Bidding Adieu to Gridlock's Calm Voice

Houston's dean of traffic reporting, Marty Ambrose, dies from ALS

You may not have known 69-year-old Marty Ambrose by name, but you did know him by his skill. And his calm voice in the eye of the gridlocked storm.

If your morning commute has ever been disrupted in the past three decades by the sudden onslaught of a tractor trailer spill on I-10 (for example), you've most likely thanked Marty Ambrose's traffic clairvoyance wafting over the air waves. Ambrose worked for Metro Traffic Control until he retired in 2003, but came out of retirement in 2008 to sign on to the KUHF afternoon traffic beat.

Sadly, Ambrose's historic voice will no longer be the sound of sanity streaming through your car speakers during rush hour. Ambrose lost his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (better known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Dubbed "the dean of traffic reporting," Ambrose was diagnosed in April with ALS. "I apparently have had this for years," Ambrose told KTRK. "I missed two or three years by not knowing that. Now I just have to play the cards I was dealt."

And indeed, Ambrose never let ALS stand in his way. Despite the progression of the disease, his velvety vocal chords continued to grace KUHF afternoon traffic reports until last May.

We certainly hope that wherever Ambrose is now, the highways are conveniently congested and the drivers are beyond irate. After all, traffic was what he loved, and for his sake, we hope there's a whole lot of it.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana