West Sixth bar Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Icehouse is taking over the sprawling East Austin bar and restaurant space formerly belonging to beer garden/bakery mini-chain Easy Tiger and French restaurant LaV. WTF Sporting Club will be opening in the East Cesar Chavez neighborhood at 1501 East Seventh Street on Friday, September 6.

Per the name, WTF Sporting Club is a sports bar with food and drinks. The former is centered on casual American and New American dishes; think bao flights, pizza on flatbreads, boneless chicken wings, smash burgers, and desserts. The latter includes the Pebble Beach Paloma, a bourbon-peach smash, the Magnolia Mai Tai, and the Derby Mule. There are also beers, wines, and nonalcoholic drinks.

There will be many televisions that will air various games throughout the seasons. There are high-definition televisions and a huge projection screen in the indoor space, with an LED screen outside. The large outdoor area will include bookable private cabanas, as well as a shipping container outfitted as a bar, and a deck for live entertainment. Expect events like DJ sets and podcast recordings.

WTF Sporting Club falls under the Gold Fox Hospitality umbrella, run by co-owners Habib Bakshi, Shabawn Espili, and Kahran Espili, with general manager Ryan Keas. They opened the original Whiskey Tango Foxtrot bar in 2018, taking over a former Gatti’s Pizza space.

Before WTF Sporting Club, the East Seventh address was a location of the Austin-based beer garden/restaurant/bakery mini-chain Easy Tiger. It opened in early 2021, but in early 2024, it announced it would close in April 2024. Co-founder and head baker David Norman explained it had to shutter because of weather issues and higher cost of operations. Easy still has its Linc and South Lamar locations.

And before Easy Tiger, the East Austin space was 7co, an event space run by Austin restaurant group Parkside Projects. And then, before that, the entire outdoor-indoor area was originally built out for the fine-dining French restaurant LaV, which ran from 2014 through late 2026.

WTF Sporting Club’s hours will be from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and then from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday

(August 29, 2024) – Grand Canyon University and Rosendin have teamed up again to expand their Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians Pathway into Austin, Texas.   

As more businesses move to Texas, Rosendin, the country’s largest employee-owned electrical contractor, identified Austin as an area with a growing construction industry and a need for construction electricians. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for electricians is projected to grow by an estimated 6% from 2022 to 2032.

In 2022, GCU and Rosendin developed a four-course, 16-credit Pre-Apprenticeship pathway that prepares students for an Employer Apprenticeship Program in the State of Arizona. In that short time, over 200 students have passed all required courses to embark on careers in the commercial construction industry.

“Trade industries are what helped build this country into an economic power, and we need to bring them back,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “The pre-apprenticeship has already changed so many lives in Arizona, we wanted to expand it into other areas experiencing a labor shortage. This 15-week offering will help students master key concepts, especially in math, that will prepare them to enter an electrician apprentice program and quickly embark on a career that is in demand.”

Pre-apprenticeship students will take four courses in math, communications, and electrical foundations over one semester. Rosendin worked with GCU to develop the courses to ensure these students are well prepared to enter an apprenticeship and succeed in the construction industry.

“Our highly specialized, hands-on learning program allows Austin students to learn a skilled craft that can launch their careers in one semester,” said Mike Greenawalt, Rosendin CEO Emeritus. “The construction industry is one of the largest in the country, with 8 million workers across a wide spectrum of specialties. Together, Rosendin and GCU are educating people about career options and helping to solve the current workforce shortage.”

GCU’s Center for Workforce Development team is working with both union and non-union contractors in Texas and Arizona to provide work and apprenticeship opportunities during the courses and upon completion of the pathway. Rosendin will be looking to hire the GCU students as soon as they complete their semester at GCU and enter the apprenticeship program. In Phoenix, the goal is to enroll 300 students in the pathway this year. Classes start on September 3.

Rosendin, which has been instrumental in the commercial construction industry for 105 years, is a highly innovative, technology-driven company that builds educational facilities, hospitals, solar facilities, and light rail.  This expansion into Texas is a part of GCU’s Center for Workforce Development programs, including the Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians and a CNC Machinist Pathway.

Those interested can visit https://www.gcu.edu/degree-programs/electrician-pre-apprenticeship for more information.

# # #

About Grand Canyon University:  Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona’s premier private Christian university. GCU is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers over 345 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals (as of March 2024). The University’s curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit gcu.edu.

About Rosendin: Rosendin, headquartered in San Jose, CA, is employee-owned and one of the largest electrical
contractors in the United States, employing over 7,500 people, with average annual revenues of $2.9 billion. Established in 1919, Rosendin remains proud of our more than 100 years of building quality electrical and communications installations and value for our clients but, most importantly, for building people within our company and our communities. Our customers lead some of the most complex construction projects in history and rely on us for our knowledge, ability to scale, and dedication to quality. At Rosendin, we work to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential by building a diverse, safe, welcoming, and inclusive culture. For more information, visit www.rosendin.com.

A UT Austin student is suing the university and two of its leaders, claiming they violated his First Amendment rights when he was arrested while protesting Israel’s war in Gaza.

Ammer Qaddumi, now a senior at UT, also claims that the university, President Jay Hartzell and Provost Sharon Wood wrongfully retaliated against him by threatening him with suspension. An attorney filed the lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday, which was first reported by KXAN.

“These were kids who were walking down the sidewalk chanting, ‘Hey, hey, ho, ho, the occupation’s got to go,” Brian McGiverin, Qaddumi’s lawyer, said. “There’s nothing dangerous or scary or frankly remarkable about it as far as First Amendment activity goes.” McGiverin says he believes this is the first lawsuit filed by a student over the university’s response to the protests.

Qaddumi is asking for the university to pay for damages and to stop any further disciplinary action against him.

KUT reached out to a UT Austin spokesperson for comment. “[T]he University’s response to the lawsuit and claims will be set out in our court filings,” university spokesperson Mike Rosen wrote in an email. “Until then, no further comment.”

The lawsuit is the latest in the fallout from two pro-Palestinian protests held on UT Austin’s campus in April. University officials called on state law enforcement to intervene and police arrested more than 130 participants — many of them for criminal trespass. County officials later dropped most of these charges.

Since then, students arrested at the protests have faced discipline, including probation and suspension. Faculty have criticized the university’s response to the protests, including in a recent report where a university committee alleged administrators, not protesters, violated institutional rules.

Qaddumi and his lawyer say the university first violated his rights when they told organizers they could not hold the planned demonstration. His lawsuit alleges the university stifled students’ speech before they had a chance to express themselves.

Despite the university’s directive, dozens of protesters gathered the next day on the South Mall. As police arrived and began to encircle the group, they asked for a mediator and Qaddumi volunteered, according to the lawsuit.

Both the university and Qaddumi’s lawyer say the student told demonstrators to follow the order to disperse. University officials say he then rejoined protesters. Police arrested him just before 1 p.m. His lawyer says by restraining Qaddumi, the university and its officials violated his right to free speech.

Several months after the protests, UT sent notice to Qaddumi and other students that they faced discipline for allegedly violating university rules.

According to documents filed as evidence in his lawsuit, the university has threatened to suspend Qaddumi for three semesters, during which he would not be able to enroll in classes or enter campus without written approval.

He is protesting this decision and has a hearing Friday, according to his lawyer.

The university has defended its response to the April protests by citing several rules officials say protesters broke, including failing to disperse when told by police and administrators to do so. The university has also said protesters brought a variety of weapons to campus, but county prosecutors refuted that claim. In May, one man from San Marcos was charged with illegally carrying a gun during the protests.