ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINES, NOVEMBER 10-16
MISTRIAL DECLARED IN GALVESTON CAT-KILLING CASE
Houston Chronicle 11/16/07
A judge declared a mistrial today in the trial of well-known bird watcher Jim Stevenson who was charged with animal cruelty for killing a feral cat cared for by a toll-booth worker.
BIRDER ADMITS KILLING CAT, BUT WAS IT ANIMAL CRUELTY?
OIL EXPLORATION GETTING SHORT SHRIFT, STUDY SAYS
Houston Chronicle 11/13/07
The “Big Five” oil companies are putting more money into stock buybacks and dividends than new exploration and development despite a fourfold increase in cash flow since the 1990s, according to a study by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
PROJECT POINTS TO A RENEWED FAITH IN BIODIESEL
Houston Chronicle 11/16/07
A Houston firm signaled Thursday it is in the biodiesel business to stay, despite headwinds that are buffeting rivals and creating uncertainty for the young industry.
SURVEY: MAJORITY IN HOUSTON BACKS MASS TRANSIT
Houston Chronicle 11/16/07
Suburban commuters from Galveston to Conroe, along with Houston and Harris County residents, overwhelmingly support mass transit as the best solution to traffic problems, according to a new regional survey released Thursday.
CITY ON BOARD WITH HOUSTON RAIL IDEA
PLANNERS NARROW PROPOSED I-69 CORRIDOR
Houston Chronicle 11/14/07
State highway officials have sharply narrowed the possible route of the Interstate 69/Trans-Texas Corridor, saying they plan to keep it close to U.S. 59 and other existing roads
KATY FREEWAY EXPANSION BAD FOR BUSINESSES?
Houston Chronicle 11/14/07
When Fiesta Mart recently announced it will close its Blalock store at the end of the year, it became the latest business affected by the state’s widening of the Katy Freeway, although it’s not going away without a fight.
RESIDENTS CAN STILL RECYCLE AT FORT BEND’S CENTER HERE
Fort Bend Herald and Texas Coaster 11/14/07
Recycling pick-up service in Rosenberg may have ceased, but that’s no reason to stop recycling, says Jack Nabors, coordinator for the Fort Bend County Recycling Center.
CHEMICAL CRACKDOWN BRINGS ANIMALS BACK
Galveston County Daily News 11/16/07
The Galveston County Drainage District No. 1 cut its herbicide budget by 91 percent, and now wildlife thrive.
TREES FOR HOUSTON’S HEAD SAYS IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE
Houston Chronicle 11/13/07
After 13 years working as a leader in the greening of Houston, Katharine “Kathy” Lord says it is time for her to move on.
THE SHINE AND THE GRIT
Houston Chronicle 11/13/07
When people ask what I like most about this city, I sometimes say ‘the chaos.’
DOWNTOWN FALCONS A FLIGHT TO BEHOLD
Houston Chronicle 11/14/07
Diving off downtown’s J.P. Morgan Chase Building, the peregrine falcon, with its 3-foot wingspan and hyper-precise vision, is an airborne predator that awes office workers and military pilots alike.