Austin, TX
Austin Chronicle's Hot Sauce Fest helps benefit Central Texas Food Bank
Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Festival returns
It was cooler day weather wise but things were still hot at the Hot Sauce Festival. Lauren Rangel has the details.
AUSTIN, Texas – Most of Austin enjoyed the break from 100-degree weather Sunday, but a couple of hundred others decided to sweat it out at the return of the annual Hot Sauce Festival.
“Normally, it’s a scorcher, but I have to say we got really lucky today,” said Sarah Wolf. “I think it’s the coolest weather we’ve had in the history of the Hot Sauce Festival.”
For hot sauce lovers, it only makes sense to kick the heat back up a notch
“It’s got 1 percent reaper pepper,” said Boerne Brand Hot Sauce.
“Oh wow, yeah, that’s bold,” said Adrian Leal, one of the many hot saucers fans at Far Out Lounge and Stage Sunday. “I would say definitely smokey, tasty.”
Hot Sauce Fest 2024
It’s that time again for lovers of all things spicy! Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Fest is back and Sarah Wolf previews Sunday’s event with Good Day Austin’s Libbi Farrow and Adaleigh Rowe.
The Hot Sauce Fest brought makers from all over Texas, and even a few from out of state, like Eddie Stankiewicz, who owns Stanky Sauce in Orlando.
“Historically, my favorite is my pineapple habanero ghost pepper sauce,” said Stankiewicz.
This is his 3rd year at the festival.
“The spice community in Texas, in general, is huge, it’s one of our most shipped-to states in the country,” said Stankiewicz.
But for others, it’s their very first time. Lisa and Bob Jansen moved here a year ago and were excited to finally attend.
“I liked the peach habanero, and the other one was great too,” said Lisa Jansen.
“I like the various flavors here behind the hot sauce,” said Bob Jansen. “They were really good. We’re gonna come back and probably get some of these.”
Every ticket spreads some love to the Central Texas Food Bank.
sauce
Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Festival
Hot sauce extraordinaire and founder of Fantastic Fuego Tony Nunez is joined by the Chronicle’s Sarah Wolf to talk about the event which is in its 34th year.
“It’s just an ideal fit for a foodie fest like the hot sauce festival, and so we love this partnership with them,” said Wolf.
Wolf, with the Austin Chronicle, said Hot Sauce Fest is one of their largest fundraisers for the food bank.
Since its start, it’s helped provide a sizzling 1.25 million meals.
“Being able to come to someone else’s community and help them, you know, give back that’s a pleasure, it’s an honor for us,” said Stankiewicz.
It’s a cause certainly worth taking the heat for.
“You see that they really like to push themselves to try new sauces, you see friends egg each other on when trying like the Carolina Reapers or the ghost pepper sauces,” said Wolf. It’s just fun to see people’s reactions. That’s why these shows are so popular where you eat spicy things right? It’s just really good people-watching.”
AUSTIN, Texas — A man walking his dog with his son was fatally shot by a neighbor Friday evening in Northwest Austin, police said.
Billy Carlisle, 41, was shot at the intersection of Gardenridge Hollow and Wallace Drive at approximately 6:06 p.m. May 8. Austin-Travis County EMS attempted lifesaving measures, but Carlisle was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m.
Hunter Buchmeyer, 36, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
According to APD, Carlisle was walking his dog with his son when he and Buchmeyer, also walking his dog, got into a verbal altercation. The two neighbors had “prior history,” APD said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | APD investigating deadly shooting in NW Austin; suspect in custody
The dispute escalated to the point that Buchmeyer called 911 to report the altercation before shooting Carlisle. According to police, Buchmeyer yelled at someone to “get back” before the call disconnected.
Buchmeyer remained at the scene and attempted CPR on Carlisle before officers arrived.
No charges have been filed. APD said the investigation remains open.
The case is being investigated as Austin’s 23rd homicide of 2026.
Anyone with information is asked to contact APD at 512-974-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.
There was a significant reduction in the number of antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island in 2025, according to a national Jewish advocacy group.
According to the Anti-Defamation League’s latest Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, there were 26 antisemitic incidents in the state last year. That’s down from the 52 incidents counted by the group in 2024.
Samantha Joseph, New England regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, says a big reason for the reduction is a steep decline in antisemitism on college campuses.
“It shows that campus administrators are taking their responsibilities very seriously to provide a safe environment for all of their students,” said Joseph.
Brown University had over $500 million in federal funding frozen by the Trump administration last year following investigations into alleged antisemitism on campus. The funding was restored after Brown reached a settlement with the administration.
The reduction in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island reflects a wider trend in New England as a whole. According to the ADL’s report, there were 400 antisemitic incidents in the region in 2025, compared to 638 the previous year.
While she’s pleased about the overall drop in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island, Joseph says a number of concerning trends continue to persist. In particular, the state is still seeing more anti-Jewish incidents than it did prior to the October 7 attacks on Israel that launched the Gaza War in 2023.
Joseph is also concerned about the violent nature of local incidents of antisemitism.
“Even though overall incidents are down, assaults are up and assaults with a deadly weapon are up significantly,” said Joseph. “Our communities remain concerned for their safety, and our work is far from done.”
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday evening as a cold front arrives in Central Texas. KXAN’s First Warning Weather Team will keep you updated on the weather coverage.
Risks to be aware of are damaging wind gusts that could reach as high as 60 to 75 mph and large hail up to quarter size.
Weather Resources:
Live Updates:
5:22 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued for all counties except for Milam County.
3:51 p.m.: A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for Mason, San Saba, and Lampasas County until 9:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.: The primary risk for Sunday’s severe weather is damaging wind gusts which could cause power outages.
3:26 p.m.: Storms will likely move toward the I-35 corridor around 6 p.m. Most of the storms will enter the Hill Country around 6 p.m. and the Austin metro counties after 8 p.m.
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