Will Wynn renewed calls for an Austin streetcar at today's Downtown Austin Association Annual Luncheon. Moving forward would require two votes in the 2008 election - one to allow the project and another for bonds to finance it. The new plan would include connections to the airport (along Riverside), downtown, UT, the Triangle and Mueller. We are generally fans of mass transit, rail especially, and naive optimism is our default position, so a streetcar sounds......

If Travis County employees want to lose weight, they are going to have to do it the old-fashioned way: cigarettes and steam rooms. County officials unanimously overturned a previous decision that would have allowed the county to cover weight-loss surgery for extremely obese government workers. The idea to pay for bariatric surgery, passed by a 3-1 county commission vote a week ago, had led to some serious outcries from get-off-your-couch-you-lazy-piece-of-crap advocates and others who felt......

The Austin Lesbian/Gay Political Caucus (ALGPC), whose mission is to "unite and organize Austin-area LGBT citizens and our friends and supporters in political action against all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression," recently extended an opportunity to the Democratic candidates running in March's primary elections for ALGPC endorsement. Those seeking endorsements were asked to fill out a questionnaire, answering questions such as: Should you receive this endorsement, would you publicize......

» [politics/GLBT] Austin Lesbian/Gay Political Caucus Candidate Forum and Endorsement Meeting for the 2006 Primary Elections at the Travis County Commissioner's Courtroom (7pm) (link) » [music] The Stones We Throw, Idle Kids and more at Snake Eyes Vinyl (6pm) » [karaoke] Karaoke and "Twin Peaks" happy hour at Beerland (7pm) » [music] Elizabeth McQueen and Jason Roberts continue their residency at Threadgill's World Headquarters » [music] Open Stage at Cactus Cafe, hosted by Abi Tapia......

Once again, it looks like those of us who rely on public transportation on a daily basis could be faced with a strike of some sort, unless Cap City Metro and the unionized drivers and mechanics can come to terms. We are not very hopeful. Last night the Cap City Metro Board held an emergency meeting to discuss the problem. Union workers from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1091 were told after the meeting......