September 03, 2005

Tracey Evers, executive director of the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association, sends this message. Please read it and do something. Now.

Continue reading "RE: RESTAURANT HELP"

Nancy Nichols · 11:23 AM

September 02, 2005

American and Southwest Airlines are pitching in to get people out of NO. Pilots have been wanting to help since Tuesday, according to the article.

Adam McGill · 04:24 PM

Mattie Roberts says she was notified moments ago by station management that she has been let go by Channel 11. Though "let go" might not be the right term, since she wasn't technically employed by the station. Mattie was working on a contract basis. Channel 11 was told by its NYC brass to cut all freelance reporters. So that new show that Channel 11 was planning just last week is also now kaput. Mattie stressed that Jim Walker's departure has nothing to do with this news. And she says she's counting her blessings. "I've got a roof over my head, all my worldly possessions weren't swept away by a hurricane, and I've got a good husband," she says.

So if anyone's got a gig, pass it along. I'm now acting as Mattie's agent.

Tim Rogers · 03:53 PM

The city councilman just left my office. He walked in with the steam coming out of his ears because of this item, which, he said, impugned his character. In all 68 cases that he failed to file the proper form, he says he notifed the City Secretary that he was recusing himself in writing. Should he have filled out the right form? Okay, yes. But it is a long leap from that to the broad brush stroke that he was trying to hide something from the public. He wasn't. His contract with DISD is open to review, and in fact, he earlier had invited D Magazine to review it.

Touche. The man is right, and I was wrong. I apologized to him for the aspersion. (By the way, his contract representing the DISD ended two days ago so the question is not likely to arise again.)

Final note: I liked the fact that he called to come see me, so we could look each other in the eye. That's the right way to do things.

Wick Allison · 03:43 PM

For September and October, Watel’s will offer a three-course dinner for $30 with $6 of each diner's check donated to hurricane victims. They’ll also donate $200 for each cooking class dinner sold during September, October, and November. Reservations required for special dinner. Call 214-720-0323.

Nancy Nichols · 03:30 PM

...is the Louisiana legal system. As Adam alluded to in his post on Tony Creme, Katrina has left the state's lawyers and their clients in a weird legal limbo. A prominent Dallas litigator sends this e-mail from the front lines. Lawyers, take note:

Continue reading "JUST ONE MORE THING TO WORRY ABOUT"

Reid Slaughter · 03:09 PM

Please know that I was just trying to add a little levity when I said Exxon "trumped" T.I. with its donation. A T.I.-employed FBvian took me to task, though. She points out that Exxon's $7 million is .0000236 percent of its revenue. T.I.'s $1.75 million is .000139 percent. Another FBvian notes that Exxon has $30 billion in cash on hand, and its profits (as opposed to revenue) were double T.I.'s.

IJS. (And unless this math needs correcting, I'm not going down this road any farther.)

Tim Rogers · 02:56 PM

Here’s the latest update:
DO NOT TAKE DONATIONS TO REUNION. Take them to St Luke's Community Center (not the church off the highway) 6211 East Grand. The most pressing needs at this time:
clothes racks and shelving for the donated items, hangars, new pillowcases, blankets, safety pins, gas and gift cards (Target, Walmart, etc.), and laundry detergent (smaller boxes or bottles). If you are able to help St. Luke's in their organizing and fulfillment or if you want to drop off donations, their hours this weekend are:
Friday - 9 am to 8 pm (donations receipt cuts-off at 7 pm)
Saturday - 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday - no posted hours
Monday - 10 am to 6 pm

Nancy Nichols · 02:38 PM

KERA has a Hurricane Katrina Resources ccommunity page going.

Adam McGill · 02:37 PM

Brian, our web host with the web most, sends a humble plea:

Guys: some of my friends are relocating their business here. Figueroa Brothers (who make Melinda's Hot Sauce, Spice Exchange Gourmet products, New Orleans CoffeeWorks coffees and Artista Gourmet Syrups) was completely wiped out by the hurricane. Their production facilities and warehouses were in Kenner out by the airport. They brought 10 employees here and are setting up shop in the offices of their co-packing partners, Jus Made, over on NW Hwy. So far, they have had warehouse space, computers and a phone system donated to help them get restarted. I know they are also looking for places to set up some of these folks to live, and am sure they could use any other assistance possible to get the business going again. Can you ask the FB crowd if they could help out? You can have them contact me with anything. [brianATweblogsworkDOTcom]

Also: on a personal note, we're on the look for any cast off couch, chairs, etc. we could use to set up a condo someone has been nice enough to let us use. I think we're going to be here at least for the next three months, so I'm working on setting up the condo here, getting the kids in school here, etc.

Adam McGill · 02:27 PM

More than a few of you have had the same thought I have: I bet Tony Creme doesn't mind if New Orleans takes its time rebuilding.

Adam McGill · 02:08 PM

Forgive me. That info was bad. A helpful FBvian corrects it:

Continue reading "RE: FREE GAS"

Tim Rogers · 01:44 PM

A fellow journalist and FrontBurnervian sends this excellent LA Times column that reveals the disconnect between major media and their readers/viewers regarding Katrina coverage. The column references this amazing piece of reporting from The Times-Picayune. Those people (including some friends I mentioned in an earlier post) who claimed they weren't properly warned were wrong—big time.

Reid Slaughter · 12:55 PM

Dynamist and sometimes D contributor Virginia Postrel has this essay (with pictures!) on Slate about designer Eva Zeisel called "How Modernism Got Its Curves." Check it out.

Adam McGill · 11:25 AM

This just in:
To Volunteer Your Time:
People looking to volunteer AT REUNION ARENA or the DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER need to attend an orientation at a local Red Cross facility. To fill out an application, click here, or go to the Red Cross and fill it out there. The nearest Red Cross to our office is at 4800 Harry Hines Blvd (214-678-4800). The class is approximately 3 hours, and you will be certified to volunteer at any of the local shelters, Reunion Arena, or at the Convention Center. Anyone in the medical field may attend a “rapid class”, in order to speed up the process.

To Give Money:
Local Kroger food stores
Credit cards accepted over the phone 1-800-HELP-NOW
Checks and cash are accepted at all Red Cross locations (checks payable to American Red Cross), and you may obtain a receipt at the facility.

To Give Food, Water, and Perishable Items:
North Food Bank, 1228 N. Beltline RD., Irving 75061 (The sign outside the address says Davis Mobility.)
4306 Shilling Way in Irving (214-330-1396)
OR you may drop them off at any of the shelters, they will deny volunteers if you are not certified through Red Cross raining, but they will not deny your donations

To Give Clothing:
Salvation Army- 5554 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas 75235 (214-630-5611)
Specify that the clothes are for the New Orleans victims, NOT FOR RESALE
Any of the shelters listed below

To Give Blood:
Blood Services at LBJ & Webb Chapel (972-241-4483)

Local Shelters:
Samuel Grand Rec Center- 6200 E. Grand Ave., Dallas 75223
Worth Heights Rec Center- 3551 New York Ave., Fort Worth (exit 48A off !-35) (817-335-9137)
Grauwyler Center- 7780 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas 75235

Sites for Victims:
Reunion Arena
Dallas Convention Center

Nancy Nichols · 10:53 AM

I've got five N.O.ers at my house, two adults, two kiddos, and a dog. So far so good. Their eldest and my boy have already bonded over an elaborate game of two-man hide and seek whose rules and objectives I still don't understand. The dog is the sweetest I've ever met and hasn't barked even once.

Then there is Phyllis and Roosevelt Williams. They took in 19 strangers. They'll need some help. For them and others like them:

Continue reading "FREE GAS AND FOOD STAMPS FOR KATRINA REFUGEES"

Tim Rogers · 10:52 AM

Okay, last one of these. But Lee Raymond has stepped up, too. Full release:

Continue reading "EXXONMOBIL TRUMPS T.I., GIVES $7 MILLION"

Tim Rogers · 09:58 AM

The gossip site News Blues is reporting that Mattie Roberts has been fired:

Also heard but not confirmed: Dallas Viacom O&O KTVT-11-CBS has parted ways with reporter Jim Walker and host Mattie Roberts after they posed together for a provocative photo in a local magazine. The picture, we are told, involves whips and leather.

I just hung up with Mattie. It ain't true. There was such a photo. It was from a gay bingo event that Mattie and Jim attended. And, yes, Jim is no longer working at Channel 11. But that has nothing to do with the photo. Matttie reports that she has a new show in the works over at Ch. 11. More on that later.

Tim Rogers · 09:47 AM

Couldn't make it to the Dallas Stars Ice Breaker last night? The Zany Sports Lady did. She shares her thoughts. Those thoughts: "Yay, hockey's back! Boo, rule changes. Go Stars."

Adam McGill · 09:43 AM

Rich Templeton has stepped up the plate. An e-mail sent to employees:

Continue reading "T.I. DONATES $1.25 MILLION TO KATRINA RELIEF"

Tim Rogers · 09:39 AM

Remember yesterday when I posited that Albertsons was looking to sell the store? (That's right; I "posited.") Well, lookie, lookie.

Adam McGill · 09:26 AM

I don't know about you, but I could use a brainless diversion from the awful stuff going on in New Orleans. Today's Friday Fun is just the thing. It's called Sheep Bubble. The object? Throw water balloons at wolves. The catch? You have to throw the right color balloon. It takes skill, reflexes, concentration, and coordination. Just like, um, disaster relief.

Adam McGill · 09:18 AM

Sibling restaurateurs Laura and Anna Lombardi will donate 5% of every guest check at their two Penne Pomodoro restaurants for the entire month of September to the American Red Cross for victims of Katrina. The Penne Pomodoro restaurants are located in Dallas at Snider Plaza and at Preston & Forest.

Nancy Nichols · 08:10 AM

September 01, 2005

Ferrari’s Italian Villa (14831 Midway Road. 972-980-9898) will use 25% of their gross sales from September 2 -7 for the purchase of bottled water. Francesco and Jane Secchi, owners of Ferrari’s, will buy, package, and send the water to the Salvation Army.

Nancy Nichols · 05:46 PM

Sorry I have to be so secretive, but the big birdie who tipped me off to this story would never speak to me again if I used real names. Anyway, it looks like a really wacky restaurateur is about ready to get in bed with an even wackier restaurateur. Not sure if it’s a consulting job or a joint venture, but the unlikely duo was spotted dining together and going over documents. I’ll just say that I could not pick two more unlikely business partners. The steaks are high and if the deal doesn’t work, sparks will fly so high you won’t be able to get one fork in it, much less three.

Nancy Nichols · 05:38 PM

Dee Lincoln and company step up to the plate. Today she announced that 100% of Labor Day sales from Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House (Spring Valley Road in Dallas and Main Street in Fort Worth), Sullivan's Steakhouse, and all area Texas Land & Cattle Restaurants will be donated to the American Red Cross. The local effort is part of the parent company, Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon's, mission to raise over $1 million in one day to help people who are suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Nancy Nichols · 05:22 PM

Want to donate to a Katrina relief fund? Want to watch a classic movie? Angelika arms you with the stone to kill those two birds. A $10 donation gets you in to a screening of A Streetcar Named Desire on September 12. Full release after the jump.

Continue reading "RE: KATRINA RELIEF"

Adam McGill · 03:57 PM

A Japanese company is launching a $1.2 billion cash tender offer to buy controlling interest in 7-Eleven. The company, called Seven-Eleven Japan, would take the Dallas-based version private, if the sale goes through.

Adam McGill · 02:54 PM

Tracey Evers, executive director of the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association, is rallying Dallas restaurants around hurricane rescue relief. Please get involved.

Continue reading "RE: RESTAURANT HELP"

Nancy Nichols · 02:36 PM

You FrontBurnervians are a resourceful lot, aren't you? Among the links passed along to me: MoveOn.org's and Watermark Community Church.

Adam McGill · 02:27 PM

A charitable-minded FrontBurnervian wonders:

Do you know how many displaced NOLA residents are in Dallas? And do you know if there is any organized effort to match private citizens with spare rooms and refugees?

Adam McGill · 01:42 PM

I happened to catch the interview with Katrina refugee Gary Hughes on KXAS-TV Channel 5. Hughes jokingly said, "I'm thinking about moving back to Dallas. Anybody, anybody looking for a good telephone technician -- here I am." Turns out, Venture Communications in Mesquite did. Hughes may have a job as a result.

Adam McGill · 01:05 PM

A former Dallas resident (currently in LA) wonders if anyone is going to the Dallas Stars Ice Breaker tonight, a free event from 4 to 8 to gear up for the season and sell some tickets. This puck-loving FrontBurnervian also wants to know what the general attitude about the Stars is 'round these parts. Hmm. I'd say the die-hard fans are excited; the casual fans care even less than they used to. Hope I'm wrong about the latter. Go Stars.

Adam McGill · 12:49 PM

The Cowboys are considering Peerless Price to shore up their receiving corps. Atlanta cut Price earlier this week. How did the former Falcon bid adieu to the media? "I hate y'all," he said.

Peerless, if circumstances lead you to the Cowboys, I want to get off on the right foot. I like you, I like your name, and you were a real asset to my fantasy football team a few years ago. Don't hate me.

Adam McGill · 12:38 PM

An event-attending FrontBurnervian had more presence of mind than I did and took a lot more pictures as a result. You can check them out here.

Adam McGill · 12:34 PM

Today was supposed to be the day that all the pictures were taken down from DCAD's Web site (they came down yesterday). D intern Katherine Buxton says, "Not so fast."

-------

Where Have All the Houses Gone?
By Katherine Buxton

Senate Bill 541, as passed by the Texas Legislature, amends the Texas Tax Code to protect the confidentiality of photographs and floor plans of homes or property. Thus, for the safety of Texas families and their homes, the Dallas Central Appraisal District will no longer display photographs or building floor plans for all residential property.

Safety schmafety! What about fun? Those squares down in Austin have taken yet another thrill from our lives. Who doesn't what to check out his snooty boss's abode or his friend's redneck rental? And what about your state representative's house, the folks who passed the bill and deprived us of easy access to what is, after all, public information?

Not to worry. We had to work fast, but we got most of the state reps' houses downloaded before they went away. Pictures for posterity after the jump:

Continue reading "PICTURES OF STATE REPS' HOUSES"

Tim Rogers · 11:22 AM

I have in my hand a list of more than 100 Albertsons locations that are listed as available properties across Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. I've heard that Super Value, a grocery store chain from up north, has already purchased a bunch of them. Does this mean Albertsons is closing up shop (in this area, at least)? Signs point to "Yes." Would I have to make a series of phone calls, enduring hours of hold music, to find out more? Again, signs point to "Yes." Am I going to? Indications are "Probably Not."

Adam McGill · 11:21 AM

More on WWL's site:

I echo what the earlier post said about WWL's Herculean effort. Most employees there lost their homes and possessions, yet are still providing an around-the-clock newscast that is very well-done. It is indeed a corporate effort- WFAA, KHOU (Houston) and KVUE (Austin) are providing extra satellite trucks to help WWL stay on the air, and KHOU/WFAA web staff are both hosting the live stream of WWL's signal to make it available to as many people as possible (also helped by the IT folks' dedication of major bandwidth to their signal). The site is getting millions of pageviews each day, and the video stream's views alone are constantly in the tens of thousands.

Adam McGill · 10:50 AM

Got a call this morning from my cousin-in-law. She and her husband (and two kids and dog) are headed to Dallas right now. She needed directions on how to get to our house. I said, "Can't you pull up Mapquest?" She said, "Um, Tim, we don't have power." Oh, right. She also noted, "We've been talking about how we needed to come visit. I just didn't think I'd be doing it with all our worldly possessions in our car and for quite so long a visit."

Dropping off The Little Chit at school today, I picked up a registration form for their kindergarten-aged son. The woman in the office told me, "Just have them fill it out as 'homeless.' That way, there'll be no wait and we can get him right in." They're lucky, though. All those folks at Reunion Arena without family to stay with--it's unimaginable.

Tim Rogers · 10:46 AM

It has been a half an hour since I downed my first dose of Celluceane. So far nothing has changed. Developing.

Nancy Nichols · 10:42 AM

Shannon Shelmire Wynne of Flying Fish, Flying Saucer, and 8.0 is doing his part:

"We have trash cans on every bar top from Dallas to North Carolina asking for donations. We are trying to hire displaced servers and managers from New Orleans who need work, as they will have no job to go back to. Yesterday we raised over $1000 and today we plan on doubling that."

Nancy Nichols · 10:33 AM

This just in from Adelmo’s:

On Friday September 9, Adelmo's will have a wine dinner for the Red Cross' relief fund towards hurricane victims. The dinner is 7 courses with 7 wines at $100 per person, of which $50 will be donated. The last dinner that we did of this sort was in September of 2001 and was very successful. We know this one will be as well. For all those that cannot attend the dinner, we urge you to make a donation to the Red Cross or a like charity.

Nancy Nichols · 10:15 AM

A NOLA-watching FrontBurnervian shares his thoughts about Belo station
WWL-TV:

You know, we talk a lot about how badly the DMN bodgers things and how Belo generally sucks. But their folks at WWL-TV in New Orleans -- Baton Rouge, now -- are showing some real mettle with their continuous broadcasting about the effects of Katrina and what is going on in NOLA generally. It's a Pulitzer-type effort. For those of us with family down there, WWL's streaming video on the web has been a real asset, and Belo deserves a lot of credit for throwing some serious IT assets and bandwidth up to make sure that thousands of us can stream that video without a hitch. If we're going to rap them on the downside, we've gotta give them props when they do the right thing too. Kudos, Belo, and thanks.

Adam McGill · 10:11 AM

Whit Meyers writes:

You may have heard that the small shelters are being closed. If you have gathered things to deliver today--fabulous--please do so. If not, you may want to wait to find out if they are closed completely and moving to Reunion or if it is just closed to the incoming people. St Luke's is still telling people just to show up to volunteer so even if the Samuel Rec Center is no longer a shelter site, St Luke's will have a continuing need to distribute what they have collected including the special items requested earlier. Also, since DISD is letting the children in, there will likely be a call for school supplies coming. This is from a friend on the scene: “Everyone is getting moved to Reunion - just visited Samuel & they are moving the Red Cross completely out of it - but St Luke's is still taking donated items & expects to be for weeks. Your people are asking for feminine products, shaving cream/razors, hairband/scunchies/bows for girls' hair, t shirts, and you can never give enough socks & underwear & bottled water. FOR ALL OF US IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, NOW IS THE TIME TO GET RID OF ALL THOSE CONCERT T-SHIRTS YOU NEVER WEAR.

Nancy Nichols · 10:00 AM

Suze chef Gilbert Garza writes:

In an effort to help all those who have been affected by "Katrina" especially the New Orleans area Suze restaurant will offer a special 3-course dinner for $36.00 dollar to patrons and send $6.00 for each person to Disaster Relief for those affected. In addition special pricing on wines will be available and donations from the sale of these wines will go to help those in need as well. Please call for reservations. The special will run the entire month of September.

Nancy Nichols · 09:46 AM

With each passing hour, the picture becomes clearer. New Orleans is going to be completely evacuated and stay empty for at least three months while the Army Corps of Engineers tries to rebuild the levees and pump a gazillion gallons of water out of the city. Then, when it's finally dry, each and every structure, from homes to high rises, must be checked for structural integrity. Contamination will be rampant, so there are massive health issues, too. In the meantime, Dallas is the biggest, most logical place to relocate thousands of displaced Louisianans.

What we see on the news are the poor wandering around the streets. What we don't see are the hundreds of thousands who did leave, and have no place to return to. As FrontBurner reported earlier, Dallas' 65,000 hotel rooms are looking pretty valuable right now. Each year, more than 3.8 million people with 3,600 different conventions visit Dallas, so we know something about handling crowds. For the time being, most people will be ushered into shelters like the one at Samuell Grand (6200 E. Grand), where 200 refugees from Katrina arrived this morning. In any case, everyone needs to get their extra toiletries, clothes, and other essentials together for donation. We need to show these poor folks some real Dallas hospitality.

Reid Slaughter · 09:35 AM

So how was it? You should know, because you were there, right? You no doubt remember the scene-setting décor of racecars parked in front of the Lakewood Theater (pictured at left). You enjoyed pizza from Campisi's--60 pizza's worth. You helped put away two cases of Tito's vodka. You made new friends. You influenced people. You witnessed me doing a bad imitation of a bad emcee before the movie started. You helped contribute to our Katrina relief fund. (We raised $550.36 by passing a few buckets around. Thank you so so so much. It feels good to do good, right? You should be proud of yourselves.) You enjoyed the screening of Dirt and enjoyed even more the hootin' and hollerin' the drivers did during it. You may have even enjoyed Tim's bad impersonation of James Lipton during the Q&A with filmmaker at the end of the film. I know one FrontBurnervian in particular who enjoyed it. "Was it just me (or was it the vokda?) but isn't Tim Rogers just the cutest thing to come out of Dallas in a long, long, long, long time?," she wrote. "Tim, my faith in intelligent, good looking men from north Dallas was restored tonight (I live between Dallas and Fort Worth) so I thank you." (Um, it was the vodka.)

Hope you all had as much fun as we did. See you at the next one.

Adam McGill · 09:29 AM

Thursday has rolled around again and with it, the "expanded local coverage" from DMN. We here in the Park Cities used to get a dedicated 4-6 page section. Today's offering? One story on a lady who lets kids play in her garage, written by a freelancer. That's it. One story — how can we "expand" from that?

Reid Slaughter · 08:59 AM

We finally spoke with some friends of our friends who live just north of New Orleans, in Covington, last night. Thankfully they left, but not until the last minute. These are very sharp, sophisticated people who grew up in Louisiana, moved here to Highland Park for seven years, then moved back to Covington to work in the oil business. Their explanation:

"You have to understand the Louisiana Coast mentality. We face hurricane warnings every year. It starts to sound the same. Plus, the storm never really hits us hard, it always slides off to the east or west. Most people just laugh it off, go to bar and drink. But this was different. We credit the local government and media for really driving home to everyone how dangerous this was. It took awhile, but we got the message. Unfortunately, there were three groups who stayed: those who were too old or too poor to mount an evacuation; those who are thugs and stayed behind to loot (yes, many crooks actually plan for this; and lastly, those who are just too stubborn or stupid to leave for any reason. But all this would be moot if the levees hadn't burst. No one saw that coming."

Reid Slaughter · 08:37 AM

In response to this post from yesterday, two passionate FrontBurnervians chastise their fellow contributor and say this is not the time for cynicism:

I hate other countries as much as the next guy, but this post is lame. There has been quite the appropriate response from our friends and allies, from letters of condolence from overseas to concrete offers of assistance from Canada and others. Only a real a--hole offers help to others (our tsunami aid) only to hold it over them later. Dude needs to shut up, help out, and save the politics for later.

I read with disbelief the email you posted. Had the US government or private American citizens sent $2 billion by December 28, 2 days after the tsunami? No. In fact, the U.S. government had pledged a whopping $15 million by that point, and private donations had just gotten started because the scale of the disaster had not yet become apparent. The government's final pledge of $950 million did not come until February 9, six weeks after the disaster.

From the sound of reports coming in from Lousiana and Mississippi, at this point we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of the scale of this disaster. While I doubt any individual country is going to give $2 billion in relief pledges to the victims of this disaster, it is way to early to start playing the "see how bad everybody treats us" card.

Reid Slaughter · 08:22 AM

August 31, 2005

A law-abiding FrontBurnervian offers this global perspective, noting that Americans sent more than $2 billion in aid to tsunami victims:

I have been encouraged by the outpouring of aid and support from other countries in this our time of need. Yeah, right! Thanks for nothing. (America is the white male of the world.)

Reid Slaughter · 05:40 PM

Our fashion expert Stephanie Quadri gets all kind of beauty samples. She passes off all the lipsticks, perfumes, and lotions to the hip young chicks in the office. She saves all the “menopausal” and “wrinkle” creams for moi. Today she hands me a package of Celluceane, an anti-cellulite drink that promises “beautiful legs in 20 days.” Instead of being insulted, I decided to be a sport and try it. Adam and I went out in front of the office where he took my “before” picture. I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Nancy Nichols · 04:57 PM

A couple of you have sent me this link with reference to this update:

2:19 P.M. - (AP) More than 100 Tulane University students displaced by Hurricane Katrina arrived at Southern Methodist University Wednesday, including the entire football team.

Adam McGill · 04:48 PM

As horrible as it appears to be going in New Orleans (and beyond), this sort of thing no longer seems off topic. We'll try not to turn FB over entirely to Katrina coverage, but this is worth passing along. An e-mail is making the rounds. It was written by a student assistant in LSU's sports information department. Chilling account of turning the university's facilities into a help center (and morgue):

Continue reading "RE: KATRINA"

Tim Rogers · 04:47 PM

Michael Finley has landed in San Antonio. For those who care.

Adam McGill · 04:44 PM

We all knew Dallas Observer parent company New Times was working on a merger with Village Voice Media. At least, we all knew the rumors. The San Francisco Bay Guardian has proof. Apparently, the merger is intended to make the new company attractive for buyers and easily sold. But, to quote the story that quotes another story, a merger of the country's alternative news outlets "would be like sleeping with your cousin. It may seem OK, but it's not supposed to happen."

Adam McGill · 04:24 PM

I caught up with chef Nick “Baddy” Vinus to see what was shaking out on Consilient’s new restaurant, The Porch, scheduled to open in late October. A few months ago the menu at the joint, which will open in the old Barley House on Henderson, was all about great “burgs.” (That’s "burger" in Consilient-speak.) However--and here's a shocker--Baddy and owner Tristan Simon could not keep their “downscale” pants on. Hence, The Porch’s concept has morphed into “Sophisticated Down Home Comfort Food Featuring Uptown Hand-Crafted Cocktails.” I guess that would be like Highland Park home cooking.

Nancy Nichols · 04:19 PM

A traveling FBvian puts the Galveston comparison in sharper contrast:

Referencing the rebuilding of Galveston following the 1900 storm when talking about NOLA gives a little reason to be optimistic. However, bear in mind that Galveston was considered the New York of the South prior to that storm, and many people believe that it would have been one of the largest cities in the United States if not for the hurricane. My visit to Galveston last summer hardly conjured images of NYC. I think everyone needs to get used to the fact that NOLA as we know it may be gone.

Tim Rogers · 03:16 PM

Brian is a FrontBurner-helping FrontBurnervian. (He helps keep us up and running.) His hometown is underwater. He's started the Slidell Hurricane Damage Blog for people to communicate with one another. Check it out for updates.

Adam McGill · 03:13 PM

The bad news is flowing.

I had to write and share something that happened at my office only a hour ago. I was originally going to walk with one of the girls to get sandwiches for everyone, but last minute decided to stay to work on an important document. She was mugged. We work downtown at the corner of Ross and St. Paul, which is not a bad part of downtown by any means. We're right across from the Dallas Museum of Art. There are cops always around and security guards, but three men attacked her right in front of our building in broad daylight and in front of other witnesses. They hit her on the head from behind and ran off with her purse. I am still shaking knowing that I almost walked with her. So we in our office are making a pact to walk in groups!

Wick Allison · 02:49 PM

To quote Joe Simpson from this video clip about his reality show Filthy Rich: Cattledrive, the Internet "has spurred on [my] instant, need to know, want to know more than just what television is portraying." Namely, who does your hair?

Adam McGill · 02:17 PM

Attention movie-want-to-watching FrontBurnervians: You have ONE. MORE. HOUR. to RSVP to tonight's screening of Jeff Bowden's Dirt at the Lakewood Theater. If you haven't yet, do so here. At 6 o'clock, we'll have free Campisi's pizza and free Tito's vodka. The movie starts at 7:30. The filmmaker will be in attendance. Tim and I will, too. Come and see us.

Adam McGill · 02:10 PM

Yet another horror story from the Naked City:

Speaking of lack of police presence, a few months ago a woman was kidnapped and taken down to the creek that runs along Empire Central between I-35 and Harry Hines where the kidnapper attempted to rape her. Our office is in a building that overlooks the creek, where my co-workers heard her scream 8 floors up. Two of our male co-workers rushed down there and rescued the woman (the kidnapper got away). They also called the police, who never showed. The police department’s excuse was that given the location of the call, they assumed it was a false alarm. Wrong thing to say to a bunch of attorneys.

Wick Allison · 02:10 PM

Okay, this is inside baseball for any of you who are history/religion buffs like me. I'm fired up. The Shroud of Turin is one of the world's enduring historical mysteries--is it a first century artifact, possibly of the Resurrection, or is it medieval fraud? That question will be addressed--LIVE!-- at the International Shroud Conference right here in Dallas on September 8-11 at the Adolphus Hotel. And even better news for history aficionados: This is the first Shroud conference that will be open to the public (it has previously been restricted to scholars and scientists). For more on the Shroud, you can go here or here or read this or this. For ticket information, call (972) 932-5141.

Wick Allison · 01:55 PM

A PR-producing FBvian offers some thoughts on my New Orleans post:

1) Galveston rebuilt after its hurricane. 2) The Dallas Tourism Bunch is probably scrambling to go after the convention business that had been slated for N.O. in coming months. Wouldn't it be nice if we donated a percentage of the redirected business to help N.O.?

1) Yes, but Galveston wasn't built below sea level. And, as another FBvian noted to me, they didn't rebuild Pompeii. 2) Yes, it would.

Tim Rogers · 01:38 PM

A real estate-appraising (and novel-writing) FrontBurnervian alerts us to Amazon's new yellow pages function. It offers street-level pictures of many of the businesses. So, for instance, if you check out, oh, say, The Lodge's entry, you can read the license plates on the cars that are parked in front of the gentleman's establishment. These pictures also mean that when you go to Alcoholics Anonymous, you're no longer quite so anonymous.

Tim Rogers · 01:30 PM

Theresa Comstock asked that question on the News op-ed page this morning. The city manager thinks she is doing everyone a big favor by budgeting for 55 new officers next year. Whoopee-doo. It's a drop in the bucket. Dallas is off-target by 500 officers, and a FrontBurnervian parent reports on the result:

Last night at White Rock lake while the HP Crew team was at practice, one of the student's cars was broken into and the back packs of 4 or 5 students stolen . They contained wallets, cell phones, books etc. The call to the police elicited this response: we'll call you back in 2 hours for the report.

Wick Allison · 01:21 PM

You may not have to open up the Rogers' household, Rogers. According to KRLD, Reunion Arena is being readied for refugees. More on that here.

Adam McGill · 01:06 PM

A natural-disaster-obsessed FrontBurnervian tells us the AP is reporting that the DISD says it will enroll the children of any Katrina refugees who ask for it. The same FBvian as us politely to refrain from making Wilmer-Hutchins comments.

Tim Rogers · 01:06 PM

A charitable FrontBurnervian over at the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority is doing her part to help out the victims of Hurricane Katrina. One hundred percent of the proceeds from Monday's fareboxes go to the American Red Cross. Full release after the jump.

Continue reading "TROLLEY, TROLLEY, INCOME-FREE"

Adam McGill · 11:35 AM

So, when I got to the office this morning, I was sifting through my emails, drinking my coffee, minding my own business, and I got this unsettling email.

Good Morning,
I am Det. Todd Burnside of the Carrollton Police Department. I am investigating an internet harassment complaint and need to ask you a few questions.
Could you call me or respond to the e-mail.
Thank you for your time.
Det. Todd Burnside

Ryan Mendenhall · 10:29 AM

It is looking like the Rogers house might soon be filled with two more adults, two more children, and a dog, all New Orleans refugees. Another friend of mine has a brother in N.O. who is an anesthesiologist and who had to stay behind to work at his hospital. But now the hospital is being evacuated. He is stranded on the second floor of his brick apartment building in the middle of the city. He's got food for a couple days but no power obviously. And now he needs to leave. But how? And my friend can no longer reach his brother.

Last night on Nightline, Ted Koppel asked each of his reporters in the field if they thought New Orleans would survive. None could say it would. You realize we may have actually lost the entire city?

Tim Rogers · 10:08 AM

News came to us earlier in the week that the Texas Lege, in all its wisdom, passed a law requiring the removal of all those delicious photos of our neighbors' houses on the Dallas Central Appraisal District's Web site. The photos were supposed to come down tomorrow. But, lo, what do we find today? No photos! An official at DCAD tells me that it was a huge undertaking, taking down more than 650,000 images. They weren't sure how long it was going to take. And the law states they have to be down "on or before September 1." DCAD, ever the efficient organization, got it done "before."

Tim Rogers · 10:06 AM

Sorry, guys. Better late than never, right? I forgot to mention that Kelly Clarkson looked pretty good on Sunday night. IDontLikeYouInThatWay has a few more pics here. Jessica, you're out. Kelly, you're back in.

Adam McGill · 09:54 AM

Um, Wick? I know you've been gone awhile, and you're trying to get back into the swing of things here on FrontBurner. But nice work with that last post!

Tim Rogers · 09:20 AM

Another media report for the City Council to ignore, from CBS11:

Continue reading "MORE REASONS NOT TO REMOVE D'ANGELO LEE"

Wick Allison · 09:15 AM

It really was inappropriate for Laura Miller to call for D'Angelo Lee's removal from the Plan Commission. I mean, all we've got is media reports. Media reports! That's all!

[shaking head slowly]

Tim Rogers · 09:04 AM

A FBvian asks:

Haven't these people suffered enough?

Tim Rogers · 09:00 AM

August 30, 2005

The man you see here is Ruben Bohuchot, the DISD technology chief whose shady practices the FBI is investigating. Have a good look at Bohuchot. What do you see? No, not the jowls. Yes, that's right! He appears to be Latino! So the FBI not only has it out for black people, but they also want to run the Latinos out of town. I ask you: WHEN DO THE RACE RIOTS BEGIN?

Tim Rogers · 06:49 PM

An resourceful FBvian points us to the "active incidents" page of Dallas Fire-Rescue, which said, "One-alarm structure fire at Bedford and Esmalda in West Dallas."

Tim Rogers · 05:34 PM

A FBvian in the Bank of American building says that from their windows, looking west, they can see a major fire burning. I don't see any news of it online yet. Anyone?

Tim Rogers · 05:12 PM

An annoucement from the Texas Rangers:

The Rangers are offering free tickets to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama residents for the rest of the season who may be in the area to escape Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Residents of those states may present their drivers license at the box office to receive complimentary tickets for their families.

Tim Rogers · 05:07 PM

Yesterday, I posted an unfounded rumor about Mark Cuban buying land by the Greyhound Station. I was right. But I was wrong. Turns out Cuban did invest in some real estate, but it's the Greyhound property on Lamar, not the area by the bus station. Nope. Cuban's plot is across the street from Gilley's in the ever-broadening entertainment district around SouthSide. No word yet on plans for the property. Developing.

Adam McGill · 04:26 PM

A Sooner FBvian defends James Aydelott:

Do NOT screw with James. I went to junior (Lewis and Clark rules!) and senior high (Go Cardinals! BOMAR! Whooo!) with him. He's been reporting the weather as long as I've known him. Even in eighth grade, you would ask him, "James, what's the weather going to be like tomorrow?" and he'd do an entire forecast. Good man. Not as hot as Kristine Kahanek at Channel 11, but hotter than Troy Dungan.

Tim Rogers · 02:41 PM

Someone who's actually seen Jay's Renovate My Family says Erica made an appearance on the show. Sure enough, she and her sisters are "construction team experts," which means they run around wearing hard hats. Erica's other credits include "Triplet 1" in Battle Dome, "Triplet 2" in Juwanna Mann, and "a Hollywood Chick" in Nudity Required.

Adam McGill · 02:03 PM

A dog-having FrontBurnervian wants to know what was up last night:

I was wondering if you had heard any good police gossip... So I know I live near Reverchon Park and all, but I prefer to call it the Gallery District of Uptown. Sounds less sketchy that way. Anyway, last night I was taking my dogs out to do their business at little on the late side, probably 11:30ish, when I saw two police helicopters with search lights flying around. I was outside no more than 2 or 3 minutes when one of the search lights stopped on me. Very ufo. Heard anything that would warrant two helicopters?? I need to know if I should be looking for dead bodies by the creek.

Adam McGill · 01:57 PM

Dr. Phil's son Jay McGraw was single. He won't be for much longer. Jay proposed to Erica Dahm on Friday with a 5-carat ring that he designed. Erica is one of the Dahm triplets, who were Playboy playmates in December 1998. You can find the picture of her in its context here (photo by Chad Doering). She's the one in the middle. No. Wait. She's on the left. Or is she the one on the right? Doesn't matter.

(Thanks to a news-scanning FrontBurnervian for the link.)

Adam McGill · 01:46 PM

A baseball-watching FBvian shoots down the conspiracy and suggests why Buehrle might have floated it in the first place:

For various reasons, Ameriquest is more of a park for hitters than, say, U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago and others; Ranger road games, as is the case with everyone else, include interleague games, which means pitchers hit, which means lower batting average on the road for them, as well as for other hitters who aren't used to the NL; David Dellucci, Gary Matthews Jr., Sandy Alomar Jr. and Laynce Nix have higher batting averages on the road than at home this year, now why are they being screwed in this conspiracy? Kevin Mench has 12 HRs at home, 11 on the road. Dellucci has 10 HRs at home, 12 on the road. Michael Young has 10 HRs at home, 9 on the road. Rod Barajas has 4 HRs at home, 9 on the road. Matthews has 8 HRs at home, 8 on the road. The Rangers as a team have 127 doubles at home, 125 on the road.

Name one CHW starting position player hitting above .280? Can't? That's because there isn't one. Compared to the rest of the AL, CHW's offense is more or less ranked in the lower half of a number of categories. However, Buehrle's team is in first place and the Rangers are not. Why the hell is Buehrle complaining? Maybe it's something along the lines of he got his ass kicked yesterday.

Tim Rogers · 01:46 PM

Adam just showed me an amazing book he's reviewing for the print edition of FrontBurner called Through the Eyes of the Gods: An Aerial Vision of Africa, published by National Geographic. The photographer is none other than Bobby Haas, once the other half of Hicks & Haas and still a well-known investor in financial circles. But that's like saying that Charles Ives was well known as an insurance executive. Like the composer, Haas has found his true calling, and his is behind a camera. Wait 'til you see these photos. Wow.

Wick Allison · 11:45 AM

Gotta love those FrontBurnervians. Here's a contact for anyone interested in heading east to help with the rebuilding effort, which will be massive. S.A.V.E. is a stereo/audio company, but its president organizes groups of relief workers and is looking for folks who will sign on to assist in rebuilding. Call Tim Boyd, president of S.A.V.E. Office: 972-226-6100 Cell: 972-880-7470

Reid Slaughter · 11:35 AM

One FrontBurnervian wonders aloud about one of our school board members:

Ron Price admitted last week to the FBI and the News that D'Angelo Lee approached him with some under-the-table land deal that he refused to accept. Wow, that is first-hand knowledge. Would you think Mr. Price would do his civic duty and file a first-hand knowledge ethics complaint against Mr. Lee? Fat chance but a little public ridicule ala Saul Alinsky tactics would do Mr. Price good. One would have thought Mr. Price would not have waited until the FBI interviewed him last week to speak out against Mr. Lee. One would have thought he would have reported Mr. Lee to the FBI as soon as Mr. Lee offered that bad deal to Mr. Price, right?

Wick Allison · 11:27 AM

Adam McGill · 11:25 AM

One of the puzzlements of the current FBI brouhaha is why unaffected City Council members have been so silent. They haven't seemed insulted or angry or even upset. Now we're starting to learn why. Seems other Council members have found their own, perhaps more sophisticated, ways to dip their fingers in the honeypot. Bill Blaydes, for example, represents the DISD in property acquisitions. Think there might be some conflicts with the City of Dallas? Sixty-eight times Blaydes has failed to file disclosure forms specifying his conflicts, even though he has had them. Why? Maybe he doesn't want you to know why, and that's why he hasn't filed.

By the way, the newspaper talks about "city ethics rules." Let's get the terminology straight. These are city ordinances. That means they are laws. City Council people like Bill Blaydes are violating the law--and neither the City Attorney nor the District Attorney is doing anything about it.

Wick Allison · 11:07 AM

A news-watching FBvian says:

Jane McGarry also mispronounced "Biloxi," even though the reporter she was throwing to said it correctly every time.

Heck, maybe I got my anchors confused. I was flipping pretty quickly. Apologies to Hays if that's the case.

Tim Rogers · 10:49 AM

Nicola Longford has definitely been named executive director of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. The recall message was the result of user error. No worries.

Tim Rogers · 09:57 AM

Need a little help, FrontBurnervians. We're trying to recall every Cowboy (current or former) who has done an endorsement. The more obscure the better. Randy White and Safari Waters Ranch, for example. If they've done a radio ad or a TV ad or a print ad for someone, we want to hear about it. E-mail me with your suggestions.

Tim Rogers · 09:51 AM

Welcome back, Wick.

Tim Rogers · 09:46 AM

District judge Nathan White apparently doesn't think citizens should question the police. He issued a gag order to prevent the family of Edgar Vera from raising hell over his death at the hands of Allen police, who had arrested him for--hmmmm--a seat-belt violation. What's worse, attorney Steve Salazar, representing the Veras, seems to think that's okay. I guess he's more worried about having to practice in front of the judge again than about his client's First Amendment rights. There is no lawsuit. There is no criminal indictment. There is nothing to gag. Somebody needs to deliver this overreaching judge a slap on the wrist.

Wick Allison · 09:36 AM

My Fair Lady and I have relatives in New Orleans (whom we still haven't heard from), so I was eager to learn as much as I could last night about the storm. After flipping through the local newscasts, I offer these insights, for what they're worth:

--James Aydelott has an unfortunate name. It's pronounced "ate a lot," more or less. "James ate a lot in the weather center ..." Not good when people are dying.

--Also not good when people are dying: bragging about your own flesh wounds. J.D. Miles wrapped up his report by melodramatically saying, "A piece of flying metal hit me and my camera man. I have a gash on the back of my head and possibly a concussion." But he never showed us the "gash." And, worse yet, he made a pun about "the Big Easy breathing easy" after the storm passed.

--Note to Heather Hays: the city in Mississippi is "Beh luk see," not "Beh lock see."

--Jane McGarry insists on calling thieves "crooks" and referring to cars "wrecking into" things. Is it just me?

--I love the Southwest Airlines anti-Wright spot about the outdated laws. They must run that thing on every channel three times during the 10 o'clock news.

Tim Rogers · 09:34 AM

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle thinks so. God, I hope not. To cheat and still suck so bad would be really embarrassing.

Tim Rogers · 09:09 AM

It will be interesting to see what sort of response comes from Dallas in the aftermath of Katrina. With almost 100 dead and early estimates of $26 billion in damages, Katrina is one of the worst storms in American history. In the days following the Indian Ocean tsunami, relief efforts sprung up from every church and school. Lemonade stands in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow raised money for tsunami victims. One 5th grade class at McCulloch Middle School alone raised over $6,400. So what will we do for those hapless folks in Louisiana and Mississippi, just ten hours down the road? Anything? Or will we let the insurance companies handle it?

Reid Slaughter · 08:58 AM

August 29, 2005

A little while ago, I got a press release from a woman named Deborah at the Sixth Floor Museum announcing the outfit's new executive director (which appears after the jump). Then, 18 minutes later, I got this message:

Deborah Marine would like to recall the message, "Sixth Floor Museum Names New Executive Director - Photo Attached".

Developing ...

Continue reading "NEW DIRECTOR OF SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM--OR NOT?"

Tim Rogers · 05:33 PM

As a link-sending FrontBurnervian points out, Brendon and I aren't the only ones who are totally over J-Sim. Go Fug Yourself doesn't care for her, either. Look at the bandwagon I'm a'drivin'.

Adam McGill · 04:34 PM

I just got an e-mail from a curious FrontBurnervian wanting to know if I knew anything:

I heard that Mark Cuban just bought a lot of land downtown on Lamar right by the Greyhound Station.

Adam McGill · 04:07 PM

Man, talk about slacking off. He does still work here, doesn't he?

Tim Rogers · 03:36 PM

Despite my overness with Jessica, something needs to be said about her get-up at the VMA's last night: she looked ridiculous. And not in a good way. I wholeheartedly agree with everything Brendon over at IDontLikeYouInThatWay says, even the part about raccoons. Is that shirt on backwards? Is it inside-out? Did she forget to button it, or did Nick refuse to help her get dressed? And what's the deal with the eyeliner? Is she getting makeup tips from her sister? Don't even get me started on her hair.

Adam McGill · 02:21 PM

Welcome to those of you who were just listening to the Glenn Mitchell Show. A couple posts down, you'll see where you can RSVP for the Dirt screening. We've only got about 100 seats left, so don't dally. And while you're here, drop Adam McGill a note and wish him a happy birthday. Remember to be vulgar.

Come back soon and see us again, ya hear!

Tim Rogers · 01:59 PM

A concerned FrontBurnervian sent me the picture at left on Friday. Apparently, this exotic bird escaped from downtown's Dallas World Aquarium. If you should happen to see it from your office window, please let them know. And let's all be careful, shall we? We don't want another Jabari on our hands.

Adam McGill · 01:50 PM

Adam, you are more handsome than I remember. Everyone should also know that today is Adam's birthday. Please send him a congratulatory e-mail using the filthiest words you know.

Tim Rogers · 10:36 AM

I'm told that the best thing to do in a situation like this is to be honest and forthright and to get ahead of the news. Just own up to the facts before rumors spin out of control. Since Letterman hasn't responded yet for some mea culpa air time, I guess I'll have to own up to it here.

Yes. It's true. I'm Canadian.

(Thanks to a Googling FrontBurnervian for the link.)

Adam McGill · 10:26 AM

Today on The Glenn Mitchell Show, our own Jeff Bowden will talk about his documentary DIRT. The free screening is Wednesday at the historic Lakewood Theater. We'll get rolling at 6 p.m. with free Campisi's pizza and (nearly) all the Tito's vodka you can stomach. The film hits the screen at 7:30, in all its digital glory, with a Q&A with Jeff to follow.

There are still a few seats left. But you must RSVP with your name and your date's name (should you bring one).

Tim Rogers · 10:24 AM

First, Willie Nelson picked Carl's Corner as a distribution point for his "Bio-willie" alternative fuel. Now, Willie's picked Carl's to be the site of Willie's Place, a 850-seat music venue. I hope they keep that 18-wheeler-truck-looking billboard. It's about the one-quarter marker on the drive to Austin.

Adam McGill · 10:20 AM

An alert FBvian writes:

Robert Cringley is a computer industry curmudgeon who often appears on PBS. He also writes a weekly column. This week, he was meditating on Google's future, when he unexpectedly issued a verbal pimp slap to Yahoo and Mark Cuban:

"I don't expect any multi-billion-dollar acquisitions by Google, whether for cash or stock. Larry and Sergey know too well the story of Yahoo's boneheaded purchase of Broadcast.com, making Mark Cuban an instant billionaire and an affliction on both reality TV and the NBA."

I agree with the reality TV comment. But the NBA? Those of us in Dallas at least remember the Mavs before Cuban owned the team. "Savior" is a better word than "affliction." (Somewhere at Ice Rocket a bell just went off, triggering the computer chip implant in Cuban's head to let him know that something kind was said about him in the blogosphere.)

Tim Rogers · 10:11 AM

Reid, the paper's new marketing efforts might be failing, but the old-fashioned journalism stuff was good over the weekend. They published some solid work on the FBI probe on Saturday and Sunday. This was the centerpiece, on Sunday, but the package included several smaller side stories and a some impactful (ugh, sorry for that word, must be Monday) graphics. You need to read the hard copy to get the full effect.

Tim Rogers · 10:02 AM

Really funny column from Alan Peppard today. It begins:

One of the lesser-known emoluments of living in the leafy insularity of Highland Park and University Park is that residents do not bathe in the same water as their more proletarian friends in the city of Dallas.

Tim Rogers · 09:53 AM

After 2-3 weeks of relentless hype by Dallas Morning News about their new "Neighbors" section, we were all excited to see what the first issue would bring. Except that we didn't get it. We got North Dallas "Neighbors" instead, which had stories from Turtle Creek to Coppell. Once again, DMN has a little trouble with the concept of accuracy and truthfulness in its definitions: most dictionaries define 'neighbor' as "one who is close at hand, near, adjacent." DMN defines it as someone who lives 14 miles away, in a different school district, with different police, fire, and other city services. How about we re-name the section to "Advertising Clusters." Not as sweet, but at least it's honest.

On Sunday, I found a copy of Park Cities Neighbors in the gutter by a house in Preston Hollow. Since the house was under construction and empty [advertisers, are you getting this?], I decided to open it and take a look. Lots of what DMN calls "citizen journalism," including press releases straight from the corporate pipeline. At least 40 percent of the items weren't from Park Cities at all. I thought of how often readers scream at us when we let non-endemic news slip into their community's edition. Either the phones are ringing off the wall at DMN, or, after this oafish debut, they aren't ringing at all.

Reid Slaughter · 08:55 AM