Monthly Archives: March 2016

The Most “Texan” Restaurants in Texas

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Jessica Hamilton of the Houston Chronicle gives her opinions as to the “most Texan” restaurants in the Lone Star State.  Her unimaginative No. 1 is the Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo famous for its 72 oz. steak challenge.  Red was pleased to see that Mary’s in Strawn – a place frequented by Red y familia – was on the list.  If you are driving I-20 between Abilene and Fort Worth and have a hankering for some fresh fried frog legs, Mary’s is your place.   Make the short detour north to Strawn, but expect a wait on Friday or Saturday night and remarkably cold beer.

Today in Texas History – March 22

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From the Annals of Reconstruction – In 1866, the Texas State Central Committee of Colored Men met in Austin with Baptist minister Jacob Fontaine presiding. It was the first in a series of conventions held in Texas from the Reconstruction era until the coming of the Jim Crow era in the 1890s.  The group was focused on issues of concern to African Americans which were largely ignored by Texas politicians.  At the first meeting the TSCCCM opposed a request by Episcopal bishop Alexander Gregg for funds which presumably would have benefited former slaves. The committee members did not trust Gregg, himself a former slaveholder and ardent supporter of secession.  The committee instead proclaimed their support for the work of the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Photo of Jacob Fontaine from austinlibrary.com.

 

If it Weren’t for Bad Luck . . .

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Philip Panzica of Houston earned national notoriety after being arrested for allegedly having sex on the High Roller Ferris wheel in Las Vegas six weeks ago.  Who knew that was illegal?  On Saturday, his streak of bad luck continued as he was gunned down in a carjacking at 5:15 am in southwest Houston.   According to KTRK, one of the carjackers told Panzica to “come clean” before killing the 27-year-old in front of his fiancé.  It is unknown if the carjackers knew about Panzica’s big wheel hanky-panky  with Chloe Scordianos of Long Island, NY which  happened on the day he was to marry Mistie Bozant who herself may have been pregnant with another man’s child.

The female witness to the shooting was described only as Panzica’s fiancée and it is unclear if she was the aforementioned Mistie Bozant.   What is known is that Panzica and his “fiancé” had just left the Houston topless bar where she works and that an argument broke out in Panzica’s car before the carjacking occurred.

Based on information from the fiancé and the description of the stolen car, police arrested  Bryant Watts and Arron Jones.  Watts allegedly confessed to killing Panzica and both men are now jailed on a capital murder charge.