Articles for January, 2011
EPA to Buzz DFW, Just for the Super Bowl
If you spot a low-flying aircraft over Dallas-Fort Worth today, do not be frightened. It’s just a black helicopter AeroCommander 680 from your friendly Environmental Protection Agency, scouring the region in advance of Super Bowl XLV for some vague reason or other. Be sure to wave to the nice people from the EPA when you see it.
Austin > Dallas > Houston > Jersey Shore
During an extended online chat on Friday afternoon, ESPN’s Bill Simmons was asked what he thought of the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a Super Bowl site:
It will be a more fun version of Houston, with better food, and the stadium will make up for any weaknesses with the weekend. This could be the first SB Weekend when the experience of attending the game (and being in the stadium) trumps anything that could have happened during the weekend.
That prompted two responses from Texas that made me giggle:
Dallas more fun than Houston? It’s our state’s version of the Jersey Shore. You must have an affinity for cocaine and shiny shirts.
Look, the best Texas city is Austin, hands down. But Dallas is way more fun than Houston, unless you like humidity and obesity.
There Are No Poor Children In Park Cities, And Other Gems
Park Cities People’s Merritt Patterson takes realtor Bill Cherry to task for some of his recent assertions on his real estate blog.
Having read it, I have some questions, too. Should we itemize them? Sure, let’s jump and itemize. (more…)
At Least David Dewhurst Is Trying
His proposal to raise registration fees by $20 to help pay for more roads probably won’t generate all that much money. But give credit to Lt. Gov. Dewhurst for recognizing the problem.
The only fair and realistic solution is to raise gas taxes by ten cents, as we explained at length in this piece. Growth is the state’s biggest problem. It’s a good problem if it is managed well. It becomes a huge problem when it is ignored.
Although Dewhurst’s proposal is timid and if passed, won’t accomplish much, for a prospective U.S. Senate candidate in a GOP primary in 2012 it almost looks courageous.
Leading Off (1/24/11)
1. Here’s some more fuel to throw on Jim Schutze’s smoldering pile of schadenfreude: The city is rushing to fix its Trinity Levee problems before many of the lands surrounding the levees (some of which have been purchased by investors speculating on Trinity River Project-related development) get drawn into the flood plains by federal officials:
“It has just turned things upside down,” said Bob Stimson, president of the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce. “And indeed, I think that the values of the properties have been already impacted by it.”
2. West Dallas homeowners seek to preserve their neighborhood: In other Trinity-related news, the bridge is coming to West Dallas, so homeowners in the West Dallas neighborhood of La Bajada, many of whom have lived in the area since the 1940s, are trying to protect their homes from speculative buying and rapidly rising property values by adopting a Neighborhood Stabilization Overlay. The NSO would limit the size and scale of new construction in the stable, single family neighborhood.
3. Terry Glenn arrested in Denton County: If I were Dez Bryant, I would definitely try to line up an offseason move to another football team. The problem with being a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, it seems, is that at some point you are going to be arrested for a drugs and alcohol-related crime.
Louise Raggio, R.I.P.
Louise Raggio was many things. In addition to being one of Dallas’ true female pioneers in law and a champion for women’s rights, she was also an author and the mother of three attorneys (Grier, Tom and Ken). She died this morning at the age of 91 after living a simply remarkable life helping others.
Our condolences to the Raggio family and the many people whose lives benefited from her efforts.
Mordan Returns to Dallas But Not to Party
Dallas Morning News’ Tanya Eiserer reports that Mordan (legally known as Michael Manos) has returned to Dallas, but not on his own. After spending a year as a “guest” of the New York penal system, he was brought back to Dallas to work out his understanding of being naughty. Instead of dining at Bella Bar and Restaurant, he’ll be eating the cuisine at the Dallas County Jail.
Facebook Post of the Day: Adam Pitluk
Adam is the executive editor of American Way magazine.
Court Monday: Me vs. State Trooper David Nerling, Bdg.#13024. Alleged Crime: Failure to signal lane change. NOTE TO NERLING: Too bad that I was an investigative reporter for 10 years. I FOIA’ed your dashcam video. My turn signal is oh so visible in the video. And the audio of you blasting Slayer during a traffic stop is oh so audible. BTW, it ain’t legal for a Trooper to play music while on duty. See you Monday!
Kayaking on the Trinity: It’s Happening Now
I admit it. I haven’t been paying attention to the Trinity River Project, what with all the levee troubles and bridge defunding and such. So I am was as surprised as anyone when FOF posted this video today:
Who Could Lose Texas for GOP? Perry and Palin
Yes, yes, I know polls don’t matter this early. But still…
PPP reports the unsurprising news that almost any Republican nominee will carry Texas, with Huckabee the faraway favorite. But Palin only squeaks ahead of the president by one point and Perry, embarrassingly, does worst of all, only managing to tie. If that’s the case in Texas, I can only imagine what Ohio looks like.
Judge Rules Against Fort Worth Bishop
In a decision with national implications for the Episcopal Church, District Judge John Chupp has ordered the Fort Worth diocese, which severed its tied to the national body, to surrender its property to the national Church.
Housewives of Dallas May Be Real or Unreal
Since QC Cong posted Facebook photos of a party at the Fashionistas’ Heidi Dillon’s (pictured) house, keyboards have been pounded to death. Seems the rumor mill is buzzing that it was a gathering of LA producers and likely house fraus for a “Real Housewives of Dallas” television show. One person SOS-ed:
“Is it true there is a Real Housewives of Dallas????? . . .There is some lady (Editor’s note: in the Facebook photos) with GIANT hair (even for Texas) Patty Comu or something.”
Asked about the rumors, Heidi lobbed:
“Nothing is for real until the day comes that you turn on the tv and watch the show. My producers and I are working on developing several shows for various networks.”
When pressed, Heidi coyly continued:
“You’ll just have to watch what happens.”
That Heidi knows how to play the situation like Jerry Jones knows how to cut a deal.
What $2K Will Get You: Lounging Rights at Al’s
For just one example of how Super Bowl XLV will be pumping bucks into the local economy, consider Al Biernat’s steak-and-fish joint off Oak Lawn. For each of three nights before the Feb. 6 game, Al’s will have a huge tent erected in its parking lot to accommodate 120 or so extra guests. (The main restaurant seats 220, and it’s mostly booked already). Much of the tent will be taken up by six “lounge” areas seating groups of eight to 12 guests apiece. Each group will pony up $2,000 for lounging rights plus three bottles of pricey booze. There will also be a 16-foot bar; DJ Andre and his brother Mark will spin the party tunes.
Biernat’s is expecting some well-known names to show up that weekend, of course. Already booked into the Big Tent one night is Tom “Platinum Equity” Gores, an LBO billionaire from L.A. Turner Broadcasting will be in a private room in the main restaurant Friday. The great ex-Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris has a reservation. Cowboys VP Charlotte Jones Anderson will show up one night with a good-sized party, and folks from Sirius Satellite Radio are due in as well. Brad Fuller, general manager, says this is the first time in his 13 years there that Al’s has been so solidly booked so far in advance.
Budget Cuts at Hillwood Lead to PR Exec’s Exit
After 12 years of defending the corporate line at Hillwood, David Pelletier, former director of communications, was given his walking papers earlier this week. Pelletier says he wasn’t too surprised at the budget cuts that led to the elimination of his position, with the real estate market in an ongoing slump. Commercial development has been at a standstill; and in mid-2009, Hillwood had to give Victory Park in Dallas to German lenders who had financed the project.
Hillwood plans to outsource some of the things he was handling, Pelletier says; but for now, press inquiries about the company’s various divisions—Hillwood Properties, AllianceTexas, Hillwood Energy, Hillwood Investment Properties and Hillwood Residential—are being handled by three in-house employees.
Prior to joining Hillwood in 1998, Pelletier focused on professional football. He was public relations director for the Minnesota Vikings from 1993-1998; before that, he spent nine years with the Dallas Cowboys, the last five as assistant director of public relations.
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