dug begley

Altars, sites of such sorrow and suffering for the past week, were awash in poinsettias and small lighted pines Monday night as Newtown congregations pivoted to the birth of Jesus after so much talk of death. via Christmas Mass shines a light on Newtown – Connecticut Post. Continue reading

The next chapter in outgoing Metro CEO George Greanias’ career will be much like the one that ends Dec. 31 when he steps down as head of Houston’s regional bus and rail system. Metropolitan Transit Authority board members Thursday accepted Greanias’ resignation, named an interim replacement and approved a six-month, $117,500 contract with Greanias – Continue reading

A program to spread bike-sharing kiosks around Houston remains in first gear with only three downtown stations, but supporters are optimistic they can expand the initiative as planned. In May the city unveiled kiosks in three downtown spots where anyone could procure a bicycle through the B-Cycle program. The locations at City Hall, Market Square Continue reading

Metro officials hear complaints about senior and disabled services daily, but they acknowledged being a bit disappointed Thursday to see criticism of the MetroLift service in an obituary. via Obit criticism prompts Metro to rethink senior/disabled service – Houston Chronicle. Continue reading

While big-box and boutique stores were filled Friday with bargain hunters, bathroom hunters lined Buc-ees on their way to and from holiday feasts with family and friends. Others were taking a long weekend away, lured by everything from reunions with high school gal pals to the Texas Renaissance Festival northwest of Houston. Regardless, the rules Continue reading

Engineers gave Houston-area infrastructure a passing grade Tuesday, but it wasn’t a report card to make a parent – or a taxpayer – beam with pride. The American Society of Civil Engineers Houston branch assessed the structural and economic viability of roads, transit, solid waste, wastewater and drinking water facilities. Drinking water systems received a Continue reading

With last week’s referendum behind them, Metro officials are getting back to work on a transit system recovering from years of declining ridership and light rail-related battles. And that will likely take them back to buses, where the agency began more than 30 years ago. Metropolitan Transit Authority officials say the agency is on firmer Continue reading

The Inland area is about to get overwhelmed with work on overpasses and underpasses, as local transportation planners race to finish about a half-billion dollars of projects before state deadline. As part of the Prop. 1B transportation program voters approved in 2006, all projects funded through the Trade Corridors Improvement Fund must start construction by Continue reading

Almost $7 million in unspent federal funds is likely to stay in the Inland area, but not on the projects it initially was awarded to. A project to add climbing and descending lanes to Highway 60 east of Moreno Valley and a planned road extension in Apple Valley are the winners of the leftover federal Continue reading

A proposed rail line from San Bernardino to Redlands that’s been touted as a major transit upgrade has drawn opposition from local bus system officials, who fear a greater focus on rail will rob poor and minority bus-dependent riders of vital transportation.Officials with Omnitrans, the bus system for southwestern San Bernardino County, fear adding the Continue reading