Texas
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Legendary concert promoter James “Disco Donnie” Estopinal is planning a new festival for central Texas, timed to coincide with a rare total solar eclipse that will be visible across North America next year.
Dubbed the Texas Eclipse, the celebration will take place April 8, 2024 in Burnet at Reveille Peak Ranch, located just 60 minutes outside of Austin.
“About a year from now, millions of people from around the world will be able to witness a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list event,” Estopinal tells Billboard. “The Texas Eclipse is distinct from the events we normally create and will involve collaboration with various groups and organizations to produce a unique and collective event experience.”
So far, few details on the event have been released. A press release announcing the event explains “Texas Eclipse will be a nexus of cultures, passions and interests; bringing together a curated experience for all to encourage discovery, exploration, and participation. In addition to featuring multi-genre world class music talent, it will also feature the best of Central Texas culture, including interactive art installations and local food and craft vendors. Beginning the weekend before, attendees can camp on the stunning festival grounds to enjoy a host of family-friendly fun, including exciting music performances, mind blowing space exhibits and interactive technology activations ahead of the eclipse.”
Estopinal is partnering with event producer Mitch Morales from Texas event production company Probably Nothing — creator of Austin’s long-running Euphoria festival — for Texas Eclipse.
“Growing up in Central Texas, it’s been a dream of mine to help create an event that celebrates a once-in-a-life experience and brings people from around the world to enjoy the best of music art and culture,” Morales says. “The venue is unique and spectacular and I don’t think there’s a better venue to observe the 2024 eclipse. I’ve admired the team at DDP for a long time and am thrilled to be working with them to bring this dream to reality.”
The April 8 eclipse is expected to last 4 minutes and 20 seconds and will be seen across Texas and a large swath of North America as it heads east, with the first location in continental North America to experience totality being Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 a.m. PDT., according to an information page created by NASA. The eclipse is expected to be visible in Texas at approximately 12:23 p.m. CDT.
The 50,000 person event will be spread over the 1,200 acre Reveille Peak ranch, which provides 200 acres of camping grounds, 60 miles of trails and is decorated by beautiful lakes, winding creeks, wooded forests and rolling hills.
More at seetexaseclipse.com
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The Texas police officer who shot and killed Black woman Atatiana Jefferson in 2019 was hit with an 11-year, 10-month prison sentence on Tuesday (Dec. 20). Forth Worth police officer Aaron Dean entered the home of Jefferson’s mother for a wellness check where the biology graduate was watching her nephew.
The tragic shooting of Atatiana Jefferson occurred when a neighbor called in a nonemergency request to check in on the home. Upon approaching the home, Dean, 38, opened fire, striking Jefferson while her 8-year-old nephew was in the room. Days after the shooting, Dean resigned from the Fort Worth Police Department. According to several accounts, Jefferson and her nephew were up late playing video games.
Local outlet KERA shared in its reporting that the family of Jefferson addressed Dean, with the former officer, who is white, showing little to no remorse.
“I have loathed the idea of you with your family during the holiday seasons for the last three years. Today, I have just arrived at pity,” Ashley Carr, the sister of Jefferson, said.
Jefferson was reportedly saving money to attend medical school in order to assist others, this after obtaining a degree in biology in 2014 from Xavier University.
Dean will be eligible for parole after he serves half of his sentence.
Atatiana Jefferson was 28 at the time of her passing.
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