Happenings

THURSDAY, MAY 31

AUSTIN GI RIGHTS HOTLINE is available for service members who want to ask questions about their rights regarding things like the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, conscientious objection, dealing with family hardship, or complaint procedures. Tonight, hotline counselors discuss their work. 8pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop, 407-6925. [email protected], www.monkeywrenchbooks.org.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION EDUCATIONAL SESSION Bring a brown-bag lunch to this open-forum session on disability management. Call to register. 11:30am-12:30pm. Milwood Branch Library, 12500 Amherst, 933-1899. Free.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2

TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY TOWN HALL Democrats are invited to share ideas about the future of the party. Stick around afterward for a training session with the Texas Democratic Party's online voter file system. 10am-noon. Texas AFL-CIO, 1106 Lavaca, 478-9800. Free.

SUNDAY, JUNE 3

AUSTIN TIME EXCHANGE NETWORK'S FIRST ANNIVERSARY The Time Exchange Network is an alternative-currency club that lets you trade skills and services instead of money. Stop by to find out more and to help them celebrate their one-year anniversary. They'll be serving refreshments and screening the documentary The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil. 6-9pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop, 628-1238. Donations suggested. www.austintimeexchange.org.

COMMUNITY HEALTH CHARITIES CLOTHING DRIVE Bring by gently used clothing for area patients in need. 10am-4pm. Lowe's, 8000 Shoal Creek Blvd., 888/839-4325. www.healthcharitiestexas.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 4

AUSTIN AFRICA NETWORK MONTHLY MEETING: AFRICA'S CHILDREN TODAY features a screening of the film Coming to Say Goodbye, followed by a presentation from Debbie Kreuser of ONE, an organization dedicated to ending AIDS and extreme poverty around the world. 7pm. Dominican Joe Coffee Shop, 515 S. Congress, 275-6790. Free. www.austinafricanetwork.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 5

SIERRA CLUB MEETING features a special presentation from J. David Bamberger, the former vacuum salesman and Church's Fried Chicken CEO who, with his wife, Margaret, is famed for turning Blanco County's "sorriest piece of land" into an award-winning habitat-restoration project. The Bambergers will talk about their experiences and sign copies of the book Jeffrey Greene wrote about the ranch, Water From Stone: The Story of Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve. 7pm. LCRA Hancock Building, 3700 Lake Austin Blvd. Free. www.texas.sierraclub.org/austin.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6

COMMERCIAL COMPUTERS: BACKBONES TO THE IT REVOLUTION The Austin Forum presents IBM engineer and power-management expert Tom Keller, who will discuss what electric utilities, policy-makers, and the computer industry are doing to address problems posed by the increasing electricity demands of commercial computers. 6:30pm. J.J. Pickle Research Campus, 10100 Burnet Rd., Building 196 #1.603. www.austinforum.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 7

THE STAKES ARE HIGH CASINO NIGHT features casino games, an auction, and a karaoke contest, with proceedings benefiting Responsible Growth for Northcross. 6:30-9:30pm. Common Interest, 8440 Burnet Rd., 453-2995. www.rg4n.org.

WRIGHTSLAW SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW & ADVOCACY CONFERENCE invites parents, attorneys, advocates, educators, and anyone who works with children with disabilities to attend this all-day seminar sponsored by Texas Parent to Parent. 8am-4:30pm. Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark, 4140 Governor's Row. $75-150. Texas Parent to Parent, 866/896-6001, 458-8600. [email protected], www.wrightslaw.com/speak/07.06.tx.htm.

ONGOING

AISD UPCLOSE Register to take this new course about the academic challenges, business operations, and services at Austin Independent School District. Then you can serve as AISD representatives to the community at large and take part in AISD committees and task forces. Registration deadline: June 8. 414-3992. www.austin.isd.tenet.edu/inside/initiatives/upclose.

CLICK IT OR TICKET: SAVE YOURSELF FROM YOURSELF Patrol units will be extra vigilant in their pursuit of the unbuckled, through June 3.

DIGNITY MEMORIAL VIETNAM WALL This traveling replica of the Washington, D.C., Vietnam Veterans Memorial is in town and available for viewing 24 hours a day. Friday-Sunday, June 1-3. Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery, 14501 N. I-35, Pflugerville, 512/251-4118.

MUSLIM AMERICAN SOCIETY SERVICE CORPS has declared June 5 National Humanitarian Day and marks the occasion with a relief drive to raise food and gently used clothing and blankets for those in need. Call or e-mail to volunteer with the effort or to donate to the drive. 659-1523. [email protected].