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Burbs boast presidential beau:
The Woodlands, a lush planned community nestled in a forest 27 miles north of downtown Houston, is landing national attention -- but it's not due to its prime real estate. One of its own, Stanford University junior Matthew Pierce, just happens to be the boyfriend of first daughter Chelsea Clinton. Pierce, an honor student who attends Stanford on a swimming scholarship, appeared in photographs printed in both the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News accompanying the Clintons to church and to lunch during a recent visit they paid their freshman daughter at school. After Woodlands spokesperson Susan Vreeland received calls from the news media, the Woodlands Operating Corp -- proud that a hometown boy had made a favorable impression on the first family -- issued a press release stating that "Pierce is considered an outstanding young man and athlete by his coaches and friends." Though mostly a Republican enclave, Woodlands residents agreed it was good publicity for the community even if they didn't agree with current presidential politics. So not only does Pierce have the secret service watching over his romance, but now his neighbors back home as well. Regardless of the young man's true moral character, with the federal government and a town of 50,000 as chaperones, I'm sure he'll remain a
perfect gentleman.
 The many meanings of Mary: The first international symposium on the Virgin Mary, titled Image of Devotion, Icon of Identity: The Virgin Mary in the Americas, will be held in San Antonio, May 14-17. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and Centro Alameda, a San Antonio organization devoted to producing venues that promote Hispanic culture, the conference of artists, writers, and scholars from Latin America, Spain and the U.S., aims to facilitate the exploration of the cultural and historic impact Our Lady the religious icon has on the Americas. It will feature a specially created interactive database cataloging a vast amount of religious icons and related information, and a touring exhibition of artifacts and depictions of the Virgin both religious and cultural. Alamo City was chosen for its proximity to Mexico, and the city's deep roots in Catholicism and Latin American culture. The event is free and open to the public, and will take place all weekend at the downtown campus of UT San Antonio. Given the choice however, the Virgin might have suggested Corpus Christi as the locale for the forum. Early this month, a statue of her likeness was reported to have raised its arms and deliver a message, attracting crowds bearing flowers, candles and prayers to the spot each day since. Don't blame Grandma: Pepsico, Inc's Frito-Lay unit in Plano had to recall 3 million chocolate cookies in May because the packaging didn't list eggs as an ingredient. The labeling error was discovered by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, who alerted the snack food company with concern that Grandma's Homestyle Fudge Chocolate Chip Big Cookies might be unwittingly eaten by folks with life-threatening allergies to eggs. Frito-Lay then pulled 1.5 million packages with freshness dates from June 2-August 11 from store shelves. Lovers of the big cookies with the incredibly long name can expect them to return soon with a corrected label. But don't blame grandma for the mishap, she sold out in 1942. (5/14/98) |
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