Noriega Takes Fight for U.S. Senate to Steps of Dallas City Hall

Rick Noriega — beloved in his native Houston, yet all but unknown here — brought his mounting battle to unseat Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn to Dallas this morning. Standing outside City Hall, the Democrat and National Guard Lieutenant Colonel criticized Cornyn for “consistently voting against veteran services and benefits”…

In Austin, a Judge Rules State Had No Right to Seize FLDS Kids

NEWSCOM Women from the FLDS sect troop into the courthouse in San Angelo earlier this week. When I was down in San Angelo this week covering this story, which appears in this week’s paper version of Unfair Park, lawyers representing members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter…

Psst, Wanna “Implement” Some PR for the Stars and Mavs?

We’re not exactly known at UP for posting help-wanted ads, but we’ll make an exception for a notice we noticed this afternoon. Seems the American Airlines Center’s looking for a new director of event marketing, which sounds from the description like a very big gig: “Develops and implements public relations…

… And a Happy New Year

Maybe not, but certainly a … um … rockin’ New Year, as evidenced by the few seconds of new music previewed in the trailer below, for the band’s eponymous release due September 9 on Touch and Go. The label has just released the song titles and album cover (oooh, fall…

A Local Olympian Makes a Nice Landing: On Video Game Cover

Nastia Liukin was born in Moscow but lives in Parker, that Collin County hot spot; moved here when she was little, with her very famous and very decorated parents, both of whom were Soviet champion gymnasts. Fourteen years ago, her father, gold medalist Valeri Liukin, opened the World Olympic Gymnastics…

The American Way: Pissed. Off.

American Airlines’ decision to charge $15 per checked bag gets a rave review this morning from Claes G. Fornell, a professor of business administration at the University of Michigan: “Seems really, dare I say it, stupid.” Also noted in there: American does not plan to offer refunds if suitcases do…

Intruder in the Dust

Here’s your hat, Indy, but, really, what’s your hurry? Because 19 years after the Last Crusade that clearly wasn’t, and 15 years after the old man joined Young Indiana Jones on the small screen to recount his glory days blowing horns with Sidney Bechet, it’s almost unfathomable that this hoary…

Clang, Clang, Clang Goes the Downtown Trolley, Just Maybe?

Johns Hopkins University Well, thank goodness for Morgan Lyons, that’s all I can say. A little birdie called to alert me to a very important meeting taking place Friday at City Hall to discuss building a trolley line through downtown and also to talk about the second downtown light-rail alignment…

People, People Who Need People

People has the “exclusive photo” from Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz’s nuptials over the weekend. But, really, I think it’s the photo of Joe Simpson’s other daughter at bottom left that is far more … interesting. –Robert Wilonsky…

Mayor Tom: Boom Goes the Dynamite

The Gruccis were responsible for the Statue of Liberty Centennial Fireworks in New York Harbor on July 4, 1986. Speaking of things that go bang, we just received word that tomorrow morning, in front of Hall of State at Fair Park, Mayor Tom’s going to make some announcement concerning the…

Protests Are a Gas, Gas, Gas

Week from today, ExxonMobil shareholders stage their annual meet and greet at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, which means folks who work in and around the downtown might want to consider alternate routes. Looks like you might want to make it in before, oh, 8 a.m., as that’s when…

Do Not Curb Your Enthusiasm, as EPA Honors Laura Miller

Looks like former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller’s battle with Big Coal didn’t go unnoticed by some folks in D.C. Because yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency included her among some 15 recipients of the 2008 Climate Protection Award. Also receiving the honor — which is bestowed upon folks who “have demonstrated…