An email arrived last Friday from the city, touting the one-year anniversary since Austin-Travis County first set up a COVID-19 operations center, and I swear my whole body shuddered. I’ve been dreading the coming weeks, when we’ll pass so many one-year-later markers both public (first COVID case, first COVID death) and private (the last time you casually hugged a friend in greeting, the last meal you ate inside a restaurant). As we roll into March, I suspect we’ll be drowning in “one year later” retrospectives, which I have little appetite for. Didn’t we just live through this? Aren’t we living through it still? Do we really require a refresher so soon?
That’s why I’m glad we’re launching our “Best of Austin” poll in the midst of this anniversary – timing that is entirely by accident, by the way. As we reflect on the losses and deprivations of our first year of the pandemic, our annual Readers Poll is good counterprogramming. In the worst of times, why not celebrate the best our town has to offer?
You’ll find the ballot on p.7 of our print edition. However, as the person tasked with opening each envelope and tallying your votes, might I gently direct you to the online ballot at vote.austinchronicle.com instead?
Voting in this first round begins Thursday, Feb. 11, and runs through Monday, March 8. The finalist ballot round runs March 25-April 12. Winners will be announced in our May 14 issue.
Last week’s cover was a stunning image of Anthony Evans, who was seriously injured by police during last May’s protests against police brutality. That image was provided to us by Anthony’s lawyer without a photo credit. We now have that credit! Austin photographer Nico Loayza took the image, and he was incredibly gracious about our oversight. You can follow him on Instagram: @nicoloayza.
It’s been a minute since we’ve enjoyed one of Chronicle contributor Kahron Spearman’s long-form profiles of Austin music past and present. (His 2018 look back at jazz giant Kenny Dorham is still one of my favorite pieces we’ve published; seek it out.) This week, Kahron checks in with Austin hip-hop pioneer Terrany “Tee Double” Johnson on the other side of a health crisis. Find that story here.
Online This Week
Real or Not Real? Screens Editor Richard Whittaker chats with documentarian Rodney Ascher (Room 237) about his latest film, A Glitch in the Matrix, and simulation theory.
COVID Behind Bars: Brant Bingamon reports on a COVID-19 outbreak at the Travis County Jail.
Let Them Eat Cake: Mardi Gras may be canceled, but the king cake tradition lives on. We round up where to buy king cakes in Austin.
Outsourcing the Taste Test: We asked Austin artist Tim Doyle to test-drive Clark + Hopkins’ international hot sauce sampler.
OUTsider Festival Drops Lineup: Austin’s queer transmedia fest goes virtual Feb. 19-21.
Day Trips & Beyond: Travel columnist Gerald E. McLeod recommends a trip to West Texas’ Hueco Tanks – a newly minted national landmark – and other sites around the state to visit this month.
Music Video Premiere: Pop sparkler Kady Rain’s Barbies come to life in “Lovestruck.”
This article appears in February 12 • 2021.
