ustxtxb_obs_2003_01_17_50_00002-00000_000.pdf

JANUARY 17, 2003 Texas Observer FEATURES COMANDANTE W. 4 Bob Woodward’s “inside story” of Bush vs. bin Laden is pretty thin soup. Bob Sherrill strains the edible bits from Bush at War. by Robert Sherrill MISTAKES WERE MADE 6 Joseph Stiglitz, the ultimate World Bank insider, turns a critical eye on globalization. As a whistleblower, he could use some help himself: by Gabriela Bocagrande DEPARTMENTS DIALOGUE EDITORIAL 3 Slouching Towards Baghdad BOOKS & THE CULTURE SOPRANO NATION 8 by Elisabeth H. Piedmont-Marton COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE 10 by Geoff Rips No BOUNDARIES, BABY 12 by James McWilliams WRONG WAY 14 by Char Miller WRITING THE BIG PICTURE 18 by Karen Olsson ‘ SENTIMENTAL JOURNEYS 20 by Diana Anhalt REMEMBERING JIM ‘CODY 22 by Paul Christensen WILDMAN; SCHOLAR SHAMAN, PAPA 23 byDaniel Durham THE EYES HAVE IT 24 by Dave Oliphant. . HEARTS AND MINDS: CUBAN PHOTOGRAPHY 26 by Jake Miller ‘ AFTERWORD 36 lisonde .E,sta Artaud? by David Romo THE BACK PAGE 40 Photograph by Alan Pogue, poem by Susan Bright Cover collage by Terri Lord 2 THE TEXAS OBSERV.ER. 1/17/03 DIALOGUE BAYOU PLAN DEFENDED As you have shown a great interest in Buffalo Bayou \(“Buffaloed on the Bayou,” by Dave Mann, December 6, canoe trip down the Bayou in order that you might have a better understanding of the water way. On the trip you will find heavily wooded, shaded meandering Louisiana-style bayou from Highway 6 into downtown Houston and a tug and barge accessible river from downtown to Galveston Bay. You will find an abundance of wildlife, including herons, wood ducks, hawks, ospreys, raccoons, possums, foxes, coyotes, turtles, snakes, alligators, catfish, gar, carp, and sunfish.You will not find sanitary sewage being discharged into the Bayou thanks to a program completed by the city in 1997.. The Bayou does receive contamination that comes through our storm sewers during heavy rains, washing residue from our streets and lawn fertilizer and pet droppings from private homes into all of our streams. Additionally, Paul Bunyan-size log jams can be created by plastic bags and fast food containers that wash. into the streams from our streets and storm sewers. My vision of Buffalo Bayou is a linear green space extending from Shepard Drive to the Port of Houston. To accomplish this we will need_ to acquire the right of way along each side of the Bayou with the goal of a 30 foot-wide strip, of the high bank plus the steep slope to the water’s edge for a hike-and-bike trail, benches, and. Picnic tables, plus, easy-to-maintain landscaping. AcklitiOnally, we will need designated, well-marked parking areas to afford hikers, bikers, and canoe enthusi. asts easy access to the Bayou .. . After heavy rains, severe erosion occurs west , of Shepard Drive releasing silty sand into the Bayou . that later is redeposited downstream, increasing the . potential for flooding and harming navigation in the ship channel., The bulk of the erosion is in the Memorial Park,. River Oaks, Country Club area. This erosion has to be addressed. A . . skimmer boat ‘to pick .up. floating trash . . . . will be delivered this spring. The skimmer boat will work the area from the Port of Houston to Shepard Drive on Buffalo Bayou, as well as Lower Sims and Lower Braes Bayous. Speaking to the need for R.O.W. along the Bayou, I have, as you pointed out, purchased five separate parcels to be sure the Bayou’s edge could be reserved for the trail system. The R.O.W. has been committed to the project at no cost to either the Buffalo Bayou partnership or the city. As to your implication that I have used insider information allowing me to acquire property to resell at a profit, please be aware that the goal of having a trail system extending through the east end has been publicized since 1986 when the partnership was formed. This goal has also been the subject of many community meetings. I do not see how I could have a conflict of interest unless I was purchasing property to be sold to the city at a profit. I have also spent many volunteer hours planning the trail system, as well as many hours mowing weeds, picking up trash along the Bayou and breaking up plastic log jams by boat in the Bayou. I hope that you will choose to spend enough time on Buffalo Bayou to see the merits of improving access to the water and adding trails and green space for the residents of Houston. I firmly believe that the improvements will be welcomed by busy city dwellers. C.M. Garver Houston I read with interest your December 6, 2002, article written by Dave Mann. The context of the story brought to light some . interesting pOints surrounding the Buffalo Bayou redevelopment, bin’ I wanted to highlight some of the many positive aspects of this project. The folks living on the East side . of Ho -uston have long lacked high quality parks and recreational facilities, where families and their ‘children can’ go and . . enjoy the outdoors. A major compo nent of ‘the* Bnffalo Bayou redevelop -r continued on page 32 ES