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Immigration and customs enforcement

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operations in Minnesota have caught

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the attention of the nation and the

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world in recent weeks.

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Meanwhile, such operations here in

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Texas have been taking place at the

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same time.

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We're going to check in with folks

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from Elgin just outside of Austin

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to hear how it's impacting them.

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And the city of Austin paid out more

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than one hundred and forty three

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million dollars to its employees in

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twenty twenty five.

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Five city departments regularly

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account for the bulk of overtime

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spending.

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Which are they?

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That's coming up on today's show.

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The Austin Signal is a production

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of KUT News, hosted by

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Jerry Quijano.

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Plus, a spot in East Austin is

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building community beyond its menu,

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bringing folks together with chess

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and doodle nights.

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Come hear more about the community

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garden that's growing out there.

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That's today on Austin Signal.

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Howdy out there, this is

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Austin Signal brought to you by

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listener-powered public radio KUT

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News.

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Thank you for tuning in.

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It is Tuesday, January 27th.

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We are glad to be part of your

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day.

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We will start the show by reminding

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you that while things are certainly

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warming up around the Austin area,

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it is still quite slippery in

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some spots out there.

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The ice was enough of a concern

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to cancel classes again today for

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UT Austin and for the majority

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of Central Texas school districts.

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Temperatures are forecast to dip

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below freezing again overnight,

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meaning any melted ice will

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freeze again.

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So be mindful and keep it

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tuned in to KUT News for

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the latest updates.

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There's been lots of attention

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focused on immigration enforcement

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in the U.S.

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As of late, particularly in

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Minnesota, understandably,

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but that attention and that

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enforcement has intensified in many

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other parts of the country too.

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That includes Texas.

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People who live in Elgin, just

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outside of Austin, are torn

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over the presence of Immigration and

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Customs Enforcement in their area.

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KUT's Greta Diaz-Gonzalez-Vasquez

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has been talking with some of them.

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On a normal day, laborers gather

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around the downtown gazebo in Elgin,

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hoping to pick up a gig.

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But since early January, people in

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this small central Texas town say

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they haven't seen any workers at

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their usual spot.

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Tracy Elamia works at an insurance

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company across the street from that

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gazebo.

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She says Immigration and Customs

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Enforcement came to get the workers

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one morning.

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I don't know how many they took, but

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they took a few of them, and I don't

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think that's okay considering

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they're not doing anything, and if

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they're there, they're primarily.

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Look for work.

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Like many other residents in town,

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Alameya found out through social

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media.

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They got another Impala over here

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taking somebody else.

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And there goes a white truck too.

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So they're here.

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She saw the video where workers are

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being taken away by men with covered

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faces and tactical gear.

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KUT reached out to ICE to ask about

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the detentions, but has not heard

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back with specifics about it.

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Elgin residents had reported seeing

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ICE around Highway 290, the main

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road through the city.

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But this was the first time many of

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them heard about ICE being in

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town.

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Many felt the same way as Alameya.

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They're part of the community.

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Let them work.

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But others like Jason Keene, who

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owns a gun shop across the street

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from the Gasebo, say

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Well, if you're here illegally,

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that's the very first thing.

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You circumvented a system.

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There's a check and balance.

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It doesn't matter about your

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opinion.

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Keane says he hasn't heard of

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anybody in his community being

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affected by ice.

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In fact, he says his clients seem

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pretty on board with it.

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As far as the immigration

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enforcement, everybody that I know,

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everybody who's doing business here,

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everybody I'm involved with with the

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community is really happy because

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that's what we voted for.

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A few other business owners in

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downtown Elgin declined to talk to

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KUT on the record because they

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feared backlash from the community

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for their opinions.

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Nikolai Finley lives in Elgin.

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He says he has stopped having

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political conversations with people,

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unless he knows them very well.

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I know people, even myself

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included, who may

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have what I would say are just very

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general middle-ground opinions,

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that I would see people that I even

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know within my community here

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calling other people Nazis.

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Finley says the community has been

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polarized over the last few years.

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First, it was about COVID, then

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about politics, now about

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immigration, and it gets worse

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when it's on social media.

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Since ICE started showing up in

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Elgin, residents have been posting

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about it in Facebook community

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groups.

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Finley said maybe that's why

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everyone is on high alert.

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When I walk around every single day

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and I'm out in my community,

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I don't see half of

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the things that are making everybody

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freak out.

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But for many, the fear is real.

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Especially for undocumented people.

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Melissa Perez works at a store in

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Elgin. She is undocumented and

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says now she's avoiding being on

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the streets as much as she can.

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She does the basics.

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Takes her kids to school, goes to

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work, picks her kids up and heads

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back home.

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And whenever she's driving, she's on

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the lookout for state police or

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unmarked white and black SUVs

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known to be used by...

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She says maybe there's people

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who don't pay much attention because

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they don't have to worry about their

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immigration status.

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But those who don't have vapors...

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She says, they have to be on

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high alert.

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In a town where 44% of the

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population is Hispanic or Latino,

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the fear spreads beyond the

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immigrant community.

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Last year, the Supreme Court allowed

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immigration enforcement agents in LA

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to use race and other profiling

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factors to decide who to stop and

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potentially detain.

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Alamilla, the woman who works at the

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insurance company, says even for US

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citizens like her,

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It's scary to wonder in what

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direction it could go

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for any of us Hispanics,

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whether you're here legally or not.

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After the workers at the gazebo in

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Elgin were detained in early

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January, the community organized a

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protest.

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Then, they also showed up at city

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council wanting clarity on where

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city officials stood.

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The mayor issued a statement last

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week saying the city did not condone

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actions by that are making people

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feel unwelcome.

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I know that there's not much they

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can do when it comes to helping

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someone in that situation because

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they're federal officers, but it's

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comforting to hear from someone

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who's in authority that not

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everyone hates us.

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With the town divided and some

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feeling like ICE is always around

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the corner, Ferre says she's

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constantly questioning who is

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trustworthy.

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Yo la verdad no confío

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en nadie, ni más que yo, porque

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tengo dos niños.

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She says she has two kids who depend

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on her, so she'll continue to be

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cautious and will keep paying

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attention to her surroundings as

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much as she can.

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At least until all this is

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over.

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I'm Greta Diaz-Gonzalez Vazquez

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in Elgin, Texas.

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Last year, the city of Austin paid

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city workers $143

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million in overtime,

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that's according to records obtained

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by KUT News.

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That spending could come under a

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harsher focus this year as the city

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is vowed to trim back its

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spending.

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To help us go over what these

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millions in overtime pay means for

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the city, we are speaking with

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Andrew Weber, he is KUT's Government

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Accountability Reporter.

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Thanks for coming on the show,

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Andrew.

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Yes, sir. Thank you for having me,

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jerk.

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So, uh, overtime pay,

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I'm guessing that's something that

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all employers kind of account for.

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Does the city of Austin account for

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that as well?

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Yeah, you know, they account for

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this.

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Obviously, city work is difficult

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work, and particularly for

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emergency services, police,

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and fire.

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Those departments have been

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short-staffed for a few

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years now.

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So overtime is kind of a necessity

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to get things done.

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Yeah, as we are sort of experiencing

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right now, you know, UT Austin

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canceled classes for a couple days,

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as did Austin ISD and a lot of other

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school districts, but not the

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case for Austin Police,

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Austin First Responders, things

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like that.

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So $143 million seems

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like a pretty big number.

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How does that compare to payouts in

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years past?

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Well, it's been kind of increasing

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over the last few years.

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We looked at from 2021 to

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2025 and it went

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from around $86 million to

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what's now $143

287
00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:52,959
million. So it's something the

288
00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,739
city is definitely relying more and

289
00:08:54,740 --> 00:08:55,709
more on.

290
00:08:55,710 --> 00:08:57,209
Well, speaking of that, which

291
00:08:57,210 --> 00:08:59,049
departments tend to make up

292
00:08:59,050 --> 00:09:00,989
the bulk of the overtime that

293
00:09:00,990 --> 00:09:02,239
is paid out?

294
00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,299
You know, like I said, police, fire,

295
00:09:04,300 --> 00:09:06,259
and EMS usually are the sort of

296
00:09:06,260 --> 00:09:07,419
big three.

297
00:09:07,420 --> 00:09:08,859
This past year, that was different.

298
00:09:08,860 --> 00:09:10,819
Austin Energy employees got

299
00:09:10,820 --> 00:09:13,439
paid out more than $20 million,

300
00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,519
followed by fire, firefighters

301
00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,159
got $22 million.

302
00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,239
And police make up, as they

303
00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,279
often do, the largest share

304
00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:22,719
of this overtime.

305
00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,719
In this past year, they got

306
00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:26,629
paid almost $53 million.

307
00:09:26,630 --> 00:09:27,709
And since those numbers have

308
00:09:27,710 --> 00:09:30,869
remained somewhat consistent,

309
00:09:30,870 --> 00:09:32,729
does the city kind of plan ahead

310
00:09:32,730 --> 00:09:34,409
into its budget for this overtime

311
00:09:34,410 --> 00:09:35,319
pay?

312
00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:37,639
Yeah, this is kind of baked in.

313
00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:38,619
Like I said, it's kind of a

314
00:09:38,620 --> 00:09:40,819
necessity, but I will say,

315
00:09:40,820 --> 00:09:41,939
you kind of hinted at that at the

316
00:09:41,940 --> 00:09:44,139
top of the intro there,

317
00:09:44,140 --> 00:09:46,479
that this is an interesting

318
00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,359
year because Overtime

319
00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,539
was a part of the discussions ahead

320
00:09:50,540 --> 00:09:52,519
of Prop Q with EMS,

321
00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,339
with police, and with FIRE,

322
00:09:54,340 --> 00:09:56,359
and with just departments across the

323
00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,379
city were asked to sort of

324
00:09:58,380 --> 00:10:00,579
pare down these expenses and

325
00:10:00,580 --> 00:10:02,129
Overtine being one of them.

326
00:10:02,130 --> 00:10:03,949
With Prop Q's failure, it's going

327
00:10:03,950 --> 00:10:05,509
to be interesting going forward to

328
00:10:05,510 --> 00:10:07,429
see how the city sort of tackles

329
00:10:07,430 --> 00:10:08,479
that next budget cycle.

330
00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,699
Yeah, what are the ways that

331
00:10:10,700 --> 00:10:12,499
the Prop Q's failure could affect

332
00:10:12,500 --> 00:10:14,649
the next budget cycle?

333
00:10:14,650 --> 00:10:16,829
You know, it's funny, there was,

334
00:10:16,830 --> 00:10:18,309
I believe it was council member Ryan

335
00:10:18,310 --> 00:10:20,169
Alter had a measure that would

336
00:10:20,170 --> 00:10:22,669
have done sort of monthly breakdowns

337
00:10:22,670 --> 00:10:24,429
for how the city is spending

338
00:10:24,430 --> 00:10:26,389
overtime with the focus on

339
00:10:26,390 --> 00:10:28,029
those big three, the police, fire,

340
00:10:28,030 --> 00:10:28,829
EMS.

341
00:10:28,830 --> 00:10:30,149
That didn't go anywhere.

342
00:10:30,150 --> 00:10:31,569
They ultimately didn't adopt that,

343
00:10:31,570 --> 00:10:32,529
council members didn't.

344
00:10:32,530 --> 00:10:34,389
And so now it's kind

345
00:10:34,390 --> 00:10:35,670
of up in the air. Like I said, it

346
00:10:35,671 --> 00:10:37,709
obviously the

347
00:10:37,710 --> 00:10:39,529
city wants to pare down that

348
00:10:39,530 --> 00:10:41,449
spending to sort of be in line

349
00:10:41,450 --> 00:10:43,089
with what voters wanted in rejecting

350
00:10:43,090 --> 00:10:44,278
Prop Q.

351
00:10:44,279 --> 00:10:46,099
But we will have to wait and see

352
00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:46,559
on it.

353
00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:47,939
Ian, we're talking about numbers

354
00:10:47,940 --> 00:10:49,619
here for 2025.

355
00:10:49,620 --> 00:10:51,119
We're only a month into the new

356
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,299
year, maybe a little bit more time

357
00:10:52,300 --> 00:10:53,199
for the fiscal year.

358
00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,039
Do we know what

359
00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,299
part of the, you know,

360
00:10:57,300 --> 00:10:58,819
budget of the overtime budget has

361
00:10:58,820 --> 00:11:00,819
APD kind of reached already for this

362
00:11:00,820 --> 00:11:02,949
new fiscal year that we're in?

363
00:11:02,950 --> 00:11:04,909
Yeah. Like I said, APD

364
00:11:04,910 --> 00:11:07,289
is very much the lion's share,

365
00:11:07,290 --> 00:11:09,809
about 36% of

366
00:11:09,810 --> 00:11:11,649
the $143 million that

367
00:11:11,650 --> 00:11:13,089
we're talking about.

368
00:11:13,090 --> 00:11:15,169
So far, at the last update

369
00:11:15,170 --> 00:11:17,049
at the Public Safety Commission,

370
00:11:17,050 --> 00:11:18,829
that was on January 5th, APT said

371
00:11:18,830 --> 00:11:20,769
they'd already spent $7

372
00:11:20,770 --> 00:11:23,189
million in overtime out of

373
00:11:23,190 --> 00:11:25,509
their budget of around $26

374
00:11:25,510 --> 00:11:26,689
million.

375
00:11:26,690 --> 00:11:28,549
So it's a department that

376
00:11:28,550 --> 00:11:30,089
regularly runs over that budget,

377
00:11:30,090 --> 00:11:31,049
right, because we're talking about

378
00:11:31,050 --> 00:11:32,999
53 million from the previous year.

379
00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,019
They're budgeted this year for $26

380
00:11:35,020 --> 00:11:37,219
million, and they've already spent a

381
00:11:37,220 --> 00:11:38,799
sizable chunk of that.

382
00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:40,619
Obviously, ACL is a thing,

383
00:11:40,620 --> 00:11:42,699
SXSW is a things, police overtime

384
00:11:42,700 --> 00:11:44,559
is a necessity, and

385
00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:46,419
we'll again have to kind of wait and

386
00:11:46,420 --> 00:11:48,419
see how that shakes out this year

387
00:11:48,420 --> 00:11:50,959
with the post-Prop Q Austin.

388
00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:51,999
All right. Well, we have been

389
00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,359
speaking with KUT's government

390
00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:54,979
accountability reporter, Andrew

391
00:11:54,980 --> 00:11:56,299
Weber. Andrew, thank you for coming

392
00:11:56,300 --> 00:11:57,649
on the show.

393
00:11:57,650 --> 00:11:58,299
Appreciate you, dear.

394
00:11:58,300 --> 00:12:00,039
You can read more of From Andrew's

395
00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,839
Story at KUT.org.

396
00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:03,679
We have more there and on the KUT

397
00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:05,559
app, including Governor Greg Abbott

398
00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:06,999
directing all public universities

399
00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:08,979
and state agencies today to freeze

400
00:12:08,980 --> 00:12:11,979
new H-1B visa applications.

401
00:12:11,980 --> 00:12:13,399
This latest move escalates his

402
00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,299
administration's scrutiny of foreign

403
00:12:15,300 --> 00:12:17,179
workers employed at taxpayer-funded

404
00:12:17,180 --> 00:12:18,539
institutions.

405
00:12:18,540 --> 00:12:20,539
We have about that story at

406
00:12:20,540 --> 00:12:22,439
K-U-T.org,

407
00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:23,879
and we have more Austin Signal

408
00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:25,720
coming up after this break.

409
00:12:32,980 --> 00:12:34,959
Hi, I'm Madison Stidham, owner of

410
00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:36,299
Dead or Alive Cloth, and you're

411
00:12:36,300 --> 00:12:37,539
listening to Austin Signal.

412
00:12:40,810 --> 00:12:42,749
Well, I was born

413
00:12:42,750 --> 00:12:44,889
with the view of I-35, so

414
00:12:44,890 --> 00:12:46,709
I am as Austin as

415
00:12:46,710 --> 00:12:47,710
they come.

416
00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:51,479
It started out as like,

417
00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:52,659
Oh, I want to find like old

418
00:12:52,660 --> 00:12:54,539
historical clothes.

419
00:12:54,540 --> 00:12:56,079
And then it was like, oh, I'm

420
00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:57,659
leaving behind stuff that doesn't

421
00:12:57,660 --> 00:12:59,259
fit me, but it's really cool.

422
00:12:59,260 --> 00:13:00,919
I bet you I could sell these.

423
00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,239
And then, it just went off from

424
00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:03,240
there.

425
00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,699
It was just like, I took a

426
00:13:06,700 --> 00:13:08,619
gamble on this Goodwill and they

427
00:13:08,620 --> 00:13:10,739
didn't have anything that I

428
00:13:10,740 --> 00:13:13,339
really thought I

429
00:13:13,340 --> 00:13:15,059
could pick up.

430
00:13:15,060 --> 00:13:15,919
And so I was like.

431
00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:17,839
Oh. That's so weird, look at these

432
00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:18,699
old yearbooks.

433
00:13:18,700 --> 00:13:19,959
And I just naturally have a

434
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:21,619
fascination for like really, really

435
00:13:21,620 --> 00:13:23,519
old things.

436
00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:25,499
But I just happened to like look

437
00:13:25,500 --> 00:13:27,839
at it and there's

438
00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:29,679
actually like

439
00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,699
a note that came in it.

440
00:13:31,700 --> 00:13:33,959
And it's like a high school

441
00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,339
reunion speech that

442
00:13:36,340 --> 00:13:38,779
was given in like 80 something.

443
00:13:38,780 --> 00:13:40,919
And it talked about how,

444
00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:42,279
you know, they had gone through

445
00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:44,719
personal struggles like murder

446
00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,099
and suicide.

447
00:13:46,100 --> 00:13:47,839
And I was like, I wonder who was

448
00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:49,239
murdered at Yellow Jacket High

449
00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:50,019
School.

450
00:13:50,020 --> 00:13:52,119
So I left the Goodwill

451
00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,139
to, you know,

452
00:13:54,140 --> 00:13:55,839
to leave because I was just like,

453
00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:56,679
oh, there's just a whole bunch of

454
00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:58,419
yearbooks, but oh, let me look up

455
00:13:58,420 --> 00:14:00,219
who was murdered at Yellowjacket

456
00:14:00,220 --> 00:14:01,079
High.

457
00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,159
I looked up Yellowjackett High

458
00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,259
57 and immediately

459
00:14:05,260 --> 00:14:06,659
that yearbook popped up.

460
00:14:06,660 --> 00:14:08,359
And then I saw that Lee Harvey

461
00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,079
Oswald was in it.

462
00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,019
And so I did the fastest

463
00:14:12,020 --> 00:14:14,459
U-turn in the whole world.

464
00:14:14,460 --> 00:14:16,339
And I whipped over there and

465
00:14:16,340 --> 00:14:17,340
found the yearbook.

466
00:14:22,740 --> 00:14:25,179
I didn't think I should keep it.

467
00:14:25,180 --> 00:14:26,939
I've gotten a lot of comments about,

468
00:14:26,940 --> 00:14:27,999
you know, you should have kept it,

469
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:29,619
and things like that.

470
00:14:29,620 --> 00:14:32,759
But I feel like I

471
00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:34,739
don't have any

472
00:14:34,740 --> 00:14:36,659
sort of resources to keep

473
00:14:36,660 --> 00:14:38,739
that book, like,

474
00:14:38,740 --> 00:14:40,399
protected and perfect.

475
00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,299
So I was like, I need to just

476
00:14:42,300 --> 00:14:43,999
give it to somebody who would

477
00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:45,979
cherish it and, like protect

478
00:14:45,980 --> 00:14:47,559
it and put in, like some case or

479
00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:48,539
something.

480
00:14:48,540 --> 00:14:50,709
Um, so I was like...

481
00:14:50,710 --> 00:14:51,969
Alright, they need to go to the

482
00:14:51,970 --> 00:14:53,649
auction house, so that's what

483
00:14:53,650 --> 00:14:54,650
happened there.

484
00:14:58,830 --> 00:15:01,949
Yeah, it's like, I think in like,

485
00:15:01,950 --> 00:15:03,769
January 30th, the catalog will

486
00:15:03,770 --> 00:15:04,929
go out.

487
00:15:04,930 --> 00:15:06,829
Um, it, so

488
00:15:06,830 --> 00:15:09,149
it's really just a waiting game.

489
00:15:09,150 --> 00:15:10,989
Um, I've never

490
00:15:10,990 --> 00:15:13,409
done an auction.

491
00:15:13,410 --> 00:15:14,929
Like I, I have never done like a

492
00:15:14,930 --> 00:15:16,609
real auction, like eBay.

493
00:15:16,610 --> 00:15:18,589
Yeah. But I mean, this is

494
00:15:18,590 --> 00:15:20,109
completely different.

495
00:15:20,110 --> 00:15:22,629
Um, they have four

496
00:15:22,630 --> 00:15:24,329
sites that they're going to have it

497
00:15:24,330 --> 00:15:26,029
on. So it's going to reach as far as

498
00:15:26,030 --> 00:15:28,209
possible. And um

499
00:15:28,210 --> 00:15:29,209
The book will be on

500
00:15:29,210 --> 00:15:31,929
AustinAuctionGallery.com

501
00:15:35,850 --> 00:15:38,249
I posted the story on

502
00:15:38,250 --> 00:15:40,509
TikTok and Instagram,

503
00:15:40,510 --> 00:15:42,069
and collectively, they gathered

504
00:15:42,070 --> 00:15:44,190
around 30,000 views.

505
00:15:45,350 --> 00:15:47,409
So we've got a lot of comments,

506
00:15:47,410 --> 00:15:49,249
a lot of questions, and a

507
00:15:49,250 --> 00:15:50,969
lot people interested in it.

508
00:15:52,990 --> 00:15:54,689
The auction house actually wrote

509
00:15:54,690 --> 00:15:56,789
back and said that

510
00:15:56,790 --> 00:15:58,149
people had been contacting them

511
00:15:58,150 --> 00:15:59,150
about the book.

512
00:16:00,639 --> 00:16:02,559
And he basically said that

513
00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:03,879
you have a far reach.

514
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:05,739
So that video went to whoever

515
00:16:05,740 --> 00:16:06,940
I needed it to go to.

516
00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:20,419
Shortly after Community Garden

517
00:16:20,420 --> 00:16:22,279
opened in East Austin,

518
00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:23,299
staff started putting out butcher

519
00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:25,399
paper and markers for customers

520
00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,339
to just make art.

521
00:16:27,340 --> 00:16:29,439
Three years later, doodle nights are

522
00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,139
a regular Wednesday night activity

523
00:16:31,140 --> 00:16:33,419
at the cafe and wine bar.

524
00:16:33,420 --> 00:16:35,199
Ella Kopeikin reports the owner

525
00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,619
wanted to create an environment made

526
00:16:37,620 --> 00:16:38,620
for connection.

527
00:16:41,140 --> 00:16:42,639
On Wednesday nights at Community

528
00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,519
Garden, the energy feels more

529
00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,399
like an elementary school art class

530
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:47,579
than a wine bar.

531
00:16:47,580 --> 00:16:49,119
I caught Maria Vargas as she was

532
00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:50,509
starting on a watercolor.

533
00:16:50,510 --> 00:16:51,389
It's like this place in the

534
00:16:51,390 --> 00:16:52,929
neighborhood you can just walk,

535
00:16:52,930 --> 00:16:54,749
relax, decompress, and then just

536
00:16:54,750 --> 00:16:56,289
work on whatever projects and have

537
00:16:56,290 --> 00:16:57,459
good conversations.

538
00:16:57,460 --> 00:16:59,139
The crowd ranges from couples on

539
00:16:59,140 --> 00:17:01,359
first dates, to friends catching up,

540
00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,469
to regulars like Francesca Hymas.

541
00:17:03,470 --> 00:17:05,289
I live like two houses down

542
00:17:05,290 --> 00:17:07,189
from here, so I've been

543
00:17:07,190 --> 00:17:09,249
coming here for a while now.

544
00:17:09,250 --> 00:17:10,469
I would come here and draw because

545
00:17:10,470 --> 00:17:11,729
there was like nothing really else

546
00:17:11,730 --> 00:17:12,539
to do.

547
00:17:12,540 --> 00:17:14,399
These Doodle Nights, soundtracked by

548
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,799
local DJs, are weekly staples.

549
00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:18,439
This is Corbin Carey, a frequent

550
00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,098
Doodle Night DJ who runs the record

551
00:17:20,099 --> 00:17:22,059
shop inside Community Garden.

552
00:17:22,060 --> 00:17:23,879
It kind of just started putting

553
00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:25,739
out butcher paper on all

554
00:17:25,740 --> 00:17:27,578
the tables and a bunch of

555
00:17:27,579 --> 00:17:28,559
markers.

556
00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:29,739
And even within the first couple of

557
00:17:29,740 --> 00:17:30,599
weeks, I mean, there were people

558
00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,138
bringing like typewriters

559
00:17:33,139 --> 00:17:35,259
and all sorts of different artistic

560
00:17:35,260 --> 00:17:36,049
activities.

561
00:17:36,050 --> 00:17:37,389
Tucked away in the Chestnut

562
00:17:37,390 --> 00:17:39,109
neighborhood of East Austin, the

563
00:17:39,110 --> 00:17:41,049
space operates as a coffee shop,

564
00:17:41,050 --> 00:17:43,209
wine bar, and performance venue.

565
00:17:43,210 --> 00:17:44,869
Here's co-owner and manager, James

566
00:17:44,870 --> 00:17:45,739
Harcrow.

567
00:17:45,740 --> 00:17:47,699
It was always important to

568
00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:49,819
me to have Community Garden be

569
00:17:49,820 --> 00:17:51,999
a home for a lot of different people

570
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,959
that are into a lot different

571
00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,789
types of music or events.

572
00:17:56,790 --> 00:17:58,709
Before Community Garden, Harcrow

573
00:17:58,710 --> 00:17:59,869
had never been involved in

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hospitality, but music was a

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constant.

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I was working in

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a screen printing shop and

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00:18:06,780 --> 00:18:08,939
making electronic music and

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I wanted to create

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a platform, the label Growth

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and Decay, so catalog,

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underground electronic music from

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Texas.

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The record label, which he founded

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00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,099
in 2015, introduced him

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00:18:21,100 --> 00:18:23,079
to new local music and expanded his

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00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:24,719
network of fellow artists.

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00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:26,579
Then, when the pandemic halted live

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00:18:26,580 --> 00:18:28,799
events, Harcrow made an unexpected

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pivot to keep in touch with his

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growing community.

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I just started making acai bowls at

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home. I would have friends come

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over. They would eat these bowls.

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We would hang out. We would catch

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up.

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Two of these friends were Brian

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Almaraz and Cole Evans, owners

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00:18:41,010 --> 00:18:42,929
of the Coconut Club downtown.

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When club staff began to discuss

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00:18:44,490 --> 00:18:46,269
reopening, they asked Harcrow to

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cater the meetings.

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After a few months, they had a

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proposition.

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Brian and Cole had approached me

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and just said, hey, we think these

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are really tasty.

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And if you were ever interested in

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doing something outside of your

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00:18:58,270 --> 00:19:00,249
studio apartment, we would be

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really stoked to

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chat more.

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Harcrow felt a cafe would provide

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him the opportunity to create an

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environment that encourages

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connection, especially connection

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through music.

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It was going to be a place that

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we could do the record release

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parties and the art shows and be

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a hub for the city for

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interesting things that are going

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on.

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00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:22,259
Community Garden opened its doors in

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00:19:22,260 --> 00:19:24,219
spring 2023, offering

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00:19:24,220 --> 00:19:25,999
acai bowls and coffee during the

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00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,019
day, wine at night, and music

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00:19:28,020 --> 00:19:29,739
from open to close.

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Within the first few weeks, a friend

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proposed doodle nights.

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Had suggested that it would be

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00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:37,919
really neat to do some type of

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doodle night. People would show up

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and would just draw and hang out.

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And so from there, we gave it a try.

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They would also have a DJ or curated

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00:19:45,780 --> 00:19:47,539
playlist to make the evening feel

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00:19:47,540 --> 00:19:49,219
relaxed and encourage the artistic

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00:19:49,220 --> 00:19:50,019
flow.

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00:19:50,020 --> 00:19:51,559
Here's Corbin Carey again.

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Sometimes there's DJs, sometimes

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00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:54,159
there's not, but even when there's

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no DJs usually James is playing

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00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:58,259
records or someone's playing good

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00:19:58,260 --> 00:19:58,829
records.

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00:19:58,830 --> 00:20:00,629
Francesca Hymas was part of a small

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group that started coming early on.

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Some usuals would be here and

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00:20:04,860 --> 00:20:06,859
we would draw and then we started

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00:20:06,860 --> 00:20:08,479
making like games out of it.

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00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,179
I was drawing with a friend and we

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00:20:10,180 --> 00:20:11,499
would always like make like fun

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characters and we'd play like

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Pictionary and stuff.

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I try to come as often as possible.

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Over time, the word spread.

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Maria Vargas found out about Doodle

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00:20:20,310 --> 00:20:21,509
Night through Instagram.

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00:20:21,510 --> 00:20:22,989
I lived in a neighborhood for years

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and I just had always seen on social

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media that they had a doodle night

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00:20:26,050 --> 00:20:27,969
and so I texted these guys

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and I was like, hey do you want to

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check it out?

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Almost three years later, the

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00:20:31,430 --> 00:20:32,889
event has become a Wednesday night

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00:20:32,890 --> 00:20:33,779
tradition.

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I think it's like a lot of first

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dates and then a lot of just cool

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00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:39,399
creative people that come and like

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having, you know, an outside space

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to come and draw or

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do whatever kind of art they

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would like to do.

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And there's good music.

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00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,699
Although rooted in music, Community

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Garden now hosts all kinds of

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00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:53,079
creatives. No two weeks are the

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00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:53,509
same.

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00:20:53,510 --> 00:20:55,769
Whether it's a food pop-up or

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a market, zines,

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00:20:57,910 --> 00:20:59,709
book pop-ups, vintage pop- ups,

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00:20:59,710 --> 00:21:00,709
there's always going to be something

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00:21:00,710 --> 00:21:02,129
new and interesting.

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00:21:02,130 --> 00:21:03,889
But Wednesday doodle nights, where

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00:21:03,890 --> 00:21:05,689
DJs cultivate a different theme or

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00:21:05,690 --> 00:21:07,409
vibe, and Tuesday listening room

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00:21:07,410 --> 00:21:09,069
sessions where DJ's play full

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00:21:09,070 --> 00:21:10,989
albums, are mainstays,

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00:21:10,990 --> 00:21:13,129
drawing big crowds on slow nights,

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00:21:13,130 --> 00:21:14,549
and showcasing the diversity of

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00:21:14,550 --> 00:21:16,469
music played at Community Garden.

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00:21:16,470 --> 00:21:18,109
This is Marshall Spaulding, an

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employee and DJ.

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00:21:19,290 --> 00:21:21,429
We are so good at being a

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00:21:21,430 --> 00:21:23,389
canvas for like any

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00:21:23,390 --> 00:21:25,669
type of person or music that

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00:21:25,670 --> 00:21:27,529
wants to come here and express

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00:21:27,530 --> 00:21:28,609
themselves.

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00:21:28,610 --> 00:21:30,549
And as the venue has grown as a host

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00:21:30,550 --> 00:21:32,429
for artists, the business itself

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00:21:32,430 --> 00:21:34,289
has grown, much to Hargrove's

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00:21:34,290 --> 00:21:35,039
surprise.

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00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:36,279
I would have never thought that the

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00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:37,939
space would then go into be a wine

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00:21:37,940 --> 00:21:40,399
bar that also served espresso,

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00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,399
that also then turned into a spot

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00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,359
that's serving these elevated

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00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:45,619
small plate.

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00:21:45,620 --> 00:21:47,299
But for Harcrow, the greatest

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00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:48,519
achievement is that people keep

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00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:49,459
coming in.

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00:21:49,460 --> 00:21:51,259
You know, I think at the core of it,

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00:21:51,260 --> 00:21:53,219
it was my love for all

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00:21:53,220 --> 00:21:55,339
the people that were around me and

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00:21:55,340 --> 00:21:57,319
wanting to create a home that would

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foster a bit more connection.

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00:21:59,050 --> 00:22:00,529
And the community of Community

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00:22:00,530 --> 00:22:01,970
Garden keeps growing.

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00:22:03,170 --> 00:22:04,989
For KUT News, I'm Ella

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00:22:04,990 --> 00:22:06,490
Kopaken in Austin.

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00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,839
And that is it for

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00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:15,699
today's show.

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00:22:15,700 --> 00:22:17,119
Thank you for tuning in and spending

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00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:19,059
some time here with us.

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00:22:19,060 --> 00:22:20,499
Don't forget that you can find more

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00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:22,119
from today's show in the show notes

728
00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:23,439
wherever you listen to your

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00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,419
podcasts, as well as over at

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00:22:25,420 --> 00:22:27,399
kut.org

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00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,159
slash signal.

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00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:30,519
Rayna Sevilla is our technical

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00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,379
director and Kristen Cabrera is our

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00:22:32,380 --> 00:22:33,739
managing producer.

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00:22:33,740 --> 00:22:36,179
Special thanks today to Casey Cheek,

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00:22:36,180 --> 00:22:38,499
Greta Díaz, González Vázquez,

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00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:40,679
Andrew Weber and Ella Kopeikin.

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00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,159
I'm your host Jerry Quijano.

739
00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:44,659
Austin Signal is going to be back on

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00:22:44,660 --> 00:22:47,139
the radio at the same time tomorrow.

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00:22:47,140 --> 00:22:48,159
We'll talk to you then.

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00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:49,359
Be careful out there.

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00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:50,360
Stay warm.