News, June 11] Excellent quality. I’m originally from who said the Luv Doc was their favorite feature. NYC via Europe and have been in this town for 10 years. Each time I go on that website I’m lost, frus- So I started reading it. And guess what – it’s my austinchronicle.com/postmarks favorite feature, too! Don’t let him get away. trated, confused or angry, especially during COVID. Tom Thornell 4 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
OpiniOn Voices from the community We Must Not turN Back the clock oN VotiNg rights The country watched as Democratic create new bureaucratic rules that make it Texas lawmakers walked out of a legis- harder for disabled Texans to vote. lative session in protest of an extreme Frankly, this bill is a throwback to the anti-voter bill. While this action halted the Jim Crow era when Texas had a number of assault on voting rights temporarily, Gov. laws that prevented Black people, especial- Greg Abbott has already threatened to call ly Black women, from freely voting. Let’s a special legislative session on what he not return to those evil days. calls “election integrity.” The fact is, the steps taken to expand Let’s make no mistake: “Election integ- voting during the pandemic resulted in rity” is simply an excuse to pass draconian Republicans and Democrats alike vot- restrictions to suppress access to voting ing in record numbers. Nearly 10 million for some Texans. The truth is that the Texans, over half of all registered voters, proposed bill, Senate Bill 7, would add cast their ballot early, either by mail or in new barriers that would disproportionately person. Turnout was up across the state, in affect Black and brown communities, as almost all 254 counties, from small, rural well as disabled Texans. areas like Mason County to fast-grow- This isn’t the way democracy is ing suburbs outside of Houston supposed to work. by Tom and Dallas. Last year, election officials L opach a n d That’s democracy at work. across the country introduced new Parties should be competing to initiatives, like drive-through vot- VaL benaVidez win more votes, not working to ing and mail ballots, that allowed keep voting down. for an unprecedented increase in But the proposed restrictions in voter engagement amid a deadly pandemic. Texas are part of a nationwide effort to Local leaders also implemented extraordi- disenfranchise voters in the wake of the nary measures to ensure a safe and secure 2020 election. State lawmakers across the election. The state then shattered voting country have introduced more than 360 records, posting the highest turnout record- bills to make voting harder. Enacting these ed in nearly 30 years while drawing in harmful voter suppression laws that tar- an electorate that was younger and more get the New American Majority – people diverse. Americans of all political stripes of color, young people, and unmarried should be proud. women – is disgraceful, unwarranted, and This voting surge happened despite undemocratic. last-minute efforts by state leaders to make The U.S. Congress should immediately voting harder. Gov. Abbott even made pass legislation like the For the People Act or the unnecessary decision to limit secure, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement absentee drop boxes to one per county, Act to make sure every legal citizen has regardless of a county’s size. If only these access to the ballot box. Instead of state state leaders had put as much effort into lawmakers attempting to jam through dan- trying to suppress a pandemic that has gerous restrictions to voting, they should killed tens of thousands of Texans as they be embracing the fundamental principles are into trying to suppress the vote. behind these two crucial bills. SB 7 goes even further. The current ver- The overwhelming success of the 2020 sion would ban 24-hour voting centers and election demonstrated that Texas can drive-through voting. These provisions will expand voting access while conducting a make voting harder and lines longer, partic- fair, secure, and safe election. Gov. Abbott ularly in large urban counties where many should not turn back the clock on voting Black and brown Texans live. Another rights in the Lone Star State but instead provision would restrict early voting on should create a future where more and Sundays, threatening “souls to the polls” more Texans can exercise their right to Need Money Now? efforts which encourage Black churchgoers vote and make their voices heard without to vote after service. And the bills even undue barriers. n Tom Lopach is president and CEO of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Voter Participation Center and Center for Voter Information. Val Benavidez is the president and executive director of the Texas We can help! Apply at Freedom Network and Texas Rising. goldstarfinancetexas.com Call: 512-428-4304 We like to say... YES! The Chronicle welcomes submissions of opinion pieces on any topic from the community. Find guidelines and tips at austinchronicle.com/contact/opinion. 1923 E. 7th Street austinchronicle.com JUNE 18, 2021 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 5
News QuotE of thE WEEk “Doug Kantor was killed at the hand of two juveniles who had guns they should never have had. We cannot police ourselves out of this crisis.” – Mayor Steve Adler, in the wake of last weekend’s Sixth Street shooting that killed Doug Kantor, left 13 others injured (see p.10) John Anderson hEAdliNEs (l-r) Capital Metro Pickup Program Manager James Bush, Council Member Leslie Pool’s Chief of Staff Louisa Brinsmade, and Cap Metro CEO and President Randy The home PiTch Austin’s Major League Soccer team, Clarke cut the ribbon at a June 14 ceremony celebrating the expansion of the transit Austin FC, kicks off its first-ever home game at Q2 agency’s Pickup rideshare service in the Dessau neighborhood in North Austin. The Stadium this Saturday, June 19, against the San Jose launch marks the first milestone in Project Connect, Austin’s massive transit overhaul Earthquakes. The Chronicle has rounded up everything approved by voters last fall, which seeks in part to expand neighborhood circulators. you need to know about the stadium, game, and fan- dom in a special insert; check it out inside. JuneTeenTh in AusTin This year marks the first time Juneteenth (June 19) will be recognized as an official city holiday. Some city admin offices and facilities will close on Friday, June 18, including Austin Public Library branches and the Austin Animal Center. See Community listings on p.23 for Juneteenth events. VoTe AnoTher DAy The Travis County Commissioners Court voted to postpone indefinitely a vote on the design contract for a new women’s jail facility at the Travis County Correctional Complex, after hours of public comment on Tuesday, June 15. Commissioners approved a separate resolution directing staff to provide a report by Aug. 15 on how to update the 2015-16 needs analysis and master plan for Travis County’s jail facili- ties. See p.10. PuD yeAh! City Council approved the planned unit development, or PUD, rezoning of the former Brackenridge Hospital campus Downtown, a key com- ponent of Austin’s emerging health and medicine Innovation District. The 14-acre site is owned by Central Health, the tax-supported agency providing healthcare access for low-income or uninsured residents. There’s no PlAce like AisD Austin ISD is hosting districtwide enrollment clinics through June 24 where hit Me With Your Worst shot John Anderson families can receive help in enrolling their child in any campus or any grade for the 2021-22 school year. The clinics are part of Operation Reconnect, AISD’s cam- paign to reconnect with unenrolled students. Doesn’t this weekend’s carnage illustrate exactly why policing as usual isn’t enough? Dems of The rounD TAble State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, was among a contingency of Texas At 8am on Saturday, as much of Austin to feel the same way. They clapped back County and pulled out weapons, heedless Democratic lawmakers who met with Vice President had yet to awaken and learn that 14 people at APA’s brutish and unseemly haste in of the cops all around them, and ineptly or Kamala Harris at the White House this week to discuss had been shot on Sixth Street a few hours inserting itself and its political agenda indifferently sent a dozen-plus bystanders voting rights. Following the defeat of voter suppression earlier, the Austin Police Association was into other people’s tragedies. But even to the hospital, one later to die, one unlikely bill Senate Bill 7 last month, Texas Democrats have ready for action on the social media more so, they called bullshit with a to ever walk again. urged the passage of federal voting rights legislation. front lines. “Austin is no longer quickness on the union and its EvErybody Plays ThEir ParT The PArks AheAD The Austin Parks & Recreation the safe, fun and weird city it used to be,” the union tweeted. AustiN allied coptivists for carping that Austin’s police force is under- I honestly have no beef, high school Department won a 2021 National Planning Excellence “We want the safe Austin back, At lArgE staffed. East Sixth Street on a or otherwise, with APA President Ken Award from the American Planning Association for its Our Parks, Our Future Long-Range Plan, which guides not this new one Council has busy weekend may be the sin- Casaday, known to most everyone as “Box.” created.” Later in the day, after by mik e cl a r k - gle most heavily policed loca- His job is to advocate for the interests of the development of Austin’s park system. bringing our coverage of the vio- ma dis o n tion in all of Texas, they noted; his organization and its members; those lence up to date, I responded that any of the literally millions of peo- interests include continuing to bring in fighTing hunger TogeTher Capital Metro has deliv- this was “reprehensible bullshit,” ple who’ve dipped into Dirty Sixth new members. Thus, it will always be the ered 1 million meals through its meal delivery program which it was, for reasons I don’t think real- on such occasions can tell you that. Yet union’s position that Austin police staffing with community partners. The public transit agency ly need to be explained, do they? it appears two kids from Killeen brought needs to be set by formula and increase began the program at the start of the COVID-19 pan- Lots of other folks on the socials seemed some high school beef down here from Bell continued on p.8 demic to deliver food and supplies to those in need. 6 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
NEWs � arts & culture � food � screens � music I Say Regressive; You Say Progressive Austin At LArge continued from p.6 causes, because they’ve come to associate automatically as the city grows. It would those complex dialogues with feeling per- probably be impossible for Casaday to advo- sonally disrespected. But what else should cate otherwise even if he wanted to, lest he we talk about here? Did you think these Wherein Hizzoner gets to rebut my last column lose the confidence of his members. The kids were corrupted by critical race theory? Austin Police Department is itself the size Did I ask already why they had guns? I spent much of last week’s column blast- (and business owners) as opposed to work- of Austin High School, and bigger than ing the proposed doubling of the city home- ers. And, finally, that the additional property some towns in Travis County; as you often WE’vE all GoT Work To do stead exemption as a “hugely regressive” tax shifted to non-homestead residential … read in these pages, it has lots of politics In any event, a heavy show of force did policy under which ”by far the biggest share would not really be passed through to ten- and cliques and dirty laundry and gossip. nothing to prevent a mass shooting. The of the benefit goes to the wealthiest people, ants [in Austin’s real estate market].” A goal of “2.0 staffing” – two sworn offi- officers on the scene followed APD policy in the most expensive homes.” As expected, Fair enough, and I do appreciate the con- cers per 1,000 Austinites – is thus a simple and rendered aid to the wounded, and lives City Council passed the exemption hike text, and your reasoned vote, and the attached rallying cry for a police force that has yet were saved. That doesn’t always happen, (unanimously), and the following day, Mayor research (see this story online), but on the to really square up against the more com- even in Austin, as we’ve reported; a bill Steve Adler, who had been one of the more other hand the regressive/progressive scale plex and sophisticated goals of those who making it a duty under state law sits on the stalwart proponents of the move, sent me a is a continuum. Of all the things the city it now sees as its political foes. Casaday governor’s desk, weakened in transit by the very nice and very detailed note explaining charges money for, or spends money on, not kinda moved the goal posts a bit later in police lobby of which APA is a component. his vote and challenging my characteri- a single one is indexed to income. If you the week when, responding to my last post With incidents like this, or like the mur- zation of it being “regressive.” So in go to a pool, turn on a light, pay a about the shooting, he invited me on a der of Garrett Foster a year ago, we’re told the interest of fairness, I thought parking ticket or sales tax on your ride-along: “Yes, Downtown was staffed at we must have enough police on hand to pro- I’d lay out that side this week. Public lunch – everyone pays the same, 100%,” he tweeted. “If this incident would have occurred anywhere else in Austin you vide basic life support until paramedics can traverse the crowds and reach the wounded Essentially, when you look at it in terms of a percentage of NoticE and the poor person pays a hugely larger percentage of their would have seen more dead and a much when the scene is secured. Would you be income, “A 20% general home- by ni ck income on it than the rich per- slower response time.” He could be right. shocked to know that other big cities have stead exemption saves a lower son. That’s regressive. There’s Does that mean we must hire more cops, or solved this problem, and their trained emer- income person .082% of their bar baro one exception where the rich per- could we better use the ones we have? gency medical services medics can timely income and a higher income person son pays more – at least in real dol- What went down on Dirty Sixth just reach disaster and crime scenes? Casaday’s about half of that, or only .047% of their lars, if not in percentage of income – before last call on Saturday morning, in the counterpart at the EMS union, Selena Xie, income. The exemption is mildly progressive.” and that’s property taxes. They may not be eyes of both leaders and followers on the can tell you all about it. It’s a thing cities can But also: “For me, the bigger benefit is in the progressive, but they’re the least regressive de-policing side of Austin’s debate, illus- do when they haven’t been forced to throw tax shift … from homestead property to com- tool in the city’s fiscal tool box. trates exactly why we need to talk about scarce dollars at arbitrary staffing formulas, mercial/industrial.” (That is, lower residential public safety differently. “Reimagine” it, or else be vilified for “defunding the police.” taxes will be made up in higher taxes on non- “Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross: Black Heri- if you will. That would include needed What if, instead, we worked with bench- homestead properties.) That includes rental tage, Living History” is Preservation Austin’s 2021 action well upstream of the commission of a marks (personnel, funding, geographic housing, but, he goes on, studies have shown Virtual Homes Tour, celebrating Austin’s first historic crime, an outbreak of violence, or a tactical coverage, response time) for the whole of that in housing markets such as Austin where district honoring Black heritage, including the homes of response from law enforcement. What’s up Austin’s first-response apparatus? The city supply is constrained, “an increase in proper- Tuskegee Airman Norman Scales, former Huston-Tillot- with these kids in Killeen? Why do they budget, as laid out under Spencer Cronk, ty taxes really is not the driver of rents. son President Dr. John Quill Taylor King, Ira Poole “and have guns? What beef could they have that gestures at doing this with its focus on a “On balance then, my equation was that his iconic collection of yard art Americana,” and more. rises to the level of gunplay? Why are they strategic “safety” outcome and identified an increase in the general property tax It’s a video tour event, premiering Thursday, June 17, at driving 60 miles to party while underage? performance indicators, but it could be a lot exemption would ‘mildly’ favor lower income 7pm; $20 for PA members, and $25 for nonmembers. (OK, I did that too in high school, but not more robust if people outside Cronk’s office homeowners so would be mildly progressive. See preservationaustin.org for full info on the effort to with guns.) All that stuff. – particularly in our police force – took such Importantly, there would be a tax shift that diversify the history that gets preserved. n Conservatives get their back up when considerations as seriously as this week- would fall on more affluent owners of non- Send gossip, dirt, innuendo, rumors, and other progressives talk about systems and root end’s bloodshed should warrant. n residential commercial/industrial properties useful grist to nbarbaro@austinchronicle.com. CIVICS 101 BlaCk austin Coalition Learn more about inDivisiBle tX lege enD of session winter storm review task forCe onGoinG the city’s investment in a Black embassy. 6-8pm. soCial The best and worst of the 87th Texas Community members share their experiences Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon. Legislature. 6-7:30pm. Online. Free. during and in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri. aCC surPlus sale Office furniture and blackaustincoalition.com. fb.com/indivisibletxlege. 6-8pm. Videoconference. austintexas.gov. classroom furniture and equipment. Through tHe BlaCk farmer files kYmberly Keeton, Sat., June 19, 8am-5pm. ACC Pinnacle parking s aT u r day 6 / 1 9 T u E s day 6 /2 2 librarian and archivist of the Austin History lot, 7748 Hwy. 290 W. austincc.edu. bullETin board HornsBy BenD BirD walk All levels of travis County Commissioners Court Center, presents on the history of Black farming JunETEEnTh in Austin. 6:30-8:30pm. Online. Free (registra- For the latest info, visit austintexas.gov/ birders are welcome. 7:30-11am. Hornsby Bend. See agenda for details. 9am. Online. traviscoun- tion required). library.austintexas.gov. covid19. Uninsured residents experiencing Free. travisaudubon.org. tytx.gov/commissioners-court. JuneteentH ParaDe & festival The COVID-19 symptoms: Call CommUnityCare’s tHe PurPle Party for CHiCa Power kitCHen ComPost ColleCtor PiCkuP T h u r s day 6 /24 parade starts at MLK & Salina and continues down Chicon, heading east on Rosewood hotline at 512/978-8775. Austin Public Health At this Latinitas fundraiser, local muralists Austin Resource Recovery customers who were has launched a COVID-19 vaccine preregistration Carmen Rangel and J Muzacz will unveil a mural part of the most recent curbside composting travis County Commissioners Court then north on Chestnut up to Pleasant Valley. system at austintexas.gov/covid19-vaccines, or of the late Ana Sisnett, a lifelong digital divide service expansion are eligible. 6-7:30pm. Walnut 9am. Online. traviscountytx.gov/commissioners-court. Then enjoy music, food, and entertainment at call 512/972-5560. Or find vaccine locations educator and activist and the creator of Austin Creek Park, 12138 N. Lamar. austintexas.gov/ Rosewood Park. Sat., June 19, 10am. Salina & near you at vaccinefinder.org. BuforD tHe Book Bus Free books MLK Jr. Blvd. juneteenthcentraltexas.com. Free-Net. 7-10pm. 2400 E. Cesar Chavez. $60+. composting. available in English and Spanish for all read- latinitaspurpleparty.com. stay BlaCk & live vol. 2 The daylong cele- T h u r s day 6 / 17 W E d n E s day 6 /2 3 ing levels. 10:30am-12:30pm. Oak Springs Elementary, 3601 Webberville. austinisd.org. bration kicks off with a car parade, and at lunch s u n day 6 /2 0 volunteers will distribute free plates to Eastside Downtown Commission Presentations CommunityCare moBile meDiCal aisD BoarD of trustees 5:30pm. Online. communities in need. Plus, a virtual panel on the Palm District initiative and an update for tHe PeoPle rally Join Beto O’Rourke serviCes Call 512/978-9015 for info. austinisd.org/board/meetings. discussion, music, and a fireworks show. Sat., on the new mixed-use project at the former and Powered by People for a rally to protect 9am-3pm. Terrazas Branch Library, 1105 E. June 19, 10am-10pm. Rosewood Park, 2300 HealthSouth site on Red River. 5:30pm. kitCHen ComPost ColleCtor PiCkuP voting rights in Texas. 5:30pm. South steps of the Cesar Chavez. communitycaretx.org. See Tuesday. 6-7:30pm. Dick Nichols Park, Rosewood. juneteenthatx.com. Videoconference. austintexas.gov. Capitol, Congress & W. 11th. poweredxpeople.org. 8011 Beckett. 8 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
news � arts & culture � food � screens � music sweeping the Plaza Chaos as City Hall encampment cleared by police By Austin sAnders A chaotic scene unfolded outside of City Smokey Quartz, told us. “They told us they Hall Monday morning, June 14, as police need to move, and are now threatening to officers and other city workers – citing arrest this man who is homeless and sleep- upcoming sidewalk construction – cleared ing on the sidewalk.” the encampment that had emerged there as It took more than an hour before officials a protest to voter approval could produce for Quartz of Proposition B, which reinstated criminal penal- Word came down the paperwork docu- menting the construction ties for camping in public from management project. In the meantime, spaces. City officials later said that the scene was about the planned officers and workers began dismantling tents, “very different” than clearance late on even throwing some what is expected at other locations where those Friday, giving APD away. Eventually, violet bins provided by the experiencing homeless and the agencies Downtown Austin ness are encamped. Some camp residents that could assist the Community Court arrived for temporary APD officers remove unhoused persons’ tents around City Hall on Monday, June 14, told the Chronicle that unhoused little time storage, and some at the ahead of upcoming sidewalk construction officers gave verbal notice on Saturday, June 12; oth- to prepare a safe camp helped move belongings of those who ers said not until Sunday enforcement plan. were not present. The tion permit was issued on May 19, for work told the Chronicle in a Monday morning were they told that if they planned construction to begin on June 7. statement. “Those who refuse to comply did not move their belongings by 10pm that appears to be work along the curbline, “Members of the Homeless Outreach with the direction may be given a citation night, they could be arrested. None saw any ramp, and crosswalk at the corner of Cesar Street Team (HOST) and APD’s District for violating the camping ordinance, or be written notice. “Apparently they’re doing Chavez and Guadalupe, as well as repairs to Representatives have met with people placed under arrest if they fail to comply.” construction and they need everyone here to the shared-use path on the Drake Bridge around City Hall to inform them about the At a press conference Tuesday, June 15, move,” one person camping at City Hall, (South First Street). A right-of-way excava- upcoming construction,” a spokesperson City Manager Spencer Cronk said future CounCil Drops BiDenBuCks into the safety net In what Mayor Steve Adler called a historic step toward ending homelessness in Austin, City Council last week voted to allocate $100 million the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline to use the federal dollars, including $188.4 million from ARPA, $46.7 million in other federal grants, and $28.4 million of surplus in federal stimulus and relief funds (augmented cash (above what’s required by Council’s financial by local reserves) toward services and plans to policies) in the city’s reserve funds. On Wednesday address the city’s shelter crisis. night before the vote, a final framework was agreed The mayor and Council hope Austin’s ante of to by Adler and Council Members Alison Alter more than half of its American Rescue Plan Act and Kathie Tovo; in addition to homelessness, its funding will motivate others to invest in assistance priorities include child care ($15 million), workforce for those living without shelter and to create sus- development ($21 million), rent relief ($42 million), tainable long-term solutions. Adler, after the vote and community resilience, which encompasses on June 10, called for help from “the partners we $12 million for relief in the nonprofit and creative need to tackle challenges that are bigger than what sectors, $3 million to address food insecurity, and the city, county, or [any] service organization can another $3 million to establish pilot resilience hubs. do by itself. It’s going to take us all working togeth- Relief for renters got a significant boost from er and pitching in.” U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development The funding is part of a $263.5 million plan to emergency grants; the $35.3 million in federal strengthen Austin’s social safety net to endure past dollars will be topped off with $6.7 million in local “We need to tackle challenges that are bigger than what the city, county, or [any] service organization can do by itself. It’s going to take us all working together and pitching in. Au s t i n M Ayo r s t e v e A d l e r Photos by John Anderson 10 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
housing mean they’ll be waiting for place- USED, ments for up to three years. While interim Police Chief Joseph Cha COLLECTIBLE, con agreed that the scene was “very differ- and U N I Q U E ent” from other encampments, “My under- standing is that the officers did a good job,” and he doesn’t anticipate any changes to the city’s Prop B plans. Under those plans, nobody residing in an encampment that is now illegal would be forced to move until August. But three city sources confirmed to us independently that word came down from management about the planned clear- ance late on Friday, June 11, giving both 1608 S. CONGRESS AVE. APD and the agencies that could assist the unhoused, like DACC or Integral Care, lit- 512-916-8882 tle time to prepare a safe enforcement plan. southcongressbooks.com As Cronk’s office sent word to relevant OPEN DAILY NOON-6 Photos by John Anderson departments, a city press release marked the beginning of Phase 2 of the Prop B plan: “From Sunday, June 13 … APD will generally issue written warnings, and may issue cita- Volunteers help move and tions for violating the camping ordinance if save belongings of campers they encounter individuals who have already during the June 14 cleanup been warned.” In the statement provided to us Monday, the spokesperson reiterated that the Prop B plan allows for arrests whenever camp clearances, as the city complies with stirred up fear and pressured Cronk to take an individual’s behavior “poses an imminent Proposition B, would unfold differently, action; Council Member Mackenzie Kelly danger to themselves or others.” Blocking since those outside City Hall were protest- ers more akin to those who took over the plaza during Occupy Austin in 2012, who told Fox 7 Austin on May 30 “It’s getting out of hand. My question is, at what point will someone get seriously hurt for this to stop?” the right of way for the planned construction posed such a danger, the spokesperson said. At least seven people were arrested at the Fredericksburg & Stonewall were also cleared by police as trespassers. While many at the camp agreed they were scene and taken to the Travis County Jail TEXAS Segments on local TV and Fox News have protesting the city’s inadequate response to homelessness, they were also among the for magistration, booked on charges includ- ing interfering with public duties and fail- ROADSIDE STANDS NOW thousands of Austinites living without shel- ter. “I’ve been waiting here for housing for ure to obey a lawful order, both class C misdemeanors. The city spokesperson had OPEN funds to meet the expected spike in demand as over 40 days and I don’t know when I’ll get previously said those arrested for an “appli- federal eviction protections expire and landlords placed anywhere,” William Bradford told cable class C misdemeanor” could be pro- Varieties Available: begin to seek back rent. A city ordinance approved us. “Housing is a human right and I’m here cessed by DACC, whose job is to provide Regal, Spring Gold, Starlite in April requires landlords to apply for relief funds protesting for my rights.” Others said social service support as an alternative to before moving to evict tenants who owe five or they’ve been told that long waitlists for being booked into the jail. n White, Carored, Flavorich, June more months’ rent. An amendment to the spending Gold, Gold Prince, June Prince, plan from CM Greg Casar directs City Manager Early Majestic, Ruby Prince, Spencer Cronk to identify another $6 million in local dollars to use for rent relief if the $42 million is TexRoyal exhausted before the end of this year. plus apricots and vegetables Cronk and the city’s Homeless Strategy Office also have to deliver a more detailed plan for spend- ing the $100 million to address homelessness, including as part of the upcoming fiscal year 2022 budget. An amendment from Alter requires that the manager allocate what remains of the more than $100 million Council has earmarked toward home- lessness since mid-2019 (including prior federal relief via the CARES Act) to align with plans for the ARPA dollars, which should be done so as to “max- imize opportunities to leverage funding matches Hill Country Fruit Council from private, philanthropic or other government texaspeaches.com funding sources.” – Austin Sanders Visit Website for a list of growers, This was Council’s last meeting before its map and peach updates summer hiatus. The next scheduled meeting (potentially in person) is July 29, though Council committees will meet over the break. Cronk is expected to propose his FY 2022 budget in early July. austinchronicle.com JUNE 18, 2021 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 11
news � arts & culture � food � screens � music Bloody sixth One dead, 13 injured, 2 in custody after weekend shooting By Mike ClArk-MAdison Douglas Kantor, a 25-year-old tourist vis- Texas biker rally and the NCAA baseball iting Austin from the Detroit area, died tournament in town. It’s unclear whether Sunday, June 13, after being shot along with the shooters exchanged fire, emptied their 13 others in an outburst of gun violence on weapons into the crowd, or both. East Sixth Street just before 1:30am Chacon on Saturday said Austin Police Saturday morning. Another victim, 34-year- Department staffing around East Sixth was old Jessica Ramirez, reportedly remains in at full strength. On Tuesday, in a joint press critical condition after surgery and faces conference with his colleagues in the U.S. permanent paralysis. While two young peo- Conference of Mayors, Austin Mayor Steve ple are in custody as suspects, much remains Adler said that the law enforcement pres- unconfirmed about how and why the shoot- ence in the Downtown entertainment dis- ing took place, even as a national spotlight trict was actually 20% higher than on most turned on the rowdy Downtown entertain- weekends (presumably due to the ROT ment district, Austin’s public safety policies, Rally). “Yet the abundance of officers could Gett y iMAGes and Texas’ ever looser gun laws. not stop the shooting,” Adler said. “Doug Pending further investigation, it appears Kantor was killed at the hands of two juve- the victims of Austin’s largest mass shoot- niles who had guns they should never have ing since the Texas Tower massacre in had. We cannot police ourselves out of this 1966, including Kantor and Ramirez, were crisis” of gun violence. all “innocent bystanders,” as described by One of those two was arrested Saturday adult; he was apprehended in Harker Kantor, a native of New York’s Rockland police Chief Joe Chacon in a Saturday after- with the aid of the U.S. Marshal’s Lone Heights, near Killeen, on Monday morning County who attended college in Michigan noon briefing. Witnesses and officers report Star Fugitive Task Force; that suspect’s without incident as he attended a summer- and was employed by Ford, had recently that shots rang out without warning on the identity, nor any charges against them, will school class. He’s been charged with aggra- bought a house and was engaged to his high heavily crowded and heavily policed street, likely not be disclosed under Texas juve- vated assault; other charges, including any school sweetheart, according to statements closed to vehicle traffic as usual and busier nile-justice procedure. The other, Jeremiah stemming from Kantor’s death, have not from his family. He was transported to Dell than normal with both the Republic of James Tabb, is 17 and can be tried as an been made public. Seton in an APD vehicle after sustaining With Shea Swayed, Women’s Jail Put on Ice the jail began. Item 29, brought forth by Commissioner Ann Howard and County Judge Andy Brown, would call on county staff to create a report by August 15 on how On Tuesday, June 15, the Travis County to develop a new strategic plan to replace Commissioners Court voted to delay moving the 2016 Master Plan to rebuild and expand Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle forward with the design of a new women’s the Travis County Correctional Complex in jail for at least a year. The decision came Del Valle; create a working group focused on after more than three hours of testimony diversion that would reduce the number of from more than 100 callers, including for- women in jail; and provide better physical merly incarcerated women and leaders from and mental health care within the jail. Austin Justice Coalition, the Lilith Fund, Brown then offered an amendment to delay Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, Texas Fair the vote on the women’s jail for 12 months Defense Project, Grassroots Leadership, and as this work was done. While Commissioner other activist organizations. Margaret Gómez quickly accepted the delay, The meeting began on a cooperative note, Commissioner Brigid Shea vehemently with commissioners voting unanimously to opposed replacing the 2016 Master Plan expand services at the Sobering Center to altogether, saying she wouldn’t want to accept criminal trespass offenders. But that “scrap” work that had been done; Brown unity quickly dissolved once discussion of then changed that language to “update.” “The 160 or so women that are currently in the jail could actually all go into the newest, nicest facility we have.” C o u n t y J u d G e A n dy b r ow n John Anderson 12 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
major abdominal injuries that proved unsur- troopers are set to buttress APD staffing vivable. “It’s painful to discuss, but I think Downtown as needed, Chacon said. the public deserves to know what my broth- Abbott did not mention the permitless er suffered,” his brother Nick Kantor said. carry legislation he would later sign, but Ramirez, the other critically injured vic- others did. “I am angry because the politi- tim, was out celebrating her 34th birthday cians of Texas have failed to keep their con- when she was shot, according to her moth- stituents safe,” wrote state Sen. Sarah er Bilma, who launched a GoFundMe to Eckhardt, D-Austin. “Every day in Texas, 10 cover medical expenses and provide finan- people die from gun violence. Yet the legisla- cial assistance. The sin- ture just spent five months gle mother of five does not have health insur- “Doug Kantor was making it easier for vio- lent people to get guns. ance, according to the killed at the hands This problem will contin- crowdfunding appeal. The conditions of the of two juveniles ue to get worse until Texas’ elected leaders have the other 12 victims, some of who had guns they courage to address it.” whom sought treatment on their own, have not should never have On Monday, state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, been disclosed. had. We cannot wrote Abbott to ask for a As most facts of the shooting remain unknown, police ourselves veto of House Bill 1927, which passed over the opinions have rushed in to out of this crisis objections of Chacon and fill the breach. Thoughts and prayers came from [of gun violence].” other Texas police chiefs. “Many Texans will see many directions, includ- M Ayo r s t e v e A d l e r [signing the bill] as a seal ing from Gov. Greg of approval on the prac- Abbott, who on Saturday invited all Texans tice of solving disputes with guns,” Goodwin to “join Cecilia [Abbott] and I in prayer for wrote, “and I am sure that this is not the those who were injured” while pretending to message you intend to send. … While I real- direct Texas Dept. of Public Safety officers ize that laws cannot singlehandedly keep to help APD make sure “perpetrators are guns out of the wrong hands, I also under- captured and punished to the fullest extent stand that they impose boundaries, create of the law.” Tabb appears to have been order, and set a tone. We need you, as our arrested by Killeen ISD police, but DPS governor, to send [that] message.” n Commissioner Jeff Travillion reiterated his The 160 or so women that are currently in belief that many people have no access to the jail could actually all go into the newest, mental health services outside the jail – his nicest facility we have.” primary reason for wanting to build the pro- The debate between Brown and Shea abat- posed new “trauma informed facility” – ed as the court took calls from the public; of and chastised his colleagues for infighting. the more than 100 people who testified, only Shea urged immediate action, saying the two backed moving forward with the jail. court had already addressed justice advo- Callers expressed disappointment with cates’ concerns; she quoted from the report Travillion and Shea, highlighted the low popu- of a prior 2018 working group including advo- lation and short stays of most women in the cates and formerly incarcerated women that jail, and argued that jail itself causes trauma “any delay in making these long-term decisions and thus cannot be “trauma informed.” about plans for the women’s facility will have Finally, Shea interrupted testimony to say she a substantial and negative impact on women would support a “pause” on the women’s jail in custody in Travis County.” Annette Price, discussion for 12 months, and the item co-director of Grassroots Leadership, told passed unanimously. the Chronicle she felt her voice was not heard On Monday, Grassroots Leadership’s for- as a participant in that working group: “They mer head Bob Libal had announced he’s con- already had a plan in motion of what they sidering running against Shea in 2022. Libal wanted to do and how they wanted to move it.” told the Chronicle, “I think we’re at a moment Brown emphasized that his and Howard’s where we need new leadership, and particu- proposal did not foreclose moving ahead with larly on criminal justice issues. We have gone the project in the future: “What this is saying through a national reckoning on racism and is to take new data into account, current the criminal justice system … and listening to data, and delay decisions until we have all [the] commissioners court over the last few of that information in a new report.” He also weeks, I don’t see that reflected. In Austin suggested that TCCC’s Building 12, complet- [it’s] really important to a lot of people, which ed in 2012, could house a new women’s facil- is why you’ve seen such an outpouring ity: It’s “considered to be in good condition … around this issue.” – Lina Fisher austinchronicle.com JUNE 18, 2021 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 13
news � arts & culture � food � screens � music Bikin’ Down the Highway Will TxDOT’s plans for Loop 360 leave cyclists and pedestrians in the dust? by benton Graham In its current form, Capital of Texas to take advantage of this opportunity to build Highway – Loop 360 – on Austin’s western higher-capacity facilities with a longer design edge is hard to imagine being used by most life now that it has funding to do so. pedestrians or nonathletic cyclists for either transportation or recreation. When not con- Hard to Build in tHe Hills gested at rush hour, cars zip along the wind- TxDOT has pushed back on this allega- ing six-lane highway, where the posted tion. It says that the area’s topography is speed is 60 mph. In the few locations where what presents the greatest obstacle to full- designated bike lanes do exist, they tend to sized bike lanes. “The challenge along Loop be found in a narrow space between the 360 is the rolling terrain. While it appears middle and right turn lanes. Much of the that there is plenty of room, the terrain time, the only bicycles one sees are the makes it challenging to meet the design illustrations on the bright yellow bike-cross- requirements of bicycle and pedestrian ing signs. facilities,” a TxDOT “We are working The Texas Department spokesperson told the of Transportation aims to Chronicle. As for property change that as a part of with txdot to try owners encroaching on to get the very best, its plans to upgrade Loop TxDOT land, the spokes- 360, which include new person said that’s not an frontage roads, grade sep- most comfortable, issue. “Except for the connected, and arations at most of the occasional misplaced major intersections, and fence or an unpermitted intelligent transportation least conflicting sign, there have not been pathway design systems, along with encroachments onto the shared-use paths for right of way. TxDOT does pedestrians and cyclists. possible.” not anticipate encroach- imAge viA w w w.Loop360project.com As that project moves ments moving forward.” along in its design and Au s t i n Long stretches along the environmental review, t r A n s p o r tAt i o n ’ s highway are indeed hilly, those paths have come L Au r A D i e r e n f i e L D but a drive along the still under scrutiny from -stunning 14-mile corri- active transportation advocates, as well as dor reveals more than sporadic potential some of the neighbors that live near the right-of-way encroachment, such as an area highway, who wonder how many more bicy- used for parking near Winding Ridge clists and pedestrians will want to use a trail Boulevard (which parallels Loop 360 near that’s only set 5 feet from the roadway, with Bull Creek) and a stretch facing the minimal protection. Davenport Village shopping center where That’s not to mention the lane widths, Loop 360 meets Westlake Drive (one of the which at 10 feet won’t match up with some future grade-separated crossings where an expert recommendations. For example, the overpass and ramps are to be built), where a TxDOT’s Loop 360 Program seeks to uprgade multiple intersections along the 14-mile corridor by removing National Association of City Transportation trailer is currently parked. The stretch is traffic signals from the mainlanes and constructing overpasses or underpasses at select intersections. Officials recommends that two-way bike also inundated with signs advertising prop- Additionally, shared-use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists will be added along Loop 360. lanes be 12 feet in width and only be erties for sale or lease, which sit nearly on reduced (to a minimum of 8 feet) in “con- top of the current roadway. strained locations.” While TxDOT is the lead agency for the project, we are working with TxDOT to try with Loop 360 north of where the current Why is the department appearing to short- project, the city of Austin is helping to bank- to get the very best, most comfortable, con- project area begins. change non-auto travelers on Loop 360, roll the shared-use paths through a $46 mil- nected, and least conflicting pathway design Both RM 2222 and Bee Cave Road (RM which is no longer the scenic drive through lion contribution, a project included in the possible,” Dierenfield said. 2244) are state highways that intersect the undeveloped hills it once was but now $720 million 2016 Mobility Bond program. The project has already seen a number of Loop 360, but any TxDOT work on those is carries tens of thousands of Austinites to The Austin Transportation Department’s delays and has been pushed back to a com- even farther out on the horizon. In the extensive and growing neighborhoods and Laura Dierenfield, who leads its active pletion date in the late 2020s. From a fund- interim, the Capital Area Metropolitan employment centers? Some observers have transportation division, pointed out that ing perspective, TxDOT faces pressure to Planning Organization’s 2045 long-range speculated that TxDOT is pushing forward lane widths can vary depending on the cir- spend the money it currently has before plan lists a Capital Metro express route with this design to avoid alienating the cumstances and said that the city will do its starting on other projects on the western along RM 2222 at a $12 million cost, as well adjacent property owners who have been part to make the path as accessible and safe side of the urban area, including its as a city of Austin project to make pedestri- effectively encroaching on its rights of way. as possible. Currently, ATD is reviewing the planned reconstruction of U.S. 183 and an and bicycle improvements from RM TxDOT has long owned enough of the hill- TxDOT-proposed design to understand how continued work on MoPac (Loop 1), both 2222 to the Four Points Drive connector at a side property along Loop 360 to expand its the expansion can best fit within TxDOT’s alongside the Central Texas Regional cost of nearly $3 million. Both would hap- width, so it seems odd that it would not want available space. “With respect to the 360 Mobility Authority and both intersecting pen by 2027. As for Bee Cave Road, the 14 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JUNE 18, 2021 austinchronicle.com
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