Austin

History

Austin was platted in 1853, and named after Austin, Texas. A post office has been in operation at Austin since 1854. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that Austin “contains the largest drug-fueled H.I.V. outbreak to hit rural America in recent history.” Its 5 percent infection rate “is comparable to some African nations.” According to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who visited with Austin's only doctor, Will Cooke, Austin "doesn’t just sit at the intersection between Indianapolis and Louisville but at the intersection of hopelessness and economic ruin.” In 2015, press reports indicated the city was the center of an outbreak of HIV caused by the use of Opana as an injectable recreational drug. The outbreak required emergency action by state officials. When the outbreak was first detected there were 30 HIV cases in a town that had, up until this point, only had 3 cases over several decades. After 29 days, by the time Governor Mike Pence determined a course of action, the number of HIV cases had skyrocketed to 79. In response to the crisis Scott County established "one-stop shop," where people could also get drug treatment referrals, free HIV testing, syringe exchanges, and other services.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Austin has a total area of , all land. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Austin has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  427
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  403
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  387
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  381
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  341
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  330
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  308
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  290

Largest nearby schools

• Scottsburg Senior High School
  High · Scottsburg · 726 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Austin Elementary School
  Elementary · Austin · 612 students · 23.5:1 ratio
• Scottsburg Middle School
  Middle · Scottsburg · 537 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Scottsburg Elem School
  Elementary · Scottsburg · 485 students · 15.6:1 ratio
• Austin High School
  High · Austin · 432 students
• Vienna-Finley Elementary School
  Elementary · Scottsburg · 398 students · 18.1:1 ratio
• Austin Middle School
  Middle · Austin · 275 students
• Johnson Elementary School
  Elementary · Scottsburg · 248 students · 14.6:1 ratio