H-Town Budget
H-Town lost a giant. Rev. Bill Lawson left us yesterday. Rev. Lawson exemplified humanity at its best. I last saw Rev. Lawson five years ago. State Sen. Carol Alvarado and I went to his home to visit with him to just catch-up and chat. We talked about the progress made and the challenges we still faced. He was our champion of civil rights and a steady force in the fight for equality and opportunity for all. Rev. Lawson will be missed but always remembered.
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From the I get the news I need on the weather report department. I heard about this yesterday. See this from the Chron:
Frank Billingsley, the Houston weatherman who has been on local TVs rain or shine since 1989, is giving his last forecast.
The popular meteorologist’s last day on air at KPRC will be June 28. He confirmed the date in an email to the Chronicle.
“I will say that no TV talent is ever successful alone. I truly appreciate and thank all the loyal viewers who’ve been with me over the decades. I couldn’t have gotten anywhere without your support and confidence,” Billingsley said.
Billingsley joined KPRC Ch. 2 in 1995 as chief meteorologist after a six-year stint at KTRK Ch. 13. He was born in Little Rock, Ark. and began working as a TV meteorologist in 1982 in Roanoke, Va. That was followed by a year in Biloxi, Miss. before moving to Houston in 1989, where he’s been ever since.
He told KPRC that his approach to weather is simple: “I try to make the weather clear and easy to understand. The challenge is taking a complicated subject and making it simple.”
Billingsley, who is gay, became known as much for his cheery forecasts as his personal candor.
Here is the entire Chron read: Weatherman Frank Billingsley announces departure from KPRC Houston (houstonchronicle.com).
Frank is H-Town’s most respected TV meteorologist. He is the guy we watch when times are stormy.
I hope he is replaced by Anthony Yanez, who handles the weather during the early morning Channel 2 KPRC newscast. Stay tuned.
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H-Town Mayor John Whitmire presented his budget yesterday and see this from the Chron:
Amid Houston’s strained financial outlook, Mayor John Whitmire unveiled a $6.7 billion budget proposal Tuesday, announcing he does not intend to raise taxes or significantly cut city services during the fiscal year starting in July.
The proposed budget, the first of Whitmire’s tenure, features a 7% increase from last year’s plan. It includes additional costs from the $1.5 billion firefighters’ settlement and likely pay raises for municipal workers. It does not, however, account for the approximately $100 million fiscal impact from an April court ruling concerning the city’s drainage system.
Here is the entire Chron read: Houston Mayor Whitmire unveils $6.7B proposed budget with no tax hikes (houstonchronicle.com).
The Mayor didn’t talk to Commentary about the budget. I probably would have told him to go on ahead and raise our taxes and blame it on the previous administration. That way he can build up reserves to use in the future if city finance issues get difficult in coming years. Got it?
Just kidding.
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History will not be kind to the Donald Trump clowns. Commentary is talking about the GOPers who show up at Trump’s trial wearing the same thing, err dark blue suits and red ties. Like the GOP U.S. House Speaker, Vivek, J.D. Vance, and the GOP North Dakota governor, What a ridiculous, silly, goofy, and stupid look.
There is no Trump trial action today. To be continued tomorrow.
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Michael Brantley is 37 today. Happy Birthday, Michael!
Alex Bregman had another dinger last night and went 2 for 4. Bregman’s batting average is now .225. Good. We won 2-1 last night in 10 innings.
