As the old saying goes, “Everything is bigger in Texas,” and unfortunately that does not exclude toxic industrial admissions. A new analysis conducted by Environment Texas and the Environmental Integrity Project found that 68 million pounds of air pollution, the majority of which was released illegally, entered into the atmosphere last year. About “679 industrial […]

The Austin State Hospital, the oldest psychiatric hospital in the state, continues to leave residents living nearby frightened and concerned as patient escapes increase in frequency, some of whom have violent histories. Located on Guadalupe Street about three miles from downtown Austin, patients don’t have to journey far if they wish to escape, as public […]

Parking just got a little bit easier in Austin with the release of a new app called ParkX, which allows users to pay parking tabs remotely via a smartphone. Gone are the days when your meeting or workout class runs over, forcing you to sprint to your car in an attempt to avoid a pesky […]

Parents in Central Texas are opting out of vaccinating their children at unprecedented rates, according to recently released data published by KXAN. The report features a mother from Austin who decided to stop vaccinating her children after her daughter had an adverse reaction to the rotavirus vaccine. The rotavirus vaccine RotaTeq is a liquid given […]

AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Monday in a lawsuit led by Texas to counter President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. (Article by Claire Ricke, republished from http://kxan.com/2016/04/18/texas-leads-fight-against-obamas-immigration-plan/) Obama’s plan could temporarily shield more than four million immigrant families from deportation. Texas and 25 other states are not happy about this proposed plan. […]

One of Austin’s chief environmental groups has decided to pull out of Austin’s Earth Day Festival. (Article by Asher Price, republished from http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/sierra-club-austin-pulls-out-of-earth-day-festival/nq4cL/) The Austin chapter of the Sierra Club says it won’t participate in the festival, to take place April 23 in the Mueller neighborhood, because of what Sierra Club officials say are the anti-immigration […]

BERNINA of America, the premier manufacturer of sewing, embroidery and quilting machines, is pleased to announce that it is a sponsor of the Runways & Gallery event taking place Thursday, April 21 at Austin Fashion Week in Austin, Texas. The event will feature collections by nine prominent designers, an opportunity to meet the designers in […]

AUSTIN, TX — Police have joined forces with Equality Texas — the state’s largest organization advocating for LGBT rights — to raise awareness of hate crimes and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender members of the community. (Article by Tony Cantu, republished from http://patch.com/texas/downtownaustin/austin-police-launch-training-guidelines-dealing-lgbt-community) Members of Equality Texas and hate crime survivors staged a presentation […]

AUSTIN, TX — Community response following the death of a University of Texas-Austin student last week has been swift — from student demands for increased campus safety to the creation of a memorial fund for the young woman who was studying dance was killed. (Article by Tony Cantu, republished from http://patch.com/texas/downtownaustin/community-outcry-follows-murder-university-texas-austin-student) At least one reaction wasn’t […]

In March, culture bible Rolling Stone plucked Perth band Methyl Ethel out of relative obscurity to name the psychedelic-pop group one of its top 25 acts to see at this year’s South by Southwest. (Article by Financial Review, republished from http://www.afr.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/music/sxsw-is-a-tale-of-how-artists-make-it-in-the-snapchat-era-20160405-gnyi3e) It was a high honour to be called out from among the more than 2000 […]

The book was a collection of 15 linked sonnets dedicated to her late grandfather. (Article by Steve Bennet, republished from http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/arts-culture/books/article/S-A-authors-win-big-award-from-Texas-Institute-7255205.php) Other local winners included San Antonio author Jan Jarboe Russell, who won for best nonfiction book for “The Train to Crystal City: FDR’s Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America’s Only Family Internment Camp During World […]

By now, just about everybody has heard Austin is the “Live Music Capital of the World.” And Houston’s “third coast” rap scene is a force to be reckoned with, the Fort Worth stockyards are a staple in Texas country, and Dallas has birthed nearly every kind of artist, from Demi Lovato and the Dixie Chicks […]

Editor’s note: CultureMap is proud to present the latest installment in our partnership with KLRU’s documentary series Arts in Context. This unique series celebrates stories about the arts in Austin and the people who make this such a vibrant and creative city. (Article by KLRU-TV/Austin PBS, republished from http://austin.culturemap.com/news/arts/04-17-16-austin-community-steelband-after-school-program-free-disadvantaged-youth-video-klru/#slide=0) More than an after-school program, the Austin Community Steelband […]

Mastering roasting a chicken is one of those skills that makes you look like a far more accomplished chef than you are. You could burn spaghetti, but if you present a beautifully browned and juicy bird on the table, well, some people think you can even get a marriage out of that. Because the dish […]

Earth Day is just around around the corner, on Friday, April 22. The grassroots day of action is dedicated to encouraging around the world to change their daily habits and help effect pro-environment policy changes. Two Austin restaurants, Barley Swine and Vinaigrette, are modeling innovative ways to reduce waste and harness natural resources to make […]