Austin, TX
Inside the challenge of Austin’s dating scene: It’s not you, it’s everyone
Austin’s disappointing dating scene seems to be an ongoing joke on social media.
Countless videos of users sharing their disastrous dating experiences have been posted on TikTok in the past three months alone.
The city is partly known for its indie, eccentric, and fragmentedly spread wealthy population. It attracts a mix of people with its scenic trails, music festivals, and tech startups, so what’s going on? Is Austin cursed? Is it the same in other Texas cities?
A video circulated on social media of someone claiming Austin as one of the “Top five worst cities for dating entering 2024.” Newly moved-in Austin resident Julia Mazur vowed to make it her life’s mission to change that narrative around the city’s dating scene. She recently moved to Austin after 10 years of living in Los Angeles.
“I am about to plan an event that is going to take Austin off of this list,” she said in a stitch response to the original video. “And I believe in myself to do it because I worked at Tinder for six years, I have a dating and relationships podcast called ‘Pretty Much Done’; I know a thing or two about dating.”
However, the task hasn’t been without its challenges, as Mazur shared in a video last month that the city didn’t meet her expectations.
“I was incredibly hopeful,” Mazur said in the video. “I was like, ‘I’m moving to the South, the guys are going to be so great.’ But what happened is that I was humbled extremely quickly.”
It led Mazur to understand that it wasn’t Austin–specifically that was the issue.
“I realized that dating is just bad in every city,” Mazur said in the video.
Whether that’s because of increased social media use, a yearslong pandemic, or the price of dating thanks to inflation, no one knows for sure. But she’s not alone in her thinking.
Data from Pew Research Center cites that even before the pandemic, “nearly half of U.S. adults — and a majority of women — say that dating has become harder in the last 10 years.” Then, in another study conducted by them two years later, 32% of U.S. adults said they found dating got even harder during the pandemic.
To ease the challenge of modern dating in her corner of the country, Mazur has begun hosting an event called Hot Takes Hot Dates in Austin with Joel Monteleone, a tech life coach.
The event launched in mid-August and is meant to “prove that our differences can actually bring us together.”
“It’s not like a cheesy speed dating event. We talk about our dating icks, we debate hot takes; it’s a group event. It’s super fun, it’s super low pressure,” Mazur said in a video.
This week, residents have a chance to come to their own conclusions on whether there’s hope for Austin’s dating scene.
The next event is on Sept. 27 at the Wiggle Room, located at 612 Nueces St. Tickets are available at https://tickets.vulcanpresents.com/e/hot-takes-hot-dates-2.
Austin, TX
Austin opens cold weather shelters ahead of freezing temps
As the Austin area prepares to plunge into freezing temperatures Sunday night, the city is initiating its Cold Weather Shelters protocol.
Those wanting to use the emergency shelters, which open when overnight temperatures reach 35 degrees or lower, must register between 6-8 p.m. at One Texas Center (OTC) on Barton Springs Road, according to a release from the city. Those interested and in need of transport can reach the OTC via bus lines 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105 and 801. Anyone who can’t pay bus fare but needs shelter will still be allowed to ride, a Facebook post from the city said.
Following registration, CapMetro shuttles will take guests from the OTC to a cold weather shelter. The addresses for these shelters are kept confidential due to “safety, privacy and capacity concerns,” according to the Austin American-Statesman.
The Statesman also reported that shelters provide meals and allow leashed, friendly pets.
All parks and libraries are meanwhile serving as warming centers during regular operating hours, except for Austin Public Library’s Old Quarry Branch and Willie Mae Kirk Branch.
Austin, TX
Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin
AUSTIN, Texas — A Downtown Austin building was cleared after a bomb threat was made Saturday night.
Police say that the call came in at 9:38 p.m., after which officers arrived to the scene and cleared a nearby building at 311 E 6th St.
ALSO: H-E-B delights Austin airport travelers with surprise gift vending machine pop-up
The threat was found to not be credible, and no one was injured.
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Police say no one is in custody and they will be clearing the scene shortly.
Austin, TX
The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson held a press conference Friday to discuss a new deal with Southwest Airlines and its expected impact on the city.
The deal, approved Thursday by the Austin City Council, awards Southwest $2,750 for each new Austin-based hire over the next five years. In exchange, the airline plans to add 2,000 high-paying jobs with an average salary of $180,000 and invest in local workforce initiatives, including the city’s new Austin Infrastructure Academy.
Officials say the deal will strengthen Southwest’s presence at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where the carrier already handles more than 40 percent of all passenger traffic.
The partnership is expected to bring in nearly $20 million in local tax revenue, and the incentive program will last for five years and pay Southwest up to $5.5 million.
Mayor Watson said the agreement will not only create new jobs in Austin but will improve the overall experience at AUS.
“We’re building lives and careers at the same time we’re building tarmacs and terminals,” Watson said. “Southwest is choosing Austin because our people, our workforce, and our future make us a smart investment. This deal creates thousands of good-paying jobs, improves the passenger experience, and ensures the benefits flow directly to Austin workers, families, and tourists. This agreement is proof that Austin means business and cares about the success of its people.”
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Read the full story at KVUE.com.
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