Page Two
With the start of early voting in Travis County on October 16, the 1996 General Elections have officially begun. And for some candidates, who have been hitting the neighborhoods and chamber talk circuit since the primaries last March, the civility is wearing thin. Witness the accusations of political mud-slinging between D.A. candidates Ronnie Earle and…
Two Kids in the Bush
More cops on the street. That’s been the banner cry heard at this year’s city budget sessions and at candidates’ forums across the city. The matter isn’t negotiable, says senior patrol Officer Mike Sheffield: It’s a life-or-death situation. He blames what he says is a crisis in staffing for the death of his comrade Drew…
Public Notice
There’s a great column in this month’s Travis County Council for the Deaf’s newsletter about a little phenomenon known as the Reciprocity Pool in the Deaf community. It likens the efficient flow of selfless giving to those cool little penny kitties at the convenience store: When you are in need, you dip in; when you…
The Green Web
The World Wide Web has turned out to be one of my most important journalistic sources. At least once a day, I get on the hypermedia system to search for information of one kind or another. Here are a few of the websites that I use, and that I think are useful for anyone interested…
Food-O-File
by Virginia B. Wood After reading about the recently released independent film Big Night everywhere from Food Arts magazine to The New York Times, I was very eager to attend the special “food press” screening at the Dobie Theatre before the movie opened to the public. The advance press coverage had compared Big Night to…
Naked City
Skip the lines and vote early at a polling place near you, through Nov. 1. Check the The Austin Chronicle Election Board, /election/ for locations… Pete Foster, the trustee who left the Austin Community College board for a banking job in Houston, says he may be back in his old seat Monday to vote on…
A Certified Shame
The American steak ain’t what it used to be. Ten years ago, no fancy steak house worth its salt would consider serving anything less than USDA Prime beef. But that was a long time ago. USDA Prime is becoming a rarity in restaurants these days. The problem isn’t that steak houses have changed their standards,…
It Ain’t Mayberry
Local attorney Margo Frasier was just 23 years old when she became the Travis County Jail’s first female shift supervisor in 1977. Not long after settling into her new job, a couple of the 10 male corrections officers she oversaw put her through a little test. As she stood by one of the cell blocks,…
Where’s the Sizzle?
The 1990s have been good to us in many ways. There’s the cigar comeback. There’s the resurgence of martinis. And then there’s this new upscale steakhouse trend. Lead by Morton’s of Chicago, these luxury chop houses are now springing up all over the country. Their menus feature the old steakhouse standards — thick-cut expensive steaks,…
AHFF Wrap-Up
For one brief weekend, it might be said that the lobby and mezzanine of Austin’s historic downtown Driskill Hotel were transformed into Storyville. Not the New Orleans Storyville quarter of ill repute, but, rather, a virtual Storyville — a place where storytellers rule and better narrative is the Holy Grail. The art and business of…
Articulations
The Austin arts community turned out in huge numbers to pay tribute to one of their own, founder and longtime Managing Artistic Director of Capitol City Playhouse, Michel Jaroschy, at a memorial service on Wednesday, October 16. Hundreds of artists and friends of the arts packed Cedar Street to hear more than a dozen speakers…
Conventional Wisdom
Mike Oatman, the chief executive officer of Great Empire Broadcasting, has some funny ideas about how to program a radio station. Most C.E.O.s have reams of demographic data around them, and they spend their time carefully examining which age groups are listening to what and what their spending habits are. They try to get a…
Let the People Speak
Twenty years ago, it would have been a national, if not international, sensation: The nude bodies of three boys, all eight years old, are discovered on a soggy Arkansas creekbed. They have been bound up with their own shoelaces, murdered, and sexually mutilated. One has been beaten so badly about the face he is almost…
Commission Mission
Hidden somewhere in our city is a great benefactor of the arts, one whose contributions in the past five years have had an impact not only locally but internationally. This deep-pocketed patron has quietly become a major force in the creation of new work, commissioning pieces from some of the world’s premier composers, musicians, and…
Dancing about Architecture
One of this summer’s big “wha’ happened?” stories is definitely the tale of Prescott Curlywolf and Mercury Records. Following the release of their 6ix Ways to Sunday album (if you didn’t hear it, you’re not alone — I just finally got a copy from a band member yesterday), all mention of Prescott seemed to vanish…
Scanlines
D: Jan de Bont; with Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Jami Gertz, Cary Elwes. Laserdisc Encore Movies & Music, 8820 Burnet The days when it took years for blockbuster movies to make the transition to video seem to be, well, gone with the wind. Twister, the early box-office smash during the summer ’96 season, has made…
A Man of the Theatre
Compiled by Robert Faires Michel Jaroschy touched the lives of just about everyone in the Austin theatre community. If you lived here during the past 20 years and cared anything for the art of the stage, somewhere along the way your path crossed Michel’s. Maybe you got your break in local theatre at Capitol City…
Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio?
“Do you remember Murray the K, Alan Freed, and high energy?…Do you remember rock & roll radio?” — Ramones, 1980 Everything is clear, shiny, and hard in the offices of Clear Channel Radio on Barton Springs Road — everything but the carpet, which looks like it’s seen the pacing of too many shiny brown loafers.…
Short Cuts
by Jen Scoville To be sure, the Austin Heart of Film Festival and Screenwriters Conference that took place last weekend had its many attendees thinking about the bones of a movie, the artistic process from script to finished film. Motion-picture industry professionals, independent filmmakers, and Hollywood writers shared their experiences with conference-goers who just may…
Let’s Fix That
Rod Caspers wears a crew-cut and projects a bossy demeanor that makes him seem as much a drill sergeant as a director. During a rehearsal for the new musical Branson or Bust, Caspers shouts the action to a halt: “Wait a minute! Let’s just stop and fix that now.” Striding to the stage, he not…
Music Recommended
Friday: Therapy Sisters, Chicago House Saturday: Eric “Scorch” Scortia, Cedar Street; Resonators, Jels, Jennyanykind, Sheridins, Electric Lounge; Joe Ely, Old 97s, Stubb’s Sunday: Tab Benoit, Antone’s Monday: J Church, Gomez, Scarfo, Emo’s Tuesday: Low Down Sun, The Maple Helm, Flamingo Cantina; The Urge, Phunk Junkeez, Local H, Orange 9mm, Liberty Lunch Wednesday: Loose Diamonds, La…
Haunting Happiness
by Julie Weaver When the days grow short and the nights’ long shadows creep the spirits of the dead will slowly awaken from their sleep…” My true love wrote that in a card he made especially for me last Halloween. It may seem less than romantic to you, but for me it must’ve worked, because…
7 and 7 is
Lots of 45 hounds prowling the floor of the Austin Record Convention this past weekend. Ol’ Don McLeese was hawking a couple boxes of singles that contained a local gem or two, and since we’re both retail boys from way back (as are most rock crit types), I’m wondering when I’ll be ready to unload…
Record Reviews
Surprisingly, local labels sometimes release records from artists other than those living here in town. Here then is a sampling of what some Austin labels (and a ringer or two — notably San Antonio transplant, Unclean ) have deemed noteworthy. WEBB WILDER Acres of Suede (Watermelon) Webb Wilder has always walked a narrow wire between…
The Snarling Citizen
by Barbara Ehrenreich HarperPerennial, $12 paper Some things you suspect, and some things you just plain know. Satirist Barbara Ehrenreich makes it a habit to shout what most of us are thinking, but are terrified to speak above a whisper. Ehrenreich struts her razor-sharp stuff in The Snarling Citizen, a collection of essays that first…
In Person
Col. David H. Hackworth Book People, Saturday, Oct. 12 Col. David H. Hackworth (U.S. Army, Ret.) may be the most compelling speaker in the nation today on U.S. military affairs. There are certainly many from America’s military community who would agree — and, if they’ll give him a chance, many in the pacifist community might,…
Roadkill
Francine Reed Antone’s, Monday, October 21 Standing in the shadows is normal for most backup singers, but only Lyle Lovett’s crew gets thrown into total darkness every time the spotlight hits his tall, Texas pompadour. That’s some mighty big hair. Francine Reed knows it, too; she’s been behind it or off to the side of…
Coach’s Corner
The Driving Range: The sounds are universally understood. The soft click of a seven-iron. The metallic ping of a three-wood. The solid whack of an oversized driver. The inaudible whoosh of a soft-sand wedge. A driving range? Looks like one: Instructors teach, empty baskets litter the ground, golfers lean on clubs, talking, watching, and admiring…
Porno Re-examined
Bound and Gagged: Pornography and the Politics of Fantasy in America by Laura Kipnis Grove Press, $22 hard Forget the “kiss my whip” title and dust jacket, this book is a serious discussion of what pornography is. In Bound and Gagged, Kipnis poses her questions by looking into four very diverse scenes. Even the polymorphous…
Road Shows
OCTOBER FRI 18 The Paladins, Continental Club FRI 18 Uptown String Quartet, Bates Recital Hall FRI 18 Bugs Henderson, La Zona Rosa FRI 18 Sons of Hercules, American Fuse, Emo’s FRI 18, SAT 19 Doyle Bramhall II, Steamboat SAT 19 Old 97s, Stubb’s SAT 19 Sweep the Leg Johnny, Emo’s SAT 19 Rita Marley, Julian…
Day Trips
Not much remains of the community of Normanna on US181 about 10 miles north of Beeville except the stone masonry of an abandoned general store, an old bridge left to an occasional pedestrian, and a few homes scattered among the eight neatly laid-out city blocks. The settlement dates back to about 1850 when a small…
Postscripts
by Lee Nichols & Margaret Moser * FRI, OCT 18: Charles D’Ambrosio will appear at Barnes & Noble (Arboretum), 7-8pm, to read and sign from The Point. * SAT, OCT 19: Austinite Bradley Denton signs his newest release, Lunatics, at Barnes & Noble (Arboretum), 1-2pm…. Barnes & Noble (Westlake) celebrates the grand opening of The…
AISD Notebook
To borrow a term from journalist and author Susan Faludi, practitioners of “backlash” culture should thank and praise the muddle-headed school administrators who last month suspended Jonathan Prevette, the North Carolina first grader spotted kissing a classmate on her cheek. The out-sized response to, and national attention on, the little boy’s action confirms what backlashers…
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
The most common last words of the dying are: “Mother” or “Mommy.” Euroscientists are measuring the olf ratings of British office workers (olf means the “odour emitted by a `standard’ European person”). Athletes give off about 20 olfs, and smokers give off about six olfs. Kids give off more olfs, generally, than adults. More than…
How You Can Help!
Yes, you can indeed be of help to someone who is living with HIV/AIDS. We are looking for people who are willing to volunteer a few hours weekly to assisting those who come to us for services. Some of the most important things needed are assistance with housecleaning, occasionally preparing a meal, child care, running…
John Wayne vs. Atticus Finch
After going unchallenged for two decades, it stands to reason that Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, would finally face serious opposition in his reelection bid for Travis County District Attorney. While he easily shook off two Democratic challengers in last spring’s primary, Earle, 54, now faces a tougher challenge in Republican opponent Shane Phelps, 39, a…
Hot Under the Collar
Dear Suzy, Don’t laugh, but even after the summer we’ve had I’m toying with the idea of putting in a wood-burning sauna. I’ve written to a handful of companies (even perused a website or two) and there seem to be two routes: 1) give them the specs and they’ll cookie-cut one to fit or 2)…
The County Ballot
In addition to the D.A.’s and Sheriff’s races, these other offices in the county are also on the ballot (* indicates incumbent): Tax Assessor-Collector: Nelda Wells Spears* (D), Irby M. “Red” Ford (R) County Attorney: Ken Oden* (D, unopposed) County Commissioner Place 1: Sam Biscoe* (D), Vincent J. May (L) County Commissioner Place 3: Valarie…
Sat 19
S�ktoberfest to benefit Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Austin, at Clean & Lean, 4225 Guadalupe, 11am-9pm. 458-LEAN. SUN 20 Champagne Brunch & Garden Party to benefit the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, at Four Seasons Hotel, 98 San Jacinto, noon-3pm. Cost is $40. 472-1710. Just for the Health of It — Second Annual BBQ Bash…
Oh No, It’s Mr. Bill!
There can be no rest for a man whose whole being is the preservation of paradise when the loss of it seems inevitable. It is a dilemma that environmental attorney Bill Bunch faces daily, surely when he’s sitting on the Barton Springs hillside, as he often does, overlooking the once-immaculate showpiece of the watershed he…
