After yesterday’s 5 p.m. deadline to file for office, University Park city secretary Liz Spector released the list of candidates for University Park City Council. 

Richard “Dick” Davis, a lawyer and a 49-year University Park resident, is running unopposed for mayor. Davis held a City Council seat for three consecutive two-year terms between 1998 and 2004.

There are seven candidates for the four open at-large council seats. Incumbents Bob Clark and Jerry Grable are running for re-election. This is Clark’s second and Grable’s third campaign. Other at-large candidates include lawyer Bob Begert, investor Steve Cooke,  lawyer Steve Metzger, developer Thomas H. Stewart, and physician Alan Wasserman. 

According ...read more

What’s up with the crazy birds leaving their mark all over town? Sick. Out. I like birds and all but this is ridiculous. Is there a scientific reason for the Park Cities becoming one big bird toilet?

When I was leaving our downtown offices, people were being blown sideways, umbrellas were inverted, and gutters grew like tsunamis.

Despite that, I made it to the UP Council meeting with seconds to spare.

After some last-minute feedback was received from Dyer Street residents represented by Gigi Welch, the council decided to push back the zoning ordinance discussion to the next council meeting, which was rescheduled to March 23.

By the time we left the council chambers, the sun was peeking out behind the clouds. Mayor Blackie Holmes suggested that it was because council business was finished. Maybe he’s right…

Based on the basic book-jacket description of Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s Secret Daughter — a novel about the parallel lives of an Indian woman who gives up her baby girl and the American woman who adopts her — I would have passed. It doesn’t exactly sound like my cup of tea.

But Gowda is a University Park resident, so I read her debut novel before interviewing her for a story in the current edition of Park Cities People. And I ...read more

In a crazy twist of fate, both Highland Park and University Park will have council meetings on Monday, with the HP Town Council convening at 4 p.m. and the UP City Council meeting at 5 p.m. 

Dan and I are going to do a best of three rock-paper-scissors bout to see who will go to each meeting. Can I get the over/under on that?

In University Park, more Bush Center business is on the agenda, and the council will discuss special conditions within the zoning ordinance (Steve Mace tells me that on Monday, the council will still be tweaking the ordinance. Formal vote ...read more

 

I went to Fiesta grocery store this morning to pick up an item for my daughter’s social studies presentation. Bam. In your face. The merchandise displayed at checkout is quite different than what we’re used to in Parkieville. Or is it? Jump for the comparison. 

At last night’s University Park City Council meeting, Mayor Blackie Holmes (center) issued a proclaimation making March 5, 2010, A Child Can Do All Things Day. There to receive the honor was Brian J. Hall (far right), founder of the nonprofit that helps children with motor disabilities, and his daughter and reason for founding the organization, Katherine (the one with the amazing smile).

Why March 5, you ask? Because it’s Katherine’s birthday. What a way to celebrate!

 

The triangle-ish parking space in front of Cotton Island at Hillcrest and Daniel is a mysterious and powerful force.

Mysterious because

• Is it even a parking space? There’s solid yellow lines surrounding it and even some of those little reflective, raised bumpy things on the side but people park there and, in fact, celebrate scoring the spot.

• If it’s an actual parking space, is it designed for one car, or two?

• And if it is designed for two, is it bumper to bumper style or side ...read more

The University Park City Council approved the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s rezoning request at tonight’s meeting after hearing from residents, community supporters, and library officials. The decision came a week after the last hearing, during which the council asked the Bush Foundation to consider an alternative site for the center’s parking lots.

The proposed site for the center, which will front SMU Boulevard and form a triangle bounded by North Central Expressway on the east, Dublin Street on the west, and abut the backyards of residences on Dyer Street, is currently zoned for single family residences and for university development. ...read more

Monday in University Park leads to some super obsessive thoughts and stands squarely between myself and a finished column. Help. Me.

Earlier today I had to interact with a guy who said “8:30 a.m. in the morning” about a bajillion times. I know that a.m. means morning. Is he stupid or does he think I’m stupid? It’s one or the other. There was no crossing guard in front of McCulloch Intermediate today. And since it was raining, it was particularly slow and painful. Can we get someone to be in charge of this? Other than me. OK, I get it. Some men find it necessary to spit a whole lot. But why ...read more