An election is really hard work

I once got an e-mail from a former city employee who called me a few names and told me I knew nothing about being a code enforcement inspector and that I should just shut up. This came to mind yesterday with the news that Edward Okpa is back in the mayor’s race, after city officials acknowledged that yes, he really did have enough signatures on his qualifying petition. What got my attention was the quote from Assistant City Secretary Rosa Rios, who said, in essence, that her office was doing the best it that could and everyone would just have to be happy with that.

Which doesn’t address the issue that mistakes were made with certifying Okpa’s petition, and that this was the second time the secretary’s office had done this to him. And we’re supposed to accept an explanation that they’re doing the best they can?

Okpa told Dallas’ Only Daily Newspaper that he wonders if his problems have to do with his race or that he is foreign born. No , Mr. Okpa, that’s not the problem at all. Those of us who follow city government know what the problem is, and it’s not that — it’s that the city’s best is just not very good.

An election is really hard work

I once got an e-mail from a former city employee who called me a few names and told me I knew nothing about being a code enforcement inspector and that I should just shut up. This came to mind yesterday with the news that Edward Okpa is back in the mayor’s race, after city officials acknowledged that yes, he really did have enough signatures on his qualifying petition. What got my attention was the quote from Assistant City Secretary Rosa Rios, who said, in essence, that her office was doing the best it that could and everyone would just have to be happy with that.

Which doesn’t address the issue that mistakes were made with certifying Okpa’s petition, and that this was the second time the secretary’s office had done this to him. And we’re supposed to accept an explanation that they’re doing the best they can?

Okpa told Dallas’ Only Daily Newspaper that he wonders if his problems have to do with his race or that he is foreign born. No , Mr. Okpa, that’s not the problem at all. Those of us who follow city government know what the problem is, and it’s not that — it’s that the city’s best is just not very good.

Schutze said what about the Trinity Tollroad?

I wish I could write like Jim Schutze with the Observer. He’s doing something with the Trinity tollway/park boondoggle that is amost impossible: He has written a story again this week that’s both entertaining and actually makes sense. I hate to keep bringing it up here over and over again, but it’s something that needs to be important to all of us who live in Dallas because so much money has already fallen into that sinkhole, and so much more is scheduled to go in, that we need to pay attention, if only to make sure that the potholes swallowing cars whole around our neighborhoods have at least a chance to drink some hot tar from time to time. Anyway, I’ve been impressed with Angela Hunt’s one-woman crusade to bring the whole thing to a vote (not to sack the road, just to shed some light on it in an election). I’m a realistic (some would say pessimistic) guy, but I’m starting to think that maybe — just maybe — there’s a chance Hunt’s petition drive to get 50,000 of us who live in Dallas to agree that we want to see the Tollroad project on the ballot.

A Southern Belle’s Nirvana

Sometimes a girl just needs some pampering.

No matter how much I try to subdue her, occasionally my inner Southern belle rears her ugly head and I have to have a mani. And a pedi. Except, then the fiscally responsible inner daughter of a recovering accountant just doesn’t approve of spending money on a service I could very well do myself for mere pennies on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

My inner Southern belle and budget-conscience self have found a happy Nirvana at Jannie’s Nails at 5600 Mockingbird Lane (next door to the original Campisi’s). They offer a steal of a deal with their Spa Pedicure and Manicure Special for just $27. Even though I typically just walk in, I’ve yet to wait for service and the Vietnamese ladies who run the shop are always warm and welcoming. Parking is surprisingly easy even though diners pack out Campisi’s on a regular basis.

So pull your knickers up, kick off your tennies and treat yourself to a foot and hand massage paired with a cozy massage chair. You’ll even have enough spare change to skip next door for some of Campisi’s famous pizza.

A Southern Belle’s Nirvana

Sometimes a girl just needs some pampering.

No matter how much I try to subdue her, occasionally my inner Southern belle rears her ugly head and I have to have a mani. And a pedi. Except, then the fiscally responsible inner daughter of a recovering accountant just doesn’t approve of spending money on a service I could very well do myself for mere pennies on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

My inner Southern belle and budget-conscience self have found a happy Nirvana at Jannie’s Nails at 5600 Mockingbird Lane (next door to the original Campisi’s). They offer a steal of a deal with their Spa Pedicure and Manicure Special for just $27. Even though I typically just walk in, I’ve yet to wait for service and the Vietnamese ladies who run the shop are always warm and welcoming. Parking is surprisingly easy even though diners pack out Campisi’s on a regular basis.

So pull your knickers up, kick off your tennies and treat yourself to a foot and hand massage paired with a cozy massage chair. You’ll even have enough spare change to skip next door for some of Campisi’s famous pizza.

A Southern Belle’s Nirvana

Sometimes a girl just needs some pampering.

No matter how much I try to subdue her, occasionally my inner Southern belle rears her ugly head and I have to have a mani. And a pedi. Except, then the fiscally responsible inner daughter of a recovering accountant just doesn’t approve of spending money on a service I could very well do myself for mere pennies on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

My inner Southern belle and budget-conscience self have found a happy Nirvana at Jannie’s Nails at 5600 Mockingbird Lane (next door to the original Campisi’s). They offer a steal of a deal with their Spa Pedicure and Manicure Special for just $27. Even though I typically just walk in, I’ve yet to wait for service and the Vietnamese ladies who run the shop are always warm and welcoming. Parking is surprisingly easy even though diners pack out Campisi’s on a regular basis.

So pull your knickers up, kick off your tennies and treat yourself to a foot and hand massage paired with a cozy massage chair. You’ll even have enough spare change to skip next door for some of Campisi’s famous pizza.

A happy ending for Emerald Isle?

When I talked to Dallas Cothrum recently, he told me today was the day
that the revised plans for what was once the Emerald Isle high-rise
would be going before the City Plan Commission. Cothrum is part of
Masterplan Consultants, a company that interfaces between the city and
developers and, as Cothrum put it, "always works on the for
side" of developers. Emerald Isle is one of the company’s clients (as
are TXU, DISD and DART), and Cothrum noted of today’s meeting: "My
client’s not happy, the neighborhood’s not happy — we’ve reached our
middle ground." He does believe, however, that "the Emerald Isle thing
is going to be a happy ending."

A blazing mayoral endorsement

My old pal Burton Gilliam — of Paper Moon, Blazing Saddles, and salsa commercial fame (New York City!) — just called, and told me to vote for Gary Griffith for mayor.

It was, of course, one of those silly recorded phone calls. Still, I didn’t know that Burton (who used to live in Lake Highlands, I think, and who I know from interviewing him for various free-lance pieces) was supporting the Lakewood councilman. I didn’t even know Burton was famous enough to sway votes, except among those of us who view Blazing Saddles as an important part of U.S. cinematic history. And it does seem a little early in the campaign to bring out the recorded messages.

Besides, if Griffith is doing this now, what sort of actor escalation is next? NYPD Blue’s Dennis Franz for Tom Leppert’s get tough on crime drive? Dancer Tommy Tune for Ed Oakley, who boasts of his support for the arts? Wilford Brimley, who plugs seniors medical supplies, for Max Wells, the oldest candidate in the race?

Angela! You’re being irresponsible!

The Morning News takes poor little Angela Hunt to task this morning in its lead editorial: Road Must Go On; Don’t derail Trinity Project without viable fix. Their line of reasoning sounds suspiciously like that of columnist Steve Blow on Sunday: Well, we need to do something and this plan is here, so… The other general underlying current of the editorial seems to be that if Angela is so smart, why doesn’t she come up with another roadway design and location on her own, as if designing a highway near a levee system and through a crowded downtown area is something one can whip out Tuesday night while watching Dancing with the Stars. I guess life looks pretty simple staring out the picture windows downtown…

Angela! You’re being irresponsible!

The Morning News takes poor little Angela Hunt to task this morning in its lead editorial: Road Must Go On; Don’t derail Trinity Project without viable fix. Their line of reasoning sounds suspiciously like that of columnist Steve Blow on Sunday: Well, we need to do something and this plan is here, so… The other general underlying current of the editorial seems to be that if Angela is so smart, why doesn’t she come up with another roadway design and location on her own, as if designing a highway near a levee system and through a crowded downtown area is something one can whip out Tuesday night while watching Dancing with the Stars. I guess life looks pretty simple staring out the picture windows downtown…