Convention Drama

The Austin American-Statesman reports on Houston state Sen. Mario Gallegos landing in a Denver hospital this week with a skin infection. Gallegos, a Clinton delegate, missed his chance to hear Senator Hillary Clinton speak.

Stuck in bed, Gallegos had to vote in the convention via paper ballot. Don't worry, though. Sen. Gallegos knows the routine.



The Statesman writes:

Gallegos, 57, memorably rose from his sick bed last year to cast a decisive vote against the Texas Senate taking up a measure requiring voters to present photo identification. A portable hospital bed was rolled into the Capitol for him at the time.

Mad Men

A police recruiting advertising contract was held up Wednesday by Houston City Council members who were complaining that the city's police brass have not given them enough information on outreach efforts.

"We need to understand how the advertising works," said Mayor Pro Tem Adrian Garcia, according to the Houston Chronicle's Carolyn Feibel. She reports that council members delayed a vote on the contract until next week, saying they want more data on whether recruits are responding to TV or print ads, Internet searches or word-of-mouth.

Move over, Clarence Darrow

The Dallas City Council has taken up the great port-a-potty debate of 2008.

The Dallas Morning News' city hall blog reports that the city fathers have weighed in on a $1.8 million contract for port-a-potties for the city parks. According to DMN reporter Rudolph Bush:

Several council members expressed concern that there often isn't a way to clean one's hands.
Council member Carolyn Davis recalled a parks event with food and port-a-potties in close junction.

Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia recalled seeing the potties sit uncleaned for a couple days after a few events.

All is well, now, though: Park and Recreation director Paul Dyer assured the city council that he'll make sure hand cleaners are available.

The lawyer was a thief? Say it ain't so.

An appeals court Wednesday dismissed an appeal by a former lawyer - Mary Roberts - convicted of helping extort money from her lovers because she filed it too late.

The San Antonio Express-News' Guillermo Contreras reports on the latest from this crime saga that seems ripped right out of Law & Order:

Roberts and her husband, Ted Roberts, extracted $155,000 in hush-money payments from married men with whom Mary had brief affairs in 2001. She met some of them through an adult Web site.

Ted Roberts threatened to expose the men's infidelities in court unless they agreed to pay him.

There may be more to come, though. The judges from the 4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio wrote that Roberts can file another motion in which she might allege her one-time trial lawyer was ineffective in his assistance.

Roberts was convicted of five counts of theft in December and was sentenced to 10 years of probation. Her husband was convicted on three of five theft counts at his own trial, and he was sentenced to five years in prison.

Tax increase coming?

Folks in the Galveston County city of Dickinson might have to reach into their pockets a bit more next year. The city council there is leaning towards implementing a half-cent sales tax in order to make a $8 million city budget.

From the Galveston County Daily News' Chris Paschenko:

Budget-laden discussions at Dickinson City Hall ended shortly after midnight with a council majority favoring the implementation of a management district.

If the city activates the district, it would increase the city's sales-tax rate from 7.75 percent to 8.25 percent and help pay for a wish list of about $537,000 submitted by department heads.