cocktails for a cause

Announcing Mixers on the Map: CultureMap's new series benefiting localnonprofits

Austin has a wealth of nonprofit organizations, supporting a range of initiatives — from literacy and housing to the arts and animal welfare. As Austin’s Daily Digital Magazine, it’s part of CultureMap’s mission to support the larger community, including our non-profit landscape.

The inaugural Mixers on the Map will benefit Austin Pets Alive, a local nonprofit whose mission is to promote and provide the resources, education and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals.

With that goal in mind, CultureMap is launching a new monthly happy hour series starting in July: Mixers on the Map. Each Mixers on the Map event will pair a selected nonprofit with one of Austin's best restaurants for a casual, weekday meet up that's all about mingling, eating and drinking (with some special offers, of course). It's a chance for the nonprofit's current members and the broader community to connect, learn more about the organization, and hopefully send a little extra support its way.

Austin Pets Alive has helped paved to make Austin a “no-kill” city, by implementing innovative programs based on research for no-kill best practices in other areas. The organization’s rescue efforts focus on pets who have already been passed over by other groups, pets who would be killed and have no other options. So, thanks to Austin Pets Alive, companion animals get a well-deserved second chance.

Mixers on the Map will take place at Papi Tino’s on Tuesday, July 17. The event is open to the public — animal lovers welcome — and will include complimentary light bites from Papi Tino’s, plus tequila tastings from Ambhar Tequila. The $5.00 suggested donation will directly benefit Austin Pets Alive and its mission.

Look for Mixers on the Map, popping up at a new Austin hot spot each month.

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Editor's note: Restaurants and nonprofit organizations interested in participating in Mixers on the Map should contact Director of Marketing, Veronica Castelo at veronica@culturemap.com.

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Keeping The Lights On?

ERCOT meteorologist predicts higher chance of extreme cold this winter

Photo courtesy of KVUE

ERCOT says it has improved its reliability, but other Texans aren't sure it's enough.

The lead meteorologist for the state’s power grid operator, ERCOT, is predicting both a warmer winter and a higher chance of extreme cold.

During a Tuesday board meeting, Chris Coleman said current climate patterns are very similar to those in 2021 when a winter storm knocked out power for millions of Texans for several days.

“Now, that doesn’t mean we’re going to have [Winter Storm] Uri, but it does again say that we’re in a pattern that supports something like a Uri this winter,” said Coleman, ERCOT's supervisor of operational forecasting.

Coleman compared his winter forecast to a tornado watch: The conditions are there, but the storm may or may not happen.

ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas told KVUE on November 25 that he doesn’t expect calls for conservation or rolling blackouts.

“We're ready for those kinds of conditions at ERCOT,” said Vegas.

During Tuesday’s board meeting, Vegas touted nearly 3,000 weatherization inspections since 2021 and more than 10,000 megawatts of new generation added to the grid since March, mostly solar and battery storage. ERCOT estimates 1 megawatt can power 250 homes on average during peak winter demand.

However, Texas energy consultant Doug Lewin questions that math.

“[We are] better off than we were in February 2021 but not out of the woods,” said Lewin, who authors the Texas Energy and Power Hour newsletter and hosts the Energy Capital podcast. “We don’t have a system that’s resilient enough to deal with a Winter Storm Uri.”

Lewin points to two main reasons: a natural gas supply system he says is not adequately winterized, along with inefficient homes and buildings that push demand beyond supply.

“We have to bring that demand down and do that by increasing the programs we have for energy efficiency to replace inefficient heat with much more efficient forms of heat, like heat pumps.”

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

ercot weather safety nature

cocktails for a cause

Announcing Mixers on the Map: CultureMap's new series benefiting localnonprofits

Keeping The Lights On?

ERCOT meteorologist predicts higher chance of extreme cold this winter

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