Michael Barnes

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michael Barnes

"Jogging in this midday heat? Are you a crazy person?"Admit it: You've screamed this invective (silently) in the general direction of some ultra-fit runner during Austin's six months of extreme heat. For most of us, if we have not already retreated entirely to air-conditioned houses or vehicles, we run — or at least walk — outdoors strictly before 8 a.m. or perhaps at dusk. Walking during the middle of the day, however, can be less than utterly hellish if one sticks to the shady side of the street.

2 weeks ago | statesman.com | Michael Barnes

If you've lived in Texas for a good while, you probably don't need this advice. Most of what follows is common sense. Yet we republish this timely June 24, 2024 story on pet safety during extreme heat as a public-service reminder. It all boils down to common sense: If you are hot, so is your dog. Normally, a newspaper reporter might seek expert opinions on a subject like this. I've been walking dogs in Texas for almost 70 years, nearly 40 of those in Austin. Need a break?

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Michael Barnes

On May 19, ATX Theatre released the nominations for the 2025 Austin Theatre Critics Awards. The winners will be announced at 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday, June 9 at the 04 Center, located at 2107 S. Lamar Blvd. The event is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance at atxtheatre.org. This is a new honor. It builds on the good will preserved from the former Austin Critics Table Awards, which dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic after three decades of honoring the city's artists in multiple disciplines.

2 weeks ago | statesman.com | Michael Barnes

On May 19, ATX Theatre released the nominations for the 2025 Austin Theatre Critics Awards. The winners will be announced at 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday, June 9 at the 04 Center, located at 2107 S. Lamar Blvd. The event is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance at atxtheatre.org. This is a new honor. It builds on the good will preserved from the former Austin Critics Table Awards, which dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic after three decades of honoring the city's artists in multiple disciplines.

2 weeks ago | statesman.com | Michael Barnes

Scanning the American-Statesman archives for evidence of the earliest Chinese American families in Austin — inspired by May being Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month — I came across some fleeting references to Chinese news and culture during this newspaper's first years. One 1876 article that included a reference to young Chinese performers reminded me of a family — the Lungs — who would have been among the earliest to settle here.