Family Feud Leads to Gunplay

If you are looking for the least-surprising part of this story in which a 40-year-old man is accused of shooting his brother-in-law and a 15-year-old boy (both are expected to recover fully) after the brother-in-law hit the man over the head with a beer bottle as part of an unsuccessful attempt to settle a family feud, here it is:

Both men were intoxicated, according to the sheriff’s report.

Which Dallas Chefs Are Up For A James Beard Award?

Click here to find out.

Some Jazz For Your Ears

Dave Palmer (1/3 of the Earl Harvin Trio) emailed a while back to let us know about some shows that are finally here (i.e., this week). Check ‘em out if you get a chance:

fred hamilton and i (two thirds of the ‘earl harvin trio) have put together a short run of quartet shows in texas feb 20-21. the band also features ephraim owens (one of austin’s best-known jazz musicians) on trumpet and rob avsharian on drums. i am coming out from LA to work in austin for a few days and thought it would be fun to book some shows. the gigs are as follows: wed the 20th; dan’s silverleaf in denton thur the 21st: club dada fri the 22nd: the elephant room in austin.

Palmer adds that the Dada show “will feature special guests from the dallas art/music scene.”

Speaking of music at Dada, check out local groovers Shibboleth this Thursday and next as they play some of their own tunes and then the music of Ennio Morricone (”and not just the spaghetti western stuff,” dapper Don Cento says). The band is putting finishing touches on a new album and there’s a new site too. Busy-busy bees.

Cross One Running Mate Off McCain’s List

KB Hutch tells Dave Levinthal that running as a veep candidate isn’t in her plans right now. So, Wick, there’s one of your list. Who’s it going to be?

Big Boom in Big Spring

Dallas-based Alon USA’s 67,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Big Spring blew up. Dramatically. Four people were injured. When you look at the pictures, it’s a wonder and blessing there weren’t more.

Honky-Tonker Dale Watson Appeals to Lone Star Pride

In between chugging countless shots of tequila bought for him by the raucous crowd, the great Austin honky-tonk singer Dale Watson exhorted fans at his Granada Theater show Saturday to vote for two of his videos nominated for CMT Music Awards. The reason: “It will really p*** them off if a guy from Texas wins,” Watson laughed. The first round of voting ends Feb. 25.

8th Grade Superstars

Great story by Barry Horn yesterday in the News about Zach Peters and John Chowder, who rank #1 and #5 nationally in 8th grade boys basketball. Zach plays for Prestonwood Christian Academy, and John — whose journey from the slums of Baltimore (think “The Wire”) to Dallas is a story into itself — plays for God’s Academy, the school run by Tim Miller, named the best kids’ basketball coach in Dallas by us back in 2004.

Cityplace Evacuated, Possible Bomb Threat

Word comes to us via a FBvian whose friend works in the building. Developing …

Update: From a FBvian inside Cityplace:

The great thing about the bomb threat was that evacuation was “voluntary.” WTF??? They said it was up to your company to evacuate. She said if the popo find something suspicious, they will make it mandatory. Very comforting.

More: Here’s the e-mail that went to tenants in Cityplace:

Monday, 2/18 A large tenant has received a bomb threat — they are evacuating. Police are involved. If you choose to evacuate, Use elevators to evacuate and gather in AMC parking lot. The bomb will go off at 10:00 according to caller.

Come On, Take Another Little Piece Or Her Art

The estate of Janis Joplin has just gotten around to archiving and publishing her paintings and drawings. And guess what? They’re now for sale. Love Janis, the Musical  opens at The Majestic Theater tomorrow and the art will go up for sale in the lobby on February 22 and 23. Previews here.Tra la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la. Hey, Hey, Hey. Yeah.

Drug Raidin’ With Da Mayor

Mayor Tom Leppert and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway busted an old man in Oak Cliff who’d been selling candy and drugs. Back-up? They didn’t need no stinkin’ back-up. (They had it, though.) Michael Davis, aka Dallas Progress, was there for a first-hand account. Check it out.

Are The Clinton People Really This Dumb?

I wondered why Hillary C. was spending all her time in El Paso and the Valley. Now comes word today from the Washington Post [reg. req.] that her people have just discovered how the rules work for the Texas primary. The nut paragraphs after the jump: (more…)

Channel 13, No. NPR, Yes.

Charles McGrath in yesterday’s NYTimes raises the question that keeps coming up: What need do we have for publicly funded television in an age of cable multiplicity? Want BBC reruns? Go to BBC. Want news? Go to any of four or five channels. Want great drama? Go to HBO or SHO. If McGrath seems tenuous and hesitant, put that down to concern about retaining his liberal bona fides, but the conclusion is sensible and to the point: PBS television (locally, Channel 13)  has outlived its usefulness.  NPR radio (locally 90.1) does excellently in its medium what PBS once did in its, providing a necessary oasis in a desert of programmed mush.

Leading Off

1. The Jason Kidd trade? Looks like it’s back on. I guess everyone can pour themselves another tall glass of haterade. Me? I’m more excited about the addition of Malik Allen.

2. The Dallas County DA’s office found a bunch of boxes with material relating to Jack Ruby’s trial. Conspiracy theorists, to the Nerd Cave!

3. Yesterday, we said goodbye to Raymond Israel at Temple Emanu-El. Besides being a pillar of the Jewish community, for the past few years, he was the closest thing my wife and I had to a grandfather, and the highlight of Passover seder. He will be missed.