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FilioScotia

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Posts posted by FilioScotia

  1. Ask and ye shall receive.

    Stella, in Harris County was formerly an unincorporated community about 10 miles southwest of downtown Houston. It existed there from the late 1800s through the 1920s when it diisappeared from area maps. In the 1950s the area was annexed into the City of Houston.

    Over the years various railroad lines went through, crossed, and connected with the area. A railroad timetable from that era shows Stella was a stop with access to connecting trains. The identifier "Stella" is affixed to the signal bungalow next to the tracks along Holmes Road about 1/4 mile west of Kirby Drive.

    Present day Stella Link Road began as a rural road running parallel to the railroad that linked Bellaire to Stella. Today Stella Link Road is a busy street that still runs to the area formerly known as Stella.

    Now we know.

    • Like 1
  2. As a retired radio news broadcaster, I can testify to how hard it is for people in broadcasting to move into consulting or some-such. Consulting is contract work, which means you make money only when you have clients. Consulting income is sporadic.

    Full-time broadcasting, on the other hand, is salaried. Paychecks come around on a regular weekly or monthly schedule. I'm guessing Amanda wasn't making a good living in consulting, so she fled back to the security of broadcasting. That happens to a lot of people. It happened to me a few times. I learned I couldn't make a living doing anything but broadcasting. And I liked getting a regular paycheck.

  3. Don't forget Northwest Mall. It's a rotting derelict. Due to poor performance and high vacancy rates, Northwest Mall closed on March 31, 2017.

    The last remnant of the mall, Carolyn Thompson's Antique Center, which operated on the first floor of the original JC Penney's anchor, closed on December 31, 2021. The mall is now 100% vacated, abandoned, and awaiting demolition and redevelopment of the site.

  4. On present day Google Maps Houston satellite view, there's an undeveloped area on the east end with a long oval that looks suspiciously like it MIGHT have been a race track at one time. It's just west of the the East Loop 610 just north of Clinton Drive. Check it out and see what you think.

    • Like 1
  5. Very interesting. It appears the old South End Water Works were on the site now occupied by the Museum of Natural Science. I'm not very surprised because as we all know, Houston doesn't allow anything to get very old, which means almost everything that now exists in Houston is built over something that used to be there. 

    • Like 1
  6. Fred Olson and Randy Hames were not the original Hudson and Harrigan. 

    KILT's original H&H of the 1960s and early 70s were Mac Hudson Roach and Paul Menard, the original Irv Harrigan. Menard was also Harrigan of the Charlie and Harrigan show at KLIF in Dallas.

    Roach and Menard dominated Houston radio from 1967 through 1972 when they moved to San Diego after owner Gordon McClendon sold KILT to a big broadcasting conglomerate. They finished their radio careers in San Diego. Sadly, both have passed on. Mac Hudson Roach died in 1997. Paul "Harrigan" Menard died in 2018. 

    Speaking just for myself, they and the characters they created were just hysterical to listen to. "JimBob Jumpback" and "John Daniel Douglas Moynihan the Third But My Momma Calls Me Petey."

    IMHO, NONE of the H&H's who kept the act on life support in Houston over the years were half as funny and creative as the originals. 

    • Like 1
  7. I guess it was inevitable that a family named Hain would have a son they would name Samuel, or Sam. I'm betting they gave him that name as a joke. The name "Samhain" is very ancient name in Great Britain. It's pronounced “SOW-in” or “SAH-win”, and it was a pagan festival celebrated by the ancient Celts halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It began at dusk around October 31st and likely lasted three days. Samhain is considered by many to be the precursor to modern Halloween celebrations. Samhain is also the modern Irish word for the month of November. 

    • Like 3
  8. For Brucesw -

    Marietta Marich's husband was Bob Marich, high up behind the cameras at KPRC TV for many years. Together, he and Marietta were very active in local non-professional theater for many years. They always had the best and most talented local actors and singers, which is why their shows were always worth seeing.

    Marietta was born in Dallas in 1930 and died in 2017, Here's what her obit said about her.

    Marietta Marich was a true Renaissance woman. In addition to the phenomenal acting, singing, and directing for which she is most well-known, she was an accomplished painter, playwright, songwriter, and set designer, being the only female student in her drafting class at SMU. Marietta’s professional career spanned over 60 years.

    Marietta and Bob met at KPRC TV (which they helped launch in 1950) and married in Houston. While Bob produced and directed at the station, Marietta sang and toured with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. After success in Los Angeles, the pair moved back to Houston, where they became theatre and television mainstays. Her KPRC TV show “Midnight with Marietta” featured Marietta singing with the incomparable talents of Paul Schmitt and his band. Marietta also interviewed a sophisticated array of guests each night. An avid reader, she could discuss almost any subject with intelligence and vivacious wit.

    Marietta created the legendary Houston Theatre Center on Main Street in midtown, and with husband Bob produced and performed in many of the productions. They also owned and operated several other live theatres, including a Dinner Theater at the Royal Coach Inn on the SW Fwy. Marietta constantly mentored young artists, giving many their first break. Some careers she helped launch are those of Tommy Tune, Dennis Quaid, JoBeth Williams, Patrick Swayze, Tracy Shayne, Robert Wuhl, K.T. Oslin, Gina Hecht, Cindy Pickett, Brett Cullen, and Sally Mayes.

    Marietta’s last stage performance was in early 2017, when she appeared with her daughter, Allison, in “Outside Mullingar” at the Queensbury Theatre. Film audiences know her work with Clint Eastwood, Steve Martin, Naomi Watts, Kevin Costner, Bill Murray, Mary Steenburgen, Josh Brolin, Jennifer Aniston, Sally Field, and many others.

    The entire Marich family are actors, a Houston Royal Family of the Theatre. Marietta was deeply beloved by her family, who admired her razor-sharp humor, keen intelligence, blunt honesty, strength, and tenacity. She often said, “Never show a fool your unfinished work,” and, “I may not always be right – but I’m never wrong!” Marietta was predeceased by her husband of almost 60 years, Bob, and son Michael. She is survived by daughter Allison, grandchildren Skyler and Spencer, and many relatives.

    She died in 2017.  Husband Bob died in 2012. 

    • Like 3
  9. I don't live in Houston anymore so I don't listen to KGOW, and I wouldn't even if I did live there. But, I confess to being surprised to learn that Innes - who went to work there in May - is still there six months later. Is it actually possible that Innes has found a way to stay employed?  We can only hope. 

    • Like 2
  10. You mention two of my all-time favorite eateries. I remember that BBQ place on Telephone near Hobby Airport, especially that incredible chopped beef stuffed into half an unsliced loaf of bread. That was a serious meal. Laz Cazuelas on Quitman was another favorite. My wife and I would drop in there for very late night beer and tacos. Most of its clientele were Hispanics, which is a sure sign that the food is gonna be good. 

  11. Ask and ye shall receive:

     

    On July 2, 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City store at 719 W. Walnut Street in    Rogers. Arkansas. The building is now occupied by a hardware store and an antiques mall, while the company's "Store #1" has since expanded to a Supercenter several blocks west at 2110 W. Walnut Street. O

     

    Target beat Walton by two months in the race for discount store shopping. On May 1, 1962, the Dayton Company opened its first Target discount store located at 1515 West County Road B in the Saint Paul suburb of Roseville, Minnesota. 

     

    Sadly, the first Target store is no longer with us. 

     

    220px-2009-0610-009-Roseville-TargetNo1.jpg

    This SuperTarget in Roseville, Minnesota, sits on the site of the first Target store, which opened in 1962 and was torn down and replaced by this much larger store in 2005.

     

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