The pandemic can’t stop us. The historic ice storm? See below and on following pages if you’re in need, or in a position to help others in need, but meanwhile … The show must go on.
The 40th Annual Austin Music Awards will be presented this coming week – Monday through Thursday, March 1-4 – unfolding across four full days, COVID-safe, but live and in person (mostly), at multiple venues around town. How are we doing that? Look for details to be announced starting Monday at xpm on your favorite social media channels. (It’s so secret, I can’t even tell you the start time.)
Last year’s AMA show was Austin’s last big party before the COVID shutdown; next year live music will be back to normal and we’ll be celebrating that. But this year is something completely different. Thanks to Capital Metro and the Society for the Preservation of Texas Music for making this happen, the Chronicle music and marketing staffs (among others) for keeping the spirit alive, and Austin’s music fans for voting for their favorite performers and music industry workers in this most unusual year. Meet the winners in next week’s annual Austin Music Awards issue.
This week’s scheduled meeting about the Hancock Golf Course/Park was postponed for a second week – first because of ice, a second time at the request of the Parks and Recreation Department – and will now be held next Tuesday, March 2, presumably still at 7-8:30pm, with PARD’s Anthony Segura and Kevin Gomillion and perhaps CM Kathie Tovo in attendance, and presumably at a link to be found on the Hancock Conservancy website, www.imaginehancockpark.org. If you haven’t been following this, there are plans to redevelop the site as a golfing center, or perhaps turn it into pure parkland, or not. Read more in the Feb. 12 Public Notice, and see the rival conservancy to preserve the golf course at www.hancockgolfcourseconservancy.org.
Food For All Species
Austin ISD is resuming its free weekly meal distribution for children and their caregivers this week, serving free curbside seven-day meal packs each Thursday at 47 district sites – mostly 10am-1:30pm, but a few sites run from 7-9am, and a few 3:30-5:30pm. Meal packs are free for anyone under 19, and free caregiver meals, prepared by local restaurants, are available for accompanying adults. AustinISD.org has info on food, water, and other resources, or text FOOD to 512-886-6434.
A lot of that work is being supported by the Austin Ed Fund, AISD’s nonprofit public education foundation, which is in turn asking for donations to their AISD Crisis Support Fund, which has provided financial assistance for AISD families and staff, as well as meal programs for caregivers, ever since the pandemic started. See more info at www.austinedfund.org.
The Austin Humane Society will distribute thousands of pounds of food this Saturday, Feb. 27, at their sixth Pet Food Pantry event. It’s a drive-through event, 9am-noon at the shelter, 124 W. Anderson Ln. (enter the parking lot from Georgian Drive). Stay in your vehicle and AHS staff and volunteers will provide contactless delivery of the pet food requested. See more info and a map at www.austinhumanesociety.org.
This article appears in February 26 • 2021.