The Best of JB & Crew on Austin 360 Radio Podcast

The Best of JB & Crew on Austin 360 Radio Podcast

By Austin American-StatesmanArtsPerforming Arts
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The Best of JB & Crew on Austin 360 Radio Podcast episodes

  • Katie Hall on elementary school closures

    A day after Austin school board members approved a plan to shutter four elementary schools and consolidate students at other campuses next year, affected parents are vowing to oppose future district bond elections and the board members who supported the closures.

    The nine-member school board late Monday voted 6-3 to close Metz, Sims, Brooke and Pease elementaries, agreeing to the recommendations district staff had submitted and revised since September. The closures disproportionately affect Latino and black students with all but one school located in East Austin; Pease is in downtown Austin. Parents in schools slated for closure have complained of officials being opaque in the closure process and dismissive of parent concerns. Critics also accused the plan of being racist.

    “I cannot trust anything they say because the process has been so flawed, so dishonest, so inauthentic and just a pell-mell rush,” said Kristine Garaña, mother of two children enrolled at Pease, told the American-Statesman.

    The closures were part of an overall “School Changes” plan that includes providing before- and after-school care for district elementary students, working toward eliminating racial disparities in disciplinary actions, and increasing literacy for students of color and English learners by third grade.

    Brooke students will be split among Linder, Govalle, Sanchez and Zavala elementaries. Metz students will move to Sanchez Elementary, Sims students to Norman Elementary and Pease students to Zavala Elementary.

    1/1HIDE CAPTIONPease students held signs in the back of the Austin school district board room Monday. Later in the evening, the board voted to close Pease, Metz, Sims and Brooke elementary schools in 2020 and 2021. [BRONTE WITTPENN/AMERICAN-STATESMAN] Bronte Wittpenn

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    16 min
  • Mathew Odam El Azteca returns on secret menu

    uan Guerra has wanted to bring back the comforting flavors of his family’s legendary Mexican restaurant ever since El Azteca closed in East Austin in 2016. His wait will soon end.

    The former general manager and chef at the East Austin restaurant his grandparents Jorge D. Guerra and Ninfa Guerra opened in 1963 has taken a position at 8 Track bar and restaurant at 2805 Manor Road in East Austin and will be incorporating some of El Azteca’s staple to the current menu that includes burgers, a schnitzel sandwich, pork tacos, crab cake “corn dogs” and more.

    8 Track is already serving El Azteca’s queso, salsa and enchiladas on the weekend and hopes by next week to introduce a bigger “EL Azteca Secret Menu” with items like carne guisada, tortilla soup and veggie enchiladas, with plans to expand the menu over time depending on response. The kitchen is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

    “Making this food and tasting it and smelling it takes me back. It’s like all I have to do is close my eyes and I can hear and see my grandparents and father eating it and enjoying it,” said Guerra, who has lost his grandparents and father since the restaurant on East Seventh Street closed. “It’s in my blood and I’m so happy to bring it back.”

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    7 min

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The Best of the JB and crew on Austin360 Radio covering Entertainment, Life and everything we love about Austin, Texas www.austin360radio.com