Austin, TX
Man set to spend life in prison for 7 DWI convictions: ‘I didn’t hurt anybody’
AUSTIN, Texas – Several people from Central Texas have been sentenced to life in prison for driving while intoxicated. They didn’t hurt or kill anyone, but they all have more than five DWI convictions.
An orphan from Mexico, Cornelio Garcia-Mata, said he wanted to have a better life, and he moved to Seguin, Texas, to try to make it happen.
All alone, he said he started drinking.
“Sometimes it would go to my head not having a father, not having a mother, not having help from them,” Garcia-Mata said.
His drinking problem landed him in prison.
“My desire was to come to Texas and make money for my grandparents because they’re the only ones who helped me and look where I ended up,” Garcia-Mata said.
Mata racked up seven DWI convictions. His latest was in New Braunfels.
Court documents said in February 2012, officers received multiple calls about a vehicle swerving all over the road. Mata was driving home from work at around 6 p.m. He was pulled over and a New Braunfels police officer said he smelled alcohol on Mata’s breath, and found two empty 24 ounce beers, still cold to the touch.
“It’s a habit for a Mexican to pick up a 24 oz and go home and that’s why I had one of those with me,” Garcia-Mata said.
Cornelio Garcia-Mata is set to spend the rest of his life in prison due to seven DWI convictions.
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Mata said his blood alcohol content results came back as over .4, a potentially deadly amount.
“You have to look at the paperwork because it says one thing, but I should have been dead or in a coma, when I was driving, I was fine, that’s what I thought,” Garcia-Mata said.
Mata was arrested and sentenced to life in prison.
“Other inmates have done more damage and are doing less time, and I’m paying life for this,” Garcia-Mata said.
Mata said he shouldn’t be in prison.
“I didn’t hurt anybody. I didn’t kill anybody,” Garcia-Mata said.
“What about the fact that you could have killed someone?” FOX 7 Austin Crime Watch Reporter Meredith Aldis asked.
“I could have killed someone, but I also could have just made it home,” Garcia-Mata responded.
He said he never received help for his problem.
“Maybe if they had given me classes, if they had taught me or showed me that if I could have hit someone or something with a DWI, maybe I could have stopped 11 or 12 years ago,” Garcia-Mata said.
Mata said he has stopped, and he has no temptation to ever drink again. Mata is eligible for parole in 2042, he’ll be 74 years old. He said if he does get out, he wants to go back to Mexico and live and work on a farm.
Austin, TX
PEAK6 to Relocate Global Headquarters to Austin, Texas
CHICAGO, Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PEAK6 Investments LLC (“PEAK6”) today announced that, effective January 1, 2025, it will move its global headquarters from its current location in Chicago, Illinois to the company’s existing office in Austin, Texas, which it established in 2021. PEAK6 affiliates PEAK6 Group LLC, PEAK6 Strategic Capital LLC, PEAK6 APX Holdings LLC and PEAK6 LLC will also relocate their global headquarters to Austin. PEAK6 will maintain its office in Chicago.
“Texas has been a cornerstone of PEAK6’s growth for over a decade,” said PEAK6 Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Matt Hulsizer, who continued, “With the majority of our talented workforce now based in Texas and Austin emerging as our largest office, moving our headquarters was an important decision to be closer to our team. We’re excited for the next chapter of PEAK6 that will be written from our new headquarters.”
Austin’s unique blend of creativity, technology and culture provides the ideal environment for PEAK6. The city’s highly educated workforce, business climate, and strong entrepreneurial spirit have enabled us to attract top talent and drive innovation.
About PEAK6
PEAK6 uses technology to find a better way of doing things. The company’s first tech-based solution was developed in 1997 to optimize options trading, and over the past two decades, the same formula has been used across a range of industries, asset classes, and business stages to consistently deliver superior results. Today, PEAK6 seeks transformational opportunities to provide capital and strategic support to entrepreneurs and forward-thinking businesses.
PEAK6’s core brands include PEAK6 Capital Management, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, Apex Fintech Solutions, We Insure, FOCUS, Zogo, Evil Geniuses and Poker Power.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/peak6-to-relocate-global-headquarters-to-austin-texas-302339437.html
SOURCE PEAK6 Investments
Austin, TX
Texas vs Arizona State: Teams prepare for Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
AUSTIN, Texas – On Wednesday, the Texas Longhorns and the Arizona State Sun Devils will square off in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
The New Year’s Day match-up will be the first football game of 2025.
The last time the Horns and Sun Devils played on the field was in 2007 when Texas beat Arizona 52-to-34 in the Holiday Bowl.
“This is the first time that we’ll host Texas true blue blood in college football into the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, and if they win, Texas would be the first team in the history of college football to win all six New Year’s Six Bowl games,” said Gary Stokan, President and CEO of Peach Bowl, Inc.
Texas has never played in the Peach Bowl, and Arizona has never played in the CFP. It will be a game of firsts for both teams. The Sun Devils have only played in the Peach Bowl once before, in 1970, when they beat North Carolina.
“They created the Fiesta Bowl out of that experience of the 1970 Peach Bowl,” said Stokan. “So interesting history there, and interesting history can be made with both teams moving along to the semifinal, the first CFP playoff.”
It will be the 57th Peach Bowl, and tickets to the annual game have sold out yearly since sometime in the 1990s.
“We were founded back in 1968, and it is the ninth-oldest bowl game in college football history, but only the first bowl game founded for charity,” said Stokan.
Stokan said the Peach Bowl and Chick-fil-A teamed up this year to give out scholarships to both universities, each receiving $100,000. The endowed scholarship will help fund tuition for students attending UT or ASU from Atlanta.
“We’ve given $64 million to charity since 2002, which makes us the most charitable organization in the country,” said Stokan.
The Longhorns will return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the second time this season, and fans are upset that the beloved mascot has been banned from the sidelines.
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“Unfortunately, we hate it, but, you know, we’re not able to house Bevo similar to what the SEC championship did, so we apologize to all the Texas fans,” said Stokan.
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl President said he had answered more interview questions about Bevo than football.
“I’m not sure whether Texas fans are more interested in Bevo or the game,” said Stokan.
The stadium staff said they cannot accommodate the nearly one-ton steer.
While the Peach Bowl is already sold out, some people feel this same restriction could affect Bevo’s game attendance for a possible national title game.
If Texas wins the Peach Bowl and their semifinal game, the Longhorns would return to Atlanta on January 20 for the national championship.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Katie Pratt
Austin, TX
Where in Austin to see free live music that doesn’t suck
Austinites, new and old, often hear that the city is no longer the live music capital of the world, but that claim should be taken with a grain of salt. There are plenty of spots in ATX to hear free live music that’s good — as long as you know where to look.
The Capital City was first dubbed the “Live Music Capital of the World” in August 1991. According to Visit Austin, the title was justified by the number of music venues per capita in the city. ATXToday reports there are over 250 venues in Austin where live music is played, proving there’s no shortage of spots offering live entertainment.
However, not every venue allows residents and visitors to Austin to enjoy quality live music without some sort of cover charge. This is when it pays to know the Capital City like the back of your hand.
9 places in Austin to see free live music
While there are countless bars, coffee shops, restaurants and music venues in Austin offering free live music, not all of it passes as “good.”
What’s the point of hitting up a cover-free spot if the live entertainment is soul-crushingly bad?
Below are nine spots to see quality live music in Austin for free.
Reminder: If you’re enjoying free live music somewhere, show the artists some support! Most have tip jars and/or signs with their Venmo username near the stage.
Banger’s Sausage House and Beer Garden
Pros: Spacious beer garden with indoor and outdoor seating, covered outdoor stage for live entertainment, a stellar sound system that funnels live music inside (even in the bathrooms) quality local acts that get guests on their feet during Sunday brunch and beyond, attentive service and an expansive food and drink menu.
Address: 79 Rainey St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
View Banger’s live music calendar here.
Mama Dearest
Pros: Backwoods-themed bar with eclectic and borderline eerie decor, decent sound system for listening to live music, indoor-outdoor seating, food truck, all of the vibes. Misting fans on outdoor patio in the summer, heaters in winter.
Address: 515 Pedernales St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday; noon to 2 a.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Mama Dearest often will share its live music offerings on Instagram. Check the bar’s IG here.
Austin Beer Garden and Brewing Co.
Pros: Free live music on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, delicious pizza and sandwiches, various drink options (beer, wine, seltzer and more!), dog-friendly, children welcome.
Address: 1305 W. Oltorf St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: Closed Monday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon to midnight Saturday; noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
View ABGB’s live music calendar here.
The Elephant Room
Pros: Centrally located venue offering live jazz music nightly, no cover charge on Sunday, Monday or before 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, intimate setting, attentive service.
Address: 315 Congress Ave., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday; 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday.
View the live music calendar here.
Armadillo Den
Pros: Spacious, casual friendly service, free live music, good sound system, numerous food trucks on-site. Kids are welcome until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Otherwise, the Armadillo Den is for those ages 21 and older.
Address: 10106 Menchaca Road, Austin, Texas.
Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight Monday-Wednesday; noon to 12:30 a.m. Thursday; noon to 2 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; noon to midnight Sunday.
View Armadillo Den’s live entertainment calendar here.
Jester King Brewery
Pros: Live music on weekends at a brewery that doubles as a ranch where goats not only live but also thrive alongside their trusted canine companion. Jester King also has delicious bites and funky beers to choose from, forts for kids to climb on and ample space.
Address: 13187 Fitzhugh Road, Austin, Texas.
Hours: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Browse Jester King’s live music calendar here.
Blind Pig Pub
Pros: Live music every day of the week in the heart of Dirty Sixth, indoor and outdoor stages, open-air rooftop patio. For a chiller experience on weekends, visit the Blind Pig before 9 p.m.
Address: 317 E. Sixth St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Tuesday; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday-Friday; 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.
Austin Garden & Studio at Inn Cahoots
Pros: The Garden at Austin Garden & Studio often hosts live music on the outdoor stage. Musical genres vary, but the sound quality is superb. There also is a food truck on-site and yard games to play.
Address: 1209 E. Sixth St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: Doors open at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Browse the December 2024 schedule here, and view the 2025 schedule here.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Icehouse
Pros: Located in the heart of West Sixth where bars and restaurants are plentiful, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot offers stellar sound quality, a covered bar and stage for chilly or rainy nights, strong drinks, fast service and more.
Address: 701 W. Sixth St., Austin, Texas.
Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday; 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, noon to 2 a.m. Sunday.
Check Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’s Facebook and Instagram pages for up-to-date information on live music offerings.
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