Hot Headlines
Praise for Texas' state parks leads Austin's 5 most-read stories this week

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.
1. Texas has 2 of the country's top 10 state parks, says new list. Two Texas state parks should be at the top of the summer road trip destination list: Garner State Park and Palo Duro Canyon State Park.
2. Texas trips up at No. 36 in new 2024 ranking of best states to live in. Texas' not-so-stellar ranking has now branded the state as the 15th worst state to live in the nation. For comparison, Massachusetts ranked as the No. 1 best state to live in.
3. Both Austin finalists win H-E-B competition to sell products statewide. Birria Queen has won the grand prize for its birria seasoning bombs, and Certified Country Lemonade has won second place for its frozen iced teas and lemonades.
4. Earthy home of Austin's 'Pepper Lady' on the market for $1.33 million. A rustic home tucked away in Oak Hill once owned by the late UT Austin professor and naturalist Jean Andrews — lovingly known as "The Pepper Lady" — is on the market for $1.33 million.
5. New non-alcoholic bar in East Austin brings social drinking to new highs. The new bar is an extension of Taano Elevated Beverages, an Austin-based brand that offers curated botanical drinks made with legal psychoactive plants.