Articles for August, 2009
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Glenn Hunter, Country-And-Western Enthusiast, Is Also A Bookworm
Late in June, Glenn wrote about his adventures in Branson, Missouri, where he went to see country-and-western legends Merle Haggard and Gene Watson. Well, our cerebral adventurer recently returned from Archer City, home of famed author Larry McMurtry (and his four used-book stores) and site of a week-long summer class about narrative nonfiction writing at UNT’s Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism, under the direction of Mayborn writer-in-residence George Getschow. Here’s Glenn’s report.
The Tiger Woods Fartgate: Was It Really David Feherty?
Sometime D Magazine contributor David Faherty has gotten himself embroiled in another controversy. First there was the essay we published in April that got him in trouble. Now, rather than an essay, it appears an issuance is causing him trouble. Watch this video of Tiger at the Buick Open. More importantly, listen. Some are saying it wasn’t he who dealt it. This is a shocking story we will continue to follow.
The Get Real Agency Needs Your Help
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the Get Real Agency, a casting agency for “real people” started by Dallas entrepreneur Brynn Isom. Well, of course I signed up. I mean, maybe someone is looking for a mid-30s Greek girl for an ad or something (ha!). Anyway, now that I’m a member, I’ve started receiving updates from the agency. There’s a job opening for three seniors–your mom or dad perhaps? Here are the details:
We are looking for 1 male and 3 females (all Caucasian) to be cast in an ad for a retirement village. They should look at least 75 years old and be grey-haired. The client prefers good smiles, bright eyes, healthy, etc. (If you saw the ad, you would want to have lunch with them.)
Shoot info:
Monday 8/10/2009
2 hours 9:30-11:30am
Rate: Each talent will be paid $250If you know someone who meets these criteria, please have them sign up today! We need to get this casting filled.
Mac Tichenor Joins Belo Broadcasting Board
His grandfather basically invented Tejano radio, and the family built it into a network that in 2003 became the radio division of Univision. Along the way, Tichenor, 54, moved its headquarters from Harlingen to Dallas. In 2007, Univision sold to a private equity combo for $12.3 billion.
My Intern Is More Successful Than I Am
My intern’s name is Laken Litman. She is a journalism major at the University of Texas at Austin, and she wants to be a sportswriter. And, she’s already written for ESPN.com. So, I’m hoping she’ll hire me when she gets out and is running the entire media world.
So Long, Dallas Desperados, Ctd.
Tim’s joke (and it was a good one) aside, I actually am a bit disappointed. My wife’s stepfather is/was a season-ticket holder and took us to a playoff game last year. Though not many — or, obviously, enough — people took advantage of it, Desperados games offered just about the best sports value in the area, especially for families. I guess I could go to an AirHogs game instead, but I doubt I’ll see the same amount of onside kicks.
Expert: No Quick Recovery For Real Estate
It could be four more years before the real estate market stabilizes, a leading expert said in Fort Worth. Texas A&M’s Dr. Mark Dotzour also explained that, when it comes to property, the banking industry’s mantra these days is: “Extend and pretend.”
Junius Heights Man Appealing His Right To An Artificial Lawn
Kudos to Jose Escobedo, the guy with the artificial-turf lawn in Junius Heights. After the Landmark Commission ordered him to rip the lawn up, Escobedo’s vowing to take his lonely AstroTurf crusade to the City Plan Commission and the Dallas City Council, if necessary. I especially liked the anti-Escobedo commenter on an earlier Unfair Park post who said: “This is a historic district, so if you want something fake, move to Frisco.” (A Grade A example of holier-than-thou, phony aesthetic elitism.) Seems to me if you really wanted to save on water, everybody would put in one of these fake lawns.
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