Archive for the ‘News’ Category

As some of our steady readers know, yours truly is very involved with the motorcycle world. I’ve been staying in touch with contacts in Houston regarding the status of the Lone Star Rally and it IS all systems Go!

The City of Galveston wants the rally to take place and come hell or high water, they are looking forward to the 500,000 bikers!

For those of you that have hotel reservations, please know that the phone lines are NOT working on Galveston yet. If you call a hotel, it is being re-routed to their corporate 800# and those staff are thinking it’s all doom and gloom. My contact at the Rally said she was at the Galveston Hilton yesterday and the hotel looked fine. There was some broken glass but that was being replaced while they were there. Keep your hotel reservations - it looks like those are all going to be fine and ready to rock by the time you roll into town.

Here is the official update from LSR:

Dear Friends!
I¹d bet you have been waiting to hear from us! First, let me tell everyone effected that our hearts and prayers are with you and the Lone Star Rally
will not sit idle. We are prepared to help! We too lost our offices and
are working under combat like conditions. We apologize for being difficult to get ahold of.
The good news is that the City has asked us to remain in Galveston and to keep the dates the same. So, The Lone Star Rally will happen in Galveston Oct 30th thru Nov 2! Everything will remain the same only better. We are now officially the Rally to Rebuild! We encourage everyone to come and help rebuild the Galveston economy. Yes, hotels are going to be a little hard to find. Keep watching our website as we will add lodging daily.
LSR will create special logos that can be added to your shirts for a donation to the fund, provide donation centers, a telethon and more, all to help our effected community. Our vendors will serve as trick or treat stations for the kids with candy, etc.
For more details join us at San Jacinto Harley Davidson this week for our second LSR Preview Party. Everyone knows that San Jacinto throws great parties and we could all use one! Plase join us ther this Saturday beginning at 12noon for all of the festivities, parkiing pass sales, Beach boys tickets and much more!
Let¹s show the world how much bikers care and show up in droves to Galveston this year. Jean Lafitte founded Galveston and he will return with his two wheeled pirates to rebuild!
Please watch our website for lodging opportunities. Please be patient with the hotels as they are all trying hard to get back online. Please do not call our offices unless it is absolutely necessary. We are swamped getting re-ready and are operating with limited capacity. Thanks for understanding!
You can help further by emailing this to all of your friends to help us get the word out that all is well and happening!
See you at the Rally!
Ron

If you still don’t have a TollTag — you might want to get one because the savings will add up fast if you the area tollroads.

The North Texas Tollway Authority has announced that it is raising tolls at the Wycliff Avenue gate of the Dallas North Tollway to make them consistent with those at other toll booths.

Beginning Oct. 1, tolls will go up a dime to 70 cents for TollTag customers and a quarter to $1 for other motorists, the authority said today.

The tolls had been lower because of construction between Lemmon Avenue and Interstate 35. Wycliff Avenue sits in the middle of the construction. The construction had limited toll road access to two lanes in each direction. But on Aug. 29, a third lane opened, marking completion of a $50 million renovation project.

THIS IS A COMMENTARY. The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of the parent site. I honestly don’t know what the parent company’s views are but we do know that Dallas pulls in the most traffic of all the blogs so we must be doing something right.

For those that visit this blog, and for those two souls that continue to rant and rave at me via comments demanding that we bow down and cater to the whims of a skewed phone vote that only citizens in Little Mexico seemed to know was going on - you will recall that I am a very strong proponent of keeping Ross Avenue named Ross Avenue.

Well the City started hearing the rants today in official hearings and their own departments are starting to make their opinions known also. In spite of the 5 busloads of Latin activists, the powers that be within the City aren’t too anxious to rename Ross for Cesar Chavez.

Yeah…Cesar Chavez. A guy from Arizona. Never lived in Texas. Never lived in Dallas but he did come here once or twice to pontificate the rights of grapes. (yes, you read that correctly). Now, within the city of Dallas, we already have a park and a school named in honor of Chavez. This is SO much more than what most of our own founders have in terms of recognition.

For the longest time, I thought it was just me, that was riled up over the renaming, but gracious, after seeing some of the comments on WFAA and Dallas Morning News sites, I know that I am part of the 99% that are all thinking the same way. I confess to being surprised by the sheer level of anger and hostility by many of the posters whose comments include such notable missive as — and keep in mind, these are a sampling of the POLITE comments left:

After checking several sources, it turns out that actor Cheech Marin hosted the Dodge Ram National Tejano Music Festival in Dallas. This officially gives him a stronger tie to the city of Dallas than Cesar Chavez ever established. Clearly, we should be naming a street after him instead. It has also been established that there are over 50 Taco Bell restaurants in the Metroplex area. These restaurants were once represented by the Taco Bell Chihuahua. This also gives him a closer tie to Dallas than Cesar Chavez, thus making Taco Bell Dog Dr. a better choice of names.

I think that the true majority of citizens in Dallas would rather see Ross stay Ross. How do they get off claiming they’re the majority? What is really so bothersome about this group is that they are trying to be so forceful. There is no reason to rename this street. Cesar Chavez has nothing to do with Dallas. It should really be up to the people who own businesses on that street. This is stupid. And the fact that they’re being so belligerent about it just shows what idiots they are. I didn’t read one post about how anyone thinks the street should be renamed.

I am Mexican…. Leave Ross Ave alone! I dont agree with the “fight” to re-name Ross, and believe that if there has to be a street named after Chavez then let it be a NEW street that is built. Stop being such cry babies!

Alberto Ruiz is a puppet for Senor Domingo Garcia. Let try to stop all this racist, mean talk. Most Dallas born Latinos could care less about Cesar Chavez. Mr. Chavez was an American born, US military veteran who stood up for poor farm workers against the rich and powerful California grape growers. Senor Domingo Garcia speaks for himself, his wife and anyone else he pays. Please don’t lump all folks of Mexican heritage with illegal immigrants or this ill conceived name changing project.

To the Cesar Chavez task force-Leave Ross Avenue alone. Go back to Mexico and change that cesspool if you have to change something. This is America- do not attempt to change OUR history and culture. Contribute something to this country rather than agitate and seek concessions.

i can’t believe it is even being considered to the change the name of such a historic street. it’s not even a matter of what the new name is going to be, but whom you dishonoring by changing the name at all. of all the hundred’s, if not thousands of streets in dallas, why does chavez deserve to have his name on a street that is already named for someone else far more important in dallas history?

Who will pay for all the name change costs that accrue to corporations and business currently using Ross as their address. Letterheads, invoices, etc. Not those rallying that is for sure.

I think if Alberto Ruiz will pull his head out those that count don’t want a thing changed. He & his group of illegals are about to piss of those who have founded this area and have (and will) maintain control….if he wants a battle he’ll get a battle. There is probably a street in Mexico City just right for Chavez…..don’t let the door hit you and your amigos in the butt.

my people! why are we fighting for a name! For heavens sake, get a grip and fight for other things that matter! Cesar Chavez doesn’t mean a thing to most latinos in the US of A! Get off your high horse and go back to work to what really matters! and stop embarrasing the latino community!

Soooo….there you have it boys and girls, a sampling of the POLITE comments left on the local news sites.

The North Texas Food Bank has committed to building and transporting 4,000 family food boxes to the Houston and Beaumont Food Banks for distribution to families as they come back to the area and we need your help. They are now seeking food donations. Items needed are:

1. Fruit Juices
2. Canned Meats
3. Beef Stew
4. Chunk Light Tuna in Water
5. Pork and Beans
6. Canned Soup
7. Canned Vegetables
8. Canned Fruit
9. Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce
10. Dried Beans
11. Dried Rice
* No glass containers please.

You can purchase these items in pre-packaged bags at your neighborhood Kroger, Tom Thumb and Albertsons. Customers can simply leave their bags at the store and they will be donated to the NTFB.

You can also drop off donations at the NTFB located at 4500 S. Cockrell Hill Rd., Dallas, 75236

Call 214-330-1396 if you want to schedule a food or fund drive. Or donate online at ntfb.org.

The North Texas Food Bank is working in a strategic partnership with the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Volunteer Center of North Texas to assist with mass evacuation as a result of Hurricane Ike. So far the NTFB has distributed over 80,000 pounds of water and snacks to shelters. Here’s how the organizations are coordinating the response:

• The North Texas Food Bank is currently providing water, juices and snacks and will provide food for meal preparation when needed. Monetary donations are needed too.
• The Salvation Army is providing meals at all mass shelter locations.
• The American Red Cross is managing and overseeing shelter operations.
• The Volunteer Center of North Texas is coordinating volunteer placement for the relief effort.

… Flash Flood Watch in effect from Saturday morning through
Sunday evening…

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has expanded the

* Flash Flood Watch to include the County of Bell… Collin…
Cooke… Dallas… Denton… Ellis… Grayson… Hill… Johnson…
McLennan… Rockwall and Tarrant.

* From Saturday morning through Sunday evening

* after making landfall near Houston early Saturday morning…
Hurricane Ike will move through the eastern portions of North
Texas. Locations along and east of Interstate 35 can expect 2 to
4 inches of rain with isolated higher amounts of up to 6 inches.
The rain will be heavy… falling at two inches per hour or more
at times. This will cause rapid rises in creeks and streams… as
well as flooded roadways. The best chance for higher rainfall
totals will be in the far eastern and southeastern portions of
North Texas where significant flash flooding may occur.

The website link below is being updated with hotel room availability for Hurricane Ike evacuees.

>>>>>http://www.tacvbemergency.net/searchrooms<<<<<

Please check for availability before heading to a city as many small town hotels and budget hotels in the major cities are completely sold out.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is making it known that any business price gouging for essential services (medical, fuel, lodging, food, etc.) is subject to prosecution by the Texas Attorney General’s office. Average penalties are $20,000; however, if your price gouge against the elderly, expect the penalty to be in the $250,000 range.

The AG successfully prosecuted after Hurricane Rita and his office is currently taking calls of price gouging right now.