Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 13

METRO STAT MB KB': Wednesday, November 1, 2006 Austin American-Statesman statesman.com Section 2006 ELECTIONS Benefit show's move sparks discord arada overnor Concert shifted from Kyle to Expo Center after permit mix-up By Joe Gross AMKKICAN-STATESMAN STAFF After a collision with the City of Kyle, Thunderpalooza the ambitious fundraising concert scheduled for Friday and Saturday has moved from Thunder Hill Raceway, in Hays County, to the Travis County Exposition Center. But with $40,000 of Kyle's money invested in the show featuring the Beach Boys, Eddie Money and other rock acts, the city and concert promoter Human Spirit, a nonprofit, remain at odds over the last-minute move. Jerry Hendrix, Kyle's public information officer, said the city has been supportive of the concert for months. On Sept. 5, the City Council approved a $40,000 grant to Human Spirit out of Kyle's hotel tax fund, which usually is used to promote such putative tourist events.

The two-day concert will benefit uninsured Austin-area children as well as breast cancer prevention efforts. "Our goal is to buy a mobile mammography unit for Central Texas," concert organizer Rocky DeMarco said Tuesday. "One hundred percent of the net proceeds go to this cause." But Thunderpalooza ran into trouble when Human Spirit and the city learned around Oct. 20 that a state-mandated mass-gathering permit was required from Hays County, a permit that demanded a 45-day lead time. The permit request should have been filed by Sept.

18. Though Kyle contends that it was incumbent on the concert promoter to clear all legal hurdles, DeMarco said he was See CONCERT, B3 forg taEte On statesman.com: For more: information on this and other state races, go to statesman xomtexaselections. Revelers cut a wide swath through Central Texas J1! Challengers try to cut Perry's lead as time and money dwindle By Corrie MacLaggan and Mike Ward AMKKK'AN-STATESMAN staff LONGVIEW With Election Day a week away, independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Democrat Chris Bell on Tuesday lambasted GOP Gov. Rick Perry via TV spots criticizing his tactics and leadership. Meanwhile, an adviser to independent Kinky Friedman said Strayhorn, who has bought vital TV time through Monday, is the only challenger capable of derailing the front-running Perry so another candidate can catch onto win.

Broadcast ad wars, reinforced by aggressive mailings, are intended to sway undecided voters. But how many voters see the ads is the key. Since early September, Perry and Strayhorn have stayed on statewide TV. ill. Friedman and Bell started later, and have reached fewer view-.

ers, and Libertarian James Werner has not bought time. On Tuesday, Perry launched a radio attack ad saluting Strayhorn to the tune of a popular, beer jingle as Mrs. "corrupt comptroller politician woman." The spot centers on Strayhorn, the state comptroller, taking campaign contributions from people and firms with clients who have tax appeals before the agency she oversees. Strayhorn said in a stop in Longview that a state audit last year found no legal wrongdoing, saying: "I'm running to set this kind of ugly political rhetoric aside and give voters a real chance for real change and real leadership." See ADS, B4 I) S- .4 V3 1 1 Austin bond item would add parks tom tii rM mi mm i)MgaMtiIMIIijiHiM(M Laura Skelding AMURiCAN-hTATKSMAN Mike McFadden, towering on stilts as the Grim Reaper, held Halloween on Tuesday night, some of whom paused for a sway over revelers who were on Sixth Street celebrating photo with the personification of death. On a weeknight, Sixth Street opens up for Halloween fest Projects planned Proposition 3 would allot $84.7 million to buy parkland and repair and renovate park facilities.

The projects include: Land for destination parks: $5 million Land for smaller neighborhood, parks: $10 million Land for hike-and-bike trails: $5 million New North Austin recreation center: $8.9 million New skateboard park and a BMX park: $1.3 million Renovations to Elisabet Ney Museum, Susanna Dickinson house, Rosewood Park house: $500,000 each Park facility improvements (new roofs, air-conditioning systems, etc): $25 million Pool improvements (new concrete shells, disability access ramps, $18 million Infrastructure improvements to hike-and-bike trails, playscapes, play courts; $10 million $84.7 million would also pay for repairs to pools and facilities By Sarah Coppola AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF The calm waters of Deep Eddy Pool mask wear and tear in the depths below. Stubborn leaks in the concrete shell of the 90-year-old pool in West Austin have been patched repeatedly but keep recurring. "You can patch for a while, but eventually, you need to really fix what's broken, or these facilities fall by the wayside," said Stuart Strong, assistant director of Austin's parks department. Deep Eddy and other Austin park facilities will get a face-lift if voters approve Proposition 3 on Tuesday. The $84.7 million bond measure includes money to buy new parkland and more land for trails, to build a skate park and a recreation center, and to repair facilities such as tennis courts and playgrounds.

The measure is part of a $567 million bond package that contains money for street repairs, affordable housing and other projects. If the package passes, See PARKS, B4 The Austin' Humane Society held Howl-o-ween and Me-owloween trick or treating for four-legged revelers such as Blue Cheese, left. Rodolfo Gonzalez By Isadora Vail AMKMCAN-STATHKMAN STAFF Many spectators came out to Sixth Street to watch Austinites be their weirdest on Halloween. Early in the night, families sat along the side walk to watch people strut their stuff. Faith Wickey, a retiree from Michigan, was dressed as a Puritan, with a white cap and plain white dress that came down to her ankles.

Wickey said she chose the outfit because when she wore it a few years ago and danced to hip-hop music, the costume drew a lot of laughs. "I just like to come out and dress up. Why not?" said Wickey, who said she likes to visit Austin when it's colder up north. Seen walking down Sixth Street on Thursday night were Elvis, Cleopatra and Mark Antony, aliens, cats, hippies, go-go dancers, Jimi Hendrix, Nacho Libre and witches. Because a smaller crowd was expected for! the midweek holiday, the-barricades that usually direct foot On statesman.com: Share your costume pics and view a photo gallery from theSixthStreetcelebrationataustin360.comhalloween.

traffic on Halloween along Sixth Street Bronstein, who was dressed like a were' removed, allowing people to princess. "It's more Austin." wander back and forth. Sixth Street wasn't the only place to "I like it better like this because it feels more free," said Charo Peralda See TREAT, B7 Fire district in Manor seeks help to expand Future Concordia campus passes first test doubled to 2,000 since 2002, and -the district expects to be even busier with the opening of Texas 130. The Manor station receives backup from nearby emergency service districts and the Austin Fire Department when things get busy, but the district hopes to be able to add capacity in-house next year. District residents will vote on a $5 million bond proposal for the department next week.

Much of the money would be used to build two fire stations; and add more full-time staff. The likelihood of significant expansion is slim without the bonds. The department is now funded exclusively from property taxes, receiving 10 cents of every $100 of taxable value from property in the district. The district is unable to collect sales tax because Manor has reached the maximum See DISTRICT, B4 By Kate Miller Morton AMKRK IAN-STATESMAN STAFF The beige metal fire station in Manor clears out when a call for emergency help is received. Just two of the seven full-time firefighters in Travis County Emergency Services District No.

12 and one of the 15 part-time firefighters work per shift, and all three must go out on every call. The inability of the station to handle multiple emergencies simultaneously hadn't been a problem for the rural district covering 140 square miles of Northeast Travis County, but that's changing as thousands of residents pour into the area's growing inventory of houses. "A few years ago, if we got two calls at the same time, it was few and far between situation," Chief David Krause said. "More and more, that's becoming the norm to have two or three calls at one time." Annual call volume has been here," said Karcher, 78, who sponsors a scholarship endowment for the private 80-year-old Lutheran school with her husband, Monroe, 82. "Our family heritage is strong at the old place, but we can't continue there." The site for the new campus, located at 8311 RM 620, was put under contract in July.

The university will close on the property, the former research and development site for the oil field services provider Schlumberger, in March. Concordia officials started looking in 2005 for a site to accommodate the school's growing student population. On Tuesday, students, See MOVE, B3 By Francesca Jarosz AMKIilCAN-STA'niSMAN STAFF Helen Karcher has a lot of family history tied to Concordia University's downtown location. Her uncle was a member of the first graduating class. Her brother and sister-in-law both were enrolled there, as were several of her cousins and both of her daughters.

So she was skeptical when she heard about Concordia's relocation to the Hill Country. But after seeing the campus' new site Tuesday with a tour group of about 40 other Concordia boosters, Karcher said her concerns were alleviated by the location's spaciousness and natural beauty. "I feel much better having mm VVJ. 3: i I JayJanner amkkican statoman Concordia University students tour the future home of Concordia at the 388-acre former research campus of Schlumberger on RM 620 on Tuesday. See more photos with this story at Statesman.com..