Whether or not you plan on attending Austin City Limits Music Festival this weekend you’ve probably already started scoping out the after-parties that the festival’s presence causes to blossom all over town like hypercolor petunias. While it might cost you an arm and a leg to catch an intimate acoustic set with Coldplay at The Victory Grill or a My Morning Jacket DJ set at Threadgills, you can still get a massive bang for your buck by hitting up this unofficially awesome post-ACL fete at going down at Beauty Bar come Saturday evening. more ›

• Iran's supreme leader says the country will not yield to protests "at any cost"
• Doctor who treated her own breast cancer at the South Pole back in 1999 dies at 57
• South Carolina governor was in Argentina, not Appalachia

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 ›

Austin aiming for zero landfill waste. Our fair city ranks #23 on the list of America's Most Literate Cities, beating out New York but not Portland. Brush fires in Hays County lead to home evacuations. 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 ›

• Tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 21) is an Ozone Action Day, so bus rides are free! carpool.
• Speaking of Capital Metro, their board does endorse a rate hike in January.
• Federal investigators are in town looking into APD's use of force.

Whether you're going nuts over your afternoon commute, pleased as punch about Cap Metro's Long-Range Transit Plan, tonight's your chance to let 'em know—after you've downed a few rounds of liquid courage, if need be. The monthly edition of Keep Austin Blue's Social Hour is happening over at Mother Egan's Irish Pub, and tonight's agenda is all about transportation. Participating public transit aficionados include Matt Curtis (Director Community Involvement, Capital Metro), Todd Hemingson (VP... more ›

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Authorities in New York arrested 43-year-old Paul Devoe III, the man believed responsible for a grisly quadruple homicide that happened in Jonestown, Texas, this weekend. Devoe is also allegedly linked to the murder of a bartender in Marble Falls last Friday, as well as another slaying in Pennsylvania. Details remain scarce, but a spokesman for the Travis County sheriff's department described Sunday's crime scene as "fairly bloody, fairly gruesome." The Capital Area Metro Planning... more ›

Chicagoist is gearing up for this weekend's annual Air & Water Show along the lakefront. In what's becoming an annual tradition around there, staff member Todd McClamroch even got to fly with one of the participants. Chicagoist's decidedly opinionated readership was also appalled that one of their staffers found a popular local brewpub to be a great place to bring a kid. They also think that an unlikely activist for immigration rights should just take... more ›

ACL Previews Austinist Launches Dedicated ACL Page! Preview: Manchester Orchestra and Patterson Hood Preview: Ian Ball and the Little Ones Interview: Paolo Nutini ACL Band Clash, Round 2: The Killers Vs. Björk Weekly Features Tales Of Mere Existence Hots On #9: Sound Off New Release Tuesday: Frisell's Floratone The Argyle Academy New Movie Releases: The Invasion, Superbad, Death at a Funeral, and More Truesday: Friesday The Laurie Show News, Features, and More Travis County... more ›

For 2008, Capital Metro is planning to double bus fare for adult passengers from 50 cents to $1. Other fares would increase in proportion (students would have to pay 50 cents instead of 25 cents for local/rapid routes); the Dillo would remain free for everyone. In their informational brochure(.pdf), Capital Metro makes a point of saying that the current fares have been the same since 1985, while operational costs keep going up. Is this... more ›

Many of us have been confronted with the same challenge when trying to get to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: "How can I save money by bumming a ride off a friend or relative and not have to take a cab or park at the airport?" It's really not that far of a drive, especially when compared to other cities, but still, it'd be nice if there was a cheaper (or free) way to get to the airport without have to ask anyone to do you a favor. Yeah, usually there's that really loyal friend who'll always offer you a ride to the airport, but you always feel a little guilty for asking so much of him...unless you give him gas money or something, but, let's be honest, that never happens. more ›

THURSDAY [31] music • Scion Live Metro presents GZA, Fyre Department at The Parish Room (FREE, RSVP before 5pm!) art • Opening Reception: George Krause: The Elizabeth Portraits & Other Works at d berman gallery, 1701 Guadalupe St (6-8pm) books • Douglas Brinkley presents The Reagan Diaries at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedy • Russ Nagel, "America's Funniest Biker," with Trey Galyon at Cap City Comedy Club film • "Notorious" at The Paramount Theatre film •... more ›

More on the bus accident this morning . . . A Capital Metro bus crashed into an office building earlier today after hitting an SUV; the SUV's driver didn't yield at a side street. The bus driver and one of the passengers were seriously injured on their Medical Parkway route, between 45th and 38th Street; four other passengers are in the hospital with minor injuries. A few more passengers and the driver of the SUV... more ›

Details are still scarce, but the Statesman is reporting that a Capital Metro bus has crashed into a building at Medical Parkway and West 39th Street, near Seton Medical Center. At least half a dozen victims are now in the hospital, with 9 more people treated on-site for minor injuries. Anyone working or living in the area know more information?... more ›

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Just in time for SXSW, Google today announced that it has partnered up with Capital Metro to provide Austin public transportation information on their way-nifty Google Transit Trip Planner. more ›

TUESDAY [27] books • Jason Dorsey presents My Reality Check Bounced at BookPeople (7:00pm) books • Aaron Allston presents Star Wars: Legacy of the Force at Dragon's Lair Comics (5:00pm) film • TMNT 2: Secret of the Ooze Pizza Party at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • AFS Essential: Satin Rouge at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar music • Brothers and Sisters, The Broken West, The Glass Family at Emo's (Free) music • Scion Live Metro... more ›

We'll update this post as things develop. 11am - Tuesday, January 16th Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst are sworn in indoors, under the inaugural theme, "Texas: Imagine the Possibilities." The requisite downtown parade has been canceled because, well, there's no one there. Firewood vendors are making a killing CapMetro: UT Shuttles, AISD Magnet Routes, 'Dillo routes are closed The Travis County Commissioners Court meeting has been postponed As of 9:30am, approximately 570... more ›

We don't know about you, but it's friggin cold out there. Well, not for some of you. It seems as though places that are supposed to be cold are warm and places that are supposed to be warm are cold. Or maybe that's just us. Either way, we're freezing. Austinist said goodbye to their co-editor (sell-out) and played rumor monger on the SXSW lineup. And when dozens of dead birds littered downtown Austin, it's... more ›

Sunday. Usually, a quiet, contemplative day in the Blogosphere. But not here in the Ist-a-Verse. Nonono! Just look below and see all of the wild and crazy stuff our staffs are up to. In Austin, bands are beginning to confirm for SXSW and the rumor mill is up and running. Good thing, too, because we all know how much Austinites love live performances. Austin also found itself in the national spotlight, with Longhorn Legend... more ›

If you're hiking, consider charging up your iPod, as Seattlest finds out that a man lost during a hike was found by the glow of his iPod. That cleverness seems to be devoid in cops who were using police cruiser instant messaging clients - although we imagine IMs "so are you nakie" to be included in cop shows, just for realism. If only the cops were busting the Hummer-driving jerk who made a poor... more ›

As fall settles in and another calendar page gets turned, thoughts turn from bbq's and vacations to holidays and the realization that '06 is coming to an end. With all that going on, with change in the air, we wonder what is it that made that makes the -ists ponder? Phillyist is concerned that the war on Trans fats could affect it's beloved cheese steak sandwiches, something for which we should all be concerned.... more ›

Between now and September 13 if you purchase a day pass on a Capital Metro bus, the ticket robot just may dispense a "Golden Ticket." Unfortunately these Golden Tickets do not entitle you to a chocolate bath, but they will score you two day passes to ACL, the festival. And as a bonus one lucky golden ticketholder will be upgraded to VIP status on September 13th. We're not certain, but VIPs may be able to get free food, free late night party access, and a free bath in chocolate. more ›

God, we're so sick of Snakes on a Plane that we want to kill anyone and everyone that makes a "something on a something" joke. But then we realized that there was no way we could ever win this fight, and, hell, if you can't beat them, we might as well join them. And with that, you have the theme of this weeks' Gothamist network post. Austinist makes it easy for us, with Candidate on... more ›

Even as the stores sport back to school sales (which depress us, even now), summer lingers on your friends the -ists. This week's collection of links provides some of the best, worst, and oddest bits of summer fun. So, bring your laptop up onto the roof, make yourself an umbrella drink or ten, and enjoy this week's choice posts from across the Gothamist network. Torontoist (where it's 75 degrees F as of this writing)... more ›