☀️ What you’re getting wrong about summer in Austin

🏫 Huston-Tillotson Hires Cecilia Abbott

After Huston-Tillotson University, a historically Black university, announced it had appointed Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott to its Board of Trustees recently, the backlash was swift. Comments on the university’s Facebook page include: “Why is the wife of a man who has made it his business to HURT black and brown people on the board of Huston-Tillotson University?”

• Abbott is one of seven new board appointees. The board governs the university, meets twice a year, and consists of alumni, educators, entrepreneurs and more. [Huston-Tillotson University]

👋 Goodbye, Infowars?

Local conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ website Infowars may be no more after the trustee in his bankruptcy case filed an emergency motion on Sunday. The possible shutdown comes as Jones attempts to pay more than $1 billion he owes to Sandy Hook victims’ families. [Austin American-Statesman]

↙️ SXSW Drops Military

You won’t see the U.S. Army or any weapons manufacturing companies at South by Southwest in 2025, after pro-Palestinian protests resulted in 80 artists pulling out of the festival in 2024. [Axios Austin]

• SXSW officials updated the festival’s website to say: “After careful consideration, we are revising our sponsorship model. As a result, the U.S. Army, and companies who engage in weapons manufacturing, will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025.”

🎙️On the Pod Today: Baseball, Pride, and the Airport

We love a Friday news roundup. I’m on the City Cast Austin podcast today with host Nikki DaVaughn and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec. We discussed everything Austin is talking about right now: What’s happening with UT baseball, the airport, and the end of pride month. We also got word that former gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman died while recording this episode, so tune in to hear about the iconic satirist. [City Cast Austin]