https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2009-10-30/901853/

Res Publica

October 30, 2009, News

Hey, candidates! If you'd like your campaign events listed, send details to calendar@austinchronicle.com.

Thursday29

YOUR THOUGHTS: AUSTIN'S NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY Tonight's forum continues a series of opportunities to discuss ideas for Austin's new central library with the architectural team that will be designing it. 6-9pm. City Hall, 301 W. Second, 974-7183. See more and submit ideas online at www.cityofaustin.org/library/newcentlib.htm.

Friday30

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION: EARLY VOTING ENDS TODAY See endorsements and voting info here. 238-VOTE. www.traviscountyelections.org.

PRISON MACHINE TEACH-IN A panel of experts explains the prison system's offenses, from capital punishment to the "school-to-prison pipeline." Noon-2pm. UT School of Social Work, 1925 San Jacinto. insidebooksproject@yahoo.com.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT The former U.N. ambassador discusses her book Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat's Jewel Box. Noon. BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar. www.bookpeople.com.

Saturday31

ROLL BEYOND COAL Join the Sierra Club for an afternoon rally with music, hiking, and bike tours in the name of clean energy and green jobs. Kids and costumes welcome. 1pm. City Hall, 301 W. Second. (Afterparty: 3pm, the Ginger Man, 301 Lavaca.) www.lonestar.sierraclub.org.

TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL A few Saturday highlights: Michael J. Sandel on Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?, New York Times columnist Gail Collins on When Everything Changed, Jeffrey Abramson with Minerva's Owl, Colin Beavan on No Impact Man, Peter Maass on Crude World, and biographers Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis on Molly Ivins and J. Frank Dobie. (See "Big Lit" for more.) 10am-4:30pm, around the Capitol grounds. www.texasbookfestival.org.

Sunday01

PUBLIC AFFAIRS FORUM Denise L. Gilman of UT's School of Law discusses the human rights offenses inherent in a Texas-Mexico border wall. 11:30am. First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover, 452-6168. Free. www.austinuu.org.

TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL Some Sunday highlights: Douglas Brinkley on Theodore Roosevelt in The Wilderness Warrior, James P. Bevill on The Paper Republic, Mark Weston on Prophets and Princes, Lucas A. Powe Jr. on The Supreme Court and the American Elite, Woody Tasch on Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money, and John O'Leary and William D. Eggers on whether government can work. 11am-4:30pm. www.texasbookfestival.org.

Monday02

AUSTIN CARSHARE BIRTHDAY PARTY Celebrate three years of helping the carless get around with food, drinks, and auctions. 6-9pm. El Sol y la Luna, 600 E. Sixth, 448-4477. $10-35 (members, free). www.austincarshare.org.

Tuesday03

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION DAY It's a pretty big deal to change the state constitution, and there are 11 amendments on the ballot today – so don't forget to cast your vote. (See "'The Austin Chronicle' Endorsements" for more info.) 7am-7pm. 238-VOTE. www.traviscountyelections.org.

Wednesday04

SIERRA CLUB MEETING Join tonight's discussion on the future of solar. 7pm. Texas State Teachers Association, 316 W. 12th, 877/275-8782. Free. www.texas.sierraclub.org/austin.

Thursday05

CREATING A CULTURE OF PEACE: NONVIOLENCE TRAINING Learn to create change locally, then spread it around at this 20-hour session. Get tools to help the community strive for peace, justice, and human dignity. Thu.-Sun., Nov. 5-8. St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 8134 Mesa. $50, scholarships available. derrick.crowe@hotmail.com.

CHANGING OUR COMMON GROUND Celebrate the launch of the Interfaith Environmental Network; maybe even become a founding member. Arrive early for dinner ($5), followed by a keynote from Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener, director of Connecticut's Interreligious Eco-Justice Network. 6:30-8:30pm. Congregation Beth Israel, 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd. www.interfaithenvironment.org.

RAINFOREST PARTNERSHIP Producer Elizabeth Avellán and director Richard Linklater host a soiree for Austin nonprofit Rainforest Partnership as it celebrates the one-year anniversary of its Chipaota project, which has saved almost 9,000 acres of the Peruvian Amazon while supporting the entrepreneurship of the people who live there. $100. Barr Mansion, 10463 Sprinkle Rd. www.rainforestpartnership.org.

U.S. STRATEGY BEYOND COUNTERINSURGENCY The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law brings Celeste Ward, senior defense analyst at the RAND Corp., to talk about flawed U.S. counterinsurgency policy. 5pm. LBJ Library, 10th floor, Brown Room, 471-6267. Free. www.robertstrausscenter.org/events/view/101.

Ongoing

AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Let city planners know how you think Austin can be improved. Your input will be used to develop a community forum series kicking off Nov. 9. www.cityofaustin.org/compplan/survey.htm.