The Richardson High School swim team will be raising money with a garage sale and car wash 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in front of the campus near the tennis courts.

Spectacular Senior Follies will run all Friday through Sunday at the Eisemann Center. The variety show of “active seniors” features classic musical numbers from the 30s and 40s.

The Addison Improv presents comedian Jo Koy tonight through Sunday. He’s known for being a regular guest on the E! show, “Chelsea Lately”.

That’s according to a new report by the Texas Department of Transportation, which ranks the top 100 most congested roadways in the state. I knew LBJ was the worst in Dallas, but I was a little surprised to see that it beat out Woodall Rogers.

I’m sure nearby residents who have to use LBJ every day would agree with the study. It’s one of the few roads in our region that is constantly congested – not just during rush hour. But what’s interesting, is that researchers measured not how clogged the roads are at any give time but how slow traffic actually moves. Slower traffic equals more congestion.

Come to think of it, I’ve never seen any other highway where people actually slow down while entering the on-ramp – even when the roads are clear. Maybe that says something about the drivers more so than the design of the freeway.

At any rate, hopefully things will clear up after LBJ is rebuilt, widening the lanes and adding larger frontage roads.

Michael Brown, the guy who led Dallas police on an hour-long, low-speed chase that started in our neighborhood and ended on a Love Field Airport runway, committed several other crimes before the big arrest, according to today’s DMN story. Brown had been robbing people all over Dallas, Collin and Denton counties.

The spree may have begun as early as July 15 at a Far North Dallas apartment complex inside Collin County where he actually put a knife to a man’s chest demanding cash. Another woman was attacked just a mile down the road. Brown also admitted to a carjacking at Forest and LBJ.

Brown may also be linked to aggravated crimes outside North Texas.

Here’s an interesting juxtaposition of headlines from this morning’s DMN:

“Natural gas taxis going to the front of the line at Love Field.”

“Solo drivers may be able to buy way onto Dallas HOV lanes.”

On the one hand, our government leaders are busting the chops of small, individual-owned taxis by requiring them to purchase a natural-gas fueled vehicle in order to get priority at the airport. The reason: Improved air quality from the few natural-gas cabs that will be converted, probably primarily by large corporations with available funds.

And on the other hand, our government leaders are willing to sell off what were originally billed as traffic- and pollution-busting high-occupancy-vehicle lanes to the highest bidders. Potentially, if you’re willing to pay a higher price to ride in the HOV lanes, you won’t need another person in the car. Another “innovation” in the works, thanks to cash-strapped DART: If the HOVs will be clogged with single-occupancy vehicles, then the number of regular HOV people required to ride for free in the HOVs is going to increase from two to three or four to reduce the number of those drivers in the lanes.

So we’re beating up on small taxi owners at Love Field in the name of cleaning up the air, but we’re selling off the “clean-air” HOV lanes to anyone willing to pay, particularly solo drivers who naturally pollute more.

Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

I was drinking rose the other day, and a question came up. Why, if so many roses are supposed to be dry, do some California roses seem sweet?

Two reasons. One is the idea of perception of sweetness, in which our brains assume that something that tastes fruity is going to be sweet. Hence, a rose with a lot of strawberry fruit is going to seem sweeter than it is, since our brains associate strawberry flavor with sweetness. (Thanks to the great James Tidwell, who told me about this and explains it much more eloquently than I do.) The other follows from the first, and is part of the difference between New World and Old World styles. New World wines, like those from California, are fruitier than Old World wines, and the extra fruit flavor implies a sweetness that isn’t there.

Which, in a roundabout way, is where the l’Ermitage ($10, purchased, available at Central Market) fits in. It’s the opposite of a New World rose — a classic French blend of syrah, grenache and mouvedre that makes a surprisingly complex $10 wine. It has a very stony finish, a dazzling light pink color, and a touch of red berry fruit without any perception of sweetness. In this, it’s one of the best-made roses I’ve ever had, and is as enjoyable as many, more expensive ones. Don’t be surprised if it shows up in the 2011 $10 Hall of Fame.

Chill the l’Ermitage, and drink it over the Labor Day weekend on its own or with whatever picnic or barbecue you have planned.

The Parkhill Athletic Booster Club will have its Back-to-School picnic at 5-7 p.m. Wednesday in the Parkhill courtyard. This is your chance to see everyone in action. The cheerleaders and band will perform and at 6:15 p.m., there will be information meetings for parents regarding football and volleyball in the gym and cafeteria, respectively.

You can buy Raiders spirit gear, and Booster Club memberships will be available.

“Lace up. Get Motivated. Let Freedom Run!” That, from organizers of the Sept. 9 Freedom Run, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall Plaza. The Dallas Association of Young Lawyers organized the run as an opportunity to honor the heroes and victims of 9/11. Race profits benefit the Assist the Officer Foundation. Rally your coworkers for a corporate team and enjoy a VIP party Thursday Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Dallas Chop House (free food, drinks and valet, oh my!)  There are no excuses not to register for this event, founder Clay Scheitzach says:

… lingering high school injury or a reality TV show you must see that night … even with your best excuse, I know you are not able to resist the temptation of hanging out with 3000 of your closest friends and drinking free beer at City Hall after crushing the competition in the 5k (or just drinking beer, listening to an awesome band and saying you ran). So either way, American, beer lover, fierce competitor, or whatever, now is the time to get your Corporate Team signed up for the 2010 Freedom Run.

Maybe it was just me, but whether on the freeway or neighborhood roads, motorcyclists seemed to be out in large numbers this past weekend in Far North Dallas. They weren’t out in groups really, I just saw individuals weaving in and out of traffic – a lot.

Driving north on Central, one guy wasn’t even using his own lane. He was whizzing by and squeezing in between cars. I was going about 65 miles per hour, and he flashed past my window in a blur. Another one on Hillcrest was tailgating me pretty bad.

Personally, I have nothing against motorcyclists, but it’s kind of scary the watch those who go 90 mph with no helmet, refusing to let any car slow them down. And this morning, the DMN reported this sad accident. I’m not saying recklessness had anything to with it (although the story points to speeding as the cause), but it’s a coincidence and a good reminder that bikers aren’t invincible.

All day Saturday, boys got to hit each other and not get in trouble for it.

It was all part of the Spring Valley Athletic Association’s Mooyah Jamboree to kick off the football season. Far North Dallas kids, decked out in their pads and helmets, gathered at Fretz Park for all-day scrimmages.

SVAA, a nonprofit youth sports organization, has more than 40 tackle and flag football teams, and well-trained coaches volunteer their time every week to work with the boys, who range from first to sixth grade. Neighborhood resident John Brewer coaches the Panthers, which includes local fourth graders.

“They have little attention spans and big hearts,” he says.

You may remember Carolyn Stewart, the grandmother and football coach featured in Advocate’s Capeless Crusaders cover story back in February. She’s switched to the administrative work, but says she sure misses being out on the field.

Below is a short video compilation of the day’s events.

My column in the East Dallas magazine this month is about coyotes and the Dallas media’s preoccupation with them. (Yes, I was worn out writing about politics.) So what happens when I turn on the Channel 5 news this morning? Home video of a coyote chasing a cat, with the obligatory talking heads of concerned residents.

Sigh.

Just do me one favor if you leave a comment: no Wile E. Coyote jokes, please.