In an effort to honor the who's who of Austin legacies, City Council has finally named the new city park near the south shore of Lady Bird Lake and just west of the Palmer events center (between Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road) Butler Park. The park itself was named in honor of the Butler family that donated the land to the city. In the late 1800s, Butler was an Irish immigrant who ran a successful brick-making business on the land and ultimately his heirs donated the land to the city in 1941 for civic purposes....

In case you're still curious about where to vote on Tuesday, we've reprinted the official list from the Travis County Clerk web site as of Monday evening. For up-to-date information, you might want to double-check the Office of the Registrar's database To find out which precint you're in, use their handy Voter Verification form. From the Elections Divison: Registered voters can vote with a voter registration card, driver’s license or any official photo ID,......

Photo by Steve Hopson for Austinist.com “And among the people whom I got to know, who became not only friends, but heroes, were Barbara Jordan, who taught me a lot about courage, and today would actually be her birthday. I remember all the time about how she got up every single morning, facing almost insurmountable odds, to do what she did. And another was my great friend Ann Richards, who taught me so much about......

Over the last several months, the Austin Parks Department has been accepting public nominations for naming the new downtown Austin park on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake. Located west of the Palmer events center, just upstream from the Ann Richards bridge, the new city park features an ultra-cool high-tech fountain. ...

Photo by fotocitizen on flickr Ann Richards' gravesite doesn't have a permanent marker yet. Classical guitar a popular subject in Austin schools. Gas line broken this morning in South Austin has been capped. Local man crushed by a dump truck Saturday evening. Aggie news: Mike Sherman to be new A&M football coach. Mother and stepfather of "Baby Grace" arrested; the case is still being investigated. Mississippi GOP senator Trent Lott is resigning . . .......

There will always be chatter about Austin's changing landscape, much as there will always be supporters for both developers and the environment. We want the privilege of taking a dip in a glistening spring-fed pool, but we also want to have a robust economy that allows us to continue working and living in this city. Some would argue that the two desires aren't mutually exclusive, but we all know that it's a sticky subject.......

Femme Film Texas and Austin's Storie Productions have joined forces to bring Austin girls a unique opportunity to learn digital filmmaking in a summer camp environment. Girls 12-18 years of age will get to acquire some awesome skills and build confidence, friendships, and their own, unique voices. One thing the world needs is more girls in media! Local filmmakers Kat Candler (Cicadas, Jumping Off Bridges), Stacy Schoolfield (Storie Productions), and Michelle Voss (Velocity) are teaming......

We read in the paper this morning that Austin I.S.D. is hoping to team up with the city and the Long Center to house a performing arts center for students. The school district might be able to use the Topfer Theatre, part of the Long Center plan that had been on hold for lack of funding. Currently Austin ISD has to rent venues, such as Bass Concert Hall, for district events since the school district......

SXSW Presents returns to KLRU TV tomorrow for its third season, with four brand new episodes slated to run through the end of February. The critically acclaimed series, hosted by SXSW Film Fest Producer Matt Dentler, showcases some today's finest examples of independent filmmaking, many of which have a local emphasis -- past epiodes have featured Viva Les Amis, 24 Hours on Craigslist, and Witches in Exile. BBQ: A Texas Love Story February 6th,......

Here's a round-up of our favorite posts for late January/first days of February: Last week, the Chronic pointed out the irony that the town's famous vegan firefighters are down the street from Bert's Bar-B-Q (where the fire took place a couple weeks ago). We're sure the vegans would have come to the rescue of the Austin institution if their dispatcher had told them in time. . . but that's a whole other post. The......

Pending a vote by the Austin City Council tomorrow, Congress Avenue Bridge is to be renamed in honor of Ann Richards, Texas' 45th Governor who passed away in September. [Excerpted from our previous post] From humble beginnings in Waco, Texas, Richards went on to attend Baylor University on a debate scholarship, later marrying high school sweetheart David Richards and settling in Austin. She began her political career by campaigning for such respected Texas Democrats......

Apparently there has been a little scuttlebutt about whom Ann Richards was intending to endorse in the race for Governor of Texas. The children of the former governor released a statement today declaring that Ann had no intention of ever endorsing fellow smart-alec Kinky Friedman. According to her children, "Ann Richards did not support Kinky Friedman for Governor of Texas nor endorse him before she died. She was very concerned about this election. She always......

We were sitting down at the Drafthouse months ago, anxiously awaiting whatever over-hyped major motion picture was about to let us down (probably War of the Worlds), when we first witnessed our next YouTubeAUSTIN feature. The Alamo Drafthouse's infamous Or We'll Take Your Ass Out trailers--warning patrons to stay quiet throughout the film--starred none other than Austin's true tough grandma, Ann Richards. This trailer--which premiered only months before she was diagnosed with cancer--is a......

U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros and syndicated columnist Liz Smith will speak at Monday's services for former Texas Governor Ann Richards, who passed away late Wednesday evening. Former President Bill Clinton will join the Richards family as the casket of Governor Richards is brought to the Texas Capitol Rotunda tomorrow morning, where she will lie in state through Sunday evening. The Rotunda will be open......

Favorite posts for this mid-September week: Getting ready for ACL? Los Brushes has some tips for you. The Rich Girls Are Weeping have posted their guide to ACL. Cody is missing one hell of a bachelor party to attend ACL. There have been many excellent Ann Richards remembrances posted this week. Two of our favorites are Glen Maxey's at BOR and Lawrence Collins' at ITPT. Random Favorite Blog of the Week: Blendor, a group......

Services for former Texas Governor Ann Richards, who passed away last evening, will be Monday (September 18) at 12 Noon at the University of Frank Erwin Center. She will lie in state in the Texas Capitol Rotunda Saturday (September 16) from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday (September 17) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Both the services and events at the Texas Capitol are open to the public. A private burial is planned.......

From humble beginnings in Waco, Texas, Richards went on to attend Baylor University on a debate scholarship, later marrying high school sweetheart David Richards and settling in Austin. Her political career began by campaigning for such respected Texas Democrats as former Congressman Henry Gonzalez, famous for demanding Reagan's impeachment, and former Senator Ralph Yarborough, co-writer of the Endangered Species Act and vaunted civil rights advocate. It was in 1988, though, that Richards attained national fame with her quip against then-Presidential candidate George H.W. Bush, "Poor George, he can't help it...He was born with a silver foot in his mouth." ...

One of Austin's best homegrown success stories, Public Strategies Inc., has been purchased by the second-largest media and advertising company in the world. WPP Group, PLC of London purchased the consulting firm for a reported $90 million. WPP had apparently been eyeing Public Strategies for years. "I've been trying to buy Public Strategies for years," said Howard Paster, WPP executive vice president for public relations and public affairs. "It is a different public affairs firm.......

Texans are a scrappy lot, even if they come from pampered Bush stock. Once they get it into their heads to, say, abolish a woman’s right to choose, it is hard to stop them. But Planned Parenthood found their own Lone Star hero in Cecile Richards, daughter of former governor Ann Richards and the incoming PPFA president. The announcement coincides with the beginning of the Samuel Alito Supreme Court nomination hearings, a historic event......

M O N D A Y [ 9 ] [film/music] End of an Ear Presents "Shield Around the K," which "profiles the birth and growth of influential Olympia-based punk rock DIY record label K Records," at The Drafthouse Downtown (9:45pm) [info] [film] Super Happy Fun Monkeybash DX Gaiden (Vol. 2) at The Drafthouse Downtown (7pm) [info] [art] Check out the new gallery exhibit, Liz Ward's Aqueous, at Women and Their Work (All Day) [info] [music]......

George W. Bush: aka Dubya, President of the United States, dumbass Owen Wilson: aka The Butterscotch Stallion, screenwriter, asslicker, and Movie Star Wes Anderson: writer/director of the best films ever(Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, etc), wears cool glasses Sandra Bullock: aka Mrs. Jesse James, producer, movie star, nice gal Matthew McConaughey: bongo player, weed smoker, movie star, hunk Marcia Gay Harden: character actress, Oscar winner Benjamin McKenzie: stud, lead actor of the O.C. Molly Ivins: whip-smart......