Georgetown saw dangerous flash flooding on Saturday, July 5. | Photo by Riley Botz
Central Texans are coming together to support those affected by flooding along the Guadalupe River.
The Hill Country lies in an area of the country known as “Flash Flood Alley,” which is the flash flood capital of the US, and some areas of the Hill Country received upwards of 20 inches of rain over the holiday weekend. If you’d like to support recovery efforts, consider looking to these organizers.
Donate money
Arcadia Live Kerrville | This organization is seeking to raise $800,000 to repair the Kerrville community.
I Slay You Slay | A donation of $10 funds a full toiletry kit for impacted people.
Donate supplies
Commodore Perry Estate | Donate items like canned food, bottled water, clothing, cleaning supplies, and trash bags from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
Round Mountain Baptist Church | This church is accepting donations and providing 24/7 support to those displaced by flooding.
Citrus with a Texas Twist | 6:30-9 p.m. | Central Market - North Lamar | $100 | Learn how to make a full menu of citrusy dishes — like chile y limon scallops and Texas Ruby Red grapefruit cake — infused with the taste of Texas.
“Us” | 7:30 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $12 | This Jordan Peele thriller will have you on the edge of your seat, whether or not you’re seeing it for the first time.
Wednesday, July 9
An Evening with Melanie Sweeney | 7 p.m. | BookPeople | Free with RSVP | Join the local, USA Today-bestselling author to chat about her new romance novel.
Thursday, July 10
Kelsea Ballerini | 8 p.m. | ACL Live at The Moody Theater | Free | You have to enter to win tickets to the country singer’s “Austin City Limits” Season 51 taping.
Friday, July 11
Hannibal Buress | Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 13 | Times vary | Cap City Comedy Club | $50+ | Known for his work on “The Eric Andre Show” and “Broad City,” you have five chances to catch this hilarious comic and DJ.
Thursday, July 31
“Weird Al” Yankovic | 7:30 p.m. | Bass Concert Hall | $50+ | Get “Bigger and Weirder” on the renowned parody artist’s concert experience.
The heavy rainfall over the long weekend caused the area around Mansfield Dam at Lake Travis to rise nearly 18 feet, and it’s expected to keep filling. The lake is considered full at 681 feet, and is currently sitting at ~655 feet. (Austin American-Statesman)
Biz
Nvidia Corp. — aka the biggest company in the world by market cap — plans to lease an office at One Uptown near The Domain. Its lease is expected to span 100,000 sqft, which is roughly enough for 650 employees, in addition to its two existing offices in Austin. (Austin Business Journal)
Civic
Austinites are prohibited from using local waterways, including Barton Creek and Lady Bird Lake, until 12 p.m. today. The city of Austin extended its ban, which was initially set to yesterday at 12 p.m., as lakes and rivers may be unsafe to use due to debris and flash flooding risks. (Community Impact)
Number
$230,000. That’s the fundraising goal for this campaign to support Camp Mystic campers and their families. Anything donated here will go toward therapy costs for the girls and their loved ones following their harrowing experiences.
Tech
Have you seen Jake the Rizzbot walking around? The AI-powered robot has been roaming the Capital City’s streets, delivering Gen Z-coded compliments to passersby. If you see him, send us a photo. (USA Today)
Regional
Shakira announced that she will donate a portion of the proceeds from her Alamodome show to flood relief efforts. The Colombian singer-songwriter made the announcement before the show this past weekend, and took to social media to write, “San Antonio, my heart is with you.” (KSAT)
Learn
Unfortunately, some people use tragedies as a time to profiteer and take advantage of others’ kindness. Before donating to a cause, we recommend brushing up on some tips to recognize scams and fake fundraisers, including free tools to check a charity’s legitimacy. (NBC DFW)
Cause
We’ve given a lot of ways to help out throughout this newsletter — and here’s a final one. The Texas Tribune is offering advice for mental health treatment options, specific drives + items in need, insurance claims, and recovery assistance. (Texas Tribune)
Sports
How does the Longhorns’ recruiting class look in comparison to the rest of the SEC’s teams? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the SEC with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Stat
678%. That’s how much our self-service ad portal’s returning customer rate has grown since this time last year. Discover what’s driving the acclaim — visit our self service ad portal for flexible options with zero long-term contract.
Post of the Day
Superman is just one of the animals that has already found his way into a foster home while his family gets back on their feet after the floods.
Austin Pets Alive! is accepting aid in the form of fostering, donating supplies, facilitating intake, or driving to Kerr County.
A best-selling vibrator, on sale for Prime Day. Get 30% off plusOne’s bullet-style vibrator that’s made of body-safe silicone and is small enough for travel.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
The first photo in the newsletter actually came from my cousin, who is safe, in Georgetown. My family is accounted for, and I hope the same for you and yours.
