Their signs looked oddly similar. The names were pretty darn close, too. Is the origin of Dan’s and Fran’s an urban legend?
Episodes
March 8, 2023
What happened to Brian Vargo almost 50 years ago? His niece is still looking for answers.
Brian Vargo was 20 years old when he disappeared in 1976. The UT Austin student seems to have simply vanished.
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February 16, 2023
Is Austin’s Paramount one of only a few century-old theaters still operating in the country?
The landmark theater in downtown Austin has been a source of movie entertainment for more than a century, while many of its contemporaries have closed for good.
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February 9, 2023
Why do sidewalks in Austin suddenly end?
According to the Public Works Department, the city is missing about 1,600 miles of sidewalk — a length of concrete that could stretch from here to Winnipeg, Canada.
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January 24, 2023
What happened to the Zilker Park minitrain?
The Zilker Zephyr stopped running almost four years ago, and there’s still no miniature train in Zilker Park.
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January 13, 2023
How did H-E-B’s Combo Loco get its name?
As an enticement to get tickets to our next ATXplained Live show at the Paramount Theatre on Feb. 22 — here’s a taste of our last live show from back in September 2022.
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January 4, 2023
What was the grandstand on the shores of Lady Bird Lake in East Austin used for?
Decades ago, the public event space was full of life. Now it’s rundown, like an old relic.
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December 14, 2022
Black houses are so hot right now. But are they hotter?
Does it make any sense to live in a dark-colored house in a state like Texas? We ask experts whether these homes are less energy efficient.
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December 1, 2022
Why are lane lines so hard to see on Austin’s roads?
Your grip on the steering wheel tightens as you squint to find the road markings and avoid smashing into another car.
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