Res Publica

For more details and events, see Community Listings.

Thursday23

BARBARA JORDAN CANDLELIGHT VIGIL pays tribute to the legacy of the first African-American woman to serve in the Texas Senate. 8-9pm. Main Mall, UT campus. www.utexas.edu/diversity/barbarajordan.

Friday24

THE LEAST OF THESE This screening of the documentary about the T. Don Hutto immigrant detention center in Taylor is followed by a Q&A with director Clark Lyda, the ACLU's Laura Martin, and Grassroots Leadership's Bob Libal. 2pm. State Capitol, Capitol Extension Auditorium E1.004. Free. www.theleastofthese-film.com.

UNVEILING OF BARBARA JORDAN STATUE Join in the celebration of the completion of this long-anticipated project. Noon-1pm. The Battle Oaks, 24th and Whitis. www.utexas.edu/diversity/barbarajordan.

Saturday25

ACTION FOR ANIMALS Dress in black and bring flowers in observance of World Week for Animals in Labs. Noon-1:30pm. West Mall, UT campus, 236-9518. www.actionforanimalsaustin.org.

THE RESCUE Join this national show of support for the children of civil-war-torn Northern Uganda. Rally participants march from the UT tower to the Capitol. Sat., April 25, 3pm, through Sun., April 26, noon. www.invisiblechildrenaustin.org.

TOILET GIVEAWAY Was your toilet installed before 1996? If so, bring your utility bill with you to Fiesta this morning, and you may qualify for a new high-efficiency toilet paid for by the city. 9am. Fiesta, 3909 N. I-35, 406-3900. Free. www.cityofaustin.org/watercon/sftoilet.htm.

UNITE TO FIGHT CITY HALL BLOWOUT A party brought to you by Change Austin, supporters of last fall's Prop. 2 and current mayoral candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn. 4-7:30pm. Victory Grill, 1104 E. 11th. Free. www.changeaustin.org.

Sunday26

WITNESS AGAINST TORTURE Local activist Suzette Ermler discusses her participation in a nine-day fast in Washington, D.C., and what we can do to end torture by the U.S. government. 3pm. Carver Library, 1161 Angelina, 292-8093. Free. happylivingwithjustice@gmail.com.

Monday27

EARLY VOTING BEGINS! Don't wait till May 9 to vote – what if your car stalls that day? Or you get a stomach bug? It's best to vote now, before things go horribly wrong. Not sure which candidates you should support? Attend one of the upcoming forums (see "City Counseling" for a schedule) to see them in action, check out austinchronicle.com/elections for campaign news and background on the candidates, and see "'Chronicle' Endorsements" if you want to know what we really think.

Tuesday28

BLACK MOLD EXPOSURE With a catchy title like that, nothing more needs to be said about this documentary screening, except ... it can happen to you! 7:30pm. Dobie Theatre, 2025 Guadalupe. www.blackmoldexposuremovie.com.

HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE FORUM Share your ideas. Tonight's forum is the last of this series. Tonight's topic: health. 6:30-8:30pm. Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, 808 Nile. austinhispanicqualityoflife.com.

PUBLIC HEARING: BARTON SPRINGS TREES Share your thoughts about the proposed removal of 30 trees from Barton Springs. 6pm. City Hall, 301 W. Second, Rm. 1101.

ROOTS OF THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT A presentation from political scientist Norman Finkelstein. 7-9pm. Welch Hall Rm. 3.502, UT campus.

Wednesday29

100 DAYS OF CHANGE Join the Travis County Democratic Party to celebrate the first 100 days of Barack Obama's presidency. 6-9pm. Speakeasy, 412 Congress, 476-8017. $20 ($15, advance). www.actblue.com/page/100days.

DEMOCRACY NOW'S AMY GOODMAN talks about her book, her travels, and the state of journalism today. 6pm. University Teaching Center, 2.102A, UT campus. Free. tour.democracynow.org/
2009/04/austin_tx.html.

ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER PUBLIC MEET­ING See if the planning folks took your suggestions from the last meeting about the new animal shelter. (For more info, see "Naked City.") 6:30pm. Rosewood-Zaragosa Center, 2800 Webber­ville Rd., 404-1500. www.cityofaustin.org/health.

LONG-RANGE PARK-PLANNING MEETING Look online at the Parks & Recreation Depart­ment's Long Range Plan for Land, Facilities, and Programs, and attend this meeting to let the planners know what you think. 6:30-8:30pm. Mexican Amer­ican Cultural Center, 600 River St., 478-6222. www.cityofaustin.org/parks/longrangeplan.htm.

WORKING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: CAREER & LIFE CHOICES Presentation by Cristina Tzintzún of the Workers Defense Project. 3pm. Chicano Culture Room, Texas Union, UT campus. rjensen@uts.cc.utexas.edu.

Thursday30

BUILDING LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS brings in a smorgasbord of local food experts to talk about food access and sustainability issues in Austin. 7pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop.

BURNING THE FUTURE: COAL IN AMER­I­CA The Austin Film Festival presents this documentary on coal mining in West Virginia. 7:30pm. Alamo Lake Creek, 13729 Research. $4. www.austinfilmfestival.com.