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From the Archives: When US presidents and candidates for the top office visited Austin

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From the Archives: When US presidents and candidates for the top office visited Austin


On Nov. 5, if things go as expected, American voters will choose the next president of the United States.

Austin has been no stranger to presidents and presidential candidates holding big rallies in the city. Republican Former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a comeback to the White House, hosted an invitation-only mini rally on Sept. 25 at a private jet hangar in East Austin before recording an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast in the comedian’s studio in the city. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ pick for the top of the ticket, skipped a stop in Austin for a big rally with Beyoncé in Houston on Oct. 25.

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President Joe Biden delivered a speech on civil rights at the LBJ Presidential Library at the University of Texas in Austin in July. Trump inspected an Apple facility here in 2019. Over the course of several days, Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter attended a civil rights summit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act at the LBJ Library in 2014. It was surely the largest assemblage of presidents ever to attend an event in Austin.

Obama visited Austin often during his eight years in office. His predecessor, Bush, lived in Austin for five years as Texas governor. On the night of Nov. 7, 2000, a big crowd gathered on Congress Avenue in chilly weather to cheer on candidate Bush, but they went home unfulfilled. The election was not decided for more than a month, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor in the case Bush v. Gore.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson grew up 50 miles west of Austin in Johnson City. He represented the Austin area as a U.S. congressman before becoming a U.S. senator, vice president and president. The American-Statesman recently documented all his offices in the Austin area.

In February 2016, journalist Sarah Thurmond, in a nifty feat of research, summarized earlier visits from major presidential candidates and office-holders in Austin Monthly magazine. Here are some highlights

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  • Dec. 27, 1899: Two-time Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan came to Austin to visit Texas Gov. James Hogg, who offered a “wild panther hunt” as entertainment. Said panther was actually the pet of a saloonkeeper.
  • May 3, 1901: President William McKinley became the first president to visit the Texas Governor’s Mansion, after a carriage ride along Congress Avenue.
  • April 6, 1905: After a trip up a flag-festooned Congress Avenue, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke to a large crowd outside the Texas Capitol.
  • June 11, 1936: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, during a 20-minute nighttime stop, pressed a button to light up fireworks during the groundbreaking for the Texas Memorial Museum, which was recently renovated in a grand manner.
  • Sept. 27, 1948: President Harry S. Truman stumped before a big crowd at a downtown train station during his famous “Whistle-stop Campaign.”
  • Feb. 18, 1959: President Dwight D. Eisenhower made a “rest stop” at Bergstrom Air Force Base on his way to visit Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos. Of course, LBJ, then the Senate majority leader, was there to greet him.
  • Sept. 13, 1960: President John F. Kennedy campaigned through several Texas cities before speaking on the steps of the Capitol.
  • May 22, 1971: President Richard M. Nixon spoke at the dedication of the LBJ Library. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson were present.
  • July 25, 1984: President Ronald Reagan, campaigning in Austin for the second time, addressed a crowd assembled at what was then called Auditorium Shores, alongside Vice President, and future President, George H.W. Bush.

Perhaps the most famous presidential visit was one that never happened. Kennedy was scheduled to address a gala crowd at Municipal/Palmer Auditorium on Nov. 22, 1963. Earlier that day, he was assassinated in Dallas.



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Austin, TX

Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin

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Building cleared after non-credible bomb threat made in Downtown Austin


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.



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Austin, TX

The richest small town in Texas tops our most popular Austin stories

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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.

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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.”

Read the full story at KVUE.com.



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Austin, TX, Proves It’s a Ski Town at Ikon Pass Stoke Night – SnowBrains

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Austin, TX, Proves It’s a Ski Town at Ikon Pass Stoke Night – SnowBrains


Austin Loro Stoke
Austin skier Ricky Stillwell and his son are stoked to be heading to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Alyeska this coming season. | Photo: Bob Witowski

You might ask, “Why is there an Ikon Pass Stoke Event in Austin, Texas?” 

Fact: There are more skiers and snowboarders in Texas than in Colorado. According to a 2017 Snowsports Industry Association study, Texas is home to roughly 800,000 skiers and riders, compared to Colorado’s 500,000. That impressive number puts Texas third in the nation for total ski and snowboard participants, behind only California and New York. Texans alone make up about 6% of all U.S. ski and snowboarders. And the proof is on the slopes: Ski areas in Colorado and New Mexico report that a staggering 70% of their out-of-state visitors hail from the Lone Star State. Yes—the legend of Texans being everywhere on the mountain is absolutely true.

Fact: Every Texan who skis is a destination skier. With no local ski resorts that are a quick Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City or short interstate drive away, Texans go big: they travel, stay longer, and spend more at Ikon Pass Destinations. As Kristin Rust, Vice President of Communications for Alterra Mountain Company, puts it, “Texas is a huge market, and Austin has a great number of pass holders.” With Ikon Pass offering such a wide network of resorts, and Texas home to so many skiers, Austin is a natural place for a Stoke Event.

This year’s Ikon Pass Stoke Event took place at Loro, the wildly popular South Lamar hangout blending Asian smokehouse flavors with laid-back Austin vibes. The gathering drew a lively crowd of local Ikon Pass holders. Guests enjoyed a spread of standout dishes—Oak-Grilled Edamame, Wonton Chips and Dip, Arugula & Melon Salad, and Oak-Smoked Brisket—paired with beer, wine, soft drinks, and Austin-meets-après cocktails like an Old Fashioned and, of course, the non-traditional slope-side margarita, a playful nod to Jimmy Buffett and the city where Margaritaville was written.

Austin Loro StokeAustin Loro Stoke
Adam, Kailee, and Darius leaning into the Austin ski vibe and good times at Loro in Austin. | Photo: Bob Witowski

Attendance was strong, and the outdoor, under-the-oaks setting added an easy, welcoming feel. The energy was high as skiers swapped plans for upcoming trips to Ikon Pass destinations including SkiBig3 in Banff, Jackson Hole, Killington, the six Utah resorts on the pass, and the perennial “home resorts” for Texans—those in Colorado and New Mexico. Members of Austin Skiers, the city’s long-standing ski and travel club, were out in force and buzzing about club trips to the Ikon Pass resorts of Snowmass, Mt. Bachelor, SkiBig3, and Steamboat.

Austin Loro Ikon Pass StokeAustin Loro Ikon Pass Stoke
Austin Skiers—Joyce, Ann, Crystal, Bob, Susie, and Stuart—are buzzing with excitement as they get ready to chase fresh snow at their favorite Ikon Pass destinations this season. | Photo: Bob Witowski

A major hit of the night was the CMH Heli-Skiing virtual-reality experience, a full 3D immersion complete with helicopter-ride visuals of the Canadian Rockies and a run down untouched powder with a small ski group. Riders found themselves carving turns, watching skiers float past, and looking up, down, and across the alpine terrain—an astonishingly vivid taste of what a heli-ski trip feels like. The CMH station stayed packed all evening.

Austin Loro StokeAustin Loro Stoke
CMH Heli Skiing’s Virtual Reality experience amped up the stoke and had everyone dreaming of deep turns this season. | Photo: CMH Heli Skiing, Fox Wang

The night wrapped up with a spirited swag giveaway, where lucky attendees scored prizes including Yeti mugs, a coveted Shot-Ski, and an Ikon Pass. What a great way to top off a fantastic night!

In the end, the Ikon Pass Stoke Event proved to be a fantastic celebration of Austin’s vibrant ski community—a chance to meet fellow snow lovers, swap stories, and get excited about the season ahead. For one night, Austin truly became a “Ski Town.”

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