The Latest
Soccer Watch: Mid-Winter Break Edition
Inter Milan's 11th straight win this week tied the Italian Serie A record. (Roma, who set the record last year, has gone 9-1-1 in that time – and lost five points in the title chase.)
Jolly Old England: Most of the soccer world is taking a year-end break, but the Brits have their traditional full schedule of games on Boxing Day, Dec. 26, then play again on Saturday, the 30th, and then yet again on New Year's Day. (Round one to the Red Devils. Manchester United stretched their premiership lead to four points on Boxing Day, beating Wigan 3-1, while Chelsea could manage only a 2-2 draw at home against midtable Reading.)
Happy New Year. See you next week with a Top 10 list.
2:40PM Wed. Dec. 27, 2006,Nick Barbaro Read More | Comment »
Saving Small Business Downtown
Another local happening that got neglected in our yuletide insanity was announcement of the Congress Avenue Retail Retention and Enhancement Fund. In promoting the program last week, the mayor said the fund would enable "judicious, strategic investments in Congress Avenue," but made no attempt to obscure its impetus: "The inspiration for this program is, of course, the situation regarding the proposed Marriott development on the 200 block of Congress and the desire to preserve Las Manitas, a mainstay of Congress Avenue."
The fund would take fees the city levies on major developments Downtown – fees that have often gone uncollected as the city sought to bolster growth – and fold them back into smaller and local businesses. What might seem like a ledger balancing decision to a $180 million development like the Marriott complex – $100,000 in fees for closed lanes, or traffic easem*nts, for example – could conceivably save a smaller business like Las Manitas or Escuelita Del Alma, or so goes the line of thought.
1:59PM Wed. Dec. 27, 2006,Wells Dunbar Read More | Comment »
A Win-Win for Wal-Mart, Las Manitas
In preparing a post on the Congress Avenue Retail Retention and Enhancement Fund, I'm struck with a blinding flash of brilliance: in lieu of McDonald's, why doesn't Las Manitas reopen as an eatery inside the Northcross Wal-Mart? Those giant arched Ms can't be hard to come by – who wouldn't want a McNitas in their neighborhood?
11:57AM Wed. Dec. 27, 2006,Wells Dunbar Read More | Comment »
TODAY'S EVENTS
Adaptations Book Club
We Luv Video
Disney on Ice Presents Magic in the Stars at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
MUSIC | MOVIES | ARTS | COMMUNITY
McCall Comes Calling
Austin consultant Alfred Stanley plans to kick off the New Year with a new political action committee, Too Close to Craddick, and an accompanying Web site that takes aim at House Democrats who are way too chummy with Speaker Tom Craddick. "I intend to lose some friends over this," Stanley said. Yet Stanley believes there are enough House members on both sides of the aisle who are ready and willing to overthrow Craddick. Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, has mounted a serious campaign to try to do just that. Before McCall publicly confirmed his intentions over the Christmas break, Houston Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson had been the only candidate running for speaker but was not regarded as a serious threat to Craddick. Democrats are now looking to McCall as the person to beat Craddick. It matters little that McCall is a conservative Republican, Democrats say. What's important is that he works and plays well with others. It it happens that Craddick wins re-election when House members cast their votes on Jan. 9, watch for Stanley to go after Craddick's Democratic allies with metal tongs at the yet-to-be-launched www.tooclosetocraddick.com
11:01AM Wed. Dec. 27, 2006,Amy Smith Read More | Comment »
Local Roundup: Holiday Hangover Edition
Wake up, man. Snap to it! It's high time to dig yourself out from this yellowing snowpile of neurotic family members and curdled eggnog. There's a whole world out there that's been going along just fine minus you, you know. Just what the hell have we missed?
First Traffic Light Installed at Mueller: Thursday, Public Works activated the traffic signal at Airport and Aldrich, the main entrance to the former airport. Here's hoping no cars use it, as everyone bikes their 25-quart roasters back from Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Housing Authority Receives $350,000 Grant: Lloyd Doggett brings home the housing bacon. More info here.
Craddick Challenged as Speaker: We're not referring to his eloquence; it looks as if Plano Republican Brian McCall is venturing into the lion's den. Whoa.
Water Main Burst Downtown: Bad enough to send Whole Foods packing for the day. Double whoa.
Everyone is Dying: First James Brown, then Gerald Ford. RIP.
10:11AM Wed. Dec. 27, 2006,Wells Dunbar Read More | Comment »
Caption This Picture
In our haste to pack it in for the holidays, we almost neglected to call attention to this slightly off-kilter picture of Lee Leffingwell and Mike Martinez cleaning newly-purchased Eastside parkland. Grace it with a caption in the comments section below.
8:30AM Wed. Dec. 27, 2006,Wells Dunbar Read More | Comment »
NEWSLETTERS
Toros Pregame Report
Before tonight's game against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the 0-11 Austin Toros announced that swingman James White had been recalled by the San Antonio Spurs (21-7). White goes from the team with the worst record in the D-League to the one with the best mark in the NBA - making him officially the fastest-rising player in professional basketball. The former University of Cincinnati star, who was assigned to the Toros by the Spurs back on Dec. 16, will take his place on the Spurs bench in time for their game tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. In three games with the Toros, White averaged 12.5 sorely-needed points off the bench.
As for the Toros, they'll try to avoid a dirty dozen (0-12) start to the season tonight against L.A. The D-Fenders beat the Toros two days ago, 103-97. As of this writing, they're down 19-11 at the four-minute mark of the first quarter.
6:59PM Tue. Dec. 26, 2006,Dave Mann and Josh Rosenblatt Read More | Comment »
Texans Improve All-Time Record to 1-9 vs. the Colts
The problem the Colts had coming into Reliant on Sunday wasn't that they had to win to clinch a first-round playoff bye but that the Texans had to not lose to avoid the embarrassment of dropping to 0-10 all-time vs. Indy. Houston's 27-24 win was the biggest of their five-year existence since their stunning defeat of the Cowboys in their first-ever regular-season game. Head Coach Gary Kubiak, quarterback David Carr, and the man with the expectations given someone drafted above Reggie Bush and Vince Young, Mario Williams, all had something to prove to themselves and more importantly the fans. The Texans' game plan – which they ran to perfection – was to keep Peyton Manning off the field by controlling the clock with a strong running game and for David Carr not make any stupid mistakes. Carr managed not to drop the ball while handing it off to Ron Dayne 32 times and made a clutch 17-yard pass to Andre Johnson, setting up Kris Brown's game-winning 48-yard field goal, with time expiring. The Texans commenced to celebrate like they'd clinched a playoff spot which, of course, they never have.
4:29PM Tue. Dec. 26, 2006,Mark fa*gan Read More | Comment »
Sunday Afternoon at the Convention Center
Austin Toros vs. Sioux Falls Skyforce
Dec. 17
Pregame:
Just my luck: My first game back with the Toros after an unexpected trip home, and the team’s new main man, Jay Williams, former first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls – the guy I had come to see - is dressed to impress in a fancy new double-breasted suit and the latest in crutches: sidelined with a groin injury after only one game. I sink into my seat, dejected.
In all fairness, the Toros are probably more disappointed at Williams’ absence than I am. As much as I wanted to see Williams play, the Toros need him to play. In fact, when you come into a game with a record of 0-8 you need everyone to play: former NBA superstars, veteran role players, rookie bench guys, old ladies, small children, loyal journalists, everyone. All hands on deck when you’re batting a thousand in the wrong direction.
6:59PM Sat. Dec. 23, 2006,Josh Rosenblatt Read More | Comment »
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