Schoolkids from Allison Elementary found a used needle in an outside restroom during their recess yesterday and played with it. 2 young soldiers from Ft. Hood arrested after joy flying(?) a stolen plane and then crashing it into some mailboxes in Killeen. Texas Supreme Court rejects Libertarian Presidential candidate. Bob Barr's lawsuit. Galveston ends state of emergency declaration, but now may go under a "state of disaster". Homeowners in Bridge City finding jellyfish displaced by Ike in their pools....

Deadline approaches for evacuees to leave Austin Convention Center. APD officers head to Houston to help police streets. Some Ike victims may not be allowed to rebuild. Polls show Palin is starting to drag down McCain. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to take "tactical steps" in dealing with financial woes. Stocks soar worldwide on U.S. action. Here is the music lineup for the Pecan Street Festival this weekend. Happy Friday to all.......

Central banks doing their part to help world's money markets And just how did we get into this mess, again? AP isn't handing hacked Palin emails over to the Secret Service. Rachel Maddow on McCain and the women's vote (video). Are you a C.J. or a Charlie? Ike has claimed 55 lives - 6 of those in Texas. Use of female suicide bombers growing more prevalent in Iraq.......

Capital Area Food Bank still needs your help and donations for Ike evacuees. The Office of the Attorney General warns Texas hurricane victims to be wary of possible clean-up scams. Bob Barr (Libertarian candidate for Prez) suing to get McCain and Obama's names removed from the Texas ballot. One of the largest drug seizures in American history today; 175 suspects arrested (22 of them from the North Texas area.) Police looking for 3 men who assaulted a CapMetro driver in August....

Searching for a generator in Houston. Haunting photo-set of Ike-affected areas. After slight delay, FEMA has set up distribution spots in Houston. The state is running distribution centers in harder hit areas of Texas. Galveston says that current conditions are reaching a public health crisis. Some Galveston evacuees in Austin won't go back. AISD trying to figure how many student evacuees will enroll into classes here, even temporarily. Austin Children's Museum headed to Mueller....

The Capital Area Food Bank just put out an urgent call for emergency donations, saying that their donations are depleted, and that as of 2pm, no more emergency boxes could be filled onsite. They are using funds donated to buy more food, but if you are able to drop any food items off at the Food Bank, they are in desperate need of: peanut butter, canned meat (with pop-top lids), bottled water, and personal care......

As some Gulf Coast residents and evacuees grapple with what to do after Ike's landfall over the weekend, United Way Capital Area is in need of volunteers to staff the 2-1-1 Texas Call Center. The call center provides disaster response support statewide, and is especially necessary in such a time as now. Volunteers are needed to fill four-hour shifts (9am-noon, 1pm-5pm, 5pm-9pm) throughout the week. [Hands On Central Texas]......

Steve, the father of my young, hot boyfriend Warren, lives in Houston. Warren asked Steve if he was going to come up here to avoid Hurricane Ike , which looks to be heading straight for the Texas coast, prompting major evacuation. Steve told Warren he’s not going anywhere, that we should come to Houston. Warren explained he’s got his hands full with Hurricane Spike, so we’re staying put, too. So, okay, I guess the comparison is fair—at times. Let’s see, Hurricane Spike has been known to blow into a room at gusts of up to 120 mph. And sometimes massive downpours fall from her eyes, since she’s a sensitive artist and all that. Plus, having been raised in hurricanes her first eighteen years probably had more than a little influence....

Surfside Beach's last offer of escape before Ike hits land. Some Galveston residents linger as storm nears. 13 shelters open as evacuees continue to flow into Austin area. Resource Center opens Friday in Austin to train Ike volunteers. Houston to stare down Ike instead of evacuating. Current satellite image of Ike. Here is your weather for the weekend.......

It seems that the projected path for Hurricane Ike moved eastward overnight. Now instead of being smack in the middle of the path (as was projected yesterday), Austin appears to be on the farthest west edge of the path as Ike aims for Galveston. The hurricane is still expected to hit the Texas coast late Friday night and leave Austin residents with, at the least, a rainy weekend....

Palin takes the stage tonight to speak to Republican convention Google releases a new web browser, called Chrome, to take on Microsoft Following up on Gustav, Tropical Storm Hanna expected to hit Friday US plans to send $1 billion in aid to rebuild Georgia Don LaFontaine, the voice you know from movie trailers, dies at 68 The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, meet in US Open quarterfinals Study finds the older the father, the......

As Gustav looks like it is on its way to New Orleans, President Bush and V.P. Cheney announced today that they will not be attending the GOP convention in St. Paul this week. Instead of making an appearance in Minnesota, Bush plans to check on emergency preparations in Austin and San Antonio when the storm is set to hit Louisiana, then will make his way to the other states affected after the storm hits....

Hurricane Dolly's leading edge hits Texas, Mexico Bush drops opposition to housing aid plan Women on antidepressants may benefit from Viagra Polygamous sect leader charged with sexual assault Brawl breaks out at women's pro basketball game Lyons and Mankiewicz: At the Movies Comic-Con expects crowds of up to 125,000 for this year's convention......

Chemical spill closed highway in Williamson County for a good part of the day today. Perry defends the expensive rent for his Barton Creek-area temporary home, saying, "Texas ain't Arkansas." Man arrested at the border for a murder committed 13 years ago in Northeast Austin. Shocker: Secretary of State expects low voter turnout for this constitutional amendment election. Supposed chupacabra discovered in Cuero found to be just a coyote. "Get out of Iraq .......

Flood waters threaten thousands in southern Mexico. Hurricane Noel will bring heavy rainfall to the East Coast. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begs U.S. Diplomats to serve overseas. NASA plans a risky spacewalk to save a ripped solar wing at the international space station. Hollywood writers are set to declare a strike sometime today. Get ready for a reality television blitz! NBC Anchor Brian Williams is hosting SNL this week. The reunion show......

COLOUR REVOLT What’s the Deal: There’s a small college town in Mississippi where Colour Revolt is waiting like a swollen, porous sponge for someone to wring them out over the parched mouths of indie rock fans and critics alike. Right now, there is only the self-titled 6-song EP re-released in October of ‘06, but they’re currently in the final stages of recording their debut full-length. The EP, which caught ears at Spin and Stereogum......

Hurricane Humberto leads to one death and Orange, Jefferson, and Galveston counties being declared disaster areas. More trouble for the Longhorns: Senior player arrested for marijuana possession. More trouble in the Texas Youth Commission: the overuse of pepper spray. Austin city council has allocated $40,000 to find a new City Manager, but they're not all very happy about it. Dallas County DA stops inmate's execution scheduled for tonight. Domo arigato, Roboto boy: Richardson inventor......

Badass: Your private jet holds 180 passengers. Google.com: NASA geeks think it is so cool, they're going to let you park it on their runway. Lame: Being seen in one of those electric cars they sell by 6th and Lamar. More lame than that? Being seen in one of these things. (We're kidding, folks, seriously.) Remember when we told you about that OU guy that tore that UT guy's balls? Yeah, he's going to......

The Out of Bounds Improv Festival and Miniature Golf Tournament ended on Monday after six days of blithe musings from some of the finest improv and sketch-comedy troupes in the country. In its sixth year, Out of Bounds reached new heights of comedic exuberance over the past week—and, more importantly, surely introduced a new universe of humor to an unimaginable quantity of newcomers. But for some, Out of Bounds was more than a once-a-year......

Del McCoury has been playing bluegrass music since 1950, which basically means that he's been playing guitars and banjos since before your parents were born. If that doesn't translate into transcendent musical abilities, we have no idea what your standards are. McCoury's band features his two sons, Rob and Ronnie McCoury, who have only been playing bluegrass since the early 1980s--banjo and mandolin, respectively--so, whatever. Ha ha j/k! Del McCoury Band Bakersville, NC Latest Release:......

Felix, Category 5 hurricane, is hitting Nicaragua. Oh, the times they are a'changin (finally): A female joins the ranks of the Beefeaters at the Tower of London. Bush arrives in Australia today amid protests from Australians. Slate reviews O.J.'s book: "The narrator of 'If I Did It' introduces his story not as an exercise in counterfactual speculation but rather as the God's honest truth." Author Anne Lamott censored from speaking at Creighton University? Hybrid......

Big surprise: Obama doesn't care much for "Obama Girl". Hurricane Dean was a category 5 when it hit Mexico, but settled down to a category 3. The "Daily Show" tries to recapture its cultural relevance by really and truly sending a correspondent to Iraq. Gaddafi's son wants a free media (among other reforms) in Libya. The gal who works on your nails definitely deserves a bigger tip. Rumor is Google is investing in Chinese......

UT Austin professor receives national award for "distinguished service to education in librarianship" A kid in South Austin gets an explosive reaction after he attempts to use real bullet in toy gun Hurricane Dean looks like it's heading to Mexico, but FEMA says Texans should still look out A Dallas man allegedly murders his mother, keeps her decomposing body in the house for days until neighbors complain about "a stench" Austinite Lynne Smith successfully swims......

A 17-year-old kid dies after smashing his car into a tree in Central Austin Round Rock police, fed up with pesky juvenile delinquents, close down a popular skate park for a week Tropical Storm Erin was just a warm-up; Hurricane Dean might be on its way The Texas Attorney General closes a local illegal nursing home operation; one resident was found locked in a room with boarded-up windows UT students and others looking to......

Here comes the story of the hurricane that wasn't really a hurricane and didn't even affect the fireworks last night ... but you should still be skeert. Golden gloves indeed: 20-year-old man charged with manslaughter for his part in the murder of a man on June 19. Giving new meaning to booze in the blender. We are totally awesome at throwing block parties. When it's not raining, at least. Wonder if you could afford......

Never mind that it's not that hot outside right now (though we would argue that the wet-dishrag humidity more than makes up for what the thermometer's not showing). Climate change is still happening/still scary, and the movie at the Alamo tonight, the next installment in the AFS' global scifi series, is all about that possible future heated terrasphere. The Day The Earth Caught Fire, having been birthed in 1961, is more worried about nuclear war......

Coldtowne Conservatory's Tami Nelson and Chris Trew are Hurricane Katrina transplants who also happen to be pretty damn funny improv artists with a sold out FronteraFest 2007 show - one a.m. Austinist got up close and personal with these two cut-ups, and this is what we found out: Tell me about the background and history of Coldtowne Conservatory. Tami Nelson: So, Tami Nelson and Chris Trew are in Coldtowne and one a.m. is the......

If you watched the State of the Union last night (we tried to, but ended up choosing the guilty pleasure that is Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" over it), you heard our Fearless Leader not mention a hurricane starting with K or the region affected by it plug his plan for Iraq. This weekend, various national organizations are sponsoring a peace march in D.C. against the war. Local peace organizations are eager......

Theatre fans aren’t hurtin’ for stuff to do this week. So let the good times roll, people. Let ‘em roll theatre-style. Put your hands together for our Austinist Pick of the Week, Free Night of Theatre! Not just one, but like a bazillion completely free shows in Austin, and across the nation. (That’s right, jetsetter – even if you’re out of town, it’s no worries, because the metro area you’re closest to is probably......

All images in this post by special guest contributor Megan Griffiths This is the second post highlighting the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The first is here, but we'll ask again: if you know of good local resources to help Katrina and Rita evacuees, or if you know of any artists who were forced from their homes and into Austin, please let us know. In this installment, we highlight the work of Megan......