31 January 2006
Don't take the kids to Memorial Park
Riding through Memorial Park’s Picnic Lane loop is popular among bicyclists. But it is also a hotspot for illicit rendezvous.
Houston Police Officer Kenny Cech took 11 News into the woods next to the bike loop and next to an abandoned restroom.
He showed where he arrested two men having sex just last Sunday—All happening in broad daylight.
Cech said he doesn’t know why this is happening at Memorial Park. “Parks in general attract people of this type,” he said.
According to HPD, for every arrest made they are more incidents they can’t catch. And often times it’s the park patrons who are the witnesses.
The latest arrests came after a father and his 8-year-old son caught the men in the act.
The result is that police patrols have been increased, which is unfortunate in light of HPD's manpower shortage. Let's hope that MayorWhiteChiefHurtt will have HPD's staffing issues under control by the time downtown's showcase park opens up.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/31/06 09:41 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (10)
Sheila Jackson Lee at the SOTU
You can set your watch to it. Every year, right after the President of the United States makes his way into the U.S. House chamber to deliver the State of the Union Address, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee pounces.
[snip]
You've got to give Sheila credit. She is dogged and she is determined. When Sheila wants face time, she gets face time. And, we might add, that is a very smart red suit she is wearing tonight. You go girlfriend!!!
Even my son (who had to watch the SOTU for a school assignment) saw her!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/31/06 09:00 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (7)
Local volunteer to be recognized at State of the Union speech
Judge Eckels' office has sent out a press release with the news that a Harris County Citizen Corps volunteer will be sitting with First Lady Laura Bush during tonight's State of the Union address:
Harris County Citizen Corps volunteer Teri Shamlian will be a guest of First Lady Laura Bush for the President's State of the Union speech this evening. She has been an active member of the Citizen Corps since its inception in August 2002.
Shamlian was chosen for her leadership and dedication to the Harris County Citizen Corps programs. She is a coordinator for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, a volunteer for Fire Corps, and has logged over 750 volunteer hours with 113 of those hours as a volunteer during the Hurricane Katrina Evacuee Relief Operation.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/31/06 07:18 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (0)
Acronyms and task forces can't mask manpower shortage
KHOU-11's Mike Zientek reports more disturbing news about HPD response times:
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt answered questions from 11 News about the slow response time to a hotel shooting that ended with a man in the hospital.
"If there are some shortcomings on our part we're going to review it and make sure it doesn't happen again," Chief Hurtt told 11 News.
The 11 News crew beat police to the scene and emergency crews waited for nearly 30 minutes for any sign of HPD.
[snip]
But what might be troubling is that an HPD spokesperson said the department tries to respond to calls like the one at the hotel in 12 minutes at the most. That same spokesperson told 11 News it took a lot longer than that.
According to HPD’s own timeline, a dispatcher got the call at 6:24 a.m., made two requests for units and received no response.
At 6:40 a.m. a supervisor from the day shift left for the scene.
He arrived at 7:01 a.m., 37 minutes after dispatch received the call.
In fact it took so long that the 11 News photographer recorded firefighters putting up crime tape—not police.
“There should have been somebody on the air, somebody in the city of Houston to answer that call,” Chief Hurtt said. “It’s not routine for the city of Houston. This was an extraordinary incident, again we’re in the process of reviewing it. If there are some shortcomings on our part we’re going to review it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
IF there are shortcomings?
*ahem*
Chief, when KHOU reporters beat the cops to a shooting scene, and firefighters get so restless that THEY string police tape, it's safe to say there was a shortcoming on the part of your department!
Unfortunately, since HPD manpower is stretched thin because politicians have ignored the problem for so long, this is the sort of thing we can expect to happen.
Look for MayorWhiteChiefHurtt to announce a new acronym or task force to tackle this latest problem soon.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/31/06 07:03 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
Fireworks at City Council
City Council business under Mayor White has tended to have all the excitement of paint drying, which has been quite a contrast to the last, acrimonious years of the reign of Lee P. Brown.
However, KTRH-740 just reported that we had some fireworks between Councilmember Carol Alvarado and Doctor-Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs last week.
Apparently, Councilmember Alvarado cursed at the doctor-councilwoman last week, according to KTRH.
However, KTRH reports that it was off camera/off microphone, and thus not picked up by the recordings for the public access channel. Because we certainly wouldn't want the public to see one member of Council behaving like an ingrate!
Councilmember Alvarado told KTRH "I'm sorry if she got offended." What a nice non-apology.
So, that was a vague report. What did Councilmember Alvarado call the doctor-councilwoman?
UPDATE: Chris Baker reports that Councilmember Alvarado called the doctor-councilwoman a "bitch."
Oh my!
ANNE ADDS: This doesn't seem world-class. Or ideal.
Will Councilwoman Alvarado show some decency and REALLY apologize, or will she act as if she's the aggrieved one? A certain level of maturity is required for the former.
BLOGVERSATION: Lou Minatti.
UPDATE (02-01-2006): KTRK-13 posts a story with less detail.
UPDATE 2 (02-01-2006): KPRC-2 also posts a story without much detail. There's still no posting on KTRH, so the account and links here are about the most complete roundup so far (not that readers of certain cityblogs that make a policy of never linking to other blogs would know).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/31/06 05:11 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (17)
Nixon suspended; Marticiuc comments on chase policy
KTRH-740 is reporting that HPD officer Tom Nixon, who was assigned to desk duty after his comments about HPD's chase policy, has been suspended without pay for 15 days.
The suspension is not related to the chase-policy comments, which remain under investigation. Rather, KTRH reports, the suspension is related to commentary in a magazine column written by Nixon.
In related news, Hans Marticiuc (president of the Houston Police Officers Union) wrote an op-ed for the Chronicle today. Marticiuc argues that HPD needs to consider empowering officers involved in pursuits with one more option:
The issue now is police policy. HPD's current vehicle pursuit policy is relatively sound, balancing the ability of officers to do their job against the need to protect the public. However, any policy that allows a pursuit to continue for 90 minutes in a congested urban environment is unacceptable and dangerous to the public as well as the officers.
If HPD management had voiced the same concerns we in the police union leadership have, and advised the public that current policy will, at the very least, need review, we would not have had the media circus we did.
As officers, we see the need for an additional option. Ideally, "pitting" a vehicle early in pursuit when the opportunity arises makes more sense then a prolonged vehicle chase. (Pitting is a technique in which the patrol vehicle bumps the rear end of the suspect vehicle, causing the vehicle to spin and stop. The proper opportunity to use this technique takes into consideration speed, location and other traffic conditions and variables that can determine whether pitting is a sound decision or not.)
It's hard to object to that. Perhaps Nixon wouldn't have been assigned to a desk if he had written an op-ed for the Chronicle.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/31/06 03:46 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Campaign finance and double standards (the series)
Houblog comments on SEIU's ongoing efforts to organize municipal employees.
And the Chronicle Editorial LiveJournalists finally address SEIU's possibly illegal efforts to elect Sue Lovell to City Council:
The unions have also engaged in political hardball. SEIU mounted a controversial $120,000 media effort that contributed to the election of at-large Councilwoman Sue Lovell in a December runoff against Jay Aiyer. Although both unions endorsed Lovell, SEIU showed it was willing to heavily outspend AFSCME to make its point.
Controversial?
That's all the Chronicle editorial board (which has complained ad nauseam about the interplay of interest-group money and politics when it involves Republicans) has to say about SEIU's possibly illegal support of Democrat Sue Lovell in a local election -- and months after the possibly illegal and certainly troubling effort took place?
That's weak.
PREVIOUSLY: SEIU wins over janitors, sets sights on city employees; Editorial LiveJournalists ignore alleged SEIU campaign finance irregularities; Campaign finance and double standards; Campaign finance and double standards -cont'd; A truly quotidian editorial on interest-group money and national politics.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/31/06 08:57 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (3)
30 January 2006
Rep. DeLay makes the Economist, Hardball
MSNBC ran a segment on the 22nd Congressional District race, including a long interview of Rep. Tom DeLay (R) by Hardball's Chris Matthews earlier tonight.
Video and a partial transcript are available here. In the television version, political scientist and bicyclist Bob Stein made an appearance. He was identified as a Rice University pollster.
The Economist also ran a story on the race in its most recent issue. This is a lowlight:
Another problem for Mr DeLay, assuming that he survives the primary, is Steve Stockman, a former Republican congressman who has entered the race as an independent. Mr Stockman will need 500 votes to get on the ballot in November. He has vowed to go after Mr Lampson, but since his politics are to the right of Mr DeLay's, he may end up pulling support away from him. (According to the Chronicle poll, he could draw 11% of election-day voters.)
We've already established that among several flaws, the Chronicle/Murray/Stein survey almost certainly overstated support for Stockman because of the way he was identified.
Speaking of Professor Richard Murray -- he makes an appearance in the Economist article:
“The best Mr DeLay can hope out of Washington is continuing bad publicity but he's not indicted,” says Richard Murray, a political-science professor at the University of Houston.
They could have at least identified him as one of the people who put together the (flawed) survey they cited.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/30/06 10:57 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (4)
Move It! seeks feedback
Rad Sallee is soliciting input regarding the Chronicle's "Hot Spots" feature:
The Chronicle is evaluating how it gets the word out to readers about road repairs and construction and the resulting traffic problems.
Computer users can see a detailed list of road work (plus a real-time traffic map and views from freeway cameras) by going to www.houstontranstar.org. To check your route, click on "regional construction," then "txdot lane closures."
The Chronicle publishes a daily Traffic Hot Spots box on Page B2, but the box is too small for the complete TxDOT list.
Is Hot Spots helpful to you? Could it be improved?
Suggestions, please.
traffic@chron.com
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/30/06 06:32 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
Boy injured in latest HPD chase dies
KPRC-2 reports that a 12-year-old boy has died following HPD's most recent pursuit:
A 12-year-old boy has died from injuries he suffered when the car he was riding in was struck by a sport utility vehicle being chased by police in southwest Houston, KPRC Local 2 reported on Monday.
Houston police were chasing a black Toyota 4-Runner reported stolen when it collided with a car that Kyndall Batiste was riding in on Beechnut Street at Whitecap Lane at about 8:45 a.m. Friday.
Batiste was thrown from the car and landed on the pavement. He was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition shortly after the crash, but died Sunday night.
Natasha Batiste, Kyndall's 36-year-old mother who was also injured in the crash, remains listed in serious condition.
Police said the driver of the SUV, 18-year-old Dominique Bromon, was charged with felony evading arrest and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The aggravated assault charge could be upgraded to murder.
As Laurence Simon says, the charge should be upgraded to murder.
In related news, KHOU-11 reports that the Houston Police Officer's Union filed a lawsuit against HPD and Chief Harold Hurtt in support of Officer Tom Nixon, who was removed from patrol duty after criticizing HPD's chase policy.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/30/06 12:06 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (5)
29 January 2006
Editorial LiveJournalists discover HPD manpower woes, crime
The Editorial LiveJournalists have discovered that violent crime is threatening Houston:
In 1958, Houston had the nation's highest murder rate, with 15 homicides per 100,000 residents. In 1981, after Houston tallied more than 700 homicides, the city was dubbed murder capital of the United States. After years of diminishing crime rates, the number of violent crimes in the city again is ticking upward. This time, Houstonians must act to head off the next bloody crime wave before it crashes over us.
It would have been nice if Houston's only major daily had been out in front of this one a little earlier. HPD's manpower shortage is not new to anyone who's been paying attention. Still, better late than never we suppose.
We can't help but be amused at this language:
Hurtt said he is working with City Council to compel landlords whose apartment complexes are magnets for bad actors to hire police officers to provide security or to pay fees to cover additional police protection. That is a good idea. Most of the homicides that occurred during the last four months of 2005 took place at apartment complexes, though this type of housing constitutes only half of the city's dwellings. Apartment managers should be required to provide adequate lighting and evict bad actors.
Bad actors? Goodness, the Editorial LiveJournalists really do seem out of touch much of the time.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/06 11:05 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Lots of evoking going on at 801 Texas Avenue
In his story on Mayor White's state of the city address, Chronicle reporter Matt Stiles led as follows:
Houston Mayor Bill White evoked the local spirit during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in his State of the City speech Thursday, urging a public commitment to facing the city's pressing issues.
That was a little more flowery and a little less specific than usual from Stiles -- so of course, the Editorial LiveJournalists decided it suited them as well today:
Evoking the spirit of Houston's effort to aid Hurricane Katrina evacuees, Mayor Bill White declared that the city's problems can be solved when city, county and state officials, the business community, nonprofits and individuals all work toward a common purpose.
The Editorial LiveJournalists then went on to complain that Mayor White's laundry list did not include an Editorial LiveJournal favorite:
A serious problem the mayor did not dwell upon is the deterioration of Houston's health care delivery system.
Robert T. Gumby Jr., the physician who heads the Texas Medical Association, told the Chronicle editorial board Friday that the health care system throughout the state is in poor shape. Insurance costs rise precipitously, yet the money going to actual care drops. He blamed exorbitant insurance company profits and executive pay.
Part of the blame for poor health rests with Houstonians. We tend to be fat, immobile, diabetic and addicted to harmful substances, principally tobacco. Improvement on that front requires individual commitment to healthier diets and exercise.
But the crux of the problem is Houston's high rate of uninsured residents — 31 percent, the nation's highest. Dr. Gumby charitably concluded that legislators and their leaders in Austin must be unaware of the great suffering this condition exacts from the working poor. Knowledgeable people in authority would not allow it to continue.
That's a nice change of topic completely without warning from the LiveJournalists. Of course, they neglect to mention one big reason many people living in Houston are uninsured (hint: many of them are also "undocumented," as it is fashionable to say). It's always the problem that goes unspoken for the Editorial LiveJournalists.
As far as Dr. Gumby -- if he has something important to say, perhaps the interview should be taped and put online for all to see. That would "evoke" the spirit of transparency.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/06 10:48 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (10)
Big Media visits Houston
With a certain big trial getting underway tomorrow, we are beginning to see MSM stories about how Houston has weathered the Enron collapse.
Here's a New York Times story from Friday.
Here's a Newhouse News Service story that has been picked up by the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
And here's a story in the Toronto Star.
Who knows how many more of these there'll be, but it's interesting to see how others perceive Houston.
UPDATE: The Chron reports on what Ken Lay did today, and on the swarm of media trucks in front of the courthouse.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/29/06 03:48 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (10)
Is Port resignation a result of political retribution?
The Chronicle's Bill Murphy reported over the weekend that a Port of Houston commissioner resigned under pressure:
A Port Authority of Houston commissioner resigned late Friday after being accused of uttering a racial slur while on port business in Shanghai last year.
In a letter sent to top county officials, port Commissioner Cheryl Thompson-Draper denied making the remark, but said she was resigning because the accusation would hurt the commission's ability to carry out port business.
"After much reflection I know that I did not make such a statement.
"The words attributed to me are not in my vocabulary and those who know me well, know that I have a strong record of support for all minorities and small businesses," she wrote.
Port Authority Chairman Jim Edmonds, who said he heard Thompson-Draper refer to a band's performance as "jungle bunny music," said he had urged her to resign.
"The attendant publicity and reaction in various communities around town has done her a lot of damage and done the Port Authority a lot of damage," he said.
Port Authority Chairmen who haven't mastered subject-verb agreement in official statements also do some damage (among literate people), but I digress.
KHOU-11's Doug Miller covers an angle that the Chronicle did not:
This incident happened last May. It is noteworthy that all of this is coming to light only now, a month after Draper recommended that Kase Lawal, the only African-American on the Port Commission, step down from the Vice Chairman's post. Only after that did Commissioner Lee write his letter, sending copies to every other port commissioner and every other county commissioner.
Sedosi Alhambra caught that highly significant bit of reporting, and asked:
Is this a case of racial retribution?
And was this complaint raised so far after the fact that a defense is impossible to mount?
Are we, as Americans going to stop requiring proof now when "racism" is the -ism that's being accused?
El Franco Lee is a powerful, experienced political operator. Even assuming that Thompson-Draper made the statement in question, Lee's timing seemed designed for maximum political effect. And it worked.
I have a question to add to Sedosi's: Given the outrage from people quoted in the news (including Lee Brown), shouldn't the "outraged" crowd direct some of their concern to El Franco Lee and others, who only now have brought complaints about this statement that allegedly was made in May?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/06 02:07 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
Robison: Where's the Christian social-welfare money catapult?
Clay Robison, the Chronicle's lefty weekend editorialist, is trying out a weeks-old argument in favor of increased spending on social welfare:
He is the same Bill Ratliff, the unassuming engineer from Mount Pleasant who, in a radical departure from prevailing attitudes, tried to govern with a conscience.
And he is promoting what he attempted to practice as a lawmaker, a Christianity not intended simply to comfort the comfortable and lock their religious views into the law of the land — high priorities of the controlling GOP faction — but a Christianity that also attempts to comfort the afflicted and help the sick and the down-and-out.
The latter goal has been mostly skirted by the hand-washing Republican leadership in Austin."Up to now, the application of religious principles in political debate has been mainly applied to social mores, such as abortion rights, same-sex marriage, intelligent design vs. Darwinism and other similar social issues," Ratliff pointed out in a speech several weeks ago to the Austin Project, a group dedicated to helping at-risk youth.
His remarks later were reprinted in the Longview News-Journal and have received attention elsewhere.
"But all too often," he added, "those Christians who take strong stands on such issues based on moral or biblical teachings do not then continue the application of such teachings to other issues."
What about, Ratliff asked, Christ's admonishment to "suffer the little children to come unto me"?
He didn't name names, but it was obvious that state leaders conveniently forgot that verse of Scripture when they attacked the budget a few years ago, cutting thousands of low-income children from public health care so they could brag — as Gov. Rick Perry is doing in his reelection campaign — about holding the line against higher state taxes.
Joseph Knippenberg addressed arguments that Christianity requires expansion of the social welfare state effectively a few weeks ago:
Let me repeat what I’ve said before on the subject of poverty and religion. There are reasonable disagreements about how best to assist the poor. That we have a duty to do so doesn’t mean that we have [a] duty to support large government programs.
That's as far as I care to go substantively on that topic.
From time to time, though, it is useful to note Robison's political views and characterizations of those with whom he disagrees, as expressed on the editorial page every Sunday. Six other days of the week, he serves as the Chronicle's Austin bureau chief, putting aside his lefty political views to ensure that the Chronicle delivers Houstonians objective, balanced coverage of the goings on in the capital.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/06 01:33 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
"Some" find the D.C. bureau an endless source of amusement
The Chronicle's Julie Mason provides this bit of amusement in her White House Watch column:
It's an American political rhetorical flourish that dates back at least to Thomas Jefferson, and it's one President Bush and his staff are using with increasing regularity.
A skeptic might call it a red herring, or perhaps an exaggeration.
"I understand there's some in America who say, well, this can't be true, there are still people willing to attack," Bush said last week about the threat of terrorism.
Since polls have shown Americans at times are hyper-aware of the possibility of another attack, it's not clear who Bush had in mind.
Nor when he said about Iraqis in June, "I mean, it wasn't all that long ago that people were saying these people really don't want to be free."
Bush has made the claim several times without identifying the naysayers.
What's so amusing about Miss Mason's complaint?
Check out the headline for this latest dispatch from the intrepid Chronicle D.C. bureau:
Some see Bush playing association game
That's priceless.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/06 12:59 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
A tough week for local media and quotations
Earlier this week, the Chronicle's Dwight Silverman pointed out on his blog that KHOU-11 didn't characterize a quotation of his quite right in an interview he gave with them.
In response, KHOU's Jim Thompson (who oversees the web news operation locally) helpfully posted the interview with Silverman to the KHOU website, so readers/viewers can decide for themselves (instead of getting a version edited by someone who quite likely knows much less about the tech side than Silverman or Thompson). That's how things ought to work, and we're glad to see both Silverman and Thompson using the web to further the conversation and try to get things right.
If only the corrections editors at the Chronicle had a blog, maybe we'd get more clarity regarding the newspaper's recent corrections of quotations.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/29/06 12:32 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (0)
28 January 2006
Local online news developments of note
Yesterday marked the return of Chron.com NewsMail, a daily email digest of the top stories by section on Chron.com.
The last such email that I got was on December 28, 2005. When I contacted Chron.com's Dean Betz to ask what was up, he explained to me that the service would be down for about a month as they reworked it. His estimate was right on the mark, as the NewsMail appears to be working once again.
I've since become much more reliant on Bloglines for tracking Chron.com stories, but unfortunately there are no RSS feeds for the Opinion page or for the Columnists page (most columnists are not included in the individual section RSS feeds, although I did notice Dwight Silverman's column recently popped up in the Business RSS feed -- one of the benefits of being a Chron.com online honcho, I guess!), so the Chron.com NewsMail still serves a purpose.
Also, I've been remiss in noting that several local Clear Channel radio sites have undergone a redesign. They certainly look better, but the more important improvement is that local news postings have their own page, and are now individually linkable. The offerings are still kind of sparse compared to what the KTRH-740 news operation is able to offer news listeners, but this is a nice step in leveraging the web side. Now if they'd just add blogs for some of the local talkers (Michael Berry? Chris Baker?), in addition to more news and RSS feeds...
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/28/06 06:24 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (3)
Gearing up for the Tour de Houston
Last week Mayor White announced that the second annual Tour de Houston will be held March 18th:
Mayor Bill White joined State Sen. Rodney Ellis, Mayor Pro-Tem Carol Alvarado and title sponsor Guaranty Bank today in announcing the routes for the 2nd annual Guaranty Bank Tour de Houston bicycle ride benefiting Houston parks on Saturday, March 18, 2006.
“This event has become a tradition for anyone who wants to come out and have a great ride through our beautiful city. It's a chance to see our diverse neighborhoods in a fun and different way,” said Mayor White.
[snip]
The inaugural Guaranty Bank Tour de Houston drew more than 2,500 riders last year and, as an official recommended ride for the upcoming BP MS 150, has already become a popular Houston cycling classic.
I'm amused. It's the second one and the city is calling it a tradition and a cycling classic!
Anyway, best of luck to everyone who participates, including (I'm sure) Houston bicyclist Bob Stein.
Wear your helmets! Watch out for the Danger Train!
RELATED: Tour de Houston website
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/28/06 05:46 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (0)
But it's a world-class catalyst for future development
Slampo tackles the Houston Pavilions topic:
In the meantime, we have questions, such as why, when there’s so much concern in the air about “affordable housing,” local governments are using tax dollars (yeah, the ones from the federal government come from taxes, too) to subsidize a development that will offer what we heard described on TV as “luxury condos” in its 12-story residential tower. (Yes, we know the canned answer: The development is supposed to be a “catalyst” for further nearby development---the usual vague and unquantifiable justification that’s tossed out when public money is funneled to splashy private projects [if a “minor emergency center” can be considered “splashy”].)
Yes, these things just take time...and plenty of (taxpayer) money. Lots and lots of both, as Mayor White tried to explain the other day.
Because hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars aren't enough. More will be needed to spur future development (wink, wink) that will benefit...a tiny percentage of Houstonians.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/28/06 01:48 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
In the real (non-governmental job) world, this wouldn't be tolerated
The Metro bus driver who hit and killed a pedestrian, and who is on paid leave, doesn't want to cooperate with investigators.
He should be fired immediately, but there are probably some union rules that prohibit that.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/28/06 01:03 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (3)
27 January 2006
HPD cracks down on New Orleans gangs
This news is most welcome:
Houston police have arrested eight of 11 people believed to be involved in nine homicides in the city's southwest side and two others in Pasadena since last November.
The arrests come just a few weeks after HPD acknowledged the surge in violent crime last year was linked to evacuees relocating here after Hurricane Katrina.
Police said the arrests were part of an initiative recently launched to investigate homicides believed related to gang activity.
In analyzing some recent cases in the southwest Houston area, police said today that several involved Louisiana suspects who relocated to Houston following Hurricane Katrina.
Police today said those suspects arrested were associated with two different gangs in New Orleans and continued their rivalry here.
Lovely, just lovely.
Good work, HPD. Keep it going.
BLOGVERSATION: When does the Hurtting stop? (Laurence Simon)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/27/06 02:19 PM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (11)
Sacrificing history for "progress"
Local preservationists were taken by surprise by the ongoing demolition of a historic Houston hotel:
Demolition of the 1925 Penn Hotel, which quietly began Sunday, shocked Houston's preservationists, who hadn't considered the building endangered.
The 10-story brick building at 1423 Texas is owned by Spire Realty, which until now has been active in rehabilitating historic buildings in Houston's downtown.
The building was designed by Joseph Finger, the architect who designed many of the city's most important buildings of the era: among them, City Hall; Temple Beth Israel; Citizen's State Bank (known to most Houstonians as the home of the Rockefeller's); 701 Texas (now the Lancaster Hotel); the Jefferson Davis Hospital formerly on Allen Parkway; and the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal.
UPDATE: Nancy Sarnoff notes that Spire Realty determined the old Penn Hotel was beyond repair:
Spire has more historical renovation projects under its belt, including downtown's Bayou Lofts and the Cotton Exchange building.
The William Penn just didn't have the right formula to make a restoration project work, said Wilkins.
"After doing a half dozen of those, you really know what to look for and what can be done in the way of renovations," he said.
The building was "uninhabitable beyond repair," he said. Its ceiling heights, floor plates and ancient mechanical systems would have made it too costly to bring into the 21st century.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/27/06 02:04 PM | Houston Arts/Culture | Technorati | Comments (6)
HPD thinks wrecker-caused fatality can't be tied to Safeclear
Here's how the city is trying to excuse itself from that Safeclear wrecker fatality incident the other day:
A T&T Motors wrecker driver who caused a five-vehicle pileup that killed a motorist likely was speeding to a major accident on the North Loop East feeder road, police said.
That accident would not have been covered by the Safe Clear program, in which towing companies with city contracts are assigned to respond to traffic incidents on specific freeway main lanes, not feeder roads.
"If he was going to an accident on a service road, it has nothing to do with Safe Clear," said Sgt. Michael Provost, who manages wreckers for the Houston Police Department.
[snip]
Investigators had not questioned Weaver on Thursday, so it is uncertain whether he was headed for the accident on McCarty. Weaver could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Perhaps HPD should actually talk to Weaver to determine where he was headed, if it really will make a difference.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/27/06 08:16 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (5)
The professional sensitives don't like Houston 1836
Well, according to the New York Times, Hispanics are outraged by the name Houston 1836:
Many Latinos in Houston, though, greeted the unveiling of the team's name this week with a shudder. Eighteen thirty-six also happens to be the year that a group of English-speaking interlopers waged a war of secession that resulted in Mexico's loss of Texas, ushering in more than a century of violence and discrimination against Mexicans in the state.
In fact, the team's owner, the Anschutz Entertainment Group of Los Angeles, appears to have upset some of the very soccer-crazy fans they were hoping to lure, after basing its venture in part on the crowds of Spanish-speaking fútbol aficionados who regularly fill stadiums here to attend the matches of visiting clubs from Mexico. Marisabel Muñoz, a spokeswoman for Major League Soccer in New York, which is controlled in part by Anschutz, declined to comment.
"Clearly, not enough homework was put into this," said Paco Bendaña, a prominent Houston-based authority on marketing to Latinos. "Historically speaking, 1836 is not something we celebrate."
[snip]
The announcement of the name on Wednesday quickly elicited strong reactions among Latino soccer followers. Carlos Puig, the editor of Rumbo de Houston, one of the city's Spanish-language daily newspapers, said his e-mail inbox filled with messages from readers "going crazy with the name."
Rumbo lambasted the name on its front page on Thursday, describing the choice as an "own goal," a soccer term for the occasion when a player inadvertently kicks the ball into his own goal, scoring a point for the opposing team. Rumbo also questioned whether the name would attract fans among Latinos, who account for more than 40 percent of Houston's population.
[snip]
Some in Houston were quick to defend the team's name, including one participant in a soccer blog carried on the Web site of The Houston Chronicle who identified himself as Mexican-American and told critics of the name to "give me a break and stop being so politically correct."
Amen! Those who are so easily offended by EVERYTHING (that includes the New York Times) need to get a life.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/27/06 07:20 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (7)
26 January 2006
Hoffman explains Houston and Dallas
The Chronicle's Ken Hoffman illustrates again today why he ought to be on the metro/state pages:
HERE'S how I answered the question, "Why does Houston have its act together, and big things are happening here ... while nothing seems to get done in Dallas?" on a Dallas TV station this week.
I said, "I think you judge a city by the vision and leadership of its mayor. And it's fair to measure a mayor by his or her background and experiences.
"For example, Houston Mayor Bill White was a successful businessman and held key government positions.
"Dallas Mayor Laura Miller was a newspaper columnist. That would be like electing me as mayor. I locked my keys inside my car at the car wash a few weeks ago. You think I can build highways?
"You're complaining that nothing gets done in Dallas? Consider yourself lucky."
Boot that gossip columnist off the metro/state pages and give Hoffman the more prominent location!
And don't vote for either one in a mayoral election.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/26/06 11:23 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
What's good for the goose... (Updated)
The Chronicle's Samantha Levine reports some interesting news on those liberal advocacy groups who bought anti-DeLay television ads in the Houston area recently. As it turns out, they'd rather not disclose their sources of funding:
The two liberal groups behind the TV ads that criticized some of Rep. Tom DeLay's political funding connections paid for the commercials in a way that avoids mandatory disclosure of their donors.
The groups, whose ads ran on Houston-area stations that reach DeLay's suburban district, also refused to voluntarily disclose the names to the Houston Chronicle.
The Public Campaign Action Fund and the Campaign for America's Future said they used the nonprofit arms of their organizations to buy about $80,000 worth of broadcast time. Such organizations, unlike national political action committees and other campaign groups, do not have to list their contributors for the federal government.
That's one of the more useful reports to come out of the Chronicle's D.C. bureau in ages.
A while back, the Chronicle editorial board, the Chronicle's Metro/State editorialist/gossip columnist, and the Houston Press's best blogger criticized a local advocacy group that attempted to shield the identity of donors.
I wonder what they'll have to say about this lack of transparency and disclosure.
UPDATE: (01-28-2006): Charles Kuffner comments here.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/26/06 11:13 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
Mayor announces Centerpoint weatherizing program
KHOU-11's Carolyn Campbell reports on a new pilot program announced by Mayor White today:
He has also introduced an energy-efficient pilot program to save homeowners like Wilma Jones money.
Not too much can slow Wilma Jones down, even at age 90.
"I keeps busy. I keep moving," she said.
But her energy bills, especially in the summer, do give her pause.
"It have went up to $300 and something, but, thanks to the good Lord, I paid it," said Jones.
Ms. Jones is the kind of person Mayor Bill White wants to help cut down on her energy cost, so her Pleasantville neighborhood is going to be the site of a pilot program to weatherize homes to reduce energy use.
"We're gonna go in and anybody that wants their home weatherized, we're gonna do it. And we're gonna do it by the summer and we expect with that, it's gonna decrease the energy bills and consumption by the community by at least 10 percent," said Mayor White.
Ms. Jones said she makes some tough choices sometimes to make sure she pays her energy bills, and that she has already agreed to take part in the new pilot program.
"Hope it saves me something because it's pretty ruough when it's nobody but you. Yes it is," she said.
Mayor White said CenterPoint Energy is footing the bill.
If it's successful, the program will be expanded to other neighborhoods.
One question that seems important goes unanswered -- what exactly will be the benchmark for success? 10 percent reduction in energy bills?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/26/06 10:27 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
KPRC-2's new regime resembles old regime
KPRC-2 presented one element of the Mayor's State of the City address earlier as... well, only KPRC can:
"The state of the city of Houston is good. Our city is moving," White said.
During the speech, White outlined his goals for 2006 and acknowledged his administration's accomplishments over the past year, specifically highlighting the city's generosity toward hurricane evacuees.
White also discussed other issues, including:
* Public Safety -- hiring more police officers and cracking down on apartment owners who allow crime on their property.
We would hope the city will be cracking down on criminals.
Here's how KHOU-11 reported that part of the speech:
[Mayor White is] promising more officers in hot spots and wants apartment managers to better protect tenants.
That phrasing is much better, the split infinitive notwithstanding.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/26/06 10:23 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (0)
That unity dream was short-lived
I remember seeing KHOU-11's story on the MLK Jr. Day parade earlier this month and thinking how the story sure put a happy face on the years-long dispute between two competing groups:
A decade-long feud between two Houston groups ended Monday with a single parade honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
The feud had meant competing parades each MLK Day, but this year it was a different scene downtown.
"I love it," said Bertha Edison, parade goer. "Dr. King stood for unity. Always stood for unity."
The crowd was larger and the parade longer, but Bertha Edison was especially pleased the two feuding parade organizers have finally come together.
"If we can't come together how do we expect others to follow what we're trying to preach here?" Edison asked.
[snip]
It was a history-making day for the annual MLK Parade. Many said there's no better gift for the dreamer than unity on his birthday.
"This is it," said Carolyn Scantleberry, parade goer. "This is the way it should be."
Yeah, well, so much for unity:
A second promoter has filed a competing permit application for a 10 a.m. Martin Luther King Jr. parade, setting up the first test of the city's parade ordinance that calls for rival groups to go into arbitration.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/26/06 03:31 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (2)
The 36ers are too...American
Following up on the Houston 1836 name post, here's a USA Today story that includes a critic who thinks our new team is lacking something: diversity:
Juan Giraldo is the president of the Houston Toros, a team in the semipro Universal Soccer Federation. Houston 1836 has mostly American players and none from Mexico, although it does have one from Venezuela and another from El Salvador. Giraldo said that's not enough.
"The Hispanic community is very excited that this is happening," Giraldo said. "But they definitely need to integrate some more Hispanic players. The Mexican community is very close to the Mexican leagues. For the MLS to work here, there has to be some connection to their own teams."
How predictable...and how tiresome.
RELATED: Houston 1836 roster
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/26/06 12:02 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (6)
No wonder Metro didn't want to hold a public input meeting!
Let's check in with Laurence's daily Metro adventure:
This morning, there was a substitute driver on the 9. She was gunning full speed past the stop, and I leapt out and waved.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE... and slide and barely stopped at the light.
NOTE TO SELF: Carry rocks. Large rocks. METRO like Mel Brooks' cavemen, only understand Rock Language, apparently.
We got on.
Blubber Woman (SINISTER THEME MUSIC!) was at the wheel, and some random non-METRO dude was in the handicapped seat behind her.
"So, how far until Kirby?" she asks the guy.
And it hit me. A total newbie at the wheel, no METRO supervisor, no experience with the route.
She then got to Kirby, hanging in the left lane. Normally, if you're the 9 driver, you stay in the middle lane and make your turn to keep from crushing any morons to your right taking the turn.
Nope. Turned from the left. Got hung up in the itnersection for 10 seconds or so. The glory of horn honkage, a symphony of rage.
That is only a small excerpt. Hurry and follow the link to read the rest, and then we can all understand why Metro shies away from public input.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/26/06 11:13 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
State of the City (updated)
Mayor White's giving his assessment today:
The mayor will deliver his annual State of the City address Thursday at noon.
Mayor Bill White will present his 2006 outlook for the Bayou City before the Greater Houston Partnership.
The address is at the Hilton Americas Hotel downtown.
Look for the Chronicle to cover this glowingly on the editorial side.
As a point of contrast, Dr. Abe Saavedra will give HISD's State of the Schools speech on February 7th. Look for the Chronicle not to cover this glowingly; in fact, I'll be holding my breath.
UPDATE: Here's Matt Stiles' initial story on the mayor's speech, and here's the text of the speech from the city's website.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/26/06 10:05 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (3)
Councilman Garcia scratches his head over HPD funding
Chief Hurtt is asking for help in fighting Houston's increasing (world-class) crime problem:
Even as his officers use short-term strategies to battle Houston's recent surge in homicides, Police Chief Harold Hurtt on Wednesday called for the city to make a long-term financial commitment to public safety — and for residents to step in, as well.
His department needs more officers, updated technology and better means of collecting crime statistics, Hurtt said. But police also need for Houstonians, especially those in apartments, to take a stand against crime in their neighborhoods, he added.
Nothing surprising there, until we get to this quote from Councilman Adrian Garcia:
City Councilman Adrian Garcia said that, while the city has invested heavily in public safety, it needs to put even more into it.
"We need to invest more, but the question then becomes, 'From where?' " said Garcia, a retired Houston police officer and chairman of the council's public safety committee.
From where? Good grief! How about from the African American museum, the city's new downtown park and underground parking garage, day labor centers, Safeclear, and (temporary) homeless relocation? How about the proposed citywide wi-fi and horse trails?
If Mayor White and city council were truly serious about public safety, the money to fund it would easily be found. The fact that Mayor White has a gazillion other interests shows where his priorities are.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/26/06 07:39 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (2)
Houston 1836 (updated)
It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
Does it generate soccer excitement for you? When the team gets into the playoffs (or whatever it is MLS does) what will Houston 1836 fans do to celebrate? Wear circa 1836 outfits?
I guess it'll work, since San Francisco has the 49ers, and they are often called the Niners. So, the 1836ers will be called the Sixers? No, can't do that. That's taken. It'll have to be the 36ers.
The Houston 36ers.
It still doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but they are all ours! Go team! (in a privately-financed stadium.)
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: I guess since we call ourselves a cityblog, we had to weigh in on this eventually, eh? I'm glad Anne led off.
Here's my question -- shouldn't it be Houston 1836/1837? Sure, the city was "founded" in 1836, but not incorporated until 1837. And given Houston's problems with skyrocketing violent crime, the "/" (SLASH!) might even give the marketing folks something to work with, so to speak.
Anyway, Laurence Simon is about to launch a new site, 1836 Is Full Of Crap (what else?) and he'll be soliciting input on better names. 1,836 of them. There are surely many more names that are better than 1836, but one does have to draw the line somewhere. So start thinking about your entries!
KEVIN WHITED ADDS MORE: Rob Booth posts a great roundup of the blogversation about the name.
UPDATE: 1836.IsFullOfCrap.com is now live. Go add your entry!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/26/06 06:42 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (9)
25 January 2006
Rep. Wong puts pressure on Metro to stick with Westpark line
Thanks to a blogHOUSTON reader for emailing a West U Examiner story about state Rep. Martha Wong and the (kinda, sorta) proposed Westpark light rail line:
State Rep. Martha Wong’s office sent a confidential final position paper endorsing a Westpark light rail route to 25 e-mail addresses on the evening of Jan.18, seeking the recepients’ final approval by noon the following day.
The communication, addressed to the steering committee of Richmond Area Residents and Businesses for Rail, said Wong hoped to confirm a meeting with Frank Wilson, Metropolitan Transit Authority chairman, this week.
That meeting has been confirmed by Metro spokeswoman Racquel Roberts.
“We are in the final stages of getting three representatives from the business group and three representatives from the neighborhood group to speak with Martha (Wong) at the meeting with Frank Wilson,” the e-mail from Wong representative Karen K. Newell said.
It went on to say, “Please remember to keep the position paper confidential at this time.”
[snip]
The position paper, dated Jan. 17, endorses a Westpark route in part because a right of way was bought for that purpose and tree removal and traffic problems would be less significant than along Richmond Avenue.
The document also took issue with Metro claims that the new line would serve West University Place and Bellaire, adding “voters were clearly mislead” by language of the November 2003 ballot.
That's an understatement.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/25/06 09:26 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (5)
SAFEclear wrecker strikes car, kills passenger
KHOU-11 reports on a fatal accident involving a SAFEclear wrecker earlier:
A woman died in an accident on the East Loop Wednesday afternoon when a Safe Clear wrecker struck the vehicle, according to Houston police.
The female driver died at the scene of this East Loop accident.
The incident took place shortly after 1 p.m. on the northbound side of the Loop between Wallisville Road and McCarty Street. Police said the compact car was struck from behind by the wrecker, which pushed the vehicle into the back of a container truck.
The female driver died at the scene.
It is not known at this point if any driver was cited.
Wasn't SAFEclear supposed to PREVENT fatalities on the side of the road?
UPDATE: KPRC-2 posts more:
A fatal chain-reaction accident shut down the East Loop in northeast Houston Wednesday afternoon.
It happened at about 12:45 p.m. when a tow truck driver could not stop in time and slammed into several vehicles that had stopped on the freeway at the McCarty exit.
A driver in a Honda died after his vehicle was pushed under an 18-wheeler.
The tow truck driver was thrown from his vehicle, but his condition is not yet known.
UPDATE (01-26-2006): KHOU and the Chronicle initially reported that a woman was killed. Now, the Chronicle reports that a man was killed. As they sometimes say at the Chronicle, the "story changed."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/25/06 04:34 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (5)
House of Blues coming to Houston
The Houston Pavilions has landed a high-profile tenant:
The developers of Houston Pavilions, a shopping, entertainment, office and residential complex planned for three blocks of prime downtown land, planned to announce at a press conference Wednesday that House of Blues has signed the first major retail lease in the project.
Developers Geoffrey Jones and William Denton, who set the wheels in motion for the Pavilions more than two years ago, said they expect to begin construction this spring.
[snip]
With its roughly 3,700 residents, downtown Houston still doesn't have the critical mass of residents that retailers typically require to open new locations. But Thornton said he's not worried.
"Because we're destination entertainment, we're basically a traffic generator," he said.
Indeed, the developers said the venue will attract customers from far beyond the city center, which will help bring in additional retailers.
[snip]
The developers also received financial assistance through an $8.8 million development grant from the city of Houston and $4.4 million from Harris County.
City officials and other industry experts said the project will act as a catalyst for downtown retail.
The Houston Downtown Management District approved a $1 million grant as part of a program established last year to provide financial assistance to developers bringing retailers to downtown.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/25/06 07:41 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (20)
24 January 2006
Activists sue over I-10/West Loop expansion
KPRC-2 ran a lengthy story yesterday on a lawsuit by local activists Bill and Carol Ware against TXDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. They contend that the I-10/West Loop expansion project did not receive a noise analysis study required by federal law, and they want better noise-limitation features for the project.
The KPRC story has been posted to the web, and is worth reading in its entirety.
The Citizens' Transportation Coalition has posted more information on its website.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/24/06 09:49 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
Erratic times with quotations at the Chronicle
Last week, the Chronicle issued a correction related to a quotation that didn't really clarify who made the error (the newspaper or the person being quoted).
Yesterday, the Chronicle issued another correction related to a quotation:
A story in Sunday's paper about speedskater Chad Hedrick gave an incorrect quote from his father. It should have said, "He's always had to win at whatever he was doing. We couldn't go bowling without having a knockdown dragout."
Here is the quotation in the original story by David Barron:
"He's always had to win at whatever he was doing," Paul Hedrick said. "We couldn't go bowling without having a knockdown drag out. If Chad wasn't winning, we weren't having fun."
So, did Barron just make up the quotation? Was it supposed to be off the record? Was it one of those mysterious Chronicle editing errors? It seems a little too specific to have simply been imagined by the reporter.
It's impossible to know from the correction. But it's certainly odd.
BLOGVERSATION: Brazosport News.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/24/06 09:32 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
KHOU, Mayor's press shop extol crimefighting by acronym
Mayor White's communications shop certainly is effective at getting good press for the Mayor.
Take this press release story for KHOU-11 by Wendell Edwards:
A new program has put more Houston Police officers out on the streets, and it’s making a difference according to Houston's mayor.
Houston policeman Jeffrey Oliver has only been on the force for three years, but in that short time he said he’s seen it all.
“You have a lot more aggravated robberies, carjackings, a lot of homicides a lot of shootings in progress... that we respond to out here,” Officer Oliver said.
He’s a part of the Neighborhood Enforcement Team Task force program.
“Working on the west side and coming over here is like night and day,” he said.
It’s a program that has put the equivalent of 150 additional officers on the street by paying overtime.
The N.E.T.T. Program is not even a month old yet, and Mayor Bill White said there is proof that it is working.
In the two and half weeks since it started, police have written more than 900 citations and arrested 169 people. That’s an average of 10 arrests a day.
That sounds great, and certainly nobody can object to the increased manpower, but the story isn't complete because it offers no baseline for comparison. Did it not strike anyone at KHOU that the citation and arrest statistics aren't that informative if statistics from other points in time and other neighborhoods aren't provided?
As far as fighting crime with acronyms -- we're more inclined towards the Bauer Solution.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/24/06 09:16 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
County wants to change the Sports Authority's mission
Harris County wants to look at the Sports Authority's mission to see if it should be changed:
Harris County Judge Robert Eckels and county commissioners have approved an in-house review of the Harris County-Houston sports authority amid questions about whether it's outlived its usefullness.
The review is the latest chapter in what has become an ongoing debate at the county level about whether the sports authority should be shut down now that all three professional sports stadiums have been completed. The authority's main purpose now is to service debt on bonds that were sold to finance the stadiums, but has virtually no other responsibilities. Last month, the authority's CEO, Oliver Luck, stepped-down to take a job with the new Houston soccer franchise. Previous efforts to shutter the authority have been unsuccessful, so now Eckels says a change in roles might be appropriate.
"I think it's important that we look at the authority and say, okay, we've got a convention bureau that markets, we individually market. Do we want them marketing too or do we think that maybe we should have them looking at facility improvements or maybe we have them looking at other operations within this community. They do work for the court and the city and so all we're saying today is let's let the court and the city tell them which direction they should take as they move forward and hire a new director."
The authority has a $3 million budget and does market the city's sports venues, but most of that work is done by each individual franchise, including the Astros and Rockets, which both own their facilities.
[snip]
Houston Mayor Bill White's communication director Frank Michel says the mayor is open to suggestions on how the sports authority should move forward, but doesn't want local taxpayers to suffer.
"He would be in favor of looking at any way to streamline the operations, avoid duplication and increase accountability and transparency. What he does not want to do is to have some kind of an arrangment that would shift the bonded debt onto city and county taxpayers of the sports authority."
Although the state legislature has said in the past that the city and county have the power to shut down the sports authority, it's not likely that will happen anytime soon. The sports authority could hire a new chief executive by next month.
It's important to remember that the Sports Authority has five employees (now that CEO Oliver Luck is gone) whose combined salaries equal $622,000, and whose main job is to pay off stadium debt.
Judge Eckels' quote makes it sound as if he wants to find a new job for the Sports Authority, which is disappointing. If the Judge and the Mayor really don't want to transfer the debt-paying duties to either the city or the county, then they should at least cut back the Authority's staff and budget to just what is needed to pay off the debt. There is still plenty of fat in that $3 million budget.
PREVIOUSLY: Shut down the Sports Authority and save $40 million, Billy Burge: THE best reason to shut down the Sports Authority!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/24/06 07:27 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (3)
Ford Motor Company's loss is HPD's gain?
In the quest to find police recruits, HPD is going to...Detroit?
Recent news out of the automobile industry has the department looking at other recruitment possibilities as well.
"Ford is going to be laying off 25,000 employees, and we are out doing our research … looking at which cities that they are going to be laying off and we are going to be sending recruitment teams out there," Hurtt said.
Uh, okay.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/24/06 02:24 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (11)
Shooing away Houston's homeless (updated)
Houston is working hard to rectify a dismal seventh place showing in that meanest-cities-to-the-homeless report:
Houston police today rousted dozens of homeless from downtown encampments in a sweep spurred at least partly by complaints from businesses and residents.
Beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing into the afternoon, officers ordered people to gather their belongings and leave locations where they had spent the night in Tranquillity Park, parking lots near homeless shelters and under bridges.
Although some complained, most complied, wandering off with what possessions they could carry. Police made no arrests during the early part of the operation.
Police Capt. Dwayne Ready said the sweep was part of a continuing, comprehensive homeless program delayed since August as the city dealt with the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Houston's (and New Orleans') homeless needn't fret for too long, though -- soon there'll be a lovely park and underground parking garage to call home.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS (01-25-2006): KTRH 740's Chris Baker has it nailed. The city is sanitizing visible parts of downtown in preparation for the NBA all-star game.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/24/06 01:19 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (5)
City of Houston to build parking garage under new downtown park
And here we thought the city was low on funds, since we have a problem with increasing crime and decreasing police manpower. Well, it looks as though Mayor White has found $21 million for a parking garage to be built under the city's grand new downtown park. Seriously!
Plans for a new downtown park now include a multi-story underground garage. The 12-acre park will extend from the George R. Brown Convention Center, across Crawford Avenue and into the Houston Center area.
In fact Crawford Avenue will end on either side of the park and be closed to through traffic. While the final plans for the park won't be made public until later this spring, Guy Hagstette, the Director of the Houston Downtown Park Conservancy says it will be more than an appealing green space.
It's going to have a number of features in it ranging from areas where you can throw a foot ball, jogging trails, performance area for outdoor musical performances, a pond, water features, a major play area for children that includes water in it, restaurants, other dining opportunities, gardens, tree house decks, all kinds of stuff, it's very exciting.
Just recently announced, an underground parking garage. It will hold 600-plus cars, about the same number of spaces on the surface lots that will be lost when the park is constructed. The unique aspect of this project is that the park is most important element. Hagstette says the design of the garage will fit the park, not the other way around.
[snip]
The city will foot the 21 and a half million cost of the garage, but the park will be built with private funds. Hagstette says construction should begin in late summer and be complete by the end of next year.
(Tree house decks?)
Actually, based on past news stories, the last paragraph should say that the park will be built with mostly private funds. Houston is still coughing up several million to invest in the park itself.
Is this project being directed by our new Houston Parking Authority? Who knows -- there is no departmental listing on the city's website for the Authority.
Also, the story says Guy Hagstette is the director of the Houston Downtown Park Conservancy. Past jobs for Mr. Hagstette include overseeing the development of the Main Street Square fountain. Here's a city of Houston press release with more information on the Conservancy's director.
PREVIOUSLY: The Bill White Vermin And Solid Waste Memorial Park
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/24/06 07:57 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
US 59/Spur 527 project proceeding ahead of schedule
KPRC-2 reports some very good news for motorists who use the Southwest Freeway near downtown:
The end is in sight for drivers who are slowed down by what seems like constant construction along Highway 59 near downtown Houston, KPRC Local 2 reported Monday.
About 200,000 commuters drive between Spur 529 and the Shepherd exit on the Southwest Freeway every day.
But the Texas Department of Transportation said all the lanes on Highway 59 should be open soon, meaning an end to the construction.
"(Construction will be done) this summer … we're excited about that," TxDOT engineer Quincy Allen said.
That part of the freeway was completely shut down this weekend so crews could demolish the temporary road installed on the new Montrose arched bridge.
"In order to remove that, we had to drop the existing bridge into the roadway below and we certainly didn't want to do that with the cars and the traffic there," Allen said.
The final piece of the $71 million project is the completion of five southbound lanes on Highway 59, as well as two high-occupancy-vehicle lanes.
The northbound side is finished. The southbound lanes are estimated to be completed in June.
KPRC does not report that the construction is proceeding well ahead of schedule. Early estimates had the construction lasting until February 2007, and a later estimate revised the completion date to December 2006.
How often do road construction projects finish ahead of schedule in this city?!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/24/06 12:14 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (7)
23 January 2006
Chron reader rep, pollster defend DeLay poll
The Houston Chronicle and its pollsters continue to stand by a poll and reporting that have come under strong criticism from the local blogosphere. This weekend, Chronicle reader representative James Campbell penned a column in defense of the poll and the reporting, and Lone Star times has posted an email from Professor Murray defending the poll.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/23/06 11:59 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Finishing up the Brays Bayou urban tidal marsh project
Check out KUHF's (88.7) story on a pretty neat tidal marsh project along Brays Bayou:
Set along Brays Bayou in southeast Houston, an urban freshwater tidal marsh is nearly complete, a unique project that will serve as a natural filter for polluted stormwater run-off that ends up in Galveston Bay.
The project began in September of 2004 just across the bayou from Mason Park, an effort to try the tidal marsh concept in an urban setting. Now, three terraced ponds are complete along what used to be a storm water culvert that flows into the bayou from a nearby neighborhood. The next step is to place thousands of native wetlands plants in and around the ponds to create a natural filtration system. Marissa Sipocz is with the Texas Sea Grant Texas Cooperative Extension and hopes to have the planting done by this summer.
"Everything is native. Everything is adapted to this region. Everything is something that we would find here normally. If this wetland had existed from the beginning of time these would be the kinds of plants that we would see."
The wetlands project is part of a larger Harris County Flood Control District effort to deepen and widen a 21-mile section of Brays Bayou. Sipocz says the tidal marsh concept has proven itself in the past and should work as well in an urban setting as it does elsewhere.
Students from nearby high schools are helping with the planting and will use the marsh as an outdoor lab of sorts as it becomes more established. Sipocz says the fact that the tidal marsh is part of their neighborhood is an advantage.
"It's not the kind of thing where they have to collect money and write letters and try and stop rain forest damage in some foreign country. This is right in their back yard. This is their neighborhood. They grew up here and a lot of them would come visit Mason Park. I think it makes a real strong community link for them."
The 3.5 acre marsh should eventually filter the water that flows into the bayou, improving the water quality that flows into Galveston Bay.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/23/06 09:08 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
Thankfully, we have a vigilant watchdog media looking out for us
Okay, here's Rad Sallee's story from last November about Metro's cancelled, er, never scheduled public meetings:
Last week, the Metropolitan Transit Authority abruptly canceled two public meetings on proposed changes in 59 of its 85 bus routes, six of which were set for elimination.
But Metro says protests from the public were not the reason.
"Of course we did get e-mails and phone calls when we posted the changes," said spokesman George Smalley. But the meetings were canceled for three other reasons, he said.
First, combined bus and rail ridership was up nearly 15 percent in October over the same month in 2004. Smalley said Metro wants to find out why, and assess whether the rise is likely to be permanent, before making service changes.
Metro also wants to simplify its complicated fare structure, which some at the agency believe has turned off potential customers, Smalley said.
Third, Metro is waiting to see the results of a poll by the mayor's office, asking whether residents would rather have the agency deal with high fuel prices by cutting service or by raising fares for the first time since 1994.
"Metro's fuel costs for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 will be about $20 million more than they were in the fiscal year that began two years ago," said Mayor Bill White.
White said the questionnaire went out last weekend to 160,000 households and responses should be back in a couple of weeks.
Okay, so how long does it take Metro to study the other three reasons? Metro's old service changes press release had Sunday, January 23rd (!!!) as the new meeting date and then that disappeared and we heard nothing further. Nothing out of Rad Sallee or anyone else from our local watchdog powerhouse paper, nothing out of any of the local tv news stations, nothing from Metro, nothing from anyone.
This might have been nice fodder for a Chron traffic blog or a Chron local politics blog, but, alas, the Chronicle doesn't offer those.
KHOU-11's news blog hasn't had anything on it that I've seen and I check it daily.
So, if you are a Metro customer and your route has been changed or cancelled, you are SOL. No public meeting so you can voice your opinion, and local media couldn't really care less.
Ahhh, there's nothing quite like the elite media's idea of providing a voice for the voiceless, eh?
RELATED: Yet another Metro press release on service changes.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/23/06 08:59 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (2)
Seeking a civic vision that actually benefits most citizens
John Wagner has an interesting post up about men who made a difference in Houston, specifically the Chronicle's former publisher Richard J.V. Johnson and Texas Commerce Bank's former chairman Ben Love, both of whom died recently.
Wagner wonders if we'll see Houstonians like those two again:
The concept of the deep-rooted, "business leader as icon" who uses his or her influence, connections and access to funding to drive significant social change in the local community seems so last century.
For example, the New York Times reported yesterday on the efforts of Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen to transform Seattle, but his activities appear to be based more on his personal beliefs about urban lifestyles than on making a difference for the city and its residents.
In fact, his "transformation" is geared to small subset of society -- the highly educated and wealthy -- to the exclusion of families with children and the middle and lower classes.
As I look around Houston today, I see much of the same ... people with a personal vision but not a civic one. And I wonder who -- if anyone -- can be the "get it done" leader the city has relied upon for so long.
If the vision includes spending plenty of taxpayer dollars for the benefit of a select few citizens, then we have people like that in Mayor White, David Wolff, George DeMontrond, Billy Burge, etc. I don't think that's necessarily a civic vision that benefits Houstonians in the short or long term, but feel free to set me straight if you disagree.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/23/06 07:49 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (5)
22 January 2006
Editorial LiveJournalists misrepresent Fourth Amendment, again
The Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists misrepresented the Fourth Amendment once again today:
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution bars the government from conducting warrantless searches and seizures.
No it doesn't. The Fourth Amendment bars unreasonable searches and seizures.
We addressed this back in December (along with the question of the President's inherent powers related to foreign policy and national security) when the Editorial LiveJournalists first made this error.
Maybe we need to send some pocket constitutions over to 801 Texas Avenue.
RELATED: Editorial LiveJournalists inadvertently raise interesting question
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/06 10:10 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
France is the ideal state!
Remember so long ago when Chronicle editorial page editor (or the Chief Editorial LiveJournalist as we like to call him) James Howard Gibbons lectured bloggers on the superiority of "magazine commentary and editorial pages in their ideal state."
Today, the Chief Editorial LiveJournalist gave it away:
I wish I had a dollar for every time [retiring Chronicle cartoonist Clyde Peterson] reminded me: "It (politics) is (unlike professional sports) only a game." I'd be living a life of leisure in the South of France.
As Matt Bramanti emailed earlier, "France is the ideal state."
Of COURSE!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/06 09:55 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Checking in on Senate District 7
The Chronicle's Kristen Mack takes a look at the candidates vying for the Republican nomination for the state Senate District 7 seat in this story.
As she notes, Dan Patrick remains the frontrunner, and the campaign has mostly stayed positive (although one citizen-activist seems to be raising a stink over Patrick's alleged past tax problems).
UPDATE (01-23-2006): The Harris County Republican Party and Houston Young Republicans are sponsoring an SD 7 Republican candidates' forum Tuesday, to be moderated by KHOU-11's Doug Miller. The event will take place in the auditorium of the HCC West Loop Campus at 5601 West Loop South.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/06 09:43 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (11)
Why no Hoffman blog?
Ken Hoffman answers the question that many local bloggers have been asking for a while:
How come every other writer has a blog at the Chronicle except you?
Dave Palmer, Houston
What do you think you're reading now?
Feh.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/06 09:29 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (3)
Fine, but who made the error?
On Wednesday, the Chronicle ran the following in a story about Shimon Peres, who spoke recently in Houston:
Peres' show of support for Olmert may not raise many eyebrows, given that both are tied to Sharon's centrist Kadima party, and both are wise to "capitalize" on Sharon's widespread popularity to ensure that his now-vulnerable party thrives without him, said Emile Sahliyeh, a University of North Texas associate political science professor who specializes in Middle East politics.
"If he doesn't come strongly in favor of Olmert, what chance is there to go back to the Likud Party?" Sahliyeh said of Peres' former party, which he left to team with Sharon.
On Thursday, the Chronicle issued the following correction:
Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres previously belonged to the Labor Party before he joined the centrist Kadima Party. A story about Peres' comments to local Jewish leaders on Page A12 on Wednesday misstated his previous party membership.
Yes, it most certainly did. However, since the error was contained in a quote as well, the correction should have stated either that the professor of Middle East politics got his facts wrong (unlikely), or that the reporter misquoted him and then compounded the error by writing about it.
An email to the Chronicle for clarification has gone unanswered.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/22/06 09:21 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
21 January 2006
Is diversity just for those other teams hiring coaches?
It's interesting to watch the Chronicle's sport columnists dance around the issue of minorities in sports management roles, and the performance of local teams in that regard.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/21/06 11:04 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Demolition is cool
The old Montrose bridge over 59 was blown up (well, came down actually) last night, and new decking is now being laid:
"We had about 90 pounds probably of dynamite. A stick is about half a pound, so about 180 sticks," said Alan Thompson with Engineered Explosion Services.
Crews were also working on the new bridge this weekend, installing decking. This is the final phase of construction of the new bridges spanning the freeway at Montrose. The entire project is expected to wrap up this spring.
There's video with the KTRK-13 story. It's not as impressive as a stadium being demolished, but who doesn't like a big (planned) explosion?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/21/06 05:21 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (3)
ISD's to be reimbursed for hurricane-displaced students
Congress has finally set aside funds for school districts who took in Katrina evacuee schoolchildren, and now local school districts are racing to get paperwork filed before the deadline passes to get reimbursed:
With a federal deadline less than a week away, Texas schools are scrambling to count students and complete stacks of applications to stake their claim on some of the $750 million Congress earmarked for campuses that took in Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
It's a formidable challenge for Houston-area districts, which have been charged with overseeing reimbursement requests for the roughly 25,000 New Orleans students who enrolled in both public and private schools in the region.
"The clock is ticking. They're kind of jumping through hoops right now trying to meet deadlines," said John E. Wilson, a consultant for the Harris County Department of Education's Center for Safe and Secure Schools.
As part of the Hurricane Education Recovery Act signed by President Bush on Dec. 30, both public and private schools stand to receive up to $6,000 for each regular education student they served and $7,500 for each special education student.
Officials from area school districts said that should be enough to offset the cost of educating the displaced students.
Not only is HISD working to get its paperwork in on time, but HISD has also offered to help private schools within the district's boundaries file the required applications.
As we all know, Houston-area ISD's by far took in the majority of Katrina-displaced students, and the financial burden was tremendous. It is welcome news that Congress recognized this burden and authorized the funds to repay these districts.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/21/06 02:24 PM | Hurricane Stuff | Technorati | Comments (5)
Pedestrian struck by Metro bus (with updates)
This is a terrible story:
Metro Transit Authority confirmed that a woman was hit by a Metro bus Friday night at about 6:45 p.m.
The woman, believed to be about 43 years old, had her legs crushed in the accident.
According to Metro, she was in the crosswalk when the accident occurred.
[snip]
Metro said the driver, Romaine Alexander, had an accident two years ago, but no one was hurt.
This time, though, we're told that the woman who was walking home could lose both her legs.
Metro is conducting an investigation and looking into claims by a passerby that the driver was on his cell phone. Also, as investigators routinely do, they will check for drugs and alcohol.
If the driver is found to be at fault, let's hope Metro VP Dave Feeley takes a more serious approach to discipline than this.
BLOGVERSATION: I guess not everyone's having a good week with METRO... (Laurence Simon)
UPDATE: A Chronicle story says doctors were forced to amputate the woman's legs and the bus driver has been cited for failure to yield the right of way.
UPDATE 2: The Chronicle story (link in the above update) now reports the woman has died.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/21/06 08:55 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (24)
20 January 2006
This world-class obsession is going to bankrupt taxpayers
Well, now that we know a rat brought our world-class MetroRail to a screeching halt the other day, Metro's board has moved on to much more important things:
Metropolitan Transit Authority officials announced plans Thursday for a $150 million transit station near downtown that board members said could become Houston's version of Grand Central Station.
That's just stunning.
The board agreed to a $1.6 million contract with New York-based Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects to provide a preliminary design for a massive transit station north of the University of Houston-Downtown and Interstate 10.
"The issue is if we are going to do this, we want to enhance the community and make a real landmark," Metro board chairman David Wolff said.
Metro officials envision the station becoming the hub for many of Metro's services, serving as the starting and ending point for bus routes, rail lines, bus rapid-transit lines and commuter rail. Riders could transfer and catch a bus or train to their ultimate destination.
The project's estimated cost is about $150 million, and the building would not be completed until 2011 or 2012, Wolff said. Metro officials said federal money would be sought.
[snip]
Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn designed Main Street Square, which includes three blocks of pools and fountains from Walker to Dallas along the light rail tracks.
Main Street Square -- where parking garages and the aroma of urine create an atmosphere of...something.
It should go nicely with Houston's grand Central Park Mayor White has been working on. Providing more places for the homeless (and rats) to hang out!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/20/06 07:52 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (19)
Help for parents, courtesy of a Chron editor
The Chronicle's Kyrie O'Connor makes an appearance in the Houston Press to defend her beloved "star" section:
The Houston Chronicle's Yo! section is a valiant attempt to get kids aged 12 to 18 or so to put down the PSPs and pick up some dead-tree media. It usually features a story on a pop or movie star and columns by teen writers.
A recent edition featured the top ten films of the year, as picked by Yo!'s teen critic Jake Hamilton, a Clear Lake High student.
If you're a young Yo! reader, you better like your movies with plenty of gore and sex -- eight of the ten are rated R. Including such over-the-top films as Sin City (tabbed best film of the year), A History of Violence, Domino and Wedding Crashers ("this film was not afraid to take an R rating and provides the kind of risqué humor that audiences have been deprived of for so long," Hamilton writes).
What, no Inside Deep Throat?
[snip]
"I understand why some people wouldn't like his list, but he's our teen reviewer and it's his list," says Chronicle deputy managing editor Kyrie O'Connor, who heads the features section. "You have to admit that 'Ten Best PG-13-or-Under Movies' would be pretty thin gruel. No teen would take it seriously, either."
O'Connor says parents need to talk to their kids about "all forms of culture."
"There's R and there's R," she adds. "I'm sure I'm in a minority, but I'd rather have had one of my kids see a movie that depicted love in its many forms than some hideous slasher flick."
That's nice of Ms. O'Connor to tell parents what they should talk to their kids about, but I'll stick with my own parenting style...which includes a, um, more conservative approach to movies.
You know the planets are out of alignment when even the Press' eyebrows are raised!
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: Wow, in the last week, O'Connor's section has gotten attention (and not the good kind) from the Chronicle's own reader representative AND the Houston Press. I hope that doesn't mean we'll be treated to another erratic blog post lashing out at Anne.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS MORE (01-21-2006): Well, that was entirely predictable. One day after the post above, the Chronicle's erratic features editor took a little shot at Anne and her children in a blog post. Apparently, this is what passes for humor in a gloomy world where everyone is a hypocrite. Well, unlike the erratic features editor, I've met Anne's children and they're delightful. Anne obviously does a great job parenting, and any "humor" from a professional journalist that suggests otherwise is just... bizarre.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/20/06 07:46 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (15)
19 January 2006
Mayor White tables decision on Texas Municipal League
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reported today that Mayor White tabled a controversial proposal for the city to pay $68,000 in dues to the Texas Municipal League:
In another example of Mayor Bill White's desire for City Council harmony, his administration worked Wednesday to avoid a potentially fractious vote on using taxpayer money for a lobbying group that has fought property tax appraisal caps.
At issue was whether to pay $68,000 in dues to the Texas Municipal League, which represents the collective concerns of cities such as Houston before the Legislature and Congress.
The issue, which has sparked recent consternation among conservatives, likely would have been decided with a narrow victory for White — or perhaps even a defeat.
So the mayor, who acknowledged some reservations about using taxpayer money, pledged instead to raise the dues from private sources.
"If you build a consensus, you'll be more effective," he said after Wednesday's meeting, "as opposed to fighting over 68,000 bucks."
This reporting is a little unusual for Stiles, in that he usually reports facts in a fairly straightforward manner, and avoids the sorts of editorial assessments of Mayor White's desires that we see in the first paragraph.
As for the second bolded paragraph, Harris County Republican Chairman Jared Woodfill indicates that eight councilmembers (Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, Ron Green, Michael Berry, Toni Lawrence, Anne Clutterbuck, Addie Wiseman, M.J. Khan, and Pam Holm) indicated they were prepared to vote against the measure. Woodfill is not a disinterested party (he pushed hard for a no vote), so make of that what you will.
Substantively, Greg Wythe raised the following good questions:
It sure seems like there's a bit more to this story that the Chron left on the cutting room floor. The mayor has made something of a habit of finding private funds for things he can't quite get through council with bipartisan support. So what's the difference there? Doesn't that private funding for public services put things at the whim of the mayor just a bit too much? And if it's deemed that there's nothing improper about this funding mechanism, then where's the fundraising group for putting more cops on the street? ... something the mayor says is his overriding passion these days.
It seems to me that the Mayor tabled this proposal for a couple of reasons: 1) There was a real chance he could lose the vote -- remember when the MediaSource loss left him stammering and asking M.J. Kahn if he really understood how he was voting? -- and Mayor White doesn't like losing; and 2) Avoiding the vote and the controversy lets Mayor White sidestep an issue that could potentially come back to dog him if he decides to run for higher office and wants the support of the broader Harris County area.
BLOGVERSATION: Lone Star Times, Houblog.
UPDATE (01-20-2006): The Chronicle's Kristen Mack reports that Councilmember Green says he would have voted with the mayor.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/06 11:54 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
Interest-group money, politics, and double standards (cont'd)
Sedosi Alhambra notes that the Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists ran TWO editorials today on the problem of the interplay of interest-group money and politics as it affects Republicans in national and state government.
The same editorial page has yet to comment on the interplay of interest-group money and politics that saw SEIU effectively buy Democrat Sue Lovell a seat on City Council.
Speaking of SEIU, Houblog checks in on their latest efforts to organize City of Houston employees.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/06 11:22 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
A blogversation on Enron
Chronicle business columnist Loren Steffy penned a somewhat tongue-in-cheek (I think) column yesterday on the fact that some of his columns (and other evidence) have been presented by the Enron defendants as they argue for a change of venue.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/06 11:02 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
A big roar is silenced
This is sad news out of the Houston Zoo:
Bruno, whose deep-throated roar could be heard throughout the grounds of the Houston Zoo, and sometimes as far away as nearby Ben Taub Hospital, was euthanized by local zoo officials Tuesday.
Zoo officials said the African lion was in severe kidney failure with no other treatment options available.
Bruno had been at the Houston Zoo since 1989. Over the weekend, the animal showed signs of deteriorating health. He lacked an appetite and winced as in pain.
This Chronicle story has a beautiful picture of Bruno and includes a wonderful remembrance:
"He had a tendency to call first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening," said Hollie Colahan, the zoo's curator for primates and carnivores. "You could hear that all over the zoo."
[snip]
Other than his daily roar, Bruno didn't do much, but he still managed to maintain a high profile with zoo patrons.
"He lay around and looked good — that was mostly his job," Colahan said.
Well yes! That's what kitties do best. (Striking resemblance, eh?)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/19/06 07:53 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (0)
Whom do you call when you spot debris on the freeway?
In today's Chronicle "Watch 'em," the problem is road debris and who should be notified:
WHOM TO CONTACT : Problems with debris on freeways should be reported to TxDOT at 713-802-5000.
blogHOUSTON also recommends contacting Chris Baker so we can have a rousing Debris Game. (Today was a big Debris Game day!)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/19/06 07:32 PM | Announcements | Technorati | Comments (4)
HPD reassigns officer critical of chase policy
KTRH-740 is reporting that HPD has reassigned officer Tom Nixon from patrol duty to desk duty, while they review Nixon's criticism of HPD's chase policy.
Houston talk radio has been buzzing about Nixon's comments for nearly 24 hours now, with many (if not most) callers supporting the officer.
Nonetheless, KTRH reports, HPD moved quickly to move Nixon off the streets while they investigate whether his comments violated department policy.
This move was entirely predictable, unfortunately. Although Chief Harold Hurtt takes ridiculous amounts of time to "review" matters that he and the mayor would prefer to ignore, criticism of the Chief and HPD brass -- no matter how valid -- must be dealt with, immediately!
Officer Nixon may well have violated HPD policy. But given the circumstances, maybe HPD's brass should give this dedicated cop a break.
I say give him a scolding, and let him get back on the streets chasing the bad guys.
And definitely appoint him to that Task Force that Chief Hurtt will no doubt form to "review" the HPD chase policy.
That's my perspective. What's yours?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/19/06 05:01 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (21)
18 January 2006
The return of the Editorial LiveJournal
It's been ages since a member of the Chronicle editorial board treated us to an Editorial LiveJournal.
We thought we'd had so much fun at their expense that perhaps they retired them.
Trying to pick a favorite song is a fool's errand.
As Matt Bramanti points out, Gibbons proves well suited to the task.
It's still not clear why this features-style writing appears on the editorial page of a major newspaper, especially given our generous offer to relocate such content.
BLOGVERSATION: Isolated Desolation.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/18/06 11:55 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Dueling MLK parades are a potential new revenue stream
The Chronicle today reports that one day after holding a joint parade to honor Martin Luther King, two groups returned to squabbling:
Less than 24 hours after holding a joint parade to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the race to obtain separate permits for next year was on Tuesday with the Black Heritage Society striking first.
Ovide Duncantell, the group's executive director, arrived at Department of Public Works and Engineering headquarters just after 9 a.m., making his the first permit application for a 2007 parade received by the city.
Afterward, he said he had no doubt Charles Stamps, president of the MLK Grande Parade Foundation, promoter of the city's only other King parade, would seek a permit, too.
"Whoever has the permit has the parade," Duncantell said. "I wanted to make sure I'd done everything proper."
The city has 10 days to review the application.
Under city ordinance, another organization can apply for a parade permit during the 10-day review period. If a second application is made for the same day, both applicants must submit to — and pay for — arbitration to resolve the dispute.
Mayor White is missing a big opportunity to "run the city like a business," as he is sometimes known to drawl to the press. Let the two groups have competing parades. And instead of forcing them to pay an arbitrator, jack up those parade fees and make sure the city profits handsomely from it!
That's one new revenue stream that I could support.
BLOGVERSATION: TBIFOC.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/18/06 10:45 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (4)
Parks employee suspended after arrest
KHOU-11's Jeff Mcshan reports the following disturbing news
A city of Houston employee who is suspected of being a child predator was suspended from his job Wednesday.
Thomas Randall Jennings, 55, works for Parks and Recreation.
Officials said he [was] caught on the Web, and police were helped by a group of Internet watchdogs.
Jennings was arrested and charged with solicitation of a minor Tuesday.
He was arrested at his home in Katy and is being held in the Harris County jail on $30,000 bond.
Officials said Jennings is also being investigated on child pornography charges by the Inspector General's Office.
Mr. Jennings should, of course, be considered innocent until proven guilty. And, given recent history, his job at the City of Houston will probably be waiting for him either way.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/18/06 10:27 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
Flawed Chron/Murray/Stein survey continues to draw attention (updated)
David Benzion posts that Dr. David Hill of Hill Research Consultants was interviewed yesterday by Fox News (national) about the flaws in that poll on Tom DeLay that the Chronicle rushed to the field following a spate of bad press for DeLay.
Benzion shares some of the points made by Dr. Hill in his blog post, and suggests that the interview may get some play on Special Report with Brit Hume today. Hill is a nationally respected pollster from The Woodlands.
Hill's critique comes after Chris Wilson of Wilson Research Strategies criticized elements of the survey and the Chronicle's characterization of the results on Edd Hendee's morning program on KSEV-700 yesterday.
As Chris Elam notes, some of the most useful, detailed criticism in print so far has come from Evan at DeLay vs World (with some further discussion here). Unfortunately, that's off the radar of some bigshot national bloggers. That's okay. We're more than happy to help with your hyperlocal blogging needs.
UPDATE: Benzion posts a sneering response by the Chronicle's main Editorial LiveJournalist, James Howard Gibbons, to a Jack Rains email to the Chronicle editorial page. As we've seen lately, emotions seem to be getting the best of some editors at the Chronicle lately.
UPDATE 2: Dr. Hill was not on the Brit Hume show. I don't know what happened.
Evan at DeLay vs World posts more thoughts on the flaws in the Chron/Murray/Stein survey. And make no mistake -- the combination of the poll's methodology and the subsequent interpretation is deeply flawed.
And the Chronicle reader representative completely ignores legitimate criticism of the survey that has been raised by two pollsters who actually make a living at doing political polling (instead of doing it as a hobby while teaching), as well as several blogs. Instead, the Chronicle reader representative posts DeLay campaign emails as indicative of the criticism of the flawed Chronicle/Murray/Stein survey, and posts a "rebuttal" from a Chronicle political editor that isn't a rebuttal at all (and actually makes the Chronicle look more clueless). That's deceptive.
Murray and Stein need either to admit their survey is flawed, or answer their critics. We're not their undergraduates. They can't just tell us to go away because they are (self-)important people with tenure. Both the Chronicle and these academics owe the critics of this flawed survey an explanation of why they think the critics are wrong, or an admission that the critics have a point.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/18/06 01:50 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (5)
Hurtt concedes continuing uptick in homicides (update)
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt announced today that January has already seen 21 homicides in Houston, a significant uptick from last year over the same period.
KHOU-11 and the Chronicle have both posted stories to their websites. It's interesting what each outlet led with.
Here's KHOU:
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt said Wednesday that homicides, robberies and gang violence were at the top of the department’s list.
From the start of 2006 till Tuesday, there have been 21 homicides in Houston, Chief Hurtt said. It is a 50 percent more than in the same time frame last year.
“Unfortunately we have seen a significant increase since about the middle of last year of violent crime, and we’re taking some steps and hopefully we’re gonna change that direction here in the very near future,” he said.
Recently the Houston Police Department implemented a new task force to tackle four main hot spots for violent crime. Chief Hurtt said he hoped NETT, which stands for Neighborhood Enforcement Team Taskforce, would start seeing results by June or July.
According to Chief Hurtt, evacuees were involved in 23 homicides from September through the end of 2005, either as victims or suspects.
It can only improve, now that the acronym is in place.
Here's the Chronicle:
Katrina evacuees were the victims or suspects in 23 homicides between September and December, Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt said this morning, doubling the department's earlier numbers on how many killings have been linked to people from Louisiana.
The 23 homicides account for nearly 20 percent of all homicides in the city during that period of time, according to Houston Police Department numbers. Citywide, the homicide rate rose 23 percent last year, with the largest increases in homicides coming at the end of the year.
The homicide increase has continued in January, Hurtt said. The city has had 21 homicides to date, compared with 14 between Jan. 1 and 18 last year.
"It's not a good way to start the year, but we are also living in a city of more than 2 million people," Hurtt said.
While homicides continue at a heightened level, Hurtt said the levels of other violent crimes such as robbery continue to be of major concern.
HPD will begin tracking whether Katrina evacuees are the victims or suspects in all crime, Hurtt said, in part, to help secure federal funds to pay for two overtime initiatives launched last year to target hotspots for criminal activity, particularly in the southwest.
Note that KHOU emphasized the homicide statistic, and what the city is doing about the spike in violent crime. The Chronicle emphasized Katrina evacuees and MayorWhiteChiefHurtt's efforts to turn them into a revenue stream of sorts (I'm not judging whether that's good or bad, just pointing out how well the story dovetails with the administration's efforts and perspective of late).
As Rorschach points out in the comments, the administration had once downplayed concerns of Katrina evacuees stretching thin police resources.
UPDATE: KPRC-2 leads with the crime statistics AND HPD's manpower shortage in their reporting:
A shortage of officers is not the only concern for the Houston Police Department as the number of homicides continues to rise, KPRC Local 2 reported Wednesday.
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt said the city's homicide rate is up 50 percent in 2006 compared to the same time period last year. As of Jan. 17, 2006, Houston police had reported to 21 homicides. In 2005, the department reported 14 homicides as of Jan. 18.
UPDATE 2: KTRK-13 leads with the crime statistic:
We're just 18 days into 2006, and Houston's murder rate is skyrocketing. According to Chief Harold Hurtt, 21 homicides were reported in the first 17 days of the year. Last year during the same period, the total stood at 14. That's a 50 percent increase.
SUMMARY: Major news outlets in town other than the Chronicle emphasized the crime statistics themselves. The Chronicle emphasized the ties to Katrina, an angle that the White Administration has been pushing hard of late.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/18/06 12:52 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
Lindsay to endorse Hamric
Sedosi notes that state Sen. Jon Linsday will endorse Rep. Peggy Hamric for SD 7, which makes absolute perfect sense to me. Hamric is in favor of the Grand Parkway F2 segment being built through Spring instead of further north. Every other candidate (including Dan Patrick, I am told) is opposed to F2 paving over Spring.
Getting Lindsay's endorsement will not be helpful to Hamric in this part of SD 7.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/18/06 10:07 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (6)
Tomorrow is Metro board meeting day
Metro will be holding board meetings tomorrow, which means today we get a hint of what will be discussed. The agendas make for some interesting reading. Let's dive in:
4. Expression of METRO's support for high capacity transit in the US-290 Corridor
Backers of high capacity transit in the US-290 Corridor will be relieved to have Metro's expression of support.
2. Approval of modification to guidelines for Public Comments
Hopefully Public Comment guidelines won't get more restrictive than they already seem to be.
* Human Resources
* Diversity
Because diversity IS beauty!
The Cubic nightmare marches on.
Apparently Metro's board will not be discussing the latest round of service cuts/adjustments, contrary to the public meeting promise Metro made last year.
Happy meetings, Royko! Let us know how the public commenting went.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/18/06 09:44 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (3)
A Ken Hoffman fix every Wednesday!
It's Wednesday (I have a calendar, unlike Metro) and Pat Gray is explaining the new lineup for KPRC-950 on Wednesday mornings. Since Councilman Michael Berry has Council obligations on Wednesdays, Pat Gray will do an extended version of his show with the Chronicle's Ken Hoffman.
Since we can't get Hoffman to take over Metro & State columnist duties, this is a welcome bonus for us Ken Hoffman fans!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/18/06 09:19 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (1)
Danger Train power outage means downtown cars are safe
Yesterday Laurence was joyful because he'd had a perfect METRO day.
Today everything is back to normal. Metro apologizes for the inconvenience to dozens of riders.
(And again, buses save the day.)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/18/06 07:18 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (12)
17 January 2006
War on terror moves to Pakistan, upsets Chron editorialists
The Chronicle Editorial LiveJournalists tried to get all serious today.
They're REALLY upset about the drone attack on terrorists in Pakistan:
WHEN missiles from an unmanned CIA Predator aircraft slammed into the Pakistani village of Damadola late Friday, they hit precisely the dwellings in which intelligence reports indicated al-Qaida deputy leader Ayman Zawahiri was spending the night. Tragically, the weapons performed their function better than the brains behind them.
Instead of Zawahiri, the explosives landed on innocent villagers, including women and children, whose deaths provoked anti-American demonstrations throughout Pakistan and a diplomatic protest by their government.
Well, that was this morning. As the Chronicle's increasingly erratic features editor might say, the story has changed:
Four or five foreign militants were killed in the U.S. airstrikes on the village of Damadola on Friday and 10 to 12 militants were invited to dinner in the village that night, the political administrator of the Bajaur region, where the attacks took place, said in a statement released by the provincial government here Tuesday.
The findings were from a preliminary joint investigation at the scene by government agencies and represent the first official confirmation that militants were among those killed.
As for the diplomatic protest by the Pakistanis -- well, that's great theater, and maybe even necessary to the Pakistan government's stability -- but it's unlikely that this operation took place without the advance knowledge of Pakistan's government.
It's regrettable whenever innocents are killed, no matter how just the war. But Pakistan's Northwest Frontier is a hotbed of terrorist activity, and even President Musharraf has warned Pakistanis of the potential consequences of harboring terrorists:
President Pervez Musharraf said the day after the strikes that there had been a foreign presence in the village, and he urged the population not to harbor foreign militants because it would not be good for Pakistan's future.
The Chronicle editorial concludes strangely, with three disjointed paragraphs that ramble on almost nonsensically about Seymour Hersh, Vietnam, and air power in Iraq fueling civil war.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/17/06 11:39 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Why bother with details in crime reporting?
The Chronicle's crime reporting takes an interesting, if not entirely informative, turn today:
Police are searching for four men who smashed a jewelry case inside the Memorial City Mall this morning and ran off with about six Rolex watches.
About six. Maybe five. Perhaps seven. Something like that. The jewelry store must not know, because they surely don't keep inventory or have exact numbers for insurance purposes. Or perhaps a call was placed late to them, Rick Casey style, and the number of stolen watches could not be confirmed by press time. Who knows?
The men are described as 20 to 30 years old and between 5 foot 5 and 5 foot 10. Two of them had braided hair.
Braided hair?
That reference caught the eye of Banjo Jones:
Am I wrong or does the "braided hair" part imply these suspects are African American? I've seen a few white guys with braided hair (none down here in B'port I'll have you know) but it's pretty much a style favored by young African American males, right?
Is saying they have "braided hair" just some sort of code so that the rest of the jewelry store owners in Houston know that two of the bad guys are African American, but leaving out the apparent fact that they are indeed African American somehow going to keep the readers out there who are "keeping score" off their racist bully pulpit?
It gets confusing. That's all I know.
Yes, it does. I still don't know how to score that reference.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/17/06 10:48 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Extra! Extra!
Stop the presses.
A little-known Democrat with no chance of winning invoked Tom DeLay's name in the 7th Congressional District.
This merited 10 paragraphs of coverage in the Chronicle today. It's not clear why.
BLOGVERSATION: Isolated Desolation.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/17/06 10:28 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Chief Hurtt isn't rolling out the welcome mat for the Guardian Angels
The Guardian Angels have arrived and a KTRH-740 news break mentioned that Chief Hurtt is none too happy about it. This KHOU-11 story echoes that:
The Guardian Angels’ No. 2 man is in town from New York.
“We’re looking to be in Houston, in perpetuity, because the people of Houston want us here,” Arnaldo Salinas said.
But judging from his previous comments, Houston’s police chief will not welcome the red berets with open arms.
“I need to work with the police; it works better when we work together,” Salinas said. “But can I work alone? Absolutely, and I would.”
The Guardian Angels have a history in Houston. They patrolled the Montrose area in the 1980s, but this time they are starting from scratch.
For too long MayorWhiteChiefHurtt ignored talk of a police manpower shortage -- they have been focused on everything BUT public safety. You might say we have a world-class crime problem! Therefore, Chief Hurtt isn't in much of a position to complain about a private group coming in to help out, even if the group is just providing an unarmed presence in crime-prone areas. If Houston's top two public servants, who are charged with keeping the public safe, won't do their jobs, are citizens supposed just to sit there like bullseyes? I don't think so.
LOCAL TALK: Chris Baker is discussing HPD issues this afternoon, including the issue of the officer who was fired, then reinstated.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/17/06 04:16 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (4)
HPD's manpower shortage (cont'd)
HPD's multi-faceted attempt to address increasing crime and decreasing manpower may soon include luring police officers away from other Texas police departments:
"I'm sorry. it's business," said Lt. Kenneth Miller of the Houston Police Department's human resources division, which finds it cheaper and more efficient to hire certified peace officers from other cities instead of finding and training raw recruits. "We need good applicants, and if someone wants to come here (from another department), we'd be foolish not to take them. If someone were recruited here, we certainly wouldn't be offended."
A Houston City Council committee takes up the issue today with a planned discussion about authorizing HPD to begin offering in-state police officers a $7,000 bonus to make the move to Houston and enroll in a 12-week modified entry academy class that starts in March.
One problem that has HPD at a disadvantage is the pay:
[Miller] acknowledged, however, that HPD's starting salary could be a step down for some people coming from other large departments. An HPD officer in his first full year makes a minimum of $36,022, less than base salaries in Dallas, San Antonio and Austin.
But the Austin Police Department, which pays its first-year officers almost $9,000 more than Houston does, has its own problems. Despite its attractive salary, the department has been struggling to keep its manpower at full force and has spent heavily on overtime — a familiar situation in Houston.
On to Sedosi who has his own thoughts on why police departments are having trouble recruiting good candidates:
Minority activists have painted the police as the enemy to its constituency, leading to the formation of a chasm of distrust between minority citizen's and the police that are charged to protect them. Selective enforcment of laws, miles of red-tape and bueracratic entanglements (not to mention the ever-looming threat of a lawsuit) have made it near impossible for police to fight crime and protect the citizens as is their charge.
There are now people walking around with video cameras in an attempt to capture "police violence" on a daily basis. Never mind that these "activists" very seldom are present to capture on tape the violent acts commited by the criminals which leads to the violent arrest. That's a problem for other's to figure out.
And then we sit and wonder why our children don't want to be police any longer?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/17/06 12:23 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
16 January 2006
Lakewood Church sells "the tube"
Lakewood Church has sold KTBU-55 ("The Tube").
Mike McGuff has the details.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/16/06 09:58 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (3)
Is there any fireable offense at the City of Houston?
A civil-service arbitrator today held that Police Chief Harold Hurtt could not fire an HPD officer who allegedly downloaded and passed around nude photos from the camera phone of a woman he arrested:
A Houston police officer has been reinstated even though authorities said he embarrassed the department by passing along nude pictures of a woman he arrested, KPRC Local 2 reported on Monday.
A civil service arbitrator ordered Officer George Miller reinstated Friday after serving an eight-month suspension without pay.
Miller was fired in May after he and Officer Christopher Green were accused of downloading nude pictures of Yanhong Gang, a drunken driving suspect the officers arrested on Nov. 25, 2004.
After the arrest, authorities said Miller found nude photos on Gang's cell phone. Investigators said Miller then gave the phone and photos to Green, who transferred the pictures to his personal digital assistant.
Miller and Green were suspended indefinitely after Gang complained about the officer's actions.
However, attorney Marc Hill said the punishment for Miller's crime was too severe.
"It was a high-profile case and that is how the city attorney argued it -- 'It's a big embarrassment to us. It's a high-profile case.' But just because somebody looks at it one way doesn't necessarily mean it’s a fireable offense. An arbitrator held it under the law that it's not," Hill told KPRC Local 2.
We know from the Bromwich findings that crime-lab analysts who produced shoddy (even fraudulent) work were reinstated by civil-service bureaucrats. If those shenanigans didn't constitute fireable offenses, then it's hard to see how anything EVER rises to the level of fireable offense at the City of Houston.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Houston Chronicle.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/16/06 09:50 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (8)
Chronicle reports on crime in the city
The Chronicle has run several stories on Houston's crime problem.
MayorWhiteChiefHurtt's preferred bogeyman ("bad" apartment complexes) gets some play, but there are also illustrations of HPD's manpower shortage. It's some interesting reporting from out and about in the city (and not just from a desk). I'm going to post links without excerpts. Feel free to discuss in the forum.
Violence hits home in city's deadliest district (Rhoma Khanna and Robert Crowe)
Increased gang activity part of problem (Robert Crowe)
Crime's effects felt by all (Robert Crowe and Monica Guzman)
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/16/06 09:27 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (2)
HBJ business humor: The bank of Lee P (cont'd)
The usually staid Houston Business Journal seems to be trying its hand at business humor today:
Popular ex-mayor banks on new career
Newly minted investor Lee Brown wants to expand Unity National Bank's focus in his new role as chairman
Jim GreerLee Brown, the former three-term Houston mayor, has been elected chairman of Unity National Bank six months after becoming an investor in what officials call the city's only African-American-owned bank.
In July, Brown and Houston energy executive Kase Lawal led a small group of investors who took a stake in the local community bank. Coinciding with Brown replacing Limas Jefferson as Unity's chairman, the Lawal-led investment group has assumed majority ownership of the bank.[snip]
"I was kind of surprised to see Lee Brown as head of that investment team and come in to be chairman," says Hugh Barrett, a longtime banking consultant who runs Houston's The Strategic Alliance Group.
Although Barrett doesn't think of the former mayor as a banker first and foremost, the consultant points out that Brown's name means something, especially in the African-American market.
"My background has been in managing organizations," says Brown, who was the national drug czar in the Bill Clinton administration.
[snip]
Meanwhile, Brown's background in law enforcement and city governments could come in handy in the heavily regulated banking industry.
"The things that I've done in the past, whether it's in law enforcement or as mayor, we had to follow regulations, too," he says.
Ah yes, and as the guilty pleas regarding corruption keep coming in from former Brown Administration officials and more damning news continues to be released regarding the HPD crime lab, we can see that Brown ran a tight ship while serving the city of Houston. And then there's the matter of the underfunded municipal employees pension that developed under his watch, which we would (wrongly) think ought to be of concern to those who would put the man in charge of a bank.
And what is with that headline? Popular?
Like I said, the HBJ must be trying its luck with business humor.
PREVIOUSLY: The bank of Lee P.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/16/06 08:37 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (3)
Metro posts new service change announcement, still no meeting info
Metro has posted a new notice of its latest service adjustments. This notice doesn't mention the public input meeting Metro was going to have somewhere around January 22-23, and some of the wording has been changed.
Here is the old notice, for comparison purposes.
I'll post the entire new notice in the extended entry, in case Metro decides this one should disappear, too.
Oh, and there is a Metro board meeting this week, but it seems Metro likes to have a heads up on anyone daring to speak at that one, lest Metro board members get exposed to the people they are supposed to be serving...or something like that.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/16/06 08:06 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (2)
Chron's "star" and TMi: dumbed-down and trashed-up
Chronicle Reader Rep. James Campbell disclosed that he often cringes when he turns to the TMi page in the "star" section on Wednesdays:
[...]most media entities, including the Houston Chronicle, are in our faces with stories about the famous, infamous and previously undistinguished people trying to make careers out of their 15 minutes of fame. We're told that the focus on pop culture is a necessary divergence from the serious news. But that begs the question: How much pop culture is too much? If readers who complain about our TMi page published each Wednesday in the STAR Section are a measure, we've already crossed the line.
For the uninitiated, the TMi page, whose motto is "more pop-culture news than anyone needs," is not for the faint of heart, sensitive or humorless. The page features a montage of sidebars and vignettes about TV, movies, music, fashion and the famous garnished with bold headlines and even bolder photographs. The topics are intentionally sophomoric and nonchallenging, point being to give pop-culture worshipers an irreverent take on your name-of-topic. Some Wednesdays I dread turning to the page.
We know the feeling. Early on in this little blog's life, we complained about the loss of the wonderful Sunday Texas Magazine and the need for a parental warning label in the "star" section, often because of the TMi content. I have long since stopped reading that section, and not just because pictures of scantily clad women are not something I want my kids seeing on the dining room table in the mornings. How about that story of a UH student becoming a Playboy Playmate? Yeah, that's great breakfast conversation! Very edifying!
How many other readers are like me: so turned off by what might be in the "star" section that we no longer even open it up?
John Derbyshire summed it up best when he said, "Pop culture is filth."
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/16/06 07:32 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (6)
15 January 2006
Recent news reflected by new Chron poll on DeLay
The Chronicle released a survey on Rep. Tom DeLay by Richard Murray and Houston's most happening political scientist Bob Stein over the weekend.
One question on the survey seems a bit bizarre, as it appears that Murray and Stein asked ALL respondents (not just those planning to vote in the Republican primary) whom they would be voting for in the Republican primary, thereby making the results on that particular question relatively useless. It's not entirely clear if the newspaper simply misreported the results, or if the veteran pollsters really did employ a strange approach to that question.
Unfortunately, the newspaper chose not to post full (raw) survey results or full crosstabs online, so it is impossible for those who might be interested to look at the work more carefully.
Evan at Delay vs. World has given the reported results a careful look, and also has an email out to pollsters and reporter alike for clarification on some of the numbers. Evan's executive summary (if you will) is as follows:
1. This isn't good for DeLay, although it's not really unexpected. The survey puts DeLay's favorable/unfavorable at 29%/60%, and it shows that many voters who have voted for him are considering other candidates because of his legal situation.
2. Unless DeLay's legal situation deteriorates, this is very likely the nadir of his poll numbers. There's no doubt that after the last few weeks, DeLay's poll numbers would be bad. But is this really the best time to take a poll, if you're attempting to predict the outcome of upcoming elections? No.
3. As far as I can tell, unless the Chronicle or Stein/Murray choose to clarify the primary results, it's very hard to take the primary results seriously.
4. If DeLay wins legally, he'll win re-election. If he loses legally, he won't win re-election.
Evan also notes that KHOU-11 seems to have had some difficulty interpreting the results properly.
There's not much to add to Evan's assessment, which ought to be read in its entirety. After the last few weeks and the accompanying press, it's not surprising that Rep. DeLay's poll numbers have suffered accordingly. It may be exciting for some executive editors to rush a (flawed) poll to the field in those circumstances, but the timing probably isn't so helpful in terms of predicting the outcome of the election. The poll does illustrate that Rep. DeLay's legal situation is central to his re-election chances, but that shouldn't come as news to most people.
UPDATE (01-16-2006): The Chronicle's Dean Betz informs in the comments that Murray/Stein have provided additional crosstabs, which the Chronicle has posted. Thanks to all of them for responding so quickly. Evan at Delay vs. World has some preliminary thoughts on the newly posted information.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/15/06 10:56 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (14)
Food and drink roundup (01-15-2006 edition)
The Food and Drink offerings have been a bit meager to start the year, but we'll try to throw something together.
Alison Cook reviewed downtown restaurant 17 as her last review of the year, and liked changes from the new kitchen management.
Brian McManus's reviews of local eateries remind us that we haven't heard from Robb Walsh in a while, and also make us hope he gets back soon. I'm not sure why a review of Tony's or a later review of the wild Sunday brunch at La Strada necessitates multiple mentions of the male sex organ. There's too little talk of food or cuisine in this man's restaurant reviews.
Mary Vuong looks at what Houstonians can expect trend-wise from local eateries in 2006. She also looks at the versatility of teas in drinks and food.
Ken Hoffman's fast food reviewing talents have been on a bread kick the past two weeks. Last week Blimpie's "new" whole grain wheat bread got a gander. This week Quiznos new bread bowls get the nod. The bread bowls sound yummy. What a bad time to start a diet for a New Year's resolution.
And Gracie Ochoa does a short write-up for Montrose lounge The Flat.
World Class, all of it. Enjoy!!
Posted by Callie Markantonis @ 01/15/06 10:16 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (2)
Neighborhood Protection unit focuses on graffiti (updated)
KHOU-11 posts some good news on the city's worsening graffiti problem -- MayorWhiteChiefHurtt are finally paying attention:
You might have seen it and police confirm it -- graffiti is popping up in more places.
Graffiti is popping up in more places around Houston.
This type of vandalism is exploding in Houston and there is one city department now appointed to erase the writing on the wall.
[snip]
In the past citizens turned to several different agencies for help, but those groups ran out of money. With the resurgence of graffiti, HPD’s Neighborhood Protection will now take on the problem.
“It’s huge,” said Assistant Chief Brian Lumpkin who heads the new unit.
He said his approach to erasing this problem is simple.
“Take some money that the mayor’s anti-gang office had for abatement and we’re going to train our inspectors to supervise probationers and trustees. And we’re going to come out as aggressively and as fast as we can start covering it up,” Lumpkin said.
[snip]
While Lumpkin’s group will target all graffiti, but first on his list are “The ones that are most hateful and the ones that are race related and the most hurtful,” Chief Lumpkin explained.
Chief Lumpkin said an inspector would check out locations two days after receiving a call.
They’ll place a yellow notice and let the owner know that they have 30 days to clean up the criminal mischief.
If an owner who can afford to clean up doesn’t, the city will spray away the problem and a lien will be placed on the property.
“We’re probably going to be hitting some other locations multiple times before we get it under control,” Chief Lumpkin said.
MayorWhiteChiefHurtt haven't wanted to spend money on this problem, but the explosion of graffiti is kind of hard to ignore after a while. It's good that citizen complaints and ongoing media coverage have finally prompted a response, although we'll reserve judgment until we see more in the way of results, and not just PR. Indeed, there's an abandoned building here in midtown that's a graffiti eyesore. I'll be reporting it to the hotline on Monday, and tracking the response.
The KHOU report says graffiti can be reported using the city's 311 number. They also give the Neighborhood Protection number: 713-884-3131.
UPDATE (01-16-2006): I called the last number listed by KHOU. I got someone whose name I didn't recognize at HPD. He told me the number I need is actually 713 525 2525. That number was not functional.
I then called the city's 311 number to report a graffiti problem. I listed the intersection of the problem property. The 311 operator told me the system will not accept an intersection, I must have a physical address. I told the operator that the address has been tagged over, the property is abandoned, and that I can't obtain the physical address or even a nearby address. I suggested that it is across the street from a city park, and perhaps she could obtain the address from that. Nope, she wanted a physical address, otherwise she couldn't report the problem. And she couldn't transfer me to Neighborhood Protection directly because today is a federal holiday.
So, right off the bat, the PR for this program already exceeds the actual functionality of the program, and my time has been wasted. I'll try to email various parties in the city about the incident I want to report as well as the deficiencies in the program, and we'll see if anything happens.
UPDATE (01-16-2006): About 5pm today, someone from 311 answered my email, thanked me for my concerns about the onerous reporting requirements of the phone line, and said my complaint had been entered in the database. I'll try to remember to follow up on the complaint.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/15/06 06:20 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (3)
And why do people PAY to read Rick Casey?
Chronicle metro/state editorialist and gossip columnist comments today on the recent controversy over television stations that declined to run an attack ad by liberal advocacy groups opposed to Rep. Tom DeLay after DeLay's legal team implied it would hold the stations legally accountable for any falsehoods contained in the ad:
Rep. Tom DeLay took a chance when he unleashed his lawyers on local television stations, hinting at lawsuits if they ran a 30-second anti-DeLay spot.
Preventing exposure of something is a sure way to draw attention to it.
Three days ago, Charles Kuffner made the same observation:
The next best thing to having an advertisement run on TV is having its cancellation by scaredy-cat station managers turn into a news story, especially one that may last multiple days.
So, Kuffner was more timely. Unlike Casey, Kuffner doesn't generally engage in malicious smears of people with whom he disagrees. Unlike Casey, Kuffner doesn't typically call up someone for a quote at the last minute (knowing he/she won't be able to answer in the time frame given), and then write that he was unable to contact the person. Unlike Casey, Kuffner to my knowledge has never borrowed someone else's work and presented it as his own.
But, Kuffner's a blogger, and we're sure his writing isn't in the ideal state preferred by some. So what does that say about the Chronicle's featured metro/state editorialist and gossip columnist?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/15/06 11:36 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (3)
14 January 2006
Maximize your potential: Read Slampo
Slampo breaks one of his New Year's Resolutions (not to take Chronicle pontificators so seriously), and it's all sorts of fun for readers!
Up first: Metro/state editorialist and gossip columnist Rick Casey's Friday column. Here's an excerpt from Slampo:
Perhaps it would be possible for Andrea Yates, with lots of love and attention, with a goodly serving of newfound self-esteem, with morning tai chi sessions and afternoons with Dr. Phil videos, and, most importantly, with a finely calibrated regimen of pharmaceuticals (we'd suggest it include whatever medication that Lea Fastow lady was/is on---that looked to be some powerfully good shit) to maximize her potential, to somehow set aside the nagging fact that she killed her kids and live a most fulfilling and productive life in psychiatric confinement. Perhaps she could write a book (perhaps Rick Casey could be co-author!) and be temporarily furloughed to be interviewed on Oprah, or to make a blockbuster-ratings appearance being chatted up by Diane Sawyer from the inside.
Read the whole thing. It's just wicked, good ridicule.
Slamp then turns his attention to MeMo:
Even though Kent isn't willing to play the role in which Guillermo would cast her, the columnizer weirdly calls on "mote-and beam bloggers" and right-wing pontificators Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham, as well as the mayor and firefighters union, to join her in her outrage (although, as it usually does with smug and too-comfortable commentators, the "outrage" here sounds entirely feigned). Apparently the mote and/or beam in Guillermo's eye so obscured her vision that she couldn't closely read her own paper's front-page story, wherein it's clearly stated that state law dictated Kent's circumstance. Once the eye problem clears up, maybe for her next writing assignment the columnist could find out the names of her state rep and senator and dash off angry letters to them (or better yet, try to figure out the relations between local lawmakers and the city's uniformed-employee groups---that'd keep anybody busy for the next decade).
More wicked, good writing.
Please go read the entire post and not just the excerpts. And add Slampo to your bookmarks/bloglines. That guy sure is entertaining.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/06 11:45 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
When the urge to "flame" strikes, we recommend Bikram
The Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists were predictably worked up today over the Beda Kent story:
When a female firefighter has to take a civil service test 12 hours after giving birth or postpone for years her chance for promotion, something is seriously amiss. In this case, it is a Texas law that arbitrarily requires all firefighters seeking promotion to take the test at the same time and the same place.
There is a valid intention for the requirement. A Houston Fire Department spokesman said 486 firefighters took the test. Theoretically, each had exactly the same time to receive and study the required texts before taking the test.
The theory, however, rarely holds in practice.
Taking the first two bolded excerpts -- if the law arbitrarily establishes stringent rules for civil-service exams, then isn't it contradictory to suggest there's a valid intention behind the law? Why yes -- yes it is. And the third bolded excerpt is simply an assertion that the Editorial LiveJournalists presented as fact, when in reality their "evidence" is unconvincing.
The story was reported by KTRK three days ago. One would have thought that would be enough time for most newspapers to put together a coherent editorial. But, most newspapers do not have the Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists. Indeed, the Chronicle has produced quite a bit of opinion on this matter that is heavy on emotion and outrage, and decidedly short on right reason.
But, some good came of one Chronicle editor having one of her occasional blog meltdowns. This comment left in response makes a great deal of sense:
As usual, the Chronicle has not given the public all of the facts. Don't know if it's due to space limits or incompetence.
The promotional system is dictated by the Civil Service Commission, State Law. It works like this. The commission announce a test date and a list of study material. A firefighter that is eligible for the exam must sign up in a specified time period and purchase the study material. When the test date arrives, everyone takes the test at the same time and place. When you finish, they grade it right then. When all have finished or the time is up for the test, then there is a review period for any challanges to questions. Then the list is certified.
Now the promotions begin. For this exam, there are 48 current openings. That means the top 48 will be promoted right away. The list will stay active for 2 years from the date of exam. Any other openings that come about due to retirements, resignations or promotion of a higher rank; will allow the next on the list to be promoted. When the list is exhausted or expires due to the 2 year rule (usually the case). Then the Fire Chief informs the Civil Service Commission and the process starts all over again.
There is usually a 3-4 month time period before the next test is given. This time it was longer due to contract negociations from our year long effort to negociate a collective bargaining agreement with the City of Houston. The Fire Chief did not want to give promotional exams if there was a posibillity of the department changing from 4 shifts to 3 shifts, there by reducing the numbers of personnel needed at each rank.
These are the rules and we live by them. In June of 2003, we took the Sr. Captain's exam and one of the Captains that took had a heart attack about 3 weeks before the exam. He tried to get the test delayed. Didn't happen. He went and took the test. He did not fare as well as Kent and was not promoted. By the way, he is the president of the Black Professional Firefighters union. Still no dice.
I agree with Laurence from Charlotte, commend Kent for the fine display of committment and addaptation. I also think she will make a fine officer.
If state law needs to be changed, then so be it. Make it fair for exceptions. But where do you draw the line. What if I break my arm and can't write, what if I've got the flu, what if my mother just died, what if my child is having chemo treatments. Where do you draw the line?
Posted by: Tim at January 13, 2006 08:43 AM
That's about the smartest, most reasonable thing I've seen written about this.
My final thoughts are going to echo Chris Baker on Friday -- Good for this woman for getting up and doing what she thought she needed to do. THAT is a great story. Bully for her! Why can't we just leave it at that? Why must it be elevated to a CAUSE? And why must one Chronicle editor call Anne Linehan names for not sharing her outrage?
For those who still want to pound the keyboard and be outraged no matter what, we suggest deep breathing. And Bikram Yoga. Some blogHOUSTONians tell me it's helpful.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/06 10:59 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (6)
Are multiple online personas illegal?
KTRK-13's Ted Oberg checks in on an ongoing legal dispute in Fort Bend County that pits a master planned community against a blogger for using multiple pseudonyms to generate negative online conservations about the said master-planned community:
A Fort Bend County man says he's expressing his first amendment right of free expression. A major land developer says that the homeowner is actually misleading other people and hurting his business. This war over words first played out on the Internet, but is now moving to the courts.
We're talking about blogging on the net. The law can't always keep up with the Internet and blogging is a little like the Wild West -- there just aren't many rules. But the developer in this case, Sienna Plantation, is huge. So why would they put up a fight about what one little guy writes on a few websites?
This all starts at Chris Calvin's Sienna Plantation home.
"I love it," he said. "I wouldn't speak up if I didn't love it."
He's lived here three years and tells us he wants to stay. But he's pretty upset about hundreds of apartments the developer plans to build about a mile from his home.
"You're going to overcrowd our schools," Calvin predicted.
Months ago Calvin put up signs and circulated a petition to fight the plan. He also started blogging under the screen name 'Responsible Development.' Blogs are online journals and many times people write entries under pen names.
"I wanted to communicate what was going on in the community," Calvin said.
But as he continued to blog Calvin started using other screen names. 'Jane L', 'Buddy J', 'Jim Calhoun 1' - dozens by the time it was done. He admitted using 24 names. And that was when Sienna Plantation's developer had enough.
Sienna Plantation Attorney John Keville explained, "Chris Calvin can say any opinion he wants as long as he puts his name on it. Chris Calvin can't be a mob of 30 people."
It's the power of the Internet as an equalizer the developer says that forced them to sue. They admit much of what Calvin wrote was true or his opinion. But they say he deceived Internet readers when he created the sense that so many people shared his opinion.
Chris Elam blogged on this topic some time ago.
I don't know the applicable law here, but I have my doubts that Sienna Plantation has a strong case unless they can demonstrate false information was posted by Calvin's multiple personas. It's just not clear to me that multiple online personas posting opinion that isn't factually incorrect or slanderous or libelous can be silenced legally.
However, that kind of online behavior just seems impolite to me. Pseudonyms are allowed on the comment boards here, but it never struck me that someone might try to hijack the discussion on those boards with multiple pseudonyms until Elam blogged about it. We've since modified the terms of service, and I do watch for that sort of thing when new users register.
It will be interesting to see how the legal aspects of the dispute play out.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/06 05:47 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (6)
Shutter the D.C. bureau (cont'd)
Earlier this week, two Chronicle D.C. bureau reporters contributed to a story with the headline, "DeLay takes Texas' clout in Congress with him."
The story suggests that Texas Congressional pork may be in jeopardy, now that Texas has no members of Congress in prominent leadership positions:
[W]hen embattled Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, stepped down permanently as House majority leader Saturday, Texas found itself without a rainmaker in a top congressional leadership role.
[snip]
[W]ith DeLay's departure from the leadership, the top ranks of the House and Senate are void of Texas twangs, and there aren't any custom-made cowboy boots parked under a committee chairman's seat other than Barton's.
[snip]
Beyond bragging rights, there is a practical reason for wanting Texans in congressional leadership jobs. Powerful lawmakers can direct money, programs and projects to Texas.
Houston's most happening political scientist and bicyclist, Bob Stein, makes an appearance:
Having DeLay in place was vital when federal money was needed for the space program, relief for Hurricane Katrina victims, the Texas Medical Center and other local projects, said Bob Stein, a Rice University political scientist and pollster.
But, Stein said, the Texas leadership void is in large part one of DeLay's legacies to the state since he spearheaded the controversial 2003 redistricting effort that placed so many freshman members in Congress from Texas — and booted out Democrats with decades of seniority.
Is there a quota at the Chronicle for comments from Bicyclist Stein? Because it's hard otherwise to explain this off-topic comment from the Houston bicyclist (it's somewhat off topic because high-ranking Democrats who lost their seats after redistricting weren't a part of the Republican Congressional leadership).
Strangely, the story works in three paragraphs quoting Bicyclist Stein and another quoting lefty analyst/consultant, George Strong, but neglects to mention two important facts that would seem to contradict the thesis that Texas pork might be threatened by Rep. DeLay's departure from leadership: 1) Rep. John Culberson is a member of the Appropriations committee and 2) Rep. DeLay has announced that he will be reclaiming his seat on the Appropriations committee.
But hey, why mention little facts that weaken the story you want to tell? Especially if Bicyclist Stein can be quoted instead!
BLOGVERSATION: Isolated Desolation, Off the Kuff.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/06 05:21 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
When editors make reporters look bad
From today's Chronicle corrections:
•More than half of the Houston Independent School District's teachers would have received bonuses last school year if the merit pay system adopted this week had been in place. Because of an editing error, a story on Page B1 in Friday's editions of the Chronicle incorrectly stated the percentage of teachers in HISD's West and South regions who would have earned bonus pay.
Here's the story the correction references and here are the relevant paragraphs:
Almost one-third of the teachers at schools in HISD's West Region would have received a bonus, which is the highest percentage among the school district's five regions.
Just one in every five teachers in the South Region would have earned a bonus if the new system had been in place, based on 2005 scores.
Rumor has it the Chron has a new assistant city editor...Jason Spencer.
PREVIOUSLY: Brain drain at the Houston Chronicle? (cont'd)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/14/06 03:38 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Mack covers Houston's newest talker
Earlier in the week, KHOU-11 ran a hit piece by Doug Miller on Councilmember Michael Berry's new radio gig.
Yesterday, the Chronicle's Kristen Mack ran a more balanced story on the city's newest radio talker. Here's an excerpt:
Berry says he wants his show to be a "controversial discussion of issues ranging from politics to pop culture. I want people to discuss openly what they typically think, but can't say."
"Very rarely do you get the opportunity to have frank and open discussion with someone you don't know. We self-select our friends, typically based on the fact that they agree with us," he said. "I want listeners to be exposed to ideas they might not ever be exposed to, so there is a true exchange of ideas."
Ken Charles, program director for KPRC, says what makes Berry good at City Hall also makes him a good host.
"He's engaging, approachable, and has an opinion," Charles said. "He knows how to make a point, defend it, be open to other sides and do it in an entertaining way."
We know that Berry reads and solicits input occasionally from local bloggers. Once he settles in a bit, maybe he can be convinced to mate a blog with his radio show, like some other successful talkers.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/14/06 08:36 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (2)
Still waiting for public meeting info from Metro
Hey, look! Metro's website ISN'T broken:
There will be no rail service between the UH-Downtown Station platform and Main Street Square Station northbound platform so that HP Houston Marathon runners can cross the tracks safely.
And:
Many of METRO's Downtown bus routes will be detoured from 9 a.m. to approximately 1 p.m. due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade running through Downtown. METRO service supervisors will be stationed at various points around the parade routes to assist pedestrians with detours and bus routes.
Now, if we can just get Metro to tell us when that public meeting will be.
BLOGVERSATION: Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Laurence Simon)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/14/06 08:01 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (7)
12 January 2006
Council uses debarment power for first time
Yesterday, City Council used its debarment procedure, the first time it has invoked the power that it approved for itself in 2000:
In an unprecedented action, the city banned a construction company Wednesday from doing business with the city for two years because it failed to complete work on a fire station in Clear Lake.
Stephens Construction Ser- vices was awarded a $2.6 million contract in December 2004 and began the work shortly thereafter.
The city first knew something was wrong last March, when Stephens subcontractors reported they weren't being paid.
By fall, the company trailer on the site was cleaned out, the gates were locked and it was clear Stephens had abandoned the project.
The company completed 65 percent of the construction and was paid $729,000.
[snip]
Wednesday's vote was the first application of debarment procedures the City Council approved in 2000.
[snip]
"Finally we've decided to use it and hold these contractors liable," Councilman Ronald Green said. "This will help us send the message that you cannot reinvent yourself and expect to get city business and do this over and over."
Excellent.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/12/06 11:12 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (2)
HISD board approves bonus program (updated)
Last night I heard a story promo on (I think) KHOU-11 about HISD's proposed teacher bonus program. The promo said something like, "teachers are excited about it, but the teachers union is not." That's an understatement! Gayle Fallon has been very vocal in her opposition to the bonus program.
Well, Gayle can't be happy today -- HISD's board unanimously approved the plan this evening, a plan that has generated positive buzz, both locally and nationally:
The Houston school board unanimously agreed today to launch an incentive pay program that's thought to be one of the most aggressive plans in the country for rewarding teachers who improve student performance.
Designed to attract strong teachers to Houston classrooms and increase academic achievement, the program will pay annual bonuses topping $3,000 in some cases to teachers whose students show strong gains on state and national standardized tests. Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said he hopes the annual bonuses will reach $10,000 in the next five years.
[snip]
The plan has drawn staunch opposition from the Houston Federation of Teachers, who complain the system is confusing and that the money would be better used to increase salaries for all.
Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, commended HISD for becoming the first urban district to create such a detailed merit pay plan. He asked teachers to give the program a chance.
"We will never learn anything if we undermine this from the start. Let's give Houston some room to get this right and to see how it works," Casserly said.
Gayle Fallon doesn't like it, of course, because the union can't get its hands on the bonus money, and since the program doesn't involve the union, she loses some power. But she needs to be careful if many HISD teachers are in favor of the program: Gayle risks alienating her breadwinners.
UPDATE: Gayle Fallon gets much inkspace in this New York Times story on the bonus program, which, shockingly, isn't a glowing review. Old dinosaur media protects old dinosaur union thinking!
Also, HISD's press office alerts us that spokesman Terry Abbott will be on KTRH-740 at 9 a.m. this morning, discussing the new plan and taking phone calls.
UPDATE: Now Gayle Fallon is on KTRH. She wants an across-the-board pay hike for all teachers, and she accuses HISD of teaching to the test. Of course, since the TAKS is a measure of education, teaching to the test teaches students things they need to learn. For example, my fourth-grader needs to pass a TAKS writing test this year. Guess what! He's learning (intensive) writing skills, in addition to his other subjects. Call me crazy, but I just don't think that's a bad thing.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/12/06 09:45 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (8)
Responding to MeMo...
MeMo thinks I need to muster up some outrage because a female firefighter had to take a promotion exam just hours after giving birth -- no exception was made for her condition.
Here's Anne's thinking on this: if a woman wants to do what has traditionally been a man's job, then the woman shouldn't expect special treatment.
Now, if MeMo wants to put her journalism skills to work and dig up past instances where male firefighters have been given an opportunity to postpone or make up the exam because of an emergency appendectomy, or some other such medical situation, then I'll be completely outraged and devote much valuable blogspace to the topic.
Otherwise, I'm having a hard time getting all worked up. Gloria Steinem I ain't.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/12/06 08:29 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (12)
Sedosi has some questions for the Chronicle
We hope you didn't miss this outstanding post from Sedosi yesterday, but in case you did, check out how he takes the Chronicle's Michael Hedges to task for what might be some questionable reporting:
If Culberson is being honest in his account of the interview, and if Hedges really has conducted himself in the manner that has been related to the listener's, then the Chronicle has some 'splainin to do.
Not only is the conduct alleged in this situation unethical, it is a disservice to the public that the Chronicle purports to serve. That the Chronicle has staffers that are unsympathetic to conservative local leader's is not a closely held secret. As a matter of fact, MOST of them openly admit that they are further to the left then are most (all) Houston Republicans.
[snip]
Articles like this, on the heels of the Chronicle's poor handling of the West Virginia Coal Miner Headline blunder raises serious concerns about the reporting capabilities of Houston's major print daily.
Was this article an attempt by Hedges to drag Culberson into a situation to which he has no solid ties?
Was it a conscious decision to omit printing a scan of the text of the letter that was written (which Culberson has said he provided the Chronicle)?
Would publishing this letter cast Culberson in a more favorable light?
Serious questions that need to be answered by the Chronicle in this situation.
UPDATE (01-13-2006): A Chronicle representative emailed Sedosi, and he posts a followup here.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/12/06 12:28 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Maybe Mayor White can get FEMA to pay for a new soccer stadium
A couple of days ago we posted on the decline of HPD ticket revenue, which is impacting the city of Houston's budget.
Yesterday KPRC-2 ran its own story on the topic and this paragraph stands out:
However, the original loss of $5.1 million because of the lack of traffic tickets being issued is something city leaders said they would try to recoup the money (sic) from the federal government.
Houston is going to bill FEMA for lost ticket revenue? Is there anything for which Houston won't be billing the feds????
PREVIOUSLY: Mayor White wants FEMA to help fund HPD
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/12/06 09:30 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (3)
ACS gets contract to develop Metro's "smart card" system
More than two years after Metro was supposed to have a working "smart card" fare system, and one year after Metro stopped paying Cubic Corp. to produce that system, Metro has awarded a contract to ACS Inc. to produce the ticket-less system:
Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has won a $14 million contract with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County to install a contact-less ticketing system for the area's bus and light rail system.
Under the terms of the deal, the new system is slated for rollout in mid-2006.
ACS (NYSE: ACS), a Dallas-based technology outsourcing company will supply and install the equipment for Houston's 1,300 buses and light rail transit, as well as provide system maintenance and passenger assistance services.
The transit authority terminated a contract with its previous supplier.
Under the system, transit and bus users will be supplied with smartcards. The transit authority expects to give 70 percent of its passengers the cards in the first year of availability.
The use of the cards will limit the use of on-board fare boxes to occasional riders, reducing operating expenses.
ACS is also a big provider of red light cameras in cities nationwide. It will be interesting to see if ACS ends up with that contract here in Houston.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/12/06 07:21 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (5)
11 January 2006
HPD investigating another potentially expensive retaliation case
Last year, HPD lost a $600,000 sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit.
This year is getting off to a bit of a rocky start in that regard, as the Chronicle's Harvey Rice reports on another potential retaliation case:
The Houston Police Department is investigating allegations that supervisors retaliated against an officer who exposed misconduct within the department, a police spokesman said.
The investigation comes less than a year after a federal jury awarded $600,000 in damages to an officer who made similar retaliation claims. That case led Chief Harold Hurtt to create new policies designed to prevent supervisors from retaliating in such instances.
The internal investigation was launched after officer Troy Burnett, a 22-year HPD veteran, told Hurtt in a letter that his supervisors had violated department policy by trying to learn his identity after he made an anonymous phone call to the Internal Affairs Division about a sergeant's conduct. Burnett wrote that his supervisors in the Traffic Division began punishing him after determining that he had made the call.
[snip]
If the allegations are supported, the supervisors may have violated Hurtt's new policy designed to shield internal investigations from meddling by supervisors, Wright said. He said they could be fired if found to have violated the policy. Wright said Hurtt plans further reforms to ensure the confidentiality of whistle-blowers.
Maybe our intrepid police chief can come up with a good acronym to solve what seems to be an ongoing problem?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/11/06 10:46 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
There's always next year
Houston is no longer America's fattest city.
And it turns out we're also not America's meanest city when it comes to homeless people. We're #7.
Here's the report from KHOU-11:
A report by the National Coalition for the Homeless ranks Houston as the seventh meanest city in the country when it comes to the way it treats its homeless.
The report focuses on specific city measures from 2005 that have targeted homeless persons, such as laws that make it illegal to sleep, eat, or sit in public spaces.
Life on the streets is where an estimated 14,000 people in Houston claim a patch of concrete as home.
"Some people feel safer out here on the streets than in a house, but not all of us. Some of us want a roof over their heads," said Anthony Scott.
When we talked with Anthony Scott last year he was hopeful. The City of Houston was working with various downtown groups to provide emergency housing for the homeless.
But homeless advocates in Houston say it's all window dressing.
"Civility ordinances, pahhandling ordinances to me is like taking a shotgun and shooting at a fly," said Anthony Love with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County.
Houston must work harder to be #1 at something!
UPDATE (01-12-2006 - 9:10 am): Michael Berry is discussing this issue on his radio show today, KPRC-950 (9 - 11 am).
UPDATE 2 (9:23 am): A representative from the organization that put out the study was scheduled to talk about it on Berry's program. Apparently, they decided Berry's show wouldn't be 100% free, uncritical publicity, and backed out. So much for conversation about the issue, as opposed to simply repeating talking points.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/11/06 10:35 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (5)
Mayor's office wants to crack down on parole violators
The Mayor's office is making a big push to track down parole violators in Houston and Harris County.
Here's an excerpt from Mark Garay's reporting for KTRK-13:
The man arrested for the abduction and rape of a Houston woman was out on parole when it happened last week. In fact, he was a fugitive.
That's the problem the mayor's victims' assistance office is taking on. They tell us there are hundreds of violent parole fugitives in Harris County. They're out on parole, but the county has no idea where they are.
The good news is that the man suspected of raping a 57-year-old woman is behind bars. The bad news is, he's been in and out of jail for 30 years. Long sentences have been reduced to parole. He's a convicted violent felon who was unaccounted for prior to his arrest Monday. Sadly, his story is just the tip of the iceberg.
"Basically, he's got a rap sheet a mile long," said Andy Kahan with the Mayor's Crime Victims' Assistance office.
[snip]
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has a parole office here in Houston, but officials there declined comment on the Anderson case. Instead, they referred us to their state office in Austin.
Of the more than 3,200 fugitive parolees, 78 had committed sex offenses and 58 were convicted of homicide. When you add kidnappers, arsonists and other violent criminals, 494 felons in Harris County are roaming the streets unaccounted for.
Kahan said, "They're basically telling you, 'I don't care, I'm not going to abide by my rules and conditions of release. So what on earth makes you think I'm going to abide by anything else?' "
With so many parolees loose, Kahan and his office petitioned the last legislature to charge absconders with a felony. Currently, captured fugitive parolees face technical violations, which don't guarantee additional jail time. But Kahan's efforts to make absconded parolees more accountable fell on deaf ears. He hopes cases like this one might make lawmakers think twice.
"There are catalysts for everything," he said. "And if a case like this can help us pass that law, then there's nothing I like better than turning a negative into a positive."
Jeremy Desel reports on the matter for KHOU-11:
Anderson was on parole and had a fugitive warrant issued against him.
To be a fugitive, Anderson had to do more than just not check in, he vanished.
Anderson is far from alone. There are literally thousands of offenders on the run in Harris County alone.
Robbers, rapists and even murderers are among them.
"As of December of 2005 you've got 3,256 fugitives from parole and these are all felons," Kahan said.
Of that total, 219 are robbers, 78 are sex offenders and 58 are murderers.
That number includes one, Lester Ray Brown, who has been on the run since 1975.
Charles Anderson had actually been paroled twice. In 1989 he was paroled on his aggravated robbery rap. He was sent back to prison after being convicted twice for DWI and twice for misdemeanor drug possession.
Paroled again in 2001, he became a fugitive in October.
Kahan said the difference between fugitives like Anderson and a high profile escapee like Charles Victor Thompson is small. "The only difference is he's serving the time in your community. Escapee's whereabouts unknown. Declared a fugitive. Nobody knows. We treat it like night and day. Nobody knows. That's got to change," Kahan said.
Kahan's position probably seems like common sense to a majority of Harris County residents.
Of course, common sense often eludes the Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists, whom we've twice documented complaining about enforcement of parole requirements in Harris County.
BLOGVERSATION: Grits for breakfast.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/11/06 10:26 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
The Bank of Lee P
Matt Bramanti alerted us to this news about former Mayor Lee P. Brown this morning:
Former Houston Mayor Lee Brown is part of an investment group that has acquired a substantial interest in Unity National Bank, and the former city leader has been named chairman of the board.Brown and Dr. Kase Lawal lead the business group that applied last July to acquire a significant stake in the Houston-based bank. The U.S. Office of Comptroller of the Currency has authorized a change in control from the previous owners to Kase.
The announcement Monday was the first of several changes expected at Unity National, including restructuring of the management team, making new financial products available and increasing the number of bank branches.
Do you think one of the changes will be tracking down that towering sign of Lee P. that used to greet airport visitors, and putting the thing in the front of the bank?
It's stunning that Mayor Brown could oversee so many messes -- the massively underfunded municipal employees pension plan, HPD's manpower shortage not to mention the crime lab, and corruption that involved Brown appointees peddling city contracts -- and still wind up as chairman of the board of a bank!
I suspected Bramanti was just spoofing me earlier until I tracked down the HBJ article. There are some good quotes from the article Bramanti passed along:
"I am honored by my selection as the new bank chairman and I would like to thank Limas Jefferson for his years of service and commitment to growing Unity National Bank as a financial institution in Houston," Dr. Lee P. Brown said. "I also look forward to working with the Unity board and the senior management team on our new strategic goals of becoming the financial partner of choice customers and business owners can rely upon for all of their banking needs."
Limas Jefferson added, "This is an exciting time in the history of this institution, and the change of control is a signal of a great new beginning. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to have an opportunity to work with such distinguished individuals as Dr. Lee P. Brown and Dr. Kase Lawal. They have brought energy, leadership, and capital to a great institution and are to be commended for such dedicated service to our city and nation."
I'd advise anyone with money at Unity Bank to get it out of there QUICKLY.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/11/06 10:10 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (10)
Great news for Houston taxpayers is bad news for Mayor White
All that economic boom euphoria Mayor White was basking in last week had a bit of cold water thrown on it Monday:
In a defeat for Mayor Bill White's administration, a district court has ruled that the city of Houston must operate under two revenue-cap initiatives approved by voters in 2004.
The city had argued that a limited cap backed by the mayor, called Proposition 1, took precedence because it received more votes. Backers of Proposition 2, put on the ballot by resident petition, said the city had to put both caps into effect, and sought a court order.
In a summary judgment issued late Monday, state District Judge Tad Halbach agreed with the Proposition 2 plaintiffs.
The city will appeal the ruling, which the mayor and controller say has no immediate practical effect on city revenues since this year's budget was written to allow for both revenue caps.
"We will work through this and straighten it out," White said. "I don't think it will be a problem in the next fiscal year. So long as Prop 2 is out there, and if we don't get this cleaned up in the courts or in the charter, it could threaten our bond rating."
Ah yes, the bond rating. Let's rewind to last October:
The current rating and outlook presumes that the legal challenge by supporters of a competing, more restrictive measure that garnered less voter support is unsuccessful.
There is no reason government shouldn't face the same budgetary restraints many of us experience in our personal lives.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/11/06 09:23 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (6)
10 January 2006
Miller, local bicyclist criticize councilmember's radio gig
Earlier, KHOU-11 ran a hit piece by Doug Miller on Councilmember Michael Berry, who began hosting a talk show on KPRC-950 this week.
The hit piece is entitled, "City councilman's radio gig raises questions."
Well good. Presumably, programming guru Ken Charles likes his talk show hosts to raise good questions for the audience.
But perhaps that's not what Miller meant. The headline more likely implied, "around the table of us important journalists."
And Bob Stein. We can't leave him out! Yes, Houston's most happening political scientist, bicyclist, and spouse to mayoral aide Marty Stein has to add his two cents for Miller:
"Actually, it raises an ethical question about whether elected officials should be in positions where they have unlimited air time," said Bob Stein, KHOU Political Analyst.
Well, it's sort of a moot question, since Berry doesn't have "unlimited air time." His show is on four days a week, for a total of eight hours.
Funny, but Bicyclist Stein never seems to lapse into haughty lectures on politics and media ethics when local journalists report his commentary on city politics but sometimes fail to note that his wife actually is a shaper of city politics as a mayoral aide.
I listened to Councilmember Berry's show this morning, and thought it was pretty good. He talks knowledgeably about local issues, and he's good with callers. That's my kind of talk radio. I wish more elected officials were willing to engage the electorate that way. Earlier, Chris Tritico was ridiculing the Controller's Office because Annise Parker was in a meeting and apparently "nobody else in the entire office can speak." That's unfortunate.
It must have been a slow news day at City Hall if that's the best Miller could do.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/10/06 10:49 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (15)
Cavalia comes to Houston
If you've been along Richmond in the Galleria area lately, you've probably noticed the commotion involving a huge tent and other construction.
The tent will house Cavalia, which opens on January 24. Here's KUHF-88.7's description of the event:
The biggest touring tent in North America is now up in the Galleria area. The 110-foot tall Big Top houses the adventurous and innovative production of Cavalia.
Acrobats, aerialists, riders and horses will perform in the 26,000 square-foot Big Top. Normand Latourelle is the president and artistic director behind Cavalia. He was also one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil.
"We are as modern as Cirque du Soleil. But the difference is we have horses."
Latrourelle started working with horses only ten years ago. He considers the animal the most beautiful creature on stage."You don't need to put a costume to a horse, you don't need to do make-up to a horse. Just looking at horse, having fun and playing with trainer to me is just a gift from the sky."
The show depicts the relationship between horses and humans.
More information is available via the press release and the Cavalia site.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/10/06 10:24 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (1)
HPD crime lab investigator wants to expand inquiry
The Chronicle reports that Michael Bromwich, who is leading the investigation of HPD's crime lab, has suggested to a City Council committee that he needs subpoena power to continue his work:
The special investigator probing the Houston crime lab scandal told a City Council committee today that his team needs subpoena power because some key figures are refusing to cooperate.
At least one former supervisor and one former crime lab analyst have refused to talk with investigators who are trying to unravel the web of problems plaguing the Houston Police Department facility, Michael Bromwich said.
The official reports detail Bromwich's unsuccessful efforts to secure interviews with some of the key players.
KHOU-11's Reggie Agui reports that Bromwich wants to expand the probe in other ways:
On Tuesday, Houston’s City Council heard more about the report and why the independent investigator believes it doesn’t go back far enough.
Independent investigator Michael Bromwich said he needs to look at cases going back to 1980.
The independent investigator found that 40 percent of the DNA cases he reviewed had serious flaws – something City Council knew going into Tuesday’s meeting.
What the City Council didn’t know is how long the investigation may take, as it may only be just the beginning.
Until now, the crime lab investigation only looked at cases from 1987 and on.
But the man leading the review said he needs more.
“Going back at least to 1980,” said independent investigator Michael Bromwich. “That is, identifying all serology cases in which the serology work may be related either by trial or by guilty plea to a conviction.”
That means potentially looking at hundreds more cases, each of which will require more time and more money.
The city doesn't have much choice but to get to the bottom of the crime lab problems. They've simply been ignored for too long.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: KPRC-2.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/10/06 10:09 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
METRO advertises for safety specialists
The Chronicle's Rad Sallee reports that METRO is now advertising for safety specialists.
The timing is completely coincidental, METRO officials say, and has nothing to do with recent collisions involving vehicles or the blind man. *wink* *wink*
We can only imagine that METRO must be a pretty great place to work. It draws Chronicle editors, after all. And it seems to promote from within, as Sallee reports:
[Former Chronicle editor and METRO PR person Raequel] Roberts said one of the job slots, with the title of rail safety manager, would be filled by a replacement for Reginald Mason, who has been promoted to director of system safety over bus and rail operations.
The other three positions — rail safety specialist, system safety manager and system safety officer — are new.
Qualifications (described online at www.ridemetro.org) are the ability to drive the trains or buses, investigate accidents, evaluate operator performance and recommend changes in policies and procedures.
The pay ranges from $52,000 to $82,000.
Isn't it heartening to know that the light rail train can suffer over 100 collisions since beginning operation (four of which METRO actually admits were because of driver error), AND the rail safety manager earns himself a promotion to director of system safety? Ah, what opportunities our transit organization offers for those who aspire to great things!
All derision aside, this sounds kind of serious:
Attorney Dan Lundeen, an advocate for pedestrians and cyclists, says guidelines for enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act call for audible and vibrating signals for pedestrians.
People with impaired vision rely on traffic sounds to safely cross a street, but these cues can be compromised by increasingly quiet vehicles and other factors, the guidelines say.
"I think it (audible signals) is something that should be looked at," said Shelagh Moran, a vice president of Lighthouse of Houston, which aids the blind.
These are not unprecedented in Houston, she said, since there are bell signals at pedestrian crossings on Dallas at Dunlavy and at Shepherd, near the agency's facility.
"Those are helpful," she said.
They aren't just helpful, ma'am. They're the law. At least according to Attorney Dan Lundeen. And if he's right, we suspect some attorney in this litigious town will be letting METRO know about it soon enough.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/10/06 09:43 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
Like a toddler with a new toy
The Chronicle Editorial LiveJournalists weigh in yet again on the Abramoff scandal today, with another editorial bemoaning the interplay of interest-group money and national politics.
The Editorial LiveJournalists remain completely silent on the interplay of interest-group money and local politics that saw Democrat Sue Lovell obtain a City Council seat with SEIU's potentially illegal help.
Some scandals are apparently more interesting than others to the Editorial LiveJournalists.
PREVIOUSLY: A truly quotidian editorial on interest-group money and national politics.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/10/06 09:24 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Texas AG asked to weigh-in on red light cameras (updated)
Is Houston one of the Texas cities requesting permission to put red light cameras on state roads?
The Texas Department of Transportation has asked Attorney General Greg Abbott to decide whether the agency can install red-light cameras on traffic signals along state roads.
A few Texas cities already have installed cameras that catch red-light runners by mailing tickets to the vehicle's registered owner. Leaders in several other cities are considering using the cameras as well.
The state, however, controls many traffic signals along freeway frontage roads, U.S. and state highways and farm-to-market roads. TxDOT executive director Michael Behrens wants to know whether cameras can be placed on those red lights.
In a Dec. 20 letter to Abbott that was made public Monday, Behrens said he wants to know how to respond to requests from cities that want to place cameras on state roads within their borders.
It appears that some of the roads on this list of dangerous intersections in the Houston area are state-controlled. MayorWhiteChiefHurtt do want more cameras, we know, which would help make up for the ticket revenue shortfall.
UPDATE: Well, shoot. I missed this KTRK-13 story on the current state of Houston's four test red light cameras:
Back in November there was much fanfare about the newly installed red light test cameras. They were to photograph vehicles as they ran through red lights. The motorists would then receive a warning in the mail.
Two months later, the system was to be officially sending out citations to violators. Houston police admit the testing period took longer than expected.
HPD Lt. Robert Manzo explained, "The testing period has ended. Some of the vendors have started removing their equipment from the intersections."
The red light camera testing ended last Friday and the results are staggering. At just four intersections in midtown and downtown, over 2,800 vehicles were photographed running red lights. Of that number, Houston police determined 633 motorists committed clear violations. Those violators were mailed warning citations. HPD says that's an average of 20 vehicles a day at each location.
"(It) seems like an awful lot," said driver Terri Gaskin. "Seems very dangerous. There's a lot of people crossing the streets around here all the time and I think it's very dangerous."
The test cameras remain at two downtown locations. If you are photographed running these red lights, you won't get a ticket -- yet.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/10/06 04:08 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (7)
HISD: rewarding good teachers and discouraging cheating
This week HISD's board will vote on Dr. Saavedra's teacher bonus program:
The intricate, multi-tiered plan — touted by the Houston Independent School District as being among the most aggressive incentive plans in the country — would replace a five-year-old program that rewards all teachers at high-performing campuses regardless of their individual students' performance.
If the new bonus system had been in place last year, more than half of HISD's nearly 13,000 teachers would have earned an average bonus of nearly $1,000 at a cost of almost $7 million. That's more than triple the number of teachers who earned $1,000 bonuses last year.
By rewarding strong teachers, regardless of their school's overall performance, Houston would be setting the pace for education reform, said HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra.
"We want to pay our highest-performing teachers the most amount of money," he said.
To reduce teachers' temptation to cheat to earn the incentives, Saavedra also said Monday that teachers will no longer administer the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills to their own students. Instead, teachers will be rotated to other classrooms on testing day.
Gregory Cizek, a University of North Carolina professor who recently completed a review of Texas' testing security at the state's request, said the extra effort should help prevent cheating.
Bravo! These are two ideas that should benefit HISD's students.
RELATED: KHOU-11, HISD press release
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/10/06 11:00 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Put out an APB: HPD's productivity policy is missing (updated)
Officers wrote fewer citations in 2005. That may be good for drivers, but the city needs the money generated from all those fines. Officers issued fewer tickets last year because they were busy with evacuations and hurricane victims. The new crime task force also has officers working overtime.
The city says police officers will not be told to write more tickets to make up for the financial shortfall.
PREVIOUSLY: HPD's "productivity policy" begins
UPDATE: Right now, Councilman Michael Berry is discussing HPD ticket revenue on KPRC-950 AM.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: Berry informs that his new show will be on from 9 to 11 am weekdays on KPRC. We're looking forward to some good talk radio with a local perspective.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/10/06 09:38 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (4)
09 January 2006
Slampo tries to figure out a mysterious feud
The Chronicle's Edward Hegstrom offered up this bit of storytelling today:
His financial problems have fanned a simmering feud in the Pakistani community that pits him against City Councilman M.J. Khan. Critics of Bombaywala make frequent reference to his bankruptcy, and they allege that his business practices reflect the way he runs the Pakistani-American Association of Greater Houston, of which he serves as president.
The feud has not drawn attention outside the community, because much of it involves insider parliamentary issues around the management of PAGH. Bombaywala says that only a "small group" of Pakistanis have disagreed with him, and he dismisses their claims as mostly personal.
"I think our people enjoy all this rowdiness," he said of the ongoing feud. "We are very opinionated people."
But others say the feud has begun to have serious, lasting implications. The differences run so deep that the community could not come together to work on relief efforts after the recent earthquake in northern Pakistan and Kashmir. Bombaywala and Khan worked on separate efforts.
Leaders also have split over plans to build a multimillion-dollar Pakistan Community Center. Volunteers at PAGH have worked for more than a decade toward building a center designed to serve and unite the community. Bombaywala has continued the effort, but he parted ways with his predecessors on buying a former grocery store on Bissonnet — a move some in the Pakistani community did not support, because it involved taking out a large loan.
Kahn concedes the feud exists, but says he doesn't understand it. "I wish I knew what it is," the city councilman said.
Bombaywala's rise to success is practically legend in Houston. He came to the city in 1973 on a student visa with less than $50 cash, and was turned down for a dishwasher job at Michelangelo's in Montrose because he lacked sufficient English.
Years later, after finding success first with convenience stores and then with restaurants, Bombaywala bought Michelangelo's. (It is now officially owned by his son).
He bought or started 16 Marco's Mexican Restaurants and became a major investor in such chains as James Coney Island and Gugenheim's New York Deli. He has received numerous awards from such groups as the Asian Chamber of Commerce, the Asia Society and the University of Houston Law Center.
Bombaywala says his financial difficulties began with a business merger in the early 1990s that saddled him with roughly $17 million in hidden debt.
Watermarc Food Management Corp. declared bankruptcy in 1999. The company was reorganized as Five Star.
Five Star declared bankruptcy in 2003. Bombaywala filed his personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October.
The entire snippet above is contained under the heading "Dispute with Councilman."
The strangest thing is, the portion we've italicized has nothing to do with the dispute with the councilman, and the unitalicized reporting doesn't ever identify the dispute.
I read it early this morning, couldn't make much sense of it, and wrote it off as something probably caused by the Chronicle's stellar editors.
Enter Slampo, who may well have figured it all out. Even if not, it's an entertaining read.
BLOGVERSATION: Greg's Opinion.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/09/06 10:57 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Rodeo announces entertainment lineup
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announced their schedule of artists today.
It's a decent mix of Nashville Country, Texas/Americana, and assorted categories this time around.
The full lineup is here.
UPDATE: For those of us who don't care so much for the "big" commercial country artists, the Hideout (the Hideaway in the past) hosts lesser-known artists as well at the Rodeo. Sara Cress has the schedule.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/09/06 09:59 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (0)
Who needs editors when you have a Pulitzer cartoonist?
Chronicle NFL writer John McClain seems downright giddy with his speculation today:
Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak impressed the Texans so much in his interview at Denver last week that he has become the heavy favorite to replace Dom Capers.
Give me any time a candidate like Kubiak, who prepared hard for his interview because he wants to return home to coach the Texans, over Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who has played a cat-and-mouse game with them.
Kubiak is the headline now; Ferentz should be yesterday's news.
We will be stunned if Kubiak is not the Texans' next head coach. They still have interviews to conduct, and Buffalo offensive coordinator Jerry Gray has impressed them, too.
Apparently, McClain was so giddy that he switched Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray over to the other side of the ball.
Whoops!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/09/06 09:48 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Chron: erroneous miner story was a "pardonable sin"
Yesterday Chronicle Reader Representative James Campbell explained how the paper's goofed-up miner story was most certainly a forgivable error:
But if there is such a thing as a pardonable news media sin, this story offers the example. Granting a pardon, however, requires readers to appreciate the circumstances surrounding this story.
Ideally, if news about the trapped miners being rescued alive had begun circulating Tuesday morning, we likely would not be engaging in this discussion.
The reporter at the scene would have remained optimistically skeptical about initial reports of their rescue, but more importantly, would have gone through the logical progressions of verifying the information and its source.
But reality bites. Word about the miners' rescue began circulating about 11 p.m. our time, perilously close to when the last Chronicle editor leaves around 1 a.m. each morning. The early edition of the Chronicle reported that one miner had been found dead. Then the story changed.
"When the initial, erroneous, news broke that 12 miners were alive, we changed the front page between editions," said Chronicle managing editor John Wilburn. "Three hours later, around 2 a.m. (CDT) when the correction info moved, the press run was almost complete and the newsroom had all gone home. It was too late to change the story." Chron.com was one of the first Web sites in the country to post a corrected, updated version of the story.
Which, of course, is a perfect, PERFECT example of why the paper Chronicle is outdated and in a continuous state of declining circulation: The story never changed. The story always was that 12 miners died. The reporting was erroneous and IT changed, but not the story. Twelve miners didn't suddenly die between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.
And yet the Chronicle wants us to know that while this kind of reporting is never acceptable, it is pardonable. Maybe the folks at the Chronicle think it's pardonable, but many readers probably won't agree and this example of the media getting it very wrong will stick with us for a long time.
Instead of explaining why this is a pardonable screw-up, the Chronicle should have followed the lead of some other newspapers and issued a flat-out apology for getting the story wrong and letting down its readers. Period.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: That "the story changed" meme must be making the rounds down at 801 Texas Avenue. That's the same erroneous notion that one Chronicle features editor (incidentally, the same one who ducks legitimate questions about features reporters impersonating Katrina evacuees) floated with a question on our message board last week.
I don't know why it is so hard for some journalists to admit mistakes. Admirably, some editors have stood up and said they blew it. Locally, we get "the story changed." I understand that the Chronicle reader rep position institutionally is more of a PR position than anything else, but I still can't believe any self-respecting newsman (or newswoman) would commit "the story changed" excuse to print (or pixels). Campbell could have apologized for the mistake, explained the circumstances that led to the mistake, and vowed to do better in the future, and that would have been a fine column. Instead, the PR line at the Chronicle is that it was wrong, but not really. Laughable.
RELATED: Spokesman in Miner Tragedy Says He Never Confirmed Miracle Rescue (Editor & Publisher)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/09/06 08:19 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
08 January 2006
HPD crime lab back in the news
We've previously noted the deficiencies in the Houston Chronicle's reporting and editorializing on the Bromwich investigation into the HPD crime lab, so it's no surprise that the newspaper's recent coverage of the Fourth Bromwich report (issued Friday) has some problems.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/08/06 10:45 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (5)
More on Chron's new cartoonist
The Chron wants that P-word added to its stable so bad:
Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Nick Anderson had joined the editorial page staff of the Houston Chronicle.
Anderson was recognized as the best political cartoonist in the country by the 2005 Pulitzer Prize committee. The judges noted his idiosyncratic drawing style that "produced extraordinarily thoughtful and powerful message (sic)."
Fiercely independent, Anderson reserves that right to skewer deserving politicians and other public figures no matter what their party or ideology. Using words and images, he is also adept at relating events and issues to readers' lives.
Jeff Cohen, the Chronicle's executive vice president and editor, said, "I am delighted to add to the Chronicle's staff a journalist of Anderson's caliber. He is a master of using visual metaphor and pointed sketches to illuminate the issue of the day and the people who shape our world."
Oh right! No doubt he's an equal opportunity skewerer.
PowerLine blog took a look at Anderson's visual metaphor mastery when he was awarded the Pulitzer. John Hinderaker's conclusion:
Am I missing something, or is this a pathetic body of work, as whiny, self-pitying and incompetent as it is hateful? It's of a piece, though, with the journalism that the Pulitzer committee found worthy of reward this year. Loyalty to the Democratic party and antipathy toward America are the only qualities that count.
Well, we know that's what often counts at the Houston Chronicle, so Anderson will be a perfect fit!
Whoever wrote today's op-ed called Anderson's work "subtle but engaging." Check out the sampling of Anderson's work in the PowerLine post and see how subtle and engaging he is.
Then Anderson says:
I am looking forward to exploring Houston as a place to live and work, and carrying out the ambitious vision that the editors at the Houston Chronicle have for their staff cartoonist."
Now, if we could just get the Chron editors to muster up an ambitious vision for something besides the staff cartoonist.
As an aside, have you noticed how HPD and the Chronicle have something in common? HPD focuses on grooming standards instead of 2005's markedly increased murder rate; the Chronicle focuses on a cartoonist instead of basic journalism. Heck, we could add Metro in this: Metro focuses on shiny toy trains instead of basic transit services. A pattern is emerging.
PREVIOUSLY: Chron lures cartoonist away from Louisville
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/08/06 07:59 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (4)
Chron politics columnist not impressed with inaugural
In her most recent politics column for the Chronicle, Kristen Mack almost seemed to be channelling blogHOUSTON:
MAYOR Bill White and the City Council began their new terms in a ceremony this week at the Houston Police Memorial, coincidentally symbolic of the increasing concern about local crime.
But Tuesday's inauguration, even with that somber backdrop, was contrived and orchestrated, and lacking in specifics about White's plans for the next two years.
Two years ago White set aside tradition and ventured out of downtown to take his oath of office.
He rode Metro's then-new light rail to Miller Outdoor Theatre, where he was greeted by Chinese drummers, African musicians, a mariachi band and the Houston Fire Department's pipe and drum corps — fitting his theme of unity and inclusion.
[snip]
Tuesday's ceremony, in contrast, was inevitably more pro forma.
For starters, anyone who wanted to go had to board a shuttle to get to there, making it a hassle likely to put off some residents.
For a mayor whose hallmark is accessibility and a common-touch, the inauguration lacked both elements.
[snip]
White said he wanted the inauguration to be celebratory, so he's saving the details of his next term for his State of the City speech later this month. Let's hope we get them and not another thematic preview of what's to come.
Well put.
PREVIOUSLY: Mayor closes Memorial to celebrate his inaugural.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/08/06 07:32 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (2)
Does anybody edit the recipe section?
Running erroneous copy on the miners was a bad enough blunder, but lately the Houston Chronicle has been making other blunders that have the potential to upset adventurous culinary types among their readership. From recent corrections:
A recipe for cheese enchiladas on Page F2 of Wednesday's Flavor section contained an error. The recipe calls for one 15-ounce can of tomato puree. The complete, corrected recipe will run in the Flavor section Jan. 11.
The recipe for stuffed mirlitons on Page 6 of Wednesday's Flavor section omitted a step. The corrected recipe will run Jan. 4 in Flavor.
A recipe for Crown Jewel Dessert on Page F6 of Wednesday's Flavor section contained an error. The recipe calls for two four-serving-size packages of strawberry gelatin. The corrected recipe will run in the Flavor section Dec. 21.
Typos and other errors are going to happen from time to time, but screwing up recipes three times within thirty days seems excessive, and is likely to upset readers who actually look to the newspaper for such things.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/08/06 02:24 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (4)
A truly quotidian editorial on interest-group money and national politics
On Friday, the Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists deemed "truly shocking" the interplay of interest-group money and politics on Capitol Hill, as related to the Abramoff scandal.
As Sedosi noted, their complaints are mostly true, but hardly groundbreaking (aside from that 'purty word that Chief LiveJournalist Gibbons broke out).
What is annoying (perhaps even "truly shocking") is that the same Editorial LiveJournalists who rant about the interplay of interest-group money and politics in Republican-controlled D.C. seem not at all concerned about the possibly illegal and certainly troubling interplay of (SEIU) interest-group money and politics that elected Democrat Sue Lovell to City Council right here in Houston.
One would think the Editorial LiveJournalists of the Chronicle might have some opinion on that local matter, given their general interest in the subject nationally, but apparently not.
PREVIOUSLY: SEIU wins over janitors, sets sights on city employees, Editorial LiveJournalists ignore alleged SEIU campaign finance irregularities, Campaign finance and double standards, Campaign finance and double standards - cont'd.
RELATED: The numbers game (Houblog.com).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/08/06 02:04 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
On magazine PR gambits and flawed methodology
A magazine has posted an update to its annual survey of "fat" cities. Houston no longer is "fattest" according to said magazine.
We've had nothing to say about the magazine's annual effort at free publicity because their methodology doesn't measure what they say, and the novelty factor has worn off.
But in case you were wondering why we haven't said anything about it this time around, this old post does the job adequately.
BLOGVERSATION: TBIFOC, Isolated Desolation, Slightly Rough, Off the Kuff.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/08/06 01:00 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (1)
07 January 2006
Does this mean Metro's not holding a public meeting?
So, instead of actually fixing the messed up date on the public meeting notice that was actually an old press release, Metro just decided to get rid of the notice. Here's the post from the other day with the link that worked when I posted it. Try following the link. It no longer works.
That's nice. Is the public meeting cancelled? Was there ever any intention to have a public meeting? Is Metro going to blame the disappearing link on the webmaster or some other website glitch? Does Metro need more time to "study" its bus route cancellations?
Is Metro afraid some little ol' Houston bloggers were going to show up?
Here's the Chronicle's Jeff Cohen, in his own words:
My professors in journalism school at the University of Texas told us that good journalists are a voice for the voiceless. They also said we should afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. While there have been many changes in media since then, those principles continue to motivate those of us committed to journalism as a public service.
Hey Mr. Cohen: you want to be a voice for the voiceless? You want to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted? You think journalism is a public service? Then put in a call to Frank Wilson and ask him what the heck is going on in the Lee P. Brown building. Make him squirm. God knows you've stuck your neck out enough for Metro; when is Metro going to return the favor and quit making you all look like a bunch of fools? When will Metro stop acting like a spoiled child who just wants to slam the door on those who dare question it?
There are people who DEPEND on Metro buses and they are getting screwed by Metro. Not everyone lives near the Danger Train. The Danger Train can NOT help most public transit users get to work or the doctor or the market. Many, many Metro riders depend on buses. You may not think buses are very world-class, Mr. Cohen, but they are highly functional. Much more so than 7.5 miles of downtown light rail.
What was that the Chronicle said last year about sunshine in government?
Guess you all didn't really mean it, now did you?
BLOGVERSATION: Laurence Simon
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/07/06 09:20 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (4)
Talking about the Texans
Chronicle sports reporter Megan Manfull reports comments on yesterday's meeting between Denver Broncos assistant coach Gary Kubiak and the Texans' brass:
He was more prepared, relaxed and familiar with the entire process than he was during his first go-around. It showed.
Really?
Now unless Ms. Manfull was involved in the private discussions between Texans' brass and Kubiak (this time and last), how could she know that? And if she doesn't know it from firsthand experience, she needs to report that's what other people said.
Here's more Kubiak boosting:
Kubiak's success as a Broncos assistant coach is apparent in the team's offensive statistics. During six of Kubiak's 11 seasons as offensive coordinator, the Denver offense has ranked in the league's top three. His work with Elway and current quarterback Jake Plummer also has garnered Kubiak a lot of attention.
That's all well and good, but there's a guy named Mike Shanahan who's had a pretty strong hand in the Broncos' success. Yet Shanahan isn't even mentioned.
It's understandable that quite a few folks around here like Kubiak because of the local ties, but it's not so understandable why so many stories in the Chronicle have to read like college newspaper essays. Well, maybe it is understandable enough, but we do wish it weren't the case.
Staying with the Texans -- yesterday the Chronicle ran columns by more senior staffers Richard Justice and John Lopez on what the Texans should do with their top draft pick if Texas quarterback Vince Young declares for the draft.
Here's Justice:
Young is a Houston guy. He grew up here, and he loves the city and the people. He goes to Rockets and Texans games. Houston is where he belongs.
This decision isn't about David Carr, either. He's not what's wrong with the Texans. So much is wrong that one player is nothing more than a step in the right direction.
Young would be a large step. He's better than almost any other college football player you've ever seen. He's better than Carr right now and will be better in five years.
This is an easy call for the Texans. If Young makes himself available for the NFL draft, they must take him. He's the guy they can build around. He would become the face of the franchise, the leader on the field and off.
Here's Lopez:
But as much as the show he put on Wednesday night was phenomenal, as much as he appears to be closer to a sure NFL thing than Ward or Frazier, Young is not the best No. 1 pick for the Texans.
Reggie Bush is.
Don't let the thrill of the moment fog your senses. Step back and look at this Bush-Young question logically.
While the pressure to draft Young will be immense and he has the potential to be a franchise quarterback, he would be the best pick for the Texans only if this were 2002 again.
If the Texans do buckle and pass on Bush in favor of Young, they would be admitting the last four years were a waste. It would be a total start-over for the franchise. Texans owner Bob McNair might as well change the colors and have a name-the-team contest.
I expected the two columnist/bloggers to solicit input on their respective blogs on these stories, but there's no mention of it. So what do YOU think, blogHOUSTON readers? Is Justice right, or Lopez? Give us your take in the comments.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/07/06 02:11 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (10)
DeLay will not seek to return as majority leader
Rep. Tom DeLay announced today that he will not seek re-election as House Majority Leader, and urged Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to conduct new elections for a permanent leader as quickly as possible.
I've posted Rep. DeLay's letters to the Speaker and to his House colleagues over at Brothers Judd.
UPDATE: Eric Thode informs that Rep. DeLay will be holding a press conference at the fountain in Sugar Land Town Square at 2:00 pm today. Anyone is welcome to attend.
UPDATE 2: Chris Elam posts a campaign rally update.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/07/06 12:52 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (3)
HPD bans tattoos, goes after beards
In an effort to get Houston's crime problem under control, Chief Hurtt will leave no idea untried:
The Houston Police Department's new dress code is now in effect. It became department policy on January 1 and prohibits uncovered tattoos on officers.
[snip]
In his quest to make the streets of Houston safer, Police Chief Harold Hurtt has said all along that he wants his officer looking professional. But many in the rank and file believe his efforts to clamp down on their grooming habits are slightly misguided.
"I think we need to be concerned about the homicide rate. I think we need to be concerned about staffing issues we have, about being able to run calls for service in a timely fashion," said HPD Officer J.E. Tippy. "I think there's a lot of other bigger issues the citizens of Houston would be concerned about."
Maybe this is the kind of cutting-edge thinking that got Chief Hurtt noticed when he was in Phoenix:
“Chief Hurtt is a leader, someone who can instill confidence up and down the ranks. He can also communicate well with our diverse community,” said Mayor Bill White. “Many consider Chief Hurtt the most successful major-city chief in the country.”
BLOGVERSATION: Laurence Simon
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/07/06 12:45 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (10)
A skeptical look at N.Y. Times story in today's Chronicle
The Chronicle's Big Front Page story today is this New York Times piece on inadequate body armor supplied to Marines in Iraq:
A secret Pentagon study has found that as many as 80 percent of the Marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had had extra body armor. Such armor has been available since 2003, but until recently the Pentagon largely has declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, according to military officials.
Jay Tea over at Wizbang blog points to a post by Confederate Yankee who says the Times piece is misleading:
By design, the Times article shows an inaccurate picture of the Interceptor system provided to the Marines, based upon a false premise. This study only looked at fatalities, those Marines killed by upper body wounds while wearing vests. It excluded all the times where Interceptor vests worked as designed and the Marine survived.
This is akin to judging automobile safety by looking at only wrecks resulting in fatalities, as oppose to those wrecks where fatalities were prevented by good automotive design.
Here we have another instance of bloggers providing a needed counter-balance to Big Media reporting, and we can now decide for ourselves how much credence should be given to the Times' story.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/07/06 11:58 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
06 January 2006
Union hardball at City Hall
SEIU, the union last seen successfully organizing Houston's janitors and electing Sue Lovell to city council, is claiming victory in the fight to represent Houston city workers:
The union, which recently won the right to represent Houston's janitors, said it has collected more than 5,000 signatures, amounting to a majority of workers who would like it to represent them at the bargaining table.
"It's time to move forward," said SEIU spokesman Chris Coil.
But its chief rival, AFSCME, says not so fast. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said the city has 12,000 eligible employees, while the city says it has as many as 14,000.
Either way, 5,000 signatures wouldn't be a majority, said Greg Powell, administrator for AFSCME Local 1550 in Houston. Powell said his union has collected about 4,000 signatures in the petition drive.
Coil said the union believes the number of eligible workers is closer to 10,000 when department heads and other high ranking officials are excluded.
It's even more complicated than that, as L.M. Sixel reports.
What is clear is that SEIU is aggressively working to become a force in Houston.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/06/06 10:25 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (1)
I used to like Alan Ashby...
Alan Ashby, who recently lost his job as radio analyst for Astros games, is a candidate to become the next head of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, the authority's chairman said Thursday.
Ashby, a popular former Astros catcher, has the kind of sports background that would be useful for the sports authority's next chief executive, said chairman Billy Burge.
"You need somebody from a sports culture who has worked sporting events around the country," Burge said. "I'm not saying (Ashby) is the person, but that's the kind of profile we are talking about."
Oliver Luck, a former Houston Oilers quarterback and former head of NFL Europe, resigned as the sports authority's chief executive at the end of December. He was hired as president of the Major League Soccer team relocating to Houston from San Jose.
The sports authority's board will form a search committee this month and likely make its choice sometime next month, Burge said. He expects three to five candidates to emerge.
That's a shame. There must be SOMETHING else he can do.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: This part was the real stunner to me:
Ashby said he took classes at a community college, but does not have a college degree.
"He doesn't have a financial background. But (the sports authority) has a controller," Burge said.
The job would focus more on attracting sports events to Houston, not bond repayments, Burge said.
Unbelievable.
Ashby may be a nice guy, and his supporters may feel like he got a raw deal from Drayton McLane, but there is no way that Billy Burge ought to be able to bestow a $200,000-per-year position on an athlete with no college degree simply because Billy Burge thinks it's a great idea. It smacks of the sort of cronyism that Mayor White's press shop has long said won't be tolerated by this administration.
Incidentally, is Burge's boosting of Ashby's candidacy really "news" at this point? The story is set up so that Burge effectively is acting as Ashby's PR man, touting his candidacy, yet a formal search committee has not yet been formed. Does that mean the fix is in, already?
PREVIOUSLY: Billy Burge: THE best reason to shut down the Sports Authority!, Shut down the Sports Authority and save $40 million, County official recommends downsizing Sports Authority
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/06/06 08:18 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
Chron lures cartoonist away from Louisville
A new face is coming to the Chronicle:
Why is 2005 Pulitzer Prize winner Nick Anderson leaving a job he loves to move to the Houston Chronicle starting Feb. 13?
"There are 100 reasons," replied The Courier-Journal of Louisville editorial cartoonist, when reached Thursday by E&P Online.
One reason, said Anderson, is that the Chronicle will allow him to take "a slightly different approach" to editorial cartooning. He declined to say at this time what that approach will be.
"Change is very good for creativity," added Anderson, citing a second reason. He has been with The Courier-Journal for about 15 years.
A third reason involves the interesting subjects for cartoon commentary in The Lone Star State. "Texas is a target-rich environment. It's where George W. Bush is from and where Tom DeLay is going on trial," said Anderson, who's syndicated to about 75 newspapers by the Washington Post Writers Group.
Anderson, 39, also said the Chronicle is a bigger newspaper and Houston a bigger city with more cultural opportunities and international flavor -- though he emphasized that he also loves Louisville.
Whatever the attractions of Houston, Anderson wasn't looking to go to the Chronicle or anywhere else. "They contacted me out of the blue in August or September," he recalled. "I was skeptical. I had the perfect situation in Louisville."
Ooooo, he's a Pulitzer Prize winner! Now the Chron will be able to say it's got a Pulitzer-winner on staff!
Is CP Houston retiring? Will Anderson be any better than CP Houston? Will Anderson have to change his name to Nick Houston? So many questions...
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/06/06 07:33 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (15)
05 January 2006
Mayor tackles energy spending, lauds "unprecedented" boom
KHOU-11's Doug Miller reports that Mayor White has been hard at work trying to offset rising energy costs in the city's budget:
Houston's mayor says his biggest concern with the city budget is the rising price of energy.
But a new contract for electrical power should cushion the city government from the devastating impact of volatile swings in the price of natural gas.
Just look around the streets and you'll see your city government using energy. p>With ideas like driving hybrid cars, Houston's trying to save money on its energy bills.
A lot of things you'd never suspect, from traffic lights to Don't Walk signs, are powered by electricity created with natural gas. stand-up: And of course, natural gas prices have skyrocketed. Well, Houston's mayor has spent the past few months negotiating a new deal for the city government's supply of electricity. And as a part of that deal, the city of Houston should become less dependent on natural gas.
"We're looking at the use of wind energy, co-generation with some of our waste heat, so that we spend less money and we emit less stuff in the air," said Mayor Bill White.
blogHOUSTON fully endorses the notion of conserving waste heat and curbing noxious emissions from our local politicians. Alas, we don't think that's quite what Mayor White meant.
KTRK-13's Cynthia Cisneros reports more good news coming from the White Administration:
Houston has a bright outlook -- more jobs, higher pay, and even a growing sector of minority owned businesses. The mayor is calling it unprecedented.
But it's where the growth is happening that's unexpected. New statistics released Thursday afternoon show there are over 40,000 new jobs in Houston. Positions that are not concentrated in one industry.
Over the past holidays people were eager to spend their money. That's a direct result, says banking experts, of a fast employment growth rate in Houston. At 1.8%, job growth is at the fastest rate since 2001 -- translating to over 40,000 new jobs.
Great! The booming economy should ease the Mayor's desire to create so many new revenue streams this term.
UPDATE (01-06-2006): The Chronicle devotes significant space (12 paragraphs) to the Mayor's press conference lauding how great Houston is doing on his watch. I thought Mayor White just criticized pols who engage in celebratory spin with press conferences every new year?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/05/06 09:33 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (1)
Slampo: Chron's celebration of Luck continues
Slampo isn't impressed with the Chronicle's ongoing series on Oliver Luck, the new chief of Houston's Major League Soccer franchise:
A Houston Chronicle sportswriter was at it again this morning, filing the paper’s latest installment in its episodic hagiography of Oliver Luck, the former CEO of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority turned president of the city’s new Major League Soccer franchise. This one, by the paper’s soccer writer, Glenn Davis, appeared under the headline “Team president faces a hectic spring” and as far as we could discern contained no new information (musta been a slow week in local soccer news, what with the big Necaxa vs. Cruz Azul game packing ’em in at Reliant Stadium ).
There's lots more on Luck, the Guardian Angels, and the local media here. As always, it's a fun read.
The Chronicle story to which Slamo is referring is here.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/05/06 09:13 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Talking about Houston on O'Reilly
Our own Anne Linehan will be appearing in a segment on the O'Reilly Factor on Fox News tonight.
She and O'Reilly will be discussing various Houston matters.
It should be fun!
UPDATE: I don't have a time on the segment, but the show is on from 7 - 8 pm.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/05/06 05:49 PM | Announcements | Technorati | Comments (38)
When exactly are those Metro public input meetings?
Ummm:
METRO will conduct two public hearings to receive comments on considered service adjustments for Sunday, January 23, 2006.
According to my calendar, Sunday is January 22nd which makes January 23rd a Monday.
Which is it? I need some help here -- fast!
UPDATE: Are the times for the meeting correct -- noon and 6pm? Is this all part of Metro's plan to keep public input to a minimum? Grrrrrrr.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/05/06 09:26 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (3)
Chron: Bad news story is mining company's fault (updated)
In what is a stunningly fast turnaround time for a Chronicle editorial, the LiveJournalists have written an apologia for yesterday's erroneous miner story titled, "It's Not Our Fault!":
A West Virginia official told reporters that the miners were alive and being examined at the mine. Newspapers on Eastern and Central time zone deadlines picked up the erroneous reports of the miraculous rescue, Many, including the Chronicle, headlined them the following morning. A rescue worker was the apparent source of the misinformation that the men had been found alive. The news spread by cell phone to waiting family members.
So, which was it? A WV official or a rescue worker? Or is a rescue worker the same as a WV official? And did he (whomever) tell reporters, or did the news spread by cell phone? (Already we get the feeling this editorial is not quite ready for prime time.) And notice how the Chron admits there was herd-mentality at play? All the other newspapers did it, so the Chron did, too.
ICG President Ben Hatfield later explained to media that he had delayed informing the families of the false reports because he wanted to be certain of the fate of the miners. A more responsible and compassionate approach would have been for company officials to have immediately alerted the jubilant relatives and the media that rescue reports were unconfirmed and celebrations premature.
The media's self-importance knows no bounds. We could turn that around and point out to the LiveJournalists that a more responsible and compassionate approach to news-telling would have been to have the story NAILED DOWN before printing presses saved the hurtful headlines for all posterity.
More troubling than the misinformation is the poor safety record at the Sago Mine before the apparent gas explosion that doomed the miners to asphyxiation.
The professional journalists who are experts at newsgathering (and who want shield laws) want you to know that you should NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, be looking at them. NO WAY! Please, please, look at the mining company! Quit looking at all those (wrong and hurtful) front page headlines on coffee tables across America and cast your eyes on the mining company!
ICG officials claim they are not responsible for the mine's safety record, as they bought it only two months ago. However, the mine's safety records were available to the new owners. Operations could have been suspended while problems were corrected.
Speaking of safety records, when a Chronicle vendor was killed a while back, did the Chronicle suspend newspaper sales by street vendors? No, of course not! The Chronicle said that the vendor was employed by an independent distributor and that was that. Oh, and the Chronicle sued League City for trying to enforce a ban on newspaper vendors.
That's very safety-minded, isn't it?
UPDATE: Here's an excellent observation:
If bloggers had made these kinds of mistakes, Big-Media folks would be pointing them out as evidence that the blogosphere can't be trusted. But where were all those editors, filters, and fact-checkers?
UPDATE 2: Here's a recap of various media outlets reactions to their bungled reporting.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/05/06 07:50 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
04 January 2006
New acronym unveiled to take on crime
KTRK-13's Christine Dobbyn reports that Chief Hurtt has unveiled a new acronym in his effort to get a handle on Houston's violent crime problem:
Chief Harold Hurtt announced a new initiative, the Neighborhood Enforcement Team Taskforce (NETT), to reduce crimes in specific areas of the city -- the Greenspoint area and the Southwest Freeway corridor. There is a long list of work they will focus on. They will work on identifying and registering 130 sex offenders from Louisiana to auto theft, prostitution, gangs and drugs, specifically in apartment complexes and motels where they have seen a high number of calls.
"We'll have officers working those areas by foot, on bicycle and of course, automobiles," said Chief Hurtt. "We are looking for high uniform presence not only to arrest people, but we are also interested in deterring crime and preventing it in the first place."
Chief Hurtt says officers will work overtime to focus on these areas. The extra hours are equal to about 150 officers.
KHOU-11 seems to be a little confused on that last:
Community activist Elaine Gaskamp says it's about time. "It takes manpower, that's the bottom line. We need more police."
A need that HPD's chief says he plans to fullfill by putting 150 more officers on the street through the NETT program.
More officers would be great, but for the most part we're talking about overtime authorization for existing manpower in targeted areas.
KHOU also posts a story tonight on a former HPD officer who left the force in 1998, enrolled in a recent academy, and is now claiming he was forced out of the academy because of his age. The allegation is under investigation by HPD internal affairs and the EEOC.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/04/06 11:01 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
Are these editorials in the vaunted ideal state?
The Chronicle Editorial LiveJournalists must be tired from their New Year's celebrations.
How else to explain today's editorials?
First, there was the expected worshipful celebration of Mayor White's inaugural address and the council's diversity:
The mayor, Controller Annise Parker, a diverse council with four new members and a history-making female majority took the oath of office in a celebration of past municipal achievements and the possibilities and challenges of the new year.
[snip]
White called the challenge of dealing with the hurricane emergencies "a remarkable experience that helped us shape a new identity for our community." He vowed to work with the new council to "raise the government of this city above all pettiness and selfishness" and make his next term "the best two years of Houston's life."
Those are high-flying words. But on a January day that felt like late April, anything seemed within the realm of possibility.
One of the biggest challenges of the new year is the increase in violent crime coupled with HPD's manpower shortage, yet that didn't merit a mention by the Editorial LiveJournalists. Indeed, the editorial didn't have much to say about the challenges at all. But, diversity is beauty. And all things are possible when it comes to Mayor White (which is why Sedosi refers to the Editorial LiveJournalists collectively as Mrs. White).
And then there's the odd "Against Nature" editorial. Here's an excerpt:
Nor are those in the heartland immune to nature's excesses. In the plains areas of Texas and Oklahoma, a wet spring caused grass to grow, and then a drought dried the grass and made it the stuff of kindling. The inevitable fires have destroyed small towns, farms and square miles of fields and pasture.
High temperatures, wind and low humidity invite more conflagration. The first rain is not forecast until Friday the 13th, not a propitious date quite apart from superstition.
On second thought, maybe the Editorial LiveJournalists aren't tired from New Year's. Maybe they never stopped drinking.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/04/06 10:37 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
"Earthshaking news" from the D.C. bureau
We're not the only ones unimpressed with output from the Chronicle's D.C. bureau.
Houblog comments on a story by Bennett Roth in today's edition:
The Chronicle breathlessly informs us that the Abramoff investigation “could spell more trouble” for DeLay’s aides… but not because the Justice Department has added to their indictments. Oh wait, the Justice Department doesn’t have any indictments against DeLay or his aides, does it? That’s just Ronnie Earle and his blue-light specials from “Grand J-Mart.” Come to think of it, the JD hasn’t said anything about indicting DeLay’s aides. Or even said that they’d found evidence indicating that Abramoff was linked to DeLay’s aides via unethical activities. No, the Chronicle has devoted valuable front-page space to have a staff writer tell us that the dastardly Abramoff knew the aides to the House Majority Leader, and in fact, “cultivated relationships” with them!
Um. Wait. Let me see if I have this correct… the Chronicle felt that I needed to be told that an influential and highly-connected lobbyist (a career in which your value depends on how many VIP rolodexes your name appears in) spent years and money as he “cultivated relationships” with the most powerful politician in the House. And that this “could mean” bad news to DeLay’s aides.
How exciting. Stop the presses. This is truly earthshaking news.
Thermonuclear fusion “could mean” that the sun is hot, but I don’t waste time thinking about it. On the other hand, if I wanted to caution a child about getting a sunburn, I might point out that even 93 million miles isn’t a wholly safe distance to be from a nuclear furnace. So, why did the Chronicle expend valuable space to point out the obvious? Where, exactly, is the “new” in this “news?”
The full post is here.
We continue to wonder what purpose is served by the Chronicle's D.C. bureau. It can't be cheap to maintain.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/04/06 10:01 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
METRO commemorates Braille Day
METRO received criticism on the fiftieth anniversary of Rosa Parks' famous act of civil rights activism on a Montgomery bus for not doing enough to commemorate the act.
Perhaps civil rights activists should be thankful, if METRO's response to Louis Braille's birthday is any indication:
A blind man walking downtown was struck by a passing Metro rail train shortly before noon Wednesday.
The man was struck by the train at the intersection of Main and Lamar.
The man was walking with his cane at the intersection of Main and Lamar when he apparently became confused and stepped into the train’s path.
The driver of the train allegedly blew the whistle to warn the victim, but he did not get out of the way in time.
The victim was transported to Ben Taub Hospital with head trauma.
I wonder if Metro Police Chief Tom Lambert and his Elite Jaywalking/Counterterror Squad will deliver the poor blind man a Braille citation at Ben Taub?
(Hat tip to Laurence Simon for the links and unfortunate imagery).
UPDATE: The initial Chron.com reporting (since updated) did not mention the man was blind. Now it does, and adds the following:
Bob Broxson, who works downtown, said he was standing on the east side of Main at Lamar when the man attempted to cross toward him.
"There was a lady ... yelling for him to stop, and the train was blowing its whistle,'' Broxson said. ``He started feeling around urgently with his cane trying to figure out where he was.''
Broxson said the train operator apparently hit the brakes, bringing the train to a stop about 15 feet past the collision site. "It wasn't the train's fault,'' he said.
Metro spokeswoman Raequel Roberts said witnesses told police the train operator sounded the horn in warning, but the man was apparently disoriented. It was not immediately known how fast the train was moving.
I've seen the train moving at a speed I would guess is above the speed limits. It would be interesting to know the train's rate of speed, and without having to file a Freedom of Information request to get the information. Perhaps one of METRO's PR people who read the blog could help us out with that?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/04/06 02:01 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (4)
Erroneous headline and story in paper can't be erased
Here's a Chronicle headline on Page One of today's paper:
Bells ring out for 12 rescued miners: "They're alive!" shout relatives, hours after one worker is found dead by searchers.
It appears the story in the paper is an edited version of this AP story.
The current online headline says: Only one miner found alive in W. Virginia
And you can go to Google News to see the various Chron headlines.
Of course, many newspapers across the country ran with the wrong news on this tragic story, in an effort to be first. But at what cost to media credibility?
The usual media apologist Editor & Publisher is uncharacteristically harsh this morning:
In one of the most disturbing and disgraceful media performances of this type in recent years, television and newspapers carried the tragically wrong news late Tuesday and early Wednesday that 12 of 13 trapped coal miners in West Virginia had been found alive and safe. Hours later they had to reverse course, often blaming the mix-up on "miscommunication."
[snip]
It took three hours for the coal company to correct the reports. It is unclear why the media carried the news without proper sourcing. Some reports claim the early reports spread via cell phones and when loved ones started celebrating most in the media simply joined in.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/04/06 09:28 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (12)
03 January 2006
Tough, smart LiveJournalists take on mean Islamic textbooks
It's always entertaining when the Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists go international.
Today's effort was especially good, displaying the sort of naïveté that we haven't seen since LiveJournalist Georgsson was shocked that her neighbors didn't want her leftovers:
[A]ccording to The Associated Press, "hate-hunters" from Pakistan to the Persian Gulf have begun to scour their nations' textbooks and demand that vitriol and intolerance toward other cultures be culled.
As with most reformers in the Islamic world, these activists do dangerous work. But they rightly see their efforts as a way to break Muslim countries' debilitating cycles of conflict with outsiders, as well as a way to modernize. "We are fighting for the future of Islam. Children are sometimes being force-fed a diet of hate, anger and intolerance," Pakistani Ahmed Salim, one textbook watchdog, said. Salim is the leader of a movement in his country to remove what it perceives as violent and extreme material from children's textbooks. Such activists were barely stirring in the Muslim world just a few years ago. But the psychological shock of 9/11, mixed with the material traumas of U.S. military actions in the region and internal terror, galvanized some Muslims to look critically at what their children learn in school. They're determined to excise messages that might twist those youngsters into violent or intolerant adults.
[snip]
It's essential that Saudi Arabia and similarly closed societies heed Islam's reformers and sap the poison that their children are imbibing in school.
Don't you just love how matter-of-factly the LiveJournalists dispense their pronouncements from on high at 801 Texas Avenue to radical Islamists everywhere?
I bet the cycle(s) of violence will be disrupted now that the tough, smart LiveJournalists have weighed in.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/03/06 11:08 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Hoffman plays local tv news consultant
The Chronicle's Ken Hoffman pens a riotous column about local television news stations, and what they might do to improve themselves.
No excerpt. Just go read it here (and come back here to discuss, of course).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/03/06 10:51 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (7)
It's not pretty?
KHOU-11's Amy Tortolani reports the following:
There's another scathing report on Houston's troubled crime lab -- this time from the man hired by the city to help uncover the problems there.
Former Inspector General Michael Bromwich looked for errors dating back to 1987. The results of his report aren't out yet, but 11 News has learned it's not pretty.
That's it. No details. Just "it's not pretty."
UPDATE (01-04-2006): The Chronicle's Steve McVicker reports on the latest report from the Bromwich investigation, released today. The report is available on the investigation website.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/03/06 10:44 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
Local media cover Guardian Angels request
Yesterday, Councilmember Michael Berry solicited input for his guest-radio appearance on KTRH-740 regarding the anti-crime organization The Guardian Angels.
Later in the day, KHOU-11 ran a story on the matter, and today KPRC-2 and the Chronicle followed suit.
Here's a snippet from the Chronicle's story (which nicely credits KHOU):
On Christmas Eve, Jeff Schmidt heard one too many gunshots popping in his southwest Houston neighborhood and decided to do something about it.
Schmidt bypassed 911 and the Houston police and called New York to seek help from the Guardian Angels.
The grass-roots anti-crime group, whose members are known for patrolling neighborhoods in their red jackets and berets, will be in Houston this month to respond to Schmidt's call.
The Sharpstown resident said he is fed up with the crime in his neighborhood. Gunshots and burglaries happen almost daily and the police can't seem to control it, he said, adding that several residents have considered selling their home because the crime is so rampant.
(Insert "New York City!" exclamation from old salsa commercial here)
It's embarrassing that Houston's politicians have managed to ignore HPD's manpower woes to the extent that citizens have to call New York for help.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/03/06 10:30 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (9)
Mayor closes Memorial to celebrate his inaugural
KHOU-11's Jeremy Desel posted quite a whopper from Mayor Bill White before his inauguration today:
The new year is a time for new beginnings, for some, but not for Houston Mayor Bill White.
"We are not going to be one of these like, you know how politicians who've never managed a thing in their life and every new year there is a new spin or press conference? We are not going to run Houston that way. We are going to keep our focus," said Mayor White.
Oh please!
Communications is an important part of politics, and Mayor White has a very effective press shop, his "aw, shucks" act notwithstanding.
Indeed, the decision to shut down Memorial for the inaugural and inconvenience motorists almost certainly was the product of the Mayor's press operation. Sometimes the press of getting Houston moving trumps actually getting Houston moving.
INAUGURAL COVERAGE: AP, KPRC-2, KHOU-11, KUHF-88.7, and the Chronicle.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/03/06 10:07 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (0)
Can Texas' concealed handgun law fill in where HPD can't?
Chris Baker wants to know if Houston has lost the war on crime. I don't know if I'd say Houston has lost the war, but Houston city Bigs need to get serious SOON, because it's a close call. And sending the FEMA an HPD bill is a crock. MayorWhiteChiefHurtt need to take responsibility for their inaction and pay whatever it takes to make Houstonians safe. Isn't that the Mayor's and Police Chief's first responsibility to those they serve?
He also thinks we don't need some New Yawkers coming down to Houston, when Texans can, ahem, take care of things, thank you very much.
BLOGVERSATION: Chris Baker (Laurence Simon)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/03/06 04:22 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Would you pay $10 to see these people play basketball?
This year the NBA All-Star game will be at the GRB on February 17, and for only $10 you can go and stargaze:
In years past, the game has featured celebrities such as Sean P. Diddy Combs, Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, Vivica A. Fox, Wilmer Valderrama, Nelly and Frankie Muniz.
The roster for this year's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game will be released in February.
Eh, let's hope the caliber of celebrity improves.
UPDATE: On a related note, here's a story out of HISD:
The National Basketball Association is dunking $250,000 into an HISD school.
During its December meeting, the HISD Board of Education unanimously approved the acceptance of a $250,000 donation from the NBA for renovations at McDade Elementary School (5815 Hirsch, 77026).
Thanks to the NBA’s generous grant, students at McDade Elementary will be able to read and learn in a library equipped with a new technology center, and play in their school’s new indoor physical education classroom and outdoor recreational area—the latter of which will feature a brand new basketball court after the renovations are complete.
The project, championed by the Houston Rockets, will be highlighted during the nationally televised NBA All-Star Week in February.
That's terrific, but please, please don't let Paris Hilton go anywhere near that elementary school.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/03/06 08:52 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (8)
How to be an inflexible governmental agency
Yesterday was a Hurricane Rita make-up day for HISD, to the chagrin of many students, undoubtedly, and Laurence Simon pointed out that taxpayer-funded Metro ran on a Sunday schedule, so any HISD students who normally depend on Metro as school transportation might have had a tougher time getting to school.
That was helpful of Metro!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/03/06 07:56 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (0)
02 January 2006
Capers fired, Casserly to remain
There's no reason to link to any "Capers is fired" stories, since we all knew it was coming.
Somehow, Charley Casserly kept his job, although Bob McNair made it clear in his press conference that Casserly's role (final authority on the draft, according to McNair during the press conference, equal authority with the coach on trades, also according to McNair -- although as Richard Justice reports it, Casserly just did what Dom Capers wanted on personnel matters) could change depending on the requirements and skills of the next coach.
So, what do you think, football fans? Who should get the job?
I'm hoping for an offensive-minded coach with a track record of developing quarterbacks and taking advantage of good receivers (Andre Johnson) and quality backs (Reggie Bush). Despite his baggage, I think Mike Martz would be a fun hire, but I'm certain he's not vanilla enough for Bob McNair.
Who do you think should be the next coach of the Texans?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/02/06 11:08 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
Talking about the city: Berry subbing for Baker today
Councilmember Michael Berry emails that he'll be sitting in for Chris Baker again today on KTRH-740 (3 to 7 pm).
He's thrown out a couple of potential topics for input from bloggers and blog readers and listeners.
First, he notes that the Guardian Angels will be coming to town on January 17 for a press conference to announce their future presence in Houston (in response to recent violent crime news). Is this helpful to the city? Is it bad publicity? Will their volunteer efforts provide a boost to an undermanned HPD? Or will they simply get in the way of an undermanned police force?
Second, he notes a Chronicle story by Matt Stiles on so-called "mobile" food vendors and how to regulate them for health. Do these "mobile" kitchens meet proper health and sanitary standards? Or are moves to hold them to those standards simply a pretense to force ethnic entrepreneurs out of some neighborhoods?
Councilmember Berry asks for your input via email at iam-at-michaelberry.com or as a caller to the radio program, and comments here are encouraged as well.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/02/06 08:17 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
01 January 2006
Next time, visit the archives and not the Mayor's spokesman
In this Matt Stiles and Kristen Mack story previewing Mayor White's next term, there is an odd paragraph toward the end:
This summer White, along with Houston Independent School District officials, went door to door asking ninth-graders to commit to stay in school and graduate.
What in the world are they talking about?
Okay, I will assume they mean HISD's Reach out to Dropouts Day effort, in which Mayor White participated, but it was geared toward kids who had already dropped out -- and not ninth-graders only. Also, it was not just Mayor White and some HISD officials -- it was HISD officials, 1,300 volunteers, and Mayor White.
While I am sure Dr. Saavedra appreciated Mayor White's taking the time to participate, the program was started by HISD two years ago and expanded this past year.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/01/06 06:04 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (0)
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