Local Liftoff

Mayor Annise Parker witnesses Atlantis launch in Florida with Houston posse

Mayor Annise Parker, shown in this file photo with partner Kathy Hubbard, isready for some summer fun.
Photo by Dalton DeHart
FOA (Friend of Annise) Barry Mandel was also onsite.
Photo by David A. Brown

Who's to say Mayor Annise Parker doesn't enjoy a good spectacle?

According to her Twitter account, she witnessed Friday morning's liftoff of the space shuttle Atlantis in Florida. Around 11 a.m., she tweeted (via text), "Atlantis off! Spectacular sight. I cried from the moment I saw the engine flare.-a."

The retweets ensued.

Will the mayor stop for the red lights in our fellow red state? Word on the street is that tourist-heavy Orlando isn't camera shy.

And Parker's not the only H-Town space cadet in Cape Canaveral this morning. Discovery Green president Barry Mandel updated his Facebook status, "Leaving the launch of the last shuttle. Even better, Mayor Parker saved us seats with her. her Mom, Kathy and their daughter. God speed Atlantis. Thanks for the memories NASA and Johnson Space Center."

Mandel was accompanied by his partner, Scott Sawyer, and while it was the former's first visit to the Kennedy Space Center, Sawyer had previously attended three shuttle launches that never coalesced.

"The fact that it was the last one is why I came," Mandel tells CultureMap, adding,

It was incredible, but I talked with Annise about how it's also bittersweet. It's the last shuttle launch. Here at Kennedy, they're going from 12,000 people on that project to 200. Also, there's the fact that we don't have a shuttle to take home with us. Considering the impact of the Johnson Space Center, it's a shame that we don't get one."

Parker, Mandel and Sawyer were surrounded by a group of scientists from Houston's Johnson Space Center. Mayoral press rep Janice Evans tells CultureMap that the Florida visit marks the beginning of her family summer vacation.

We know what you're wondering but are too afraid to ask: Will the mayor stop for the red lights in our fellow red state? Word on the street is that tourist-heavy Orlando isn't camera shy.

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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