Yesterday the Sierra Club and Environment Texas publicly announced their intention to sue ExxonMobil Corporation for violations of the Clean Air Act by their refinery and chemical plant complex in Baytown. The suit is based on self-reported violations from the oil giant to the state of Texas over period of about five years.

The Totescast is ready to burn rubber, as Richard Whittaker makes a pit stop to talk Formula 1 racing -- what it is, why it's coming here, and the so-called concerns of those worried about its entrance.

In the print edition this week, the Hustle looks at a council subcommittee discussion of social service contracts, and specifically, the mission to prioritize and stretch the city's scant bucks. While it arrived too late for publication, a vacation-bound Laura Morrison wrote in yesterday with thoughts on the subject.

Overnight, a freight train operating on Capital Metro's rail line derailed in East Austin near Seventh Street, causing MetroRail service to be canceled this morning. Capital Metro officials say that the tracks have now been cleared and afternoon service will run as normal. See press release below:

More light posting from TDH today (and likely all week) as the city operates on standby mode. Calendar highlights below the fold.

Gov. Rick Perry just announced he's forming a new body to look into preventing future oil disasters. The Gulf Project will bring together academic researchers, engineers and scientists to research safer deepwater drilling. Nice idea but does the term too little, too late, mean anything to anybody?

The forum between Austin Energy General Manager candidates Larry Weis and David Wright took place on June 30 at the Town Lake Center. The video coverage is available at the Channel 6 online archives or you can watch it right here.

It's another slow day as the city awakes from its three day weekend. (The Hustle's was very nice, thanks for asking: grilling and fireworks, capped by a viewing of Basic Instinct.) Board and commission highlights below the fold.

Reading and travel both broaden the mind, and delegates from the Foreign Librarians Tour combined the two with a trip on Friday to the Austin Public Library. The round table discussion opened up conversation about volunteer programs, technology, and how to bring children and teens into the reading community.