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Texans commemorate Juneteenth by walking alongside Opal Lee

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Texans commemorate Juneteenth by walking alongside Opal Lee


On Monday, June 19, 96-year-old Opal Lee once again laced up her tennis shoes for Opal’s Walk for Freedom.

Around the country, walks were held in solidarity to commemorate Juneteenth. A walk in Austin was organized by Teria Broadous, Opal Lee’s cousin. 

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“If a 96-year-old woman can be in the heat walking for 2.5 miles, I definitely can do it,” said Broadous.

The group walked from 12th Street and San Jacinto to and around the Capitol. In February, Lee’s portrait was put up in the Senate chamber.

Known as the ‘grandmother of Juneteenth,’ Lee spent years campaigning to make it a federal holiday. She would lead 2.5-mile walks each year to represent the two-and-a-half years it took for slaves in Texas to be told they were free.

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In 2016, she embarked on a months-long walk from Texas to Washington D.C. 

“It’s each one, teach one,” said Maya Thomas, who participated in the local walk on Monday. “What you know, and what I don’t know, let’s encourage each other and talk to each other. And that’s what happened in 1865. It was like, ‘Hey, guys, we’ve been free for two years,’ can you imagine that?”

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On June 19, 1865, an order issued in Galveston enforced the Emancipation Proclamation that had been signed previously.

Decades later, Texas became the first state to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. It became a federal holiday in 2021. 



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Austin, TX

Rose K. Coleman

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Rose K. Coleman



Rose K. Coleman


OBITUARY

Mrs. Rose K. Coleman, age 90, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the evening of November 4, 2024, with family at her residence in Austin, TX.

Rose was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, MSG Robert J. Coleman, son Richard J. Coleman; grandson Richard J. Coleman Jr; stepdaughter Dolores Queen; and stepson Robert J. Coleman Jr.

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She grew up in Dillingen, Germany, experiencing the fall of Nazi Germany and the Allied occupation. Rose met her husband, MSG Robert J. Coleman, there, and they married in 1958, later relocating to Fort Ord, CA, in 1960. They settled in Seaside, CA, and raised their family.

She was a military spouse, and upon her husband’s retirement, they were active in many local activities and supported their children, grandchildren, schools, youth activities, and churches.

Rose was a loving wife, sister, aunt, mother and grandmother, a homemaker and part-time volunteer at San Carlos School and Church during the attendance of her children and grandchildren, and later a parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Church of Seaside.

She is survived by her sons Daniel J. Coleman (wife Shelly A. Coleman) and John H. Coleman (wife Ragni D. Coleman); daughter-in-law Sudha T. Coleman; stepdaughter Brenda Coleman; grandchildren Dallas (Neela) R. Coleman, Daniel J. Coleman Jr., John H. Coleman Jr., Alexander J. Coleman, Meena D. Coleman, and Sophia A. Coleman; and step-grandchildren Suzette M. Vidners and Michael D. Sabado.

Rose leaves behind a legacy of love and commitment to family as she lived so selflessly in her caring and giving in life.

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A family service will be held on January 3, 2025, at Mission Mortuary and Memorial Park.



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Austin, TX

Austin rings in 2025 with celebration at Auditorium Shores

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Austin rings in 2025 with celebration at Auditorium Shores


Austin’s annual free New Year celebration has kicked off in Auditorium Shores.

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The city is ringing in 2025 with food trucks, a beer garden, musical performances, and a drone show, all leading up to a midnight fireworks show.

The city says the event takes months of planning.

“It’s really a great representation of what Austin’s about,” Stephanie Sanchez with the City of Austin said.

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Last year, approximately 20,000 people attended. This year could see similar numbers.

“It is a very, very long process, a lot of things go into budget and timing and availability,” Wesley Lucas with Visit Austin said.

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Many are looking forward to Third Eye Blind headlining.

“A lot of people are really excited about that, including myself as a millennial,” Sanchez said.

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“It’s going to be kind of a fun 90s early 2000s nostalgic night tonight,” Lucas said.

“There’s a lot I’m glad to leave behind, but I’m glad to start a new year,” attendee Brittany Rodriguez said.

Austinites have lots to look forward to in 2025.

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“Just trying to stay focused and get to my goals that I want to reach,” Rodriguez said. “I plan on getting a house.”

“Working on my mental health,” attendee Kwame Cavil said.

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As for what some Austinites want to leave behind in 2024, “mainly all the drama I’ve been in,” Cavil said. 

The Source: Information in this report comes from reporting by FOX 7 Austin’s Angela Shen and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin.

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Austin, TX

Still Austin Tanager Cigar Blend Is One Of The Best Whiskeys Of 2024

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Still Austin Tanager Cigar Blend Is One Of The Best Whiskeys Of 2024


I drank a lot of whiskey this year, from American single malts and bourbons to Scotch, Irish, Japanese and others. With so many bottles currently on shelves and more being released each week, it’s become increasingly difficult to put out products that are genuinely new and innovative. Unique barrel finishes can get the job done, but the practice is so commonplace these days that it takes something truly special to move the needle. But making whiskey using an old technique traditionally enlisted for cognac? Now we’re talking.

Still Austin Whiskey Co., a grain-to-glass distillery in Austin, Texas, makes a solid lineup of bourbons and ryes. Led by Master Blender Nancy Fraley and Head Distiller John Screpel, the distillery released Tanager Cigar Blend Whiskey on December 6. It’s available onsite at the Austin distillery and in select markets across the country.

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Tanager Cigar Blend Whiskey begins with bourbons made from red, white and blue corn, plus a selection of rye and malted barley, which were all blended together and aged for about five years. That’s step one.

The second step called for a six-year-old high-rye bourbon that was blended with Texas water, cut down to a very low 25% ABV (50 proof), and aged in barrels for a minimum of one year. This method is known as petites eaux (“small waters” in French) and has been used in cognac and Armagnac production for centuries. According to the company, this process creates a rich and complex flavor profile, with more caramelized wood sugars and overall depth. To complete the whiskey, a portion of the petites eaux was incorporated into the base whiskey, and the final product was bottled at 53% ABV, or 106 proof.

The petites eaux method is a unique choice for whiskey, considering that whiskey is typically aged at full strength and then either bottled at full strength or cut with water right before bottling to reduce the proof and achieve the desired alcohol level.

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Tanager Cigar Blend Whiskey is also just unique for its name. Most cigar blends are characterized by deep barrel finishes, often via a fortified wine like sherry or port, or a spirit like rum or cognac. But Still Austin achieved this deep, complex flavor profile from its Texas-grown ingredients and petites eaux aging method.

Diving in, the whiskey is deep and dark on the nose, and I got lots of dried red and black fruits, berries, sweet tobacco, vanilla, cloves and ginger. The palate is intense, in a good way. I found more dark fruits and tobacco, plus a pleasant note of candied or honey-drizzled oranges, caramelized sugar and baking spices. You don’t have to drink this alongside a cigar, but it will certainly stand up to a stogie if you enjoy one.

Tanager Cigar Blend is Still Austin’s most luxurious and expensive whiskey to date, clocking in at $150. But the combination of unique production method, solid results and good-looking packaging makes it worth the splurge if you’re into American whiskeys or want to try a good example of Texas whiskey. It’s also here if you just need to buy someone a belated holiday gift.

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