Comic from ToothPasteForDinner.com State science curriculum director Chris Comer says she was forced to resign today according to the Austin-American Statesman. She walked away from her nine-year career with the Texas Education Agency amid accusations of insubordination and misconduct, both of which appear to be connected with her apparent bias against the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to the theory of evolution. The senior adviser on statewide initiatives, Lizzette Reynolds, who previously served......

As reported in a heartfelt eulogy on Michael Barnes' blog, Austin lost one its treasures yesterday. Karen Kuykendall passed away at the age of 69 from complications from cancer of the lungs and spine. Ms. Kuykendall was so many things: funny, kind, amazingly talented, beautiful, friendly, bright...the list goes on and on. We met her a handful of times; she was always warm and truly delightful. And of course legions of Austinites will remember her......

An industrial crane toppled this morning in the 900 block of Red River Street. No one was hurt when the crane fell, police said. Red River Street between 9th and 10th was shut for about two hours but reopened shortly after 11 a.m. The site under construction is near the Sheraton Hotel and is a four-story apartment building. Update: (10:40am) The Austin American Statesman has reported that the crane is not one of the giant......

In recent weeks, news out of Austin City Hall hasn't been too great. In fact, as more and more stories of "improper" or, shall we say, "uncomfortable" relationships between our elected officials and businesses float to the surface, it looks as though one of the nation's most admired muncipal governments may, in fact, be a tad more crooked than we all thought. Of course, only time will tell, but things are not looking so good......

Many of us have been confronted with the same challenge when trying to get to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: "How can I save money by bumming a ride off a friend or relative and not have to take a cab or park at the airport?" It's really not that far of a drive, especially when compared to other cities, but still, it'd be nice if there was a cheaper (or free) way to get to the......

Yes, it’s all very overwhelming. The planes in the air. The snakes on the interweb. The Samuel L on the profanity tip. And if it seems to you that only one writer is writing about it here, well then, you’re pretty much right. And the funny thing is, that writer doesn’t even care about the movie. But he does like paper planes, bitmappy clipart-type graphics, and the symbol of man’s inability to handle shame.......

"Texas wines are Texas wines! They will never be California Wines or French Wines, and should not be compared to them. You don’t laugh at an apple because it’s an apple and not an orange! Texas wines have improved dramatically since I landed in Austin (from California – gasp!!) 12 years ago. I have always enjoyed the red wines of Llano Estacado in Lubbock. I also enjoy Fall Creek Granite Reserve, and the red wines of Alamosa Vineyards in Tow. For the best $8.00, “Supermarket Wine” around, try Fall Creek Chenin Blanc. You’ll be surprised!"...

Austinist was heavy-hearted to learn this week of the passing of Warren "Ryder" Schwartz. As has been much reported in the press, Schwartz was stabbed to death in south Austin last weekend. Ryder Schwartz -- a nickname that seemed to grow from "Red" (he had quite the coppertop), to "Red Ryder", to most casually "Ryder" -- was a juggler of unusual talent. In 1987, at the age of 21, when he heard that the......

Happen to be working on the Next Great American Comedy? Want to share it with the public, and pull in a little dough to boot? Our esteemed colleagues at the Austin American Statesman will put their money where your mouth is...or something like that. They're hosting the XL Funnywriter Contest, for which you can win $500 for writing the funniest "600-word scenario or dialogue script — on political, musical or evergreen subjects." Semi-finalists will......

Be sure to check out our extensive theatre coverage and new movie releases. Please let us know about any corrections/suggestions! FRIDAY [31] [music] Reckless Kelly at La Zona Rosa (link) [music] Peter & the Wolf, Navajo Radio and more at Emo's (Inside) (link) [music] Ghostface Killah, Word Association, DJ Notion at Emo's (Outside) (link) [music] The Glass Family w/ Quien es Boom (CD Release) & Brothers and Sisters at The Parish Room (link) [music] Red......

There are so many great outdoor activities going on this weekend; we hope that you can find time to enjoy as many of them as possible. On Saturday, UT is playing host to the 10th annual Running of the Horns 5k. This event kicks off the annual 40 Acres Fest, celebrating the diverse interests of the gigantuan UT student body. Amidst the weekend of activity, even the kids are invited to join in. Also......

(UPDATE: All performances for this weekend (firm) and next (tentative) are cancelled. We'll keep you posted on this story as it develops. --JH ) In what is undoubtedly a major bummer for Zach Scott Theatre, Helen Merino, star of the recently opened and critically acclaimed production of Bad Dates has been seriously injured. According to Michael Barnes at the Austin-American Statesman, the star of the show all about shoes...has broken her foot. Merino stepped......

*Photo taken from Austin American Statesman * As you probably have read and seen, the Broken Spoke suffered a blow from a tour bus Sunday night. Following a 15th anniversary celebration for country radio personalities Sam and Bob from KVET, Barbara Snowden of Barbara Snowden and the Geezinslaws decided to move their bus to a better spot. The better spot turned out to be, unfortunately, the side of the structure of the bar. Apparently......

Reader Kat writes: I have a degree in Anthropology with a minor in Writing, I graduated with honors, and I am not crazy or irresponsible. Any idea how I can get a job making a living wage (for me=$2,500/month+) in this town? I have been a veterinary technician, which was fun but pays about $10/hour tops, I have been a writing tutor, which is also fun but also pays very little, and I am......

South Austin is starting to really shape up as an interesting part of Austin with the new-ish Opal Divine’s at Penn Field, the potentially swanky new shops at 3100 S. Congress, the mysterious new place next to Five Oceans and more. However, some local homeowners seem to want to stem the tide of coolness. After reading this Austin-American Statesman article on the subject, we can’t quite put our finger on what some South Austin......

Right after yesterday's South Austin bomb scare, earlier today a suspicious package was found at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Austin-American Statesman reports that thus far it's forced the closing of the west sections of the upper drive and ticket counters, and delayed at least one flight. The east section of the airport remains open. The bomb squad is currently on the scene, and no word is available as of yet whether this will be contained......

The Austinist likes to read its sister publications, and we recently happened upon a story about skylines. Turns out, Austin’s skyline does not rank in the top 100 in the world, according to an article by Emporis, posted on the Chicagoist. While the Austinist is not surprised that our great city’s view didn’t make the cut, it is interested in how that infamous new building being proposed will effect not only our skyline, but the......