Gone but not forgotten: Selena

Twenty-three years ago today, Texas-born Mexican-American singer-songwriter Selena Quintanilla -- a budding superstar poised to make a major breakthrough with first English-language album -- was taken from us all too soon at age 23. Here is a link to a 1996 Los Angeles Times story I wrote after visiting the San Antonio set of Selena -- the biopic that Gregory Nava intended as a tribute to the fallen star. Even though, as Nava admitted to me at the time, "this is a movie I wish I wasn't making." And here is Selena herself, live and in concert -- her last concert -- at the Houston Astrodome.

Around the World with Waterkeeper Alliance -- and Edward James Olmos

Edward James Olmos asked me to help circulate this video -- which he narrates -- to spread the word about the international efforts of the Waterkeeper Alliance. Since Mr. Olmos has been so gracious to me on several occasions – particularly at the Telluride Film Festival, way back when we chatted about The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, and years later in San Antonio, when I was working on a Los Angeles Times location story about the filming of Selena – I’m more than happy to comply with his request. Besides, the Waterkeeper Alliance is doing good work while fighting the good fight. And also… hey, did you ever see Edward James Olmos as Lt. Martin Castillo on Miami Vice?

Well, OK, would you ever say no to that dude?

Remembering Selena

Seventeen years ago today, Texas-born Mexican-American singer-songwriter Selena Quintanilla -- a budding superstar poised to make a major breakthrough with first English-language album -- was taken from us all too soon at age 23. Here is a link to a 1996 Los Angeles Times story I wrote after visiting the San Antonio set of Selena -- the biopic that Gregory Nava intended as a tribute to the fallen star. Even though, as Nava admitted to me at the time,"this is a movie I wish I wasn't making." And here is Selena herself, live and in concert -- at the Houston Astrodome.