24 July 2007
Chron and Comcast: Everything's great!
The Chronicle today reports that Comcast thinks its takeover from Time Warner is going very well:
Some customers may have noticed temporary outages during the transition in recent weeks, but spokesman Ray Purser said the problems have been minimal.
"It's all gone very smoothly," Purser said. "I think it's been a lot easier than people thought it was going to be."
Customers get the faster Web-surfing speeds without having to do anything, but those who used Road Runner e-mail houston.rr.com need to register comcast.net addresses.
Just one quick correction -- at the very least, users had to reboot their modems after the switch, in order to sync up with the Comcast network, so users DID have to do something. [Update: Dwight Silverman informs that his setup did not require a reboot, so some (but not all users) apparently did not have to do anything].
Quite a few commenters on Chron.com seem to disagree with Mr. Purser that the transition has gone smoothly. Indeed, I'm among those who don't think it's gone smoothly. My television service became so bad (intermittent outages and snowy picture) that I switched to Dish Network and couldn't be happier. My internet download speeds are one-third to one-half what they were, so DSL may be my next switch.
For those of you who have experienced the transition from Time Warner to Comcast, what do you think?
BLOGVERSATION: About: Chron, Off the Kuff.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/24/07 11:11 PM |
HISD abandons absurd legal position on baseball stats
The Chronicle's Ericka Mellon reports that HISD has now backed away from its absurd legal contention that baseball stats are private, protected data under federal law:
The Houston Independent School District agreed Monday to release high school baseball players' statistics to a parent after a federal official confirmed the information can be made public.
HISD's attorney, Chris Gilbert, informed Scott Rothenberg that the district will give him the statistics for last year's Bellaire High School baseball team "as quickly as possible."
Rothenberg, whose two sons played on the team, requested the data in April and again in June under the Texas Public Information Act.
Gilbert informed Rothenberg last week that the district believed that statistics about individual players such as their batting averages were private under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The federal law protects student records such as grades and discipline history.
LeRoy Rooker, whose office oversees the law for the U.S. Department of Education, told Gilbert on Monday that the district can share the statistics if it wants to, Gilbert said.
"It was never the district's desire to keep this stuff private," Gilbert said. "This was just something we thought we had to do."
Well, you were wrong. But at least that conclusion was reached before a federal court smackdown of HISD's legal position was required.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/24/07 10:52 PM |
23 July 2007
Is Michael Berry about to blow up KPRC-950? (updated: yes!)
At the end of last week, some interesting (and seemingly accurate) rumors began spreading about major changes that will be coming soon to KPRC-950.
Mike McGuff has posted about those rumored changes on his blog this morning.
If it's all true, then it seems as if radio programming neophyte Michael Berry is determined to blow up what was once a powerhouse talker in Houston and start all over with something hardly recognizable.
In two years, we'll either be talking about Berry as a new-generation programming genius, or as an unemployed radio guy who helped hasten the decline of Clear Channel in Houston.
Which do you think it will be?
UPDATE: Local radio personality Chuck Tiller is already, er, singing Berry's praises (so to speak).
UPDATE 2: KTRH-740 has posted its revamped schedule here. It's set to launch July 30. Interestingly, San Antonio talker Joe Pags is being given the 9-11 am slot leading into Limbaugh/Hannity (it will be kind of like the radio version of Chief Harold "Arizona" Hurtt!). Chris Baker will move back to 4pm. And Michael Berry, whose ratings on KPRC-950 mornings are rumored to be terrible, will move to 7pm.
UPDATE 3: Here's the new KPRC-950 lineup, as posted on the just-revised "The 950 - Radio MOJO" website:
5:30-10 a.m. Walton & Johnson
10 a.m.-Noon Mancow
Noon-2 p.m. Dave Ramsey
2-4 p.m. Baker & The Hunt (Chris Baker & Cynthia Hunt)
4-5 p.m. Mancow Happy Hour
5-8 p.m. Michael Savage
8-10 p.m. Phil Hendrie
10 p.m.-Midnight Mark Levin
Midnight-2 a.m. Bill OReilly
2-4 a.m. Jerry Doyle
4-5:30 a.m. Glenn Beck
BLOGVERSATION: Pat Gray, TBIFOC.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/23/07 08:04 AM |
22 July 2007
An opening for Tollett?
On Friday, the Chronicle's Kristen Mack speculated that the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau's inability to fill its top job could open the door for the return of Jordy Tollett:
The Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau has not been able to fill Jordy Tollett's spectator shoes after six months of searching.
It extended an offer to Stephen Perry, the president and CEO of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, last Friday. He turned it down.
Now the search committee must regroup.
There's at least one person who is interested Tollett.
"You don't know what that would mean to me, to be able to return and sell the city," Tollett said. "It was my life. I lived and breathed it every day for 35 years. It's all I've ever known."Mayor Bill White made it clear it was time for Tollett to move on by insisting the board search for new blood when Tollett's contract expired. Rather than reapply for his job, Tollett stepped down from the position in January.
Tollett, ever the dealmaker, views this week's events as an opening. And even though he has "no knowledge that they are even interested in me," he wants back in.
"Jordy wants the job back. Of course he does. He doesn't like the way everything went down when he lost his job," said Don Henderson, chairman emeritus of the board, who along with the current chairman Doug Horn, has been running the bureau's daily operations until a replacement is chosen.
"I was one of those guys that did not want to begin this search. I wanted Jordy Tollett to remain in the job. I lost that vote. So now it's a question of where do we go from here."
It doesn't sound like Mayor White is clamoring for the return of Tollett, which pretty much renders the speculation moot.
While it's always easy to write about the colorful Tollett, this seems more like a case of wishful thinking on Tollett's part than any sudden change of heart by the mayor who effectively removed him.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/22/07 10:42 PM |
Bolsover appraisals raise questions over abandonment process
Quite a bit of reporting has been done this week on two appraisals of the 2400 block of Bolsover in the Village area, a tract of land being sought for development by Lamesa Properties from the City of Houston. As reported by the Chronicle's Jennifer Friedberg, the City of Houston had previously opposed release of the information:
Houston city officials released the appraisal of the 2400 block of Bolsover on July 11, after attempting to exempt it from public disclosure.
The block has been valued at $913,171 and $1,460,340, respectively, in two different appraisals obtained by the city from independent appraisers.
Lamesa Properties is attempting to buy the street from the city to create a pedestrian plaza called Sonoma in the middle of a mixed-use condominium and retail development the developer plans to build in Rice Village.
The Houston Chronicle submitted a request for the appraisal documents on June 26. After receiving the Chronicle's request and those of several other interested parties, the city responded by submitting a letter, signed by Assistant City Attorney Rashaad V. Gambrell, on July 5 to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, saying the city believes the appraisal is excepted from public disclosure.
It cites section 552.105 of the Texas Code, stating information is excepted if it relates to "appraisals or purchase price of real or personal property for a public purpose prior to a formal award of contracts for the property."
Before the attorney general's office could make a ruling, however, the city released the appraisal documents..
Julie Tysor, vice president of the Appelt Co. and general partner of Lamesa, said she is pleased with the appraisal price.
"I got the appraisal documents at the same time everybody else did," Tysor said.
The city previously gave Lamesa an asking price, which has not been released to the public.
Wouldn't it have made sense to have the appraisal(s) before giving Lamesa a sale price?
More on the process momentarily. But first, let's turn back to Friedberg's reporting, which dives into the appraisal numbers in a way that may explain why city officials might have preferred less sunshine:
The first appraisal of $913,171, submitted by Vannessa Hendrickson, an appraiser for Jo Vann Appraisal Co., was dated May 2.
The value was based on a $35 per-square-foot pricing arrived at by considering the sales of four similar properties: the 3000 block of Milam Street in 2006 for $42.99 per square foot; the 6600 block of Harwin Street in 2005 for $22 per square foot; 1512 Alabama in 2004 for $40.19 per square foot; and 1919 Mason in 2004 for $38.50 per square foot.
The second appraisal of $1.4 million, submitted by appraiser Travis R. Cooper, was dated May 18.
The value was based on $60 per square foot pricing arrived at by considering the sales of three similar properties: 4020 U.S. 59 in 2006 for $69.79 per square foot; 4100 U.S. 59 in 2006 for $56.58 per square foot; and 3135 U.S. 59 in 2006 for $55.01 per square foot.
According to HAR.com, the Web site of the Houston Association of Realtors, the median price per square foot in nearby subdivisions, based on 2005 data for residential property, is $220.03 in West University Place, $203.05 in Southampton Place and $206.77 in Southampton Place Extension.
How interesting that a journalist used common sense to choose properties for evaluative purposes that seem much more similar than, say, 2400 Bolsover and 6600 Harwin. As Friedberg demonstrates convincingly, the properties chosen as "similar" for appraisal purposes really affect the bottom line!
When Matt Stiles posted on this topic during the week, one of his blog commenters made an interesting point:
A Half Million Dollar difference!
Now, let us see how prudent Mr. White is with City funds.
Remember, not long ago he wanted to kick MHMR off the West Dallas tract. All for the City coffers he said. Now that he's got these appraisals it will be interesting to see if the developers "bought off" the proper parties and gets the lower price.
Actually, as Friedberg's reporting illustrates, the "difference" in the two appraisals is a bit of a red herring, since both appraisals appear to undervalue significantly the property being considered. But the commenter's larger point is a good one: If Mayor White was willing to engage in a dubious financial shakedown of a nonprofit center that houses retarded people over the value of the property, then he certainly ought to be just as diligent (even more so!) in securing the very best possible price and improvements from Lamesa in exchange for the property at 2400 Bolsover.
Presumably, that should involve at least one appraisal that takes account of land values in the proximate area (rather than dissimilar strips of property along Harwin or the Southwest Freeway), and plenty of transparency and public discussion.
RELATED REPORTING: The selling of Bolsover Street: tale of two appraisals (Michael Reed, ExaminerNews.com), Bolsover cloak doesn't surprise reader (ExaminerNews.com), Why Bolsovers true owners among last to know (Michael Reed, ExaminerNews.com).
BLOGVERSATION: Inside Central Houston.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/22/07 01:16 PM |
21 July 2007
METRO: "We just can't get it done" (cont'd)
KTRK-13's Katisha Cosley reports that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee's recent meeting with METRO workers turned into a big gripe session over workplace safety and security:
In the past few days, two drivers have been attacked on their buses. One woman driver was raped. And as police look for who was responsible, some METRO drivers are sounding off.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee called a meeting with the Transport Workers Union to talk about security training with the drivers, but ended up getting an earful about their own safety concerns.
"The bus radio is a joke," said one driver.
"METRO needs to better equip these buses with cameras, so we can feel a little safer on buses," said another.
Another driver voiced her concern, saying, "I shouldn't have to sit there 40, 45 minutes waiting on METRO police to come to my aid."
One by one, METRO bus drivers took turns telling the congresswoman about safety flaws on their buses.
"I think it's appalling," said Jackson-Lee.
Several drivers who spoke said they've had their own run-ins with passengers before.
"It took about 14 minutes, 12- 14 minutes, for METRO police to get there," said a driver during the meeting. "We finally, in the process of struggling with him, had to call HPD."
METRO, whose PR spokesmen are usually quick to respond to criticism via their expensive (but little-read) blog and the traditional media, had no comment for KTRK:
We did talk to METRO police Friday and they said they aren't available for comment. However, they say they are trying out a new camera system. Right now, they have 10 cameras on 10 buses.
10 cameras on 10 buses (out of hundreds) and a slow-to-respond police force with a bumbling chief -- no wonder bus drivers are concerned after recent events!
KPRC-2 could not get a comment from METRO for their story either:
KPRC Local 2 called METRO several times on Friday for a response. The calls were not returned.
It all seems in line with our suggested new METRO motto: "We just can't get it done."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/21/07 02:40 PM |
HISD: Sports stats protected private information under federal law (?!)
The Chronicle's Ericka Mellon reported earlier this week on a parent who is being denied access to student sports statistics by an HISD attorney who insists they are private information under federal law:
An attorney for the district informed Scott Rothenberg this week that federal law prohibits giving him documents showing the statistics of players on the Bellaire High baseball team.
"This is just ridiculous," said Rothenberg, a civil attorney. "I expect the people that we pay our taxes to to exercise some common sense in the application of these rules, and it seems like they're bound and determined not to."
An official with the U.S. Department of Education bolstered Rothenberg's claim Wednesday, saying athletes' statistics do not have to be kept confidential and are routinely released to the public.
Rothenberg filed a formal request with HISD in April, asking for all Bellaire baseball players' statistics, such as hits and home runs.
His son Daniel played at Bellaire before graduating in May; son Jared still plays and will be a senior this fall.
On Tuesday, Rothenberg received a letter from HISD attorney Chris Gilbert of the firm Bracewell & Giuliani, telling him the information is private under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
The law generally is viewed as covering students' educational records, such as grades and disciplinary history. HISD contends, however, that it also covers such records as how many hits a student-athlete got in a baseball game or how many touchdowns a player scored in a football game.
When I lived in Missouri, my undergraduate institution routinely tried to avoid releasing aggregate campus crime information (no doubt over concerns of the university's image). After the student newspaper won a federal court decision against the university -- the reasoning of which was decidedly critical of the university's arguments -- the university was forced to back down from its position.
The refusal to release sports statistics is an even more mind-boggling stance by a local educational institution. Here's hoping some grownup will resolve this one before it comes to the trouble and expense of a federal judge slapping down HISD. There surely must be better uses for HISD funds than this sort of legal activity.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/21/07 01:34 PM |
19 July 2007
Enrollment decline concerns UH officials
The Chronicle's Matthew Tresaugue reports that University of Houston officials are concerned about recent attendance trends:
Fewer students are attending UH than three years ago. The enrollment slump is a growing concern among campus leaders, and the numbers raise questions about the effectiveness of efforts by the aspiring research institution to recruit and retain more students.
After peaking at 35,180 students in fall 2004, the university's enrollment has slipped by 2.4 percent. The 846-student decrease contrasts with 2 percent growth in enrollment statewide over the same period.
Some say the current size of the student body already is too big, placing considerable pressure on limited resources. But size matters, campus leaders say, because Texas funds colleges and universities using a formula based primarily on enrollment growth.
What's more, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has set a target of 36,346 students at UH by 2010 an increase of about 2,000. The push is part of a statewide effort to promote greater enrollment in higher education, especially among Hispanics, the fastest-growing ethnic group in Texas.
Just a minor correction -- the University of Houston is a major doctoral granting research institution. North Texas (mentioned in the story) may be an aspiring research institution, but the University of Houston already IS such an institution. It's indicative of the difficulties UH faces that a story that gets so much right nevertheless gives the wrong impression about the institution.
UH certainly has problems of perception that work against it, not to mention the fact that it remains a commuter school (the story missed an opportunity to discuss Jay Gogue's efforts to remake the university into more of a residential campus, and the impact his departure may have on the plan). But the main issue it faces is one of funding -- the state's flagship institutions (A&M and UT) command the bulk of educational resources, and everyone else gets to fight over the scraps. The current plan of raising standards (and fees) may well have the short-term effect of hurting enrollment, but could have a payoff down the line. That's the choice UH officials have to make, since they don't have huge financial endowments at their disposal.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/19/07 10:40 PM |
Local color on Lower Westheimer
The Chronicle has posted a nice story by Ashley Harris on the (walkable!) shops of lower Westheimer:
Buffalo Exchange is one of a cluster of resale or vintage product shops on lower Westheimer.
The grouping helps draw buyers and sellers to the stores, some of which have operated for as long as 15 years.
"I come here because it has a lot of nowadays fashions that are really trendy and not that expensive," said Hultman, 15, a student from Cypress.
"I don't mind traveling out here to get what I want because it's the only one in town."
Besides customers like Hultman looking for bargains, the area also draws people in the market for something exotic, perhaps white linen men's Prada shoes from Leopard Lounge or the Big Boy statue outside Flashback Funtiques.
The shops, nestled among tattoo parlors, where burly men sport colorful sleeves of body art, and small clothing boutiques, rely on a central location with a Bohemian reputation.
Bill Howard, owner of Flashback Funtiques, said he benefits from that. "Being on Westheimer, you don't have to pay for advertising."
That must be one of those parts of Houston that "urbanist" Andres Duany missed while he was in town visiting fellow elites and complaining about Houston's faults.
Then again, it may be hard to see all that Houston has to offer when your destinations are 801 Texas Avenue and the residence of Peter Brown, Architect.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/19/07 10:13 PM |
18 July 2007
HPOU publication endorses CompStat; Hurtt repeats 2005 rhetoric
Back in May, Alan Helfman, Jay Wall, and William A Wolff penned a Chronicle op-ed making the case for CompStat, the statistical tool for fighting crime employed by William Bratton when he was police chief in New York (and now in LA).
In the June/July issue of Badge & Gun, the publication of the Houston Police Officers' Union, Helfman, et al., again make the case for CompStat in Houston (no online version is available yet). The Badge & Gun editorial page also endorses the concept:
In today's Houston, law-abiding citizens experience nothing but frustration when they want the latest crime statistics. As the trio of writers pointed out, they take almost six weeks to reach Hurtt's desk. In a communications age as sophisticated as ours, information becomes outdated and as stale as last week's bread loaf. How then can it be effectively used? We know the answer: It can't.
With CompStat, NYPD's website (check out www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/) shows crime precinct by precinct and allows crime complaint data to be examined on a week-to-date, prior 30 days and year-to-date basis, with comparison to previous years' activity. New York Blue is able to establish crime trends and commit to the ways and means needed to fight them.
Houston needs to refine and re-establish its methods for capturing crime statistics and build a system as unique and effective to Houston as CompStat is in the Big Apple.
Chief Hurtt, who previously pooh-poohed the CompStat notion, visited with the Chronicle editorial board recently. Here is his preferred approach to crime:
In a presentation to the Chronicle editorial board Monday, Hurtt outlined initiatives he believes will improve the department and help bring down crime rates in the city. One of them hinges on building a state of the art records management system to get and share data essential for good law enforcement decisions.
Violent crime continues to be a major problem, though it is declining from last year's high pace. According to Hurtt, burglaries of homes and motor vehicles are a major concern of the public, but one that citizens can combat through common sense preventive measures. He described one community meeting where residents complained about car break-ins. In a demonstration, officers checked the attendees' parked vehicles and found that 70 percent were either unlocked, had valuables visible or had other vulnerabilities that would attract and enable burglars.According to Hurtt, the best defense against such crimes is a mobilized community with members looking out for one another. "That seems to be missing somehow here," he said.
So, is Chief Hurtt now endorsing CompStat or not?
Because while the first quoted paragraph is promising, the last paragraph sounds a lot like Chief Hurtt circa 2005, when he effectively announced to Houstonians: "Good luck protecting yourselves!" (and crime continued to surge).
Our catty side can't help but wonder if his notion of a "mobilized community" is one that flees to Phoenix on the weekends (and if any Chron editorial board member was bold enough to ask).
RECENT: Burglary rates in Houston on the rise (Jeff McShan, KHOU-11 News), KTRK: Good news on crime (blogHOUSTON).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/18/07 11:59 PM |
HBJ: Muni channel undergoing changes
The Houston Business Journal's Christine Hall reports on several changes coming to the municipal channel currently seen on Houston cable television:
The Municipal Channel, broadcasting on Comcast channel 16, has renamed itself HTV-Houston Television as part of a push to get the station in front of the mainstream audience.
The station's rebranding includes a new logo, graphics, tagline -- "Where Houston Watches and Change Happens" -- and new promotional programming aside from its live coverage of city council and mayoral press conferences.
[snip]
New programming includes "Eye on Houston -- Where Community Begins," a Frontline-type documentary show; two shows that will follow fire and police cadets: "Firehouse Houston," in partnership with the Houston Fire Department; and "Academy 193," with the Houston Police Department; and a continuation of the station's history show, "Houston As We Know It."
[snip]
HTV will also bring its programming to the World Wide Web -- streaming on the Internet later this year.
While it's another overdue technological development, web streaming will be nice, especially since the municipal channel isn't available on Dish Network (to which I subscribed after just a few days of bad Comcast cable TV service). We do need to keep up with President Joseph Charles, after all!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/18/07 10:52 PM |
Express-News notes Miles shooting, neglects Ninja copper thieves angle
The editorial board of the Hearst-owned San Antonio Express-News takes aim at one Borris Miles over his shooting incident and opposition to recent "Castle doctrine" legislation:
The Senate passed the new law by a vote of 30-0. The House followed with a 133-13 approval.
One of the 13 opponents of the castle doctrine in Texas was Rep. Borris Miles, D-Houston. Miles was inspecting the construction site of his new house last week when he heard some noises downstairs. When he went to investigate, he discovered two men trying to steal copper from the work site.An altercation ensued during which, according to the Houston Chronicle, one of the thieves threw a pocketknife at Miles. The lawmaker, who has a concealed weapon permit, opened fire. One of the pilferers received a non-life-threatening wound.
The news accounts don't seem to suggest Miles made any effort to retreat from the dangerous situation. A jury of his peers would surely judge that Miles, fearing for his safety, acted in a reasonable way. The law that Miles voted against will erase any ambiguity.
An old saw suggests that a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged by reality.
With regard to the castle doctrine, perhaps Miles will now agree with 163 of his legislative colleagues.
Will the local Hearst daily's Editorial LiveJournalists have anything to say about this?
Stay tuned, as the cool bloggers like to say.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/18/07 10:42 PM |
Sunshine: Searchable muni campaign finance database launches
As the Chronicle reported yesterday, Houston has officially moved to electronic campaign finance reporting for municipal elections (thanks in large part to one Chronicle reporter's efforts to move the city into the computer age).
Today, people have already begun to analyze the campaign finance reporting for items of interest.
For example, Matt Stiles reports the following today:
Two council members spent more than $100,000 from campaign accounts to pay legal bills related to an ongoing investigation by the Harris County District Attorney's office, records show.
Since January, council members Carol Alvarado and Michael Berry have paid lawyers $70,000 and $45,000, respectively, according to campaign filings made public Monday.
Berry and Alvarado, both of whom declined comment Tuesday, have been subjects of a broad inquiry into city officials and practices launched by District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal's office last year.
Rosenthal also declined comment, referring calls to a prosecutor in charge of the probe who was out of town Tuesday.
And Douglas Britt reports on Chron.com's East End blog that one Council candidate may have tipped a Tejano Democrats endorsement his way by buying memberships for supporters:
By my math, [James Rodriquez' report] shows $400 of expenditures spent on Tejano Democrats memberships in mid-June, right around the time eligibility to vote on endorsements was winding town.
To double-check my numbers, pull up Rodriguez' report and do a search on "Tejano."
Here's what I found:
Two entries for a $25 "HCTD membership pd by Nick Hellyar and will be reimbursed" dated June 14.
One entry for $225 toward "HCTD memberships pd by Joe Alanis and reimbursed" dated June 16.
One entry for $125 toward "HCTD memberships pd by Cathy De La Cruz and reimbursed" dated June 16.
That adds up to $400 in Tejano Demcrats memberships, which cost $25 apiece for regular members and $10 for students.
At a minimum, $400 would buy 16 memberships -- more if some of the members were students.
Rodriguez won by 12 votes.
Feel free to offer your thoughts on both matters in the comments.
I'll just conclude with, sunshine is great.
BLOGVERSATION: NewsWatch: City Hall, Off the Kuff.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/18/07 04:34 PM |
Houston area getting more Homeland Security funds
Anne Maria Kilday and Matt Stiles have the story for the Chronicle:
The federal government will boost anti-terrorism funding for the Houston area this year by about 50 percent, providing $25 million locally, officials were scheduled to announce today.
[snip]
"Between the Port of Houston, chemical and oil industries and the fact that Houston is one of the nation's largest cities, I am very pleased the (agency) increased the amount of money for the city since last year," said U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, whose district includes much of west Harris County.
[snip]
The city of Houston received roughly $8 million in such grant money last year, and spent it completing a study on how to make emergency radios operable with other entities such as Harris County.
The money bought the first stages of a video-monitoring safety program designed to pipe camera feeds from roadways and other public locations to a central command center for monitoring.
In past years, the city used the money for a police helicopter, patrol car computers and suits to protect first responders from a chemical attack.
Dennis Storemski, who directs Mayor Bill White's homeland security office, said this year's funds would help buy a radio tower, more camera infrastructure and staffers at a new intelligence "fusion" center where databases from various law enforcement agencies can be analyzed.
KHOU-11 previously reported on HPD's outdated emergency radio system, when it discovered a taxpayer-funded study the city had not released to the public. The 2003 study noted that the city's aging analog radio system was inadequate and needed replacing at a cost of $150 million. Using Homeland Security funds to purchase a new radio tower would seem to check one item off that list.
It's been a while since we've heard anything more on where the city stands regarding the purchase of the (much-needed) digital emergency radio system, a system the county already has in place, but it should definitely be one of the city's top priorities.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/18/07 04:14 AM |
17 July 2007
City and Metro sales tax revenue up four percent again
It is sales tax-reporting time:
As part of the July disbursement of sales tax allocations, Houston received $36.3 million, up from $34.85 million a year ago -- a 4.1 percent increase. But Sugar Land saw its allocation fall by 1.67 percent to $2.8 million from $2.84 million last time.
Very disappointing, folks! I thought last month's four percent increase was an aberration. After all, we've seen much more robust performances; for example, April was a fine month, with a thirteen percent increase for the City of Houston.
And what's up with you Sugar Landers (Landians?), anyway? No wonder your city is having to install red light cameras to drum up some revenue.
According to this handy link HBJ provided, we can see that Metro's allocation was also a paltry four percent. Shoot. These days Metro really needs to stockpile funds for new rail lines. Thankfully, back-to-school spending is right around the corner, except that some people will insist on taking advantage of the sales tax holiday weekend (which this year includes backpacks -- woo!).
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/17/07 02:56 PM |
16 July 2007
Blog Interview: Mike McGuff visits with Ken Hoffman
KTRK's Mike McGuff scored a lengthy interview with Chronicle columnist (and future KILE radio personality) Ken Hoffman, and has posted it to his blog.
Hoffman carries on about local TV weathermen, his new radio show, Michael Berry's intro song, and more.
Check it out.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/16/07 10:17 PM |
Mack: Just say no to the World-Class-pursuing Houtopians
Kristen Mack's Friday column was an entertaining read.
Although a friend of ours is right to suggest the lede could use some editing (newspaper columns really should not begin with contractions), the conclusion sounded familiar:
[P]eople who try too hard or politicians that desperately strive to make Houston "world class" are just plain tiresome.
Houston may never be a tourist city, but it is a fine city with occasional self-esteem issues (and a handful of busybodies who think one more mall or one more hotel or even apartments on top of a CVS Pharmacy remake Houston).
Here's hoping that eventually shuttling back and forth between the Pavilions and Discovery Green will help some of the busybodies take more pride in their already-world-class city!
BLOGVERSATION: The County Seat.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/16/07 10:06 PM |
Diversity is beauty, METRO edition
The Chronicle's Rad Sallee reports that diversity is somewhat lacking at METRO, but that President and CEO Frank Wilson is working on the problem:
In 2005, the most recent estimate available, Hispanics made up 30 percent of the area population, but they still are just 16 percent of Metro's work force.
In 2003, the Houston Chronicle reported the Hispanic work force at Metro, then 14.6 percent, had risen by less than 1 percentage point in the previous decade.
In the three years since President and CEO Frank Wilson was hired, it has risen by 1.2 points, and more Hispanics have penetrated the upper job levels.
The hiring gap is notably larger in Metro's work force than in those of the city of Houston (21 percent Hispanic), Harris County (20 percent) or the Houston Independent School District (22 percent.)
[snip]
[Janie Palomo] Reyes and others said they do not think hostility or discrimination against Hispanics is a problem at Metro. The work force is 60 percent black; that rises to 80 percent among the ranks of bus and light rail operators.
[snip]
"We have an obligation, not only to get the best talent we can find, but to make sure it reflects a good, diverse mix of people," he said. "That's what we're held accountable for when we contract with our vendors and suppliers, and that's what we hold ourselves accountable to."
Metro's new human resources director, Helen Cavazos, said the agency's priority is to increase the number of Hispanics in its work force. The question is how.
"We had 250 spots open for operators (drivers)," Wilson said. "I told HR and operations that they could not hire anybody but women and Hispanics until we righted the imbalance, or at least we had to make a good-faith effort to do so.
"We advertised in the newspaper and on the radio. We went to every job fair. We created job fairs. We went on Spanish-speaking television. Finally, they came back to me and said, 'Frank, we just can't get it done.' "
It took a few seconds to absorb President Wilson's hiring edict. Once we moved on, we decided that "We just can't get it done" seems like an appropriate motto for the regional transit organization.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport, The County Seat.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 07/16/07 09:25 PM |
13 July 2007
Slow blogging...
This doesn't happen very often, but things might be a little slow around here, as Kevin is already off on a (long) weekend adventure, and I'll soon be heading off on a (long) weekend adventure.
Y'all enjoy whatever weekend adventures you have planned, and see you soon!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/13/07 01:11 PM |
The Seven Wonders of Houston?
Claudia Feldman has written a piece today for the Chron, listing the Chronicle's picks for Houston's Seven Wonders:
The Astrodome, 8400 Kirby
Beer Can House, 222 Malone
Houston Ship Channel
Interstate 10 and Beltway 8 interchange
Menil compound, the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Sul Ross and Branard
Saturn V rocket at the Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway
Quan Am sculpture, 10002 Synott Road
What do you think? Like some of the comments on the Chron's story, we are perplexed at a couple of the choices. A freeway interchange? Really?
I think the Williams Tower and Waterwall should be considered for the list. What about the tunnels? And can we throw in an honorable mention for any of sculptor David Adickes' works? Feel free to offer your thoughts and suggestions in the forum.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 07/13/07 08:08 AM |
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