Subject:

Gilbert Garcia

  • Blogs

    November 28, 2011

    Metro Gets the Light-Rail Federal Funding It Craved

    Metro had itself a party this morning, with tons of local officials making happy speeches and a federal official on hand to dole out cash. The transit agency announced it's officially been cleared to get $900 million in federal funds to build more light rail in town, funds that had been endangered ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 28, 2011

    Metro's George Greanias Suspended For Porn Viewing (UPDATED With Sites He Visited)

    Here's a tweet you don't expect to see, from KPRC's Mary Benton: ​ It's a one-week suspension, she adds. More details, including specifics on which sites, are below. Greanias is not the first person who would come to mind when you think of the CEO of a huge government agency doing something l ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 24, 2011

    Unlike City Council, Metro Board Not Expanding After 2010 Census

    We're fine as we are, Metro board says.​Just think -- we could have two more Metro board members. Alas, it is not to be. Although the 2010 Census showed (barely) enough growth in Houston to trigger expansion of the city council by two seats, a study for Metro said there's no need for its boar ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 17, 2010

    Metro Settles Its Differences With Its "Buy American" Spanish Railcar-Provider

    Metro closes one more chapter from the Frank Wilson era. ​While the crowd over at the "new" Metro has worked to settle in and push its new image, one of the big things hanging over its head was possible litigation from Spanish rail car company CAF. If you haven't followed the story: When stuff rea ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 1, 2010

    Metro Tries Yet Another Way Of Providing Airport Service

    Metro's Airport Direct is getting the biggest change out the agency's bus service overhaul. ​Metro officials discussed today the details of a sizable overhaul of the agency's bus service for next year, and, surprisingly, the move has little to do with saving money. In fact the changes, as currentl ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 21, 2010

    Big Stop Sign On Metro's Light Rail Projects

    Photo by Bryan WilliamsMetro's light rail expansion plans are slowing down. Big time. ​More bad news, at least for people hoping for more light rail in Houston, came from Metro headquarters this morning when the agency's president, George Greanias, announced that the light rail expansion budget fo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 27, 2010

    Metro's Greanias Forcing His Top Execs To Take The Bus Or Rail

    Metro is taking away company cars and requiring its "senior management" to ride the bus or rail. ​At a public hearing this afternoon, Metro released additional details about how it plans to cut this year's budget by $431 million. George Greanias, Metro's president, talked again about the plan to s ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 16, 2010

    Metro Tackles Huge Budget Gap...By Getting Rid Of Some Office Printers?

    Metro promises to maintain service levels despite cutting its budget by 31 percent. ​At a Metro board meeting this morning, Metro's president and CEO, George Greanias, gave his first formal presentation about what's in store for the agency's 2011 budget, which should be drafted and complete by the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 15, 2010

    Walmart Tagged, Metro Gets Spotlight At City Council

    At least one city council member asked Metro if it's time to re-evaluate certain plans. ​At a Houston City Council meeting that was supposed to clear up a few things about a planned Walmart development near the Heights, Metro, and its financial mess, ended up being the issue of the morning. Counci ... More >>

  • Blogs

    August 31, 2010

    George Greanias Lays The Groundwork For Metro's Tough Upcoming Budget Decisions

    Starting September 8, the Metro board will have 20 days to review and approve the agency's 2011 budget. ​September is a big month for Metro. It's when the board will start to publicly discuss and plan its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. There are only 20 days between the first budget presenta ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 27, 2010

    Metro Didn't Illegally Shred Any Documents, DA Says

    Metro shares some good news from the District Attorney. ​Metro released news today that the District Attorney's Office has closed its investigation into allegations that Metro employees were illegally destroying documents and violating the Texas Public Information Act. In a one-paragraph letter se ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 22, 2010

    Metro Takes Several More Steps To Distance Itself From Frank Wilson

    The Sweetheart Contract bus may have made its last run​The buzzword around Metro is "new."A recent press release from the agency, for example, promoted "New Metro's" standards, and at this morning's board meeting, the agency's president, George Greanias, talked about the same New Metro.And it did ... More >>

  • News

    June 17, 2010

    A Rail Issue

    METRO responds to our cover story, at length.

  • Blogs

    June 3, 2010

    Metro Responds To Our "Train Wreck" Article; We Respond To Their Response

    Metro ain't happy with us​Last week's cover story didn't go over too well at Metro; maybe that's not too surprising since it was entitled "Train Wreck: How Metro and it's president Frank Wilson got so far off track."George Smalley, the agency's head of communications and marketing, responded ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 1, 2010

    Metro Votes To Settle Paper-Shredding Lawsuit

    The Frank Wilson era gets further into the rearview mirror, Metro hopes​The Metro board has voted to settle the Lloyd Kelley lawsuit that spawned a wild series of tales of the agency shredding paperwork.No details of the settlement were released, but the agency took pains to note how quickly a new ... More >>

  • News

    May 27, 2010

    Train Wreck

    How Metro and its president Frank Wilson got so far off track.

  • Blogs

    May 26, 2010

    Metro's Frank Wilson Is Gone, But Troubles Remain

    We're on the road to nowhere​Even with the departure of Frank Wilson, Metro still has a few hurdles before it can regain the public's trust, which is the agency's main goal right now, according to Gilbert Garcia, the Metro board chairman, and George Greanias, Metro's newly appointed president. Wil ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 7, 2010

    Frank Wilson Survival Watch: Down Goes Wilson!!! Down Goes Wilson!!

    ​Today's installment of the Frank Wilson Survival Watch is our last -- the Metro president announced his resignation at a meeting this afternoon -- but that doesn't mean Wilson is completely dead to Metro. He's still got quite a bit of cash coming to him, thanks to generous contract stipulations t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 28, 2010

    Frank Wilson Survival Watch, Day 3: Spanish Bombs

    ​How long will the embattled Metro president last? Hair Balls presents today's installment of the Frank Wilson Survival Watch. 1. The Federal Transit Administration sends Frank Wilson a damning letter. Dorval Carter, the FTA's chief counsel, alerted Wilson at the end of last week that the feds are ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 26, 2010

    Frank Wilson Survival Watch, Day One: He Just Keeps Us Hanging On

    ​In the last several months, things could not have gone worse for Metro president Frank Wilson. When Annise Parker was elected mayor, it seemed only a matter of time before Wilson was ousted from the agency. Parker was critical of Metro during her campaign, and her criticism continued after the el ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 23, 2010

    Metro, Investigate Thyself

    ​The Metro board called a special meeting yesterday afternoon to hold a private executive session to discuss attorney Lloyd Kelley's lawsuit against Metro, which deals with all that alleged document shredding. But the board also used the opportunity to release the findings from UHY Advisors, a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 12, 2009

    Our Man On The Parker Scene

    "We've got Parker fever tonight in this room!" Gilbert Garcia, the man on stage for Parker HQ, just announced.The only prescription, it seems, is more ... not cowbell, but long-winded thank you's to all the wonderful people who helped make this wonderful event happen, all the way down to Mr. Peter B ... More >>

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