In a great bit of news for the Austin Toros and for basketball fans around the city (and even in the Hill Country), the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs have agreed to purchase our local D-League affiliate from Southwest Basketball, LLC.

As the owners of the Toros, the Spurs will be overseeing all aspects of the team’s management, both on the court and off. This means that from here on out the Toros will be running Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s vaunted system. Seeing as how that system has been good enough for four NBA championships in nine years (and to make the Spurs the most successful franchise of any American sport over the past decade), it should work out just fine for a minor-league team on the banks of the Colorado River.

Former first lady and Texas legend dead at 94.

Which will happen first - Fred Thompson gets into the presidential race, or John McCain gets out?

After his fundraising efforts have skidded to a halt, the Arizona republican has lost most of his top campaign staff: chief strategist John Weaver, campaign manager Terry Nelson (more on him in a moment), deputy manager Reed Galen and political director Rob Jesmer.

For anyone thinking the name Terry Nelson seems familiar, the professional campaign consultant/bruiser Nelson was political manager for Bush/Cheney '04, and second producer on the infamous "Call me!" attack ad on Tennessee senate hopeful Harold Ford Jr. in 2006.

But before that, back in 2002, Nelson was deputy chief of staff at the Republican National State Elections Committee (RNSEC). He ended up as an unindicted co-conspirator in Tom DeLay's shenanigans, when it turned out his office had been part of The Hammer's plan to illicitly filter $190,000 in TRMPAC cash into state election coffers.

Caritas of Austin is fighting the good fight against poverty, one year at a time. Just released is the agency’s 2006 annual report, which marks 43 years of service and documents the agency’s ever-expanding mission.

Caritas assists families in avoiding eviction and homelessness, feeds hundreds of people each day, and advises job-seekers as they become self-sufficient, among many other services. Especially timely is Caritas’ Refugee Resettlement Community Support Program. In 2006, Caritas provided crucial help with transportation, housing, food, health care, employment, language, and financial needs to 165 documented refugees from Cuba, Iran, Ethiopia, Liberia, Congo, Sudan, Vietnam, and Afghanistan.

In the report, Executive Director Beth Atherton thanks agencies, businesses, and individuals lending time and money to Caritas’ many programs. “Your dedication … allows us to not only provide for basic needs in times of crisis, but also offer opportunities to achieve self-sufficiency,” Atherton said.

According to the report, revenue sources were $2,608,636 in government contracts, $522,900 in funds generated by special events, $716,815 from individuals, $711,200 from foundations, $136,096 in faith-based dollars, $97,788 from United Way, $292,783 from businesses, $50,463 in interest income, and $315,293 in in-kind contributions – for a total of $5,451,974. Expenses listed were the Basic Needs Coalition, at $1,285,198 24; basic needs services, $2,018,151; self-sufficiency services, $1,295,937; and administration/fundraising, $677,307 – for a total of $5,276,593.

Members of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s new peer review committee are preparing to hire a consultant to review the governance, financing, and planning of Capital Metro. The biggest looming issue at Cap Metro is finances. At a CAMPO work session this week, Cap Metro’s Chief of Staff, Andrea Lofye, told the subcommittee that Cap Metro, once a cash cow flush with local sales tax dollars, is only three years away from expenses exceeding projected revenues. Most of the transit authority’s reserves have gone into the initial leg of its commuter rail line. Cap Metro has already begun the process of proposing a fare hike, its first since 1984.

County leaders have sent Sun Coast Resources back to negotiate with neighbors over a plan to put six 20,000-gallon gasoline-holding tanks on the company’s property on Johnny Morris Road. Neighbors, who still remember the Springdale tank farm fiasco, are not satisfied with the company’s assurances the tanks are safer than most gas stations. A community meeting has been scheduled on July 18, with the goal of putting the item back on the county agenda on July 24.

The rains are (mostly) gone, but the waters are still high. The Lower Colorado River Authority is going to be keeping Lake Travis shut for boating until at least Friday, and they'll reconsider then.

Travis is down from a worrying 701.52 feet above mean sea level last Friday to a still unseasonal 695.02 feet today (that's still 14 feet over what the LCRA calls full.) But if more rains come, or the ground run-off or the overflow from further upstream keeps coming, it may still stay closed over the weekend. That means Lake Austin, Town Lake, and the Colorado below Longhorn dam are closed too, as the LCRA tries to manage water levels without flooding out homes downriver.

Lake closures mean park closures too. The LCRA has shut Turkey Bend, Shaffer Bend, Grelle, Gloster Bend, and Muleshoe Bend and Narrows. Travis County has closed Bob Wentz, Cypress Creek and Pace Bend Parks, plus the Loop 360 park on Lake Austin. But good news for swimmers and naturists: Barton Springs pool should be re-opening Friday, as will Hippie Hollow and McGregor Park.

And, just to repeat, the lakes are closed for a reason: the flood water is filthy and filled with bacteria, it's fast-moving, and there's some wicked under currents, especially near the dams. Just ask the two tourists out canoeing illegally on Town Lake this week who got sucked through Longhorn dam.

Supermature senator and floundering prez candidate John McCain unleashed his wrath, not only by firing about 1000% of his campaign staff, but in his whiny, petulant carping about the "gay sweaters" they were making him wear. Yup. "Gay" sweaters. What a jerk.

Gay sweaters? Ahhh, but a wee tip of this cold and moldy iceberg.

With the disturbing news this morning that APD found two victims dead of stab wounds in north central Austin, the Public Information Office has released this snapshot of Austin murders over the years:

16 in 2007 (year-to-date), 20 in 2006, 26 in 2005, 27 in 2004, 27 in 2003, 25 in 2002, 28 in 2001, 33 in 2000, 27 in 1999, 31 in 1998, 40 in 1997.

After the fold, the press release on the grisly discovery early this morning …