I Hear The Train A Comin'

Back in the 19th century, communities lived or died based on the route that railroad barons chose for new railroads. Plano and Richardson are about to experience a 21st century version of those long-ago battles. According to a story by Ian McCann of The Dallas Morning News:

"Plano and Richardson are positioning themselves to become transit hubs, connecting the DART Red Line with the proposed Cotton Belt commuter rail. Both city councils have recently approved resolutions that, while effusive in their support of the Cotton Belt, are markedly different in the route they want the new line to take."

After the jump, figuring the odds for this prize fight.

Maggie May USA

There's a new blog about Richardson to check out. It's "Maggie May USA". I'm not saying this because Maggie May USA had some nice things to say about me, although that does demonstrate superior insight and excellent judgment. It's because Maggie May USA offers valuable nuggets of consumer advice like this:

"Raccoons eat tomatoes. Don't let anyone tell you they don't. Their little stealing paws nabbed the best looking ones. They were not even red, still green."

Almost Haiku prose, that, if there were such a form. Or free verse, at least. Let's see how it looks reformatted.

"Raccoons eat tomatoes.
Don't let anyone tell you they don't.
Their little stealing paws nabbed the best looking ones.
They were not even red, still green."

The blog is also worth checking out because Maggie May USA had the scoop that, during Wildflower!, "hotel rooms, in addition to the suites, at the Renaissance Hotel have started being booked up by the City of Richardson" and "customers of the hotel who have reservations are bumped." That's not nice.

Check it out.

Does Texas Open Meetings Act Need Improvement?

Recently I've commented on the unintended negative consequences of the largely beneficial Texas Open Meetings Act. (For example, here, here, and here). The act requires that local governments, e.g., the Richardson City Council, post agendas for meetings in advance. Consequently, it forbids them from discussing issues raised by visitors, at least during that session. I complained that legitimate issues raised by visitors end up getting swept under the rug.

After the jump, one reader takes my criticism to task.

Neighborhood Protection Alliance of Richardson

Neighborhood Protection Alliance. The name might conjure up some kind of organized crime protection racket. Or maybe a vigilante group. The reality is not bad news, but the very existence of such a group indicates that all is not well in Smallville, USA Richardson.

After the jump, what the Neighborhood Protection Alliance means for Richardson.

Coterie Games

From 2010 05 Coterie Games

"Coterie" is an organization of Richardson-area friends who get together three times a year for dinner and entertainment. The theme and activity for each occasion varies. The May 2010 Coterie party's theme was "Coterie Games." For a slide show of festivities, click here.