Austin, TX
New trade school at Austin homeless shelter hopes to give purpose, jobs to residents
AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin emergency shelter is taking a different approach to the city’s homeless problem.
Instead of focusing solely on putting a roof over people’s heads, The Other Ones Foundation will start teaching some of its residents how to change tires, install an HVAC system, or fix a car.
“This is about finding purpose,” said Chris Baker, the founder of The Other Ones Foundation
For Baker, it’s purpose that’s driving this project.
“I dropped out of high school when I was in 9th grade,” said Baker. “I spent a couple years doing all kinds of stuff that high school dropouts do.”
Now on the other side of homelessness, he stands before a crowd Friday.
“All I wanted to do was to build sets,” said Baker. “That was what my dream was.”
So he returned for his high school diploma, then a bachelor’s degree in theater, and eventually his first job at a homeless shelter.
“Which leads to that, which leads to this,” said Baker.
It’s an invisible string of circumstances that finally leads him to Friday’s opening of the John Paul DeJoria Skill Center.
“The room we’re in right now is everything from taking apart every part of an automobile to understanding an engine,” said John Paul DeJoria, who donated a $350,000 grant for the project.
The center is an expansion of the Esperanza Community, an emergency homeless shelter in East Austin. Here, residents can learn the skills required for jobs like HVAC, auto-mechanics, plumbing, and other trades.
“It changes your life,” DeJoria. “You’re back in society, you have money, you have safety, you have a place to stay, and you are like everybody else.”
The first instructors will come from Austin Community College.
ACC, The Rework Project, and the Texas Workforce Solutions Capital Area will cover the tuition of eligible students.
“Central to our work at Austin Community College is loving our students to success, this is what it looks like,” said Donald Tracy, interim director of continuing education at ACC.
A ribbon cutting opened the center with a round of applause and a word from Austin’s mayor.
“It’s not just about recruiting jobs, it’s about putting Austinities, including the most vulnerable Austinites, in the jobs that are being created,” Mayor Kirk Watson.
This skill center is what Chris Baker thinks he was meant to do all along.
“If life is about finding purpose, found it,” said Baker.
And he hopes this place will help someone else find their purpose too.
“Everyone needs a purpose and no matter what your challenges are in life, there’s always something for you to have a purpose,” said DeJoria.
Austin, TX
Bread winners: 10 Austin bakeries you'll love
Craving something sweet? Maybe something flaky? Austin may be known for tacos and barbecue, but its bakeries are the unsung heroes of the local food scene. We think it’s time to give them the spotlight they deserve.
Whether you’re looking for pastries by day or celebratory cakes by night, these locally owned bakeries are proof that life is butter with carbs.
Comadre Panadería, 1204 Cedar Ave. | Try something new at this Mexican-American bakery (which is a two-time James Beard semi-finalist) like the highly raved-about concha and pink cake.
La Pâtisserie, multiple locations | A case full of colorful macarons is the main attraction at this French bakery, which also offers pastries, cake, scones, buns, croissants, and wine.
Quack’s Bakery, multiple locations | Keeping Austin sweet since 1983, these beloved bakeries make pies, cakes, pastries, and more from scratch with no additives. Be sure to check out seasonal offerings like Pride, Halloween, and Christmas-themed cookies.
Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., Ste. #200 | Owned by award-winning pastry chef Amanda Rockman, this newly opened bakeshop is all about caffeine, gluten, butter, sugar, and booze. Grab a rip ‘n’ dip bagel, strawberry cheesecake croissant, or focaccia sandwich.
Sour Duck Market, 1814 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | The neighborhood bakery within this American restaurant + beer garden is not to be missed. Snag a traditional bite like a savory Danish pastry or a creative concoction like the sweet potato-chai bearclaw.
Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, 1905 S. 1st St. | Desserts are king at this sugary locale that offers classic cupcakes, cookies, lemon + pecan bars, cakes, and mini-pies in-store, with custom offerings available for larger orders.
Texas French Bread, 2900 Rio Grande St. | Currently housed in an Airstream trailer, this small but mighty bakery (serving Austinites since 1981) sells goods on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll have to visit in person to see the full menu of bread, pastries, and sweets available each day.
Upper Crust Bakery, 4508 Burnet Rd. | This family-owned scratch bakery has it all, whether you want a cup of coffee and a pastry, a smoked turkey sandwich for lunch, or a layered cake to take home and enjoy.
Walton’s Fancy & Staple, 609 W. 6th St. | Amid a cluster of bars on West 6th Street, this bakery + deli owned by Sandra Bullock is a beacon of sweetness. Its pastries and sweet treats are made daily, but you can also order custom cakes.
Zucchini Kill Bakery, multiple locations | Calling all vegan, gluten, and soy-free folks with a sweet tooth. This woman-owned bakery is a haven for those with dietary restrictions and incorporates the spirit of punk music into its delicacies.
What’s your favorite bakery in Austin? Let us know and we might add it to this list in the future.
Austin, TX
Texas Longhorns Release First Injury Report vs. Kentucky Wildcats
AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns and Kentucky Wildcats have released their initial student-athlete availability report ahead of Saturday’s meeting in Austin.
Texas is listing receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. as questionable due to a foot injury while linebacker Morice Blackwell Jr. is questionable after sitting out for the 20-10 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks last week.
“He’s progressing this week,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said of Moore Jr. during Wednesday’s SEC Weekly Teleconference. “We’ll see if he’ll be ready to go here Saturday, but we’re surely a better team when he’s out there.”
Fortunately for Texas, running back Jaydon Blue was not listed on the report after being seen in a sling following the Arkansas game.
Here’s the full report for both teams:
Sarkisian provided an injury update on Moore Jr., Blue and Blackwell Jr. on Monday during his weekly press conference.
“I think Blue’s good,” Sarkisian said. “Like I said, he went with us today and worked this morning. So we’ll see how it goes. … Mo Blackwell was out last week. … I’m hopeful we can get him back this week. We’ll see how it goes. … DeAndre got nicked up during the game with a foot injury. Again, those two guys (Blackwell) are integral parts to our program, not only on offense and defense, but on special teams. They’re critical. So hopefully we get both those guys back.”
No. 3 Texas and Kentucky will kick off from DKR on Saturday at
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Austin, TX
UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin will partner with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to build and expand a hub for hydrogen energy production along the Texas Gulf Coast that will help increase and diversify the nation’s energy supply. UT serves as founding member and lead academic organization.
The HyVelocity Hub (HyV), a regional energy consortium, aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the nation. It will leverage the region’s high concentration of existing hydrogen production and end-use assets to develop low-carbon intensity hydrogen that can power trucks, industrial processes, ammonia production, refining and petrochemical production, and marine shipping fuel.
“Texas is the nation’s energy capital, and UT is the energy university, and we are no stranger to playing a leading role in America’s energy innovation,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “The success of the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub is critical to our nation’s future energy security. We are excited to work with our industry partners and apply our vast energy, business and policy expertise to develop the hydrogen workforce and accelerate production along the Gulf Coast.”
UT will provide expertise to support community benefits activities and hydrogen workforce development efforts. UT, through the IC2 Institute and the RESET lab in the Cockrell School of Engineering, has a significant track record of working with over 80 communities in Texas and bordering states to understand community needs and connect these to economic development initiatives to improve the lives of all community members. The hydrogen proto-hub demonstration facility at the Center for Electromechanics will serve as a key resource for hands-on workforce training activities. UT researchers will also conduct life-cycle and techno-economic analyses for the projects. For example, they will provide the analyses required for meeting emissions criteria, clean hydrogen standards, and cost benchmarks, and will report these data to the Department of Energy.
“UT Austin’s role in the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub will be vital to both providing the research and expertise needed to accelerate the global market for hydrogen, and to developing the workforce needed to support the industry’s advancement over the long term in Texas and the Gulf Coast,” said Brian Korgel, the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and the director of the UT Energy Institute. “We are proud to be part of this important project that will advance secure and sustainable energy in the U.S. and all over the world.”
HyV’s work will be at the forefront of maintaining and expanding Texas as a global leader in hydrogen energy development. With $22 million in the first tranche of funding, HyVelocity is expected to create up to 45,000 well-paying jobs over its lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7 million metric tons per year — equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 1.5 million gasoline-powered cars. The Department of Energy is investing $1.2 billion in the project.
As the nation’s premier university for energy innovation and excellence, UT brings an unmatched scale, depth and breadth of expertise and a pragmatic approach to advancing solutions across the full spectrum of energy. Situated in the heart of Texas, UT is in the center of the energy capital of the world. The University boasts numerous top-10 academic programs and a vast community of minds spanning a multitude of energy departments, centers and institutes. UT’s extensive industry partnerships and field research extend from the oil fields of West Texas to the other side of the world, with faculty, students and staff engaged in applied research in hydrogen, carbon capture, wind, solar, batteries and more.
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