• Austin photographer Cameron Russell (whose artwork is often used for our Extra Extra posts) has his first solo show at the Lustre Pearl this evening from 7-11 p.m.
• Life on the road: Austin band the Strange Boys was playing for hipsters in London. Sadly, some wanker shouted "Texas Sucks!" between songs.
• Galveston has a cupcake truck! It was kinda inspired by Austin cupcake institution Hey Cupcake!

• UT starts on plan to cut $14.6 million from their budget.
• Wastewater leak closes Barton Springs temporarily, means Sunset Valley residents need to boil water.
• Austin City Council to vote on Arizona travel ban this week.

The Aquatics Division of City of Austin is mulling over a plan to cancel free evening swims at Barton Springs after 9 p.m. If you'd like to weigh in, there's a public hearing tonight from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Aquatics Division office (400 Deep Eddy). The final decision is still a ways off, as the Aquatics staff must forward their findings to the Parks Department, which in turn will pass their decision on to City Council. Still, now's a good chance to let them know how you feel. You can also email them at aquaticsoffice@ci.austin.tx.us. more ›

• McCain moves to block FCC net neutrality.
• Still no word from Iran on proposed nuclear deal.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Il makes summit offer to South Korea.

The El Chile chain of restaurants plans to open its second El Chilito taqueria in South Austin this August, taking over the corner site previously occupied by Gypsy's Italian Bistro. more ›

It’s a site Native Americans came to for healing and—perhaps more awesomely—where Robert Redford learned to swim. But the millions-year-old Barton Springs pool will be closing for six to eight months thanks to something frustratingly man-made: holes in the concrete bypass culvert. more ›

Exiled Tibetan Buddhist monk Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen Lopzang Tsetan, abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, is making a tour throughout the United States and will be stopping by Austin this weekend. He'll be at Barton Springs to perform a special blessing of our city's most cherished natural resource, much like the Wudang Taoist priests did back in 2006. The group will gather at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the landing below the stairs leading to the front gate. A brief silent meditation will precede the ceremony. All are welcome to join. more ›

Beginning this Thursday, Austin Shakespeare offers up the latest twist on the young romantics, as the 24th annual FREE Shakespeare in Zilker Park season opens and runs through June 7th, playing at the Sheffield Hillside Theatre (across the parking lot from Barton Springs). This bicultural interpretation, directed by Ann Ciccolella, is set in Central Texas in the 1940’s and looks at the story through a Mexican-American lens, including some dialogue delivered in Spanish. more ›

Every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. from May to September, Save Our Springs Alliance is offering free yoga sessions under the big pecan tree at the south entrance to Barton Springs pool. Each month will be taught by a different studio, with this month's instructors coming from Yoga Yoga. Bring a mat, water, and a towel. more ›

Outside the Mexican-American Center on Monday, Dan Crow, a Barton Springs regular with wiry white hair, handed out a one page flyer: “Leave Barton Springs Alone.” He had just come from his regular swim. “We don’t need to be taking down a bunch of trees ,” he said in a rising voice. Inside, Walter Passmore, Austin’s Urban Forestry (UF) Program Manager, had the job of explaining why to the 100 or so irate citizens and the Joint Subcommittee of the Parks and Recreation and Environmental Board. “I hate it that we’re dwelling on the removals only,” he said, “but that’s what we’ve been asked to do.” more ›

On Monday, April 20th at 6:15 p.m., the Parks and Recreation Department will hold a hearing on the plan at the Mexican American Cultural Center located at 600 River Street. The public is invited to the presentation and there will be time allocated for public comments. Ten, three-minute slots are currently planned and more may be added, according to Victor Ovalle, the spokesman for PARD. There will be paper copies of the report available. more ›

Barton Springs hosts many time-honored traditions. While most Austinites take advantage of the summer days and nights, a handful of brave souls venture to the springs on the days when the air temperature drops below the water temperature. Most people are familiar with the Austin Polar Bear Club, which meets the morning of January 1st and performs a ritualistic dip to rejuvenate oneself at the onset of the new year. Their younger counterparts at the University of Texas Polar Bear Club have turned the ritual into a weekly meeting, commencing once the first cold front of the year sweeps through the capital city. more ›

While in town for ACL, everyone's favorite avant pop icon took some time to take a dip in Barton Springs. more ›

Laura Dunn's award-winning documentary The Unforeseen is about real estate, wild nature, Austin living, and the American Dream. The film follows developer Gary Bradley's plan to make Hill Country subdivisions outta nothin', which was first thwarted by environmentalist concern for the swimming hole we all know and love, then finally abetted by the non-Springs-caring zeitgeist during the reign of George W. more ›

Day one of ACL 2008 was a long one, but it was jam-packed with sights, sounds and highlights. As usual, the long walk up Barton Springs to the park is a party in itself, featuring a variety of pit-stops that tempt and delight (in between tripping and annoying). There's plenty of distractions to choose from, and in some ways, the walk is a party in itself. Though we did run into more than a few anxious folks looking to buy our tickets before we even made it in a noon today, and more than one person who wanted to show us where Jesus would be making an appearance later, we did check out a couple of things we want to tell you about. more ›

Every weekday morning we'll be featuring a photo (or two) from our readers. Please feel free to submit your photos (min 600px width) by adding them to the Austinist Flickr Group. more ›

Cool off on Saturday night at Barton Springs pool for Poolside Live, which will feature the soothing sounds of local saxophonist and flutist Alex Coke with his trio. more ›

• 13 reported dead in North Texas bus crash.
• Williamson County wildfire contained.
• John Edwards' 'love child' sex scandal hits Obama campaign.

The land underneath Mobile Manor, the trailer park off Barton Springs Road between Chuy's and Baby A's, is under contract to a developer with plans to build a five-story, 250 unit apartment complex behind a 4,900 square foot restaurant. more ›

The City of Austin, the LCRA, the City of Dripping Springs and two groundwater conservation districts have approved a settlement agreement that would allow the Belterra subdivision to dump 350,000 gallons a day of treated sewage into Bear Creek, which feeds the Barton Springs portion of the Edwards Aquifer. The only remaining required approval is expected to come from Hays County tomorrow. The agreement would make Belterra the first subdivision allowed to dump treated sewage directly into a stream in the Barton Springs part of the Edwards Aquifer. more ›

Rivaling the attendance of any day in March, the Barton Springs Full Moon Night Swim is not only a tradition, but a locally-grown spectacle. During the hour before the pool closes at 10 p.m., whenever anyone feels the need, they let out a bellowing howl at the full moon above, which is soon embraced by the couple hundreds of swimmers in the pool. more ›

By the time you read this, I will have been in Barton Springs twice this week, which is a 100% increase over the number of other times I’ve gotten in that godforsaken body of water since I moved here nearly seventeen years ago. Unfortunately for me, I am one of those people with a horrible memory, by which I mean I remember way too many details, dates, and traumatic events and, thus, associate just about everything in the present, no matter how joyful, with something crappy in the past. Once, my young, hot boyfriend, Warren, and I played a game of Freaky Friday where we pretended to be each other. My role was easy, at least on the surface: chill out, don’t worry about the relationship, the weather, money, or anything else. His job? Call me every thirty minutes and say, You know, I was thinking about what you said this morning. It reminded me of the time my uncle took me fishing when I was six and I got a hook caught in my eye… more ›

This Sunday, grab a friend, grab a kite and head down to Zilker Park for a local tradition that is over 50 years older than SXSW and over 70 years older than ACL Fest. If we're talking about true Austin, the Zilker Park Kite Festival can't be beat. more ›

This past Saturday, two Austinites took home Independent Spirit Awards! Chris Eska took home the "John Cassavetes Award" for his feature August evening, and Laura Dunn took home the "Truer than Fiction Award" for her film The Unforeseen, a documentary look at the controversy surrounding Austin's real estate development and its impact on the Edwards Aquifer and Barton Springs. more ›

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Looks like ACL Fest organizers have chosen Groundhog Day to release their mildly discounted multi-passes. 3-day passes priced at $150 including service charges are on sale now at ACLFest.com. more ›

Hope in the City, a church in southwest Austin that exists to glorify God by growing devoted followers of Christ in communities that advance His Kingdom in Austin and the nations, is running into trouble with the city. They have been so successful at attracting devoted followers of Christ that there is no longer room in the parking lot. The church would like to build another parking lot in the field between their buildings and Williamson Creek, but city officials denied their request because the church is in the Barton Springs watershed and has used its 15% land cover allowed by the Save Our Springs ordinance. City officials have suggested that church members could take the bus, but that would require a miracle. The church is now suing the city on grounds that their free exercise of religion is being illegally hindered. more ›

Photo by The Chaninator™ on flickr
• Former convention-center director Robert Hodge was indicted on record-tampering charges by grand jury.
• Voter registration cards sent by Travis County to incorrect addresses increase the chances of voter fraud.
• Sixteen people arrested near Manor for being (allegedly) involved in a cock-fighting ring.

Image from Fix290.org. Despite TXDOT's incessant bleating about lack of funds, they apparently still have plenty of cash to build the controversial Phase II toll roads, including the particularly controversial twelve-lane highway in the sky at the Y (71 and 290 in Oak Hill). In an era of concerns about budget cuts, pollution of Barton Springs and CO2 emissions, it seems like an egregious waste of resources to build this monstrosity that helps Hummer-drivers hurtle... more ›

Image from SOS Alliance SOS Holiday Party & Silent AuctionFriday, December 7Mercury Hall (615 Cardinal Lane)$10 Suggested Donation, 7pm - Midnight[info]Tonight, the Save Our Springs Alliance will be hosting their annual Holiday Party and Silent Auction at Mercury Hall. In addition to food, drinks and great people, the event will showcase music by two environmentally-conscience local bands, Bill Oliver's Otter Space Band and The Bouldin Creek Bobkats. The Silent Auction features items from over 300... more ›