In a move away from transparency, the Richardson City Council amended its city ordinances Monday night by unanimous vote, without deliberations. Despite paying lip service to the value of openness and transparency, the new ordinance not only permits cover-ups, it demands cover-ups in certain circumstances. This change was slipped into the city council's so-called consent agenda, in which items are adopted without separate consideration and without deliberation.
What is the council covering up now? After the jump, the details.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Lake Highlands Homecoming Win
From 2013 10 11 Richardson vs Lake Highlands |
More photos after the jump.
Friday, October 11, 2013
S2L77: Cappadocia
From 1977 04 08 Turkey |
Cappadocia, in central Turkey, is one of those unforgettable places that combines otherworldly geology with spellbinding history. It's a land of fairy chimneys and underground cities where early Christians sought refuge from ancient Romans. They carved houses and churches from the soft volcanic rock or tuff. These were occupied for centuries until just a generation or so ago. Today, an open air museum showcases hundreds of such living quarters and dozens of churches dating back a thousand years.
More photos after the jump.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Inaction Items
You may remember I made something of a deal out of the fact that the Richardson City Council met away from city hall, without video cameras to record their deliberations, four separate times in August and September. The meetings were billed as "Council goals retreats."
It's over a month later now. What are the goals and near-term action items the council came up with? Follow me after the jump as I play detective to find out.
It's over a month later now. What are the goals and near-term action items the council came up with? Follow me after the jump as I play detective to find out.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Review: The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Amazon |
Apparently, now and again adults take the time to sit down and contemplate what a disaster their life is. They complain without understanding and, like flies constantly banging against the same old windowpane, they buzz around, suffer, waste away, get depressed then wonder how they got caught up in this spiral that is taking them where they don't want to go."
Profound thoughts of a 12 year old French girl, wise beyond her years, and of a 54 year old concierge, educated beyond her station. After the jump, my review.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Lookout! Farm, Fire, Filth
Lots of news from Lookout Drive recently. First was the announcement that Owens Spring Creek Farm was closing. Then was the ribbon cutting for Richardson's new fire training center. This week, down in Austin, the rebuilding of the Lookout Drive Transfer Station (LOTS) gets one more step closer to reality.
That trash transfer station has been a regular topic here on The Wheel. Most recently was last November, after a public hearing on the project, when the neighborhood learned that the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) had made all the concessions they were going to make to address the concerns of the neighborhood. Next week in Austin the neighborhood makes its last (?) ditch effort to stop the project as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) holds a review of a request for reconsideration of the TCEQ's decision that the NTMWD project application meets the requirements of applicable law.
After the jump, the TCEQ's response to the neighborhood complaints.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Cottonwood Art Festival - Fall 2013
From 2013 10 06 Cottonwood Art Festival |
From 2013 10 06 Cottonwood Art Festival |
Saturday was cool and drizzly, but the weather Sunday was ideal for Richardson's twice yearly Cottonwood Art Festival, now in its 44th year. After the jump, more photos from this fall's festival.
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