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The Bug is squashed, Cruz/O’Rourke to debate and other top stories


By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: Nothing lasts forever, or so the saying goes. The Houston Oilers said goodbye to the Bayou City years ago. Meteor, F Bar and the Montrose Mining Company (more about that later) bade adieu to Houston’s LGBTQ community fairly recently. And now, the Volkswagen Beetle is being squashed.

I first fell in love with the Bug when I was about 12 years old. A cousin took me for a ride in her 1962 VW Beetle and I was hooked for good. As an adult I have owned two Beetles and am planning on a third — a convertible version this time.

“The little German car that started in a Nazi-era factory and later carried countless hippies to concerts, lovefests and be-ins is nearly at the end of its 80-year journey. Volkswagen announced Thursday that it will cease production of its Beetle in July 2019,†reports HuffingtonPost.com.

The Beetle began in the 1930s when it was originally designed by legendary engineer Ferdinand Porsche at the request of Adolf Hitler, who wanted an inexpensive mass-produced car for Germans. The car came to America in 1949 where it developed a cult-like following and was immortalized in the Walt Disney classic, The Love Bug.

So long, old friend. It was a good ride!

Here’s a bit of what we’ve been reading on the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page.

Cruz, O’Rourke to debate

Funny how a slide in the polls can change a politician’s position. After initially refusing an invitation to debate,  Senator Ted Cruz has agreed to a series of three debates with and Rep. Beto O’Rourke, reports Dallas Morning News.

The first face off is set for Dallas on Friday, September 21. The second debate will be in Houston on Sept. 30 at the University of Houston. The final show down will be in San Antonio on October 16.

Recent polls have O’Rourke surging in a race that was never supposed to be close. Election Day is Tuesday, November 6.

Montrose Mining Company site reincarnates as wine bar

It was Houston’s oldest gay bar when it closed in 2016 but, once again, nothing lasts forever. The Montrose Mining Company is getting new life as Postino, a wine café set to open in February of next year, reports HoustonCityBook.com.

The Montrose location will be the second in Houston for the Phoenix-based business. A press release says, “Postino’s new 3,500-square-foot Montrose location will feature unique designs and inspiring, eclectic decor that will directly reflect the spirit of the neighborhood.â€

The Montrose Mining Company opened in 1978 and was popular for its dirty disco, barrels of peanuts and nearly naked go-go dancers. It was bittersweet and drove home the reality that the Mine was gone for good when former patrons posted pictures on social media of the covered patio being demolished.

Alvin ISD reevaluating boys’ makeup ban

Nothing lasts forever, including antiquated ideas. Alvin ISD may be about to reconsider its ban on boys wearing makeup to school, thanks to an online petition started by Jasmine Richards, a friend of a boy suspended for breaking the rule, reports KHOU.com.

Current Alvin ISD dress code rules specifically state that “boys may not wear makeup.†Her friend was not aware of the rule when confronted with taking the makeup off or being sent to in school suspension. He chose ISS.

“The dress code is not set in stone,†said assistant superintendent Daniel Combs. “The dress code is reviewed every couple of years at the most.â€

“You know, some of these elements have been in our dress code for many, many years,†said Combs. “And, as we go through that review, we certainly want to address concerns that come forward.â€

Christina Wells eliminated in semi-finals of ‘AGT’

Losing a contest does not make one a loser. Christina Wells, the 2016 Pride Superstar winner, was eliminated during the America’s Got Talent semifinal rounds, reports Houston Chronicle.

Wells sang Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman†for her final performance, receiving a standing ovation from judge Heidi Klum, but the other three judges were not as impressed. Simon Cowell said the song was “over orchestrated.â€

Wells remains upbeat, saying, “I’m not defeated. I was a little bit frustrated last night because I had an expectation of what I wanted to do. Opportunities are not exclusive. Talent is not exclusive. We all have talent. We all have abilities. We all have a place.â€

More ‘Designing Women’

Julia Sugarbaker’s “The night the lights went out in Georgia†speech is epic and may never be matched but it looks like a new generation of designing women may try.

“Twenty-five years after wrapping its seven-season run, ABC has handed out a script commitment to what is being billed as a ‘sequel’ to the CBS comedy from original series creator Linda Bloodworth Thomason and executive producer Harry Thomason,†reports HollywoodReporter.com.

The new Designing Women will follow the next generation of Sugarbakers with a crop of new, young, female designers at an Atlanta interior design firm.

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

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