Headlines

Actress and Voto Latino co-chair America Ferrera speaks Wednesday at an immigration reform rally at UT in response to a controversial "catch an illegal immigrant" game, which organizing group Young Conservatives of Texas canceled after widespread outrage. (Photo by Jana Birchum)

› The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to intervene and stay the provision of controversial House Bill 2, which requires abortion-performing doctors to have hospital-admitting privileges within 30 miles of each facility where they provide care.

› On Friday the CAMPO Project Connect initiative made its initial urban rail recommendation to the Central Corridor Advisory Group, and advocated – surprise! – the central corridor, more specifically the East Riverside and the Highland sub-corridors. More public input, and plenty of public debate, is ahead. See "Project Connect."

› City Council returns today (Nov. 21), with an agenda that includes special events, rental registration, and possibly urban farm regulations – if the opposing parties have made any progress on mediation.

› After several months' work, the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission unanimously endorsed its final map this week, to be formally certified Nov. 25. The 10-district City Council map would establish four minority-opportunity districts, and is still raising controversy over some lines, especially in Northwest and South Austin. See "City Districting."

› After a boneheaded plan to stage a "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" game was widely condemned, the UT-Austin chapter of the Young Conservat­ives of Texas canceled the Wednesday stunt supposedly intended to dramatize the problem of illegal immigration. YCT leader and former AG Greg Abbott aide Lorenzo Garcia complained that he and the group were being unfairly criticized, but admitted the plan was "misguided."

› Looks like Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's warning to check in early was right: Departing crowds from last weekend's Formula One race set a new record with 22,759 passengers on Monday, compared to a November norm of 12,000 to 14,000.

› Barely had the last bubble in the Veuve Clicquot popped at the United States Grand Prix than a big departure comes out of the Circuit of the Americas: CEO Steve Sexton is leaving to spend more time with his family.

› The Save Our Springs Alliance has filed suit against Travis Co. Commissioner Gerald Daugh­erty seeking access to emails and notes on the SH 45 toll road. The Pct. 3 commish is leading the push to build the controversial road across environmentally sensitive terrain south of Austin.

› The Lower Colorado River Authority board voted 8-7 on Nov. 19 to increase the trigger point at which it must release water from the Highland lakes from 850,000 acre-feet of water to 1.1 million. Opponents say the change is a death knell for rice farmers in South Texas dependent on those flows.

› After more than a decade in prison on charges of ritualistic sexual abuse, the three remaining incarcerated women in the "San Antonio Four" were finally released this week. The Bexar Co. D.A. agreed that flawed scientific evidence had tainted the case, and the women will not be retried.

› Prepare to boldly go this Friday. Mayor Lee Lef­fingwell has declared Nov. 22 William Shatner Day, in honor of the actor's visit for Wizard World Austin Comic Con.