On Saturday (May 3) Austin reformers will join with like-minded tokers in 230 cities around the world for the ninth Global Marijuana March to protest pot prohibition. Texas NORML has joined forces with Outgrow Big Bro to coordinate Austin's festivities, which will begin at 10am at Pecan Grove in Zilker Park. Pot pals will march to the Capitol at noon for a rally on the south steps from 1-4pm, which will include speakers and music. The music and fun will continue back at Pecan Grove until 10pm. So get out, enjoy the day, fight the power, and learn how to be a strong voice for pot-law reform. Now, a couple reminders. First: Don't be smoking yer dope while you march or while at the Capitol -- at the Capitol you're on state property and that means state cops and they won't take kindly to that. (And as far as APD goes, who the hell knows where they stand these days, or whether they've decided to accept as policy state law that makes minor possession eligible for citation only -- I've asked and they haven't responded, so keep that in mind.) So, you've been warned. Just remember, you can be your own worst enemy, and hinder the cause more than help it: Don't tangle with the cops, don't get belligerent (not that any Reefer readers would do that, right?) -- catch flies with honey, not vinegar.

It's official: there are no fake terrorists at the former Concordia University site. That's because local law enforcement flushed them out in a training exercise held today at the empty campus. The joint exercise, involving Austin Police Department SWAT and bomb squads, plus staff from Travis and Hays county sheriffs, was modeled (very lightly) on the horrific 2004 Beslan school massacre. Does this, as several journalists joked with APD officers, mean that Chechen separatists are likely to target Austin? Not so much: the exercise came about after the chief of police for Concordia contacted APD to offer the newly empty campus up for a training exercise, and the developers offered to push back demolition of the Woltman Activities Center. To keep things realistic, Det. James Mason held a press conference about the 'siege' and asked anyone with any information to contact him on the special hotline set up for the day: "555-555-5555." While the media were kept at a safe distance (the officers were only using 'safe' wax practice rounds and flash-bangs, but they can still hurt), there was free pizza. However, when the fireworks started, because there was a baseball field in between the press corps and the action, we all just thought that a table had fallen over.

More unofficial early voting figures from the Travis County Elections Division for the May 10 elections. Wednesday voting took a slight up-turn but, over all, voting is holding steady at about a third of one percent of registered voters a day. Here's the edited highlights: Three-day results
Total early voting: 5,253
Percentage of registered voters: 0.96%
Early voting in person votes: 5,084
Mail ballots received: 169 Monday voting: 1,765
Tuesday voting: 1,685
Wednesday voting: 1,803 Highest turn-out voting location: Randalls Research and Braker (482 voters)
Lowest turn-out voting location: Round Rock ISD Performing Arts Center (7 voters)

Could the redonkulously long parade of City Council candidate forums come to a close tonight? Today brings the Crime and Safety forum, sponsored in conjunction with the Austin Police Department's Police Chief's Forum, "a group that represents neighborhoods and businesses in all nine APD Area Commands." Except lots of noise from irate South Central neighbors and stakeholders. Should be a fun one. Also, Newsdesk got this email from Lori Renteria, citing rumors the forum was canceled. It ain't:

I got a call from an apartment manager in North Central Austin who said there is information circulating on the internet that our City Council Candidate Forum on Crime and Safety this evening has been canceled. She could not provide me a copy of message and I cannot find anything on the internet myself, so this may be a false alarm. BUT I thought I would just confirm with you all that we are still on and we hope to see you there. Lori C-Renteria

The forum runs today, Thursday, May 1, from 6:30 to 8pm. Full press release below the fold.

Austin style? You can't get much more iconic than Marcia Ball, Alejandro Escovedo, and Doyle Bramhall (indulge me – Willie is not playing Jazz Fest). The three artists are representing the ATX with their signature Lone Star stylies. Doyle played last week, and Marcia and Al play this Saturday at the New Orleans festival. Marcia is a Jazz Fest 30-year veteran; this is Doyle's first time as a headliner; and Al a virgin. Both took the time to answer a few questions about the experience. (Look for reports this weekend, after their shows.) For now, click below to read the interviews.

Outgoing Williamson County Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock, spent last night in the jail after failing a field sobriety text. He was reportedly pulled over by a Texas Department of Public Safety officer on Anderson after driving erratically. Already, the pile-on has started, since Krusee also happens to be the chair of the House Transportation Committee. Back in 2003, he became the darling of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Texas when he was the original author of House Bill 3588, that year's omnibus transportation bill that included stiffer penalties for drunk drivers (although that section was introduced in committee and was not in Krusee's original draft, so ease up on the schadenfreude).

Big news landing in our inbox: Assistant city manager, loyal lieutenant to former CM Toby Futrell, and Kirk Watson's running buddy Laura Huffman is leaving the city to become director of The Nature Conservancy of Texas. Hers is the second high-profile departure from the city in nearly as many weeks, with chief of staff and fellow member of the Tobyocracy, Kristen Vassallo, recently announcing her resignation. Read our profile of Huffman from last year here. The Conservancy press release is after the jump.

Debuting last weekend, Laura Morrison's campaign commercial has drawn criticism for stating city leadership is "rushing to sell the last five acres of prime city land on Lady Bird Lake to build more high rises" – accompanied by a computer-generated picture of three dark, ominous condo towers cluttering the waterfront. "That's not right," Morrison says. Reached for comment, Morrison confirmed the five acres in question were the Thomas C. Green Water Treatment Plant, to be shuttered and redeveloped into a mixed-use project, ultimately including Austin's new central library. With the request for proposals (RFP) being issued March 4, Newsdesk wondered how Morrison could predict this dire scenario with no development plan. "That's part of the issue," Morrison says. "Those buildings are really a symbol for the fact its a critical project, and there's been a lack of outreach to the public, to really have a public process envisioning what that land should be used for. I think that kind of strong outreach is really a responsibility for the council."

I guess carpet munchers will have to do …