Early Voting Rocks!

Early voting in Texas continues this week before wrapping up on Friday, February 28.  Several of the major Democratic presidential candidates are visiting the state before the March 3 Super Tuesday primary, demonstrating the state’s importance with its 228 pledged delegates up for grabs, more than the four early voting states (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina) combined.

Helpful clicks:  Here’s an excellent voter’s guide for the primaries, here’s everything you need to know about voting in Texas and here’s information on early voting numbers in the 10 largest Texas counties.  Be sure to vote!

Committees for New Texas House Members

Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) announced committee appointments for the three newly elected members of the Texas House – pursuant to House Rules, the three new legislators will fill the committee positions left vacant by their predecessors.  Assignments are as follows:

• Lorraine Birabil (D-Dallas) – Higher Education Committee; Urban Affairs Committee
• Anna Eastman (D-Houston) – Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee; Natural Resources Committee
• Gary Gates (R-Richmond) – Appropriations Committee; Pensions, Investments, & Financial Services Committee

Wall Street Journal Names Austin Hottest Job Market in U.S.

For the second year in a row, Austin has topped the Wall Street Journal’s ranking of the hottest job markets among major U.S. metro areas.  Five important metrics were measured to determine rankings — unemployment rate, workforce participation rate, job growth rate, workforce growth rate and wage growth rate.

Among metro areas with at least 1 million residents, Austin took the #1 spot and Nashville came in at 2, followed by Denver at 3 and Seattle at 4; Seattle, San Francisco and Salt Lake City tied at 5.  Other Texas cities included Dallas-Fort Worth at 9, San Antonio at 13 and Houston at 21.

Only in Austin…

Do it for the ‘gram (and the great food):  For the second year, Lucky Robot Japanese Kitchen on ultra-hip South Congress Avenue is celebrating Japan’s sakura, or cherry blossom, season with a pop-up blossom installation beginning March 11.  More than 550 pounds of cherry blossoms will be hand-strung throughout the restaurant to mimic the gorgeous floral canopies that hang over the rivers of Japan.  Saké and sakura…a lovely way to celebrate spring in Austin!