Cover Story
A Church and Its People on Austin’s Eastside
The living history of David Chapel
Travis County District Judge Allows Austin’s Dine-in Limitations
Update: Texas Supreme Court blocks local dine-in orders
Austin ISD Will Resume On-Campus Classes Next Week as Planned
Most extracurriculars postponed, says Superintendent Elizalde
Update: Ken Paxton Sues Austin Over New Year’s Weekend Dine-In Limitations
Texas A.G. blasts COVID-19 orders as “shameless”
Justin G. Dyck Would Do Anything for Jackson
Christmas romance movie maker delivers this year’s chilliest horror
City Announces Limitations to Dine-In and Drink Service for New Year’s and Beyond
Gov. Abbott pushes back: “This shutdown order by Austin isn’t allowed”
12 New TV Shows to Watch in January
Plus another dozen returning shows to reacquaint yourself with
Stage Five, Ahoy – but also Curra’s takes over Mother’s, Buddy’s Has a Burger, Natalie’s on Cakealikes, and Beard Papa’s Will Be Hella Creamy and Puffy
All the news that’s fit to get your taste buds quivering
10 New Year’s Eve To-Go Drink Options in Austin
Keep your festivities well-watered and safe at home
The Party Never Stops with the Uncaged New Year’s Eve Bash
Meet the Cheddar Goblin in an 8-Bit Alamo as South Lamar goes virtual
The Midnight Sky
George Clooney saves humanity from an Earth that no longer wants it
Fatale
Not everything that happens in Vegas …
News of the World
Tom Hanks evokes one of his most celebrated roles in this tragic Western
Promising Young Woman
Unevenness sabotages this takedown of “nice guy” culture
Soul
Pixar’s jazzy trip to the afterlife mixes kid-friendly hijinks with metaphysical angst
Pinocchio
Latest retelling of the children’s classic gets tangled in its own strings
The Dissident
Unfurling the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and the rot at the heart of Saudi Arabia
Free Will Astrology
Your weekly horoscope, December 25-31
For One Austinite When the Pandemic Closed the Border, Uzbekistan Rolled Out the Welcome Mat
Jennifer Whiddon reflects on what it was like getting trapped abroad for six months
COVID at AISD: Union Lodges Grievances as District Plays Hardball
Education Austin files over 100 grievances on behalf of teachers denied accommodations for spring semester
Shakeup at Comedor After High-Profile Chef Out
Philip Speer speaks about national search for new chef
As Wastewater Plants Fail, TCEQ Fails to Regulate
Local conservationists seek to boost “beneficial reuse”
Austin’s Best Food and Drink Events This Week
Dinner parties, farmer’s markets, beer, wine, and more for the week of December 23, 2020
Balancing High School and a Budding Onigiri Business
Samurice entrepreneur Kenta Asazu will even deliver your order by bicycle
Arts Listings
Virtual galleries, streaming improv, and more
The Zealot and the Emancipator by H.W. Brands
This history by the UT professor offers a new look at John Brown and Abraham Lincoln: side by side
Austin at Large: Carnival of the MAGAnimals
Baroque, sugar-soaked fantasies, fueled by copaganda, litter our streets
Leon Russell & the Bob Dylan Rumor
Outlaw era deejay Woody Roberts helped produce Willie Nelson’s first Fourth of July picnic in this excerpt from his new memoir Horse Racing & Rock ‘N’ Roll
Public Notice: Two More Years!
What’s the one thing missing from Steve Adler’s resumé?
Robert Rodriguez Brings Big Dad Energy to We Can Be Heroes
Sharkboy and Lavagirl return to pass the torch to a younger generation of heroes
Headlines / Quote of the Week
Christmas (Baby, Please Stay Home): As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in Austin-Travis County, Austin Public Health officials are urging residents to avoid nonessential travel and gatherings outside of their households during the holiday season. At press time, Austin remains in Stage 4 of APH’s risk-based guidelines, though the seven-day moving average for…
The Luv Doc: An Established Tradition
It’s really hard to stab someone to death with an icicle
Pushing Virtual Boundaries at the Austin Arthouse Film Festival
Celebration of experimentation does some experimenting of its own
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
The Titanic originally had more lifeboats onboard, but they were removed because the ship looked better without them. Wolf Brand Chili was invented in 1895 in Corsicana, Texas, by ranch cook Lyman T. Davis, who had a pet wolf named Kaiser Bill (thus the name “Wolf Brand”). Lyman drove around Texas in a chili-can-shaped car…
Faster Than Sound: Growing Up Margin Walker
I’ve only ever experienced Texas music under the independent reigns of Graham Williams. I didn’t know how lucky I was.
New Austin Music Worth Your Bandwidth This Week
What we’re listening to
Soccer Watch: Game On!
It’s official: There’s now competition for playing time at Austin FC. When we went to press last week, AFC had just added nine players to their roster – five in cash trades, then four in the MLS Expansion Draft – to go with the two they signed over the summer. Since then, the press releases…
Day Trips: The Lost Bird Project, Galveston
Remembering extinct birds in Galveston
Opinion: Drug Use Is the Reality for Millions. There Are Ways to Make It Safer.
A paramedic and harm reductionist highlights resources in Austin to reduce risks associated with using drugs
A Path Toward Permanent Housing in North Austin
Council approves funding for Espero at Rutland
Qmmunity: Make the Yuletide Gay
The best way to spread queer cheer is giving thanks, supporting QTs who keep Austin queer
A COVID-Cautious Christmas
Officials urge vigilance as more health workers receive vaccine
Arepa Dealers Sling Venezuelan Snacks and Coffee at Cuatro Gato
At Coconut Club’s all-day cafe the heart is an arepa
Death Watch: Quiet on Death Row
Pandemic halts the sputtering execution machine
Review: The Nutcracker: Home for the Holidays
Ballet Austin’s virtual version of the seasonal staple dances you closer to the magic than ever before
Housing Advocates Demand Relief, Protections as Eviction Crisis Looms
A network of local housing organizations are calling on state leaders to craft a plan for preventing evictions amid the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic
Sweetgreen’s on the Drag, Carne Lenta is Slow Good, Huckleberry Visits Vista, Fowl Mouth Is Making Us Cry
All the news that’s fit to get your taste buds quivering
New Year’s Eve Dining
Say good riddance to the old year with a belly full of yum
