goGlow opened its first Central Texas location in Westlake in August.
The overview: The new luxury sunless tanning salon held a grand opening celebration on Aug. 26. Owned by Ramya Kumaraswamy and Kunal Vanjara, the location offers custom airbrush spray tans inside of walk-in booths.
The details: “Austin is a city that values wellness, individuality, and clean beauty, and we’re honored to bring our signature experience to such a vibrant community,” founder and CEO of goGLOW Melanie Richards said in a news release shared Aug. 5. “Our mission is to raise the bar for sunless tanning and redefine it as a credible beauty and wellness service.”
3600 N. Capital of Texas Hwy., Bldg. A, Ste. 204, Austin
Bee Cave Police Lieutenant Bill Pitmon was appointed as interim chief of police in the city of Bee Cave, effective Sep. 13, following the retirement of Police Chief Brian Jones.
The overview: At a Sept. 9 Bee Cave City Council meeting, City Manager Julie Oakley recommended appointing Lt. Bill Pitmon as the interim chief of police for the city, which was approved by council unanimously.
Pitmon currently serves as the patrol commander for the Bee Cave Police Department.
The background: Jones announced his retirement Sept. 2, after serving in his role with the city for four years.
“After 29 years in law enforcement, I have decided it’s time to step back and take a break,” Jones said in a news release shared by the city Sept. 2. “Thank you for the opportunity to lead this department and serve the citizens of Bee Cave. It has been an honor.”
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Austin area.
Persian pop-up Roya is set to open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in North Austin this fall.
Roya is owned and operated by chef Amir Hajimaleki, who also owns Austin restaurants District Kitchen + Cocktails, Oasthouse Kitchen + Bar, Keepers Coastal Kitchen and Daisy Lounge.
Hajimaleki has served Roya's Persian cuisine at exclusive pop-up dinners across the Austin area since 2018, and the new restaurant will take over the former Shortie's Pizza + Grinders space, located above Hajimaleki's District restaurant.
New Worlds Conference returns to Austin, taking attendees through the future of space
Austin locals and visitors alike can venture to space with EarthLight Foundation’s annual New Worlds Conference, combining all things science, exploration, technology, art, music and literature and their connection with space exploration.
What to know: From Oct. 23-25, community members can engage with a variety of interactive activities, speakers and more while learning about space exploration and connecting with like-minded individuals.
The three-day event will feature a mix of TED-style sessions showcasing topics from national space policy and space biomedicine to private space stations, cloud cities on Venus, farming on the moon and the ethics of artificial intelligence-human partnerships.
What else? In addition to the conference’s presentations, attendees will have the chance to get to know 10 early-stage NewSpace startups as well as visionary university students competing in Space Tank, a showcase for emerging ventures to gain visibility, mentorship and community.
The finale: After two days of learning and building community, participants will enjoy an evening of ceremony, costume party, concert and fundraising at the conference’s Space Cowboy Ball.
Gov. Abbott issues executive order prohibiting THC sales to Texans under 21
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a Sept. 10 executive order aimed at prohibiting hemp-derived THC products from being sold to minors, which he called “safety for kids, freedom for adults.” The order comes one week after a special legislative session ended without Abbott and state lawmakers agreeing on legislation to ban or restrict THC sales.
The details: Abbott’s order directs the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to “immediately begin the rulemaking process” on new THC regulations, including:
Limiting THC sales to people 21 years and older
Requiring THC retailers to check all customers’ IDs
Expanding testing and labeling requirements for THC products
Raising manufacturer and retailer licensing fees to cover costs of enforcing the new rules
Enhancing monitoring by state and local law enforcement
What they're saying:“Governor Abbott has shown that Texas can protect children without turning back to prohibition,” Heather Fazio, director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center, said in a statement. “While we have some concerns, this is a win for safety, freedom and free markets.”
