developing news

Fire ravages popular bar and grill in downtown Kyle

The fire no longer appears to be a threat, though it left behind extensive damage.

Photo by Conner Board

KVUE — Fire crews are responding to a fire at a business on West Center Street in Kyle Thursday morning, January 27.

The Austin Fire Department is assisting the Kyle Fire Department with the fire at Papa Jack’s, located in the heart of Kyle. KVUE crews on the scene confirmed that the San Marcos Fire Department is also responding.

AFD said at 4:18 am that the working fire had “gone defensive.”

The Kyle Fire Department said Center Street is closed through Downtown Kyle. The City of Kyle later said the following roadways are closed:

Center Street from Burleson to Front streets
Lockhart Street from Front to Burleson streets
Main Street from Miller to Lockhart streets
Front Street from Miller to Center streets

Additionally, Kyle City Hall will not be able to open today, according to the City.

As of 6:30 am Thursday, the City said the fire was still active. However, as of around 8:30 am, KVUE crews on the scene said that the fire no longer appeared to be active and that fire crews had packed up hoses and were beginning to tear down some walls.

KVUE crews report extensive damage to the building, including what appears to be a collapsed roof. No injuries have been reported, according to the City.

Continue reading this developing story and watch the video on KVUE.

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Taco News

Popular Austin taco truck Con Todo wraps up business after 3 years

contodotacos.com

Con Todo is closed, but Chef Joseph Gomez is looking forward to the future.

A very popular Austin taco trailer at Celis Brewery has suddenly shut its ordering window. Con Todo chef Joseph Gomez made the announcement on his Instagram account, which was previously the business' account.

As Gomez points out in the message, the account predated Con Todo and will survive it, too, under his own name. It's a clear handle for what the chef plans to do: continue his career and the things Con Todo stood for, but not under the Con Todo name or project.

"Sorry for delay on posting but, after much thought, I’ve made the difficult decision to close the doors to Con Todo 😢. This is one of the hardest choices I’ve ever had to make," Gomez wrote. "Con Todo wasn’t just a business — it was my livelihood, my passion, so deeply personal to me. For those of you who know me, you understand how much heart, soul, time, effort I put into it."

Gomez lists several identities and callings he plans to continue expanding: among them, advocacy, cooking, writing, and being "a proud ADHD weirdo."

"My commitment to supporting migrant workers’ rights remains is as strong as ever, and I’ll continue that work through new projects, as I always have," he writes. "You’ve heard me talk about this mission before, and this year is going to be especially important to take a deep dive into it and explore what’s happening on the border towns where I am from. I won’t be quiet about it."

Gomez and Con Todo have garnered acclaim from food industry and media sources including the James Beard Foundation, Texas Monthly, and CultureMap's own Tastemaker Awards; however the chef doesn't seem too concerned with formal praise from the Michelin Guide as he signs off with the snarky Spanish "#michelinmisnalgas." (He had already been using the hashtag for years prior to winning a recommendation from Michelin in November 2024, and the team did attend the ceremony.)

According to Con Todo's website manifesto, cuisine at Con Todo was both deeply personal to Gomez and representative of the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), so it seems likely that Austinites will get to enjoy eats in the same style from Gomez going forward.

"In the mean time, keep an eye out for me doing pop ups, events, talks, panels and a little pot stirring," Gomez writes. "Nos vemos pronto!"

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