05 December 2009
31 Flavors all over Houston
GOOD NEWS FOR ICE CREAM LOVERS: Baskin-Robbins to expand in Houston. Mmmmmm, Banana Royale sundaes.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/05/09 02:43 PM |
04 December 2009
Mayor White to use Houston crime rate as a selling point in race for Governor
MAYOR WHITE OFFICIALLY CHANGES WHICH ELECTED POSITION HE'S RUNNING FOR:
White, a three-term mayor who is balding and known for something of a bland personality, is expected use self-deprecating humor to tell a Hilton Americas crowd of supporters that he knows he is not a “perfect candidate” but is someone who can get things done.
White has said he wants to end “strident partisanship” in Austin. He will tell supporters he wants to improve high school graduation rates and slow the rising costs of insurance and college tuition.
He will build his campaign on a record as Houston mayor, claiming lower crime rates and successful battles with polluters to clean the city's air even while being opposed by the state's environmental protection agency.
There was a surge in crime in 2006 (but we were told not to make a certain connection), HPD has had a manpower shortage for years now (which MayorWhiteChiefHurtt have tried minimize discussion about), and HPD has problems accurately counting crime stats (thanks to KHOU-11's Mark Greenblatt so we can't ever be sure if the numbers HPD produces are accurate).
UPDATE: More on Mayor White's crime-fighting expertise: "Meanwhile, Houston Mayor Bill White on Wednesday said that criminals likely went free because the fingerprint unit missed prints on evidence."
bH ARCHIVES: Crime Rate
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/04/09 04:37 AM |
03 December 2009
HPD still won't release audit of fingerprint unit
MORE ON HPD'S FINGERPRINT PROBLEM: "One employee, put on administrative leave with pay after the audit into the unit ended in October, is being investigated for alleged misconduct involving 'handling a piece of evidence,' said Tim Oettmeier, an executive assistant chief," via Chron.com, which notes that HPD still refuses to release the audit.
Maybe Chief Hurtt can find a new vision for the fingerprint unit in London.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/03/09 06:09 PM |
Preliminary University Line cost = $1.5 billion
BARELY A RESEMBLANCE TO THE ORIGINAL METRO SOLUTIONS PLAN: "If no one in Congress objects during the 10-day period, Metro can begin design work on the University Line. The project carries a preliminary cost estimate of $1.5 billion." The key word, especially when dealing with a government project, is "preliminary."
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/03/09 04:36 AM |
02 December 2009
CSM: Houston set to prosper in New Economy
HOUSTON is one of five cities "poised to prosper in the New Economy," according to the Christian Science Monitor.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/02/09 10:48 PM |
Meyer on the question of a HC public defender's office
NEAL MEYER takes on the question of whether Harris County should have a public defender's office.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/02/09 10:45 PM |
Slampo on the runoff elections
SLAMPO posts an update on various runoff races, and it's worth reading (as usual).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/02/09 10:40 PM |
01 December 2009
Audit turns up more problems at HPD
AN AUDIT at (what we hope is) the end of HPD Chief Harold Hurtt's tenure has turned up massive problems in HPD's fingerprint unit that could cost millions to correct and will force a review of cases going back at least six years, according to a Houston Chronicle report.
To add insult to injury, the Chron reports that HPD is refusing to release the audit immediately, instead insisting that media file public information requests. This, we presume, is yet another example of the transparency in municipal government that we hear about so often from Mayor White's press shop. *eyeroll*
On a more positive note, Chief Hurtt could be setting himself up nicely to run for District Attorney or City Council!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/01/09 10:56 PM |
Flyertalk on the Kellner era at Continental
THE AIR TRAVEL WEBSITE FLYERTALK is hosting an interesting discussion on the tenure of Larry Kellner as CEO of Houston-based Continental Airlines (and also his predecessor Gordon Bethune). Kellner is in his final weeks as the top dog at Continental, and will be replaced by Jeff Smisek.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/01/09 12:24 PM |
Candidates hold "me too!" session for TMO
THE CHRON'S MIKE TOLSON reports that Houston's mayoral candidates had another "me too!" policy session before The Metropolitan Organization last night.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/01/09 12:19 PM |
Olson: HPOU unhappy with Parker campaign claims
Bradley Olson blogs that the Houston Police Officers Union isn't happy with Annise Parker's claim to have been endorsed by police officers seven times in a row. Their rep Gary Blankinship argues that the claim is misleading since their organization -- the largest police union -- has endorsed Parker's opponent, Gene Locke. HPOU has been highly critical of Parker this time around.
Questions for HPOU and Blankinship: If Parker is SO horrible, how did she fool THEM for so many years? Are their investigative abilities THAT poor?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/01/09 08:06 AM |
30 November 2009
Texas Trib email exchange: How good a mayor was Bill White?
TEXAS TRIBUNE is running an email exchange this week between local bloggers David Benzion and Charles Kuffner. The topic: How good a mayor was Bill White?
Readers here probably have some thoughts on that topic, so be sure to drop in on Texas Tribune and leave some comments.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/30/09 09:59 PM |
Slampo on being sensible
SLAMPO blogs about the mayor's race and "being sensible."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/30/09 08:30 AM |
Bill King calls for more HPD investigators, smarter policing, and better metrics
PUBLIC POLICY PUNDIT BILL KING writes that an undermanned Houston Police Department needs more of the right "boots on the ground" in an op-ed that appeared in Sunday's Chronicle. He also favors smarter policing and better metrics (and gives a too-casual nod to CompStat, in our view).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/30/09 08:24 AM |
Newsbusters mocks Chron editorial on threat of global warming
LAST WEEK, WE noted the faith-based global-warming paradigm that continues to prevail at the Chron's Caucasian Think Tank, which apparently missed the ClimateGate scandal.
The Newsbusters site mocks the editorial further, highlighting some of the responses from Chron.com commenters.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/30/09 08:18 AM |
28 November 2009
MayorWhiteLilianaRambo's valet company revenue stream
TOOTHLESS PARKING MANAGEMENT REGULATION:
Liliana Rambo issues permits to valet companies and says the city has never received a complaint against Courtesy Parking Service, the valet company responsible for parking Zambas' car. Rambo said, "We have 29 valet companies that have a permit."
Rambo says valet companies seeking permits must fill out an application- and provide a background check and fingerprints for each of its runners. Runners must have a valid Texas driver's license and insurance of half a million dollars. The company must also pay a $1,000 fee to apply. While companies are required to renew annually, updating their work sites and employee turnover, that may not always be the case.
"It would very hard to try to police every single valet operator with the amount of people and the amount of valet that happens," Rambo said.
So what purpose does regulating valet companies serve, other than to provide revenue for the city?
BLOGVERSATION: Live Oaks.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 11/28/09 06:35 AM |
Will Joe Martin become the new Bob Stein?
HOUSTON HAS TIGHTENED UP RULES FOR BOOTING CARS, according to KHOU-11's Lee McGuire, and look who is quoted in the story:
Joe Martin, who operates the parking lot enforcement company Equipark, said most lot owners allow drivers some time to move their cars after rates change. "Normally, there's a grace period that is self-imposed," he said. "The reality is, we're not treating people any different than they are being treated by the city of Houston when a parking meter expires."
Yes, it's Joe "Average Citizen" Martin, Parking Commission board member turned booting entrepreneur.
BLOGVERSATION: Live Oaks.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 11/28/09 05:35 AM |
27 November 2009
Downtown offers free trolley rides this weekend
THE HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL reports that the Houston Downtown Management District will be sponsoring free trolley rides around downtown destinations this shopping weekend.
The old, free downtown trolleys were once a helpful downtown amenity, but they did not fit METRO's vision of urban-rail Houtopia and were killed some time ago.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/27/09 09:16 AM |
26 November 2009
Chron headline writers strike again
HEADLINE from the print and e-edition versions of today's Chronicle: "Rivals agree on key points"
HEADLINE from the same story on Chron.com: "District A rivals agree on few points"
The Chronicle headline writers do seem to have the possibilities covered.
UPDATE (11/27/2009): A Chron.com editor apparently read the little blog and corrected their headline. Instead of taking their editing cues from the little blog they are not supposed to link/read, though, wouldn't it be better to read their OWN copy more carefully to start? Hmm?
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/26/09 07:41 PM |
Unca Darrell on the Chron's love affair
"UNCA" DARRELL HANCOCK asks "How can you explain a four-column banner headline for a column about Mayor Bill," and then answers his question.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/26/09 07:40 PM |
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