Staten Island

Doubling Down: Texas and Casino Gambling

The Alabama-Coushatta want their casino back. The Texas horse tracks say betting on races isn’t enough. Both see expanded gambling in the state as their ticket to solvency.

What Has Happened to Washington Avenue?

To be perfectly honest, I never much cared for Washington Avenue. Then again, I don't have anything resembling what you might call a South Beach personality. I tend to shun velvet ropes and collared shirts after hours, and I definitely prefer either a band be onstage or to hang out somewhere you don ... More >>

Team Kerouac

Kristen Stewart and Garrett Hedlund chat about the film version of On the Road.

Lubbock County Judge Tom Head: 5 Factors To Consider As You Protect Your Homeland From Obama's UN Invasion

As you might have heard, Lubbock County Judge Tom Head has taken the bold, possibly insane stand that if President Obama is re-elected, a civil war will arise in the land and Panhandle pols will need a 1.7-cent tax increase to bolster their defenses against a United Nations invasion. Head made the ... More >>

Lubbock County Judge Tom Head: Raise My Salary, Or Face Wrath of Obama's UN Minions UPDATED: with Judge Head's "Clarification"

Panhandle politicos. Just when you think they can't get any crazier, they keep talking. Case in point: Lubbock County judge Tom Head. On Monday night, flanked by Lubbock County Commissioner Mark Heinrich, Head went on Lubbock's FOX TV affiliate and warned the flatlanders of the dire consequences of ... More >>

Alleged Credit Card Thieves Lead Constables Right to Their Door

From reading his most recent arrest affidavit, it looks like Darren Patrick Scheper had a good thing going there for a while. As his friends would later tell police, Scheper's hustle was to break into cars, steal whatever valuables he could find inside, and if he was lucky enough to find a wallet st ... More >>

Mail Dump: Janis, Little Richard, dBs, Donovan, Etc.

The mailbox has been truly kind the past several weeks. Sure, there are still piles of useless dreck to wade through/past/over. But those all get to go to the big box in the dark closet and await the apocalypse. But there are standouts and surprises almost daily. Let's begin with three important re ... More >>

Mardi Gras! Galveston Returns This Weekend

​Bead throwing, laser light shows, live music and massive parades. The second weekend of Mardi Gras! Galveston will kick off this Friday, February 17, with more entertainment than ever before. Not only is it the largest celebration of its kind in Texas, but it is also the third-largest in the nati ... More >>

West Eggs

A previously barren side of town gets two tasty breakfast options.

NBA Draft Rewind -- 1986, The Worst Draft Ever

Plus the shorts sucked​As much as those who construct teams in sports would like to think that they have a formula and a blueprint that they can go execute with any team in any market and be successful, the fact of the matter is that even for the best personnel men in the best-run organization ... More >>

NBA Finals -- LeBron James Hits Rock Bottom

Snipes would play LeBron, but he's done his own disappearing act​"He struggled. Point blank, period. He struggled out there. ... I want to see him aggressive again. He can turn it up, his aggression, a notch." -- Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh, talking about his teammate LeBron James after Tue ... More >>

The NBA's Top-Selling Jerseys List (And Seven Things It Tells Us)

NBA jerseys: We CAN just all get along!!​I'll admit, I don't own any sports jerseys. I'm not a jersey-wearing guy, partially because the fit and feel of an authentic professional sports shirt are not optimal, but mostly because I'm over the age of 14. Full disclosure, I don't buy many jersey ... More >>

Wilma Johnson McQueen, 83: Just Another Coke-Dealing, Shotgun-Wielding East Texas Grandma, Cops Say

Wilma Johnson McQueen: Keeping the family business alive​Wilma Johnson McQueen, 83, simply took over her husband's business after he died. Sure, the business involved dealing coke, but it's all about family and tradition in East Texas. Police weren't so sympathetic to the touching story of an ... More >>

Meridian Says It's Officially Closed

Marc Brubaker​Troubled Houston music venue the Meridian announced Tuesday that after a turbulent year of management changes, show cancellations and allegations of everything from unpaid utility bills to unpaid rent, it has officially shut down. "The Meridian Houston now as of 12/21/10 is now ... More >>

Wu-Tang Clan

LeBron James -- Society Hates You, I Love Society

LeBron: The power is waning​Mankind, I have to say that I was just about to give up on you. I'm a very patient person, but with every kid running around in a Ben Roethlisberger jersey or every nimrod that decides to turn right on Hamilton at the Texas Street intersection next to Minute Maid Park ... More >>

NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Is Interested In Bringing His Talents To Houston

'Melo is eyeing up the Rockets​Carmelo Anthony is interested in coming here? To Houston? To play for the Rockets? Don't be messing with us, Sports Illustrated.Supposedly it's so.SI reported that the Rockets are on a short list of teams Anthony would be interested in joining if he and his current e ... More >>

Stefani Vara's Operation Musical Rewrite

​ Wednesday, just a few minutes shy of 4 p.m., Stefani Vara was driving from Corpus Christi back to her home in Houston after a quick day trip. It had been a while since she heard Tejano music. It's what she grew up with and she realized she missed it. She realized it was part of her roots...part ... More >>

Thank God He's An Idiot

Child-porn producer pleads guilty

Flashforward: Back to [Boring] Basics

Like we've said before, at least this show has eye candy...​Oh, FlashForward. Remember when you downgraded from boring suckitude into poppy camp action? It was just last week, but it feels so long ago. Last night, though, you were back to your old expository tricks, rattling off plots and coin ... More >>

Game Time: Inside The Mind Of The Houston Texans Fan

​Pretty much every social instinct I employ comes from George Costanza of Seinfeld fame.  (... and yes, the fact that it's been 11-plus years since the Seinfeld finale means I officially have to remind people who George Costanza was.)*"Whatever your instincts tell you to do, do the opposite." ... More >>

Lone Star Scorecard: All Tanya Tucker Edition

​The history of country music - or any music until recent years, for that matter - is largely represented by men, with female artists popping up more and more frequently as time passed and concert/record promoters realized there was a market for women in the business. In country, you started with ... More >>

Theft

Paul Bright offers gays a break from typical topics

The Rough Guide to the Music of Vietnam; The Rough Guide to Latino Nuevo; The Rough Guide to Salsa ; Bokoor Beats; Bonde de Rolê, With Lasers; Kenge Kenge, Introducing Kenge Kenge; The Budos Band, II

Notable recent releases from beyond borders

London Fog

Woody Allen's second straight English excursion is a failed return to comedy

Hot Shows

Summertime concerts that will leave you sweating

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Mixed Blessings

Opposing sides will grapple over gay issues this week

Playbill

Text Hook

Words unite three very different artists at Mixture

A Mountainous Achievement

Cold Mountain sets the new standard for Civil War drama on-screen

First and Foremost

After 21 years of arguing, Conroe still can't come up with an MLK tribute

Killah Priest

Thursday, July 3

Cat Fight

Peter Bogdanovich works out his demons on Citizen Hearst

I Want My M(ontrose) TV!

Video killed the radio bars, at least in Montrose

Not Dead Yet

A tarted-up Holy Grail lives to fight (rabbits) another day

Job Insecurity

For 13 hours, guard Jeanette Bledsoe wondered if she would see one more murder inside prison walls -- her own. Now she wants to make sure TDCJ protects those who protect us from society's rejects.

International Festival

Mixmaster

Director James Toback crosses racial, gender and class lines in the gracefully gritty Black and White

Men in Black

Method Man and Redman have a Blackout, tour with Family Values

Wunderkind

Flutist Christina Jennings poised to shine

Zydeco's Birthplace

Hint: It's where you're standing

Press Picks

Rotation

Letters

Guy's Stuff

At Guy's Meat Market, the eating's fine, if you can find a place to eat

The Insider

Short People

The lowdown on 2-Low and kid rap

Hot Sauciness

American Potluck

At WorldFest, variety doesn't always prove spicy