Articles for August 5th, 2009

Dallas County Gets Hosed On Stimulus Dollars, Ctd.

In our last installment, we told you how Dallas County is receiving less money than any other metro area in Texas. Now we have this handy chart, courtesy of ProPublic, that shows Dallas County is receiving $117 per capita vs. $181 nationwide, even though our poverty rate is 16.6 percent vs. 13.3 percent nationwide.

The Dallas County Commissioners Court seems to have been asleep at the switch. But then again, they’ve had other things to occupy their minds.

posted by Wick Allison | August 5th, 2009 4:05pm | filed under Politics |

Glenn Hunter, Country-And-Western Enthusiast, Ctd.

After reading our story on Larry McMurtry and Archer City, a book-loving FBvian recalls her own encounter with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author:

[My husband] and I have been to McMurtry’s book stores and enjoyed the trip. We also managed to catch him ambling out of one of the stores and spoke to him. We gave him our biggest grins and hellos, but he ducked his head, mumbled and slunk around the corner. Maybe he thought we were local aliens.

posted by Glenn Hunter | August 5th, 2009 3:56pm | filed under Books, Celebrity, Entertainment, Literature, Local News, Travel |

Again, We Implore You To Follow Jim Schutze’s Continuing Coverage of the Don Hill Corruption Trial

It’s good stuff, and it’s right here. A sample:

[Defense lawyer Victor] Vital got [Housing Department director Jerry] Killingsworth to concede there is a preference for projects that use these bonds, because it makes money for the DHFC. He finally got him to say that [Brian] Potashnik’s projects were more desirable because he used these local bonds. So now Vital has established a basis on which to argue that [Laura] Miller, who received fat campaign contributions from Potashnik, paid back by putting Potashnik on this task force thing and putting him in a position to give himself a competitive edge over Fisher, his former employee who had become his main competitor.

All of that goes to the defense’s argument: How come all these black guys are on trial when the rich white lady who was mayor was taking money from the same guy, Potashnik, who is the accused briber in this case?

posted by Zac Crain | August 5th, 2009 3:27pm | filed under Law, Media |

Cowboys Stadium Hosting PlayStation/Madden NFL 10 Event This Saturday

The headline is pretty self-explanatory, and all relevant details are after the jump, in the form of what we in the business call a “press release.” Before you go clicking, I will add that it’s invite-only, as far as I can tell, but you can still secure a spot by going here. Also, based on the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine (no link, since they’ve hidden it behind the pay wall), Cowboys Stadium is a fitting locale, since the Jerry World will, indeed, appear in the forthcoming version of the Madden franchise. In fact, the game’s developers have been behind the curtain, so to speak, since the blueprint stage, so the Madden version of the stadium will be identical, down to the last beam. Okay, now you can jump.

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posted by Zac Crain | August 5th, 2009 12:51pm | filed under Events, Games |

Jeff Whittington to Show His Dark Side?

The Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Dallas Architectural Foundation are having a gala on September 26 that you may wish to attend. The title of the gala includes an exclamation point. And it’s for a good cause. You’ll find more details after the jump.

Anyway, that’s not important. What’s important is that the emcee of said exclamation-point-accented gala is none other that Jeff Whittington, producer of KERA’s Think program and host of the show called Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask Glenn Mitchell [note: fact check that]. Those who know Jeff — and I count myself as a lucky member of that group — know that there are really two Jeffs. There is the Jeff known as “Public Radio Jeff,” and then there is the Jeff commonly referred to as “Locker-Room Jeff.” Public Radio Jeff is mild-mannered, polite, and sonorous. Locker-Room Jeff, however, is foul-mouthed, rude, and shrill. Okay, I’m lying about the shrill part. Even when he’s working blue, his voice still sounds like drawn butter.

But so the big question, to my mind, is which Jeff has been hired to emcee the AIA gig? For $10,000, you can underwrite the evening’s festivities at the Platinum level. Worth every penny.

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posted by Tim Rogers | August 5th, 2009 12:51pm | filed under Architecture |

Spay/Neuter Program For DFW Pets Seeking Emergency Funds

The Metroplex Animal Coalition says it spayed and neutered 1,081 dogs and cats owned by low-income families from January through June. That compares to 1,977 surgeries all last year, and 1,257 the year before. The bad news is, the program that’s free to low-income pet owners is running out of dough. As a result, the MAC is asking for emergency, tax-deductible contributions to keep the program going. To pony up, click here and go to the Patt Davis Memorial Spay/Neuter Fund link. Now.

posted by Glenn Hunter | August 5th, 2009 11:26am | filed under Animals, Local News |

University Park City Council: No Public Comments on the UP Pool

Park Cities People reporter Sarah Scott has the scoop on why UP Mayor Blackie Holmes, on advice from UP City Attorney Rob Dillard, may have violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when he  prohibited residents from addressing the council about proposed construction at the Curtis Park Pool.

posted by Kristiana Heap | August 5th, 2009 10:17am | filed under Law, Local News |

Texas Goes From Red To Tossup?

Gallup’s latest state-by-state survey shows one major shift since the election: Texas has gone from solidly Republican to +2 Democratic in party affilation, making it too close to call.

gallup-map

I find this a little hard to believe. Former Dallas Congressman Martin Frost argued two days ago on Politico  that Houston Mayor Bill White, a Democrat, has a chance of being Texas’ next U. S. Senator. To capsulize his points:  it’s an open primary, and upteen thousand Republicans will be running (upteen thousand already are). Therefore, a White win is “not inconceivable.” Note the double negatives. Frost is one of the best electoral mathematicians in the Democratic Party (for years, he drew Texas’ congressional districts on his House office floor). Two negatives may make a positive, but they don’t make a very convincing one.

posted by Wick Allison | August 5th, 2009 8:46am | filed under Politics |

Leading Off (8/5/09)

1. According to a new study, Dallas leads the state in having the most expensive health care (a writer to Andrew Sullivan has first-hand — or first-face — experience). So Mayor Tom Leppert is trying to get to the bottom of the problem, chatting up the president of Cigna HealthCare’s Texas region about the whys and wherefores. Wait. “First-hand”? Did I just miss a chance to make a joke about the mayor’s over-sized mitts?

2. Jack Borden is a lawyer in Weatherford. He’s 101 years old and still at work, which makes him a good choice to win the award for the nation’s “Outstanding Oldest Worker for 2009.” His advice for longevity? “When you’re old, you have to have something to give you pleasure,” he says. In Borden’s case, that means fornicating with supermodels and mainlining black tar heroin. Sorry, that’s a typo. He actually just chews tobacco.

3. Governor Rick Perry and Senator Kay Baily Hutchison will debate each other right here in Dallas. On hearing the news, Wick’s political pants grew visibly tight, and he immediately started drafting questions for Perry.

posted by Tim Rogers | August 5th, 2009 7:22am | filed under Local News |