Public Notice

"Public Notice" is the sassy yet totally sincere public service column.

By Kate X Messer, Fri., March 17, 2000

Sims Ellison (Photo By Todd V. Wolfson)

Austin, Texas FAQs

Welcome to Austin, Texas! Welcome to South by Southwest (SXSW)! To help you cope during this jam-packed, stress-filled time of fun and frolic in our fair city, we have anticipated some of your very good questions and provided the Top 10 Answers for Your Top 10 Austin FAQs here, for your convenience:

10. Yes, we know where Sandra Bullock lives.

9. No, we are not telling you.

8. The crack in the Capitol floor was not put there by a fallen maintenance worker.

7. Nope. That's not humidity, that's just heat.

6. If Guy Forsyth or Bob Schneider hits on you, you are not special.

5. White bread counts as a vegetable side.

4. That's not a joint; this is a joint.

3. Why yes, our boss was in Slacker!

2. Lamar is everywhere.

1. No, sorry, can't say as we can attest to the size of Matthew's "bongos."

Our Slackers, Ourselves

For those of you just tuning in, Public Notice is The Austin Chronicle's sassy yet totally sincere public service column. As far as we know we are the only news weekly that addresses this part of community as a "beat." Additional events for the week (for profit and not) are listed in our calendar sections in the back half of the paper.

We are very dedicated to our public service here in Austin, Texas. It's been said that we are the "Public Service Capital of the World." Our public service and entertainment/art communities cross over quite a bit here. After you hotshot A&R types get back to "the coast" after signing all those non-Austin bands, send these good local folks some dough. Or if you are an Austin band or artist, here are some resources for when your big advance dries up and those A&R-types no longer take your calls.

Artists' Accounting & Legal Assistance (AALA) provides pro bono accounting and legal services to artists for arts-related matters. They help demystify the twisted maze of legalese regarding contract negotiation, copyright, accounting, tax laws, and more. They sponsor a number of seminars open to the public. PO Box 2577, 78768. 407-8980.

Austin Free-Net is a cooperative effort involving Austin educational, civic, and corporate entities providing community computing resources and online access to the citizens of Austin area. PMB 226, PO Box 2013, Austin, 78768-2013. [email protected] or 326-9084.

American Youthworks gives dropouts and at-risk students hands-on experience and job training in multimedia, business, and construction. 216 E. Fourth, 78701. 472-3395.

SIMS Foundation was formed in memory of local musician Sims Ellison, who committed suicide in June of '95 after a long bout with depression and two weeks after his band Pariah officially was dropped from Geffen Records. Like many musicians, Sims felt he was on his own to deal with stress, depression, and an unfulfilled creative drive. Where does one turn for help? The SIMS Foundation responds to the needs of musicians and artists in trouble and assists in providing mental health care at affordable costs. "Traditionally, musicians and music professionals seldom have health insurance or any other benefits," SIMS Executive Director Peyton Wimmer says. "We make receiving these vital services affordable to all members of the music community." PO Box 1622, 78767-1622. http://www.sims-foundation.org or 494-1007.

SIMS Like a Lot's Going On

Speaking of SIMS ... SIMS Foundation will be sponsoring and benefiting from numerous events at this year's South by Southwest festival.

Throughout SXSW week, there will be a Visual Art Show at the Four Seasons hotel, in the San Jacinto room, now through Sat, Mar 18, featuring drawing painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The event will be open to the public and the art is available for sale. SIMS will receive a portion of the proceeds.

Babe's on Sixth Street featured the Sexiest Geek Alive Contest, Tue, Mar 14, 10pm, with host Chase Masterson and bands Jet Set Six (New York), Ginger Mackenzie (Austin), and others. All proceeds benefited SIMS.

Sims Foundation and the MIGA (Music Industry Golf Association) teamed up for the SXSW 2000 Golf Tournament, Wed, Mar 15, 11am.

The Austin Music Awards are taking place Wed, Mar 15, 7:55pm, sharp, during which Proceeds From the KGSR CD Sales will be presented to the SIMS Foundation.

The evening Outdoor Stage at Waterloo Park, Thu, Mar 16, will feature Junior Brown, Hank Williams III, and the Ray Price Orchestra. All Proceeds from Beer Sales go to SIMS.

Going back to the Four Seasons Hotel, Fri, Mar 17, 6-9pm, there will be an Art Reception featuring drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and a video installation from the art show. Artists Kevin Lovejoy and Juliana Sheffield will perform at the reception.

Patti Smith (PATTI SMITH!) will appear on the Outdoor Stage at Waterloo Park. All Proceeds from Beer Sales will be donated to SIMS.

More local artists will be performing on the Outdoor Stage at Waterloo Park, Sat, Mar 18, evening. Performance times TBA. All Proceeds from Beer Sales will go to SIMS.

At the Continental Club, Sun, Mar 19, evening, Alejandro Escovedo, along with Giant Sand, Tosca, and Richard Buckner and others.

The Bad Livers will be also be performing that same evening, Sun, Mar 19, at La Zona Rosa. 494-1007.

Dial-a-Slacker

You might find you need these phone numbers this week:

Emergency Medical Services: 911

Directory Assistance: 1-411

Correct Time & Temperature: 973-3555

Weather Forecast: 476-7744, 451-2424

Texas Travel Info: 463-8586

Austin Convention Center Info (24hrs): 404-4404

Capital Metro Buses: 474-1200

Roy's Taxi: 482-0000

American Yellow Checker Cab: 452-9999

Locate Cars Towed: 356-4249, 974-5000

People's Community Clinic: 478-8924

Sexual Assault Hotline (24hrs): 440-7273

First Call for Help (Non-emergency referrals): 324-1899

Drug & Alcohol Abuse Info: 349-6600

Sex Addicts Anonymous: 440-1494

Legal Aid of Central Texas: 447-7707

U.S. Probation, Parole Office: 916-5761

U.S. Secret Service: 916-5103

Bureau of ATF: 349-4545

Dial-a-Devotion: 259-2760

Austin Bergstrom Int'l Airport: 530-ABIA

AAA (maps for the way home ... ): 444-4757 Extra special props for assistance with this week's column go to Chronicle intern and writer Vivian Curtis.