Res Publica

For more details and events, see Community Listings.

Thursday07

LETHAL INJUSTICE Former death row inmate Anthony Graves and others talk about their experiences with a system that falsely judged them. 7pm. University Teaching Center, Rm. 1.102, UT campus. Free. www.nodeathpenalty.org.

URBAN RAIL OPEN HOUSE Share feedback on the city's urban rail plan. (See "Why Rail?") 11am-2pm: AT&T Conference Center, 1900 University Ave., 404-1900; 5-8pm: Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina, 974-4926. www.austinurbanrail.com.

Friday08

WINGS OF FREEDOM TOUR Tour World War II planes brought to town by the Collings Foundation. Fri.-Sun., April 8-10. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. $12 ($6, children). www.collingsfoundation.org.

Saturday09

DIY CODE COMPLIANCE City code compliance officials are available at two Home Depot locations to answer your questions and explain their services. 8am-2pm. 1200 Barbara Jordan Blvd., 432-3000; 3600 S. I-35, 693-9811. www.cityofaustin.org/code/compliance.

ELECTRONIC WASTE DRIVE Get rid of those old computers, DVD/VCR players, cell phones, printers, copiers, televisions, laptop batteries, and more. Go online for a complete list of acceptable and unacceptable items. 9am-2pm. UT parking lot #53, between San Jacinto and Speedway. sec.engr.utexas.edu/ewaste.

KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL CLEAN SWEEP Join one of the many cleanups going on all around the city. 391-0617 x905. www.keepaustinbeautiful.org/cleansweep.

URBAN RAIL OPEN HOUSE (See Thursday, 4/7.) 11am-2pm. Ruiz Library, 1600 Grove, 974-7500. www.austinurbanrail.com.

Sunday10

ACTIVISM IS NOT TERRORISM Will Potter discusses the war on environmentalists as detailed in his book Green Is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege. 7-9pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop. www.monkeywrenchbooks.org.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS FORUM Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, talks about his participation in improving veterans' health care and what still needs to be done. 11:30am. First Unitarian Universalist Church, 4700 Grover, 452-6168. Free. www.austinuu.org.

Monday11

GREEN IS THE NEW RED (See Sunday.) 7pm. BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar, 472-5050.

Tuesday12

FAIR HOUSING CONFERENCE Get up-to-date information on housing issues from both local and national perspectives. Call to register: 974-3259. 8:30am-1:30pm. Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St. $30. www.cityofaustin.org/hrights.

Wednesday13

RALLY FOR TEXAS LIBRARIES Wear red, and bang the drum for state libraries – literally. 4pm. Texas Capitol, 1100 Congress, 328-1518. www.txla.org/?q=node/975

Thursday14

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE If you haven't already registered, make sure you do if you want to vote in the May 14 city elections. (For ongoing election coverage, see austinchronicle.com/elections.)

AMERICAN RED CROSS HEROES CELEBRATION UT football coach Mack Brown is honored as the Lady Bird Johnson Humanitarian of the Year at this "old Hollywood"-themed soiree. Time to break out the spats. 6:30pm. Truluck's, 400 Colorado, 929-1227. $125. www.redcross.org.

TEXAS' CLIMATE STUPIDITY Texas Observer staff writer Forrest Wilder places Texas in the grand scheme of climate-change denial. 7pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop. Free. www.monkeywrenchbooks.org.

Ongoing

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUMS See what the candidates have to say about the issues you care about at one of this week's many public forums. See "Campaign Contretemps" for more info on this week's forums.

PICKUP LINES WANTED Help the city create slogans encouraging people to "pick up" their trash. (Get it?) Submit suggestions online at www.letscanitaustin.org.

SPEAK UP, AUSTIN! This new online hub is where the city invites you to comment on just about anything going on around town and become part of making Austin a better place to live. www.austintexas.icanmakeitbetter.com.

TREE OF THE YEAR Doesn't your favorite tree deserve a fancy plaque from the city? 482-5342. Nominations due June 30. www.cityofaustin.org/treeoftheyear/downloads/app.pdf.