Future Bush Home Speculation Hits Spanish-Language Television

Apparently Univision has thrown its hat in the future Bush home speculation. This just came in on my Preston Hollow Google alert. Unfortunately I don’t speak Spanish, but from what I can gather, it seems to be a rehashing of the same old, same old of a story that really isn’t going anywhere right now.

Free Screening of Hazing Documentary

A limited number of tickets are available for a free screening of the documentary Hazing, about underage drinking issues, at 9 p.m. Sept. 4 on the North Lawn by Dallas Hall on the SMU campus. Why does an outdoor screening have only a limited number of tickets? I don’t know.

I do know that former People Newspapers Society and Real Estate editor Paige Phelps (pictured on the right, with an unfortunate dye job) won a Mothers Against Drunk Driving Media Award in 2006 for a series of stories she wrote about the Gordie Foundation. Unfortunately those stories pre-date this incarnation of our website, and thus I cannot link to them.

Details after the jump:

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Craig Civale: Copy Cat?

Yesterday, Yahoo posted this story by Consumer Reports on how to cut your spending by $500 a month. Then, during one of last night’s WFAA broadcasts, senior reporter Craig Civale filed this report. I can only imagine how this went down at WFAA HQ… (more…)

One More Prison Door Slammed on Patrick Timothy Richardson

A federal appeals court upheld the big fat no given to Patrick Timothy Richardson, the University Park resident convicted of killing his wife. The lesson here: If you kill your wife, you go to jail and it doesn’t matter if the judge’s wife was in the Junior League with the victim. Too bad.

Re: Satan’s Spawn or Man’s Creation

Since the cat…er hell demon is essentially out of the bag. I thought I might point our more skeptical readers toward a place where they are gossiping ad nauseam about the “monster.”

Gawker peels back the curtain on a form of advertising called “viral” that uses slow news days to prey upon us naive bloggers.

Kudos are in order to the public relations company that “tipped” us earlier today about the supposed government-created mutant that washed up in Montauk, if for nothing other than its timing. The firm, described by its owner as a purveyor of “grassroots viral marketing,” was wise to try and place a campaign than in the midst of the summer news doldrums. But neither Gawker nor Jezebel (original recipient of the tip) seem an appropriate place to plug a children’s show, which a different tipster thinks is behind the Montauk picture.

Writes Gawker after speaking with the tipster that spotted the beast on the beach. The show is Cartoon Network’s Cryptids Are Real.

Satan’s Spawn or Man’s Creation?

This has no local connection, not even a connection to Texas, but a creature (pictured left) washed up on a beach in New York and people are trying to figure out what it is. As described by a British website:

We don’t want to panic anyone, but a minion of Satan just washed up on a beach in Montauk, New York.

Kind of looks like a movie prop to me. I just hope there’s an interesting story that goes along with this creature (personally, I’m hoping it’s a science experiment gone wrong. How cool is that?).

What do you think it is?

Newsweek on Bush House Hunt

Newsweek joins the speculation about where the soon-to-be-former First Family will settle next year.

I do take issue with their description of Bluffview as being “further out from the city” than Preston Hollow. Not on my map.

One More TD for Gardner

Former Highland Park wide receiver Seth Gardner put the finishing touches on his high school career with a touchdown in last night’s Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game last night at San Antonio’s Alamodome.

Gardner, an Arkansas baseball signee, helped the North team rally for a dramatic 16-15 win over the South. He caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from former Southlake Carroll quarterback Riley Dodge, who is headed to North Texas to play for dad Todd, with 1:38 left in the game.

The North scored another touchdown 14 seconds later and added a field goal with 25 seconds left for the win. Gardner had six catches for 77 yards.

Time to Join the Mustache Club?

So first the Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi starts hitting again, after he grows a mustache. Yankees fans have embraced it.

Now comes this photo (at left) featuring three of the big names down at Highland Park Town Hall. On the left is town secretary James Fisher. In the center is the newly hired town administrator Bill Lindley. On the right is outgoing, longtime town administrator George Patterson. They’re laughing it up at the Monday ceremony during which Lindley signed his new contract. What do they all have in common? That’s right.  (You can also see intrepid reporter Cassie Clark in the back, talking to the mayor. But she doesn’t have any facial hair, at last report.)

I’ve thought you could only pull off the lip fur if you’re Magnum. But I’m beginning to think that I’ve been wrong.

Anyway, photo caption contest in the comments below: Example: “My town pension plan includes free mustache combs for life.”

Park Cities is Out of Gas?

Just got this note from an Overheardian. We’re looking into it:

I have been out of town for a few days and returned last night to see the Shell station at Lomo Alto & Lovers Lane boarded up and taped off with yellow official looking “crime scene” tape. I almost wrecked my car in disbelief! PLEASE tell me we are not getting another bank? We really need that gas station in the PC vicinity. The 7-11 on Lovers by the TOT is a scary plan B for those of us who have used this location for 20+ years! And with gas at $4 a gallon they certainly can’t be hurting for the funds to operate.

Developing.

Re: Officer Elwonger Story Cuts Her Some Inaccurate Slack?

Merritt’s write right. Here’s our correction:  

The July 25 article “Officer’s Website Violates UP Policy” on Page 1A misstated the content of www.cuff-em.com. Officer Suzette Elwonger and the University Park Police Department were named on the Website.

The sentence now reads: 

Both Elwonger and the UP Police Department were named on the site, and photos of Elwonger in her uniform were prominently featured.

Not to Brag or Anything BUT…

That girl on the front row, far right (well all of them actually)…looks like a Camp Longhorn Fiesta Swim first place ribbon. I’m just sayin’.

Young Returns to Mound Tonight

Ex-Scot Chris Young will make his first start for the San Diego Padres since May 21 tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

First pitch is set for 9:05 p.m. at Petco Park.

Young suffered a broken nose when he took a line drive off the bat of Albert Pujols more than two months ago.

Gardner in All-Star Game Tonight

Former Highland Park wide receiver Seth Gardner will be playing for the North team in tonight’s Texas High School Coaches Association’s all-star football game at San Antonio’s Alamodome.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.

Gardner, who caught 73 passes for 1,491 yards and 21 touchdowns for the 15-1 Scots last season, will wear No. 86. Gardner is headed to the University of Arkansas to play baseball.

There  are also four SMU signees playing in the game: Rockwall QB Braden Smith, Prosper TE Taylor Thompson, Plano OL Blake McJunkin for the North and Cuero RB/CB Quincey Whittington for the South.

Scrabulous, Facebook Get Quicky Divorce

According to Slashdot, “News for nerds. Stuff that matters.” Scrabulous has been removed from Facebook per request by Hasbro and their lawyers. For those online scrabble junkies out there (Merritt) you can still get your word fix on at www.scrabulous.com.

Officer Elwonger Story Cuts Her Some Inaccurate Slack?

I have received a number of e-mails, a couple of phone calls and few stops during my daily routine from people wanting to discuss the Park Cities People July 25 article about UPPD Officer Suzette Elwonger. People, I didn’t write it. But the issue seems to be this one little sentence in the story:

Neither Elwonger nor the UP Police Department were named on the site, but photos of Elwonger in her uniform were prominently featured.

I consulted my copy of the site content and readers are right, one page alone mentions her name 6 times. The first sentence reads:

In our pilot episode, meet, Officer Suzette Elwonger, a 12-year police veteran with the University Park Police Department.

Btw, I didn’t make up the use of bold print, it’s an exact quote.

Hark! Is That a School Bell?

Can you feel it? Even as those of us who aren’t “summering” elsewhere lay torpid in the late July heat, there is a tension sensed among our children as summer draws to a close. The kids know that school-time is drawing near. And not a minute too soon.

Karl Kuby Kould Have a Kool E-Bay Item

Karl Kuby certainly has an interest in getting his clock tower up but not for the reason you would expect. He had already custom ordered the pricey piece last year. Karl confirmed that it was ordered before he knew he would need such approval. Another Kuby’s source tells me that the clock was in the “several thousands, close to 20 range.”

So if the city doesn’t pass it, what does one do with such a custom tower? You can’t return it. E-Bay?

M.I.S. Lunch Bunch, I Don’t Get it. Yet.

As I sit and enter the 2008-2009 M.I.S. “lunch bunch” sched on the calendar I wonder, what is the difference between the informal group and the official one? I’m going to both because I need to know the subtle little things about each.

Forgive me, I’m a freshman in this political posse and I don’t get it yet. I can only hope it has nothing to do with DARE.

FC Dallas Bends, Breaks Beckham

I went to last night’s MLS game featuring FC Dallas and the LA Beckhams, err Galaxy. They’ve really done a great job at Pizza Hut Park creating a family-friendly environment that is a lot of fun. Best of all, FC Dallas beat the Galaxy 4-0.

David Beckham was obviously the main draw for many people last night, and I was impressed that even with a near-capacity crowd that dwarfs a usual FC Dallas game, the staff at PHP kept the place clean, it never took too long to wait in line for anything, and maintained an enjoyable experience. (more…)

Is UP Ashamed of the Hitzelberger Fountain?

We all know that they probably should be, but no, that’s not the reason they’re hiding the structure at Lovers Lane and Hillcrest Avenue behind a plastic sheet today. According to Steve Mace, the city of University Park’s spokesman:

The Park Department is reducing the iron content of the fountain’s stone work.  It’s being done so that the fountain’s front won’t discolor in the months ahead.  The sheet of plastic is in place as a courtesy to passing drivers, so they don’t get sprayed etc.

Re:Wedding Belles

That’s why I don’t drink the water around this place…anybody want to start a pool on when that water starts making people have babies?

Nonna = Fort Knox

Why?  Because they are both really hard to get in to. I finally got reservations at Nonna, HP’s new fabulous Italian restaurant, for Saturday night after weeks of trying to get in.  I had to accept a bar table but that’s ok.  I was able to watch as 15 groups of people were turned away because they had no reservations or were late for their reservations. It’s been a while since the Park Cities has had a restaurant so good that it’s just about impossible to get in. 

Any of you Overheardians been there?  I thought it was excellent, probably best Italian in town, but not worth the aggravation of trying to get in.

Wedding Belles

I’m sure you’ve already perused your Friday paper, however, I advise you to take another look, specifically at the engagements. People Newspapers has not just one or two brides, but five. Yep. Five of us are talking about color schemes, invitations, and all things wedding. I know you’re jealous you’re not here to hear it all.

Fishing for Interviewees

The 15th annual Dallas CASA Parade of Playhouses is approaching and builders are putting the finishing touches on the custom-made designs.

Has anyone won one of these playhouses in the past or knows someone who did? If so, I’d love to speak with you.