Shelby About Town

Vince Young is the star attraction at teen's birthday bash, Andrew Luck & MattSchaub both dine at Tony's and La Griglia rocks

Liliana, from left, Vince Young, Amanda, Justin Smith and Shelbie at Justin'srollicking 16th birthday bash.
Photo by © Fulton Davenport/PWL Studio
Only the night before getting sacked here at Reliant Stadium on Sunday, AndrewLuck and teammates dined a Tony's.
Photo by Michelle Watson/CultureMapSnap
Justin Smith, left, and Roberto Clemente Jr. at the Pearland party.
Photo by © Fulton Davenport/PWL Studio

The beef was on the table and at the table in Tony's over the weekend when five members of the Indianapolis Colts including rookie quarterback Andrew Luck sat down for dinner Saturday at a table in the main dining room.

The big guys ordered veal chop, prime truffle filet and puntarelle salad (a fave with Andrea Bocelli) and waded through a carbs-packed pasta tasting. No liquor and no dessert, thank you. The guys probably should have indulged in the famed Grand Marnier soufflé. The sugar boost might have helped their Sunday score.

If timing is everything, imagine the kerfuffle that could have erupted had Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub and wife Laurie had dinner at Tony's on Saturday rather than as they did on Friday. The duo had a table for two in the middle of the dining room.

A sporting sweet 16

Justin Smith has to be the envy of the entire Pearland community after the 16th birthday bash that his parents, Alicia and Lance Smith, gave for the teen in their Brittany Estates home. The sports-themed party (think University of Texas everything) featured two heroes of the playing field and three hotties.

"He was all smiles when the three Texans cheerleaders arrived," Alicia emailed, "and over the moon when Vince Young walked in! Throw in a video birthday wish from Dikembe Mutombo (who was unable to attend as he was in route from Los Angeles to Atlanta) and add Roberto Clemente Jr. and his fiancé Melissa Lima to the mix and he was pretty much walking on air."

Justin and 75 of his friends romped through a teenage playground complete with an entrance gate following the Longhorn theme, a mechanical bull, jousting station, photo booth, DJ and a light show. The only gifts greater for Justin than the generosity of his adoring parents were the Vince Young-autographed football and the Roberto Clemente T-shirt.

Sight 'ems

Movers and shakers stirring the pot at La Griglia on Monday included State Sen. John Whitmire, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's regional director Jason Fuller, Italian Consul General Fabrizio Nava, auto magnate Alan Helfman, Civil District Court Judge Al Bennett, Republican actiivist Suzanne Feather, PR whiz Cindy Clifford and former Channel 13 investigative reporter Wayne Dolcefino, who recently started his own boutique PR firm.

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Public memorials and services set for 'Houston's anchorman' Dave Ward

Photo courtesy of Dave Ward

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ABC13 anchor emeritus Dave Ward died on December 13 at age 86.

Members of the public are invited to pay their respects to the longtime newsman at visitations and funeral services this week. Plans include:

Wednesday, Dec. 17: Ward will lie in repose from 11 am-6 pm at the Crimestoppers of Houston Dave Ward Building, 3001 Main St., Houston, TX 77002.
Thursday, Dec. 18: Public visitation open to all at George H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors at 1010 Bering Dr., Houston, TX 77057 from 11 am-2 pm and 4-8 pm
Friday, Dec. 19: Funeral service open to the public at 12 pm at St. Martin's Episcopal Church at 717 Sage Rd., Houston, TX 77056.

ABC13 will carry the funeral live on television and streaming platforms.

For more than 50 years, Dave was Houston's anchorman. He began each newscast with his signature line, "Good evening, friends." That's how the legendary newsman felt about the viewers who shared his love for the city he was so proud to call his home.

His name was David Henry Ward, but he was known to thousands of Eyewitness News viewers simply as "Dave." Born in Dallas in 1939, Dave grew up in Huntsville and began his radio career with KGKB Radio in Tyler while attending college. Three years later, he joined the staff of WACO Radio as a staff announcer and quickly climbed to Program Director the following year.

Dave moved to Houston in 1962, where he worked for KNUZ Radio as a News Reporter and News Director for four years. He made the move to Channel 13 in 1966 as the station's only on-the-street news reporter and photographer, coming "inside" in early 1967 to anchor Channel 13's weekday 7 am. newscast.

Later that year, he became the first host of the wildly popular "Dialing for Dollars" program, which later evolved into "Good Morning Houston." Houston viewers flocked to see him and hear him, and by January 1968, Dave became the anchor of Eyewitness News at 6 and 10 pm.

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Read more about Dave Ward’s life and legacy, with video, on CultureMap's news partner, ABC13.com.

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