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• After additional train runs during SXSW boasted ridership, Capital Metro is now considering adding more train runs on Friday and Saturday.
• Pinetop’s passing noted by the BBC.
• Pete Cashmore, the CEO of Mashable talks about the emergence of the private-group, location-based services that were big at SXSW. Even if you have no interest in tech, there are worse things to do than listen to Cashmore and his awesome accent.

• Protesters roil Yemen, inspired by Tunisia
• Mandela hospitalized for "routine tests"
• Cookie cutting for the Girl Scouts

• Texas House tackles health care reform.
• Obama slams Arizona immigration bill.
• Coast Guard: No oil leaking from sunken rig.

• Passover starts at dark on Monday, which means a lot of prep for this kosher catering company in Dallas.
• Capital Metro did a poor job of transporting passengers on the Night Owl Route on St Patrick’s Day/the first night of SXSW. (Police had to be called for crowd control!)
• Do you love Houston’s vintage Alabama Theater? If so, you might want to know that the iconic Art Deco interior is being threatened!

• Don’t store porn on a school-district issued laptop...especially if you are a member of the school board!
• If you work for the sheriff’s department, you might want to avoid doing things that are criminal.
• We tried writing a headline for this story about a man who got in a fight over a woman, but all of our attempts came out sounding like country songs.

• Kay Bailey Hutchison took a campaign contribution from a toll road builder? Wait, we thought it was Perry who was in favor of the toll roads, and Hutchison who was against them.
• It seems there is some room for improvement in the services that Capital Metro offers customers with disabilities. Like, say, a wheelchair accessible way to get from the bus stop to the bus.
• Hail may be possible in Austin on Thursday night.

• As of Monday, it now costs most of us at least a buck to ride Capital Metro.
• The New York Times explores the reasons why Gov. Perry might have said 'nope' to a possible 700 million bucks for education.
• Older women in small towns in Central Texas are watching out for the “Twilight Rapist.” (The name comes from the time-of-day when he strikes, not the Twilight series of books.)

• Haiti aid efforts hampered in critical hours.
• US sending 10,000 troops to earthquake-hit Haiti.
• Texas GOP Gov Candidates clash over taxes and jobs, but not a word on education.

• Car collector dies… in a car accident.
• Be careful whom you shoot when they are coming into your condo!
• Skip class=find true love.

This evening the Capital Metro Dillos are taking their last passengers; as of 7pm, the trolley-like buses will complete their routes for the last time. It wasn't that long ago that the Dillo was free to ride within the downtown area, but a farewell ride today will cost you 50 cents. The cancellation of the Dillo service comes after the Dillo routes were cut down and ridership strongly decreased. [Statesman] more ›

• Sumatra aftershocks begin.
• Ken Lay Lewis steps down from Bank of America. No tears were shed.
• GOP leader doesn't like math or statistics.

• Fried butter is coming to the State Fair of Texas. “Big Tex” might just get bigger….
• P.E. requirements reduced by the State of Texas, but you’ll still need them to graduate from the Corpus Christi Independent School District!
• Want to live to be 110? Don’t take a car! (That's actual advice from someone who is 110 years old.)

Concealed handguns on their way to a campus near you? State Senate gave preliminary approval today to a bill allowing concealed handguns on public university campuses.Police searching for the suspect from a mugging at UT this morning. The Statesman now has a nifty online crime map. Round Rock ISD employee steals 100 computers from the district, tries to sell them on Craigslist. CapMetro set to use $10 million loan, if needed. Statewide smoking ban bill, we hardly knew ye. 4-year-old Waco man in stable condition after being stung more than 250 times by bees. more ›

• Uno visits the Capitol.
• Waco man stabbed for his flatulence.
• Local auto theft on the rise.

Lan Bui/Flickr
• Sex research is well and good, but when is someone going to study our drunken hook-ups?
• SXSW made money. Duh.
• People came to SXSW to find work.

Who cares how much it cost?* Who cares if it doesn't go everywhere we want to go?** Austin's almost got a people train. Toot toot! These photographs were provided by Steve Hopson. more ›

StimulusWatch.org is a volunteer-compiled wiki that lists all of the proposed "shovel-ready" projects that each city has proposed. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as the stimulus package is officially called, won't directly fund any of these projects, but if passed will allocate the money necessary to enable some of these. more ›

Jay Wyatt, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091, said the Cap Metro bus drivers, mechanics and maintenance workers in the union will begin a strike Wednesday morning in response to continued failure to reach a settlement in contract negotiations. It is possible that an agreement will be reached before Wednesday. If not, CapMetro will run a reduced schedule and charge no fares. more ›

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091, which represents CapMetro bus drivers and maintenance workers, has rejected a "final" offer from StarTran, Inc. According to the Statesman, that offer included a one-time $1,000 payment instead of a percentage raise for the 2007-08 contract year and a starting salary for some new drivers $6/hour under the current rate. Union president Jay Wyatt is expected to announce on Friday whether the union will strike. If they do, CapMetro will run a reduced schedule and charge no fares. more ›

Another Capital Metro bus rider was severely assaulted last Friday afternoon in North Austin, and this time there's reason to believe that the attack may have been a targeted hate crime. more ›

State fire investigators wondering if the arsonist who set ablaze the Governor's Mansion acted alone. Cedar Park paramedic among those dead after a medical chopper crashes near Huntsville. Three boys may have been exposed to a rabid bat at the Northcross bus stop. CapMetro holding public meetings this week to take comment on proposed fare increases. FBI says crime nationwide has decreased, but in Austin it has increased. more ›

As gas prices continue to rise and the bimonthly resurrection of the lightrail debate goes on-and-off, Austinites are left with the option of riding Capital Metro buses. What can sometimes be a nuisance for some and a necessity for most, Cap Metro has a love-hate relationship with the City of Austin and its drivers. Whatever your thoughts of the bus system in our city, they did have some good news to report this month: ridership is up! Over 675,000 more people rode Cap Metro buses this year than in 2007—that's an increase of over 6%. The amount of people who choose to park-and-ride went up, as well, over 13%. Reports of full buses and long waits have filled Cap Metro inboxes and, in response, the company hopes to add between 10 to 15 more buses to its fleet. Additionally, Cap Metro says they hope to use these to create new, more rider friendly routes. more ›

ACL Fest lineup to be announced April 15. Rodney Reed's lawyers argued before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals today. New federal study will figure the environmental impact of coal plants north of Austin. Texas Monthly publisher upset over new City Manager's appointment to head EMS. Wildfire in the Valley covers 25,000 acres and causes hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. more ›

Reason the power was out in East Austin Wednesday afternoon: a copper theft gone seriously wrong. The Cowboy Breakfast this morning kicked off the rodeo in town by providing a free breakfast to everyone there at 6am. Slightly reminiscent of "Daisy": Obama campaign unhappy with Hillary's new "Children" campaign ad. Clinton attends funeral of Dallas cop who died while serving in her motorcade. Huckabee makes campaign stop in Waco today. Show your voter registration card and ride the bus for free on election day. more ›

Today's Mega News Bits by Patrick Dentler and Rebecca Onion
• Asian markets fall; the Fed is really, really worried.
• Not convinced Giuliani's a dangerous, power-mad nutcase? Read this.

Photo by gunnyrat on flickr
• The oil that spilled onto Sixth Street and into Waller Creek last week came from a 100-year-old underground tank.
• Jennifer Kim on the Northcross WalMart: "It's going to be a freaking disaster."
• Celebration Church in Georgetown has its own Starbucks and 5,000 attendees. Sayeth the pastor: "You can't do church without money."

Cap Metro bus caught fire on northbound 183 this morning. Ronnie Earle endorses Rosemary Lehmberg, his co-worker, to run for his current position. A case of death, mutilation and possible cannibalism in Tyler over the weekend. more ›

Photo by Matt Wright on flickr Sunday morning, a Cap Metro passenger was stabbed by another rider with a screwdriver. Gas line break off of Riverside this afternoon is being repaired. Cold front on its way tonight? Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County is starting its first Women Build in February. Even though Tejano music is popular among locals, it has been overtaken on the airwaves by Norteño. Shady fliers telling people to vote this... more ›

The first two of six new commuter rail trains arrived in Austin this week. The diesel-electric trains trains, the last of which should arrive by late spring, were purchased from Swiss manufacturer Stadler Bussnang AG ("We Track Clever Solutions" -- get it?) for $34 million. Cap Metro plans to start testing these cars next month along the rail line from Howard Lane and Mopac down to 47th Street and Airport Boulevard—each will be run... more ›