August 2024 WAN by westaustinnews

TOWN WITH

Ray Benson’s Music and Musings at The Music Box HousE

For four decades, Toast of the Town, St. David’s Foundation’s iconic series of eclectic events, has showcased the best of Central Texas with hundreds of unforgettable celebrations. While the community has evolved over the years, Toast of the Town has grown along with it, with every month of May ﬁlled with parties featuring stunning venues, sensational special guests, and celebrated chefs.

For this special event, attendees gathered at The Music Box House, one of Austin’s most magniﬁcent homes, and were treated to music by ninetime Grammy Award-winning musician, Ray Benson. Benson, who is a board member for St. David’s Foundation, also served as one of this year’s honorary chairs of the Toast of the Town Committee. This was a spectacular

evening of music, art, and architecture against the backdrop of expansive views of Lake Austin. The incredible design elements throughout the house feature a stunning spiral staircase, an astonishing window that spans two stories with breathtaking views of the lake, and 1,000 tons of stone that were chiseled to give the house its remarkable and notable shape and incredible lines. Party guests enjoyed legendary music in an architectural masterpiece while enjoying Still Austin and Lalo Tequila custom cocktails as well as scrumptious bites from Austin Catering.

Toast of the Town raises critical funds for the St. David’s Neal Kocurek Scholarship, the largest healthcare scholarship program in the state of Texas. For more information, visit toastaustin.org.

Around the Neighborhood:

Hissy Fit is coming to Great Hills, and fans of Downtown Austin’s Fixe Southern House will probably be happy to get their fix of those famous biscuits. Eater Austin called the new Hissy Fit the “sassy little sister” of Fixe. When Hissy Fit opens at 9761 Great Hills Trail in the Arboretum this fall the menu will include those famous biscuits, cinnamon rolls, specialty sandwiches, salads and bowls, curated cocktails, coffee, and pressed juice according to the Hissy Fit website, which advertises as hiring now. At hissyfitatx.com and #hissyfitatx

and

How

BY FORREST PREECE

The spinning wheel of fortune takes some remarkable turns – and when his chance rolled around, Terry Lickona grabbed it with both hands.

Some background -- during his boyhood, Terry lived in the orbit of New York City, listening to the great disk jockeys like Cousin Brucie on WABC. When he went to college at State University of New York Albany, he joined the radio club and then started on-air shifts at the campus radio station. That led to radio jobs back in Poughkeepsie.

In 1974, a friend who headed a country and bluegrass band acquainted Terry with Willie Nelson’s music. On a whim, they decided to drive to Austin for Willie’s Fourth of July Picnic at The Texas Speedway. The crowd was enormous, and Terry says that he was the “hottest he had ever been,” but he loved the whole vibe. When his pal said that he wanted to move his band here, Terry de-

cided he would follow along.

Radio work in Austin wasn’t as easy to come by as he thought, and Terry had to take any menial job he could scuffle up for a while. Finally, he almost got an offer from KLBJ-AM. But at the last minute, he decided to go work at KUT-FM instead, a move that set the stage for the rest of his life. He was pulling late night on-air shifts, spinning jazz and bluegrass songs, while getting acquainted with other people in the complex, including the crews at KLRU-TV. As luck would have it, the TV station had just started a unique program called Austin City Limits, featuring local musicians doing concerts on a stage with a live audience. The first ACL show starring Willie Nelson aired in 1975, three weeks before Terry started at KUT. No one knew quite what to do with the show, and about two years later, the people who were producing it quit, seeking more

stable jobs.

The golden ring was dangling out there and Terry went for it. He convinced management that he knew enough to get traction with the show and that it would be “cheaper to hire me than somebody who really knew what he was doing.”

In that first stretch around 1977, the anti-Nashville, Cosmic Cowboy era was at its peak, with the Armadillo going full tilt and acts like Jerry Jeff Walker and Michael Murphy in their ascendancy. But soon, things cooled off on that front, and Terry realized that they would have to start stretching to keep the show fresh. “I started booking talent from New Orleans, California, the East Coast, wherever,” he says. The first act in this vein was Tom Waits. Then they hit the jackpot when Ray Charles agreed to do the show. Based on his good experience, other big-time acts followed. Terry says that the shows they have presented for five decades make for a gumbo of musical styles and that viewers would be disappointed if they stuck with one genre. “That eclectic blend has been key to ACL’s success.”

Has Terry ever been approached by PBS stations in other cities to start their own

version of the show? He has, but he hinted that the places were not the obvious big music cities like New Orleans or Nashville or Seattle. The problem is, none of the places that have expressed interest in creating their own version of an Austin City Limits have been able to generate adequate funding, land the knowhow and contacts to book the right mix of acts, or create the right promotion.

Obviously, one oﬀshoot from the TV show that actually did work – bigtime -- was the ACL Festival. In 2000, after the Aqua Festival had run its course, the company that belonged to Lance Armstrong approached KLRU about using the ACL name for an outdoor concert in Zilker Park. They wanted to book the same kind of groups and music the TV show was presenting. Using the show’s name would give them instant credibility. They all agreed, and the ACL Festival has gone on to be successful beyond its producers’ wildest dreams – or Terry’s. He adds that the festival has enhanced the TV show’s brand and rejuvenated it, boosting it to even wider recognition.

Nothing lasts for 50 years without struggles – the show has had some times of decreased funding and they were losing audience before Terry decided to change things up back in the early days. Furthermore, even with all their momentum, the pandemic almost cratered the series. Terry can

smile about it now, but they managed to tape seven shows in 2020 without an audience –The Mavericks and Ray Wylie Hubbard among them. All of these “pandemic stage” groups put on ﬁne performances in spite of the diminished setting, and they kept the show alive.

Tweaks? Changes? Back when MTV and VH1 came around, Terry and his staﬀ took a lot of pushback about how this new type of programming would squash their

side. Streaming gives them an audience with no geographical boundaries. “PBS is limited to the US, but if we can stream shows, people can watch them in Tanzania or Australia,” Terry says. “And if we can ﬁnd a way to let people hear one or two songs at a time, respect contract rights, and treat the artists fairly, we will seriously think about that.”

In his spare time (hah!), Terry is involved with The Recording Academy, which

full concert format. They toyed with ideas like inserting biographical snippets or interviews between songs and maybe having other artists do concerts featuring one famous musician’s songs. But people want the full concerts, that’s the brand, and do you hear that much about MTV or VH1 any longer?

Now, technology is on ACL’s

produces the Grammy Awards. About a decade ago, he was chair of its board of governors. He has stepped down from the board, but he still plays a signiﬁcant part in producing the awards shows—both the Grammys and Latin Grammys. “I’m the luckiest person in my ﬁeld to be producing all these shows I love.”

BY FORREST PREECE

Amanda Eyre Ward

New York Times Bestselling Author

1. What’s something about you that not many people know?

I studied Swahili in Kenya and passed the ﬂuency exam in Nairobi.

2. What was your ﬁrst job? I was a lifeguard in my hometown--Rye, NY.

3. If you could have dinner with three people –dead or alive, at any time in history—who would they be?

Tana French, Alice Munro, and my husband, Dr. Tip Meckel.

4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be?

Sigur Ros, Kendrick Lamar, and Billie Joel.

5. Favorite book and TV show?

My favorite book is The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. My favorite TV shows are “Derry Girls” and “The Wire.”

6. Most powerful movie you have seen.

Brooklyn, based on the novel by Coim Toibin.

7. Favorite place in Austin?

Hiking on the greenbelt. If I had to pick one place, it would be where the trail crosses the water behind Barton Hills Elementary School. (We call it “The Flats.”)

8. Favorite restaurant and watering hole Favorite restaurants are Papalote Tacos and Uchi. For drinks (even now that I am

sober), I love Opa on South Lamar and Small Victory downtown.

9. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I wanted to read all day and all night.

10. Which living person do you most admire?

My husband, Tip Meckel, who is a research scientist at the University of Texas studying Carbon Capture and Sequestration. I admire him for ﬁghting for climate mitigation when it’s too hard to ﬁght…he does it anyway.

11. What makes you happy?

Cheeseburgers in my backyard with all of my family and being in the middle of reading a great novel.

12. Best advice you ever received?

“If you want to be a writer, stop applying to fancy jobs. Go where your best friend is, be a waitress, and write.”

People’s Community Clinic hosted its annual “There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch” event at the Four Seasons Hotel. This signature luncheon is a cornerstone event dedicated to raising essential funds for health care services and programs. The event saw an impressive turnout of business and community leaders from Austin and Central Texas, all gathered to support the clinic’s vital mission.

“Our luncheon is one of the area’s most important fundraising events, directly supporting our community,” said Regina Rogoff CEO of People’s Community Clinic. “With nearly 1 in 5 Texans lacking health insurance, Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured residents in the United States. Organizations like ours are vital to ensuring a sturdy healthcare safety net. We are committed to offering high-quality, affordable care to everyone in need, regardless of their financial situation.”

During the event, Texas State Rep. Toni Rose, D-Dallas, was honored with the clinic’s prestigious W. Neal Kocurek Health Care Advocacy Award. This award, a testament to her tireless eﬀorts, recognizes leaders who have made signiﬁcant contributions to community health. Rep. Rose’s work to pass HB 12, expanding Medicaid coverage for mothers from 2 months to 12 months after a birth, has been praised by Texas Monthly as a “major step forward.” and listed Rep. Rose as a top legislator.

Attendees also enjoyed a lively discussion featuring esteemed healthcare leaders, Jewel Mullen, MD, assistant dean at Dell Medical School and former principal deputy assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services (HHS), and Mike Mackert, PhD, director of the Center for Health Communications at U.T. Austin. Their insights and expertise provided immense value and left the audience feeling inspired and enlightened.

People’s Community Clinic, one of the nation’s oldest independent clinics, continues its legacy of oﬀering comprehensive health and wellness care to uninsured and underinsured individuals. The clinic’s mission is to improve the health of medically underserved and uninsured Central Texans by delivering high-quality, aﬀordable healthcare with respect and dignity. To learn more about the clinic’s work or to make a donation, visit www.austinpcc.org.

UT President Jay Hartzell Underscores the Importance of Leadership

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area (BGCAA) hosted its annual Great Futures Spring Luncheon at the Four Seasons. The event raised $285,000 to support programming across 27 Austin-area clubs and had nearly 400 people in attendance. Every year, the Great Futures Spring Luncheon brings together community leaders and philanthropists to shine light on the transformative and inspiring role leadership plays in helping each Club kid build a great future. The year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Jay Hartzell, president of the University of Texas at Austin, who shared his belief in Austin’s youth and the work our Clubs are doing to serve youth in our community.

“Our Great Futures Spring Luncheon is a chance to celebrate the inspiring leadership and unique ways our Clubs provide safe, supportive spaces for kids to be who they are, strengthen their skills and realize their full potential,” said Zenae Campbell, CEO of BGCAA. Campbell also shared remarks about the organization’s ongoing eﬀorts to serve more kids in more ways, with additional remarks coming from BGCAA Board Chair Mario Zambrano and BGCAA 2024 Youth of the Year Marley To learn more and support BGCAA in its eﬀorts to help Aus-

Goodbye, Summer! Hello, School Year!

Summer camp is over, but the fun never stops at ChampionsTX! The sun-soaked days were ﬁlled with laughter, games, and new friends, creating countless memories for attendees.

ChampionsTX Summer Camps are one of the year’s highlights, allowing athletes to venture out, travel, and spend time with family and friends. Aside from the summertime activities offered at the summer camps, children also had the opportunity to refine their skills while forging new friendships. Whether a child attended a skills camp, summer camp, or classes, the past three months at ChampionsTX have been filled with laughter, fun, and smiles.

Summer camps this year were jam-packed with science, art, cooperative games, gymnastics, parkour (a ninja-warrior-type class), cheer, cooking, and more! The kid’s diverse experiences included visits from the Stars and Science Museum, Wild Things Zoofari, and Poppy the Clown–who taught how to make balloon animals.

ChampionsTX summer camps served as a highlight for many kids’ summers. Whether a camper or a leader in training, from crawling to 18 years old, the memories made this summer will last a lifetime!

Champions ATX doesn’t miss a beat, however, and they are excited to transition into the structured schedule of the 2024-2025 academic school year. Working with families to meet their students’ needs and aspirations, the emphasis shifts to a more consistent and focused environment.

Gymnastics, cheer, tumbling, and parkour are oﬀered during the school year, providing a diﬀerent rhythm than sum-

mer camps. Gymnastics is the perfect way to keep kids active and engaged while developing strength, ﬂexibility, and coordination. The classes at ChampionsTX cater to all ages and abilities, from crawling to 18 years old—competitive teams for those ready for a challenge are also available.

“When School is out during the academic year… ChampionsTX is still in.” Camps that cater to the AISD school schedule are available yearround. There are many ways to keep the fun and abilities growing during the school year for ChampionsTX kids that should not be missed.

As the transition from the carefree days of summer to the focused environment of the school year commences, gymnastics provides an exciting avenue for continued growth and achievement. Structured classes, enriching camps, show teams, and competitive opportunities that come with the school year, athletes have a chance to build on their summer experiences and reach new heights. Whether you want to continue building on summer skills or start something new, ChampionsTX has something for everyone. Let’s make this school year a shining success!

Ride.Drive.Give. Fuels Hope for Austin’s Children in Need

The engines have cooled, the adrenaline has settled, and the results are in: Ride.Drive.

Give. 2024, beneﬁtting the Center for Child Protection, has raised $130,000 to support children impacted by abuse.

Taking place at the Circuit of The Americas racetrack, Ride.Drive.Give. treated attendees to a day of heart-racing excitement and unwavering support for a worthy cause.

The event brought together speed enthusiasts and philanthropists alike, all rallying behind the mission of protecting vulnerable children.

“We are thrilled by the overwhelming generosity and support shown by our com-

munity,” said Shonnery Pettit, Center for Child Protection Board President. “The funds raised will make a significant impact in our efforts to provide crucial support and services to abused and neglected children in Austin.” The Center for Child Protection is a nationally accredited children’s advocacy center and the only nonprofit in Travis County involved in the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children. For more information about the Center for Child Protection and its ongoing efforts to protect Austin’s children, visit centerforchildprotection.org.

Event Supports Artistic and Educational Programming

“I knew Chris for over thirty years. We were neighbors, and I served with him for many years on the Old Austin Neighborhood Association. I always admired Chris’ advocacy for a walkable city, combined with his respect for Austin’s history, historic preservation and our wonderful parks and public spaces. For instance, the historic designation of the 1925 Third Street Trestle, 1887 West Sixth Street Bridge and the restoration/rehabilitation of Wooldridge Square. Chris saw the balance of the new and old in a good city planning strategy.”

— Charles Peveto, President, Austin History Center Association.

These comments echo the thoughts of many local residents upon the death of former Austin City Council member Chris Riley on Aug. 8, 2024. It is only ﬁtting that he died after a gathering with friends in his historic home on San Antonio Street in downtown Austin, with his wife Denise Brady by his side.

Chris lived a life ﬁlled with adventure, friendships, and civic activities. He was born in Austin on July 12, 1964 to Eva and Peter Riley and was a product of Austin public schools. After college at Harvard, Chris returned to Austin to attend UT Law School.

Upon graduating from UT Law School, Chris worked at the Texas Supreme Court for ﬁve years and then for Shields and Rusk, later known as The Rusk Law Firm. In 1997, Chris co-founded the Downtown

Neighborhood Association and was its president for ﬁve years. In 2001, Council Member Will Wynn appointed Chris to serve on the City of Austin Planning Commission. In 2002, Chris bought his home downtown and started renovating it. He was an extraordinary civic leader – and served on the boards of the Austin History Center Association, the Austin Parks Foundation, Austin CarShare, Inc., and numerous city boards and task forces. In 2009, Chris was elected to the Austin City

Council. He left the Council in 2015.

From 2015 to 2016, Chris lived in Brooklyn, New York, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Placemaking and Management from Pratt Institute. He then returned to Austin and dove into nonproﬁt and advocacy work: notably with Safe Streets Austin, which represented a merger of Bike Austin, Walk Austin, and Vision Zero ATX. Chris worked tirelessly to make Austin friendlier for bikes and pedestrians and to create inviting public spaces in downtown Austin. The

Giant Chess game at Wooldridge Square was a special love of his.

Chris lived according to his values. He believed we’re too dependent on cars, so he sold his car and biked everywhere. He felt more people should have the opportunity to live downtown, so he encouraged more central city housing and provided downtown housing himself.

His wife said, “In his memory, whenever you can, please reconsider driving to your destination, and think about taking the bus, riding a bike, or walking instead.”

back to school activities

— Compiled by Forrest Preece

I thought that it would be interesting to ask a friend about the backto-school process he and his wife are going through with their daughters. Here is what he told me a few weeks ago.

ELI HASLANGER

We’ve got two teenage girls who are 16 and 18. Our oldest is about to embark on her freshman year at college so her backto-school looks much diﬀerent for her this year. We are busy buying dorm room necessities as well as picking out meal plans and buying parking permits. Our oldest is “ﬂying the coop” so that brings a whole new set of emotions for her and for mom and dad. She’ll be rushing a sorority and settling into her new schedule which she recently picked out with her new academic advisor. She proudly exclaimed “it’s the schedule I’ve always wanted! I only go to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays!”

She’s a bit nervous and very excited and for the ﬁrst time in a few years, she’s been wanting to hang around the house and her parents a little more. She’s saying strange things like “I’m so glad to have y’all as parents” and “I feel lucky to have this opportunity.” LOL.

Our little girl is growing

up. Our younger daughter will be a junior at Austin High and she’s currently working as a lifeguard at the City of Austin public pools. She typically sleeps in and spends a LOT of time with her friends when she’s not looking out over kids at the pool. She likes to play guitar and piano and was into competitive cheer until a recent growth spurt made that sport a bit more challenging to enjoy. For back-to-school supplies, it’s mostly clothes and shoes, a new backpack and then a few folders and pens/pencils. Highschoolers do everything on their computer these days.

Amy and I have always tried to instill the Golden Rule into our girls’ hearts and minds. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We also place a premium on eﬀort and showing up to do the work. Grades are important but secondary to the eﬀort. Lastly, everyone gets knocked down. It’s the getting back up that counts.

WELCOME TO A NEW SCHOOL YEAR,

At St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, our Four Pillars - Scholar, Artist, Athlete, Servantare demonstrated by distinct yet interconnected qualities in our students’ character and capabilities, from our youngest learners to our alumni:

Our Scholars exemplify critical thinking and curiosity, employing clarity and critical thinking across various disciplines while continuously learning and utilizing emerging technologies.

Our Artists blend creativity with perspective, crafting beauty and fostering genuine connections through their expressions and collaborations.

Our Athletes showcase resilience and integrity in competition, balancing personal achievement with teamwork and a commitment to holistic wellness.

Our Servants are driven by empathy and responsibility, honoring human dignity and actively contributing to the community through meaningful actions.

Together, these pillars paint a comprehensive picture of St. Andrew’s graduates who are thoughtful, creative, driven, and compassionate citizens, embodying a commitment to excellence and service in all facets of their lives.

St. Andrew’s celebrates our 990 incredible students K-12 who represent our Four Pillars in so many meaningful ways. We look forward to our school year together!

Andrew’s Episcopal School

to learn more!

We welcome students to campus for the new 2024-25 academic year and we invite future Spartan parents to campus during our fall 45-minute informational coffee sessions.

Interested parents can learn more about St. Stephen’s core academic program, athletics, ﬁne arts, co-curricular offerings, our unique culture and core values and visit with members of the St. Stephen’s leadership team.