gonzo1976

A couple of things I'll remember about Marvin (and I'm sure I've mentioned this before): 1. I don't know for how long he had it, but he had a pretty funny business card. It was a photo business card of him and Mickey Mouse sitting at the Channel 13 anchor desk. (KTRK is owned by Disney). 2. You can't imagine the amount of buzz created when your middle school ends up on Marvin's rat and roach report. For weeks, the students were like, "Don't eat in the cafeteria. That was on Marvin's report!"

Are their records still available? I'm not sure where I could find one.

Just wanted to add my two cents in here: I took a tour of the 1940 terminal over at Hobby earlier this week. Pretty cool place, but it's a work in progress. I still recommend it. Anyway, the guy giving me a tour of the place made the first landing at IAH! Great guy with probably a million stories.

I remember watching the KPRC reporter doing a live shot from Record Rack that day. Someone started acting up behind her, and as she tossed it back to the anchors, she looked back at the guy in disgust.

My great-great aunt was Ventura Alonzo, also known as also known as "la reina de la acorde

Hold it right there. Did you obtain the proper permits before beginning construction?

The first rule about Marfreless is -- you do not talk about Marfreless.

Wasn't the Petroleum Club at the top? What occupies those floors today?

I drove by the area earlier tonight (Saturday, June 30) and noticed a work trailer and some plastic construction fencing behind Black Eyed Pea. No heavy equipment yet.

This is true. Heck, I think Sam's Club sells some decent cameras.

No, though it sounds like a good idea. Get this...these people made off with my TV dinners! TV dinners!

Yeah, well, it's just stuff, I suppose. Nothing broken, no one hurt. It definitely makes you rethink home security, though.

Well, the topic description says it all. Came home from work at 11:15 p.m. Friday to find out my place had been burglarized. I figure it happened sometime between 2:45 and 8 p.m. (when my duplex neighbor arrived home). HPD figures it was at least two teens involved because they opened a window wide enough for only teens to enter. The little dudes must have done this before. They knew what to look for. DVD players, a digital camera, DVDs, VCRs are gone. Computer equipment, my local history items and some antiques weren't stolen, though. Anyway, just wanted this to serve as a warning for other Woodland Heights, Heights-area residents. Keep your eyes peeled!

15. Earlier reports were incorrect.

Hughes seemingly had been tracked by the FBI since 1943. According to "Howard Hughes: The Untold Story," the military wanted to know how Hughes was spending the money he was making off his military contracts. The book mentions that Hoover was reluctant to investigate Hughes because they both "were superpatriots, who respected each other and shared the same fear of the communist menance." But, under pressure from the Army, Hoover relented. It looks like some of the papers are available to the public, too. http://www.paperlessarchives.com/howard_hughes.html

I've seen some in the Chronicle archives. If there's a big enough demand for them, I'll put them up on my blog sometime next month. First off, I was surprised photogrpahers got so close to the burial ceremony. Second, from what I could tell, the burial ceremony was no different than any other. It didn't seem like a big crowd was present. Sitting in the front row, closest to the casket, were some cousins, an aunt and such.

Yeah. Every so often a few of these will be painted up.

The city did throw a massive parade for Hughes in 1938 after he set the record for circling the globe. They even renamed Houston Municipal Airport after him (it didn't last, obviously). I'm not sure how many times Hughes visited his hometown once he hit it big in Hollywood. According to "Howard Hughes: The Untold Story," he was unconscious when the decision was made to take him to Methodist Hospital for treatment in 1976. Here's his grave. The gate was added in recent years. But if you were to get close to it, you could tell which one is his and which graves belong to his parents. Funny this topic popped up now. I plan to have a write-up on Hughes' 1938 visit posted by Thursday.

I don't believe this Joske's made the transition to Dillard's. IIRC, it sat vacant until it became a Magic Johnson theater.

Maybe this is a different one, but I know for sure there was one where Shepherd ends at I-45. It was sort of behind where the flea market is now. If I recall correctly, I think there was a multiple homicide at that site in the early '80s. If it wasn't that one, then it was at a similar one. I do know that a multiple homicide occurred at one of those putt-putt/go-kart places.

The windows appeared to be regular size. They may end up not being windows, but they sure appeared as windows to me. It's just odd that the windows were oriented the way they are. Looking at the picture, you see that the windows weren't facing the street.

I have a feeling the workers are going to do what they need to do, then pave it over again. I'm not sure how much is really down there. I wonder. Is it common (when razing a building for a surface parking lot) to just level the building without consideration for any sub-ground structures?

Yep. You can see the Hogg Building in the back.

Anyone know what's going on behind the Lyric Centre, Smith and Preston? Just heard from a friend of mine who said he saw some interesting things while crews were doing work in the parking lot. He says crews were digging and found what he says is the basement to the old Brazos Hotel. Apparently, workers found bathtubs, two large boilers and ornamental ironwork. I went by early Tuesday morning and saw some type of underground concrete structure that could appear to be a basement. There were some windows facing west. Why a basement would have windows is beyond me, though. It seems like the original building was bulldozed, but the basement remained intact and was paved over. By the time I took some pictures early Wednesday morning, work crews had put up some wood to protect the windows, I guess. Sorry for the poor image quality. http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3338/undergroundeb8.jpg

I find it interesting that there used to be numbered streets just north of where the downtown post office is today (Second through 10th streets). I guess what surprised me was that they don't exist anymore.