30 June 2006
FishBowlDC interviews Chron White House correspondent
Last week, the Chronicle's White House correspondent and D.C. blogger Julie Mason was interviewed by the FishBowlDC blow on Media Bistro. Here's a teaser:
What word do you routinely misspell? Ocassion. Occasion? Damn.
Did you see Brokeback Mountain? Yay
Did you see The Da Vinci Code? Schnay
What's the name of your cell phone ring? It's called "Uh-oh." I want "Fight the Power," but I need a phone upgrade for that.
Go check out the entire interview here.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/30/06 10:00 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
E&P praises Chron.com
The local Hearst daily got a nice little mention in Editor and Publisher this week:
For the seventh year, E&P presents, on the following pages, an honor roll of newspapers that shatter the perception that this is a slow-moving dinosaur of an industry that refuses to adapt to rising needs and fresh opportunities. This is never a "10 Best" list, but rather a tip of the hat to a handful of newspapers of widely varying size that have made great strides -- and can a serve as a model -- in one or more important areas: design, marketing, investigative journalism, online, photography, technology, community awareness, advertising initiatives, diversity in content or hiring, and even, this year, blogging. As usual, we found much to like across the country -- from South Florida to the Pacific Northwest. Keep those innovations coming!
[snip]
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Astros didn't win the 2005 World Series, but the Houston Chronicle has a strong claim to being the blogging champ among America's daily newspapers. Since the newspaper started blogging in earnest last year, Chron.com has launched about 30 news, sports, and entertainment blogs by Chronicle staffers. Then in early 2006, Chron.com also began hosting more than 30 reader blogs about everything from birding to Houston's grassroots art scene.
"Reader blogs are helping us cover the community," says Chronicle Interactive Journalism Editor Dwight Silverman, who does a tech blog himself for Chron.com.
Unfortunately, when Silverman goes on vacation, things sort of break down. There was one effort to update Silverman's whimsical link blog on the editorial page while he's been out the past two weeks, but the person who attempted to update it after Anne Linehan mentioned it here apparently doesn't understand hyperlinks. Nobody has tried to update the whimsical link blog since. Hyperlinks are pretty bleeding edge.
It's a good thing Silverman gets back next week.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/30/06 09:44 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Grand Parkway F-2 segment public hearing scheduled
Finally the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available for public viewing and public hearings are scheduled for July 11 and 12 (7 p.m.) at Klein Collins High School in Spring.
I'll be there!
RELATED: Houston Architecture Forum
PREVIOUSLY: blogHOUSTON archives
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/30/06 06:28 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (3)
Food and drink roundup (06-30-2006 edition)
It's time for a quick and easy food and drink roundup.
Alison Cook has found the newest foodie hit in Glass Wall.
Robb Walsh calls the Pappas family's Yia Yia Mary's the Parthenon of pita sandwiches. He's right about their taramousalata. It's amazing. He's also right about the other Greek restaurant up the street. Their moussaka is much better than Yia Yia Mary's, and their quirkiness does flow over.
Peggy Grodinsky tries all manners of ice cream flavors. I don't know. Simple vanilla with some sliced strawberries or fresh blueberries seems to float my boat.
Ken Hoffman feels the heat too and heads to Baskin Robbins for a Triple Play double-dip cone. Ok. Popcorn in ice cream? Darn that Ken Hoffman! I'm going to have to try this now. Maybe I can get them to hold the chocolate-covered peanuts.
And Lance Scott Walker recommends the Richmond Arms.
World Class, all of it. Enjoy!!
Posted by Callie Markantonis @ 06/30/06 10:22 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (2)
Houstonian declares herself "God's gift to the Senate"
In an interview with the left-leaning website MyDD, Houstonian and political novice Barbara Radnofsky, who is running as the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Kay Bailey Hutchison, concludes with an interesting assertion:
Singer: Final question. If there's one message that you could send out to the progressive blogosphere, to the Netroots, what would that message be?
Radnofsky: I guess the bottom line that God's gift to the Senate is sitting in Houston right now having won 60 percent of the vote in the runoff and raised more than a million dollars and spent less than that to win two statewide races, her first two statewide races. They ought to get engaged, they ought to get involved....
It's good to know that Ms. Radnofsky has no self-esteem issues, even while facing a likely landslide defeat. But who knows -- maybe God really will involve Himself in this Senate race and make it competitive!
Thanks to Charles Kuffner for the link.
BLOGVERSATION: Texas Safety Forum, Rhymes With Right.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/30/06 08:54 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (3)
29 June 2006
Silliness continues on Chron editorial page
A few days ago, we commented on the silliness that has afflicted the Chronicle editorial page of late.
Today brought another fine example, as the Editorial LiveJournalists spelled Warren Buffett's name wrong. Seven times (eight including the headline). It was not an example of an editorial in its ideal state.
Matt Bramanti caught the mistake, and came up with a great headline for his post.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/29/06 10:17 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Officer whose pay exceeded mayor's to retire
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reports today that an HPD officer whose pay exceeded the mayor's thanks to bonuses has decided to leave the force:
A veteran Houston police officer who made $100,000 in overtime last year has retired amid an internal investigation into his extra pay, department and union officials said Wednesday.
William Lindsey Jr. made the decision in recent days after the department's internal affairs division asked him to respond to 91 written questions about his overtime, said Hans Marticiuc, president of the Houston Police Officers' Union.
[snip]
The Houston Chronicle reported in April that the 27-year veteran earned the six-figure overtime by helping catch suspected drunken drivers at night and testifying in court on overtime during the day.
Lindsey, 50, was reassigned voluntarily in May. He put in retirement papers in the past few days but hasn't officially left the force, said Sgt. Nate McDuell, a department spokesman.
McDuell said the internal investigation will continue despite Lindsey's departure. He said the findings could be made public within a few months.
Lindsey was suspended for 15 days in 1990 for submitting false overtime requests.
[snip]
The Chronicle reported last month that 22 rank-and-file officers made more than $50,000 in overtime last year, and that more than 100 earned six-figure incomes. City Controller Annise Parker, already auditing overtime by sampling compensation across the department, is now focusing more closely on the highest earners.
The Chronicle also reported that a traffic enforcement division commander raised concerns in a memo that some accident investigators participated in an "intentional scheme" to add themselves unnecessarily to court dockets for their own "personal gain."
We probably need to wait on Controller Parker's final report on the matter before a final judgment. Given HPD's well-documented manpower shortage, the overtime scheme may well be defensible. However, it does look odd when a police compensation system boosts some officers' pay over that of the mayor, and it certainly merits the scrutiny it is getting.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/29/06 07:54 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
With crime on the rise, businesses want surveillance cameras
Chief Hurtt may yet get his surveillance cameras, in a way that sidesteps elected city officials:
After a rash of crimes, the Asian American Business Council has been looking into buying a camera for business areas.
“We want to tie everybody’s together where we have a monitoring station eventually and we have a place for central storage,” said member Jackson Chang.
Police could go there to view any crimes digitally caught on computer.
As we reported in March, the Downtown Business District has made the same offer to the city. They’ve bought the equipment, hoping HPD will monitor the cameras.
I didn't know about that bolded part. Are the cameras already installed?
The brutal attack in Chew Park left neighbors worried about their safety and asking about cameras, too.
“Personal security, to me, that’s a really positive thing and in fact, that’s the way they found the people who bombed the subways in London,” said a Chew Park neighbor.
After the Chew Park murder, residents are asking for cameras instead of more police visibility?
PREVIOUSLY: Is Houston ready for downtown surveillance cameras?, More on Chief Hurtt's surveillance camera program
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/29/06 05:12 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (5)
Culberson amendment to block funding for sanctuary cities
Rep. John Culberson added an amendment to a House Appropriations bill that would block federal funding for sanctuary cities and counties:
These policies prevent local law enforcement officers from asking individuals they arrest, detain or stop whether or not they are in the country legally.
Culberson said, "My amendment will enforce existing federal law by cutting off funding for cities and counties that do not repeal their sanctuary policies. These policies are designed to shield criminal aliens, and my amendment is intended to uncloak them."
Under current federal law, cities and counties cannot restrict the ability of local law enforcement officers to inquire about the immigration status of individuals they arrest, detain, or stop. However, 29 cities (including Houston, New York and Los Angeles) and 3 counties have adopted sanctuary policies which prevent law enforcement officers from inquiring about immigration status.
In his statement, Rep. Culberson referenced the tragic story of an Austin woman who was killed by an illegal alien in 2004. In that case, Austin PD did not inquire about the man's immigration status when he was being investigated on charges of child molestation because of the city's sanctuary policy.
UPDATE (1:08 pm): The House passed the appropriations bill containing Rep. Culberson's amendment.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/29/06 04:56 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (13)
28 June 2006
Chron columnists/editorialists must already miss DeLay
On June 11, the Chronicle's metro/state editorialist Rick Casey wrote about Tom DeLay.
Then, Casey apparently went on vacation or was otherwise indisposed.
He seems to have returned to work this week, with a new column that ran today. Seventeen days after his last Tom DeLay column, Casey has written another Tom DeLay column.
That's some comprehensive metro/state coverage from one of the columnists Jeff Cohen brought to the newspaper with great fanfare.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 09:48 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
Chronicle launches new Quannel X referral bureau!
A Houston Chronicle reporter recently acted as a referral service of sorts for Quannel X, apparently urging a criminal suspect to get in touch with Mr. X, and then acting as a witness to the rendezvous (you know, to cover the story).
Slampo writes it all up here, and asks:
Like other Houstonians, we have long wondered about the point and purpose of Quanell X, about how he makes a living when he seems to spend all day and night out shepherding various allegations and accusations of injustice into the public domain or bringing another fugitive down to police headquarters, about how he can command media attention at the drop of a dime (or however much a phone call costs these days) and now even rates referrals from the leading daily newspaper, and about how the media never seem to question his pecuniary motives or how he can afford an H2 Hummer and those classy suits he always wears, even when it’s 99 degrees outside (and the man does look sharp in a suit).
[snip]
Still, it would be nice — not to mention journalistically sound — if the media made some attempt to disclose Mr. X’s interests in the various media-hyped endeavors in which he engages (we mean, of course, any interest beyond his obvious selfless humanitarianism), or, in lieu of that, exercised more discretion in relaying, unchecked, his various pronouncements (we’re still waiting for some resolution of the incendiary charges that X launched about the Houston Fire Department a while back).
These are simply rhetorical questions, ones the media will never get around to answering, primarily because of editors’ fears that in poking too indecorously at the myth of Quanell X they risk the prospect of X and his New Black Panther Party minions staging a protest outside their homes, the way they did a few years ago outside the home of City Councilman Michael Berry, a distraction that, at least in the daily newspaper’s case, would detract from the relentless pursuit of that elusive Pulitzer Prize.
Or even worse, X might stalk Jeff Cohen out on the golf course. That would probably make the diminutive executive editor very uncomfortable.
BLOGVERSATION: Isiah Carey's Insite, Lone Star Times, TBIFOC, Cigars, Donuts, and Coffee.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 08:55 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (4)
Sanchez goes to the Hispanic card
Orlando Sanchez didn't take long to go to the Hispanic card in his quest to become Harris County Treasurer (and to ensure the office's survival):
Sanchez said Tuesday that eliminating the post would kill the immediate prospect of a Hispanic for the first time holding a countywide elected administrative office. Some Hispanics previously have won countywide judicial races.
Since commissioners didn't consider abolishing the office after the March primary when Cato was nominated, Sanchez also said the attempt now may be personal.
"It is interesting that up to Mr. Cato's death, they were supporting Mr. Cato and obviously keeping the office. After Mr. Cato died, they adopted a resolution to abolish the office," said Sanchez.
"It makes you wonder, especially since I could become the first Hispanic and the first immigrant elected countywide." Sanchez's family moved from Cuba when he was a child.
Yes, Orlando, that's it. Those of us who want the office abolished are simply tools of The Man, who wants to keep down Hispanics! Never mind that you wouldn't be the first Hispanic elected countywide, as the first excerpted paragraph makes clear.
PREVIOUSLY: GOP picks Sanchez as candidate for Harris County Treasurer.
BLOGVERSATION: Lone Star Times I, Lone Star Times II, Isolated Desolation.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/28/06 08:58 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (12)
Texans accepting applications for announcer position
Would you like to be the Texans stadium announcer? The team is looking for a new one, with the following list of requirements:
Participants must register on houstontexans.com by Wednesday, July 5 and meet certain requirements.
The requirements include:
- Must arrive at least 2 hours prior to kickoff and be available for at least one hour after the final play
- Must be available for all 10 Texans home games, as well as playoffs
- Must be available for meetings during the off-season as well as during the week leading up to the game
- Must be available to record various read prior to the game
Applicants have to submit a recording, too.
That bolded requirement hasn't really been a problem so far. Maybe this year will be different.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/28/06 05:04 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
27 June 2006
METRO prepares for fare increases
Laurence Simon writes that METRO is planning fare adjustments (read "increases"):
"Our current fare structure is complex, inequitable and unproductive," said Frank Wilson, METRO’s president and CEO, in a recent communication to the board of directors in which he recommended the board review METRO’s fare policy. This marks the first time since 1994 that METRO has sought to adjust its fare system to address a complex structure and higher operating costs.
There currently are 65 different fare options during peak service – a situation that creates confusion for riders and presents challenges for bus operators to manage. METRO is examining ways to simplify the fare structure to ensure equitable and efficient fare collection. Part of this solution will include the use of smart card technology.
At the same time, METRO plans to address the extensive discounting options that have undermined revenues. For all riders, the average one-way fare is actually only 43 cents, rather than the base fare of $1. For the past three years, METRO has maintained consistent operating budget levels, reduced staffing and eliminated unproductive route service, but costs continue to rise. METRO’S fuel costs alone have more than doubled since 2005.
In coming weeks, Wilson will propose a range of policy and fare structure adjustments to the board for their consideration. "By implementing sensible revisions," he added, "METRO should be better positioned to offer rewards for frequent ridership, to mitigate opportunities to misuse the system and maximize advantages presented by new technologies to improve service reliability and ease of access."
Every month, Tom Bazan shares METRO fare-box-revenue information obtained through public information requests, and much of the time, it seems like paid ridership for the light rail is declining (even though METRO and light-rail enthusiasts love to boast that boardings exceed projections). Having a world-class light-rail system (that many people ride for free) doesn't come cheap! And increasingly, it seems like it comes at the expense of bus service (which saw a healthy increase in Fare Box Revenue in May 2006 compared to May 2005, according to Bazan).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/27/06 10:50 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
Words continue to confuse Chronicle
A few days ago, Alexis Grant and Matt Stiles editorialized that the term "sanctuary city" caused "confusion."
Today, the Chronicle editorial board editorializes that the term "sanctuary" city" causes confusion:
The 's' word that has gotten so much play is far more inflammatory than it might seem. Intentionally or not, it obscures both city policy and the public safety goal that drives it.
The term really doesn't seem that confusing, except perhaps to Chronicle reporters/editors/editorialists.
The editorial board goes on to argue the city does not have a "sanctuary" policy and then lists lots of reasons that it ought to keep its not-sanctuary-policy in place.
Fine.
If there are so many good reasons for the city to have a sanctuary policy, then the city's elected officials ought to be happy to engage in a public debate, give the policy the full approval of Council, and stand accountable for their work, instead of hiding behind a directive issued by the police chief in 1992 with no public debate. That would head off the need for a petition drive, and would ensure that the public gets to take part in a serious debate on the matter. So, where's Mayor White's leadership on this important issue?
We can't close without noting this silliness from the editorial board:
The police union, along with the mayor's office and HPD Police Chief Harold Hurtt, all concur that HPD must marshal its resources toward serious crimes.
Yes, MayorWhiteChiefHurtt have quite a record of marshalling resources toward serious crimes. There's the millions spent on Tasers instead of hiring cops (and now we need to spend more on Tasers with audio/video!). There's the great downtown jaywalking crackdown. There's the exorbitant bonus structure for HPD mechanics. There are nifty new acronyms. There's the crimefighting van. There's the $10 million civilian traffic corps. And there's the planned crackdown on teenagers.
Oh, and there's that skyrocketing murder rate to go with MayorWhiteChiefHurtt's efforts at marshalling resources toward serious crimes.
BLOGVERSATION: Isolated Desolation.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/27/06 10:16 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
GOP picks Sanchez as candidate for Harris County Treasurer
The Chronicle's Robert Crowe reports that Harris County Republican precinct chairs have chosen Orlando Sanchez as their candidate for the Harris County Treasurer post:
Harris County Republicans nominated Orlando Sanchez Monday to represent their party on the November ballot in the race for county treasurer.
The winner of the fall race will replace Jack Cato, who died May 22, but the office is somewhat uncertain since Harris County Commissioner's Court voted last week to abolish it.
Sanchez won 66 percent of 321 votes. Precinct chairs selected Sanchez during a special meeting at a Houston Community College campus, said Jared Woodfill, Harris County Republican Party Chair. "He has a lot of support among precinct chairmen and Republicans in general," Woodfill said.
Fine, but the office really should be abolished. Sanchez does not favor abolishing it (heaven forbid he might have to make his way in the private sector). His Democratic opponent Richard Garcia does.
As David Benzion puts it,
If 212 Harris County Republican precinct chairs want to spend $96,000 dollars a year to perform existential CPR on Orlando Sanchez’s political career, they ought to pass the damn hat and pay for it themselves.
Disgusting. Blech. Boo.
To echo one well-known blogger, heh, indeed.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/27/06 08:01 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (2)
26 June 2006
City looks to discourage panhandlers, tighten curfew
KTRK-13's Jeff Ehling reports that the city is considering tightening the curfew ordinance:
Currently in the city of Houston, if you are 17 years of age, you can stay out until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. But that curfew is likely to change soon. That means if you are 16 or younger, you'll have to go home a lot earlier.
Houston city councilman Adrian Garcia went to students, looking for input on the potential changes.
He said, "Probably what we would get the most bang for the buck, if you will, is doing it 10pm across the board, 365 days a year."
The new curfew rules would affect anyone under 17 years of age. Houston police say the current midnight curfew on Friday and Saturday nights must be toughened. Officers say so far this year they've arrested 2,500 juveniles committing crimes in Houston between the hours of 10pm and 11pm.
HPD Assistant Chief Michael Thaler explained, "They may be involved in thefts, assaultive behavior or other behaviors like that. But the 10:00 to 11:00 hour is important, in that we want to make sure that juveniles do not become victims of crimes."
[snip]
There would be some exceptions to the proposed curfew change -- anyone coming home from work, anyone coming home from a church or civic function, or anyone coming home from a school event like a football game. In addition, anyone with their parents would be allowed on the streets after 10pm.
Also, KHOU-11's Doug Miller reports that Mayor White is planning a big advertising campaign to discourage Houstonians from giving money to panhandlers and street beggars:
[T]he mayor’s sending out fundraising letters stating, “I write to request your financial support for a campaign urging Houstonians to refrain from giving money to panhandlers or street solicitors...”
Mayor Bill White said the idea is easy, “Don’t fight the impulse to give. But don’t give to people who are out there begging on the streets. We don’t know what happens to all that money. We know that a lot of it doesn’t fight the root causes of homelessness. Plus it’s an annoyance.”
[snip]
White plans to launch a broadcast campaign similar to his commercials advising consumers to shop around for electricity.
But instead of TV commercials, drivers listening to their radios will be targeted.
The mayor’s outreach to panhandlers and their donors is expected to begin next month.
"Outreach" is an interesting word choice! One suspects that people tired of dealing with panhandlers and street beggars will appreciate the campaign. Miller neglects to report how much the campaign is going to cost, which would have been a useful fact to include.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/26/06 10:35 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (19)
Engines of Our Ingenuity available as podcast
Lou Minatti notes that Engines of Our Ingenuity, the wonderful program that's been put out over NPR for years by Dr. John Lienhard of the University of Houston, is now available as a podcast.
Engines and Dr. Lienhard are two of the city's jewels. It's a smart use of technology to make the program more widely available.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/26/06 10:20 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (2)
Bayou City History blogs Houston's past
We've recently discovered Bayou City History, a new blog that looks to dig into Houston's past in interesting ways.
Here's a snippet from the first post:
Frankly, no one wants to hear what I think about President Bush, the 2006 midterm elections, or the global war on terror.
But then I figured I could turn this medium into something that would not only be educational but also fun.
You see, I'm a native Houstonian with an interest in local history. I've always been fascinated at whatever purpose some old, decrepit building served years ago. It's amazing to look at one area of the city and realize that a century ago, it may have been a bustling residential area, an industrial center, or even an old Army fort. I always thought that there were still some forgotten pieces of Houston's history just waiting to be uncovered.
I've already started digging. This blog will show what I've found.
The blogosphere doesn't necessarily need another InstaPundit or Kos. However, we're pretty fond of hyperlocal, niche blogging like Bayou City History. Check it out if you are interested in Houston's past, presented in an interesting way.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/26/06 10:09 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
New HPD cadet class underway
KTRK-13 reports that a new HPD cadet class got started today:
The city of Houston enlisted 40 new police cadets Monday morning.
At a time the city finds itself in great need, it will take six months to make the cadets officers. The class is smaller than expected. The city had 70 slots open, but is having a tough time finding applicants.
Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt said, "We're trying to get 70 and it's been very difficult because there's a lot of competition out there. A lot of major departments as well as smaller departments are all out recruiting because they need to add more people."
A full cadet class costs the city more than $3 million. Next year Houston will have five cadet classes. The costs add up quickly. Upon graduation, with salary and benefits, each officer costs the city $65,000 a year.
It's disappointing that the class was only slightly over half full, now that the city finally is addressing the problem.
Councilmember Adrian Garcia lets loose with a whopper at the end:
"We have continuously found ways to prioritize our investment in public safety. Our public is asking for it," said Houston Councilman Adrian Garcia. "The issue becomes, you know, that we got to figure out how to afford it."
Continuously? Now Councilmember, that's not quite true. It's good that HPD's manpower shortage is finally commanding some attention, but that's only come about recently. And judging from this disappointing recruiting effort, it's going to need more attention.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/26/06 10:03 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
The champagne corks are a-poppin' at HPD headquarters
Because Texas AG Greg Abbott passed down an opinion that said red light cameras could be placed at TxDOT intersections:
"Now we can truly impact safety, because now we're going to be using the (more dangerous) locations instead of having to work around" them, said Houston Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Martha Montalvo.
Of course, if Montalvo was truly interested in safety, she would have pressed for yellow light times to have been adjusted. But she doesn't see the "logic" in that.
About half of the most dangerous intersections in the city belong to TxDOT, Montalvo said. Those locations can now be monitored by cameras intended to catch drivers who run red lights, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said in an opinion issued late Friday.
"(TxDOT) may permit local entities to install camera equipment to monitor compliance with traffic-control signals for the purpose of enforcing traffic laws," Abbott's opinion reads.
HPD is so excited, they are trashing the original list of intersections that was released just a couple of weeks ago:
HPD likely will scrap the list of 10 sites it released earlier this month as the first camera locations and come up with a new one that includes TxDOT intersections, Montalvo said. That new list could be released as soon as this afternoon, she said.
There's revenue to be generated! The camera company, ATS, is being very flexible:
The company contracted to run the system, American Traffic Solutions Inc., already has begun planning the installation of cameras at the 10 intersections announced by HPD earlier this month, said CEO Jim Tuton. But the company was aware the locations could change, and Tuton still expects installation to begin in July as previously planned, he said.
Tuton called the opinion a "milestone in traffic safety in Texas."
"It has a huge impact in terms of the enforcement potential and the safety potential," he said. "It's very hard to implement technology and leverage it effectively unless you can implement it across the entire city."
Not to mention the revenue potential! It's hard to get maximum revenues unless ATS and HPD can implement the program across the entire city.
Wouldn't it be refreshing if MayorWhiteChiefHurtt would just admit it's all about the money?
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/26/06 09:19 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
Rad Sallee wants your input
The Chronicle's traffic columnist wants your input:
Speaking of dangerous intersections, we'd like to hear readers' opinions about dangerous ramps in the Houston area.
The Southwest Freeway's new Blodgett ramp, where the merge lane is short and scary, has been closed while engineers study the layout, and the new Milam ramp nearby still worries some drivers, although it may be safer than it feels.
What are your nominees?
The 527 Death Ramp (at Milam) gets my vote. The design of that ramp is really inexcusable for new construction.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/26/06 03:09 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (8)
25 June 2006
Mr. Gibbons visits the sea, via Courbet and MFAH
The Editorial LiveJournal makes a return to the Chronicle editorial pages today.
We frequently refer to the Chronicle editorialists as the Editorial LiveJournalists. That's because opinion page editor James Howard Gibbons decided some time ago that his opinion pages occasionally need to run personal diaries instead of the usual staff editorials. And so we have been treated to stories of Gibbons riding his bike (no joke!) and another editorialist offering her leftovers to her neighbors (no kidding!). It's fare more appropriate to a LiveJournal than a serious newspaper. Hence the term, Editorial LiveJournalists.
Here is a snippet from today's Editorial (Live)Journal:
A civil rights lawyer in Austin wears what surely must be the world's most desirable wristwatch. Instead of numerals or marks indicating the hours, the watch's face bears the words, "It's time to go to the beach."
This is the season for that pleasure, but the frequent thunderstorms and heavy rains might deter some beachgoers. No matter. An exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston holds the remedy.Entitled Courbet and the Modern Landscape, the exhibit offers three rooms of paintings by Gustav Courbet, selected to show this master's role as a transitional figure from the idealized painting of the Salon and state patronage to realism and Impressionism. While most of Courbet's painting were completed in the studio, he made many drawings in the field so as to be able to paint things as they are and as he saw them.
Particularly sublime is the selection of Courbet's seascapes.
And less sublime is the typo in the Editorial LiveJournal.
As Matt Bramanti asked in reference to an earlier Editorial LiveJournal, why do these diaries keep appearing on the editorial page of a major metropolitan newspaper?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/25/06 11:57 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (2)
Brazos Bookstore finds buyer
The Chronicle reports that the Brazos Bookstore has (finally) found a group of buyers:
Brazos [Bookstore] seemed highly endangered this spring. Since it opened in 1974, owner Karl Kilian had overseen its daily operations, making it a cultural landmark in Houston, with readings by nationally known writers such as Martin Amis, Larry McMurtry and Susan Sontag. But in March, Kilian announced that he was becoming director of programs for the Menil Collection. The job required him to sell or close his bookstore.
The announcement sent tremors through Houston's literary community. Many feared that Brazos, which occupies 3,000 square feet on Bissonnet near Rice University, would become yet another casualty in the bookstore wars that have seen independents around the country succumb to Amazon.com and the big chains, Barnes & Noble and Borders. (Just this month came news that Cody's Books, a 50-year institution in Berkeley, Calif., will close.)
"Many of us felt at the time that Houston just has to have a literary bookstore of the first rank, which we've been lucky enough to have for 30-plus years," said Babette Hale, founder of Winedale Publishing (and wife of Chronicle columnist Leon Hale). "To lose that would have been a real blow to the civic health of the community."
In late April, Hale and investment counselor Edward R. Allen III, who chairs the Asia House board of directors and formerly headed the Contemporary Arts Museum board, organized a meeting of people who might be persuaded to invest in the store.
Out of that meeting emerged Brazos Bookstore Acquisition, a limited liability corporation. The 14 investors contributed a minimum of $10,000, with Allen the largest contributor.
All of the new owners shopped at Brazos, and some are familiar figures on the Houston cultural scene. Besides Hale and Allen, they include Sis Johnson, president of Inprint and a longtime supporter of University of Houston's Creative Writing Program; investment banker and author Matt Simmons; and attorney and Jung Center board member Travis Broesche.
One can't help but appreciate a group of literary types who don't simply lament the likely passing of a bookstore, but take concrete steps to ensure its survival. Here's wishing them well in what is likely to continue to be a struggle against bigger booksellers.
BLOGVERSATION: Slampo's Place.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/25/06 04:26 PM | Houston Arts/Culture | Technorati | Comments (6)
New bayou park's plants handle rains with no trouble
We've wondered several times on the little blog how Houston's newest (better than the River Walk!) bayou park fared after the heavy rains of the last week. According to the park's stewards, everything turned out great:
Dazzled by fireworks, a high-tech lighting system and movies floating by along Buffalo Bayou, thousands of Houstonians enjoyed the June 10 opening celebration of the Sabine to Bagby Promenade.
Nine days later, the new park's broad, winding trails and lovingly tended vegetation were under water, submerged in a rapidly rising bayou swelled by Monday's torrential rainfall.
It was an important test of the long-planned, $15 million park. It is the first major project to be completed under a 20-year plan for publicly and privately funded bayou improvements from Shepherd to the Ship Channel turning basin.
The park, designed to withstand periodic flooding, appears to have passed the test convincingly.
"We didn't lose a single plant," said Scott Barnes, the conservation director for the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, the nonprofit group overseeing the bayou improvements.
However, heavy rains can cause the new park to be somewhat less beautiful than the River Walk:
After Monday's flooding, water covered the trails and landscaping, making a damage assessment impossible until the water subsided over the next two days.
Once the park became accessible, Barnes said, it was clear that the main impact was silt and mud covering trails and trash that floated on the water or became tangled in the vegetation.
Plants were flattened by the water's weight but quickly sprang back, Barnes said. Once crews finish hosing off the silt and collecting trash, all visible evidence of the flood will be gone, he said.
That doesn't sound as nice as the River Walk to me, but I guess that's why I contribute to a little blog, and not to the editorial pages of the mighty Hearst daily.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/25/06 04:20 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (2)
Chron reader rep defends Spanish sports section, rips critics' motives
James Campbell, the Chronicle's reader representative, has an odd column today in which he basically attributes racist/nativist motives to those who question why the city's only English-language daily insists on taking up valuable sports-page real estate by duplicating stories in Spanish:
The phone calls and e-mails are predictable. They come in bunches every time we publish a story in Spanish. In recent weeks, I've received dozens of calls and e-mails decrying in vitriolic terms the Chronicle's publishing a daily World Cup page in Spanish.
One doesn't have to scratch far beyond the surface to know that the complaints are more about the contentious illegal immigration debate in this country than about Spanish in the Chronicle. The page of Spanish is but a convenient reason to complain, like voicemail that instructs the caller to "press one for English" and "two for Spanish."
"Why do you print sport pages in Spanish?" an e-mailer wrote. "If you are in this country legally you understand English. By printing anything in Spanish you are pandering to the illegals who refuse to learn English. ENGLISH ONLY, PLEASE. ... "
We consider and take seriously all complaints, comments and observations about the editorial content of the newspaper. Protest about stories published in Spanish, however, is a particularly sensitive matter because it goes to where people are politically and culturally.
I'm sure that some of the people who wrote to Mr. Campbell are racist/nativist types, but it's also not that hard to figure out that Spanish-language content in the only English-language metro daily displaces English-language content, thereby making the paper of less value to English-language readers. Maybe that's a smart business decision for Hearst (which already puts out a Spanish-language weekly product). Maybe it's not. But for the newspaper's reader representative to paint people who might criticize the decision as racists/nativists seems like a stretch. Not to mention intolerant.
BLOGVERSATION: Greg's Opinion, Blue Bayou.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/25/06 04:09 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (13)
Imploding building halts Metro's "transit backbone"
So, what else can shut down the Danger Train besides rain, falling cable lines and trees, power outages, water main breaks, rats, marathons, enthusiastic sports fans, and of course, 130+ accidents?
A planned building implosion in the Texas Medical Center Sunday, June 25, will require METRO to temporarily shut down METRORail service between Dryden and Hermann Park/Rice University Stations, and detour a portion of the 8 South Main bus route.
METRO service changes will take place from approximately 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Fannin and many other streets in the TMC will be temporarily closed and pedestrian activity will be prohibited in the area.
METRO will operate dedicated “Rail Shuttle” buses[...]
Yay for the buses!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/25/06 11:05 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (9)
Will George Clooney be at the economic summit this week?
The U.S.-Arab Economic Forum is taking place here in Houston this week:
LEADERS from Baghdad, Cairo, Djibouti and across the Arab world are gathering in Houston this week for the U.S.-Arab Economic Forum in an effort to bolster the relationship between the U.S. and the Middle East.
"We're trying to build understanding one handshake at a time," said Nasser Beydoun, organizer of the forum and chairman of the Dearborn, Mich.-based American Arab Chamber of Commerce.
To that end, heavy hitters like presidential confidante Karen Hughes, CEOs such as ConocoPhillips' James Mulva and dignitaries like Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal are expected to speak. About 800 people are registered to attend three days of discussions on topics from breaking the oil addiction to health care in the Arab world.
Sounds like plenty of important people will be attending.
"This forum tries to look at the economic angle and how that could bring peace, security to the United States," said Hala Kotb, a spokeswoman for the forum.
That's nice. But the burning question(s) for blogHOUSTON is whether or not the Chron's energy blogger, Lynn Cook, will be in attendance, and if so will she ask any of the important attendees if they've seen Syriana.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/25/06 09:49 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Chron.com: Houston blogosphere is on vacation
Well, someone's on vacation. Which means there's very little being said around town...apparently. We don't think the entire Opinion page went on holiday, since we haven't been spared the inane offerings of the editorial board, and the On Point Q&A changed last week.
Couldn't another Chron.com staffer have been entrusted with choosing local blog posts of interest? That is a big online operation, after all. Not like us little folks who do this in our spare time. =)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/25/06 08:46 AM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (3)
Houston's sanctuary policy is not confusing
The Chronicle ran a story by Alexis Grant and Matt Stiles on Friday that attempted to assess the notion that Houston is a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants (I think). It's an unusual story in that it's one of the clunkier pieces of writing that's ever appeared with Matt Stiles' name attached (maybe the crack Chron editing team is to blame), although it does present two sides of the semantic debate over the "sanctuary city" designation.
Here's the lede:
The phrase "sanctuary city" does more than rally anti-illegal immigration activists and make city officials cringe — it causes confusion.
Oh come on. The phrase isn't confusing. The term is used in the immigration debate to denote a city that adopts policies intended to shield illegal immigrants from municipal enforcement of immigration laws. The policies usually involve prohibitions on inquiries into immigration status. This is not confusing.
The story continues:
The Houston Police Department for more than a decade have followed a policy that forbids them from asking people they encounter about their immigration status. But does that make Houston a "sanctuary city?"
Yes.
Members of the group [Protect our Citizens] say the policy protects illegal immigrants to the point that it qualifies Houston as a "sanctuary city."
A report by the Congressional Research Service reached the same conclusion.
HPD officers are forbidden from inquiring as to immigration status. The Congressional Research Service is right to refer to Houston as a "sanctuary city."
Mayor White disagrees:
''Houston is not a sanctuary city," said Mayor Bill White. "The biggest concern on something like this is somebody trying to confuse the voters."
The term is used most often by those who oppose the Houston policy and similar ones in other locales.
Mayor White offers no reason that Houston is not a sanctuary city. He just asserts it, and then changes the subject (to people misleading voters).
And then Alexis Grant and Matt Stiles immediately follow by offering editorial commentary on who uses the term.
Here are a couple of questions: Does it really matter who uses the term if it's accurate? And is the Congressional Research Service usually swayed so easily by political activists deploying demagogic rhetoric (the point that seems to be implied by the story's editorializing)?
If Houston's Mayor and other elected officials think the 1992 sanctuary directive is a good idea, then they ought to be willing to engage in a public debate over it, and put it to a vote on Council instead of hiding behind an order issued by a long-gone former police chief and complaining about a petition group. Indeed, if the Mayor and Council would take the lead on this matter, rescind the current policy, and engage in a debate on what should replace it (if anything), a petition would be completely unneccessary. That shouldn't even be too confusing for the journalists assigned to the issue!
BLOGVERSATION: Cigars, donuts, and Coffee.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/25/06 12:22 AM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (8)
24 June 2006
Alvarado hits the road in effort to pay legal bills
The Chronicle's Kristen Mack reported Friday that Councilmember Carol Alvarado is busy trying to raise cash for her legal fund:
HOUSTON City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado is taking her fundraising show on the road.
She's collecting checks for her legal defense fund at an event in Dallas today — headlined by a group of former and present officials from San Antonio, Los Angeles and San Jose, Calif., who are in town for the annual conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
The hosts include former San Antonio Mayor Ed Garza, Los Angeles City Councilmen Alex Padilla and Tony Cardenas, and Mickey Ibarra, who was President Clinton's director of intergovernmental affairs.
Hispanic political figures were less in evidence earlier this month at a Houston fundraiser for Alvarado, whose political upward mobility has stalled because of a payroll scandal that occurred on her watch as mayor pro tem.
"I'm not sure what kind of invitations were extended to (Houston) Hispanic elected officials," said former state Rep. Al Luna, who is administering Alvarado's legal fund. "They may not have felt comfortable being there."
That seems like a reasonable guess.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/24/06 11:37 PM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (5)
SEIU: Equal opportunity campaign-finance rogue
The Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists had a fun observation in today's editorial celebrating Gay Pride Week:
Although recent years have seen voter approval of a state constitutional ban on gay marriage and the defeat of efforts to provide insurance coverage for the domestic partners of city of Houston workers, celebrants have plenty of progress to point to over the past three decades.
Perhaps the most obvious is the citywide elections of Controller Annise Parker and at-large Councilwoman Sue Lovell, both of whom are openly lesbian. In the late '70s, the only way for local gay activists to influence the political process was to work for progressive candidates such as Kathy Whitmire, who served as city controller before serving five terms as mayor.
Parker's and Lovell's winning campaigns show the growing willingness of Houstonians to vote for the best candidate, regardless of sexual orientation. Parker won three successive terms as an at-large councilmember and is now serving her second term as city controller after being elected without opposition. Lovell is in her first term on council after winning a runoff last year.
In Lovell's case, perhaps it would have been more accurate to write about the willingness of a Houston union to boost one candidate to victory (skirting the city's campaign finance laws), regardless of sexual orientation. At least they get credit for being an equal-opportunity union.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/24/06 11:31 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (0)
23 June 2006
Civilian cop program slides into new city budget at cost of $10 million
Holy moly: KTRH-740 is reporting that MayorWhiteChiefHurtt's civilian traffic patrol will now cost $10 million for four or five years:
A last minute add-in to Houston Mayor Bill White's newly-approved budget will end up costing city taxpayers $10 million over the next four to five years.
Mayor White says the city will only spend about $1.7 million on the "Mobility Response Team" over the next 12 months, but he says he wants a secure source of funding in place to ensure the team continues its work. Once the traffic team is formed it will consist of 24 police service officers.
[snip]
Since it was announced last month, the traffic squad has drawn its share of criticism. Houston's largest police officers union calls it a proposal to add "cheap cops" to city streets. Police union president Hans Marticuic says it seems civilian traffic squad members will be used to perform many of the duties now done by the HPD motorcycle squad, known as the "SOLOs".
Some Houston Council Members have also been critical of where money for the plan is coming from. The city is shifting the $10 million from what was formerly the "street and bridge repair" fund. Council Member Pam Holm has accused White's administration of raiding that fund to pay for things which have nothing to do with fixing the roads. City officials have said nothing is illegal or improper about how Houston's paying for its new traffic squad.
$10 million over four years (and these things never come in under budget; you just KNOW this will end up costing much, much more), to pay for civilian cops out of a street and bridge repair fund.
Goodness.
PREVIOUSLY: Houston's civilian accident investigators, Hurtt: It's cheaper to hire civilian pseudo-cops than real cops, More on civilian traffic patrol
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/23/06 06:37 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (15)
KHOU wins two Murrow awards
KHOU-11 has won two national Edward R. Murrow awards, one in the Feature-Hard News category for a story by Jeremy Desel entitled, "Firefighters: Cancer":
The report documented the cancer risks Houston Fire Department firefighters face when they enter burning buildings to fight fires. Firefighter death rates are from 4 to 30 times higher than the general public depending on the kind of cancer. Three weeks after the story aired, the Texas legislature passed a law giving firefighters line-of-duty death benefits for cancer.
And the second in the Investigative Reporting category for a story by Mark Greenblatt entitled, "Playing with Fire":
The investigation revealed that hundreds of public schools in the Houston area had never received a fire code inspection in more than 30 years. The investigation also discovered immediate life-threatening violations at many of the schools that were missed by the Fire Marshal, which prompted a massive reorganization of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office. Harris County Commissioners say there is no doubt this investigation saved lives, prevented countless injuries to children, and will protect our community for years to come.
KHOU was one of only seven stations to win more than one national award. Congratulations KHOU, Jeremy Desel, and Mark Greenblatt!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/23/06 05:59 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (1)
Now it's SplashTown's future that's uncertain
Six Flags has announced that SplashTown is one of six properties it is considering either selling or shutting down:
Theme park owner Six Flags says it it could sell or even close six of its 30 properties across North America. The revelation was among several made overnight that sent shares plunging 19 percent.
The company said it may fail to meet certain bank credit agreements. Six Flags says reaching its previous financial forecast will be extremely difficult.
[snip]
The six properties being examined for possible changes include Six Flags Darien Lake outside Buffalo, New York, Six Flags Waterworld in Concord, California, Six Flags Elitch Gardens in Denver, Wild Waves and Enchanted Village outside Seattle, Six Flags Splashtown in Houston and Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor near Los Angeles.
The company says it can't predict for certain whether any transactions will occur. It could sell the properties outright or dismantle the parks and sell the land for its real estate value.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/23/06 07:46 AM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (2)
University line meetings
Metro has scheduled two University-line meetings next week:
University Corridor Scoping Meeting
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Third Ward Multi-Service Center
3611 Ennis
4-7 p.m.University Corridor Scoping Meeting
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Holiday Inn Select
2712 Southwest Freeway
4-7 p.m.
(Note location change.)
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/23/06 07:26 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (6)
22 June 2006
Food and drink roundup (06-22-2006 edition)
The time has come for a food and drink roundup. Let's get started, shall we?
Alison Cook starts off this week's food and drink roundup with an essay on home-grown tomatoes. Having eaten several tomatoes from two wild plants that sprang out of our grass this spring, this interested me. She also tried Tart Cafe in Montrose and makes the PMS sandwich sound yummy, if that's possible. She also mentions the closing of Aries.
Robb Walsh was not too impressed with most of Black Walnut Cafe's offerings, save their gelato. He seemed to like Nelore Churrascaria though. Some of the bH crew tried Nelore recently and found it so so. The price is certainly right, but some of us must have had another local churrascaria on the brain. He also reports on the closing of Aries.
Renee Kientz makes my mouth water with her description of limoncello. The recipe though lists TWO POUNDS of sugar! NOT low-carb friendly.
Peggy Grodinsky doesn't have much up this week, but she does have a small blurb about the waning supplies of Creamy Creations Poteet Strawberry Ice Cream at H-E-B stores and Central Market. This isn't low-carb friendly either, but I'm beginning not to care.
Mary Vuong drives up for some curbside delivery, offered more and more at local eateries.
Ken Hoffman tries Long John Silver's Parmesan Crusted Fish Bites. If someone other than Ken were to tell me about some of the "items" he tries, I'd probably pass. For some reason, he always makes me want to try them. I was THIS close to trying a KFC Famous Bowl a few weeks ago. Scary.
And Lance Scott Walker likes the roominess of the Time Out Ale House.
World Class, all of it!! Enjoy!!
Posted by Callie Markantonis @ 06/22/06 10:36 PM | Houston Life | Technorati | Comments (4)
Council boosts HPD cadet classes (finally)
The Chronicle's Matt Stiles reports on yesterday's budget session at Council, where HPD and crime were big topics:
About a quarter of the amendments addressed the budgets for police, fire and ambulance services.
One that passed was a proposal by Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck to allocate money to train more police officers.
That change would add one police cadet class to the six already in White's plan for next year. The additional class could add as many as 70 officers, part of an effort to rebuild an understaffed force struggling with a recent increase in homicides and other violent crimes.
Seven cadet classes is a good start, but it's not enough given the extent to which the Mayor and his Council have ignored the problem for years. More on that in a moment. But first, let's finish with the Stiles story, and the antics of certain members of Council:
Councilwoman Ada Edwards said she had to "hold her nose" to vote for the additional officers because she doesn't think the city scrutinizes the department's spending thoroughly.
She raised concern about reports in the Houston Chronicle on a police officer who was paid $100,000 in overtime last year, and that dozens of rank-and-file officers earned six-figure incomes. She has demanded a review of staffing.
"This is our most expensive department, and it has no accountability," she said.
Did Councilmember Edwards vote for a police state? Wow. It would probably be tough for her to compromise on principles that way if she could actually remember what she complained about from week to week.
Councilwoman Sue Lovell said the department hasn't done enough to study and explain crime trends — or involve policy makers and their constituents on possible solutions. "My frustration is, I want to be part of the problem solving. Just putting more officers on the street, just for the sake of putting officers in the street, is not going to reduce crime," she said.
Perhaps Councilmember Lovell is the new "police state" critic on Council. It's just astounding that some councilmembers still refuse to acknowledge HPD's manpower shortage. It's even worse with Lovell, since Jay Aiyer schooled her on the topic during their campaign!
Hans Marticiuc, president of the Houston Police Officers' Union, contends that the cadet classes won't solve HPD's manpower woes quickly enough:
With 200-250 officers expected to retire every year, Marticiuc said a drastic recruiting effort is needed — much more than the six academy classes now being planned.
"If we put 350 officers through academy classes, we have a net gain of 100," he said. "It's going to take us 10-15 years to ever catch up to where we need to be."
So much for the police state.
Marticiuc had more to say about the leadership of MayorWhiteChiefHurtt in this story.
BLOGVERSATION: Houblog.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/22/06 09:54 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (5)
Chronicle: Tilman Fertitta excited about San Antonio property!
In case anyone in Houston cares, Tilman Fertitta (CEO of Landry's Restaurants) is practically gushing over his new restaurant in the Hemisfair tower in San Antonio.
And of course the Houston Hearst daily is right there to chronicle the gushing (pardon the bad pun).
It's really too bad that the reporter (or is that publicist?) didn't interrupt the lovefest to ask Fertitta his opinion on the River Walk versus Buffalo Bayou.
Ah well, why let questions get in the way of promoting a Houston bigwig on the pages of the only news daily.
BLOGVERSATION: Lone Star Times.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/22/06 09:15 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (3)
Houston + Rain + TV reporters = Foolishness
The TVSpy forums noted the latest Houston reporter to act like an idiot during flood coverage, and so has Ken Hoffman:
Let this be a lesson: Channel 2 reporter Mary Benton tripped and fell off a curb as she was walking in water during the big rainstorm Monday.
Reporters tell you not to stand or walk in water, then they do it themselves. Benton was lucky — she just stumbled and wasn't hurt. It could have been an open manhole or something even more dangerous, like a construction ditch or electric company worksite.
Do as those hot dogs say, not as they foolishly do.
I think Benton is one of the best reporters in Houston. Not this time.
Did anyone capture this video? That definitely ought to be YouTubed.
BLOGVERSATION: Isiah Carey's Insite.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/22/06 08:51 PM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (2)
Chron comments on nine-day-old "news"
Back on June 13, Matt Stiles and Roma Khanna reported that Mayor White was dragging his feet on Michael Bromwich's request for another $1.5 million to continue his investigation of the HPD crime lab.
Today -- nine days later -- the Chronicle editorial board offered an opinion on the news/olds.
Way to be timely!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/22/06 08:37 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (0)
21 June 2006
Latest crime acronym yields 300+ arrests (not thousands)
Remember last week when KHOU-11 excitedly reported on HPD's sweeps of apartments:
Houston police officers have been going undercover for weeks, arresting thousands.
We questioned that figure at the time. As the Chronicle reports today, it wasn't accurate:
A police crackdown that dispersed 100 officers per day to five high-risk apartment complexes has netted more than 300 arrests since the program began earlier this month, authorities said.
"Houston is not safe for criminals, and we're making it much less safe for criminals every single day," Mayor Bill White said Tuesday at a news conference to announce the preliminary results.The Strategic Tactical Operation Program is the latest initiative rolled out by the Houston Police Department to curb rising crime rates in southwest Houston.
"The overall goal of (STOP) is to direct resources where they are most needed; saturate the area; and actively engage in crime suppression, criminal apprehension and the restoration of order," said HPD Capt. M.E. Lentschke .
More than 600 criminal charges were filed since June 2, police said, when the additional contingent of HPD officers began patrolling the targeted apartment communities.
Of course, it wouldn't be Hurtt/White-style crimefighting if it didn't have a goofy acronym.
Maybe the Chronicle should send Mike Tolson out to interview some of the residents of the apartments that HPD has targeted. Those residents would probably appreciate his telling them that all their fears are irrational and that crime is a lot like hemlines and home prices!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/21/06 10:55 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (13)
Crime lab's DNA division gains one-year accreditation
Yesterday, the AP reported that the DNA division of the HPD crime lab is set to reopen after receiving accreditation:
The DNA division of the Houston Police Department's crime lab is set to reopen after being closed for more than three years because of concerns over flawed testing, city officials said.
The department said Tuesday that the DNA facility has been accredited by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors. The accreditation certifies that the lab meets minimum standards and is required by Texas law for labs to process evidence.
The Chronicle reported the news today in a story that closely tracks the AP version, but adds this useful information:
Unlike a traditional accreditation, which can last for up to five years, the certification that HPD received will expire in one year, Keaton said. It was limited because analysts were performing tests only on mock cases — not working with material from actual cases — at the time they were evaluated. A 2003 Texas law prohibits unaccredited labs from processing evidence.
As Laurence Simon wrote, HPD gets to take the training wheels off the crime lab -- but only for a year.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/21/06 10:35 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Chron editorial board afflicted by summer silliness
The Chronicle's Editorial LiveJournalists have really been cranking out some doozies lately.
You got the sense some summer silliness was getting underway when they recently compared some park space around a muddy bayou to San Antonio's River Walk (by the way, how did Houston's River Walk fare on Monday, with the floods? Does anybody have photos that we can compare with the real River Walk?).
Monday, they invented a new word (reinsurerers), which was amusing to this bloggerer.
And today, they had a double shot of fun. There was an editorial with this headline:
Superfund solution: Private cleanup of a contaminated site in Fifth Ward could provide a national model
Unfortunately, the conclusion is not quite consistent with the headline:
The unique solution proposed for the MDI site won't work everywhere, because not every toxic Superfund site sits upon land valuable enough to pay for its own cleanup.
So, if it's a unique solution that won't work everywhere (because in all honesty, there are probably not many Superfund sites sitting upon land valuable enough to pay for its own cleanup), it's probably incapable of providing a national model! Do any grownups read these things before they are committed to print?
In today's other editorial, the LiveJournalists move on from lecturing the Pope to lecturing Episcopalians:
This is an era when the nation is at war with global terrorists and could be attacked at any time. Many Americans are trapped in poverty and ignorance, and most face an uncertain future. At such a time, the deep national divide and animosity over same-sex unions is unnecessary and inappropriate.
So it is with Episcopalians.
As Matt Bramanti puts it, because we have terrorism and poverty, good old Chron editorial board advice should be substituted for theology and doctrine and icky church stuff! Of course, we suspect that the Editorial LiveJournalists probably think their advice is preferable to that icky church stuff regardless of terrorism and poverty, but why pass up a chance to lecture those wacky believers!
Here's hoping the summer silliness will subside. Soon.
UPDATE (06-22-2006): Matt Bramanti writes that the silliness continues today. A major newspaper should produce much better work than this.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/21/06 09:52 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (1)
Councilwoman Alvarado: What sanctuary policy?
So now a petition drive has begun in an attempt to force a city-wide vote on how HPD should handle illegal immigrants:
Deriding what they call the city's "sanctuary policy," about a dozen members of a group called "Protect Our Citizens" conducted a news conference at City Hall to announce the petition drive for a city charter referendum.
"It is time to send a message to the world that Houston is no longer a safe haven for illegal, criminal aliens," said spokesman Paul O'Finan, a lawyer.
The group also includes Mary Williams, founder of Taxpayers for Accountability, who has been involved in successful citizen-led initiatives including term limits for city politicians and a 2004 measure capping city revenue.
Officers ask people their immigration status only after they have been arrested for some other reason. Police say the understaffed department doesn't have the resources or training to do more.
Except that the understaffed department DOES have the resources to answer repeated dog-barking complaints in Slampo's neighborhood. But I digress.
Officials also say changing the policy could erode the trust officers need to solve crimes in immigrant communities.
Police Chief Harold Hurtt and Mayor Bill White support the current policy.
[snip]
After Tuesday's event, Councilwoman Carol Alvarado dismissed the petition as "pre-election politics," saying the city doesn't offer "sanctuary" to illegal immigrants.
Nice try, Councilwoman. It's General Order 500-5, issued in 1992 by former Police Chief Sam Nuchia. It's a "hands off illegals" policy. Then you add city-funded day labor centers and voilà! You've got an unofficial official sanctuary policy.
"I don't think it makes sense to take our police officers off the streets from chasing real criminals, who are committing real crimes, and send them on some witch hunt," [Alvarado] said.
Guess what! Some of the real criminals, committing real crimes, are here illegally. Really! And by not allowing police officers to do their jobs fully (without the hindrance of a politically correct policy concocted by illegal immigrant activists), the public's safety IS at risk. And we are seeing the fruits of that policy every day.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: What is interesting about some of the advocates of the sanctuary policy (including some bloggers who have just discovered it) is their notion that in the absence of said policy, HPD officers would be running around, out of control, harassing anyone whose skin is brown and trying to deport them. Frankly, that's ludicrous. If that were to happen, it would be because the HPD brass wanted it to happen (unlikely) or because the HPD brass is incompetent (hmm, on second thought, maybe that could happen under Chief Hurtt).
What we could really use is a debate over a directive crafted by a police chief in 1992. If the general order issued by a police chief 14 years ago is the right policy for Houston today, then there's no reason why members of Council can't debate the issue, seek the advice of experts in law enforcement, and produce a similar policy -- or not. I've yet to see a compelling argument why law enforcement should remain handcuffed by a directive issued by an unelected police chief in 1992. We elect a Mayor and Council to make those sorts of decisions. It's time for them to stop ducking this issue, and for the 1992 directive to be replaced by a real policy crafted by our elected officials after appropriate public input.
PREVIOUSLY: Mayor White: What sanctuary policy?, Gordon Quan: What sanctuary policy?
BLOGVERSATION: Lone Star Times, Newswatch: Immigration, Polimom, Too.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/21/06 08:39 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Comments (5)
Marvin goes in for maintenance
KTRK-13's Marvin Zindler recently went in for some touch-up work:
We received lots of calls from well-wishers through our switchboard on Monday, asking how Marvin's doing. We wanted to let you know he's doing fine, and thank you for your inquiries.
For those of you who haven't heard, Marvin had another yes, another - face lift. Before Marvin underwent some maintenance work at St. Luke's Hospital early Monday morning, he talked about why he's going through this for the 16th time."He's going to press out some wrinkles," Marvin said of his plastic surgeon. "I don't know if you know what pressing out wrinkles is, but when you put your shirt in a washing machine and get it out it's all wrinkled and you got to press it. Well, that's what he's going to do to my face. After 85 years old and on the air, I think it's time to have my face pressed."
We even had people inquiring about Marvin's hair piece. And yes, his white wig stayed on through the whole surgery.
Marvin Zindler is difficult to explain to out-of-towners.
Here's wishing him and his neatly pressed face a quick recovery. There are roaches and slime that need to be dealt with, after all!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/21/06 07:26 AM | Houston Media | Technorati | Comments (3)
20 June 2006
Chronicle: City's homicides are like hemlines and home prices!
The Chronicle's Mike Tolson penned a weekend article that uses "experts" to suggest rather strongly that growing public concern over rising violent crime (as measured in recent polling) is irrational. Here is one of Tolson's experts:
Criminologists and sociologists who specialize in crime say parsing statistics for explanations of public fear of or perceptions about crime is pointless. The public is more likely responding from a general feeling, something lingering in the subconscious, they say, than with cold, numerical logic.
"I'm not convinced that the public is generally aware of crime-rate trends," said Dennis Longmire, a criminology professor at Sam Houston State University's Criminal Justice Center. "And I'm not convinced they are swayed in their attitudes toward crime based on news about crime rates and such. People would like to think that they are, but I think it is more visceral and emotional than rational."
If Professor Longmire means to say that crime rates are not the only explanatory factor for growing public concern over crime in Houston, then that's a reasonable position (since multiple variables are likely involved). However, if he means to suggest that rising violent crime rates and media coverage of rising crime rates (and, lately, HPD's manpower shortage) are not important independent variables, he and/or Tolson need to provide justification for that position beyond the notion that the Professor is "not convinced."
Here is Tolson's conclusion to what seems more like an editorial admonition not to worry than objective reporting:
In 1985, Houston recorded 459 murders, which was encouraging because just a few years before, the total topped 700. Two decades later, a more populous city has three-quarters of that total and is alarmed.
With crime, like hemlines and home prices, bad news often is in the eye of the beholder.
The rise in murders is a documented fact, and not simply in the "eye of the beholder." Indeed, the reporter seems to concede as much in his sixth paragraph, before the story is framed by the reporter's quotes from "experts." Needless to say, the conclusion comparing homicides to hemlines and home prices showed poor taste, even for the Chronicle.
Maybe Chief Hurtt sent a Fear Reduction Initiative psychologist over to visit this reporter. That's at least one explanation for this "Don't worry" editorial posing as a news story.
Still, if you follow Chief Hurtt's advice -- don't involve yourself in particular behavior (like getting mugged or killed?), don't go out at night, and stay off certain streets -- you'll probably be fine! And even if you think you won't be fine, don't worry -- according to reporter/editorialist Mike Tolson and his experts, you're probably just being irrational!
ANNE LINEHAN ADDS: In addition to the problems with the story Kevin points out, I'd like to add this:
Recent months have seen a handful of well-chronicled atrocities: the aggravated sexual assault of a teenager in Spring in which two skinheads have been charged; an engaged couple's slaying inside their West End townhome; the shooting death of two Bellaire High School students in separate incidents; and the killing of an elderly Pasadena woman — allegedly by a trio of hurricane evacuees she had befriended.
Nice.
The Chronicle has routinely not labeled minorities when reporting crimes. In fact, Chron Reader Representative James Campbell said that NOT reporting race is more practical.
The question is why is it okay to describe white guys with a highly inflammatory label such as "skinhead"? Does the Chronicle know for sure they ARE skinheads? I mean, we can infer they are, but is that enough? Would that be enough if the suspects were black or brown? The Chron (and media outlets in general) are routinely loathe to identify race if the suspect is a minority. And the media are VERY loathe to use any further descriptions that might identify a group the suspect is a part of. For example, when that teen was killed in Chew Park, the Chron didn't mention that he was a member of MS-13.
And for any reading-challenged yahoos out there who think I am defending the Spring suspects, smack that idea right out of your head. I'm not. I am criticizing the way the media report these things.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/20/06 10:07 PM | Houston Chronicle | Technorati | Comments (5)
Fired TSU president honored at Juneteenth event
The Chronicle's Leigh Hopper reports that fired university administrator and alleged thief Priscilla Slade was recognized at a prestigious Jones Hall event on Sunday:
Eleven days after being fired from Texas Southern University for misspending school money, former TSU President Priscilla Slade received a standing ovation and burst into song at a Juneteenth celebration Sunday night at Jones Hall.
"When a person is having problems, that's when you pick her up," state Rep. Al Edwards, told the crowd of about 2,000.Earlier in the evening, he explained the decision to honor Slade for her work on behalf of TSU at the event: "When she took over, that university couldn't do a thing. You recognize folks for what good they've done."
[snip]
The honoring of Slade capped off the event and seemed designed to launch her on a career as a gospel singer. She sang a bit of what one bystander said was a hymn more commonly heard at funerals, My Living Won't Be in Vain.
Some in the audience said Slade deserved the recognition.
"She's in a very high position and she needs to be honored," said Tunisia Wolridge, a Houston resident.
Others seemed perplexed by the choice.
Frank Walker, whose wife took him to the celebration for Father's Day, said he glanced at the program and was surprised to see Slade's name: "When I first looked at it, I said, 'Hmmm.' "
"Hmmm" probably isn't a strong enough reaction, but it's a start.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 06/20/06 09:57 AM | Houston People | Technorati | Comments (11)
The worst is over as the cleanup begins
The Chronicle's Eric Berger has the latest information on our weather and recovery:
The good news, Blood said, is that the storms appear to be moving and not stalling over a single area to provide significant localized flooding.
In many areas, life was beginning to normalize. The Houston Independent School District will open for normal summer-school classes today except for Hartman Middle School, 7111 Westover in southeast Houston, where there is water remaining today from Monday's storms.
Pasadena ISD schools will also be open, district officials said.
Metropolitan Transit Authority buses and MetroRail were operating on their normal routes and schedules this morning, and the Travis Street entrance to the North Freeway HOV lane has reopened after being closed Monday by high water, said Metro spokeswoman Raequel Roberts.
The Houston TranStar traffic control center reported area freeways running smoothly at 6 a.m. except for a segment of the Katy Freeway at the West Loop where a 4-vehicle accident had shut down the inbound lanes. The wreck had recently been cleared.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/20/06 08:51 AM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (4)
Metro regularly procrastinates on public information act requests
Tom Bazan comments here on Metro's reticence in responding to TXPIA requests. He notes that his latest request had a deadline of last Friday and since he hadn't received any response to his request (standard operating procedure for Metro), he sent a follow-up email yesterday to Paula Alexander, Metro's General Counsel, wondering where the information was. According to Tom, she replied that the heavy rains had created a staffing shortage at Metro and the required response would be delayed.
See what can happen when one puts things off?
Just about the only reason we have ANY transparency at all at Metro is because of Tom's relentless pursuit of what should be regularly disclosed public information. As governmental bodies go, Metro is rather secretive, whenever it can get away with it. And considering how much taxpayer money flows into Metro, that lack of transparency is bad news for local citizens.
It also means that Tom is regularly vilified by the pro-rail crowd, along with Rep. John Culberson.
RELATED: State of Texas Public Information Act Penalties and Remedies
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/20/06 08:31 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (3)
19 June 2006
Update on HISD schools and transportation
HISD's press office has sent out the following information:
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/19/06 06:04 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Comments (0)
Is $AFEclear in effect today? (updated)
From a Chronicle story on this morning's flooding:
Wrecker driver Arturo Maldonado of SOS Collision and Towing Service reported that he had towed at least 20 vehicles stranded on I-10 East. "When it's flooding like this,'' he said, "it's a lot busy. It's my job.''
Among those Maldonado assisted was his own wife, whose auto had gotten stuck in high water.
Does SAFEclear continue on an abnormal day like today? KTRH-740 just had a report about cars being towed, and the reporter said that the stranded cars are so thick on highways, tow truck drivers are not waiting for calls. They are pulling cars off the road. The reporter said that comes with a steep bill -- $130 in city fees.
A waiving of fees related to forced SAFEclear tows would seem to be in order today.
UPDATE (6-20-2006): Apparently there's some confusion as to the intent of my post. I am not suggesting that tow truck drivers should work for free or that all tows should be free. Instead, I was wondering if, on a highly abnormal day like yesterday, the SAFEclear rules could be set aside, going back to the pre-SAFEclear situation where people had a bit more time to get themselves off the side of the road. Or call for a tow truck, but citizens would do it on their own. And that's only if they were already on the shoulder and not blocking the road.
This analogy isn't perfect, but it would be similar to fining homeowners for trash left in front of their homes because the city's trash trucks couldn't get through. You know, kinda like this.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 06/19/06 05:05 PM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Comments (1)
Chief Lambert: When a crime is reported, we'll rewind the tape
Last week Metro's board voted on a contract for security cameras at its Park and Pillage lots, about 1 1/2 years after Metro Police Chief Tom Lambert admitted he needed to find some technology. Today Rad Sallee has more:
When the Metropolitan Transit Authority canceled its security guard contract for Park & Ride lots in January 2005, it replaced the on-site guards with roving Metro police and a promise to add surveillance cameras.
Now those officers are about to get that long-awaited helping hand. The Metro board voted last week to buy a $20 million wireless system for video surveillance and traffic signal control.
It will enable one officer in the Houston TranStar traffic control center to monitor activity at 25 Park & Ride lots and the Hillcroft Transit Center, said Erik Oistad, Metro vice president for information technology.
[snip]
The board watched a demonstration video shot at the Downtown Transit Center. Oistad said the software was programmed to alert the viewer if any of three things happened: a vehicle smaller than a bus parking in the bus bay, a pedestrian entering the area reserved for buses, or an object being left on the loading dock for more than 30 seconds.
In the demonstration, a Metro officer drove his patrol car into the bay, strolled across the driveway to the dock and left a package. "Gotcha," Oistad said, as the computer drew a red square around each occurrence.
Okay, here's where it gets good:
Some board members were skeptical.
"It seems like we're putting a $20 million system on one clerk," Jackie Freeman said.
"The effectiveness of the system is primarily going to be riding on your ability to program it for these incidents," he said. "Give me an example of how you would program it for a guy asking to borrow a cell phone and then taking off with it."
Metro Police Chief Tom Lambert replied that in such a case, the victim would report the theft on one of the blue phones and police would scroll back the video, which he said yields "evidence quality" images from up to 300 feet.
"If we knew a person was in a blue Mercedes-Benz 280, we could go back and find the license plate number," Lambert said. The system also enables the gates to the lot to be locked remotely, he said.
Now that's some pro-active law enforcement! Who needs the deterrent of an actual security guard when you can have one guy watching a security camera feed at Transtar? And don't forget that last year Metro reminded its customers they can arm themselves (with a concealed carry permit, of course).
I am convinced Chief Lambert and Chief Hurtt meet for breakfast every morning.
(BTW, when Metro first pulled security guards from the Park and Pillage lots,