📺 TV festival returns

Welcome to Tuesday.

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🗳️ Programming note: It's Election Day for the primary runoffs. You must vote in the same party's runoff election that you voted in for the March primary.

• If you didn't vote then, you can choose either party's runoff.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Austin member Jeanne and Michael Aronoff!

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Today's newsletter is 1,084 words — a 4-minute read.

ATX TV Festival is back in downtown Austin this weekend with TV reunions, sneak peeks, celebrity panels and a few new additions to mark its 15th year.

Why it matters: The four-day festival, running Friday to Monday, is dedicated to television — something co-founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson say was the point from the beginning.

What they're saying: "We joke that we were unemployed and couldn't face starting over again as assistants, but that is just the lore," McFarland tells Axios.

• "In reality, we were just up for an adventure and thought TV deserved a place to be celebrated."

Between the lines: Their focus on television helps the festival stand out as Austin's festival calendar has become increasingly crowded, McFarland says.

• "There are still very few TV festivals, and no other ones in Austin," she says.

Reality check: A lot has happened in television since the duo founded ATX TV Festival, including the pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood writers and actors strikes.

• "TV was upended ... it was very hard to plan, and it was the only year we truly shrunk," McFarland says.

By the numbers: Last year's festival saw the highest revenue and highest attendance, with over 4,800 attendees, per McFarland.

• Organizers expect to meet or exceed last year's turnout.

What to expect: The festival mixes fan-focused events with industry conversations, screenings and reunions.

• McFarland and Gipson call it "TV camp for adults," with cast reunions during the day and parties at night.

Zoom in: This year's biggest draw is likely the "Friday Night Lights" reunion and homecoming celebration to mark the iconic Austin-filmed show's 20th anniversary.

• Cast members including Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons and Aimee Teegarden are expected alongside creator Jason Katims.
• Other headline events include a 30th anniversary reunion for "Everybody Loves Raymond" and a conversation with "Ted Lasso" creator Bill Lawrence.

📍 If you go: Badges start at $150 for a "TV Pass," which includes access to four general programming events and one marquee event.

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Two competitors will represent the Austin area at the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee championship this week.

Driving the news: Thivaan Butani, a sixth grader at Lake Travis Middle School, and Sreeyansh Pasham, an eighth grader at Basis Cedar Park, will head to the national competition beginning today in Washington, D.C.

• They are among 23 Texas spellers competing this year.

Catch up quick: Butani, who was eliminated in the sixth round last year on the word "culmen," said his preparation comes down to consistency and repetition.

• "I just take deep breaths, stay in the moment, and focus on my word," he said in a statement provided by Lake Travis ISD.
• He said much of his studying involves reading books and reviewing word lists he's created himself.

Zoom in: Pasham enjoys building keyboards and robots, programming, and playing video games, according to information on the Scripps website.

• His favorite sport is soccer and his favorite book is "The Three-Body Problem" by Liu Cixin.

🐝 Bee smart: For aspiring spellers, it's all about remaining calm, Butani says.

• "Just stay calm and keep studying. If you get out, you have plenty more chances."

What we're watching: The spelling bee preliminary rounds are today, followed by the semifinals tomorrow and finals on Thursday.

• Check out all the spellers on the Scripps site and watch the semifinals and finals live on Ion.

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✏️ Austin ISD has not released proposed budget cuts amid a $181 million deficit. (KUT)

🎓 The University of Texas System expanded the reasons campus presidents can close academic departments. The changes come as UT Austin consolidates its ethnic and gender studies programs. (Austin American-Statesman)

🚧 Cedar Park officials updated the timeline and budget for the Bell Boulevard pedestrian bridge project, pushing the estimated completion into 2028. (Community Impact)

Jeremy Denson and his team at Bison Coolers in Texas use Google AI to process orders, take notes, and draft emails, press releases, and product descriptions.

The result: Saving several hours each week to engage with customers and grow the business.

Learn more.

It's time to reach once more into the reader mailbag.

After Nicole asked for your advice on getting rid of gnats in her indoor potting soil, it turned out many of you have green thumbs.

John F. recommends filling a clear cup halfway with apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of dish soap. Cover the top with plastic and use a toothpick to poke several holes in it.

• "The apple cider vinegar smell attracts the gnats and the dishsoap coats their wings," he writes. "The clear cup allows you to see the 'fruits' of your labor."

"Our bug guy suggested nematodes from Amazon to help with gnats and fruit flies!" Megan M. tells us.

Chris A. swears by a combination of hydrogen peroxide to kill eggs and yellow sticky traps to go after adults.

"Put carnivorous plants next to your gnatty pots," recommends Leslie M. "This is a slower and not guaranteed method. But it's a nice circle-of-life solution."

Eden N. suggests repotting, using less water and installing fly traps.

The bottom line: Nicole repotted her plants and used these granules recommended by a friend to take care of her gnats. It's helped a lot.

• She also echoes John F's recommendation.

We've got plans for your short workweek.

Tuesday

🍿 Watch "Moulin Rouge" (2001), part of the Paramount Summer Classic Film Series. 7:30pm, $15.

🧶 Take your teens to an afternoon of crafts at Southeast Branch library's crafternoon event. 4-5:30pm, free.

Wednesday

🍽️ Find some new recipes to make during the week at Erin O'Brien's cookbook release at Book People, featuring a conversation between O'Brien and Tim Laielli. 6pm, free RSVP.

Thursday

📖 Catch a panel discussion at First Light on "Beneath the Bluebonnets: Tales of Terror by Texas Women," a collection of stories written by 12 women set across Texas. 6pm, free RSVP.

Google is partnering with local chambers of commerce and small business development centers across Texas to provide hands-on AI training to help people solve business challenges.

The result: Small businesses put AI to work for practical, everyday applications.

Learn more.

Thanks to Astrid Galván and Bob Gee for editing this newsletter.

🏖️ Asher is out.

🍕 Nicole is ordering her election night pizza.

Congrats to our Friday news quiz winner Barrett Crosswell, who has lived in Austin for eight years and enjoys dining with friends and going out on the lake. The answers: Austin FC's coach was fired; Violent crime declined; and Liam was the most popular boy name in Texas.