curry for council

Ken Hoffman polls a former TV meteorologist running for City Council to help Houston weather big storms

Casey Curry is the latest Houston celeb seeking elect office.

Photo courtesy of Casey Curry.

It’s become a thing, celebrities from television and movies running for political office.

Let’s see, Jerry Springer, who passed away last week, bounced from being a city council member in Cincinnati to mayor of the Queen City to TV news anchor and eventually host of the wildly successful, bonkers, and potentially harmful, some say Jerry Springer Show. More on Springer later.

Former President Donald Trump was bigly into real estate in New York but the bulk of his national prominence came from hosting The Apprentice. Former President Ronald Reagan was a movie star before becoming governor of California. Arnold Schwarzenegger took the same route to the California governor’s mansion. Voters made Clint Eastwood’s day when they elected him mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

Sonny Bono went from being the butt of short jokes on the Sonny and Cher Show to mayor of Palm Springs.

The most amazing example of show business as a stepping stone to politics is Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the current wartime president of Ukraine. Before assuming leadership of his country, Zelenskyy starred in a sitcom, was a standup comic and contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

Sometimes being a celebrity isn’t enough to achieve political success, though.

Dr. Mehmet Oz was a TV talk host, then ran for the U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania. He lost.

Al Franken was a cast member on Saturday Night Live and became a U.S. senator from Minnesota. He later resigned over accusations of sexual misconduct. Cynthia Nixon from Sex in the City ran for governor of New York and didn’t come close. She lost to Andrew Cuomo, who’s a whole other story.

It does sort of look like movies and television have become to politics what college football is to the NFL.

Now, we have a former local TV weather forecaster hoping to become a Houston city councilmember.

Casey up to bat

Local TV personality Casey Curry predicted the weather on Channel 13 from 2006 to 2017. After leaving Channel 13, she popped up on Channel 2 and Channel 26 for short stints. Since then she’s worked in the private sector running a company’s philanthropic efforts. She’s also raising daughter Winnie with her husband Carl.

Curry is running for the At-Large Position 1 on city council, meaning voters who live anywhere in Houston can vote for those candidates. There are five At-Large positions and 11 district positions that represent specific areas of Houston.

Members are elected to four-year terms. Council elections are non-partisan. Candidates don’t have an “R” or a “D” next to their name on the ballot. The position pays $60,000 a year. Election Day is November 7.

Curry’s top priority plays into her background as a TV meteorologist. She wants to help Houston better deal with weather emergencies. The city has been through it all in recent years: hurricanes, floods, searing heat, and the Big Freeze.

“As a meteorologist I understand this issue. I understand flooding. I understand storms. I have a different perspective on this subject,” Curry says.

“I don’t think we’ve done a great job of spending the money that’s been allocated to us. I understand that we still have money left over from Hurricane Ike in 2008 that we haven’t spent. So we have to do a better job with the money that is available to us after a big storm.”

Taking care of Jerry

I always was a Jerry Springer fan. My only complaint about the show was his “floor managers/bouncers” broke up the guests’ fights too early.

In fact, I dedicated my book to Jerry Springer – it’s right there on Page 2. Yes, I wrote a book. You can still buy it on Amazon. But, if you pay more than 50 cents, you’re getting robbed. (Editor's note: Thank goodness for Jeff Bezos' return policy.)

Ken Hoffman book You Want Fries with That? Our columnist dedicated this book to Jerry Springer.Photo via Amazon

In 2020, near the start of the global pandemic, I was watching NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, and the anchor ended the show with his new catchphrase:

“Please take care of yourself … and each other.

Seriously?

Holt is still using the sign-off. That’s practically word for word Jerry Springer’s catchphrase, one that Springer used for more than four decades. After the mayhem of each show, Springer would turn to the camera, say something affirmative and end with “Take care of yourself … and each other.”

I called Springer to squeal on the NBC News anchor and get a comment: “Are you aware that …?”

His response, dignified as always, was “I anchored the evening news in Cincinnati for 10 years before I started the talk show. It was the early ‘80s, the ‘Me Generation,’ and everyone was saying ‘take care of yourself.’ I thought it wouldn’t hurt if we also cared and helped take care of each other. So I decided to end each of my newscasts with that line.

“When the talk show started I just continued to use those words because after observing for an hour what happens when people aren’t caring about each other, I thought the sentiment was the perfect antidote to the circus we just witnessed.

“I knew Lester in Chicago. He interviewed me there. He’s so classy and so smart, I’m not at all surprised he shares the same sentiment. His heart shows. It doesn’t matter how he decided to use that sign-off. The times certainly warrant it.”

tapping into safety

Bike trail connecting EaDo and Third Ward shines with new lights

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Solar lamps will light up the Columbia Tap Trail before the FIFA 2026 World Cup, with more to come.

The Columbia Tap Trail is getting safer and brighter. The Greater Southeast Management District and the East Downtown Management District announced on Monday that Phase 1 of their Columbia Tap Trail Comprehensive Improvement Initiative had begun, which will install 50 solar powered lights along the trail before the start of the FIFA 2026 World Cup with more to come later.

"The Columbia Tap Trail is more than a bike path. It is a vital artery connecting communities that have shaped Houston's history," said Brian Smith, board chair of the Greater Southeast Management District. "This project demonstrates what's possible when districts, city officials, and federal partners work together to create safer, more accessible public spaces. This $7.5 million investment isn't just about lighting. It's about building a trail that serves our neighborhoods for generations. With the world's eyes on Houston this summer, we're proud to showcase infrastructure that will serve our community long after the final whistle."

When completed later this fall, Phase 1 will have installed 300 new lights along the 10-foot-wide paved parkway. Further improvements as part of Phase 1 will include emergency call boxes, improved signage, and safety features at the various intersections.

Houston is in the midst of a massive expansion of both its public parks and access to the city through walking and bike paths. The Columbia Tap Trail is a 4-mile trail from Dixie Drive to Emancipation Avenue that serves as an important artery for Third Ward and East Downtown. It follows the path of the old Tap and Brazoria Railway, a vital method of exporting goods from Houston that was largely built by enslaved Black Texans. Naturally, Black communities sprang up around the trail, making it a hub of accessibility for generations to come.

Improving the trail opens up alternative and safer paths than driving to destinations like Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science thanks to links to the Brays Bayou Hike and Bike Trail at the southern end, as well as numerous schools, neighborhoods, and small businesses. Along with the Hill at Sims and the larger Bayou Greenway Network, Houston greenspaces and parks are becoming thoroughfares. Houston Council Member Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, who frequently uses the trails, applauded the city's commitment to improving and revitalizing the trail system.

"The Columbia Tap Trail has long been a priority for our office because it directly impacts public safety, mobility, and quality of life for the neighborhoods it connects," she said. "As someone who lives in the District of Destination and personally uses this trail, I understand firsthand how important these improvements are to the residents, students, workers, families, and visitors who rely on this corridor. Nearly two years ago, we brought this need to Mayor John Whitmire, and I am grateful that he recognized the importance of this historic trail and worked with us to move these improvements forward."

parks sustainability