George Hickenlooper, the director of Casino Jack (which opens in Austin this Friday at the Arbor Cinema) was in town one day in late October to present a preview of his new film on the last night of the Austin Film Festival. I spoke with him in the upstairs lobby of the Paramount Theatre late that Thursday afternoon prior to the evening screening.

Beleaguered Highland Mall received what must spell the final blow to relevant retail presence there when it was announced yesterday that Macy's, the final department store anchor for the mall, would close its doors there in the coming months.

Tomorrow our Top 10s issue hits stands, and, as usual, the Chronicle's movie reviewers count down our best loved and most loathed of the year. But there's more to reflection on the-year-that-was than just making lists. Well, maybe scratch out "reflection" and replace with "trendspotting."

Welcome to the wonderful Wednesday edition of the Newsgeist! Today's stories include info on the Consumer Electronics Show, an epic cold front in Austin, and a possible split of an African country. Read more for the links.

Will Warren Jeffs, the imprisoned polygamist prophet of the Mormon breakaway sect the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, come to court today and announce that he's finally found a Texas attorney? That's the question on the minds of many who plan to attend the prophet's fifth pretrial setting today in San Angelo.

In May of 2010 the North Loop shopping district received a great gift when Juliana Azar and Stacey Breakall opened Blackbird Clothes and Curios on the curve. Juliana, a native Austinite, and Stacey, founder of Kitty Kitty Bang Bang Texas Burlesque, met eight years ago.

Audra Schroeder fills in your Free Week!

Another day, another endorsement for Speaker Joe Straus as Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, signs up. But Tea Party favorite Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, isn't giving up yet, not with unindicted suspected war criminal and former US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton in his corner.

There were fireworks all over Austin on New Year's Eve, but the musical explosions provided by Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears and Grupo Fantasma at a sold-out La Zona Rosa were likely the most rewarding.