the austin citysphere

Elevate Your Burger Experiences

2011-03-13T15:49:00.001-05:00

I love hamburgers. I love French fries even more. Sometimes, I eat a burger just for the experience of eating the fries.

Burger joints in Austin are aplenty. From the famous to the infamous, the Capitol city seems to have it all. Of course, ACS took its own burger tour last year since these American creations are so darn tasty.

The experience elevated my sense of burger appreciation. Since the tour, I've been able to enjoy many more burgerr joints, including Elevation Burger (9828 Great Hills Trail) near the Arboretum.

This is some place I never thought I'd lend my money or time to because it just didn't sound so appealing.

But being a lover of fries, I'd give this place an A-. They are cooked in olive oil, which gives them a new and exciting flavor. Plus, olive oil is a healthier oil with omega-3 fatty acid.

The burgers, too, are great. Patrons may choose one patty, two, all the way to ten! (Hence, elevation). But vegetarians, fear not. There is also a menu for you to choose between at least two veggie burgers: I believe one was a roasted flavor, and the other regular. You may also choose an appropriately named guilty free option and get one veggie patty and one beef. On my last visit I tried this burger, and have to admit it was a little weird. My philosophy is if I'm going to get a burget, get a (real) burger.

Elevation may not be out of this world, but I always like trying new things and elevating my experiences. I have yet to try the shakes and other menu offerings, but give it a whirl! Who knows, you might elevate your senses to a whole new level. And isn't that what it's all about?

2010-10-27T00:19:00.006-05:00

Could you live with fewer than 100 items? That's the question Jeff Glor tried to answer Tuesday in his piece for the CBS Evening News. As Glor walked through the spartan home of Everett Bogue, I wondered if I could do it. But a look at the bare walls really struck me - I like having pictures around, things to look at besides, well, the walls.

But I will admit, our family could definitely benefit from a healthy dose of decluttering. Even blogger Dave Bruno, who started the challenge, allows for some leeway. For instance, all of your underwear counts as one item. Glor points out in his reporter's notebook for Couric & Co. that minimalists are trying to avoid being wasteful, not to be gross. If I could get down to 100 items in each room in our home - including closets! - I think we'd be on to something. I recently got fed up with being unable to move around in our laundry room and threw away a bunch of stuff. I don't even remember what it was. It was just stuff that I thought I needed to save.

Austin-based kitchen designer Cindy Black suggests on her blog, Hello Kitchen, a way to declutter your kitchen. This sounds like something I really need to do before the next time we move (there will be a next time, trust me). But looking at the long list, the allowances for "specialty" items and her suggestion that anything not on the list should be added to your wish list, maybe I'd better not. I think I might end up with things I didn't even know I wanted or needed - which means, really, I don't need them.

Some people really swear by the Fly Lady - a woman who has built a benevolent empire of decluttering and cleaning the home to restore order to the family. She even offers, in her online store (everybody's got one), a De-Clutter Kit consisting of three collapsible bins for organizing the Throw Away, Put Away, Give Away items. I don't think a lack of bins is my problem.

As the holidays approach with the promise of more stuff coming into the house, maybe it's time to get a handle on the clutter we already have. How do you draw a line between the sentimental and just plan taking up space?

Survivor of Domestic Violence Reaches Out To Other Victims

2010-10-11T12:36:00.001-05:00

While October is perhaps most recognized for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is also the month of awareness of a serious issue - indeed, a disease that pervades many homes in Texas and across the country - domestic violence. The Texas Advocacy Project offers free legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Austin Citysphere received the letter below from Austinite Brenda Larcom, herself a survivor of domestic violence and a client of Texas Advocacy Project, and we are happy to share it below.

Dear Editor:

Last year, 111 Texas women lost their lives to domestic violence. The youngest was only 13 when her boyfriend killed her.

Every October, we observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year I think of that teenage girl who won’t go to her first homecoming game. I can’t help but think that at age 19 that could have been me.

I know I am lucky to have gotten out alive. I am a survivor. I chose to leave. You are probably asking yourself why those 111 women didn’t.

The next time you wonder that, put yourself in their shoes. Ask yourself what you would do if you were forced to leave on foot, without a dollar to your name. Ask yourself what you would do if you feared leaving because you thought he would find you and kill you, or worse yet, take your children from you.

Domestic violence kills but there is hope. If you are ready to leave but are scared, there are resources available. Texas Advocacy Project and the Allstate Foundation have teamed up to make financial and legal help available to help women and their children get and stay safe. To learn more, visit www.TexasAdvocacyProject.org.

Contact:

Brenda Larcom
Domestic Violence Survivor

Cafe Canela: Build a Burger or Order Tex Mex, It's Up to You

2010-10-10T13:06:00.000-05:00

Cafe Canela (9070 Research Blvd. Ste 303) replaces the former Geaux Burger, formerly Mooyah Burger. When I learned Mooyah closed, I was devastated! But later, because of ACS's 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas Tour, I learned Cafe Canela is the same place but with a little extra on the menu.

Owner Alvaro Valencia managed Mooyah and Geaux. But this time, he's doing things the way he wants because he owns and manages Cafe Canela. Valencia put Tex Mex options on the menu, so customers aren't limited to just burgers or hot dogs. But we highly recommend getting a burger and loading it up with toppings, which come free!

Some burger joints offer the plain Jane burgers; others do theirs up a little more gourmet style. At Cafe Canela, you'll order a simple burger. You have the option of dressing it up how you like, but it doesn't come to the table overloaded. The burger is juicy and the bun is outstanding. Valencia told us he orders the bread from Sweetish Hill Bakery.

This concludes the ACS burger tour. Which burger joint on our list is your favorite? Tell us what we didn't try that you highly recommend.

P. Terry's Prides Itself on Food and Its People

2010-10-09T02:25:00.000-05:00

P. Terry's Prides Itself on Food and Its People
Originally uploaded by Austin Citysphere

If you're ever in the burger mood and can't decide on a burger joint,
look no further than P. Terry's (404. S. Lamar/3303 N. Lamar/4228 W.
William Cannon) to fulfill your craving.

This place takes pride in its food and its people. 'Everything that
comes from our kitchen is a product of the people we have working with
us,' explains the owners on the P. Terry's web site. The surprising
part is they put their money where their mouth is: employees are paid
an average of $11 an hour.

The company outlines the menu and explains each item they serve.
Burgers and fries, for example, aren't frozen and come fresh. Veggies
are locally grown and Mrs. Baird's bread is delivered four times a
week. Taste for cost is never sacrificed, according to the web site.

Hey, giving back is something this place does too, to the tune of
$70,000 to local charities in Austin. Dell Children's Hospital and
Big Brothers Big Sisters arc just two of the very worthy organizations
where their money goes.

This year, P. Terry's has been recognized for Best Burger by Rare
Magazine, Best Veggie Burger by Austin Chronicle's Poll, and Best Fast
Food by the same poll. The list is long from past years, too.

The burgers range from $2 to $3.80 and combo meals are $4.55 to $5.95.
Rush over, order a lot, and stay a while.

ACL Fest: Day One

2010-10-09T02:00:00.000-05:00

Photos by: Dave Mead

The Austin City Limits Music Festival kicked off Friday at Zilker Park after a year of preparation (following the end of last year's weekend-long concert). The day included performances by The Strokes, Spoon, Blues Traveler and others.

Of course, the weekend includes so many more bands on the nearly dozen stages set up in the south Austin park, which hosts the festival every year.

Saturday will begin just after 11 a.m. and run until 10:00 Saturday night. Watch the slide show of the first day of ACL. Photos by Dave Mead.

Big List of the Best Burgers in Town

2010-10-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Local radio personality Sandy Mcilree of Mix 94.7 fame shared with the world his friend's best Austin burger joint list. It's so impressive, and extensive, that we couldn't ignore it because of 1) our love of burgers and 2) our recent 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas. By the way, the color on the home page may have changed to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but we still have one more burger to wrap up the tour. It will be posted on this site on Sunday, Oct. 10.

Everyone has their own standards for burgers. Throughout the tour on ACS, I have learned that there are the burgers with all the frills, and those that come plain Jane. I know some people prefer to keep it simple, as do I, but I have found that I do like the add-ons quite a bit, too.

Sandy's friend, Brock Purslow (left), obviously has had a couple of burgers in his day. His criteria, according to Sandy's blog, includes mandatory good fries, a simple atmosphere for the burger lover to enjoy, and a good shake (a plus in Purslow's book).

In no particular order (except for the first one), here is the list:

Crown and Anchor: great atmosphere, spectacular fries, cold beer from around the world (mustard only on the burger)
Dirty's: more history and Longhorn tradition than any other joint in town. On anyday you could see Coach Brown, Coach Barnes, Coach Auggie, Ben Crenshaw and even Quinton Tarintino eating here. Go by yourself and sit at the bar. (Mustard and Pickle only on the large cheeseburger for me)
Mike's Pub: simple but excellent. Nice grease on top of bun and coldest beer in town. (put your own fixin's on, mustard and onion for me)
Lee's Almost by the Lake (Spicewood, Tex.): worth the drive to cure a hangover on Saturday (all the way minus lettuce for me)
Diamond Inn (Taylor, Tex.): Same grill from the original Diamond Inn in the 1960's and 1970's. Only serve cheeseburgers Thursday's-Saturday (order just like it comes, don't mess with a good thing)
P. Terry's: easiest menu in town, quick convenient but darn good burgers and shakes. (I get mine without the special sauce)
Shuggies: (closed) great hangout at the South Austin Trailer Park Eatery. Unique bun with the black pepper, large patties and beer battered fries. (mustard and pickle on for me)
Mighty Fine Burgers: only fresh cut crinkle fries in the great state of Texas. I once ate the largest cheeseburger of my life here because I ordered wrong. It was good but quite a challenge I wasn't going to back down from. (yellow and white only for me)
Mooyah Burgers and Fries [editor's note: now Cafe Canela]: new in town but moving up the ranks quick. Great bun and cheese is melted into the meat to give it the real "dive" taste. Fresh cut fries daily with good shakes. (mustard and pickle only for me)
Hut's: best variety in town. Cool place with good shakes. (Chubby Checker for me)
Ski Shores: great place to stop by to refresh those burning ski legs or drive to after you run your dogs at Turkey Creek. (mustard only for me)
Poodies on 71: worth the drive again. Go in the evening and you might catch Willie but you will probably catch some good live music and a good buzz. (mustard, pickle and onion for me)
Billy's on Burnet: great little spot for lunch. Nice thick pattie with some of the nicest people in Austin waiting on you. A Green Bay Packer joint with Beer Brats on Game Day. If you are a Packer fan, which I am, you gotta go on game day. *If ever in Green Bay you must eat at Kroll's, and it has to be Kroll's East not West. (mustard only for me)
Jim's: everyone knows about Jim's. Next time look past the breakfast menu and order the Frontier burger. (I get mine just like it comes minus lettuce of course)
Nau's: old school cheeseburgers with history, enough said. (mustard, pickle and onion only)
Casino El Camino: order like it comes or get out. No substitutions. nice greasy burger to warsh down your col' beer.
Red Robin: typically not a fan of chains but the Royal Red Robin (with a fried egg) is worth going. Great shakes. (like it comes minus lettuce of course)
Mo Willy Golf Course: every muny golf course has a great greasy burger or its not a really muny. This is the best muny cheeseburger in town. They even have watered fairways now. (mustard only for me)
Arkie's: cool little spot on the east side. Sit at the counter get a burger, skip the shake and go right for the homemade pie. (mustard only for me)
The Frisco Shop: (formerley Night Hawk for those true Austinites). Old school burger served wrapped in paper. Its gotta be good because it's messy. (I get mine the way it comes minus lettuce of course)

Purslow also says Gus's Grill would make the list but rumor has it it's closed.

I wonder where Posse East ranks on everyone's list. A picture of the Sheriff Sandwich, which I believe is the signature sandwich there, is to the left. It's actually what I ordered the day I went: Ham, salami, cheddar, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, red onion & mustard on a wheat bun. Wow! And at $4.90 that can't be beat. Despite the kitchen losing my order, it turned out pretty good, dare I say different! I definitely need to go back and try it again.

How many of these on Purslow's list have you tried? Let us know, and tell us your favorites! Purslow says he's working on a separate, fast food list.

Get Stuck or Get Sick: Time To Get a Flu Shot

2010-10-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

After last year's active flu season, the Texas Department of State Health Services urges everyone over the age of 6 months - yes, that means you - to get this year's seasonal flu shot.

Dr. David Lakey, DSHS commissioner, says that people shouldn't wait to get vaccinated. "The supply is here," he said. "We usually see an increase in flu cases in late October or early November. It takes the vaccine about two weeks to become effective, so get vaccinated now to protect yourself and your family."

The good news is that this year's shot includes protection against the H1N1 strain of the flu virus, so there's no need to get two shots like there was during last year's flu season. And if you don't like needles, the Flu Mist nasal spray vaccine is available for healthy people ages 2 to 49 who aren't pregnant.

Flu symptoms include fever, coughing, sore throat, aches, chills and fatigue. While a case of the flu isn't typically dangerous for healthy people and most recover without problems, the so-called "high risk" groups can experience serious complications, including death. High risk groups include people over 65, pregnant women, young children and people with chronic health condition. In addition, if you care for a child under 6 months, it's important to get the vaccine as these children are too young to receive it themselves.

Getting a flu shot is the best way to prevent flu from spreading. Also, cover all coughs and sneezes, wash hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer and stay home if you're sick. You can contact your health care provider, local health department or call 2-1-1 to find out where to get a flu shot. Flu information and tips for protecting against the flu are online at texasflu.org.

Don't Go It Alone: Jaclyn Smith

2010-10-06T09:27:00.000-05:00

Native Texan Jaclyn Smith rose to fame as one of Charlie's Angels, and has gone on to star in a lengthy list of film and television projects. Her next role, however, is more personal.

Smith battled against breast cancer in 2003 and is now one of the millions of women who has survived breast cancer. She says her husband, Brad Allen, was key in helping her deal with hearing the diagnosis. She told CNN in 2008, "I was in a state of panic," she says. "It was kind of surreal, and you don't really hear what they're saying."

Smith also said she relied on her friends to help her through her battle. "One of the most important things you can do is remember the power of girlfriends. Your family is there for you, but they get emotional. Girlfriends saved my day."

Tonight, Smith and other cancer survivors appear in the docu-drama "1 a Minute," which is showing across the country at live events that will feature panelists speaking about breast cancer survival and hopeful advancements against the disease. "1 a Minute" was launched by Indo-American actress Namrata Singh Gujral while she was undergoing her third round of chemotherapy to treat breast cancer. There are several live events happening in and around the Austin area, and tickets are on sale now. View the trailer below or visit the official website at 1aminute.com.

Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers Clear Crime Lab

2010-10-05T23:58:00.000-05:00

Former Employee Never Wanted Complaints Public

For months, the Austin Police Department's DNA Crime Lab has been under scrutiny after former employee Cecily Hamilton complained of improper training and personnel issues. But Tuesday, the close watch over the crime lab came to an end when police chief Art Acevedo announced the independent investigation found no wrongdoing by the lab.

"This turned out to be a blessing because again what we have found out and what we've been able to determine - is that we have an outstanding crime lab," said Acevedo.

Acevedo outlined eight findings Department of Public Safety DNA supervisors and Texas Rangers concluded. Some of the results include experts' beliefs the crime lab uses extensive procedures to minimize contamination, that no evidence was found to have contaminated previous cases, and the DNA analyst in question was well trained.

Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said after the investigations launched by APD's Internal Affairs division, the Travis Country District Attorney's Office, and the third-party departments, a backlog of cases started stacking up at the courthouse. The delayed cases did not cause a huge problem, but the more telling news according to Lehmberg is that no prior cases will need to be retried.

"The integrity of this lab, the professionalism of this lab is crucial to the department, to our office and to the entire community," she said.

Hamilton's legal team, including Jerry Smith, said Hamilton never alleged the crime lab contaminated evidence. "She has never once said there was any faulty final product that came out of the crime lab," said Smith. But Acevedo felt he needed to launch a full-scale investigation to clear the lab of any lingering doubts in the public's perception.

"We can't even afford the appearance of not doing the right thing when it comes to evidence that is extremely valuable in convictions and in proving the innocence of the wrongly accused and the wrongfully convicted," said Acevedo.

Lehmberg said the District Attorney's Office will not pursue charges against Hamilton. Sometimes, it's what disgruntled employees do, she said of Hamilton's allegations.

ACL Fest Pumps Millions Into Austin Economy

2010-10-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

Thousands of visitors will descend upon Austin along with the many locals attending the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park this weekend.

According to the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, a quarter of passes for the festival were purchased by buyers outside of the Lone Star State. Attendance is expected to top 65,000 people for each day of the three day festival.

With the throngs of music lovers flowing into Austin comes millions of visitor dollars that boost the local economy. An estimated $51 million will go to area hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, transportation services and other attractions this weekend. The total economic impact could reach nearly $82 million, including temporary employment, sponsorships and the cost of operating the ACL Festival, according to a report commissioned by C3 Presents, the festival's producers.

The 2010 ACL Festival headliners include The Eagles, Phish, The Strokes, M.I.A., Muse and The Flaming Lips. For more information, visit aclfestival.com.

I've Been On Blind Dates Better Than That: Molly Ivins

2010-10-05T10:31:00.000-05:00

Legendary Texas author and humorist Molly Ivins died nearly four years ago at the age of 62 from stage three inflammatory breast cancer. She was first diagnosed in 1999, and the disease recurred twice in 2003 and in 2005. She began her last leave from writing her syndicated column in December 2006, was hospitalized on January 26, 2007, and died at her home in Austin five days later on January 31.

On fighting breast cancer, Ivins said, "Having breast cancer is massive amounts of no fun. First they mutilate you; then they poison you; then they burn you. I have been on blind dates better than that."

Former President George W. Bush, who was often the recipient of her critiques, later said, "I respected her convictions, her passionate belief in the power of words. She fought her illness with that same passion. Her quick wit and commitment will be missed."

Below is an archive from NPR's "All Things Considered," in their episode remembering Molly Ivins.

Students Rally Last Minute Voter Registrants

2010-10-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

Every time the walk sign allowed pedestrians to cross Guadalupe Monday, Huey Fischer quickly joined the crowd with his 'Register to Vote' sign proudly waving in the air. The government major is rallying for last minute voter registrants to sign up to vote on the last day before it's too late.

In 2008, UT students were able to gain 6,000 voter registrants, and this year the politically-minded young people are looking to gather even more.

The students stayed on the West Mall all day, and other locations around town also registered people to vote until midnight. Early voting begins in just two weeks. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Austin Neighbors to Take Bite Out of Crime

2010-10-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Neighborhoods in Austin will join thousands of other communities throughout the country for the October edition of National Night Out, a crime awareness and prevention program. The 27th National Night Out kicks off Tuesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at "The Grove" at Southpark Meadows, located at 9300 South I-35.

National Night Out increases crime awareness and prevention by acquainting neighbors with each other, community leaders with neighborhood watch leaders, and the police officers who patrol their streets. Often times, support is strengthened through these personal introductions that helps people increase crime efforts. Police say the night is important to send the message to others that your neighborhood is a safe place to live.

Neighborhoods are encouraged to come together and send the message that we are
all working together to prevent crime and keep our neighborhoods safe. Starting at 6 p.m., residents are asked to turn on their porch lights, lock their doors and spend the evening outside with their neighbors, police officers, EMS, and fire fighters. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will speak at 6:30 p.m. about the night and what it means to him as the leader of the Austin Police Department.

For the rest of the nation, National Night Out occurs in August. Since Texas is so hot,
the event has been moved to October when it is cooler outside.

Results of Investigation Into APD DNA Crime Lab to Be Released

2010-10-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Following a 25 page formal complaint against the APD DNA lab, the results of a full investigation are expected to be announced Tuesday morning.

The complaint was written by former lab employee Cecily Hamilton, who outlined quality assurance and personnel issues, that she claimed existed within the lab. Her report is titled "Critical Issues Within the APD DNA Laboratory.

Austin Police Department investigators conducted an internal investigation. The results turned out to be unfounded according to that investigation on March 22, 2010. But an external review was ordered by APD and turned over to the Texas Rangers. The results will be released Tuesday morning.

The initial complaint came as a surprise to leaders at the police department and begged questions of the number of cases tried inside the Travis County Courthouse that might need to be retried due to potential evidence contamination. Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg spoke about the complaint earlier this year along with Chief Acevedo. At the time, Lehmberg did not believe there to be a substantial amount of cases that would need to be brought back into court.

Tuesday morning, APD and the Travis County District Attorney's office will announce the findings by DPS. Those results will be posted to ACS as soon as the information becomes available. (Top Photo: Statesman.com; Bottom Photos: News 8 Austin)

Protect Your Most Valuable Player: Your iPhone 4

2010-10-05T01:03:00.000-05:00

Football season and the fall are here! As you take your iPhone with you to each game to check the scores of all your favorite teams, you'll need to make sure you also have a protective and stylish case to protect your most valuable player: your iPhone!

Personally, every cell phone I've owned has been beaten to pieces. It's a sign of the good wear and tear I got out of it. After all, it is a device on the go and therefore is a device I always have out. That said, I'll forget it's there when it's in my lap, or it'll fall on the floorboard when I'm in the car.

That's why cell phone cases are the simple yet often forgotten solution to keeping your MVP in great shape. Cases.com lets your phone take a lickin' and keep on tickin. Remember that slogan? It's an oldie but goody, especially when we're talking about a computer in the palm of your hands that keeps your life in line: cell phone numbers, calendar and e-mail addresses.

iPhone 4 users are in good hands with Cases.com because of the versatility of cases, especially with prices! Leather cases can run hundreds of dollars, but this one is just $73 and keeps your phone and your wallet in tact in just one case! But if you prefer a more economically sound option for your budget, choose this one, which is made from a flexible TPU material. Its basic design and functionality keeps your phone and your checkbook protected.

Middle of the road options include this case, which is a great look at a great value. The PDair Black Leather Sleeve is designed to keep your phone from becoming too bulky and has access to all of the bells and whistles of the iPhone 4.

All of these cases are made of sturdy materials that will last all of your on the go needs. Whatever case you choose, just choose it fast. The question is not if you drop it, it's when.

New Political Paper Hopes to Grab Young Conservative Following

2010-10-04T00:39:00.000-05:00

The start of fall hasn't only brought cooler weather. This season is also starting with a new publication called New Texas Forum, written for the college audience across the state on all things politics.

"The goal of the New Texas Forum is to provide a conservative voice on college campuses and stoke a healthier political dialogue in the typically liberal university environment," said Austen Bailey, UT student and Republican Party of Texas Youth Outreach Director.

Bailey believes this new publication will be a useful tool for the Republican Party of Texas because it will provide information on issues and people committed to principles of limited government, economic freedom and the prosperity of Texas and the country as a whole. "We are unabashedly conservative, proud to have earned the support of the RPT, and ready to find more like-minded organizations to stand with us as we expand across Texas," Bailey said by e-mail.

It's not coincidental the paper is launching just over a month before the general election. Bailey confirmed the publication will be an ongoing project that will focus on political issues past the election. Bailey hopes the paper will reach out to Independents, Libertarians, Moderates, Republicans and Democrats who do not want the government reaching into people's personal lives.

"It will be mostly written by and for college students," Bailey said. "At times, there will be other writers who will contribute, but the target audience remains young voters."

Bailey thinks the paper will be an awakening for many young people who misunderstood conservative views before, or those who haven't realized they are a conservative. " It's time that a conservative voice spoke up on college campuses and educated students on what true conservatism stands for, something I believe many people over look and don't truly understand and many politicians have strayed away from," he said.

The Democratic Party of Texas does not have a similar publication. We contacted Kirsten Gray, the Texas Democratic Party's Communications Director, who says the RPT seems to have a problem with the most award-winning college newspaper in the country, "calling their publication 'an answer to the [University of Texas'] Daily Texan.'" Gray says it speaks to how far outside the mainstream Texas Republicans are marching.

Democrats don't seem concerned about the new newspaper because their views have always been about supporting policies that college students care about, according to Gray.

"Texas students, of course, are not a homogenous group politically, but the Texas Democratic Party has always been a “big tent” party – we support policies that resonate with a broad group of voters who simply want government to do its job and do it well," said Gray by e-mail.

Similar to the new paper, Democrats say they also fight for what's important to college students. But the ways they go about it aren't exactly the same. "We fight for the issues most important to college students - major priorities like cutting out-of-control tuition rates and fostering a strong economy and creating jobs so they can put their degrees to use after they graduate," Gray said.

While Bailey says the timing of New Texas Forum is "inconsequential" to the upcoming election, Democrats are confident with the path of each of their candidates on the ballot, including Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill White, who faces Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Perry on November 2nd.

"It's just another example of how concerned the Republicans are with the serious challenge posed by Bill White and our stellar Democratic ticket," Gray said.

The New Texas Forum launched Oct. 1.

Going Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

2010-10-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and ACS has gone pink along with many other organizations around the country. But the special events and all of the pink you'll see during October point to the fact that breast cancer is still a deadly disease that claims thousands of lives a year. Even though the mortality has gone down overall due in part to early detection and diagnosis, the disease is not always survivable.

Here in Austin, the local chapter of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is kicking off a month chock-full of activities that will benefit breast cancer awareness and research, from pink ribbon doughnuts to haircuts to fitness activities. In addition, the annual Race for the Cure will take place on November 7th at the Domain, after months of fundraising by local teams. The Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas organization is also holding several events during October, including a golf tournament, a motorcycle ride, and SCARE for a Cure.

Other local offices are "going pink" to increase awareness. The Austin Police Department rolled out a pink police car on Thursday that will be seen around the city in October, and the city council issued a proclamation for the 2010 Race for the Cure at last week's meeting.

Beyond the pink, though, remember that this isn't just the month when NFL players wear pink gloves or guys wear pink ribbons. This is the month when we remember those who are still fighting a terrible disease, and those who fought until the end.

Casino El Camino's Burgers, Abrasive Style, and Sense of Family

2010-10-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

Casino El Camino (517 E. 6th Street / (512) 469-9330) is a bar in the heart of Austin's infamous 6th Street District, but it's also a hot little lunch spot for people who know this part of 6th Street in the daylight rather than bar-hopping hours. I've heard how great Casino's burgers are but wanted to taste for myself.

I loaded up the car with two of my buddies and headed downtown, where parking can be limited but not impossible to find. Just remember to take your quarters. The new pay meters accept coins and credit but no paper money, which for me, sent me back out to the meter after changing in my dollars for quarters. All three of us attempted a different burger or variation of burger.

Adolfo got the Amarillo Burger with roasted serrano chiles, jalapeno jack cheese and cilantro mayo. The burger looked a little pink but according to my friend, the flavor couldn't be beat. In fact, he said it's the best burger he's ever eaten - and that includes a couple of Lubbock burger joints that he says puts several Austin burgers to shame. Check out all that green on there and it's all those chiles. "Now that's one spicy burger," Adolfo said.

Next up, my buddy John got the Chicago Burger with Romaine lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese. This is one of the more traditional style burgers on the menu, but definitely not one that is lacking. "You don't just get a tantalizing burger here, there's a whole story you may have never heard, it's a family unlike any I've ever seen and a place where the cooks can express however they feel while cooking and reading up on classwork all at the same time making an awesome burger.," John said.

That brings me to the portion of the story where I talk about the people. Our waitress, Ginger Stevens, is very much a party of the Casino family. For the last 16 years, she's been coming to this place. She began working at Casino about a year and a half ago. The other workers are, well, just like family - or at least they treat you that way, at times being downright rude, but it's all just a part of the charm. Stitch, one of the cooks, is studying for his Ph.D and had his notebook opened as he rolled up the thick hamburger patties. When I went to order at the window in the back, I'd asked him what I should get. He told me it was a bad time because he was busy with bookwork. But he did end up offering a suggestion: the Chicago burger (like John) but with the buffalo sauce! It was a perfect suggestion for me since I love spicy dishes and I wanted to get a more traditional burger. Put the two together and that became my Casino experience.

The fries were crunch and delicious and the burger came juicy. It's hard to get it all in your mouth but somehow, some way, people find it possible and eat these delicious burgers up. Casino was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives as a joint where customers dig the heat, employees mix up great burger recipes and the environment reminds you of being at home among family.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

City Employees Vow to Give Thousands of Dollars to Charities

2010-10-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Budget Cuts Create Dire Situation for Charitable Organizations

Austin city employees have begun its month-long campaign to give to charitable organizations as the season of giving gets underway.

Every year, Austin city employees raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local, regional, national and international charities for the Combined Charities Campaign. It began in 1993 and has raised more than $9 million in its 17 years through payroll contributions and special fundraising events. More than 500 approved charities benefit from the campaign.

"Funds raised help support our community and better all of our lives, whether they are used to research the prevention or treatment of diseases, provide a variety of services for individuals in need or to protect the most basic of human needs - air and water, everyone benefits as a result," said Karen Sharp, who chaired the campaign last year. "Every year these contributions are critical to thousands of people here in the Austin area and around the world."

The program is one of the strongest payroll contribution giving campaigns in central Texas. The donations are especially important since many charities have had to cut services due to the recession. "This year we face new and different challenges, but based on the campaign’s track record, city employees have the spirit of sharing and giving and I know we will work hard to exceed last year’s contributions," said Sharp.

Last year, employees exceeded donations from 2007 by 6 percent, bringing in $761,000.

Photo: Donna Ripple (l), Jo Hendrick (r) and other volunteers sort donated food items at the Capital Area Food Bank on October 20, 2009. Items must be cleaned, checked that they are not perishable, meet CAFB standards and are then organized by food type. Courtesy, The Austin Chronicle

Multi-Million Dollar Grant to Help Prevent Teen Pregnancies

2010-10-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

from Austin ISD

The Austin School District will implement a risk-reduction program to help prevent pregnancies with a $2.9 million grant awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Adolescent Health.

The REAL Talk program for middle and high school students will provide teens with the instruction to ‘Know More/Know How’ to prevent unplanned pregnancies. As grant collaborators, LifeWorks and Planned Parenthood of Texas Capital Region will provide education services to seventh and eighth grade students, and ninth and tenth grade students, respectively.

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced the award on Thursday, September 30. The Austin School District, LifeWorks and Planned Parenthood submitted the application for the five-year award in May 2009.

In anticipation of receiving the grant, last Spring a group of Akins High School students, in collaboration with the University of Texas’ School of Public Health, developed the ‘Know More/Know How’ social media marketing campaign to raise awareness of the need to implement a student driven campaign about teen pregnancy prevention. Teen pregnancy was one of two major student health issues identified by participants of a community conversation hosted by the District’s Health Services Department and the School Health Advisory Council in October 2009. Unplanned pregnancies, along with childhood/adolescent obesity, were cited because of their long-term impact on student health, school attendance and academic performance.

District figures regarding teen pregnancy rates, supported community perception that too many young women were becoming mothers too soon. Student Health Services data show that after a multi-year decline to 251 students identified as pregnant in 2006, the trend reversed. Students identified as pregnant in 2007 climbed to 296, in 2008 to 348, in 2009 to 375, and 2010 to 395.

The REAL Talk program will focus on abstinence as the only 100 percent effective means of preventing pregnancy. Additionally, students will learn about types of behaviors that are likely to increase the risk of pregnancy and contraceptive options to prevent pregnancy. Per AISD policy, contraceptive devices will not be demonstrated nor will they be disseminated in District facilities. Additionally, students who wish to participate in the program will be required to have parental or guardian permission.

“I’d like to congratulate AISD, LifeWorks and Planned Parenthood for working so hard to secure this grant, and the City is proud to support their efforts,” said Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell. “Addressing teen pregnancy is critically important work – especially here in Texas, where we have the third highest rate of teen births in the nation.”

Mayor Leffingwell as well as Congressman Lloyd Doggett authored letters of support for the collaborative REAL Talk application.

Next steps include the development of an implementation plan, starting in the Fall of 2011-2012 school year, and implementation of the ‘Know More/Know How’ social media campaign. For more information regarding the REAL Talk program, contact AISD’s Health Education Coordinator Tracy Lunoff at 414-4778.

Hop to Hopdoddy Hamburgers This October

2010-09-30T09:32:00.000-05:00

Austin 360 is reporting very exciting hamburger news! According to the report, Hopdoddy Burger Bar will open up in early October and will fill the spot on South Congress vacated by Cissi's Wine Bar which closed down earlier in the year.

The brains behind the Hopdoddy burgers are Moonshine chef and Hopdoddy partner Larry Perdido. Austin 360 says Moonshine's Chuck Smith is also on board, along with Guy Villavaso and Larry Foles, the creators of the Roaring Fork, Eddie V's, and Z'Tejas.

The name mix of beer (hop) and the name given to the Aberdeen Angus cow of Scotland (doddy).

Special burgers might include local cabrito or lamb, Perdido said, every burger using brioche-style buns baked in-house. Prices will start around $5 for a basic burger, he said, going to about $9 or $10 for specialty burgers.

The handmade approach will extend to fries made from Kennebec potatoes, ice cream for shakes, even special ketchup and mustard blends, Perdido said. Fountain sodas will use cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup.

You'll be able to find Hopdoddy at 1400 S. Congress and is on the web here. Click this link to read the full Austin 360 article.

Professor Believes High Achieving Students Can Become Dangerous

2010-09-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Friends and former classmates of the University of Texas gunman, who took his own life Tuesday after parading through campus with an AK47, say they are stunned by his actions.

Colton Tooley came to campus clad in black and a ski mask, carrying the assault weapon, shooting into the air and the ground near the University Catholic Center. Tooley then went to the Perry-Castaneda Library, known as the PCL, where he passed a security guard. The men exchanged hellos, but the guard quickly called UT police dispatch. Police say although Tooley did not hurt anyone else, he certainly had the opportunity to. Tooley ended the incident Tuesday morning when he fired one round at himself on the sixth floor of the library. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tooley was a math major and a bright student, according to people who knew him. They say he showed no signs of being disturbed. The university is looking into behavioral problems, but so far no records have pointed to evidence this would happen. According to Lone Star Texas News, James Allen Fox, a professor of criminology at Northeastern University, says high-achieving students like Tooley can become dangerous. Often times, these students isolate themselves from the world around them when Fox says they need a balance in their lives.

Craig Shapiro, the principal of Austin's Crockett High School where Tooley graduated, said the Crockett community is shocked and saddened by Tuesday's tragedy. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Colton Tooley," said Shapiro in a statement.

Colton was ranked seventh in his 2009 class and was an excellent student, according to Shapiro. "[He] excelled in every subject. His teachers recall him with words such as “brilliant,” “meticulous,” and “respectful,” Shapiro said.

Crockett High School will have additional counselors on campus to assist students and staff who request their services.

Video below from The Daily Texan.

"There's Always Somebody Taking a More Radical Step Than You Are"

2010-09-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

After dropping cell phone service - radically changing our lives and the way we communicate, adopting Dave Ramsey's envelope system as we turn the pages of his Total Money Makeover, paying cash for groceries, and buckling down our checkbook to devote every extra cent to debt, we are starting to feel free from our normal routine that has kept us tied to financial stress.

I read an article Swapping Convenience for Low Cost on the Get Rich Slowly blog recently. It's about a man from London who traveled to the United States on the cheap... the very cheap. He stayed on people's couches and did odd jobs for people in exchange for food and shelter. It's not how many people travel. In fact, I don't know anyone who travels like that. But the point is he's experiencing America a different way than most from his country do, and has great stories to tell from it.

My favorite paragraph from the blog is this:

Whether you’re looking to travel to exotic places, change careers, or just keep your house warm this winter, there’s always somebody taking a more radical step than you are. Watching people who go beyond your own comfort zones can be inspiring. We can’t all be vegans, but we can all try to eat less meat. Most of us would never want to become squatters or dumpster-dive for our dinners, but seeing others do so can be an invitation to examine our own lives.

Where are you swapping cash for conveniences you don’t really need? Is there some radical change waiting to be made in your life? A baby step that you can take towards it?

There's always someone more radical, huh? That's hard to believe since I don't have a cell phone anymore! But it's true. I wonder what other people do to blast debt. I'm interested to know the extreme measures some people take when they are really serious about changing their lives and the way they spend money.

What do you do? Are you changing the way you spend money? Are you tired of debt? Are you taking radical steps to change your life? If you are, please let us know about it. Leave a comment below.

A Side of Fries with Hat Creek Burger Company

2010-09-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

With so many good burger places in north Austin I don't see any point in visiting Hat Creek again. The burger was mediocre. Besides the fun sign outside, you lose all character inside. It looks like a fast food restaurant.... it feels like fast food.

Hat Creek Burger Company (5400 Burnet Road) might be easy to spot with the old Arby's sign out front, but you might as well just keep going. With full intentions of putting Hat Creek on the 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas tour after recommendations I should try it out, I must say I agree with the Yelp review above.

The employees are very nice and attended to my order in a very courteous fashion, but I just couldn't help but think Hat Creek's burger is just plain and simple. There's nothing wrong with a plain and simple burger. Not all of them have the frills and added elements of a gourmet burger. But there's just nothing special about Hat Creek. The patty tasted ordinary, and I did not see how they cooked it. The fries were also the very skinny shoestring style, which I am not a fan of.

To be fair, many Yelp reviewers do like Hat Creek and it's only right to include one of them here.

The burger was really good, I'd say good enough to go back. And I really like their fries - on the thin side, crispy, some skin on them.

Another complaint I saw on Yelp that I sort of noticed myself but didn't place a thought to it at the time is the very white, sterile dining room. There's a huge wall that separates the dining room from the ordering area, which seems to be very divisive so customers can't see everything going on at the front. I would enjoy it more if the entire space were open.

I can't in good faith include Hat Creek on the 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas tour because in my opinion, it just wasn't. I am glad I got to try their hamburger, but I don't feel that I'll be going back. But as I always say, try it out for yourself to decide. You can find Hat Creek on the web here, and make sure to check out the video of the place on the Hat Creek media page. It's actually pretty good.

Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.

Players Scores Big With Generations of Hungry Hamburger Customers

2010-09-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Walk into Players (300 West MLK) on the UT campus in central Austin and you'll likely by greeted by one of these gentlemen, Daniel and his uncle, Carlos Oliveira. Carlos and partner Eddie Hempe started Players nearly 30 years ago and obviously has a winning recipe for great hamburgers, excellent customer service, affordable food and easy access to a wide variety of people. The Longhorns graduates know how to cater to their audience. You may spot the Longhorns head football coach Mack Brown or any number of sports team members eating a Players burger, maybe a politician or two, workers from neighboring businesses, and of course plenty of college students. The name comes from the arcade games in the dining room, the number of sports team members who love to eat there, and the large flat screen TV you can always be sure to catch a game on!

I first walked into Players several years ago because someone I worked with recommended I go there immediately. I did and yes, it's one great burger. I've been in to dine many other times, so when I walked in Thursday with the intention of reviewing Players, I ordered a burger I normally don't get - the jalapeno cheese burger.

What you'll notice eating the burger right off the bat is that it's juicy and is loaded down with the fixings. But what you'll notice after getting all the way through it is it stays enjoyable and juicy the entire time! Some burgers will start off great, juicy, and full of flavor but gets less juicy and flavorful the closer to the end you get. That's a big difference!

Daniel and Carlos say the secret ingredients to their success include fresh products, made to order burgers and patties cooked over an open flame. Carlos says he also doesn't salt the fries, but rather leaves them plain so the customer can decide how salty to make it.

The affordable price is worth mentioning again. Customers rarely can find a meal under $10 for lunch these days. My jalapeno burger, along with a half order of french fries and a soda, cost me $7 flat. For comparison, last week at Your Mom's Burger Bar, I paid a little over $14 for a hamburger, soda, an order of regular fries for me and an order of sweet potato fries for the little guy. Carlos told me he knows workers nearby and college students can't afford to pay $10 or more for a hamburger. He keeps his prices low and the burgers tasting great. That, along with his winning combination of tasty food and being a truly local business in Austin, means you can't go wrong with Players.

Give Players a call at (512) 478-9299 and drop by to get a burger. This is one Austin staple you can't afford to pass up. You can listen to the podcast with Carlos and Daniel by clicking the play button above, and scroll through the pictures on the slide show below.

Time Warner To Move Access Channels to Digital Tier

2010-09-25T20:56:00.000-05:00

Time Warner Cable will move several public access channels to a digital tier that is only accessible with a digital converter box from the cable company. The channels include AISD-TV (Channel 22), City of Austin (Channel 6), Travis County TV (Channel 17), Austin Community College's Instructional TV (Channel 19) and channelAustin's public access channels (Channels 10, 11 and 16).

If you have an analog or standard-definition television, you will only be able to view these Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channels on the digital converter box beginning Friday, October 1. Basic tier subscribers will not be charged for the box through December 31, 2015, while standard tier customers are eligible to receive the box free for one year if they request it before December 1, 2010.

The City of Austin channel is also available as a live webcast or video on demand at www.cityofaustin.org/channel6. Travis County TV is also available online at www.co.travis.tx.us/media_services/default.asp. Some of ACC's ITV programming is available for viewing at on-campus media centers and online as well.

Service is not affected for Grande Communications, Suddenlink or AT&T U-Verse customers. The providers of the affected channels have made it clear that they have objected to the change. If you have further questions about the move or about how to obtain a converter box, call Time Warner Cable at 485-6000.

Member-Owned Brew Pub Opens Its Doors, Pours Up Unique Business Model

2010-09-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Black Star Co-Op Brew Pub (7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100) is finally open after plenty of sweat, hard work, and determination!

Black Star, as hinted in the name, is a cooperative style - dare I say business - which is based upon community 'partners' in which customers buy in to the business as members to become part owners in the pub. Basically, the co-operative is owned and run by the people it serves (the members).

With a special focus on local producers, the basic mission and principles of the Black Star Co-op is to foster an environment in which member-owners, as well as the general public, may realize the principles of co-operative ownership, worker self-management, education and community action through the responsible enjoyment great beer and food.

As the first enterprise of this type, we seek to realize an alternative business model for brewpubs and to help expand the co-operative movement into new and innovative areas — both in Austin and around the world.

Today, with an anchor position within Central Austin’s Midtown Commons center adjacent to the Crestview Metro station, and a team of architects, graphic designers, and contractors assembled to lead the build-out with overwhelming input and support from members, the “vision” of the Black Star Co-op is well on its way to becoming a reality in Summer 2010. (Black Star Co-Op web site)

The brew pub for all to share happily opened its doors Tuesday as a soft open. Guest taps right now include 512 and Live Oak, for example, and bar grub is for sale with the kitchen pretty much in full operation. Driving by Black Star Co-Op, which is located in Midtown Commons at the intersection of Lamar and St. Johns Avenue (along Capital Metro's Crestview MetroRail train stop), you'll be able to spot the brewing tanks sitting tall and proud inside the building. Unfortunately, there is no beer in them just yet, but we won't have to wait too much longer at all. (Picture: member-owners, courtesy Black Star web site)

You may notice a big difference when you pay your tab at Black Star. We talked with a manager who told us customers need not leave a tip. She said the mindset behind it is that all the workers, who share equal responsibility doing a number of different tasks throughout their shifts, all earn a fair wage and therefore do not need to be tipped.

Interested in joining? Each membership is $85 with a one-time joining fee of $15. According to Black Star's membership rules, more than one person in a household can join and incur only one joining fee.

Pretty cool concept, really cool brew pub (you should see the inside of this place!), and I'm pretty darn sure there is some pretty great beer on the way. Check Black Star out on the web, call them at 512-452-BEER, or just swing by. The soft opening hours are 4 p.m. until midnight. ACS also did an interview with president Steven Yarak back in March at the Rail 'N Ale Beer Social that you should check out!

From what we gathered walking in the doors and talking to a few of the very cool workers, some of the equipment is still being brought in and some matters are still being attended to.

Hopefully by October there will be some fresh Black Star beer pouring steadily from the taps. In the meantime, though, we will enjoy the guest taps and be thankful for such a great establishment for Austin to enjoy.

Master Pancake Fun with Actor Bill Pullman

2010-09-25T00:40:00.000-05:00

Actor Bill Pullman made a special appearance during intermission at the Master Pancake Theatre showing of Independence Day at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz Friday night. A Pancaker playing the role of a jealous Thomas Jefferson (who claims Independence Day as his own) re-wrote Pullman's infamous speech at the end of the movie to include another holiday. Here it is in all its syrupy goodness, movie theme music and all, which got a standing ovation at the end. Well done, Mr. President. Thanks to Facebook friend Rey Barrera for the video.

It's Official: We're Cell Phone Free

2010-09-23T00:49:00.000-05:00

Tonight our cell phones ceased contact with Sprint. We're cut off from the mothership. We've sent out the emails telling people about the change, we've answered the questions, and we're starting to get a little bewildered ourselves.

Really, I'm fine with the change. I don't get that many phone calls anyway, and the people that need to contact me know how to do that. But I know that Ryan will have a harder time with the change than I will, because he has more of a need to be connected than I do.

Nevertheless, three days ago we pulled the trigger. Tonight the service is off. We are continuing to answer the questions of "how" and "why," even to ourselves, but it's become more than an exercise in frugality. We're throwing ourselves into what many are calling a social experiment - can a couple with a kid and full-time jobs survive in the modern world without the constant tether of a cell phone?

We spoke with Jay Carter of LivingInAustin.com and the Financial Survival Podcast about how the decision has affected us so far. The entire interview will be part of the Financial Survival Podcast next Thursday, but here's a preview (click the play button above).

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

2010-09-22T22:09:00.000-05:00

(Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

The moon rises over downtown Austin on Wednesday Sept 22, 2010. NASA calls tonight a "super harvest moon" because autumn is beginning with a full moon.

I never really considered myself a summer-born baby, so it must be then that I just always identified with the fall. I'm very glad for that because it's once again here, fall, my favorite season of them all.

The days will grow shorter, and the air will blow cooler. It will be time to light candles, open the windows, walk with a brisk step, and prepare for the many holidays we celebrate every year during this time.

According to ABC News, the beginning of this fall is cause for a celestial celebration.

Tonight is a night of celestial coincidences. The autumnal equinox -- the beginning of fall -- comes at 11:09 p.m. ET, and for the first time in 19 years, it comes on the same night as a full moon, the one known as the Harvest Moon.

Native American tribes gave names to each of the dozen full moons of the year, and the list now is maintained by the Farmer's Almanac. The Harvest Moon is the one closest to the beginning of fall. It's time for the crops to come in. If you are blessed with clear skies tonight, you will see an unusually bright star right near the moon. It's actually not a star at all; it's the planet Jupiter at "opposition," coming closer to the earth than at any time since 1963.

There's no real magic to all this, just the bodies of the solar system doing what they do as they follow the rules of orbital mechanics. But there is a pleasant effect on us earthlings, if we pause to enjoy the combination.

I guess I've always had nice memories of the fall and rarely remember the onset of allergies and sniffles. I remember eight years ago, when I just started my career in Missouri, sitting on the balcony of our apartment and looking out at the leaves changing colors. There, the fall season really was fall! I think of making potato soup so spicy your friends are in tears at the table. I am reminded of sitting my then four month old by some pumpkins in October. Back in college, a few freshman who just met went swing dancing together. Later on the porch of a north Texas home, we assembled for a family picture and a visit to old stomping grounds became a time for friends to catch up. Thanksgiving around the table, especially at your own home, is humbling. The list goes on...

Fall is about family, friends and a refreshed sense of life all around. It's just the best season there is and I can't wait to turn the AC off, the heater on, and bask in the sights, sounds and smells of the season.

Gubernatorial Candidates Battle Over Budget

2010-09-22T19:00:00.000-05:00

Dallas-based public television and radio station KERA talked to the two candidates in a showdown for Texas governor. Specifically, the budget is of big concern. News director Shelley Kofler sat down with each candidate to discuss how Gov. Rick Perry and his opponent, Democrat Bill White, will lead Texas through budget cuts.

The former Houston Mayor told KERA Governor Rick Perry is trying to hide the state's financial problems until after election day. White says he believes the deficit is probably double what Perry claims, and that Texas should anticipate an additional shortfall this year, according to KERA News.

Friday, Governor Rick Perry told Kofler the upcoming budget gap is expected to be around $11 billion. He also said there is no televised debate planned. Still, each candidate is keeping budget talks on top of their priority list.

Is Perry downplaying the severity of a funding crisis? Listen to KERA's interviews and decide for yourself. Then let us know what you think.

Tough Times Call for Tough Measures: An Experiment in Social and Financial Simplicity

2010-09-21T08:25:00.000-05:00

Obtaining financial peace is a dream millions of Americans envision, and it's one Sarah and I are actively pursuing. Last night we opened up Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book, after receiving it months ago from a friend Sarah went to high school with (Sandra Horton). Not too long ago, Sandra and her husband achieved financial peace after just two and a half years of major sacrifice, paying off thousands of dollars in debt, including their mortgage. To celebrate, the couple invited family and friends to commemorate the occasion and bought a case of Ramsey's book to pass out to friends. We were one of the lucky ones to get a copy (in the mail) and now have finally taken on the challenge for ourselves.

As boring as the first paragraph might be with no creative frills to state the simple, I want to get right to the point. We are dead serious about doing this. Because of this, Sarah canceled our cell phone service today, amounting to a savings of $200 a month and $2,400 a year. We're opting for a free service offered by Google (Google Voice) to communicate, although it means not staying connected 24/7 as we have become accustomed to in the past few years of our lives. Upon the announcement, many of our friends have congratulated us in this new phase of our lives, and many have said we are crazy. I say it's definitely crazy, but only in the sense that I am crazy to get this debt monkey off my back once and for all.

We tried to sell Sarah's car tonight but that didn't go as expected. But we are going to be tightening down and throwing money at debt, following the Dave Ramsey plan to get the lenders out of our lives and welcoming the peace and love of financial freedom, plus giving to our creator God even more, the proper place the latter two deserve.

But this does bring up an interesting point in the process: becoming less connected than we have known, and allowing ourselves to become vulnerable once again to the simplicity of a couple in love enjoying the bond to a beautiful baby boy. Disconnecting cell phone service means no instant access to email, Twitter, Facebook, voice mail, and phone calls in or out (an emergency phone or employer cell phones notwithstanding). This will hit me harder than Sarah, as she is able to access the internet all day long with the new system we're adopting. I will have to rely on WiFi and wireless internet connection via work for my connections as I rove central Texas on the job. I suspect I will learn the WiFi hotspots of Austin quite well - just as I have learned the restrooms as a man on the go. Because, after all, when a man has to go, he has to go!

In this world of instant connectivity, it will be very interesting, dare I say freeing, to experience time without being connected to the inner-world of the internet 100 percent of the time. I am looking forward to untying myself from the interconnected web of social media and email just as much as I am scared of it. But, in the end, I will come out debt-free and with a higher appreciation of a world I may have been missing because my cell phone put blinders on my eyes. Finally, I will be financially free and understand what it will mean to cut the communications ties.

Amish? Hardly. Insane? Totally. Different? Most definitely. What we need to do? Absolutely.

Childish Humor Helped Name Serious Austin Burger Joint

2010-09-19T01:23:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin this story? There's the easy, ever popular and eternally funny your mom joke. Yo Mama's so dumb that she tripped over a cordless phone. Or, Yo mama's so old that when she was in school there was no history class!

I could begin this story on the importance of mothers. Scientific studies point to the overwhelming value of a mother's love, hugs and support.

But maybe this story can simply start by saying how freaking awesome Your Mom's Burger Bar (1701 E. Cesar Chavez Ste. B) is! After several weeks of hearing how much I needed to try Your Mom's, the word of mouth advertisement became too much to resist!

"We don't have [the] budget to have a marketing campaign," said owner Ryan Blackmore Thursday when he personally sat down with us to talk mano a mano about burgers. "When we started out, Yelp hit us up and we started with I think five stars, and it just escalated to where we had nothing but five stars and we became number one on Yelp."

Although Your Mom's is a serious burger joint, it did begin with the infamous 'your mom' wise crack when Blackmore asked his wife where she wanted to go eat lunch one day. She said with a grin, "Your mom's." Blackmore just knew it was to be the perfect name for an up and coming restaurant later on when entering the restaurant biz became a reality.

Blackmore, a California native, moved to Austin from South Padre Island seven years ago with his wife, Gina. He worked in several restaurants, where he says he had to conform to a certain style - one that wasn't his own. But now, he gets to have his own creative outlet and does damn well what he pleases. Mashed potatoes and corn stuffed burger? No problem! He just created it. It's not even on the menu yet and already customers are asking for it because of a Thrillist review giving it lots of props and praise. This is all part of Blackmore's plan to offer great food by great people. "We've done no advertisement, it's just word of mouth and just getting great burgers out there," he said.

I had the Willie Nelson - a half pound beef patty wrapped with bacon and stuffed with American cheese, tossed in honey bar-b-q sauce, topped with a fried onion ring on Texas toast. Man, oh man! I know some people are purists and just like their patty without being stuffed, with only your average fixins', but geez Louise the Willie Nelson is fantastic. You can see the cheese sort of escaping when the burger arrives at your table. But the time you bite into the burger, the cheese is gushing and flavor is just singing like a fat lady at the opera inside your mouth. It quite honestly is one of the best hamburgers I've ever eaten. Writing this review is a little painful as I have to recall the burger without having another one of Your Mom's creations right in front of me. Blackmore himself recommended the Willie Nelson when I ordered, despite my initial desire to have a plain and simple burger to test out this place. But good thing he convinced me otherwise.

As for the fries: crisp and delicious! I can't recall the spices on the regular fries, but I'm almost certain there was cinnamon on the sweet potato fries I'd gotten for my little boy. (He loves sweet potato fries, and loved these twice as much!) I previously heard the french fries weren't always up to par. "That was a learning experience and getting the recipe just right," Blackmore said. "We were basically working out kinks and fine tuning them. Now they are tip top and I get compliments about the fries. Fixed!"

Your Mom's has been at its East Cesar Chavez location for about six months. It's a little tricky to find, but it's basically at the corner of Cesar Chavez and Chalmers behind the red and yellow painted Taqueria Las Cazuelas. Before its permanent residence on the east side, Blackmore had a location downtown for about five months. It was inevitable that he'd move to a spot where he could serve up burgers non-stop.

With so many burger joints out there, there's got to be a copycat. But Blackmore said the copycat he believes copied him is someone everyone knows - the Food Network's Guy Fieri! "I started my stuffing process a little over a year and a half ago. My wife and I were researching some things and noticed that Guy Fieri had started stuffing his burger with chorizo. But I had my chorizo stuffed burger first! When we first thought of it we researched online and couldn't find anyone stuffing burgers with chorizo," Blackmore said.

If there's ever any doubt, just ask the man himself who lays claim to this delicious mouth-watering method. "Oh man, now Guy Fieri's got it, now he's going to coin it and it's going to be his. But make the record straight, I used chorizo first," said Blackmore with a laugh.

The only bad thing to say about this excellent burger joint is that who knows what the new generation of your mom jokes will be like with a place like this around. They'll turn the old favorites to compliments. But that might not be half bad. Whose mother deserves to be put down?

You can give Your Mom's a call at 512-474-MOMS. Blackmore also offers catering, which kind of makes me want to throw a party just to have it catered by Your Mom's. Go check them out and then post your own comment below. We definitely want to hear what you have to say.

Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.

Texas Beats 'Worn Down' Texas Tech Team

2010-09-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

The University of Texas Longhorns defeated the Texas Tech Raiders Saturday night in a showdown between two rivals. It's the third straight win for UT this season in a season many consider as a rebuilding year.

Commentators kept referring to the 2008 Tech upset over UT when wide receiver Michael Crabtree caught a last second pass from Tech QB Graham Harrell, scoring a touchdown that gave the Red Raiders a 39-33 lead in the last remaining seconds, putting the Red Raiders ahead of the #1 Longhorns in a heartbreaking moment not easily forgotten.

But 2010 turned out to be different as the Longhorns started strong, off to an early lead. By halftime, the score tied up at 14. But the third and fourth quarters proved to be successful ones for UT. The final score to enter the record books was 24 to 14 UT. Read more about the Longhorn victory on SBNation. (Photo by SBNation)

Popular Austin Spot Re-Opens After Recent Flooding

2010-09-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

from AustinNotes

Barton Springs Pool re-opened at 5 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, to resume its normal operating hours of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except for Thursdays, after being closed for cleaning after recent flooding. On Thursdays, the pool is closed for routine cleaning from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Deep Eddy Pool will also be returning to its normal operating hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Deep Eddy has been operating with increased hours to accommodate the closing of Barton Springs Pool.

Most of Bull Creek District Park is open again to the public. The lower section of the park that is south of Bull Creek near Lakewood Drive will remain closed for safety and accessibility reasons.

Uncover the Secrets of Our Body, the Universe Within

2010-09-17T12:19:00.000-05:00

Sunday, the widely talked about human body display, titled Our Body: the Universe Within, will leave the University of Texas Stark Center.

The H.J. Lutcher Stark Center, a fairly new addition to UT, is the home of a vast collection of athletic accomplishments developed by co-director Dr. Terry Todd. As we first posted in May, when the exhibit opened, the exhibit helps tell the story of why Dr. Todd has loved the world of physical fitness all of his career. The body is a compelling and complex entity. "Our hope is, when people come and see this kind of amazing, almost miraculous complexity revealed, that it will increase people's gratitude for what they have and sense of wonder at exactly what a marvelous machine it is and perhaps they'll take better care of it," said Todd.

The Stark Center is a place Dr. Todd has created to house his extensive collection of artifacts concerning the human body. He and his wife, Dr. Jan Todd, have worked years to gather miles worth of magazines, books and other materials related to physical fitness. They have thousands of pieces, plus actual antique equipment, including a vintage double exercise bike system in which two people "race" as the tracking device ahead of them tells who's in the lead.

The State of the Fourth Estate Through the Eyes of Two CBS News Icons

2010-09-17T00:43:00.000-05:00

CBS News icons Lesley Stahl and Morley Safer offered a rare look inside their experience "growing up" with the Tiffany Network, working alongside newsman Walter Cronkite during some of the biggest stories in history. The conversation touched on topics like how the 60 Minutes legends met Cronkite, women in the media, and the current state of the Fourth Estate.

Stahl, an eloquent speaker, told the audience inside the LBJ Auditorium at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas that she got her start, as many women did in broadcast journalism, because of affirmative action.

"There was a lot of concern the audience would not accept women as authoritative because we had never been in that position to tell the public what went on today," said Stahl. "Would they accept us? So we all had to lower our voices. I remember very deliberately wearing glasses, which I do need. But I could have taken them off for the camera. My mother was always fighting me on this. She kept saying, 'no one's ever going to ask you on a date if you wear your glasses!' We were always trying to present ourselves as people of gravitas, people who had authoritative sounding voices, look serious."

Stahl remembered the time she smiled during a standup, when a reporter speaks directly into the camera for a story. "I remember I told a funny story and I smiled. The producer was livid at me because it was late and on deadline. I had to go out and do it again. It was funny but I wasn't allowed to smile because I was a woman and it would take away from my image."

Image in that day was very important as the evolving role of journalism slowly took hold of the American audience. Safer said he learned Cronkite, who had a humorous side - throwing parties, doing impressions, and acting out a "strip tease" for his guests - would always stick up for his correspondents. "He was a wonderful friend. As a correspondent working 13,000 miles away, you really felt secure that he was somehow watching your back."

Stahl met Cronkite twice. The first was at the local CBS affiliate, where she worked, in Boston. Later, she was invited to a dinner party, similar to Safer, where she earned even more respect for him than she had before. "My first story with having my first dinner with Walter Cronkite, getting to meet him personally, was such a head spinner, I walked out kind of almost as if I was punch drunk in a funny way." Stahl believed she became 'one of the guys' because Cronkite told these vile jokes with a woman present. If he could do that with a woman in the room, she figured, she was in the club.

Broadcast Journalism, A Changing Scene

As time goes on, journalism has changed. It's hard to believe, considering broadcast news still seems in its early years, that the media is changing even more. Technology has a lot to do with it.

"We worked in film," Stahl said of her early career. "Film had to be developed. So you had actual time to think. You had hours to make phone calls. You could actually call people and get opposing views. You could call an analyst and get some depth. Then video came in and that time shrank. The deadline wouldn't be so early. And now it's instant. They don't think at all. The President speaks and two seconds later, the reporter's right there and he's telling you. Or the story happens and before you can make a single phone call, you're called upon."

Safer, who credits 60 Minutes for still using the old fashioned formula of story telling and important investigations, believes the shrinking think time for journalists nowadays is sad. "It really does a disservice to the audience."

Asked of the legacy Walter Cronkite left behind, and if it's still around: "I think the legacy diminishes each year. Part of it is the whole nature of broadcast news has changed so much," said Safer.

Stahl had a different take on Cronkite's legacy, saying the newsman actually shaped history. "Time and again because Walter Cronkite was so trusted, the public listened to him more than they listened to the politicians. He was able to affect the course of history and I would say his legacy is strongest in that sense."

Plenty has changed in broadcast journalism, but many things remain the same. Despite the critics who choose not to trust the news, there are many journalists like Safer and Stahl who continue to make journalism an honored profession with people who work hard for viewers and the people whose stories they tell.

What's the Tech "Silent Treatment" Really About?

2010-09-16T23:01:00.000-05:00

Sports media in Texas is abuzz with regard to the reports that Texas Tech is planning to give the Longhorns the silent treatment when they take the turf at Jones Field in Lubbock on Saturday. According to Red Raider fan blog "The Tortilla Retort," the Student Government Association at Tech sent out a message to the student body that read as follows:

Fellow Red Raiders,
The Student Government Association would like to share a new and exciting tradition to support our school spirit and sportsmanship at football games. We are calling it “The Silent Treatment!” The Silent Treatment is something SGA feels will be a new, intimidating way to get students excited for the game this weekend. As the opposing team runs onto the field and the visiting band plays their fight song, everyone in our stands will go silent . As we all go silent, everyone in the stands will turn to face our Double-T scoreboard and put our guns up. Not only is this intimidating, but it will also catch the opposing team completely off-guard. Once our players run out, we want our fans to go crazy with school spirit.

We believe this could be extremely effective if everyone participates, but we need students to help us promote this new tradition. Only with your help can this become a reality. Let’s make it happen Texas Tech!
Wreck ‘em!
Jenny Mayants Internal Vice President
Guns Up!
Drew Graham President

According to Mike Graham at the Dallas Morning News, some media outlets have reported that the Tech students planned to continue the tactic through the entire game, whenever UT has possession of the ball. However, Graham points out that it's only intended to last through the Longhorns entering the stadium and the UT band playing "The Eyes of Texas" before the game.

Graham also mentions that there has also been a campaign on the Texas Tech campus to sing their own fight song without adding obscenities to the lyrics.

KENS 5 in San Antonio spoke to Drew Graham, Tech's SGA president, who believes the "Silent Treatment" will be "more threatening to any team than anything else" since most teams are used to getting yelled at when they play in Lubbock.

Regardless of what happens on Saturday, the game is sure to be physical on both sides as the Longhorns look to take back some dignity after the ugly loss in 2008. What do you think about the "Silent Treatment" planned by the Red Raiders, and how do you think the game will go?

Best Burger in the World or Just the Best Place to Eat It?

2010-09-16T22:44:00.000-05:00

CBS News reporter Bill Geist found the best burger in the world? So what in the world is the secret? It just might be the building where the burger is cooked is quite special.

UT Freshman Class First With Majority of Minority Students

2010-09-14T23:08:00.000-05:00

This year's incoming freshmen make up the first class enrolled in UT's history with fewer white students than minority students, according to a report from the University of Texas Office of Information Management and Analysis.

The number of this year's incoming students self-identifying as "white" on admissions forms was 47.6 percent. Last year, 51.1 percent of students identified as such. The total enrollment of the school is 52.1 percent white at this time.

The Texas Tribune has a breakdown of enrollment figures based on demographics, comparing 2009 enrollment to this year's numbers.

Officials say that UT's enrollment is a reflection of the changing demographic makeup of Texas. Based on 2009 census estimates, 46.7 percent of Texans self-identify as white, non-Hispanic.

President Obama's Second Back to School Speech to Inspire Kids in Tough Times

2010-09-13T22:55:00.000-05:00

President Barack Obama will deliver his second annual back to school speech Tuesday from Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The message is about encouraging kids to do their best in school and that they can pave their own path toward success. The President's speech will be heard by Texas children at noon. Or should I say some Texas children.

Last year, many conservatives worried President Obama would interject political messages into his speech. Nationwide, however, CNN reports not many people are that worried on this second go-round. Still, school districts in central Texas, including Round Rock and Leander, are allowing parents the chance to opt their kids out of hearing the speech. These are the parents whose children will miss a pep talk from the President himself.

Here is what I came to Masterman to tell you: nobody gets to write your destiny but you. Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it. And nothing – absolutely nothing – is beyond your reach. So long as you’re willing to dream big. So long as you’re willing to work hard. So long as you’re willing to stay focused on your education.

I am excited the President is taking time out of his busy day to talk directly to our children. It's an honor, but it's also inspiring to know that children to hear a message like this will take it to heart and strive for their best. They will work hard in school, excel in their studies, and some will go to college to earn a degree. Others will work hard to learn a trade, perfect their skills in their chosen profession, and become extremely successful.

Parents who feel their children will be bombarded by a political message are doing their children a disservice and teaching them to disregard important figures in our world. When did education become so politicized that some kids will have to miss remarks like this?

An education has never been more important. I’m sure there will be times in the months ahead when you’re staying up late cramming for a test, or dragging yourselves out of bed on a rainy morning, and wondering if it’s all worth it. Let me tell you, there is no question about it. Nothing will have as great an impact on your success in life as your education.

President Obama will encourage school kids to be responsible and punctual, to pay attention in class, do their homework, study and stay out of trouble. I wish all children could hear the message. They are growing up in a tough world with challenges that other generations did not have to face. But President Obama will outline it clearly that the farther they go in school, the farther they will go in life.

A lot of you are having to act a lot older than you are; to be strong for your family while your brother or sister is serving overseas; to look after younger siblings while your mom works that second shift; to take on a part-time job while your dad is out of work.

It’s a lot to handle; it’s more than you should have to handle. And it may make you wonder at times what your own future will look like; whether you’ll be able to succeed in school; whether you should set your sights a little lower, and scale back your dreams.

Maybe children will work harder and learn the value of respecting their leaders by hearing the Commander in Chief let them know their goals are possible. My hope is that the majority of kids will be able to sit in their desks to hear the President for themselves.

The White House released the text of the speech Monday. You can read the entire speech for yourself by clicking here.

City of Austin Approves $2.8 Billion Budget

2010-09-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

The Austin City Council held an unusual Monday meeting today and unanimously approved a balanced $2.8 billion budget that will take effect on October 1.

A previously estimated $11 million to $28 million shortfall was made up in part by eliminating about 22 vacant positions in city offices and by cutting costs in what the council calls departmental "budget scrubbing."

Among the highlights from the approved budget, the city is adding an additional 48 police officers, 30 paramedics, and 10 firefighters. The council is also going forward with the no-kill plan for animal services, increasing staffing in the Planning and Development Review Department, and allocating an additional $500,000 to purchase library materials. However, $300,000 that would have funded the Trail of Lights is being reallocated to fund park maintenance instead of the city's annual holiday walk.

The new budget comes with increases in public service rates. Austin Energy customers will see their electric bill go up an average of 79 cents for residential customers. Residents who use 90-gallon garbage carts will have their bill increased by $1, but 60 and 30 gallon carts will remain the same. In addition, Austin Water customers will face an average increase of $3.84 to their bill.

In addition to approving the budget for Fiscal Year 2011, the city council held their first public tax rate hearing on a proposed property tax rate of 45.71 cents per $100 in assessed property value. Another public hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on September 29. The council expects to adopt the new tax rate on September 30.

For a detailed look at the approved budget, visit the City of Austin's dedicated budget website.

Texas.gov Launches New Voting Website

2010-09-13T22:20:00.000-05:00

With less than three weeks until the voter registration deadline, the state's website, Texas.gov, has launched a new voting portal at Texas.gov/voting.

The portal is aimed at helping Texans find information about voting and their polling place. Voters will also be able to learn if they are eligible to vote at this time, verify their voter registration, change their address of record, complete a voter registration form, and find election results.

The voter registration deadline is Monday, October 4 in order to participate in early voting between Monday, October 18 and Friday, October 29, or to vote in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Punch Brothers Rock Bluegrass Like No Other at Bass Concert Hall

2010-09-13T02:48:00.000-05:00

What fan gets to meet the members of their favorite band? What fan gets to meet them three times? If you answered Ryan and Sarah Loyd, you'd be correct!

Friday we saw Punch Brothers at the Bass Concert Hall on the UT campus. It was a much different show than we've ever seen Chris Thile or the Punch Brothers perform - although all of the times we've seen him/them, it's been a different experience. I'll clarify. We've seen Chris a total of four times: two times with Nickel Creek and two with Punch Brothers. The first Nickel Creek concert we ever went to was in Helotes at Floore Country Store. That's where we also met our friend, Billy Jacob (pictured right with Sara Watkins). We also saw NC in Dallas at the House of Blues. That's the only time we did not get to speak with the band afterward. More on that in a moment. Our first Punch Brothers concert was at the Cactus Cafe, also on the UT campus. Our most recent, of course, September 10, 2010.

They hit it out of the park, as always. But Chris Eldridge, guitar, couldn't perform because of an apparent illness. We hope he gets better soon. So the remaining four, Chris Thile (mandolin), Gabe Witcher (fiddle), Noam Pikelny (banjo) and Paul Kowert (bass) had to do a little readjusting of their play list to make things work. And it worked just fine! We saw some amazing musicians, who may have not given the most polished performance, at their best. I believe the last statement to be an excellent compliment because, although a little awkward, the men made up the absence of a very important fifth member. Thile unplugged at one point, with the rest of the band off stage, made the spot light guy work and move the light to the edge of the stage, as he played Bach's Gigue from the Partita in D minor for solo violin. Impressive. Here's a YouTube video of him playing the same piece in New York.

I finally got to sit and think at the concert why I am so intrigued by Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek, and Chris Thile. It's because the music is so driven and complex. It keeps my busy mind focused and concentrating on every note, word, and instrument.

The fact that I've gotten to see Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek is crazy, but the fact that we've gotten to talk to the band members is incredible. We spoke to Sara and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek, as well as Chris, outside of their tour bus at the Helotes show. In Dallas, there were so many people there and we were at the back of the music hall that it was just impossible to get to the front or know where they were going to be afterward, so we didn't get to speak with them then.

After the first Punch Brothers show we saw at the Cactus, we didn't think we'd get to chat with any of them, but sure enough there they were! Chris had a beer in his hand and I went right up to him. I forgot to 'interview' him for the podcast until after I talked with him once! So, I went up to him again after he finished chatting with some other folks and asked him a few questions. Check out that interview below.

Once again, with the exception of a line and a more organized meeting and talking to the band mates after the show, this most recent post-show was just as great! I didn't get to ask Chris all the questions I wanted, but it's still cool that this band shows its fans a personal side and comes off the stage to talk.

The show, no matter how it's presented, is always fantastic. We can't wait for PB to come back to Austin. Until then, Antifogmatic will keep spinning in our cars. At the signing table, from closest, is Paul, Chris, Gabe and Noam.

Come back to Austin soon, guys!

Save a Horny Toad, Buy a Burger and a Beer!

2010-09-12T11:51:00.000-05:00

(Updated) The Horny Toad restaurant in Cranfills Gap, Texas is one heck of a place to grab a burger. The suggestion rolled into the Austin Citysphere on Facebook, when we announced our 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas tour. After all, if Horny Toad's burger was voted the best hamburger worth driving 50 miles for by Ride Texas Magazine, then the two and a half hours (100+ miles in the rain!) it took us to get there would make the burger extra awesome.

Aside from the burger being great, the people are even better. Dusty and Misty Glass, the proprietors, opened up the Horny Toad when the town went wet. Their original partners are no longer in business with them. That's when Misty's mom and dad, Sandi and Owen Carlson, joined the venture. Now it's completely a family affair! "I think in a lot of ways our family has grown because we have met so many just amazing people," Sandi said.

Misty says if you've never been to the Horny Toad, get the burger. On your subsequent visits, get the quesadilla. You'll also find the Danwich on the menu, and the Bitchwitch. Wonder what the difference is? You'll have to watch the video, or take a drive to Cranfills Gap to find out for yourself!

Owen wouldn't reveal his secret burger recipe. He told us, "We've worked over the years at trying to get our seasoning down right. We have a certain season that we put on it and a certain recipe and it gets all mixed together. It seems to be working very well."

We whole-heartedly agree! The burger=fantastic. The quesadilla=awesome! Biting into the burger, you'll taste the nicely buttered bun. The meat is cooked to perfection. You won't find yourself wondering what would make this burger juicier. It comes juicy. We like to try the burgers "house" style, meaning the burger that people come for. Nothing fancy, nothing with too much extra stuff. Horny Toad has that down home style burger. It's perfect for such a down home, family restaurant. Plus, the salsa that comes with the quesadilla is homemade and for the spice lover in you (or the one in your life), you need to get this.

Enjoy the video and your trip to the Horny Toad. You won't regret it.

Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the writer of the Austin Citysphere received lunch free of charge from the Horny Toad.

A Big Side of Fries Fills Us Up With Lots of Places to Try

2010-09-09T00:09:00.000-05:00

Our Side of Fries continues with some burger happenings from across our great city. I'm starting to wonder why Austin is known for music when in all honesty, it should be known for hamburgers.

A frugal Google search (Googling never costs a penny!) pulls up a delicious list of possibilities for your burger wants - er - needs - er - cravings!

So many burger places have been coming into the Austin Citysphere lately via recommendations and word of mouth suggestions, I almost forgot about some staples! For example, Hut's Hamburgers is always delicious. The problem with Hut's is you have to decide just how mess you want to get. The internet search on Urbanspoon revealed a few places I've been and many I have not been. On the have-tried list: Mighty Fine, Hut's, Five Guys, P Terry's and Phil's Ice House. Although I've tried the Screaming Goat, I have not had the hamburger. Do they even have hamburgers? I've only had the chips and salsa and the tacos. Good stuff, though.

My have-not-tried list (on this particular list): Casino El Camino, Galaxy Cafe (same story, I've been there but did not have the burger.... or did I? Is that revealing in and of itself?), and Pecan Street Station.

Now, I have many on the must try list. Your Mom's is high on the list. I've heard great things about it and I must admit, right now it's causing some frustration. So, it has to be great when I go because there's this big buildup.

I've driven by Downtown Hamburgers a lot and still haven't been! It's been a Readers' Choice winner several times, and the burger trailer has garnered these fine reviews:

Simply the best Trailer burgers in Texas. If you are looking for propane-cooking at its best, quickly head down to Down Town Burgers. - Bubba, Texas Trailer Assoc

No better place to impress your guests. Down Town Burgers is clearly an exceptional experience in trailer dining. The intimate lighting is outstanding as well. Delectable! - Brian Dunne, Trailer Times

Now, who doesn't want a supremely cooked propane patty? While at Max Parfait, I got a recommendation to go to Black Sheep. A buddy told me Casino El Camino is the bomb. But expect a wait and if you ask where your food is, you get pushed to the back of the order list. Texas Roadhouse in Bastrop served up a great burger, as did Moonies Burger House. Of the chain houses, I do like Five Guys but I am not a Mighty Fine fan. Their burgers aren't mighty (kind of puny, if you ask me) and I'm fine with eating it, but it's not my first choice. I do like Cafe Canela a whole heck of a lot (as previously mentioned) in north Austin off Burnet and 183.

Next up on the big 7 Best Burgers of central Texas tour is Horny Toad in Cranfills Gap. Stay tuned for that, and keep the suggestions rolling in!

Flash Flooding from Hermine Prompts Water Rescues

2010-09-08T23:25:00.000-05:00

Here in Austin, we live in one of the most flood-prone areas of the country, according to FloodSafety.com. The majority of flood-related deaths are caused by people trying to drive through running water, particularly at low-water crossings.

Despite continual reminders from emergency personnel and local media to "Turn Around, Don't Drown," as well as road closures and the threat of arrest for crossing barriers, several people have been the subject of water rescues since Tropical Storm Hermine swept through Central Texas.

Rescue crews are still trying to recover a woman who, according to witnesses, drove a Lexus SUV around barricades and was swept away into Bull Creek. The search was called off Wednesday night and scheduled to resume Thursday morning.

There are still several roads closed due to flooding conditions. Check the City of Austin's Office of Emergency Management site for more information on road closures.

A History Lesson on Past Floods in Austin

2010-09-08T22:48:00.000-05:00

from the city of Austin

Central Texas is often called "Flash Flood Alley" because of its frequent, intense storms. The "big ones" seem to happen every decade. The major floods of Austin described below have left a lasting impression in people's memories and in the record books.

November 15, 2001

A slow-moving storm system stalled over central Texas, west of Austin, and waves of rain and thunderstorms began to sweep up the I-35 corridor. Widespread rainfall totals typically ranged from five to eight inches, but radar based estimates indicate that some areas may have received 15 inches of rain. Much of this rain fell within the space of six hours.
There was one fatality and widespread flood damage both where the drainage capacity of streets and storm drains was exceeded by rainfall and where creeks overflowed their banks in floodplain areas. In total, 860 buildings were reported to have flood damage. Onion Creek suffered the most significant damage, but home and businesses in the floodplains of Slaughter Creek, South Boggy Creek, Williamson Creek, West Bouldin Creek, East Bouldin Creek, Shoal Creek and Walnut Creek were also hard hit. There was also some flood damage along other streams.

October 17, 1998

Twin hurricanes Madeline and Lester on the west coast of Mexico funneled continuous waves of moisture inland causing flooding in Central and South Texas. Across the state there were 31 deaths, 20 counties declared disaster areas, and 7,000 people evacuated from their homes. Property damages and losses reached almost $1 billion. In Austin, 454 homes were damaged, with most of the damages incurred to houses along along Onion Creek, Walnut Creek, and Williamson Creek.

December 20, 1991

Record peak discharges were recorded at many creek gaging stations across Central Texas. A week of heavy rains contributed to flooding in Lake Travis, Shoal, Williamson, Bull, and Walnut Creeks. An estimated 200 homes in Travis and Bastrop counties were completely under water. Needless to say, this flood ruined the holiday season for many people.

May 24, 1981

This storm event will always be remembered as the "Memorial Day Flood" which drowned 13 people and caused $36 million in damages. This short-duration storm with intense rainfall hit many of Austin's urban creeks: Shoal, Walnut, Little Walnut, Bee, and Waller creeks. Shoal Creek normally flows at 90 gallons per minute, but peaked during this flood at 6 million gallons per minute! Some areas received over 10 inches of rain in four hours.

November 23, 1974

An evening cold front brought thunderstorms in a 40-mile wide line that dropped between four and ten inches of rain in Central Texas. Stalled cars were abandoned all over Austin and "every road in the county has people stranded on the rooftops," said a Travis County sheriff's office spokesman. A man and his 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son were swept into West Bouldin Creek after driving past an off-duty firefighter as he tried to stop traffic from crossing the area. Their car was immediately swept downstream, drowning all three and bringing the death toll up to 13.

October 28, 1960

Similar to the 1974 flood, an evening cold front brought downpours in a 75-mile radius around Austin. An Austin Statesman article described the frightening evening: "Giant, swirling walls of water, spawned by torrential rains of up to nine inches, snuffed out at least two lives, swept away property valued at $2.3 million, and forced 200 people to flee their homes before the flood in a nightmarish night of death and destruction in Austin. Early Saturday, bleary-eyed police reported they had answered an unprecedented 6,000 calls during the night." Several motorists were washed away in their cars, bringing the final death toll to 11. Police claimed the floodwaters from Boggy Creek rose to such a height and to such force that "cars were being pushed around like floating beer cans" on Rosewood Avenue.

April 24, 1957

Texans cheered when rains came in early April to end the seven-year drought. But on April 24, the Austin American Statesman said, "when the black, purple shrouded cloud first appeared in the sky, Central Texans knew something was about to happen. It did. Up to 10 inches of rain fell within a few minutes in a wide sweep of middle Texas." April 24th was labeled "The Day of the Big Cloud," and "the worst day of floods, tornadoes and torrential rain and hail Central Texas has ever seen." As if that wasn't bad enough, the rains kept coming for a total of 32 days, causing flooding all across Austin and Central Texas.

April 7, 1900

The flood waters started from a two-day storm in the High Plains halfway between Lubbock and Amarillo. The stormwater filled the Colorado, the Brazos and the Guadalupe rivers, sending the torrent through unsuspecting cities like Austin and Bastrop. This flood will always be remembered as "The Day the Dam Broke." McDonald Dam on the Colorado River broke up, sending a wall of water down the river which killed dozens of people, even whole families. The river peaked at 60' high and a mile wide. The pride of Austin at the time, "Ben Hur," the 181-foot long, triple-decker leisure steamboat, was also destroyed by the flood.

To read more history of floods in Austin, click here for the city's web site. This post is courtesy of the city of Austin.

Public Golf Courses Closed Temporarily For Weather

2010-09-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

The City of Austin closed their five public golf courses, Hancock, Jimmy Clay, Joe Balander, Roy Kizer, Lions Municipal and Morris Williams, due to inclement weather this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. The city's Golf Division is hoping to re-open the courses Wednesday morning, depending on weather and playing conditions.

Please call the Golf Division at 974-9350 if you plan to head to one of the courses in the morning. There will be staff on duty during normal hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Barton Creek Greenbelt Temporarily Closed

2010-09-07T22:19:00.000-05:00

From the City of Austin:

The Barton Creek Greenbelt has temporarily closed due to the inclement weather conditions associated with Tropical Storm Hermine. The trail is expected to reopen on Friday, September 10, 2010. The trail is being closed for public safety reasons and to prevent damage to the trail. Trail patrons can get the current status of the greenbelt via the Barton Creek Greenbelt Hotline at 472-1267.

Austin Hires Chief Service Officer

2010-09-07T10:07:00.000-05:00

The City of Austin has hired their first-ever Chief Service Officer. Andy Mormon will fill the job, which is funded by a $200,000 Cities of Service Leadership Grant. Mormon will be charged with engaging more of Austin's people in service and getting volunteers involved in some of the challenges facing the city. He has lived in Austin for 10 years and is a longtime human resources executive, a former aide to Mayor Lee Leffingwell and has been an active volunteer in the community.

“I’m very pleased that Andy Mormon will be serving as Austin’s new Chief Service Officer,” said Austin City Manager Marc Ott. “We found a unique combination of skills in Andy’s background.”

The grant, which is funded jointly by the Rockefeller Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies, will cover all of Mormon's salary and benefits. Austin is one of the 10 recipient cities of the second round of grants. Ten other cities were awarded grants in January 2010.

Tropical Storm Hermine Threatens Central Texas With Possible Flooding

2010-09-07T00:45:00.000-05:00

Tropical Storm Hermine blew into Mexico's northern Gulf coast near the Brownsville area Monday evening around 8:30 with reported winds of 60 miles per hour. Heavy rains battered Mexico and south Texas and officials are warning of flash flooding problems into Tuesday.

Power outages are also reported, as well as tornado warnings associated with the storm system. Heavy rain will be the big story Tuesday as the storm moves inland into central Texas. Mexican authorities warned people to move to shelters. In Texas, officials offered people sandbags and shelters were set up. In the hours to come, the storm will rush north and eventually will weaken Tuesday afternoon or evening, according to weather reports.

New Braunfels city leaders issued a press release to let people know emergency crews are on call. Several inches of rain are expected. In June, people in that area, including the town of Gruene, experienced flooding that took the life of one man staying in an RV park. Crews aren't taking the seriousness of TS Hermine lightly as it moves into the area.

Would You Like a Side of Fries With That?

2010-09-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Because we can't be everywhere, and review every burger there is in central Texas - however much we'd like to try - ACS is offering a few side notes on some great burger places. We're calling it Side of Fries.

For today's Side, we'd like to let you in on a little secret at River City Grille in Marble Falls. The folks in this small folksy community can cook up a good burger. And it comes at a pretty decent value. Recently, I stopped by to taste the green chili burger. The menu specifically pointed out how "spicy" the burger is. Perfect! Just what I like!

When the burger arrived, I found the burger smothered with green chilies atop the thick patty. Props for presentation, River City. The top bun came tilted, too, like how a gentleman tips his top hat to a lady. That just shows how many green chilies are on the burger, and that you'd better ask for more napkins right away. You just know this is going to be a messy one.

As impressive as the burger looks, the only disappointing element is the absence of the advertised spice! All those green chilies for naught. I thought I ordered something hot! Still, for $7.99, the burger came at a pretty good price. The taste still had kick to it, and with a side of mayo you can choose how you'd like to dress it up.

Oh, and speaking of a Side of Fries, the steak fries that came with this burger - fantastic.

Vote in Our Poll and Tell Us What You Think!

2010-09-06T12:43:00.000-05:00

Empower Kids to Be Safer, Not Sheltered

2010-09-06T01:40:00.000-05:00

by Sarah and Ryan Loyd

The recent news about a teenage girl who said she was attacked by men while she was walking to school was shocking to many parents, to be sure. I have no doubt that for many of them, the immediate reaction was to drive their kids to and from school the next day, just in case.

As it turns out, the girl recanted most of her story, and police have called off the investigation. But I hope that Austin parents, instead of throwing their kids behind lock and key in response to the big "what if", instead teach their children about what they should do in such a situation.

I asked Lenore Skenazy, a nationally-syndicated columnist and the author of the book Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe Self-Reliant Children Without Going Nuts with Worry, what she thought about the situation and how parents can prepare their kids to deal with such a situation.

Skenazy, the so-called "worst mom in America" for giving her own child the chance to ride the subway alone in their home of New York City (but with proper preparation and adequate fare money) offers several tips. She says that parents need to teach children to be familiarized with the neighborhood. Skenazy also says to teach them to ask strangers for help if they are in trouble. "Since most people are NOT predators, they will help rather than hurt your child," she told the Austin Citysphere.

"Teach them they can scream, kick and run away from anyone bothering them." She also says that teaching kids basic self-defense isn't a bad idea.

Skenazy also advises parents to make sure they have good communication with their kids so that if anything does happen, children will be more willing to come forward. "Teach them ... that they CAN tell you if anything 'bad' happens (or is attempted) and that you won't be angry at them. You're on their side. Open lines of communication keep kids safer from the FAR more common threats of abuse at the hands of someone they know (a family member or family friend)."

For more on empowering kids to be safe, check out Skenazy's Free Range Kids blog or find her book online.

When events like this happen, parents should not freak out; instead, prepare them for the road ahead and teach them how to handle themselves. You can't lock them up because they eventually grow up. Then what? Skenazy practices what she preaches, which earned her the worst mom in America title by the media. Parents used to let their children go to the bus stop without a second thought. Kids used to ride their bikes down the street or to the market by themselves. What happened to that?

It's true: the world may not be as simple as it once was. But responsible parenting and smart thinking by kids is the best parenting a mom and dad can give to their child(ren). New parents ourselves, we want to protect our child no matter what. But the old adage, "Give the man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man how to fish and he eats for life" is very true here.

What do you think? Let us know.

Early "No Refusal" Stats Show Increase During Labor Day Holiday

2010-09-05T22:46:00.000-05:00

APD has released preliminary statistics for the Labor Day "No Refusal" weekend, covering just one night (September 4, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 4 a.m.). There were 31 arrests overnight, including 18 people who provided a breathalyzer test, one person who consented to a blood draw, one person who was subject to a mandatory blood draw for felony DWI and 11 people for whom police obtained blood search warrants.

During the September 4 counting period in 2009, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., police made 26 arrests.

APD says the final results from the 2010 Labor Day Weekend no refusal period will not be available for a few weeks.

Max Parfait Proprietor Perfects His Burgers for All to Eat

2010-09-05T00:55:00.000-05:00

Our second stop on the 7 best burgers of central Texas tour takes us to Max Parfait. This little hamburger shack on wheels makes stops at the Barton Creek Farmers Market on Saturday, and the HOPE Farmers Market on Sunday.

MP's proprietor, Zarghun Dean, showed us the ins and outs of his food trailer, which features a pretty nice wood burning grill inside. Dean says it's commercial grade, and he likes to use pecan for flavor. Admittedly, the pecan burning in Dean's truck brings me back to spending the fall season in Missouri. It smells so awesome, and as people walk around the market the aroma seems to draws customers in.

"The big challenge for us was just figuring out where we're going to be set up, getting the word out because when you're mobile, you don't have that location where people are driving by every day and seeing you," Dean said. "Our big challenges were after we got started."

The burgers are tasty, although maybe priced a little high. Dean says the reason for that is because he uses quality ingredients and produce that comes straight from the farmers market where he's located.

One of ACS's reviewers, Adolfo Ibarra, noted the burger seemed a little small. "I wish it was bigger," he said. "I kind of scarfed it down in four bites. But it was good!"

The cheeseburger with jalapenos we ordered (toppings are extra) did seem a little small at first, but I'd have to say it's deceptive. Once you get going on the burger, it's larger than it looks. The flavor is pretty big, too. Ibarra liked how the burger came nice and "juicy."

The atmosphere is also nice. A picnic table is just outside of the trailer, and there is another 20 feet away. Dean has camping chairs set up outside of his trailer for customers to sit and relax while they enjoy their burger. Asked where the name Max Parfait comes from, "Max Parfait is from an old Duke Ellington song," said Dean.

"One of his band mates, Max Roach, he dedicated the song, it's called The Little Max and at the end he calls it Parfait. So it was a perfect reference to his band mate." Listen closely to the video and you'll be able to hear the jazz number that became the namesake for Dean's little hamburger place that could.

"Music's a part of what we do here," said Dean. "I love that old era jazz. It's a CD I absolutely love. One day I was listening to it and I looked on the cover and saw what the name was. I said 'man that would be a cool name for a burger joint.'"

Dean is happy regulations against food trailers haven't gone to the extreme yet in Austin. City council members have been looking at regulations that would limit how and where operators could legally set up their business. Having a food trailer, Dean said, has allowed him to start his business.

"Food carts right now, food trucks and food trailers, are the one kind of relatively easy food business to get off the ground here in Austin," said Dean. "If you want to do a restaurant, it takes you a year, year and a half to get through all the bureaucratic hurdles. But doing a food truck is relatively easy, even though they're trying to make it a little tougher for us."

Check out the Max Parfait Twitter page to see where you can find Dean next, and you might even find an internet coupon to make your burger a little bit more affordable. (Photo above from Austin Burger News)

Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.

You Tell Us: What's The Best Burger in Central Texas?

2010-09-04T13:24:00.000-05:00

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The pie graph above shows two dozen responses for favorite burger places in and around Austin, plus a few many miles away from the capitol city. Each response denotes one vote, unless the pie piece is bigger. In the responses from above, P Terry's, Five Guys, Player's, Dan's and Moonies received two votes. As we get further responses, the graph will be updated (although not automatically).

Thanks for your votes and keep 'em coming!

Net Zero Subdivision Recognized at DIY Network Premiere

2010-09-02T23:51:00.000-05:00

The DIY Network hosted a special screening of its new show, "This New House," at the Solutions Oriented Living (SOL) subdivision here in Austin this evening. The screening was part of a special event honoring the SOL subdivision as the first Net Zero energy housing development in the city.

The homes in the subdivision are 100% electric, and are capable of producing as much energy as they consume. They are also owned or being rented by lower-income Austin residents, falling below the Median Family Income in the city. Fourteen of the 16 homes are occupied at this time, with two still available to own.

The SOL project is the first example of the City of Austin's strategy to partner with the private sector to create sustainable developments that are also affordable options for housing. SOL’s affordable houses were made possible by a partnership between the city, Austin Housing Finance Corporation, Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation (GNDC) and the design builder KRDB of Austin.

For more information about this project, go to www.solaustin.com.

Personal Watercraft Banned on Lake Austin This Weekend

2010-09-02T08:51:00.000-05:00

The APD Parks and Lake Patrol Unit has announced a personal watercraft ban during Labor Day Weekend on Lake Austin.

The ban includes use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards and similar devices and lasts from sunset tonight, September 3rd, through sunrise on Tuesday, September 7.

APD bans personal watercraft every year during the Labor Day holiday to ensure the safety of the crowds of people on the lake and in the parks. They'll be patrolling the lake as well.

If you have an emergency on the water or need to report reckless boating, call 911. If you have any questions about the ban, call APD's Lake Patrol Unit at 329-8841.

I-35 Tops Gridlock Spots in Austin; N. Lamar Makes List

2010-09-01T23:58:00.000-05:00

TxDOT has released their list of the 100 most congested roadways in Texas, and it will be no surprise to Austin drivers that I-35 from Hwy 71 all the way to Hwy 183 made the list. Not only was it the most congested roadway segment here in Austin, but it ranked #4 statewide.

But Austin's second-most congested spot isn't even a highway - it's North Lamar between 45th Street and 6th Street. This stretch of road, coming in at #24 on the statewide list, is the most-congested roadway segment that isn't a highway.

According to notes from the report, TxDOT doesn't have any current plans for improving the congestion on North Lamar. However, there is an idea to reconstruct the roadway to add managed lanes, and a hope that urban rail lines like Cap Metro Rail will help to alleviate some of the gridlock.

To view the entire list and read more on how TxDOT arrived at their conclusions, click here.

Stromberger Tells Secrets of What Makes a Great Burger

2010-09-01T23:50:00.000-05:00

How fun would it be to review burgers? Chris Stromberger does just that for his site, Austin Burger News. Stromberger let us in on some of his secrets, including his Burger Statement, where he only likes a certain kind of cheese on his burger (and if that option isn't available, just forget it!) He also doesn't like bacon!

ACS got the chance to talk to Stromberger in this special audio podcast as our 7 best burgers of central Texas series rolls on. And stay tuned for our next stop at Max Parfait, which will be posted Sunday. Also stay tuned Sept. 12 for a special video podcast on Horny Toad in Cranfills Gap. You won't want to miss it.

TxDOT: Safer Roads Mean Fewer Fatalities

2010-09-01T10:18:00.000-05:00

The Texas Department of Transportation is crediting safer roads as a major factor in an 11% drop in road fatalities, according to a recent report.

In 2009, there were 388 fewer fatalities on highways in Texas. "This is great news for Texans, and evidence that the resources we’ve put into safety projects across the state are paying dividends in lives saved," Gov. Rick Perry said.

Over the past five years, TxDOT has concentrated $1.2 billion dollars on highway improvement projects that had the greatest potential to reduce crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also attributes the decline to other factors as well, including improved seat belt usage, successful drunk driving and distracted driving campaigns, safer vehicles, and motorists cutting down on their driving.

The recent "Click It or Ticket" campaign has helped Texans set a new record of 93.8% statewide seat belt usage for 2010. Deirdre Delisi, Texas Transportation Commission chair, says the safety campaigns coupled with improved road safety have made a phenomenal difference.

"TxDOT and its law enforcement partners across the state conduct a variety of outreach campaigns encouraging motorists to drive safer. The agency's annual Click it or Ticket and the Drink, Drive, Go to Jail campaigns are examples of educational programs designed to change driver behavior," she said.

APD Seeks More Victims in Alleged Elderly Theft Case

2010-08-31T23:17:00.000-05:00

From the Austin Police Department:

On April 9, 2009, a theft case was reported to the Austin Police department by an 84 year old elderly victim. The victim hired Enrique Mojica to paint his house and gave Mojica $1,800 in the form of checks for materials to paint the house. The work was never completed and despite numerous attempts to get his money back Mojica never returned the money he took from the elderly victim.

Mojica has been indicted for Theft from Elderly, a 3rd Degree Felony but the warrant for Mojica is still outstanding.

Detectives believe that there may be other (elderly) victims. If you are a victim please make a police report by calling 512-974-5750.

If anyone has information regarding this case call please call 512-974-5584 during the week/days and 512-974-5779 over the weekends/nights. If you know the whereabouts of Mojica please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 472-TIPS or text "Tip 103" + your message to CRIMES. You may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 if your tip leads to an arrest or charges being filed.

It's a Blue Monday, Indeed

2010-08-31T01:07:00.000-05:00

The legendary Larry Monroe wrapped up a nearly 30 year career Monday night at the close of his long-running program, Blue Monday, which airs on KUT radio. Monroe himself began the program in 1981.

Monroe spoke to ACS on Monday, just hours ahead of the start of his final show. He said he'll miss the people he speaks to every week via a microphone and some 'oldies but goodies' blues albums. "I guess what I'll miss most is doing the programs, because that's an art. I'll also miss the audience and the feedback that I've gotten that the programs mean a lot to them."

Monroe is proud of his career, and says some of his favorite memories include other Austin legends like Willie Nelson appearing on his show. "In the early 90's, I booked Willie Nelson in for a live set on Easter. Willie Nelson and his band played Gospel songs live on the radio for an hour and a half on Easter night."

For his last guest on Blue Monday, Monroe featured blues musician James Cotton. The last broadcast is similar to a typical broadcast. Only this time, he made mention of his 68th birthday. He told ACS he felt the "timing seems good."

A station spokesperson told ACS Monroe only gave notice of his retirement several weeks ago. The station is still looking for a replacement for Blue Monday. As of yet, they do not know what will take its place. But, judging by the relationship Monroe gained with his listeners over the past three decades, nothing short of a miracle will replace the void left by a man who made it a priority to spend time with listeners over the years. Said of his departure Monday, "I tried to be there for them. I worked on holidays because I know that Christmas and other holidays are hard for people, so I tried to keep that constant for my listeners. If they didn't have anybody else on Christmas, they had me on the radio that night." Monroe said he believes it made a difference in their lives.

Radio personalities just don't come like that anymore.

Seat Belts on Buses Face Funding Cuts As Date Looms

2010-08-31T00:49:00.000-05:00

A 2007 law mandating three-point seat belts on all new Texas school buses takes effect this Wednesday. Any buses purchased after September 1st must be equipped with the seat belts. The law, HB 323, was drafted by State Rep. Mike Hamilton and State Sen. Eddie Lucio.

During the 2009 legislative session, lawmakers appropriated $10 million for fiscal year 2011 for the seat belt program, dependent on developing a plan to reimburse school districts for the cost associated with seat belts on new buses. That reimbursement plan, developed by the Texas Transportation Institute and Texas Education Agency, is complete. However, authorization by the Legislative Budget Board is pending.

A representative from TEA told local news outlet KXAN that the LBB has not yet approved the implementation and reimbursement plan, and that TEA is not authorized to implement the program until it's approved. Meanwhile, TEA recommended the fund be cut from $10 million to just $3.6 million. TEA and other state agencies were asked to cite programs where cuts could be made in order to reach a 5 percent total budget decrease.

Somewhere Over the Austin Rainbow

2010-08-31T00:45:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken on I-35 during spurts of rain. Usually it's hard to capture a solid rainbow. Where's the pot of gold at the end of it?

Do You 'Go Local'?

2010-08-30T01:13:00.000-05:00

The 'Go Local' campaign is apparently doing very well in Austin. That's why there's a push for a new newsletter and a campaign letting people know exactly what going local is all about!

Erin Hickok with Go Local explains why there's plenty of people buying the cards and how it can help you the next time you check out at a local, participating store.

Let the Smack Talk Begin!

2010-08-30T00:18:00.000-05:00

The Texas Longhorns don't take the field for real until this Saturday afternoon when they face off against Rice. And it's more than a month until the big game against Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl. But it's never too early for the loving language of rivals to start hurtling back and forth over the state line.

Bleacher Report has a slideshow detailing the top five reasons the Sooners despise the Longhorns. Within the countdown, the writer (Oklahoma Featured Columnist Billy Ray) calls Texas fans cocky, arrogant, obnoxious, and condescending. He says burnt orange isn't a real color. He calls head coach Mack Brown a whiner.

Of course, these are just the preseason ramblings of an OU fan. What do you think are some of the Sooners' less-redeeming qualities?

History, Nostalgia Makes Phil's Ice House What It Is Today

2010-08-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

The 7 Best Burgers of central Texas tour is here! For our first stop, we decided to hit up an Austin favorite, Phil's Ice House, 5620 Burnet Road (next to Amy's Ice Cream).

The recommendation came from some creative people - actually, they work in a creative services department - and who would know better than a bunch of creative minds where to eat a good burger? Walking in, the first impression for a person who's never been to Phil's before, is that it's pretty small in the ordering area. But we soon found out, Phil's is big on taste.

The order board is big and bold, so it's easy to read. The 78704 is by far the best-selling burger, according to manager Abi Orchard. So, that's what I got. The bun was the best - not homemade - but tasty nonetheless! The '04, as it's called, comes with a little spice (jalapenos) and made the juicy burger even better. The burgers are also reasonably priced.

The best part about Phil's, aside from the french fries (you can get them regular style, sweet potato style, or a mix of both) is the people. Orchard and her crew work hard to satisfy every customer. And it seems to be working. Every customer we talked to was very satisfied, and many are regulars.

Another unique part of Phil's is the reason why this place exists. Watch the video on our first stop and find out why Phil's Ice House is so special. Then go try a burger for yourself!

Under new Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which require bloggers to disclose information regarding potential conflicts for items reviewed in their blogs, the Austin Citysphere was not compensated for this story.

Police Looking for Man in Two Sex Crimes Cases

2010-08-26T15:16:00.000-05:00

Austin police officers are looking for a man they say pulled a knife on two women and tried to sexually assault them.

Police released information about the incidents, which took place last Saturday before midnight. In the first case, police say a female accepted a ride from a Hispanic man in a pick up truck. Police say shortly after the drive began, the man pulled out a knife, threatened the victim, and attempted to sexually assault her. She fought back and was able to escape.

The man then encountered another female shortly after midnight. In this case, police say the man punched the woman in the face and overpowered the woman. He forced her into his truck, according to police information, held a knife to her throat and drove to Derby Cove. Police say this time the man successfully sexually assaulted the victim.

The suspect is described as:

Hispanic male, light complexion
Mid 20’s
5’10”, thin build
Black hair cut in a fade style
Prominent nose with bump midway
Prominent Adam’s apple

He is possibly driving a newer model dark blue 4door Chevy Silverado quad cab
with a leather interior.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the sex crimes unit at 512-974-5230.

A Clear Mission to Serve Underinsured and Underserved in Austin

2010-08-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Local optometrists are giving underinsured, underserved people in Austin the chance to get a free eye exam and eyewear, as well as a diabetes screening. It's part of the Eye on Diabetes Campaign, kicking off downtown on Friday.

The outreach event will go on from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, August 27 on Colorado Street between 12th and 13th Streets. There will be a 45-foot mobile eye exam clinic, fully stocked and with local optometrists on hand to screen people for diabetes and other eye problems.

VSP Vision Care is the company behind the event. More information about the Eye on Diabetes Campaign is available on their website.

Lots of Jalapenos on His Burger Makes for a Hot Time

2010-08-25T23:54:00.000-05:00

David Ruiz loves it hot. His burger. So when he goes to Pourhouse Pub on Burnet Road, he wants jalapenos, and plenty of them. Here it is: the Bacon-Cheddar-Jalapeño Burger. Ruiz describes the experience this way: "Pretty good burger. Didn't even go outside. Just sat, drank beer, ate burger. LOTS of jalapeños."

Well done, David! We can't wait to taste that burger and those waffle fries. The bun looks homemade, too.

It has also come to the Austin Citysphere's attention that Ruiz is an avid burger lover, making his way across the Capitol City to try out the best burgers around.

Recently, he stopped by Your Mom's Burger - one of the places we've thought about going to on our 7 Best Burgers of Central Texas tour.

Ruiz says about two of the burgers:

The first burger I had was the Buffalo Bill. This burger is stuffed with Blue Cheese & Jalapeños, wrapped in bacon, tossed in Buffalo wing sauce and has all the fixins. GREAT Burger!

2nd visit-Frida Kahlo
Stuffed with Jack Cheese & Chorizo, topped with a fried egg, avocado, chipotle lime spread and fixins. Good, but could have used more chorizo.

Check out Don't Talk About Burger Club here. But, we can't promise we aren't going to talk about them! Check back for more from David and his burger-sploration. We've got some catching up to do!

AISD Performance Improvements Mean End of Oversight for Low Performing Schools

2010-08-25T23:18:00.000-05:00

from Austin ISD

The Texas Education Agency has informed Superintendent Meria Carstarphen that it has terminated the three-year assignment of a Management Team to “address longstanding academic performance issues at certain campuses,” and “to oversee the continued implementation of school improvement and/or reconstitution plans for multi-year AU campuses” within Austin Independent School District.

The TEA Management Team had been assigned to the Austin School District since November 2007.

In a letter to Dr. Carstarphen, Education Commissioner Robert Scott wrote, “The academic progress reflected in the 2010 academic accountability ratings leads me to conclude that it is no longer necessary for the TEA-assigned management team to direct the actions of the district for matters related to academic improvement.”

TEA released its latest Accountability Ratings on July 30, 2010, and 109 Austin campuses—or 99 percent—now meet, or exceeds, state standards. A total of 68 Austin schools are now rated either Exemplary or Recognized, more than ever before. Seven Austin schools advanced from Academically Unacceptable in 2009 to Academically Acceptable in 2010, and AISD now has only one campus rated AU.

At his July 30 press conference, announcing the new state ratings, Commissioner Scott said of AISD, “They’re making improvements. It makes me happy because I see a commitment to the East side and as I said last year, east and west need to meet and agree that all our kids deserve the same education opportunities and we’re starting to see progress.”

The 7 + $24 Burger in Central Texas

2010-08-25T22:35:00.000-05:00

Mike Sutter/Austin American-Statesman

Just a note - we won't be reviewing the cheeseburger at Jeffrey's unless someone wants to subsidize the cost for us.

Mike Sutter, the Austin American-Statesman's food critic, reviewed the Jeffrey's Burger ($20) with the addition of seared bacon (add $3) and Texas Redneck Cheddar (add $3) with foie gras on top (add $8).

Shoot, just the bacon is the cost of a pretty big burger at some other places!

To see if this over-the-top cheeseburger is worth $34, head over to Sutter's review. Meanwhile, check in with us here at the Austin Citysphere for some great reviews of 7 favorite burgers here in Central Texas.

Education Top Priority for Texas Politicians, iTunes U Initiative Announced

2010-08-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

Gov. Rick Perry recently tackled the topic of education, just as millions of Texas students go back to class. He announced the formation of Texas Education on iTunesU. It's a "modern approach" for keeping teachers and students in the know by providing free educational material accessible anywhere.

“iTunes U will easily and efficiently distribute Texas-based educational materials to teachers, parents and students statewide, and will help improve Texas education and secure our position as the best place to live and work in the years to come,” said the governor. “The quality of education in Texas is steadily improving as we continue to combine tried and true teaching methods with new technology to achieve educational success.”

Teachers will be able to see professional development and support materials, according to a report from the governor's office. Students will be able to get more information to understand subjects better.

Texas Education on iTunes U expands Project Share, a collaborative effort with the New York Times and Epsilen LLC, which will enable the creation and delivery of high quality professional development in an interactive and engaging eLearning environment. The online platform, unveiled this spring, also provides access to online resources, online course content, academic networking and professional learning communities. The Project Share initiative currently supports more than 146,000 teacher accounts, and the website (www.projectsharetexas.org) will link directly to Texas Education on iTunes U.

Perry's opponent in the upcoming gubernatorial election, Democrat Bill White, wants to hold schools, teachers, and students accountable from the top down, according to the candidate's web site. White outlines his plan for education on his web site, which includes expanding pre-kindergarten programs, targeting drop out students to get them back in class, allowing teachers to teach writing, reading and problem-solving skills instead of teaching to a test, and making college affordable.

White says Texas is just about in last place in the country for the number of adults with high school diplomas, and cites a report that says Texas is not globally competitive.

Gov. Perry wants to put education issues in front of state legislators next year when the session begins. Perry is calling for a multi-million dollar expansion for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program and requiring high school students to be enrolled in school or working toward a GED to be eligible to keep a Texas driver license, to name a few.

Regardless, politicians view education as one of their top priorities on both sides of the aisle, and many are taking steps to improve education standards in Texas.

See more info on the governor’s education priorities and on the iTunes U initiative.

Austin Named "Reform Friendly" for Education

2010-08-25T10:33:00.000-05:00

Austin has been recognized as being "reform friendly" for education according to a new study released by the Fordham Institute.

Austin earned a B grade, as did the other cities in the top 10. The study looked at six areas vital to reform in the nation's 25 largest cities, along with five other smaller communities.

“Austin should be on an entrepreneur’s short list of new locales: It finishes in the top twelve in most categories that we examined,” said the report. “With strong funding avenues, and respectable district environs and quality-control metrics, the city is a mostly welcoming host to nontraditional providers.”

You can read the full report here.

Beware Burn Bans in Central Texas Counties

2010-08-24T22:44:00.000-05:00

Williamson County Judge Dan A. Gattis has put a burn ban in place for the entire county, in effect until further notice. The ban prohibits the burning of household yard waste, such as leaves, grass, brush and other yard trimmings. Burning to clear brush is also forbidden.

Travis County is also under a burn ban until September 22nd.

Dive Team Inspects Aging Longhorn Dam

2010-08-24T09:41:00.000-05:00

Divers are heading underwater to check out the condition of Longhorn Dam along Lady Bird Lake this morning.

Austin Energy has maintained the dam since 1959, when it was first built to create a cooling reservoir for the steam generators at the Holly Power Plant and ensure that the plant always had enough water to operate.

While commercial divers are inspecting the structural integrity of Longhorn Dam below the surface, the City of Austin Police and Fire Dive Team will conduct a training dive to learn how to navigate the dam as well.

Austin Energy says the 51-year-old dam is not in any danger of failing at this time, but is beginning to show signs of old age. The utility plans to make necessary replacements or upgrades to equipment over the next two years, including an already-planned upgrade to the hydraulic systems that move the two gates in the center, as well as replacing the dam's analog controls with modern digital equipment. Austin Energy will also discuss turning over responsibility for Longhorn Dam over to the Lower Colorado River Authority, which already manages the Colorado River.

Seven Burgers of Central Texas: the Beginning

2010-08-24T00:20:00.000-05:00

As we here at The Austin Citysphere begin the mission to find the best burger in central Texas, we stopped at an old favorite. Old is, well, relative. Cafe Canela, formerly Geaux Burger, formerly Mooyah Burger, is a fantastic burger place in north Austin. We learned today Cafe Canela is managed and owned by Alvaro Valencia, who used to manage (but not own) Geaux and Mooyah Burger. Valencia has kept up the "old" style burger that kept us coming back for more. Thankfully, the burger is still around. Following Mooyah's closure, we were devastated! Only this time with Cafe Canela, he's added burritos and fajitas as well for a Mexican flair.

It's only fitting the journey begins here as we talk to Beatriz Tavera, an employee who told us quite frankly, she avoids eating at home so she can eat when she gets to work. That's a compliment from a cashier who says her past places of employment weren't always up to par with the food, and she'd bring her own lunch to work!

On a related note, ACS received word from a good friend, Carol Pfeiffer, who recommended the Horny Toad in Cranfills Gap as one of the best burgers around! Their title is apparently verified because they were nominated by Ride Texas magazine for the honor! Looks like ACS has a little road trip ahead... boy, it's gonna be tough eating so many delicious burgers for this contest.

If you have a burger suggestion, send it by clicking here.

AISD Superintendent Gets Big Bonus as School Board Talks Budget

2010-08-24T00:16:00.000-05:00

Austin ISD Superintendent Dr. Maria Carstarphen received her performance evaluation at Monday's Board of Trustees meeting, and was awarded a performance bonus that's more than many people make in a year.

According to Board President Mark Williams, Dr. Carstarphen will receive a bonus totaling $41,500 for the 2009-2010 school year, tied directly to the academic performance of AISD schools. She received $19,000 of a possible $25,000 for meeting most, but not all, of the performance objectives tied to state and federal accountability measures. She was also awarded an additional $22,500 after three schools that were rated Academically Unacceptable for multiple years turned their performance around. Those schools, Reagan High School, Pearce Middle School and Garcia Middle School, were all rated Academically Acceptable for the 2009-2010 school year.

Dr. Carstarphen reported that she had a busy day on the first day of school, visiting eight AISD campuses throughout the day and chronicling it in her blog.

During Monday's meeting, the board also approved a $716 million operating budget for the 2010-2011 school year, which began Monday. AISD will also send $128 million to the State of Texas under "recapture" provisions of Texas school finance law that will redistribute a portion of collected property taxes among other local school districts.

The approved budget is balanced, according to Dr. Carstarphen, and cures a $7.1 million structural deficit that had been projected for the school year. The district will also continue the current operating tax rate of $1.079 per $100 of assessed property value, along with a separate bond debt repayment tax rate of $0.148, for a combined rate of $1.227.

The board also voted to discontinue a historical property exemption on property taxes for the 2010-2011 school year that was authorized by the City of Austin.

Addressing Climate Change Challenges

2010-08-23T23:47:00.000-05:00

from AustinNotes

The public is invited to help shape Austin’s community response to climate change for the next 40 years at a workshop at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.

Participants will receive an overview of the work done on the Community Climate Action Plan and discuss the next steps of the process. Groups will divide by resource area -- such as transportation or energy -- to discuss how objectives developed earlier this year can evolve into tangible actions for the community to take to fulfill the goal.

“We need your help to reach this goal by participating in the continued development of the Austin Community Climate Action Plan,” said Mayor Lee Leffingwell. “This plan has to come directly from the community and be one that the community is prepared to implement -- in partnership with the City of Austin. Addressing climate change is one of the most critical challenges of our generation, and I know the citizens of Austin are up to the task.”

More than 100 community leaders met in March to address the serious and growing challenges that climate change presents. During a two-day session, participants agreed to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through creating an integrated, affordable green lifestyle that supports the local economy and is accessible to all.

Every step the community takes towards being environmentally responsible, from regional planning to indoor air quality, is a step towards helping climate change.

The Mexican American Cultural Center is at 600 River St. in Downtown Austin.

Contact: Marc Coudert, Austin Climate Protection Program, (512) 322-6105

Public Arts Symposium Features Manhattan Redevelopment Project

2010-08-23T23:46:00.000-05:00

from AustinNotes

Award-winning “aerial greenway” urban redevelopment project in New York City

What: “Blurring the Lines: Public Art Re-Examined” Full-day Symposium for learning, connecting
When: 9 am – 3 pm, Saturday September 11, 2010
Where: Ballet Austin’s Butler Dance Education Center, 501 W. 3rd Street; Austin, TX 78701 (free parking available at State Garage “N” immediately to the north of Ballet Austin)

Symposium will feature keynote speakers from the High Line, award-winning urban redevelopment project built on a section of a former elevated freight railroad spur in New York City. Also featured will be local public artists and community creative voices.

The City of Austin’s Art in Public Places Program is proud to welcome Robert Hammond, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the High Line, and Lauren Ross, the Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Curator & Director of Arts Programs, to Austin as keynote speakers for “Blurring the Lines: Public Art Re-Examined,” an exploration of public art, creative partnerships, civic engagement and more.

About the High Line: The High Line railway was originally constructed in the 1930s, to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets. Now re-imaginied as a city park the elevated space has been redesigned and planted as an aerial greenway. When complete, the High Line will be a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell's Kitchen. This pedestrian-only space boasts an integrated landscape, fixed and movable seating, lighting, public programming spaces, and temporary public art. The project has garnered several prestigious awards and in less than a year of operation, has attracted over 2 million visitors.

The Symposium will feature:
· Keynote address by High Line Co-Founder and Public Art Curator
· Pecha Kucha(fast paced, six-minute blasts of narrated visuals) by local creatives
· Interactive panel discussion with experienced public artists and administrators
· Networking opportunities and access to industry experts
· Roundtable lunch (provided)
· Take-home materials such as the “Public Art Resource Guide”

Registration: Visit www.cityofaustin.org/nextlevel

Cost: $15 and includes choice of gourmet boxed lunch from Central Market.

The City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Division offers the Take it to the Next Level professional development workshops to enhance the management capacity of nonprofit creative organizations and to grow jobs, wealth, and the economic impact of the creative economy. The 2010 Next Level series is supported in part by grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Cultural Arts Division provides leadership and management for the City’s cultural arts programs and for the development of arts and cultural industries. The Cultural Arts Division is responsible for the Cultural Arts Funding Programs, Art in Public Places Program, community-based arts development, and programs to assist the development of music, film, and creative industries in Austin. For more information, visit www.ci.austin.tx.us/redevelopment/cad.htm.

Contact: Meghan Turner, (512) 974-9314

Let The Sun Shine: Austin Energy To Increase Solar Capacity

2010-08-23T08:29:00.000-05:00

The hot Texas sun will generate more electricity for Austin Energy after the city council approved the utility's first solar supply agreement this week. Since prices have dropped on solar modules over the past two years, Austin Energy will purchase up to 2 megawatts (MW) of solar modules - as many as 8,500 modules - over three years.

When they have been purchased, the modules will produce enough electricity to power 270 average-sized homes in Austin for an entire year. Austin Energy says that's the equivalent of taking 400 cars off the road for a year, or planting 60,000 trees.

The solar panels will be installed at high profile locations such as city buildings, libraries and schools to increase public awareness about the advantages of solar power. Right now, 35 facilities that belong to the City of Austin have solar installations.

After the planned purchase of modules is complete, Austin Energy will have 2.4 MW of solar capacity, moving the city toward a goal of 200 MW of solar capacity by 2020.

Customers Can Still Get Their Brats Downtown at the Best Wurst

2010-08-23T00:22:00.000-05:00

The downtown Austin business that boasts it has sold 8,373,684 sausages as of this writing will remain in downtown, only 40 feet east of its original location.

The city announced the license for Best Wurst, the infamous brat sausage seller, has been renewed for 309 E. 6th Street.

The city's transportation department worked to resolve a conflict between two businesses at a specific location, according to a recent press release. The city reports Best Wurst has been operating in the downtown area for a long time and is in good standing with the city.

Students Start the School Year In Style With APD

2010-08-22T09:04:00.000-05:00

Who would have thought that Austin Police do makeovers? The Austin Police Activities League (PAL) is giving some students returning to school the chance to get a new 'do for the new school year.

The "Back to School Haircuts/Styles" day is going on today, August 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Salon M in Pflugerville.

It's expected that more than 100 youth will get new, free hairstyles in time to get the school year off on a positive note. They'll also receive free school supplies for participating. The children were selected from the Austin Housing Authority, AISD and participants in the Boys and Girls Club's summer basketball program.

The Austin Police Activities League works with youth through athletic, educational and wellness programs to build positive interaction with officers and foster an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Seven Week Series on the Best Burgers in Central Texas

2010-08-22T01:48:00.000-05:00

What do Five Guys, Moonies, Jackalope, and (Bastrop's) Roadhouse all have in common? They're all places I've eaten a great, scratch that, an amazing burger. Granted, Five Guys is a national chain and the rest are local. That's why I want to set out to find the best burger in central Texas.

And I need you to be the guide!

Let me know which places you love to eat a great burger. Is it Your Mom's, or one of my personal favorite's Cafe Canela, formerly Geaux Burger, formerly Mooyah? Whatever it is, I need to know!

Over the next seven weeks, The Austin Citysphere turns into The Austin Burgersphere! Reviews from other customers are greatly appreciated, and you can send them to me here.

Bring on the burgers!

West Man Dies After Clipping San Marcos Bus

2010-08-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

According to the San Marcos Daily Record, a West man died Friday when he clipped a San Marcos CISD school bus with his motorcycle.

Police said 18 year old Brandon Ashley was traveling west on Bagby Avenue and tried to pass the bus, full of junior varsity football players on their way to a scrimmage at the Waco ISD stadium. The Daily Record reports that Waco PD records supervisor Ivan Reyes said Ashley attempted to pass on the right as the bus was making a right turn into the stadium parking lot.

Waco Police said Saturday they do not expect any charges will be filed in connection with a fatal accident on Friday involving a San Marcos CISD school bus and a motorcycle. “The motorcycle clipped the right front corner of the bus, causing Ashley to be thrown from the bike.” The man was not wearing a helmet and died at Hillcrest Hospital.

The Daily Record reports the district kept students away from the scene of the accident and went on to play in the game. After the scrimmage Waco police counselors talked to the players. None of the students were injured. The investigation is ongoing, although the Daily Record reports no charges are expected to be filed against the bus driver.

City Manager Ensures Ethics Top Priority Following Tainted Audit

2010-08-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

In light of recent findings from an audit that some Austin city employees padded their time sheets - in one case enough to double the salary - city manager Marc Ott sent a memo to Mayor Lee Leffingwell and members of the city council on the topic of ethics and integrity in the city work force.

As you know, I have personally made organizational and personal ethics and integrity a cornerstone of our approach to becoming a “best managed” city. In light of recent Audit findings relative to payroll records, I felt that it was important to provide you with an update on our progress.

As I’ve shared with you in our individual meetings, part of building an ethical culture is creating an environment where employees feel safe bringing their concerns forward, and giving them the confidence that any issue will be investigated and addressed once brought to light. We have several avenues for employees to do so, whether through their normal chain of command, our Human Resources Department, the Integrity Office or the City Auditor. This is a message that I’ve reinforced throughout the past two years, and it has been a core message of my seven “Straight Talk” sessions with city employees this year.

In the past year, we launched a citywide Integrity and Ethics training program designed to reach every City employee in two years. In conjunction with this, we conducted a full-day Ethics retreat with all City executives to reinforce the importance of the initiative. I’m proud to say that training has been completed by 98% of the employees targeted for the first phase of the program that began this spring.

In reference to specific issues raised in the past week regarding payroll processes, I assure you that we take any instances of fraud or abuse seriously, and are committed to addressing them swiftly and fairly. In terms of process controls, the Human Resources Department launched an initiative earlier this year to evaluate our current systems and develop a strategy for improving and upgrading our technologies.

With that said, I think it’s important to recognize that people are at the core of ethical decision-making. While technological upgrades may help us identify issues, any system is vulnerable to manipulation if someone is determined to do so. That’s why our sustained focus is on making sure that the people in our organization understand our expectations when it comes to ethics, that they feel safe to report possible violations, and that they understand the consequences of violating our contract of trust with the residents and taxpayers of Austin.

In an organization of nearly 12,000 employees, there will be unfortunate times where we have to address ethical lapses. The measure of our success will be that we handle them in an appropriate and transparent manner. I look forward to continued cooperation with the City Auditor in fostering a culture of trust and ethical decision-making for our organization.

Don't Just Sweat, Be Smart About the Summer Sizzle

2010-08-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

Office people, listen up. Although I am a college-educated man in his early 30's, who works in what's called a professional industry in that "white collar" sense, I am a guy who must cope through one cantankerous summer season after another. And this is Texas; it's like this every year.

I sympathize with construction workers, street repair crews, caretakers of lawns and anyone else who must be outside during the hottest parts of the day. I, too, have to endure the endless heat, the rising temperatures, and the excessive sweating, all while wearing long sleeves, a tie, sometimes a suit coat and wool suit pants. Even Spider-Man must do it, and he's got crime to fight!

But for all the woes of a weather situation we'd rather not succumb to, there is some bright news. Take the month of August off! Make flip flops mandatory during the summer months. Cart a snow cone machine with you and name the flavors after all your favorite indoor-working friends.

Honestly, you can't do any of those things. But you can compromise and hydrate yourself thoroughly throughout the day. Make it a point to cool off often by sitting down in the shade, nearest building with a lobby or car with the cold AC cranked. For the love of pete, crack your car windows when you're not inside and never ever leave a child or pet inside a car when you have an errand to run. It's not worth it, even if you're gone for only a minute.

Summertime affords us the opportunity to vacation, enjoy the beautiful rivers and lakes, and take time to get outside and soak up some vitamin D. But do it wisely and the weather will change before you know it. (Well, it is Texas, but it's bound to change at some point).

Forget the Fumes; Use Environmentally-Friendly Solar Power at your Next Non-Profit Event

2010-08-21T16:21:00.000-05:00

Austin Energy is offering a solar power trailer, for free, to non-profit groups needing to juice up outdoor events.

According to Austin Energy, the trailer is a 1000-watt system and can power a sound stage, lights and appliances. It's another option when access to electricity is limited, plus the solar power system is environmentally friendly. No need to pollute by using gas-powered generators to run equipment.

What's more, Austin Energy will deliver and pick up the trailer for free. Give a minimum of four weeks notice of the event, which needs to be approved in order to use the trailer.

Contact Michael Van Zandt for use of the solar power trailer.

New Arrests in Connection with 2009 West Campus Murder

2010-08-21T16:03:00.000-05:00

Friday Austin police made two arrests in connection with two murders that happened in the 900 block of West 21st Street last summer.

21 year old Roy M. Renick and 19 year old Samuel H. Gifford are charged with capital murder for the deaths of Stacey Barnet, 22, and Jonathan Goosey, 21 (pictured right/Austin Chronicle) on July 21, 2009.

Police say they made both arrests only hours apart but by separate units of APD and an outside agency. Renick, arrested at 12:45 p.m., was taken in by the APD Intel Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service. Gifford was arrested at 2:30 p.m. by the APD Cold Case Unit. Police say both arrests were without incident.

Another man, Ricky Thompson, was previously arrested in connection with the murders. Police reported Thompson was in debt to Goosey for marijuana he'd taken but never paid for. According to officers, they believed Thompson felt he had no other choice than to kill Goosey. According to police, Barnet apparently had no knowledge of Goosey's drug dealings or the extent to which he bought and sold to people like Thompson.

Thompson also faces capital murder charges.

Williamson County Constables Bust Convenience Store Clerks

2010-08-01T23:11:00.000-05:00

Williamson County Constables busted at least 30 convenience stores over the weekend for clerks selling tobacco products to minors without asking for identification.

Pct. 4 deputy Mike Pendley says the sting was, unfortunately, a success, despite numerous alerts to local stores that authorities would be conducting the operation. The full results of the bust will be available this week.

Sex Columnist Turns to Blogging About Living Well on Less

2010-08-01T22:46:00.000-05:00

Laura Roberts got used to Tex-Mex when she moved from Montreal to Austin. Good thing, because Roberts, a self-prescribed cheap ass, says it's pretty cheap. She likes places like Juan in a Million and Torchy's Tacos because of the inexpensive options on the menu. But she doesn't stop with restaurants. She and her husband found a gym for cheap, too. Sure, it may not have the spa and sauna treatment, but she says it's got the weights and the old fashioned treadmills needed to get the job done.

And grocery stores. Yes, it's where we all tend to spend a lot of money. Roberts like Sprouts.

"They'll give you a personal coupon, they're like 'here's a free candy bar,'" she said. "I'm like yes! Sweet!"

Roberts loves a sweet deal, and no doubt it's even better when there's a sweet treat involved. Check out the story about how to save some dough, and then check out Roberts' blog, Shoestring Austin, for some guaranteed recommendations on saving some cash.

This Week on 'As Seen on Radio'

2010-08-01T11:27:00.000-05:00

Listen to internet radio with Austin Citysphere on Blog Talk Radio

Get away before the summer is over! Texas Monthly tells about five great getaways, and we discuss some of our own favorite places.

Also, it's one of the most highly debated city council vote. Mayor Leffingwell and the council voted not to settle with the family of a shooting victim last year. Hear with Austin's NAACP leader thinks, and we break down what some of the council members think.

Williamson County busts stores for selling tobacco to minors. Was it successful? Deputy Mike Pendley talks about the successful sting, even though stores knew the cops were coming!

It's all on this LIVE edition of As Seen on Radio, where we talk all about your city and the issues that matter.

Mayor Explains Hard Decision on Rejecting $750,000 Settlement

2010-07-30T19:43:00.000-05:00

Thursday night Mayor Lee Leffingwell and the Austin city council, in a 4-3 vote, rejected a settlement proposal for $750,000 with the family of a man slain by Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana. The shooting, which happened in May 2009 outside of an east Austin apartment complex, killed Nathaniel Sanders and injured Sir Lawrence Smith. Officer Quintana approached a vehicle occupied by Sanders and Smith, and it was believed Sanders was sleeping. But as Quintana got closer to the vehicle, the officer believed Sanders to have woken and that he was reaching for a gun. That's when Quintana fired the shots that killed Sanders.

The event sparked outrage and a continuing heated relationship between members of the community and the Austin Police Department. Earlier this summer, a settlement proposal reached the desks of the Austin legal department. The terms of the settlement would give the Sanders family money in exchange for the family to drop the city and Quintana from a lawsuit. Thursday, Leffingwell expressed his opposition to the settlement, but acknowledged several city council members supported the settlement.

The council eventually rejected the proposal, but by a very narrow margin. Friday, Leffingwell released a statement explaining his decision and why he wants the case to be decided by a Travis County jury. Here is Leffingwell's response to the community (photo from Statesman.com).

Last night the Austin City Council voted 4-3 to allow the legal case surrounding the death of Nathaniel Sanders II to proceed to trial. I joined the majority in voting against the proposed settlement.

This was perhaps the most difficult decision that this Council has faced over the past year, and it’s easy for me to see how reasonable people would disagree about the best path forward. I don’t condemn anyone's point of view, or their vote.

This was a tragedy for the Sanders family, and a tragedy for Austin as a whole. Unfortunately, nothing that we do is going to change that. That much is simple.

But the facts of the case are complex, as evidenced by the different conclusions that different people and groups have reached after reviewing the facts as we know them.

I think it was reasonable, from the taxpayer's perspective, for the city’s legal team to have recommended a settlement that they believed could be less than the possible cost to taxpayers to move forward with litigating the case. I understood the business case.

I also understood the emotional appeal of settling. Some have argued passionately that this settlement would have helped to heal the Sanders family, and I do not discount the importance of that. My heart goes out to this family. If there was something meaningful that I could do to make this situation better for them, I would do it.

But ultimately, after thinking and talking about it for many months, I believe that what's most important in all of this is to understand as best we can exactly what happened that night, so that we can then do everything possible to prevent it from happening again.

It would be a huge failure on our part not to learn from this tragedy. That should begin with determining, as completely and as impartially as possible, exactly what happened. I believe the most appropriate place to do that is in the courtroom, in front of a jury.

I’m fully aware that my decision was hurtful to some in the community, and I regret that. I would like to have been able to make a decision last night that would have perhaps provided some immediate relief to people who I know are suffering.

But I believe that our larger and longer-term responsibility – as difficult as it may be emotionally – is to make a full, fair and final determination about exactly what happened, so that we can then get on to the work of trying to keep it from happening again.

Cost to Fill Up Going Up in Austin

2010-07-30T19:20:00.000-05:00

According to the AAA Texas Fuel Gage Report, gas prices in the Capitol City are inching up again.

After three straight weeks of price decreases, drivers in Central Texas paid $2.56 a gallon, up one cent. The price for a gallon of gas was $2.41 during the same time last year.

Statewide, the price was up three cents over last week to $2.59 a gallon. Nationwide, drivers are paying an average of $2.74.

Too Hot or Too Cold, Americans Are Never Happy With the Weather

2010-07-28T00:52:00.000-05:00

The middle of the summer's got plenty of people feeling a little hot under the collar. Bob Rose, a meteorologist with the Lower Colorado River Authority, says although the heat in central Texas began moving into the 90s in May, the absence of rain concerned him. Since then, however, rain covered the region and helped us climb out of the despair of a drought like last year.

But the rest of the country has experienced a scorcher of a summer. Despite the heat in Texas, places like the northeast went through a heat wave.

It never bodes well for anyone when the country is too hot or too cold, as Steve Hartman found out in a story he had to go back in time to tell. Watch his story from CBS News.

ESPN Writer on Formula 1: "Believe it when you see it"

2010-07-27T23:44:00.000-05:00

Tuesday morning, Formula 1 United States announced the details behind the project to bring the sport to Austin in 2012. Red McCombs, a multimillionaire businessman who has owned such sports teams as the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Vikings, was revealed as the primary backer of the racing project, and Austin native Tavo Hellmund, a former racecar driver himself, will be the managing partner of Full Throttle Productions LP.

But despite the exciting announcement, ESPN Magazine writer Ryan McGee says he "won't be a believer until [he] actually see[s] a green flag wave." Why the doubts?

McGee says this is just the latest in a string of plans to bring Formula 1 to the U.S., and if history is any guide, it will wind up as just another press release in his files. Writing Tuesday evening, McGee says:

On Monday, when the Austin news conference was announced, I realized that I am not alone in my eyebrow-raising. Within minutes my Twitter account was crackling with correspondence from colleagues throughout the motorsports media centers. We collectively shuddered as we recounted the long list of phantom launches we've had to endure.

What do you think? Will Formula 1 racing finally get past the starting line once again in the United States?