It just gets worse and worse.
Everywhere I turn these days, the sheer ridiculousness of our city, county, state and federal government makes me want to pack it up and move to Iceland. Really.
Here are some events from the last month or so, which I feel warrant comment:
As you may have read in NPT last week, bridge traffic is to be redirected to Oregon [article]. One would hope that this is not directed at reducing business on El Paso Street with the intention of making things easier for the Plan to progress. But who knows, maybe it will facilitate new shops opening along Oregon. So it goes with the free market.
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Rollo has packed up shop and home, moved out of Downtown, closed Barrio Skate and sold Lobby Coffee to his former employee, Alex. He is currently assisting his father with his bar in Juarez. Rollo will be missed.
A new jewelry store, De Franco Designs, is about to open in the same building as Two Ton Creativity, Chama Lounge, and Marie Otero’s salon, but sadly they moved in right before Franklin Street went under construction. Let’s pray they survive the construction.
Jaime Perez, agititator and political operative, has been stirring up more than just the every-day goings on at the County. About three months ago he opened a gallery next to the Tool Box (*giggle*). The gallery, Hush is located on Pride Corner, and not only plays host to the Hollywood inspired paintings of Razo, but in the spirit of homocentric pluralism, it now hosts a fish market. Okay, that was a really bad joke, but seriously there’s a sushi bar inside Hush gallery. Not Japanese Kitchen quality, but at least as good as The Sushi Place on Cincinnati. If you can tolerate the owner, and -- for you straight gentlemen -- the homoerotic paintings, which slather the walls, I would suggest stopping in and trying it out. It’s nice to have a sushi bar down here. And though one side of my conscience kicks me every time I walk down there, the other thanks him for doing something like this. He is supporting a local artist. He has opened a new and different restaurant. It’s always nice to see a new business open up, no matter who the proprietor is.
It has been brought to my attention that some readers have been avoiding the Tap because Teen Wolf bought the building, and have instead, been hanging out at a certain establishment under Federal inquiry. Though I was disappointed in the buyout (keep in mind that the business itself is still owned by the original family), I think it’s a little hypocritical to be patronizing a venue that is associated with possible public fraud. Especially when a few of these said individuals signed an anti-corruption pledge. Ahem.
I am not suggesting that these individuals forego the bar in question. As I said before, any new establishment is an improvement. I just don’t agree with the argument for abandoning The Tap.
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Following the scathing Texas Observer report regarding the Downtown Plan [article], Del Pueblo Press’ Reyes Mata contacted both the Associate Publisher Julie Austin and the author of the controversial piece, Eileen Welsome, and invited them to take part in a public forum regarding the Plan. In doing so, Reyes emailed the PdNG, and our City Council Reps. O’Rourke and Byrd to see if they would be willing to bring their thoughts to the table. The PdNG did not reply to the email and O’Rourke and Byrd declined the invitation. Prior to the decline by O’Rourke and Byrd, the Texas Observer was all set to come down July 9. After they were told of the City Council’s reticence, The Observer postponed the engagement until that time in which the Pro-Plan contingency is willing to speak.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I have NEVER heard of a politician decline the opportunity to defend his opinion. The objective of the politician is to have the ear of the vox pops as often as possible. Bringing the Texas Observer to an open forum is a wonderful thing to do for Downtown’s state and national credibility. It will bring press from around the country and incite healthy debate, so why squelch the opportunity?
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I have for the last few weeks been assisting my friend Pancho Anguiano, a jazz bassist, with his website. My work has taken me to the far-flung regions of Westside Drive, an area that I rarely visit. I was appalled, absolutely appalled to see the amount of new construction taking place in areas where willows, cows, and horses were the only residents. The area in question is still considered El Paso (as I saw the trademark blue bins in front of the houses), so it made me wonder just what our progressive, green-minded civic leaders have to say about this. Is it wise to allow uncontained expansion? Does this promote urbanization? What about promoting programs which would encourage farming of staple crops within the community so we limit our use of petroleum? The three sisters (beans, corn, and squash) are adapted to our community. Olive trees, pomegranates, chiles, onions are adapted and can supply local markets.
While on my long drive through the country, I considered the future of agriculture in El Paso, and considered the potential for urban gardens. I seriously want to start a community garden either Downtown or in Segundo Barrio. Wouldn’t it be nice to see the bodegas and grocery stores here stocked with produce grown and tended by the residents? There are plenty of unused lots down here, which would make ideal spaces. I have no idea where to begin. How does one convince the residents to take part in something like this? Is it better to have people buy shares in the property and goods produced, or is a share-cropper system more feasible? And what about red tape?
I am absolutely serious about this, so if you have experience in this area and can give me guidance on where to begin, your assistance would be deeply appreciated.
You may contact me at printersanonymous@yahoo.com.
Next Week: Florida Sunshine: Just who the hell are the “Creative Class”
