Nov. 28, 2003

Volume 23, Number 13

ON THE COVER:
news

There Goes the Sun

Austin's clean-energy industry appears poised to take off -- but city leaders seem surprisingly unenthusiastic.

BY MIKE CLARK-MADISON

The Chapman File

Terry Keel defends his client, but sworn testimony seems to contradict him.

BY JORDAN SMITH

A Mixed Farewell to ACC's Fonté

ACC President Richard Fonté steps down and reflects on his administration and its discontents

BY MICHAEL KING

It's a Conspiracy!

The landowner alleges vile collusion between City Hall and Stratus Properties -- but not actual citizens.

BY AMY SMITH

Busted! Maspero Suspended for the Duration

The Williamson sheriff's own deputies say he needs to go.

BY JORDAN SMITH

Naked City

Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond

BY MIKE CLARK-MADISON

Austin @ Large: Austin at Large

"A different brand of law enforcement" doesn't have to be a bad thing.

BY MIKE CLARK-MADISON

Capitol Chronicle

The controversy over tuition deregulation is only the tip of the iceberg.

BY MICHAEL KING

The Hightower Report

Monsanto goes on the attack; and giving thanks for American progressivism.

BY JIM HIGHTOWER

food

Looks Aren't Everything

The retro chic of the South Congress Cafe is but one ingredient at the Trudy's offshoot

BY BARBARA CHISHOLM

Thanks to the HCWFF, It's Party Time!

BY WES MARSHALL

Food-o-File

This Sweet Potato Queen is ready for her tiara, and for Jill Connor Brown's visit; plus, very good news and very sad news from the Austin food community.

BY VIRGINIA B. WOOD

Second Helpings: Meat Markets, Part II

Food Reviews

music

The Top Texas 40

Ranking the Lone Star State in song

BY MARGARET MOSER

Ding Dong Daddy (From Dumas)

Texas, the state that inspires big songs

BY MARGARET MOSER

screens

Demolition Man

Documentarian Jesse Moss on Speedo

BY SHAWN BADGLEY

Short Cuts

Tarantino and Rodriguez make beautiful music together, and Ellen Spiro keeps reaching for the stars.

BY MARC SAVLOV

TV Eye

Belinda Acosta says bah-humbug to Law & Order and more.

BY BELINDA ACOSTA

Screens Reviews

The Hired Hand

After Easy Rider, partners Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper rode off into their separate sunsets -- Hopper to Peru to film his demented classic, 1970's The Last Movie, and Fonda back to the familiar family tradition of the American Western for his directorial debut, The Hired Hand.

Film Reviews

Bad Santa

Billy Bob Thornton plays a thieving, degenerate Santa.

The Haunted Mansion

Eddie Murphy heads up this latest Disney amusement ride-turned-movie.

The Missing

Ron Howard directs Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett in tough Western drama.

Timeline

Time-traveling archeologists can't make the time pass quickly enough.
arts & culture

Not Just Another Pretty Face

With the Naughty Austin theatre company, there's more than meets the eye.

BY ROBERT FAIRES

A Big Old Jam Thing, Baroque Style

For its post-Thanksgiving concert of Suites and Leftovers, La Follia reheats the best bits of the musical past into a jazzy feast.

BY JERRY YOUNG

Articulations

Hogg Auditorium is headed for a makeover, Judy Jensen's Blue Willow is headed to the Smithsonian, and two local artists take the road to recovery.

BY ROBERT FAIRES

Arts Reviews

Turandot

Calaf's quest for the heart of the icy princess Turandot is the stuff of legend and, in Austin Lyric Opera production of Puccini's opera, was an opportunity to hear some exquisite music excellently performed.

Coriolanus

Lorella Loftus' staging of Coriolanus at the Vortex doesn't succeed in making Shakespeare's hero truly tragic or noble, but its fierceness of imagination and commitment would do the Roman general proud.

An Ideal Husband

Different Stages' production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband is not just community theatre at its finest; it's just plain good theatre: entertaining, impressive, astounding, and delightful.
columns

Page Two

The United Way and the Boy Scouts have both acted admirably in their parting of ways; their decisions call for a sense of moral nuance that is lately all too rare.

BY LOUIS BLACK

Postmarks

Our readers talk back.

About AIDS

Lunch with the doc: What's cookin' in HIV treatment?

Letters at 3AM

The institution of marriage has been undone by the changes brought about by modern technology and therefore has nothing to fear from the legalization of gay marriages.

BY MICHAEL VENTURA

After a Fashion

BY STEPHEN MACMILLAN MOSER

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

BY MR. SMARTY PANTS

The Common Law

One of the trees in my front yard hangs over my neighbor's driveway. Would I be responsible if one of the branches fell off the tree and caused damage to her car?

BY LUKE ELLIS

To Your Health

I know MRIs are useful in diagnosis, but I'm concerned about the possible side effects. Would a CT scan have fewer side effects?

BY JAMES HEFFLEY, PH.D.

Day Trips

Against the odds, Palo Duro Canyon became a major jewel in the state parks system.

BY GERALD E. MCLEOD

Luv Doc Recommends: All Good Stuff

Alamo Drafthouse Downtown, Sunday, November 30, 2003

BY THE LUV DOC

Feedback

Letters to the editor, published daily
sports

Soccer Watch

BY NICK BARBARO

One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle