31 August 2005
Hurricane Katrina: How Houston-area residents can help
The following local organizations will be helping hurricane refugees in the Houston area, and can use our help.
If you know of other local organizations that are helping out and could use help themselves, please send an email (bloggers @ bloghouston.net) or leave a comment in the forum. The Chronicle's SciGuy also has information on how to help here.
We'll continue to update this page as we get more information.
Thanks!
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Society of St. Vincent de Paul
They are accepting food and material donations at various locations. Information on needed items can be found here. Monetary donations can be made via Catholic Charities USA.
Communities in Schools Houston
John Wagner points out that CIS is mobilizing to help refugee school children by providing free immunization shots, clothing, school supplies and food. Please read John's post for more details.
Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS)
Laurence Simon reports that EARS is looking for Houston-area residents who might be able to "adopt" a pet temporarily while their owners resettle (since many shelters will not allow pets). Follow the link for details.
Fellowship of the Woodlands
This large church has a page devoted to ways in which area residents can help the victims of Katrina.
Greater Houston Area Red Cross
They can use monetary donations, and of course blood. There's a list of locations to donate goods here.
Greater Houston Restaurant Association
If your restaurant is a member of this group, they have information on how you can help.
Harris County Citizen Corps
They need current members to assist with preparation of the Astrodome. The website has a link so you can become a volunteer.
Houston Food Bank
This invaluable local organization can always use a monetary donation, but they also list specific items that that can be donated for disaster relief.
Houston Independent School District
HISD is opening its doors and resources to provide schooling for displaced students. The district can use some help from the public and this link provides details.
Star of Hope Mission
This great local organization is going to be really taxed by this catastrophe. The linked page provides information on how to donate goods and money.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/31/05 06:19 PM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (18)
Hurricane Katrina open thread
Due to the rapidly changing nature of news and events related to Hurricane Katrina and Houston, here's an open thread post. We will be adding updates as we run across them, and we are encouraging our commenters to add to it in the forum.
We are interested in local venues, attractions and entertainment that are offering free or discounted admission to stranded refugees, and also ways to help Houston-area refugees and relief agencies.
We'll start it off with a link to this KTRK-13 story that lists many entertainment options for displaced residents from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. For example, Thursday's UH game versus Oregon will be free at Reliant Stadium for stranded hurricane victims.
Also, KPRC-2 has more information on two new shelters that have opened.
And KHOU-11 has teamed up with KTRH-740 for a Hurricane Relief Fund Drive.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: If you own a business or know of other local businesses and/or organizations offering a helping hand to Katrina refugees who have now become members of our community, please feel free to leave that information in the forum or (if you don't want to register), drop us an email: bloggers @ bloghouston.net
We'll update the thread periodically, and perhaps make it sticky at some point. Let's show our hospitality and generosity, Houston.
UPDATE (12:26 p.m.): Judge Eckels and Mayor White are giving a press conference now. They said they are being inundated with people asking how to donate. Judge Eckels said the best way to help is to donate to the Red Cross or the United Way.
A Red Cross official says the Dome is being organized to accommodate the diverse needs of the people arriving. Cots have been ordered; a triage will be set up to assess the medical condition of the refugees; a nursery area will be set up and a mental health area will be set up. He says the Dome is being prepared more as a place for long-term temporary living, as opposed to a shelter.
Mayor White says the Medical Center will play a big role in helping with medical needs, and in helping with the psychological needs of the SuperDome refugees, many of whom have been traumatized.
UPDATE 2: In the forum, Laurence Simon notes an important announcement, for Houston-area residents to help prepare the Astrodome.
UPDATE 3: The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has useful information for those displaced and those who want to help here. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has additional information.
ANNE ADDS (9-1-2005): Regular readers know that I live in far North Harris County and up here Spring Tabernacle has opened its doors as a Red Cross Shelter. It is located on FM 2920, between Falvel Rd. and I-45. The fine folks there are seeking volunteers. Also, our local Wal-Mart and Chili's, both located at FM 2920 and Kuykendahl are helping with volunteers, supplies, food and donations.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/31/05 10:01 AM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (18)
Open the dome (updated)
Banjo Jones has a really good idea how our community might help our friends and neighbors in New Orleans:
An unprecedented disaster calls for an unprecedented response.
That's why the Harris County Domed Stadium, known to most of the world as The Astrodome, should be opened up as a shelter for the people of Louisiana.
The air conditioners work, the toilets work and the roof doesn't leak. The same can't be said for the Louisiana Superdome, where estimates say up to 30,000 are living with no A.C., no working toilets and holes in the roof.
Fly 'em to Houston on C-130s. FEMA can help foot the expenses and Reliant Energy might be persuaded to provide free electricity to make up for price gouging California consumers during their energy crisis.
The rest of his post is here.
That sort of generosity would truly be world-class.
What do you say, Houston/Harris County leadership? Can we pull it off?
UPDATE: Question answered.
Chron.com is now reporting that the refugees from the Superdome will be bused over to the Astrodome:
As Army engineers struggled without success to plug New Orleans' breached levees with sandbags and water continued to rise, Texas officials have worked out a plan to bring more than 23,000 refugees from the Superdome to Houston's Astrodome.
The Houston Chronicle has learned refugees huddled in the Superdome — which had become a shelter of last resort for about 20,000 people — will be bused to the Astrodome in Houston under plans being put together by state and local officials, a spokeswoman for Texas Gov. Rick Perry said today.
Kathy Walt said Texas still hasn't received a formal request from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who also could be seeking alternatives to the Astrodome. But, Walt added, the Louisiana secretary of state requested Texas's help in a phone call late last night or early this morning.
Walt said arrangements were being made for more than 400 buses to transport the refugees, who have been without power or adequate sanitary facilities since the hurricane struck New Orleans on Monday.
Officials from both states and Harris County were discussing logistics in a conference call early this morning, Walt said. She said that the governor's office has been told the Astrodome's events schedule has been cleared through December.
Good. Let's make it happen, Houston and Texas.
UPDATE 2 (10:15 am): Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco has announced the plan to evacuate Superdome refugees to the Astrodome, thanking Texas Governor Rick Perry, Houston Mayor Bill White, and Harris County Judge Robert Eckels for their help (via the internet stream of Belo's New Orleans affiliate WWL-TV). Louisiana officials say the buses are now rolling.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/31/05 06:22 AM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (12)
30 August 2005
HISD steps up to provide schooling for hurricane refugee students
HISD has announced that it is ready to accept students who are stranded in Houston due to Hurricane Katrina:
HISD officials contacted the Texas Education Agency Tuesday about guidelines for temporarily accepting the storm refugees as students. Students living in temporary living arrangements due to loss of housing will most likely qualify as “homeless” students and may enroll in the school district where they are physically present without proof of residence. Parents temporarily housed within HISD’s borders can go to the school nearest their temporary residence to enroll their school-age children.
Homeless students who are 4 years old on September 1 qualify to attend pre-Kindergarten. In some HISD schools, pre-Kindergarten classes are also available for homeless students who are 3 years old on September 1.
Parents will be asked to complete a Student Residency Form to document where they are currently residing and verify that they qualify for “homeless” status under federal law. State and federal guidelines permit enrollment of these students for 30 days pending initiation of vaccinations or receipt of vaccination documentation and school records. HISD will seek further guidance from the Texas Education Agency for helping the children after the 30-day period.
Also, Dr. Saavedra announced a district-wide fundraising drive for the American Red Cross, and the establishment of a team of technical experts to assist New Orleans schools as they begin the process of disaster recovery.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/30/05 08:43 PM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (1)
Chron editorial board reverses position on Elllington
Today, the Chronicle editorial board laments that it's likely Ellington Field will lose its fighter jets:
Houston is the nation's fourth-largest city and home to one of the world's greatest industrial complexes. Houston warrants a robust defense against airborne terrorist attackers. Unfortunately, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the Base Closing and Realignment Commission disagree.
Unless President Bush cares more about defending the largest and most strategic metropolitan area in Texas than his defense secretary, Ellington Field will lose the 147th Texas Air National Guard fighter wing and its 17 aging F-16s.
That's right, idealists. The Secretary of Defense doesn't care if "airborne terrorist attackers" wipe out Houston. He's indifferent. You've exposed him. (Yes, that was heavy sarcasm in case it didn't come across).
And the editor of the editorial page has the audacity to lecture bloggers on elegance, wit, and insight? Laughable.
And it's even more laughable because the idealists were singing a completely different tune just a few weeks ago:
The only city with all nine types of terrorist targets identified by the FBI, Houston deserves its share of homeland defenses. However, the F-16 fighters of the Texas Air National Guard stationed at Ellington Field would seem to have limited utility in deterring or attacking today's terrorists.
Well, which is it, idealists?
Is the Secretary of Defense derelict in not recognizing the importance of the F-16s for defending Houston from terrorists (as you suggest today), or are the F-16s of limited utility in the war on terror (as you wrote in July)?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/30/05 07:23 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
The Houston welcome mat (updated)
Here's a bit of good news for our Houston visitors:
While evacuees of Hurricane Katrina are waiting to return home, the Houston Comets and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, are trying to give them a break from their worries.
The Houston Comets are offering free tickets to Tuesday night's first-round playoff game against the Seattle Storm.
If you would like to attend, the game starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Toyota Center. Evacuees will be required to show a valid state driver's license from Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama.
For more information, call the Comets box office at (877) COMETS-WIN.
Team officials said seats are limited and advise patrons to arrive early.
Also, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has opened its doors, free of charge, to evacuees through Oct. 29.
Evacuees must show a Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama driver's license at the visitor's desk in the lobby of the Caroline Wiess Law Building or the Audrey Jones Beck Building.
For more information, call (713) 639-7300.
Also, Banjo Jones has a post about Louisianans heading to the Galleria for necessities, where they were treated to a special deal at Nordstrom's.
Local news broadcasts last night had many tales of local charities, businesses and churches helping out anyway they could, by contributing water and other supplies to shelters.
And the Houston SPCA took in more than 260 dogs and cats from the Louisiana SPCA, all of which are ready to be adopted. KHOU-11 has a nice story on the plight of these little critters and how Houston-area residents can help.
UPDATE: Laurence Simon reminds us to donate to the Red Cross. I'll add the Salvation Army as another very worthy cause in the relief efforts.
UPDATE 2: Chris Baker (KTRH-740) is running down a list of Houston attractions that are offering free or reduced admission to Hurricane Katrina refugees, including the Childrens Museum, the Hermann Park paddle boats, the Houston Zoo, the Museum of Natural Science, the Laff Stop, and even the Astros, which are offering half-price admission.
UPDATE 3: The Hilton Americas is making up for yesterday's bad press:
Houston-area hotels have relaxed their policies to allow Katrina refugees to keep their pets with them. For example, a Great Dane, a poodle and a hound dog roamed the lobby of Houston's downtown Hilton Americas hotel yesterday.
Hotel spokeswoman Anna Drake estimated more than 100 animals are hotel guests, including birds, hamsters and rabbits.
That's the spirit.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/30/05 09:52 AM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (5)
29 August 2005
Chronicle: Day laborers are afraid
The Chronicle's Edward Hegstrom reported over the weekend that the Minutemen are already having an effect on Houston day-labor sites:
The Minutemen aren't scheduled to patrol the streets of Houston for another month, but already they're having an effect among day laborers
A day labor organizational meeting scheduled for Saturday had to be closed to the media because the workers are afraid, organizers said.
The leaders also say they have noticed that fewer contractors are picking up workers from the corners where day laborers, most of them undocumented immigrants, gather, which they also attribute to fear of the Minutemen.
"They're very scared," Maria Jimenez, a leader of the Coalition Against Intolerance and for Respect, said of the workers.
Why?
Official HPD policy is not to enforce immigration law, and the existing infrastructure couldn't handle enforcement in any case.
All the Minutemen project is really going to do is call attention to these facts and maybe spark a debate on immigration.
Is that really something to fear in a democratic republic?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/29/05 10:06 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (10)
Will the peace caravan make it to the Houston area?
Chris Elam called attention to a weekend Reuters (?!) report in the Chronicle that Cindy Sheehan might pay a visit to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's local office:
Sheehan has been demanding a [second] meeting with Bush to discuss the U.S. presence in Iraq, where her son Casey was killed in 2004.
She plans to launch a bus tour Thursday from Bush's ranch to the White House to campaign for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
One of DeLay's Houston-area district offices likely would be the first stop, she said.
"I think our first stop might be Tom DeLay's office" in the Houston area, she said., surrounded by supporters. "I just wanted to let him know so he'll be in his office when we get there."
"The president is not going to meet with us, probably," Sheehan said. "We the people need to influence our congressional representatives, and I hear he's pretty close by," said Sheehan, referring to DeLay.
A spokeswoman for DeLay said his schedule already is set and he does not plan to change it to meet with Sheehan.
"Mr. DeLay disagrees with those who believe we should give the terrorists the timeline they want and simply cut and run from the war in Iraq," said DeLay spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty.
Awww, that's no fun Miss Flaherty. Please invite Cindy Sheehan to a local office. That's one the blogHOUSTON crew might just have to request press credentials to liveblog!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/29/05 09:49 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (19)
Sale of city parking garage stalled
The Houston Business Journal's Jenna Colley reports that the city's effort to sell a parking garage is being held up by one member of Council:
A potential brokerage contract between the City of Houston and real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc. has been stalled for two consecutive weeks over concerns by at least one City Council member that more minority firms should have been given a shot at the deal.
Council member Ronald Green claims that the city's proposal to hire national brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield to sell a 13-level downtown parking garage owned by the city is indicative of the municipality's overall disregard for minority- and woman-owned businesses for high-dollar deals.
"When we only look to our circle to find vendors, I find that insulting," Green says of the deal.
Although a formal asking price has not been set, Green estimates that the sale of the parking facility, known as the Fannin Garage, could bring in as much as $15 million. A 1.25 percent brokerage commission would bring the value of the contract with Cushman & Wakefield to $187,500.
Shouldn't the new Parking Bureaucracy be handling matters of this nature, thereby removing the tendency to play politics with what ought to be the simple business of selling off surplus city property?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/29/05 08:55 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (2)
The recipe for friendly Chronicle editorials
The Chronicle's editorial board decided to throw some praise HISD's way today, but first the reader has to make it through a scolding from the idealists.
That's typical for this editorial board.
However, we think we know how HISD can get a little Chronicle-love: blame the dropout problem on Halliburton or Big Oil, allow high schools to hold anti-war rallies and invite Cindy Sheehan (aka Rosa Parks) to speak at those rallies, teach anti-death penalty and pro-abortion classes, and convince Metro to be an HISD sponsor.
That should do it.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/29/05 09:56 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
The four mile, forty minute bus ride
Rad Sallee's Move It! column details one Metro bus rider's particularly bad experience:
Jamie Maring writes that a 4-mile ride on a Metro bus "took 40 minutes and every part of the experience was unpleasant."
For context, remember that she transferred from MetroRail to the 10 Willowbend bus at the new Texas Medical Center Transit Center and it was the evening rush hour in this extremely congested corridor.
The bus is small, runs at 28-minute intervals, and it fills up. "We all piled in, found a place to hold on ... and off we went," she said. But not far: It took 10 minutes just to turn left onto South Main because the signal gave traffic on Pressler a very short green light. And standing for much of the ride was both uncomfortable and unsafe, she said.
Metro spokesman Ken Connaughton said the route is assigned a 29-foot bus because it has low ridership compared with other routes. On a recent Metro check, he said, there was just one trip in which riders had to stand for numerous stops.
"We will examine recent data ... to see if this was a unique or regular occurrence," he said.
But if it does not happen regularly, he said, short buses are appropriate.
As for the stoplight, Connaughton said Metro helped the city evaluate its timing when the transit center opened, but he noted that since then, Pressler has become a through street east of Fannin.
The resulting traffic may be delaying buses as they wait to turn left onto Main, Connaughton said, and Metro has asked the city to re-evaluate the timing.
We can add this to Laurence Simon's firsthand accounts of nightmarish bus rides. And here's the point: Metro can justify, excuse and talk in circles all Ken Connaughton wants, but as long as bus rides are inconvenient, time-consuming and uncomfortable, people will often do whatever it takes to find other transportation.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/29/05 07:09 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
The welcome mat isn't out at the Hilton Americas
Last night during KHOU-11's Hurricane Katrina coverage, it was mentioned that many Houston hotels have put up their no-vacancy signs, with a notable exception: the city-owned Hilton Americas still had 600 rooms available (out of 1,200) and the going rate was $250 per night.
Of course, the first thing that popped into my mind was that Louisiana residents fleeing to Houston should go to PriceLine.com to get the $50 room rate at the Hilton Americas.
Then I wondered why the hotel wouldn't knock down the room rate for what is clearly an emergency. KHOU also had a brief soundbite from Mayor White saying that Houston would be very welcoming to fleeing Louisianans; the city-owned hotel sure didn't put out the welcome mat, as of last night, with $250 room rates.
UPDATE: KTRH-740's Chris Baker reports that the Hilton Americas has indicated they've offered evacuees a $109/night rate, but the rooms are all booked up now.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/29/05 06:30 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
28 August 2005
Casey LiveJournal: The waiting room
Today, Chronicle metro/state editorialist and gossip columnist Rick Casey gives us one of his occasional LiveJournal accounts:
With two patients ahead of me I walked out on the dermatologist after waiting 30 minutes.This time it was, again, a dermatologist. I over-exposed my Irish skin to the South Texas sun in the years before sunblock was invented, when Coppertone had us broiling our skin in oil.
So I periodically get spot-sprayed with liquid nitrogen to remove lesions darkly identified as precancerous carcinoma.
But this time, to my chagrin, I lasted a full 90 minutes before marching out.
Who cares?
Is this really the stuff of a good metro/state column?
It is preferable to Casey's prior column, which followed up on an earlier gossip column on a discussion group at an area community center with this fine bit of work:
At least one member of the group, however, had a historical reason to feel fear.
"This incident really had me very depressed and somewhat frightened," wrote Lindmuth Fuller in an e-mail. "You have to understand that I was born in Germany, lived as a child during the Nazi area, then afterwards under Communism in East Berlin. It is amazing how past events have imprinted on your mind and come back to the forefront at certain times."
One of America's strengths is that our "past events" encourage us to stand up to our officials, not fear them.
Yes, in case you missed it the first time (we read Casey, because somebody should!), that was the Chronicle's metro/state editorialist and gossip columnist using an e-mail to compare Steve Radack and certain county employees to Nazi and Communist totalitarians.
Amazing!
Sedosi Alhambra sums it up well:
It's a cheap shot that doesn't have ANY place in a major metropolitan newspaper, I don't care which side of the aisle you are on.
Alhambra's right.
Casey's work really detracts from a metro/state page that has seen improvement in its metro coverage. Perhaps he should be moved to the mediocre editorial page, which is a better fit substantively and stylistically.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/28/05 11:35 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Busy doing nothing
Wednesday, Mayor White and his Council approved a new Parking Authority Revenue Stream/Bureaucracy, thereby solving a pressing problem that nobody had noticed until Houston's technocratic/progressive mayor and possible aspirant for higher office bounded onto the local political scene.
As was to be expected, the Chronicle editorial board praised their man for his foresight today, in what was actually a pretty timely editorial turnaround for the idealists (we usually expect them to take a week to react to local news):
The Public Parking Commission should provide business owners and other stakeholders a valuable input into planning for parking in the city. Downtown residents and nighttime visitors will benefit from an upgraded, cheaper parking system and increased security provided by Rambo's newly trained corps of traffic enforcement officers.
Mayor White is swell! His new bureaucracy is swell! He's beating back "curbside chaos" (as the subheadline put it)!
Houstonians should keep in mind that Mayor White, his Council, and the city's only English-language daily all seem to be under the impression there are no major problems facing the city, and therefore the city's pressing non-problems must be addressed via new bureaucracies.
Here's hoping Mayor White and his accommodating Council will create even more bureaucracies that promise to get non-problems solved within five years!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/28/05 11:13 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
"Reach out to Dropouts" day success
The Chronicle's Jennifer Radcliffe has a nice write-up of yesterday's efforts by HISD to convince dropouts to return to school:
All told, 49 dropouts re-enrolled in school Saturday and another 657 committed to returning to school.
Excited by last year's success, HISD leaders ramped up efforts Saturday, nearly tripling the number of volunteers to 1,400 and doubling the number of schools that would be covered in the canvassing to 16.
With 2,400 homes to visit this year, the volunteers had their work cut out for them.
[snip]
Weaving through streets and across railroad tracks, Saavedra's caravan made its way to a rundown apartment, where 17-year-old Julian Duarte has been living since he moved from Mexico City in April.
The boy said he's been working in a nearby factory to help support his sick father.
He said he'd would like to go to school but doesn't know any English.
Saavedra recommended HISD's Newcomers Charter School and the boy agreed to try to enroll.
[snip]
Across town, teams from Lee High School worked to track down 400 students who hadn't yet reported to school. Many of the students moved over the summer or enrolled in other schools.
Some had babies or started working full time. One was just discouraged by math.
The home visits are legwork that principals and the district's 10 dropout specialists do year-round, said Principal Steve Amstutz,who was thrilled to have the help of volunteers and students Saturday.
"Many hands make light work," he said. "This would take me forever."
Amstutz's team persuaded two students to re-enroll.
"The fact that we found two girls that I think we can get back is so exciting. If we save just one ... ," volunteer Alice Fite said.
All we need now is an editorial from the Chronicle, acknowledging HISD's efforts to convince these young people to return to school, but I won't hold my breath.
KRIV-26 ran a story on this last night which mentioned that the business community also participated in the reachout effort, highlighting (I assume) its concern about young adults coming to them without an adequate education.
And now I am guessing that HISD principals and dropout prevention specialists will be busy, busy, busy, helping these students follow through on their commitments.
RELATED: Dropouts Come Back to School in Historic Door-to-Door Campaign (HISD)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/28/05 08:06 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
27 August 2005
The twelfth annual Theater District Open House
On Sunday, downtown's Theater District will hold its annual Open House:
The Theater District in downtown Houston hosts its annual Open House, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The free event features backstage tours, live performances, a petting zoo, refreshments and information booths about the arts in Houston. It takes place at the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas; the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby; Wortham Theater Center, 500 Texas; the Angelika Film Center, 510 Texas; and Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. Visitors can also sample diverse fare at Taste of Downtown restaurant stations. For more information, call 800-4-468-7866 or access www.houstontheaterdistrict.org.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/27/05 08:55 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (1)
Houston to host 2011 Senior Olympics
Houston will be hosting the Senior Olympics in 2011, Mayor White announced Friday:
"We have a good six years to prepare," White said. "We want to be in good shape and get as many people competing from Houston as possible."
The Senior Olympics is one of the largest multisports events in the United States and the largest multisport event in the world for seniors. The 2005 games recently concluded in Pittsburgh, and Louisville and San Francisco will host events in 2007 and 2009, respectively.
Philip Godfrey, COO of the National Senior Games Association, said Houston was selected for the 2011 games because "we were impressed by the enthusiasm on the part of the city. They wanted us to come, and the venues will be outstanding."
Athletes compete in age group events in archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, race walk, racquetball, road race, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track, triathlon and volleyball.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/27/05 08:30 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
Remembering John Jenkins
Earlier in the week, the Chronicle's Dale Robertson checked in on former UH football coach and offensive guru John Jenkins.
Here's a teaser:
Once, John Jenkins was convinced he'd die a Houston Cougar, taking with him every college football offensive record worth owning.
But this was not how things worked out for the cocky, often controversial coach whose frenetic tenure on Cullen Boulevard has been judged both the best and the worst of times in UH's checkered football history.
It's a good profile of the controversial coach. There's no doubt that since the start of Bill Carr's tenure as athletics director at UH and Carr's effectively dumping Jenkins as head coach of the football program, the athletics department has been mired in a downward spiral.
If Art Briles can recapture the magic of his first season and Tom Penders can build on his strong first season, perhaps that spiral will finally be reversed. Until then, it's kind of fun to reminisce about the Jenkins offensive fireworks.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/27/05 01:03 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (1)
26 August 2005
Sorting out Army recruitment
Recently, an internally contradictory Chronicle editorial noted the following:
OF the many institutions buffeted by the controversy over the war in Iraq, the U.S. Army has been one of the more bruised. For the first time since 1999, officials announced, the Army expects to miss its yearly enlistment goals. As of June, only 47,121 recruits had signed up to fight — just over half the number needed to meet the annual quota.
This week, the New York Post ran an op-ed by Ralph Peters that made the following claims:
* Every one of the Army's 10 divisions — its key combat organizations — has exceeded its re-enlistment goal for the year to date. Those with the most intense experience in Iraq have the best rates. The 1st Cavalry Division is at 136 percent of its target, the 3rd Infantry Division at 117 percent.
Among separate combat brigades, the figures are even more startling, with the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division at 178 percent of its goal and the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Mech right behind at 174 percent of its re-enlistment target.
This is unprecedented in wartime. Even in World War II, we needed the draft. Where are the headlines?
* What about first-time enlistment rates, since that was the issue last spring? The Army is running at 108 percent of its needs. Guess not every young American despises his or her country and our president.
* The Army Reserve is a tougher sell, given that it takes men and women away from their families and careers on short notice. Well, Reserve recruitment stands at 102 percent of requirements.
* And then there's the Army National Guard. We've been told for two years that the Guard was in free-fall. Really? Guard recruitment and retention comes out to 106 percent of its requirements as of June 30. (I've even heard a rumor that Al Franken and Tim Robbins signed up — but let's wait for confirmation on that.)
Whenever people start throwing numbers around, it's always a good idea to go right to the source. NRO's Stephen did that, and discovered that Peters' numbers are slightly off:
I spoke with Peters, and it turns out he was most likely the victim of a bureaucratic mix-up. The year-to-date numbers are here. According to a Pentagon spokesman, Peters apparently got the overall Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard re-enlistment numbers instead of the first-time enlistment numbers. In other words, the re-enlistment rates for those three organizations are 108 percent, 102 percent, and 106 percent respectively.
The Army, Army National Guard, and several reserve branches are falling short of their annual quotas, as the official DoD numbers demonstrate. However, the Chronicle's characterization of the recruiting effort is somewhat deceptive, since it gives the impression that Army recruiting is off by nearly 50%. That impression is wrong. As of June, the Army was at 86% of its quota (the other branches were exceeding their targets). With a strong July recruiting effort, the Army was at 89% of its quota. It's not clear why the Chronicle chose to cite the June 2005 numbers when the July 2005 numbers were readily available.
In any case, Army recruiting is off, but it's entirely possible that the branch could finish within 90+ percent of its quota. That's not the impression the casual reader would likely reach from the Chronicle's formulation.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/26/05 10:20 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (5)
Thanks, Hugh (and Chris)
Hugh Hewitt tossed a link to blogHOUSTON earlier, in a "best city blog" post about LA Observed.
We're honored to be mentioned with Kevin Roderick's compelling blog, and by the author of Blog.
Locally, Hewitt's syndicated radio program can be heard on KNTH-1070, Monday-Friday from 5-8 pm.
We're also appreciative of local talk ratings leader Chris Baker, who has kindly sent new readers this way for quite a while now. As he has said, the new media marches on!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/26/05 09:19 PM | Announcements | Technorati | Comments (4)
DeLay hangin' with Elvis in the district
The Chronicle's D.C. bureau seems to be trying to make amends with the governing majority (and perhaps improve access and ensure its own survival). Thus, today we have a story from Samantha Levine on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's recent activities in the district:
Tom DeLay at a senior citizens' sock hop that featured a DJ dressed as Elvis? You betcha.
You betcha? That's really in a newspaper?
The article is slightly less fawning than Levine's recent piece on the Majority Leader's dreamy new communications director. Perhaps at some point, some of these good-press chits will be cashed in, and the D.C. bureau will actually get to break interesting political news that goes beyond Elvis and Mad Dog Madden.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/26/05 09:05 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
HPD officer suspended for alleged Taser abuse
KTRK-13 reports that an HPD officer is in trouble for alleged Taser abuse:
A Houston police officer accused of using his Taser for intimidation has been fired.
Officer Seong Kim was suspended indefinitely Friday. Kim had worked an extra job at a Wal-Mart in southwest Houston. It was there, according to police records, Kim used his Taser to intimidate three customers.
He's been fired.
No, he's been suspended.
Which is it?
KHOU-11's Jeff McShan says the officer has been suspended:
Kim, who has been with HPD since June 2002, was immediately suspended. If the allegations prove to be true, he could be fired.
Maybe KTRK will get that corrected for the 10 pm broadcast.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/26/05 08:38 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Saturday is "Reach Out To Dropouts" day for HISD
Saturday is HISD's big day to get dropouts back in school. HISD's press office has sent out the following information:
On Saturday, August 27, 1,262 volunteers and HISD teachers and officials will go door-to-door in neighborhoods around 16 high schools to find dropouts and get them back into school. The teams, which will include former dropouts who turned their lives around by going back to school, will gather at the high schools at 8 a.m. and stream out into the neighborhoods to catch kids at home early on a Saturday morning.
The massive dropout recovery effort – called “Reach Out to Dropouts” – is believed to be the largest of its kind ever attempted.
HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra and Houston Mayor Bill White will go to Milby High School, 1601 Broadway, at 8 a.m. to greet volunteers. Then Dr. Saavedra will lead a team into neighborhoods around Milby to search for dropouts. One of Dr. Saavedra’s team members will be Emmanuel Miranda, a former dropout who came back to Milby last year and then graduated in May. Another of Dr. Saavedra’s team members will be his 22-year-old daughter Elizabeth.
Last year, HISD and its volunteers went to homes around eight high schools and convinced about a hundred dropouts to come back to school. Then HISD hired 10 dropout prevention specialists and started going after even more dropouts. Eventually, 291 dropouts were convinced to come back to school, and last May 48 of those former dropouts graduated from high school.
[snip]
The effort already is paying off – even before the first door is knocked. In the days leading up to Saturday, HISD has received more than 100 telephone calls from parents and dropouts about getting kids back into school.
HISD will try to contact hundreds of former students Saturday in hopes of persuading many of them to come back to school. Every high school in HISD – not just the 16 targeted Saturday – will be open for business Saturday to receive dropouts who want to re-enroll. The HISD teams will encourage the dropouts to drop what they’re doing that Saturday morning and go right to the school to re-enroll.
Every dropout who comes back to school will get school supplies donated by Wal-Mart. To make sure the students don’t drop back out again, HISD will create individual graduation plans for every student, and will assign an adult advocate to monitor the progress of that student. The dropout prevention specialists also will be assigned to make sure the former dropouts stay in school.
(Someday I would love to tag along with a dropout prevention specialist and see what the job entails. I'll bet it's very interesting.)
Every student who graduates from high school has a much better chance of leading a productive and independent life, and we wish everyone involved the best of luck.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/26/05 09:19 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Chron editorial board acknowledges Metro's bus service problems
The Chronicle's editorial board has written a (mostly) good editorial on Metro's continuing ridership woes. The editorial glosses over the fact that Metro inflates light rail ridership, but it does take Metro to task for the way it's handling bus service:
As the Chronicle's Rad Sallee reported, the Metro evaluation counted ridership losses from bus route cancellations and adjustments earlier this year as one time events, and then deducted those same totals from the previous year's ridership in order to come up with the increases that Wilson touted. The unadjusted figures indicate actual ridership for the entire system dropped 1.5 percent, with the bus component down 9 percent. Since commuter traffic grows at approximately 3 percent a year in the Houston area, Metro is actually losing more ground than those figures indicate. If fewer people are taking advantage of the agency's most basic service, adjusted statistics can't hide the fact that mass transit in Houston has a serious problem.
[snip]
According to a performance audit of Metro by consultants Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., passenger fare revenues plunged more than 14 percent during the last four years while operating expenses per passenger rose 35 percent.
The audit found that passenger complaints increased significantly last year. A majority concerned driver behavior. The study recommends that Metro consider factors other than route changes for the decline and identify potential bus riders.
Metro's bus program needs fresh thinking and new strategies. Instead of ending low-performing routes and isolating low-income communities such as Acres Homes, planners should consider contracting for low-cost private van service.
It's refreshing to see the Chronicle begin to acknowledge some of Metro's problems, but inexplicably the editorial comes days after Rad Sallee's excellent reporting.
One more point the Chronicle should consider: most people don't WANT to use public transportation. Once someone has the ability to own a car, that person doesn't want to depend on Metro for transportation, especially if the transit options are inflexible (light rail) or require a one- to two-mile walk to reach it (bus service). That's just a fact of life.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/26/05 07:34 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (5)
Solving a downtown parking problem without help from parking authority
Following up on Mayor White's successful creation of a parking commission, the Chronicle reports that a downtown group has come up with a solution for evening parking, without the help of the new parking authority:
[T]he Downtown Entertainment District Alliance, which includes downtown merchants, has come up with a parking alternative aimed at eliminating parking woes: Those going to restaurants and clubs can now park free, with validation, at the JPMorgan Chase Center garage and Market Square Garage. "It's a win-win situation all around," said Bob Eury, president of Central Houston.
"It's a way to promote more convenient parking and promote downtown establishments that need more business."
The program takes advantage of an underutilized evening resource: parking garages.
"Now you know where to go and what to expect. It's like having two beacons," said Joe Martin, owner of El Centro and M Bar and a member of the alliance's board.
Parking lots in prime locations have been charging from $10 to $30 on weekend nights, he said, and there is gridlock caused by drivers waiting to get into lots.
Using the validated parking program, on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m., drivers can park at the Chase or Market Square garages for $5. Eighteen bars, clubs and restaurants will credit a person's bill with the $5 fee.
[snip]
Early in 2005, the alliance conducted a survey to learn of any perceived problems among Houstonians when they come to downtown on weekends.
By far the biggest complaint among the 1,500 e-mailed responses was parking, Martin recalled.
"People were passionate about it. We got responses like, 'It's horrible,' 'Much too expensive.' 'I don't know where to go,' " he said.
In May, Councilwoman Carol Alvorado convened a group of stakeholders, including downtown merchants, Eury and Jordy Tollett, president of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, to address the parking issue.
Liliana Rambo, assistant director for the parking division of Houston, was brought in.
Their solution, the validated parking program, had a soft rollout on July 22 and 23.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/26/05 06:42 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (0)
25 August 2005
I-10 to be closed near 610 West Loop this weekend
Houstonians should avoid I-10 near the 610 West Loop starting Friday evening.
KHOU-11 has the details:
Eastbound and westbound lanes of I-10 will be completely closed from Washington to Silber. This closure includes the main lanes and HOV. Eastbound traffic will detour to the West Loop southbound to U-turn at San Felipe, then take the West Loop northbound to I-10 eastbound. I-10 westbound traffic will exit at Washington Avenue to access Old Katy westbound, then connect to the I-10 westbound frontage road to re-enter I-10 just west of Silber.
Four of the eight ramps connecting I-10 and the West Loop will also be shut down. They are:
• I-10 westbound to West Loop southbound: Drivers will detour to Loop 610 northbound, exit at 18th street and U-turn to Loop 610 southbound.
• Loop 610 northbound to I-10 westbound: Detour to Loop 610 northbound, exit at 18th Street and U-turn to Loop 610 southbound.
• I-10 eastbound to Loop 610 northbound: Detour to Loop 610 southbound and U-turn at San Felipe to access Loop 610 northbound
• Loop 610 southbound to I-10 eastbound: Detour to Old Katy Road and travel east on Washington Avenue to access I-10 eastbound.
More information is available on TxDOT's Katy Freeway construction website.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/25/05 11:04 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
HPD brass, union bicker over arbitration policy
KHOU-11's Jeff McShan reports on HPD's arbitration process, which seems to have made both officers and the brass unhappy.
HPD officials contend that officers suspended or fired for good cause are being reinstated:
"It's very troubling for this Chief and any chief to then have an arbitrator say, 'Well, you've proven this violation but take the person back', " says HPD Director Of Legal Services Craig Ferrell.
He says officers have a right to appeal the decision by going to arbitration.
Ferrell says it's a system that looks good on paper, but often give officers their jobs back. That includes officers like Butler, who, he says, doesn't belong.
"It ought to concern the citizens. I think it concerns the officers as well. I know it concerns our management here and I'm not sure the union would agree or tell you they agree," Ferrell says.
The union's spokesman does not agree, and takes a shot at Chief Hurtt:
The union's president, Hans Marticiuc, says officers are getting their jobs back because Police Chief Harold Hurtt should not have fired them in the first place.
"I don't know if he is making bad decisions or if he is just reading summaries and getting advice, or just getting bad advice on some of the decisions that he has made. I think we are seeing some sort of pattern that he also had in Phoenix, where many of his cases were overturned. Maybe he is just a bad decision maker," says Marticiuc.
[snip]
"And it concerns me. I think officers tend to lose confidence in a Chief when they hear the wining and complaining. We lose cases and the city doesn't hear us wining and complaining," says Marticiuc.
Actually, if there were more wining, everybody at HPD would probably be happier.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/25/05 10:58 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Firefighters, city reach tentative agreement
KTRK-13 is reporting that Houston firefighters may have come to a contract agreement with the city:
Houston firefighters have never stopped fighting fire, even as their contract negotiations sputtered on and off. But negotiators on both sides reached a tentative agreement Thursday.
"The increase in hours is no longer there. The increase in days we will work is no longer there and there is a considerable amount of lesser money," said Roland Chavez with the Houston Firefighters Union.
Among the agreement's main points are the following...
# There will be no additional work hours or shifts
# Firefighters will get a 26 percent raise over 3½ years
# There is a promotions compromise through formation of blue ribbon panel.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS
Here's my favorite part from the KTRK story:
Mayor Bill White says a committee won't solve everything.
"Committees are good, but we need to figure out what happens if the committees don't act," said Mayor White. "I think most of us want progress."
A committee won't solve everything?
Isn't this the man who just gave us a Parking Commission when Houston never needed one before?
Committee won't solve everything?
What has KTRK done with our Mayor?! This guy sounds like an imposter!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/25/05 08:51 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Chron eye for the death row killer gal - 2
Just a few days ago, the Chronicle ran a Chron Eye for the Death Row Killer Gal on Frances Newton, who is scheduled to be executed on September 14.
We noted that Mr. Kathryn Kase's newspaper was starting early with its anti-death-penalty advocacy this time, and that probably was an indication that we'd get many more Chron Eyes on Newton.
Today, there's a new Chron Eye about Newton. Here's an excerpt of the effort to humanize Newton:
Along with his drug usage, Adrian Newton's infidelity and his contrite confessions and pledges to reform were hallmarks of the couple's marriage. On the day of the killings, Newton said, the couple had reconciled and agreed to eschew extramarital affairs.
Newton, who became pregnant with the couple's first child at 14, said she loved her husband and children.
Occasionally pausing to wipe away tears, Newton recalled that Alton was "definitely all boy" and often protected his younger sister.
She recalled one incident in which the little girl mischievously took single bites out of apples displayed in a fruit bowl.
"Alton took the apples and turned the bite marks to the back so I wouldn't see what she had done," Newton recalled. "Farrah was very loving."
The substantive portion of the story focuses on a theory advanced by defense attorneys about the presence of a second gun, which Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal characterizes as pure fiction.
The story also includes hearsay in support of the arguments advanced by defense attorneys:
Dow said the parents of Newton's husband have voiced support for stopping the execution, but that claim could not be verified Wednesday.
The attorney also said a one-time prisoner in the Harris County Jail, a former husband of one of Newton's cousins, claimed that another prisoner boasted of killing the family. Dow conceded that claim has not been verified.
So, it's unverified gossip. But hey, this is Mr. Kathryn Kase's newspaper -- if it helps the anti-death-penalty cause, why not disregard journalistic standards and run with it?
Unsurprisingly, the story completely ignored one salient bit of news in this case from yesterday. As the Dallas Morning News reported,
The Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday rejected claims that Ms. Newton was ineffectively represented at trial and ruled that re-testing of the skirt would not establish her innocence.
The Associated Press, LA Times and the New York Times also reported the Court of Criminal Appeals ruling that the Chronicle ignored.
Will the newspaper manage a third Chron Eye on Newton in Sunday's edition, or will the next effort be some sort of smear of Chuck Rosenthal's office by Metro/State editorialist and gossip columnist Rick Casey? Stay tuned.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/25/05 06:11 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (4)
24 August 2005
Another "world-class" boondoggle to boost downtown?
In a clumsily edited piece, The Chronicle reports on the latest grand plans to boost downtown:
Details of two projects that officials hope will reinvigorate key areas of downtown were unveiled Tuesday when a group announced its plans for a "world-class" park and developers said they will construct a three-block retail, condominium and office complex.
The $81 million park, which will be designed by a San Francisco firm that worked on sites for the Sydney Olympics, would be built on 12 acres in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center. Officials hope that its amenities — including a restaurant pavilion, jogging trail, dog run and an area for wedding receptions — will lure people downtown and draw conventioneers.
Memo to the San Francisco firm: Your PR people need to ditch the references to "world-class."
That is a term that politically savvy Houstonians use with derision, to refer to the inferiority complex that so many Houstonians seem to have about a city that's a fine place to live even if it's not a tourist destination. Indeed, "world class" is a term that pretty much went out with Lee Brown, as he managed to preside over "world-class" messes like huge unfunded liabilities in the municipal employees pension plan, HPD manpower shortages, official corruption, and more. World-class has lost any positive connotation it might once have had here.
Moving on, the Mayor's office thinks the proposal is great:
"One of the things that makes a great city great is that there are multiple places where citizens can gather just to enjoy life in the city," Guy Hagstette, Mayor Bill White's special assistant for urban design, said of the park. "And it needs to be a place where you don't have to buy a ticket. And this park must be one of those places."
We concede that it sounds like quite an improvement over the Bill White Vermin and Solid Waste Memorial Park.
Shifting gears, the reporters turn to the proposed Houston Pavilions:
Houston Pavilions would offer 365,000 square feet of retail space on three levels. It would replace three blocks of surface parking lots. Skywalks over Fannin and San Jacinto would link the retail pavilions.
Rising from the pavilions would be a 194,000-square-foot office tower and a taller, sister tower with more than 200 condominiums.
[snip]
[Developer William] Denton said Houston Pavilions can't be done without TIRZ status because downtown land values make it cost-prohibitive to build a major retail complex.
[snip]
Houston Pavilions developers have asked the city and county to allow a downtown TIRZ — a separate entity set up with the local governments' permission — to float $14.3 million in bonds for infrastructure improvements.
Those include $639,000 for curbs, pavement, sidewalks and landscaping; $685,000 for upgrading the garage; and $4.2 million for elevators, escalators, walkways, landscaping, decorative lighting and graphics. Another $8.8 million has yet to be earmarked.
Apparently, the "world-class" developments known as the George R. Brown Convention Center, Hilton Americas, Minute Maid Park, Toyota Center, the Main Street Rail Line, the revamped Jones Plaza, and Mayor White's new Vermin/Homeless Park just aren't enough to attract the throngs to downtown and allow our municipal leaders to impress out-of-town visitors that we really are world-class. Another $14.3 million in bonds ought to do the trick, say the self-interested developers to the local media.
Being "world-class" doesn't come cheap.
RELATED COVERAGE: KTRK-13.
RELATED COMMENTARY: The definition of insanity, Part 2 (Isolated Desolation).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/24/05 11:43 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (15)
Health reports finally online
Back in late 2004, then-KHOU-11 Consumer Reporter Eileen Faxas took the city to task for doing away with easily accessible online restaurant health inspection results. At that time, Mayor White seemed to side with Houston Restaurant Association Director Juli Salvagio, who contended that the reports weren't needed. The weekly reports were ordered removed, even after the city had paid $217,000 for a computer program designed to post results online in detail. Ms. Faxas ended her report:
The mayor's spokesman did say the city will reconsider its position -- if the public complains.
Almost a year later, the city seems to have gotten enough complaints. Both KHOU and the Chron are reporting that the new restaurant health inspection site is up and running.
PREVIOUSLY: Phoenix, Dallas, and Decatur have world class health inspection priorities (bH), The relevance of Marvin (bH).
Posted by Callie Markantonis @ 08/24/05 11:01 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
City finally to move forward with Bromwich investigation
KTRK-13 reports that Mayor White and his Council have finally approved funding that will allow the Bromwich investigation of the HPD crime lab to proceed:
The city of Houston has found the money to pay for an extensive investigation of HPD's crime lab and property room.
On Wednesday, the city council OK'd an additional $1.1 million to pay for phase two of the crime lab investigation. The probe had been on hold for the past several weeks because of funding problems and HPD warned it might have to cut a police cadet class to pay the bills.
Wednesday's vote means that won't happen.
In a just world, the Chronicle editorial board would plant a big smooch on the cheek of Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal, who showed up a footdragging Mayor White by offering to fund a large part of the investigation from his discretionary budget, and got this investigation moving again.
RELATED COVERAGE: KUHF-88.7.
UPDATE (08-25-2005): Additional coverage from the Chronicle.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/24/05 10:58 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Council approves Parking Commission Revenue Stream
KHOU-11 reports that Mayor White and his Council have approved a Parking Commission:
Wednesday morning, Houston's City Council approved the formation of a public parking commission.
One of the commission's duties will be deciding where to put about 1,500 new parking meters.
Council members said the commission would target busy areas and try to relieve their parking problems.
What about it, blogHOUSTON readers?
Do you feel better knowing that your Mayor and City Council are tackling the city's most pressing problems?
UPDATE: KTRK-13's Ilona Carson has a quaint take on the Parking Authority Revenue Stream. She seems to think that even though the city's current bureaucracy can't seem to correct the problems with parking meters near UH Downtown, the new parking bureaucracy will:
But help may be on the way. On Wednesday the Houston city council voted unanimously to form a parking commission. Its job -- to solve some of these problems.
"Bringing parking into a new era. We're bringing new technology, customer service," explained Liliana Rambo, the assistant director of the parking administration.
In the future, Rambo says you'll be able to pay meters with dollar bills, credit cards and cell phones, and dispute tickets online. For now, frustrated students can contest tickets at the municipal court administration building at 1400 Lubbock.
Rambo said, "We go and we check the meter, and we get back to the citizen about whether the citation was upheld or was void."
Those tickets typically run to about $25. Problems won't be solved overnight. The parking commission hopes to have a contract this fall, and roll out changes over the next five years.
This city's media are so accommodating when it comes to Mayor White's efforts to build new bureaucracies and new revenue streams.
Fine. We're with Miss Carson. Here's hoping the new parking bureaucracy gets the problems with the parking meters near UH Downtown solved in five years!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/24/05 10:17 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (7)
Bloggers can do better than that
The Chronicle editorial board can hardly contain its glee at the prospects of a GOP gubernatorial slapfest as the primary slowly approaches:
Over the weekend combative Texas Comptroller and gubernatorial challenger Carole Keeton Strayhorn lobbed electronic grenades at incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, accusing him of trying "to tax rather than lead." She even employed one of the worst epithets in the conservative Republican playbook, comparing Perry to a "Washington liberal." Perry's campaign folks did her one better, likening Strayhorn's tactics to those of banker Tony Sanchez, the Democratic nominee Perry handily defeated in 2002.
That's a little boring, though. In The Pink, clearly lacking the "elegance, wit and insight one looks for in ... editorial pages in their ideal state" has a lot more fun with the Republican candidates.
The editorial board repeats the newspaper's tired act of citing Democratic activist and UH Professor Richard Murray without identifying that he's now out of the closet as a Democratic partisan:
"We're in uncharted waters here," University of Houston Center for Public Policy Director Richard Murray said. Since the Republicans last held sway in the state during Reconstruction in the 19th century, there's little precedent for what happens when a new majority party emerges and encounters a contest for leadership. Murray wondered whether the fight between a sitting governor facing a formidable challenger would return primary voting turnout to high levels.
Murray likened the developing Texas situation to Kansas, where Republicans have split into moderate centrists and Christian conservatives. Occasionally a Kansas Democrat wins statewide office because the moderate Republicans refuse to back the conservative nominee.
Murray's partisan preferences should be identified when he is commenting on political parties, so readers will have enough information to decide if he's speaking as a partisan, as a professor, or both.
UPDATE: It seems I led this post much like Sedosi Alhambra led his related post. I guess we're thinking alike, because I hadn't seen it earlier. But I don't want anyone confusing me with Rick Casey, so I thought I should clarify. :)
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/24/05 10:08 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
23 August 2005
American Chopper crew delivers shuttle tribute bike
Houston-area fans of the Discovery-channel series American Chopper were in for a treat today:
With a thunderous rumble, the sleek motorcycle, a two-wheeled replica of NASA's space shuttle, roared to life Monday, and American Chopper 's mustached patriarch Paul Teutul Sr. gingerly wheeled his latest theme bike through a tight circle of surging fans.
The rallying point was Space Center Houston, the official visitors complex for NASA's Johnson Space Center and possibly one of the last places someone might expect to go for the unveiling of a one-of-a-kind motorcycle.
But the gleaming $100,000 Space Shuttle Tribute Bike is both a work of art and a spirited form of modern transportation. Surrounded by an Apollo lunar lander and replicas of space station modules in Space Center Houston's large display gallery, the motorcycle seemed as much at home as if it were rolling through the streets of Daytona Beach, Fla., during Bike Week.
"We've been space cowboys for a long time," the gruff-voiced Teutul assured a largely aerospace audience.
More on the Space Shuttle Tribute Bike can be found here.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/23/05 10:59 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Beware I-10/Beltway 8 lane changes
KHOU-11's Jeremy Desel reports that motorists should be mindful of changes to access ramps at I-10 and Beltway 8:
It seems like the on ramp to the Beltway from I-10 has been on the right forever, but not any more.
"Now all of a sudden, you are driving and the only way to get on to the Beltway is to get in the far left hand lane and get going. So it is very confusing," says Russo.
Thanks to the ongoing construction, that ramp will be on the left for the next several months. That will keep plenty of drivers out of step.
"They swerve out of traffic. I constantly have to press on my brakes. It is a dangerous thing," says Ray Mary, "It is completely counterintuitive to have it the way it is. It doesn't make any sense."
George Nino drives the Katy every day and says some of the trouble is because of the signs.
There are some warnings, like two miles out and another one three-quarters of a mile out. The only other warning is a construction sign not far from the on-ramp. Drivers say that's too late for this kind of information.
"You have to worry about the guy that is taking it for the first time and swerving into your lane," Nino says.
That is true for the next time, too.
According to HPD, in July alone, there were 6 accidents within a half--mile of the change. In August, there have been already been 22 accidents.
This location isn't the only other new alignment. The one at 610 and I-10 is confusing drivers too.
TxDOT says the signs are enough and that it just takes time for drivers to adjust.
TxDOT sounds much like METRO in blaming Houston drivers (and not itself) for safety problems.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/23/05 10:22 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
Is a new ad campaign enough to fix AstroWorld?
John Wagner notes a Washington Post story that hints at some changes in Six Flags future. The Post story speculates that Mr. Six may be fired.
Wagner says Six Flags and AstroWorld need more help than just a new mascot or ad campaign:
My last trip to AstroWorld was about three years ago. It was badly in need of paint, repairs and general upkeep. I'm not alone in that assessment.
The remnants of the former themed areas created a weird experience, since the themes are no longer carried out.
The whole place seemed drab, messy and frankly, a little sad.
[snip]
Rather than spend millions on advertising -- at least in this region -- the company would be wise to invest in the park itself. Not on some new ride, but on the general look, feel and approach of the park.
It needs a good housecleaning and a strong focus.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/23/05 09:34 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (8)
A world-class downtown requires financial incentives
KTRK-13 has a story up about a developer's proposal to change radically the look of one part of downtown:
There's a bold plan to change the face of downtown Houston. Some developers want to turn three city blocks into a $200 million retail center. Those blocks -- running from Main Street to Caroline, along Polk Street -- are currently parking lots.
[snip]
Three parking lots could turn from a ghost town into a retail mecca, if they're replaced by the Houston Pavilions – a $200 million grand entertainment complex, with condos, office space and lots of shopping.
"Every city's thirsty for something like this," suggested developer William Denton. "This is the last piece of the puzzle – a major turnaround for downtown."
Denton and his business partner were secretive about their plans until Tuesday, when they presented their big idea to commissioner's court.
Harris County Judge Robert Eckels said, "We certainly want to support them coming in to downtown Houston and to the city. It would be a great asset for the city. We're just looking through their proposals and what they're asking for and look at where it makes sense for the city and the county to partner together for the infrastructure needs to make a project like this a reality."
[snip]
Imagine a 20-screen movie theater along with shops such as a Virgin mega-store, Barnes and Noble and of course a number of clothing stores all appearing in about two years. It sounds very ambitious. The developers plan to show their plan to city council next week. They are hoping for some sort of financial incentive from the city and the county in order to make this a reality.
There's always a catch. Will the financial incentives be loans, since the Magnolia Hotel loan worked out so well for the city, or will it be tax breaks? Maybe it'll be both! Shall we start guessing what clichés and phrases will be tossed around by city and county officials? "World-class" is a given.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/23/05 09:12 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
Maybe Kingwood feeder roads need SAFEClear
KPRC-2 and KHOU-11 both have this little press release story posted about Mayor White taking a helicopter tour of Kingwood with Rep. Ted Poe to look at Kingwood's traffic woes.
The KPRC story adds this:
White and officials are also looking at ways to better utilize the high-occupancy vehicle lanes and expand METRO bus and rail services.
ADD bus service? No, no, no. Metro CUTS bus service. And I didn't know there was a rail line planned for Kingwood anytime soon. Perhaps some developers have land in Kingwood that needs to be...developed.
I saw KHOU's story last night. It included video of the helicopter Mayor White went up in and then a brief interview with the mayor. He said the feeder roads in Kingwood were jammed while traffic on the freeway was running smoothly.
I'm not sure why he had to go up in a helicopter to find that out, but I know how he can fix Kingwood's traffic tie-ups: the Kingwood Feeder Road Traffic Authority.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/23/05 07:17 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (0)
22 August 2005
Here comes the Parking Authority Revenue Stream/Bureaucracy
Reader and commenter Vernon Guy alerts us to the following items on City Council's agenda this week:
16. ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 12 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS, to provide for the creation of a Public Parking Commission; providing for the appointment of the members thereof and prescribing their qualifications; specifying the jurisdiction and authority of the Public Parking Commission and setting forth its powers and duties
[snip]
18. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, HOUSTON, TEXAS, relating to transferring the Parking Management Division and its functions, personnel and funding to the Convention and Entertainment Facilities Department; containing findings and other provisions relating to the foregoing subject; providing an effective date; providing for severability
Now that Mayor White has solved all of the city's pressing problems, it looks as if he's ready to move forward with his new Parking Authority Revenue Stream/Bureaucracy.
PREVIOUSLY: Mayor contemplates parking authority (bH), Why is the mayor fixated on a new parking bureaucracy? (bH), Mayor White and Councilman Berry in unholy alliance to create bloated parking bureacracy (Lone Star Times).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/22/05 11:08 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
I-45 tunnel concept is far from a "no-brainer"
Patrick Kurp reports in today's Chronicle that Gonzalo Camacho is continuing to push his I-45 tunnel concept:
Gonzalo Camacho remains convinced that running 14.5 miles of Interstate 45 under the ground would cost less, be built faster, displace fewer people and businesses, and create less air pollution than any conventional, above-ground road design.
"It's a no-brainer. It would be a large error that would be with us for a long time if the elected officials didn't get behind the tunnel idea," said Camacho, a transportation engineer and the most public proponent of making Houston home to the longest tunnel in the United States.
Camacho raised the idea in a public meeting in April and since has met with Texas Department of Transportation officials, the city's planning commission and community groups.
Just a few weeks ago, I attended Camacho's presentation of the tunnel concept to the Houston Property Rights Association, and at that time he said that his proposal was in its early stages, and that a $300,000 study would be required to know if it is truly feasible.
It is odd that in a few weeks' time, Camacho has changed his tune and what can only be described as a raw conceptual proposal has now morphed into a "no-brainer" in his mind.
Camacho's enthusiasm for his proposal is admirable, but clearly the proposal is not fleshed out enough at this point to be described as a "no-brainer."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/22/05 10:45 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (27)
Red light camera revenue stream to be ready by Thanksgiving
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reports that city officials expect to have the Red Light Camera Revenue Stream supplying city coffers by Thanksgiving.
KHOU-11's Mike Zientek has an amusing quote from HPD:
Police deny charges they'll use the cameras to beef up city coffers.
"We would be happy if we didn't collect a penny in fines once the system goes into place," said HPD Lt. Robert Manzo. "And that's exactly what would happen if everyone would obey the laws."
Right!
It's probably worth repeating our old maxim that when pols and their subordinates say it's not about the money, it's almost always about the money.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/22/05 10:30 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (19)
They are killing trees to print these editorials (cont'd)
Nuevo Laredo is literally beyond effective control of government, and the Chronicle editorial board has wasted 500+ words with a poorly written critique of U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza's recent comments?
I suppose we should be thankful they didn't create a new treaty, which sometimes happens when the editorial idealists tackle international affairs.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/22/05 10:21 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Rad Sallee exposes how Metro ill-serves those who depend on it
Wow, wow, wow!
Rad Sallee has given us so much truth in one story about Metro ridership. In clear black and white, all of Metro's obfuscation is on full display:
[Metro President Frank] Wilson passed out a quarterly report that says total bus and rail ridership for the nine months through June was 6.5 percent higher than a year earlier. A footnote, however, explains that the numbers are adjusted.
Unadjusted and more recent counts show total ridership for October through July was actually down 1.5 percent, driven by a 9 percent drop in the local bus component that serves many poorer neighborhoods in the inner city — the core mission of public transit.
YES! For all those who say that light rail critics are just anti-Metro, that's the point right there. Metro's core mission as a public transit agency is to provide transportation to those who have no other transit options. I certainly don't mind Metro's sales tax if it's providing the public service it is supposed to and that it promised. But Metro isn't doing that. Metro has decided to change its mission to one of catering to commuters with light rail trains and now (don't say Bus) Rapid Transit.
Jim Archer, Metro's manager of service evaluation, said the raw fiscal 2004 numbers are misleading because of two unusual events that will not be repeated: The agency cut 37 poorly performing bus routes and changed numerous others to connect better with the new light rail line and avoid duplicating service.
So, because of 7.5 miles of downtown light rail, numerous bus routes had to be changed...to feed into the light rail. Which, of course, usually makes getting around much more inconvenient for bus riders.
But Metro's route changes can't explain why local bus boardings have fallen each year since 1999, dragging overall ridership down with them until fiscal year 2004, when it rose 3 percent.
Archer blames the bus problems largely on construction of MetroRail and transit streets in downtown and Midtown that forced many route changes, which typically cause some riders to fall away. Then came the 9/11 attacks and the Enron debacle, which had sharp impacts on downtown trolley ridership, he said.
Metro blames 9/11 for declining trolley ridership? What hasn't been blamed on 9/11?
And what Archer doesn't let on is that eliminating the trolleys was always a part of Metro's (light rail) plan, and Metro was able to do it by cutting back on trolley service and instituting a fare, when previously the trolleys had been free.
There's a pattern here. Metro decides to build the downtown light rail, come hell or high water (or 2 inches of rain). Downtown gets torn up with light rail construction. Metro expresses puzzlement because bus and trolley ridership is down while downtown is torn up. So Metro modifies and cuts services. And ridership still plummets while light rail construction continues. Metro again scratches its head, and finally gives up and cuts bus and trolley service.
Some of Metro's critics accuse the agency of building rail and catering to commuters while shortchanging those who depend on local buses to get to work, the doctor or the grocery store.
"They promised 50 percent more bus routes, but they don't say that. They just say the people voted for rail," said bus rider Mark Smith.
"Metro could have crisscrossed the county with buses for what it will cost to build the rail system."
Yep.
Then we get into the pesky little issues of service "improvements" and per-rider subsidies:
Then there's Terrence Wilson, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a motorcycle accident 24 years ago. Wilson, 49, depends on Metro buses and his motorized wheelchair to get around.
Because many streets in his Acres Homes neighborhood lack sidewalks, Metro built a concrete slab on the shoulder for his wheelchair, he said. But over the years, his regular bus was replaced with a circulating shuttle, and then Metro shortened that route. It no longer passes his home, and Wilson said he now rides his chair in the street for a risky 1 1/2 miles to reach the bus stop.
Archer said Wilson's former route, the 64 Lincoln City Circulator, has kept 85 percent of its riders, despite being shortened, and now has more midday service and a more reliable schedule. It's also a good example of a dilemma that Metro often faces, he said.
"In Acres Homes," Archer said, "the customers are spread out, and because so many are elderly, they don't ride the bus every day."
That adds up to a taxpayer subsidy of $7.61 each time a rider steps on board, Archer said. As a general rule, Metro cuts or changes routes when the subsidy reaches $5.90, he said.
We want to see the per-rider subsidy for the light rail. Enough of this crap about per-rider subsidies for buses being too high. Providing bus service that can reach the people who need it the most is what Metro is SUPPOSED to be doing!
It is outrageous that Terrence Wilson has to go 1 1/2 miles in his wheelchair to catch a bus so that downtown residents and workers can look at world-class light rail trains.
Sallee's story concludes with an appearance by Tom Bazan and an admission that Metro has no way to count actual MetroRail riders. In fact, look at how Metro can claim "booming" ridership:
Because Metro has no practical way to count actual riders, it instead keeps track of boardings — usually expressed on an average weekday basis and counted by electronic devices on buses and trains. A single trip involving transfers, like Villanueva's journey to work, is counted as several boardings.
Metro's service area will be lucky to have any bus service left after the next round of rail expansion.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/22/05 07:36 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (7)
21 August 2005
They are killing trees to print these editorials
The Chronicle's editorial board recently gave the President and Mrs. Bush a little advice on how to show some Texas hospitality to the Cindy Sheehan anti-war protesters who are just down the road in Crawford.
Bizarre.
And not only that, but the editorial writer shows a total lack of class and respect:
Now that the gathering of antiwar protesters will be just a stone's throw from the president's ranch, perhaps he and Laura should engage in another act of traditional Texas hospitality by dropping in unannounced on their new, though temporary, neighbors with a housewarming gift and a desire to make their acquaintance.
Laura? Is that how the First Lady should be addressed? Mrs. Bush or the First Lady would have been more appropriate, but then again, we don't quite understand the Chronicle's ideal state.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/21/05 10:11 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Mayor changes course; Now there's money for HPD probe
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reports that Mayor White has stepped up with funding plans for the next phase of the Bromwich investigation of the HPD crime lab:
The investigation into problems at the Houston crime lab, stalled because of rising costs, could resume under a plan Mayor Bill White will present to the City Council next week.
The mayor's spokesman said Friday that the city has the $1.6 million a special investigator says he needs.
"The mayor believes that we have the funding sources to back it up," spokesman Frank Michel said.
That comes after even the Chronicle editorial board had to give some credit to favorite "bad guy" Chuck Rosenthal for offering to fund part of the investigation in order to move it along.
The "public safety" mayor had previously been awfully quiet on the delay in the Bromwich investigation. Perhaps Rosenthal's offer to get it moving again embarrassed him into action.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/21/05 10:09 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Steffy hits the "covert hospitality" brigade
On Friday, the Chronicle's L.M. Sixel reported on a gathering by Houston movers, shakers, and spin artists (such as Jordy Tollet, Jeff Moseley, and Frank Michel) to discuss how the city can boost itself to journalists in town to cover the Enron trial in January.
Today, Loren Steffy has a little fun with the entire "covert hospitality" notion.
It might also be useful to recall Ken Hoffman's fine advice after some of these same people failed in luring a future Super Bowl to Houston:
If I were an NFL team owner, and the Houston contingent came to my door, I'd put a piece of candy in their bag and send them away.
What if they came to your door and tried to convince you to write nice things about their shoes?
The national media probably won't cave like some writers.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/21/05 10:02 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
UH athletics under fire
Earlier in the week, various media outlets weighed in with reports on alleged improprieties regarding some athletes at the University of Houston. Athletics Director Dave Maggard reacted quickly and tried to downplay the allegations, but merely the suggestion of impropriety and the announcement of an NCAA investigation could set back an athletics program that has seen plenty of setbacks since the demise of the Southwest Conference.
Sedosi Alhambra has been tracking the story, and put up these posts.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/21/05 09:47 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
The "ideal state" of Army recruitment
Today's Chronicle editorial on Army recruitment is more puzzling than the usual fare.
The idealists suggest that highlighting various incentives is a misleading form of recruiting by the U.S. armed forces:
The new ads, however, might confuse some parents with their suggestions that the Army is primarily a job training program, a tuition source or, most worrisome, some kind of personal development retreat. Parents can succumb to wishful thinking when it comes to opportunities for their children. At a time when most recruits are destined for combat, this TV campaign may offer a perilously skewed view of what military service entails.
But the editorial concludes as follows:
In addition to its TV ads, the Army has taken proposed substantive steps to boost recruitment: greatly increasing financial incentives, offering down payments on homes and raising the maximum recruitment age to 42. These straightforward measures would do far more to prompt realistic decision-making than ads promoting wartime military service as a path to self-actualization.
So, some inducements to serve (job training, tuition) are worthy of disparagement from the editorial elitists down at 801 Texas Avenue, but others (financial incentives, down payments on homes) are "straightforward measures" that somehow relieve the original concern of the editorialists (that being the ridiculous assertion that recruits somehow don't understand that soldiers sometimes fight wars, and wars can be deadly)?
Seriously, a down payment on a house makes it more clear for the Chronicle editorial elitists that war can be deadly?
Does anybody at the Chronicle even read some of these editorials before they go to print?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/21/05 09:40 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Chron eye for the death row killer gal
The anti-death-penalty Chronicle starts early with today's Chron Eye on a killer not scheduled to die until September 14.
As protesters take to the streets and attorneys launch late-in-the-day efforts to save her from the executioner's needle, Frances Newton's capital murder case promises to pack an emotional punch rarely felt in Texas, a state that leads the nation in putting killers to death.
Newton, 40, is scheduled to die Sept. 14 for fatally shooting her husband and two young children in April 1987 to claim $100,000 in death benefits. She would be the third woman — and the first black woman — to be executed in the state since the Civil War. Her execution would be the 349th since Texas executions resumed in 1982.
Newton and her supporters consistently have proclaimed her innocence, but state and federal courts have on at least 10 occasions rejected motions filed on the Harris County woman's behalf.
With those facts established, most of the rest of the story clearly is intended to provide a forum for defense attorneys and activists looking to stop the execution.
The Chronicle devoted three reporters to this Chron Eye, weeks before the execution is scheduled.
Expect Mr. Kathryn Kase's newspaper to keep pushing hard on this one.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/21/05 09:17 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati |