• Filmmaker Emily Hagins is way accomplished at 17. She’d still love to have more funding for her new movie, My Sucky Teen Romance.
• Music-industry pro Zoe Cordes Selbin is way, way cooler than you were at 17.
• The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center is trying to raise money to save Scarlett O’ Hara’s curtain dress. Don’t forget to wear your gloves, HRHRC, when you cozy up to donors!

In less than two months, my son, now legally an adult, will graduate from high school. It’s been an interesting ride, to put it mildly, watching him grow up, missing the little child gone forever now, but being psyched to see the young man he has become. Watching him play three gigs last week during SXSW was a great chance to have gratitude that he found his passion early—picking up a guitar at twelve and, as far as I can tell never putting it down—and that he lives in a town that embraces creativity in general and music especially. Where was I when I was his age? Hmm… Well, I had passions, too, namely boys and booze. The human oxymoron, I was both president of the student council and a burgeoning drunk, having begun binge drinking at 14, heading down a path that would take me more than two decades to step off of, into the more stable land of sobriety. I was laughing on the outside, raging on the inside, furious at my tyrannical father and unhappy with my lack of options. more ›

Polls are open from 7am to 7pm. 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 ›

New York Fashion Week didn't come without a little bit of Austin, Texas in it. From the kooky Elisa Jimenez to the classy Cat Swanson, Austinites were making headlines. // Past Project Runway winner Chloe Dao will be visiting Austin this week representing Asian-Americans in business. // This weekend, the Riverboat Gamblers' lead singer will take a break from crowd surfing and screaming to host a fashion show featuring local vintage boutiques. more ›

The Lonely H swept Seattle off her feet in 2004 when they placed second at EMP’s Annual Sound Off! competition as teenagers. The youngsters have since released two full-lengths, combining pop melodies and classic rock riffs while also displaying their maturity via perfectly developed arrangements and the odd poignant ballad. We caught up with the band recently to assess their lives, their inspirations, and fake IDs. more ›

Apparently, though, when other people hear the word wrestling, they think of something entirely different. They think of big scary men and faked-breasted women, the entire lot of them sporting spray-on tans, dangerous smirks, and very stretchy articles of “clothing” as they hurl each other around inside of a ring while thousands of mesmerized spectators, many of them apparently just having raced on over from Walmart and/or on furlough from Fashion Prison, scream their approval. more ›

While the nation recovers from Super Tuesday, the University of Texas is gearing up for Super Wednesday, better known as National Signing Day. more ›

Deer Tick, or John McCauley, has fast made name for himself with a series of self-released records as well as 2007’s War Elephant on Jana Hunter’s Feow! Records. McCauley was raised in Providence, Rhode Island where he decided on a career in music at an early age, recording and even touring by the time he was in high school. McCauley’s voice demands attention, his songwriting shines through, and his work falls somewhere between Bright Eyes and Wilco. And he turned 21 last year. We caught up with McCauley recently to understand what exactly makes Deer Tick tick. more ›

• So, I guess I just got kicked out of another My Little Pony forum. :(
• Here are the results of the University Democrats (UT-Austin) & Central Austin Democrats (CAD) endorsements for Travis County and statewide elections.
• A Travis County election judge claims he's discovered 1,800 active registered voters who were inadvertently deleted from county voter rolls since 2004.

Cat's nosiness leads to child porn stash discovery in south Austin apartment complex. Only about 7 local churches serve as backup shelters for the homeless on freeze nights. Bill for oil spill cleanup at Waller Creek: $200,000. more ›

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals bring a barrage of blues, folk, and soul infused rock ditties to Stubb’s tonight. A native of Vermont, Potter studied theater at St. Lawrence University in New York and also met future band member Matt Burr (drums) at the institution. Scott Tournet (guitar) joined shortly after. Potter’s friend from high school, Courtright Beard was initially a part of the outfit as well but was eventually replaced by Bryan Dondero on bass. The act's name is inspired by their penchance for late night practice sessions. more ›

Although Longhorn football folk hero Major Applewhite interviewed today for a vacant assistant coach position, it will be at least Thursday until any announcement is made. more ›

As we reported last week, the Austin-birthed Teeth will be hitting our silver screens on Friday, January 25th. But of course, it would be a grievous crime against the good people of Austin to not give them the chance to see this genre-bending flick before the rest of the unwashed masses, so the tireless miracle-workers over at Ain't It Cool News and the Alamo Drafthouse have cooked up a little sneak preview for our collective cringing pleasure, with Director Mitchell Lichtenstein live in person to field all of your probing questions. more ›

On the show, KXAN's Chief Weathercaster warns of a tornado approaching the fictional town of Dillon, TX. The episode spoiler reveals that a rival high school is subsequently damaged by the twister, forcing both teams to share Laribee High's weight room, football field and lockers. Antics doubtlessly ensue. more ›

Two area high schools will trade the Friday night lights for the Saturday spotlight when they play for state football championships this weekend. The Pflugerville Panthers play the Katy Tigers at 7 pm Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio for the Class 5A Division II championship, while the Lake Travis Cavaliers take on the Highland Park Scots for the Class 4A Division II title at 1:30 pm Saturday at Baylor's Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco. more ›

A teenage gunman wishing to "go down in style" killed 8 people, then himself, at an Omaha Shopping Mall. Hearings began yesterday in landmark case about whether Guantanamo detainees have a constitutional right to challenge their imprisonment. A portion of the US-Mexico border fence may be put on a wildlife refuge. If you drive by any Austin area high school right after school lets out, you will not be surprised by this. What's worse... more ›

Elizabeth Berkley is Nomi Malone.... Showgirls 2.0 with David Schmader LiveThursday, November 29thAlamo LakeCreek (13729 Research Blvd)$12, 7:30PM[info] | [tickets]The holiday season really is the most wonderful time of year, a time where we think about family and togetherness, and most importantly, psychotic strippers. As always, the Alamo Drafthouse really understands what will make our season bright and are reaching into their magical holiday gift bag to pull out a screening of Showgirls for us,... more ›

Photo by punchup on flickr East Austin halfway/"sober" house to close after neighbors complained. Mother and child hit by truck in Georgetown HEB parking lot. Double B Foods recalling 98,000 pounds worth of sausage roll products for listeria contamination. After a fight at Taylor High School, the police tasered a girl, arresting her and two other students. 109,263 mistakes in the math textbooks proposed to be used for the 2008 school year at Texas elementary... more ›

Image from nbc.comAustin's favorite high-school football drama, Friday Night Lights, could be changing networks. Radar is reporting that ESPN is in talks to bring the critically-acclaimed, but little-watched, show into its lineup of original programming. Friday Night Lights, which follows the lives of the fictional Dillon High School Panthers, films in and around Austin. Despite winning critical awards and having a loyal following, the show has moved time slots three times and has struggled in... more ›

Photo by Marina Chavez; Image from MySpace. The Hold Steady + Art BrutThursday, November 15La Zona Rosa (612 W. 4th Street)$21 Advance, $23 Day Of Show[info] | [tickets]Brooklyn's The Hold Steady may well be America's best bar band. Their 2006 release Boys and Girls In America made Austinist's 2006 top albums list (and everyone else's) by combining sharp lyrical wit, meat and potatoes power chords, and dry vocals that the listener either loves or hates.... more ›

Photo by MotherPie on flickr Attorney General Greg Abbott says the rate of foreclosures in Texas is at crisis level; foreclosures in Travis County have gone down since last year, though. Hit-and-run on Airport Blvd. Sunday morning leads to the deaths of a motorcyclist and his passenger. Fredericksburg wants you to be quiet when you visit. State red-light fines that should be going towards medical trauma centers aren't. Del Rio high school student suspended for... more ›

Photo by debaird on flickr Austin City Council met today; they passed the LCRA water deal and unanimously approved the red-light camera contract. Councilmember Leffingwell wants to lighten the SOS ordinance to allow for redevelopment of older buildings. Two women are dead after a church van drove off IH35 in Round Rock this morning. Travis County sheriffs are keeping an eye out for shoulder-passers on Loop 360. Round Rock cops pepper-sprayed a student for taking... more ›

Photo courtesy Ornamental Things StitchSaturday, November 10Austin Convention Center (500 E Cesar Chavez Street)Doors at 4pm, Fashion show 9:30pm, Tickets $10[info] | [tickets]Austinite Natalie Tischler's reworked vintage jewelry, Ornamental Things, has a strong magnetic pull on us every time we walk into Parts and Labour. It's always hard to decide what's cooler, the button rings or the dangle-y earring and necklaces she creates from things found at flea markets. Natalie's bringing her beautiful pieces to... more ›

On October 17, a UT student committed suicide in the Gregory Gym pool. Austin unveiled Texas' first hybrid school bus yesterday. Those helicopters flying over Austin yesterday were "supposedly" practicing for this weekend's football festivities. New study finds that most Texas High School graduates are not prepared for college. Clever: Give inmates jobs. Borderline: Give them jobs cleaning cars. Not-so Clever: Leaving the keys in the ignition. Even more proof that in this day... more ›

Four suspects have been arrested for the Wachovia Bank robbery yesterday. Probable murder-suicide in San Marcos; the couple was found by their teenage daughter last night. Student group at Texas State wants the right to carry guns around campus and to classes. This evening KEYE becomes the first Austin TV station to show local news in hi-def. It will still look the same on our old-school TV. Johns Hopkins calls Johnston High School (and... more ›

• Watch the northeastern sky at 7:06pm tonight for the shuttle.
• Austin ad firm GSD&M loses part of the AT&T account.
• Statesman has a story on the split between LBJ High School and the magnet school housed therein.

Mayor Wynn says, "We're taking action today that will lower the cost of utility bills, make housing more affordable, help improve air quality and take critical steps in the fight against global warming," as City Council adopts codes to make new homes zero energy capable. El Paso high school student collapses and dies after finishing the PSAT. Blanco High School pranksters put bloody deer carcass in Comfort High School bus. Bird conservationists are opposed... more ›

Kay Bailey Hutchison may be running for governor and detests your anonymous blog. Retiring Republican Reps may lead the Dems to a larger majority in the House when election time rolls 'round. Temporary pedestrian islands to go up on S. Congress Avenue, in the area between Riverside and Ben White. Live bat found at McNeil High School yesterday has tested positive for rabies. And another rabid bat was found this weekend at the Convention... more ›

There are some fantastic documentaries screening at this year's Austin Film Festival, so we thought we'd give you the heads-up on a few standouts that we've seen. Chasing the Dream | Dir. Angelo Mei Saturday, October 13th - 5:00pm, Dobie Theater Monday, October 15th - 7:15pm, Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek A high school surfing coach who claims to have "lost his compassion years ago" takes his team of freckled, hormonal surfer boys on a journey... more ›