Res Publica

Thursday25

THANKSGIVING FEASTS AROUND TOWN Hoping to dine out this year? See who's serving up family fare for the holiday at austinchronicle.com/thanksgiving.

Saturday27

WESTCAVE PUBLIC TOURS Here's the perfect antidote to the post-Thanksgiving mall rush: Take the family on a trip to this pristine Hill Country nature preserve, open to the public through guided tours only. Saturdays & Sundays, 10am, noon, 2, & 4pm. Westcave Preserve, 24814 Hamilton Pool Rd., 830/825-3442. $5 ($2, kids). www.westcave.org.

Monday29

CAP METRO MEETING Stop by one of two meetings Monday night to discuss proposed changes to Cap Metro's policies regarding the Americans With Disabilities Act. 6-7:30pm. Austin Com­mun­ity College South Austin, 1820 W. Stassney; Goodwill Community Center, 1015 Norwood Park Blvd. www.capmetro.org.

CREATION NOT INCARCERATION Save Our Youth, the Ex-Pinta Support Alliance, and the Hutto Visitation Program host a discussion with Prison Creative Arts Project founder Buzz Alexander, who will read from his new book, Is William Martinez Not Our Brother?: Twenty Years of the Prison Creative Arts Project. 6:30pm. Resistencia Bookstore, 1801-A S. First, 416-8885. www.resistenciabooks.com.

Tuesday30

SEN. KIRK WATSON gives an overview of the upcoming Lege session – if you can bear to hear it – as a part of the Texas Politics Speaker Series. 3:30pm. UT campus, Dorothy Gebauer Building, Rm. 3.312, 471-7095. Free. texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu.

Wednesday01

HIGH NOON TALKS Documentarian Patrick Fries discusses In the Shadow of the Blade, which explores the stories of Vietnam War veterans and the families who waited for them back home. Noon-1pm. Texas State History Museum, 1800 N. Congress, 936-8746. Free. www.thestoryoftexas.com.

JAMES BRADLEY The author of Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War explains why the blame for World War II, the Korean War, and Communist China should rest with Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft. 7pm. BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar, 472-5050. www.bookpeople.com.

MOPAC OPEN HOUSE Surely you've got some ideas for improving mobility along the MoPac corridor – if not, you can come up with some next time you're stuck in traffic somewhere between Cesar Chavez Street and Parmer Lane. 6-8pm. O. Henry Middle School, 2610 W. 10th, 832-7218. www.mopacexpress.com.

Thursday02

A CONVERSATION WITH REP. DAN BRANCH The Texas Tribune hosts a talk with the Dallas Republican. 7:30-9am. The Austin Club, 110 E. Ninth. RSVP to rsvp@texastribune.org. www.texastribune.org/events/2010/dec/02/a-conversation-with-dan-branch-texas-house-of-representatives.

TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH CARE PANEL Local experts gather for this week's installment of the Concordia fall speaker series. 11:30am. Concordia University, 1400 Concordia University Dr. www.concordia.edu/speakerseries.

MOPAC OPEN HOUSE (See Wednesday.) 6-8pm. Murchison Middle School, 3700 North Hills Dr. www.mopacexpress.com.

Ongoing

AUSTIN ENERGY LOANS/REBATES For a limited time, AE is providing zero-interest loans and rebates that can be used on top of federal tax credits and Texas Gas Service rebates to fund home energy-efficiency improvements. Deadline: Dec. 20. www.austinenergy.com.

IRS MONEY FOR YOU The IRS has $164.6 million worth of undelivered tax refund checks burning a hole in its pocket, including $12 million belonging to Texans. Think some of that dough belongs to you? Find out through the Where's My Refund? program at 800/829-1954. www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html.

MEXICAN PEOPLE IN INDEPENDENCE & REVO­LUTION gathers books, prints, photos, manuscripts, and other ephemera to tell the story of Mexico's history from independence (1810) to revolution (1910). Benson Latin American Collection, UT campus, Sid Richardson Hall, Rm. 1.108, 495-4520. Free. www.lib.utexas.edu/benson. www.lib.utexas.edu/benson.

LIFEWORKS: PROJECT HOLIDAY HELP Make sure a family in need receives gifts for the holidays this year. You'll receive a wish list and be asked to spend between $75 and $150 per individual. Wrapped and tagged gifts are to be delivered to LifeWorks by Dec. 12. 735-2475. www.lifeworksaustin.org.