State fire investigators wondering if the arsonist who set ablaze the Governor's Mansion acted alone. Cedar Park paramedic among those dead after a medical chopper crashes near Huntsville. Three boys may have been exposed to a rabid bat at the Northcross bus stop. CapMetro holding public meetings this week to take comment on proposed fare increases. FBI says crime nationwide has decreased, but in Austin it has increased....

As gas prices continue to rise and the bimonthly resurrection of the lightrail debate goes on-and-off, Austinites are left with the option of riding Capital Metro buses. What can sometimes be a nuisance for some and a necessity for most, Cap Metro has a love-hate relationship with the City of Austin and its drivers. Whatever your thoughts of the bus system in our city, they did have some good news to report this month: ridership is up! Over 675,000 more people rode Cap Metro buses this year than in 2007—that's an increase of over 6%. The amount of people who choose to park-and-ride went up, as well, over 13%. Reports of full buses and long waits have filled Cap Metro inboxes and, in response, the company hopes to add between 10 to 15 more buses to its fleet. Additionally, Cap Metro says they hope to use these to create new, more rider friendly routes....

ACL Fest lineup to be announced April 15. Rodney Reed's lawyers argued before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals today. New federal study will figure the environmental impact of coal plants north of Austin. Texas Monthly publisher upset over new City Manager's appointment to head EMS. Wildfire in the Valley covers 25,000 acres and causes hundreds of people to evacuate their homes....

Reason the power was out in East Austin Wednesday afternoon: a copper theft gone seriously wrong. The Cowboy Breakfast this morning kicked off the rodeo in town by providing a free breakfast to everyone there at 6am. Slightly reminiscent of "Daisy": Obama campaign unhappy with Hillary's new "Children" campaign ad. Clinton attends funeral of Dallas cop who died while serving in her motorcade. Huckabee makes campaign stop in Waco today. Show your voter registration card and ride the bus for free on election day....

Today's Mega News Bits by Patrick Dentler and Rebecca Onion Asian markets fall; the Fed is really, really worried. Not convinced Giuliani's a dangerous, power-mad nutcase? Read this. The Great iPhone Heist! Tom Brady limps through the streets of New York with a walking boot on his foot. (The question is, what the hell was he doing in enemy territory in the first place?) Unhappy news for pregnant ladies, those who must inhabit the......

Photo by gunnyrat on flickr The oil that spilled onto Sixth Street and into Waller Creek last week came from a 100-year-old underground tank. Jennifer Kim on the Northcross WalMart: "It's going to be a freaking disaster." Celebration Church in Georgetown has its own Starbucks and 5,000 attendees. Sayeth the pastor: "You can't do church without money." Wachovia Bank on Mesa Drive robbed this morning. Statewide public meetings on the Trans-Texas Corridor to begin tomorrow.......

Cap Metro bus caught fire on northbound 183 this morning. Ronnie Earle endorses Rosemary Lehmberg, his co-worker, to run for his current position. A case of death, mutilation and possible cannibalism in Tyler over the weekend....

Photo by Matt Wright on flickr Sunday morning, a Cap Metro passenger was stabbed by another rider with a screwdriver. Gas line break off of Riverside this afternoon is being repaired. Cold front on its way tonight? Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County is starting its first Women Build in February. Even though Tejano music is popular among locals, it has been overtaken on the airwaves by Norteño. Shady fliers telling people to vote this......

The first two of six new commuter rail trains arrived in Austin this week. The diesel-electric trains trains, the last of which should arrive by late spring, were purchased from Swiss manufacturer Stadler Bussnang AG ("We Track Clever Solutions" -- get it?) for $34 million. Cap Metro plans to start testing these cars next month along the rail line from Howard Lane and Mopac down to 47th Street and Airport Boulevard—each will be run......

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

Proof that people are already growing more tired of presidential campaigns. Just how fat is the fattest city in the nation? Houston zoos are receiving multiple requests from area hospitals to borrow MRI or CT machines. The only tenor worth remembering died late last night. Just when you thought they were done: Apple came out with a new iPod yesterday. "I do a lot of crying in this job." Atlanta high school student suspended......

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

Austinist presents our "Peg Your Clique Quiz" ... and we're still embarrassed by our score Additional SXSW bands were announced (Platinum Pass for auction!), and we finally saw the first week of great music releases for 2006 Reviews: Waterloo and Veronica (books); Danceworks Laboratory's latest works-in-progress showing (dance) Here's to getting past the most depressing day of the year. Thankfully, Carnivale's just a few days away! Is our fair city getting its own Central......

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

Those of you still wanting to check out the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park had better hurry: tonight's your last chance to see the mile-long spectacle. Also, we'd recommend that you arrive early this evening if you'd like to avoid the massive crush of last-minute holiday traffic: last night Austinist was making our way down to Barton Skyway from MoPac and a half-mile stretch of cars was blocking the far-right exit lanes off......

The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin and Austin's Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority are set to receive $4.35 million in funds from a newly-passed Congressional appropriations bill. The LBJ Library will receive $1 million to make repairs and to tie it to the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who has received some heat lately from Democratic challenger Barbara Radnofsky, set the bill in action. Cap Metro will get $3.35......

We just went to buy a new bus pass at the Cap Metro office on Congress and inquired about the strike rumors. A friendly guy behind the counter said that he thought that today was the day they would decide, presumably meaning the strike would occur as soon as tomorrow. The busses will continue to run on a limited schedule, he said, which will match the weekend schedule.......

*UPDATED Authorities have determined that the two bags were harmless and contained only personal items, like clothes and such, not like TNT and whatnot. Interestingly, the Statesman got a quote from one John Hughes, visiting from DC, so maybe if you missed Pitchfest this weekend, you can go discuss your coming-of-age screenplay with the director. On our way to work this morning aboard the Gold Dillo (the Dillo’s are free, y’all), we saw an......