It’s just the civil service hearings for the Fab Four.

Mayor Bill White and City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado are among those subpoenaed Friday for a Civil Service hearing in the City Hall bonus scandal.

The first of four hearings is scheduled for April 4. The four employees who were fired after receiving unapproved bonuses are fighting to get their jobs back.

Unfortunately, if I recall, the first two stages aren’t open record. But that doesn’t mean that one party with an interest in opening it up can’t do so.

Meanwhile, some overenthusiastic council members want to make it nearly impossible for art and hardware stores to do any business.

The proposed amendments would outlaw the possession of graffiti implements by youngsters under 17 at schools and on private property unless a parent or guardian gives consent.

It would also outlaw selling spray paint or broad tipped markers to anybody under 17 — at least, without a parent’s permission.

And it would require store owners to put spray paint and broad-tipped markers in non-public areas, such as behind counters or under lock and key.

“If you have the items under lock and key, then it forces the sales person to engage you,� said Houston City Councilmember Adrian Garcia. “And then it requires that sales person to become much more diligent about who they sell those products to.�

No, it forces the sales person to become that much more harried and probably rude. And it forces me to wait for assistance instead of just buying the spray paint I need for my little project and being about my business. Further, it’s frigging useless, because all that will happen is they’ll buy a small (quart) can, and a throwaway cheap brush. (What, we’re going to have the crime lab start taking fingerprints from the discards? Yeah, send them to the FBI!) It won’t be as quick or as easy, but as the elaborate graffiti we see every day shows, these perpetrators have no fear of being caught; late at night while the police are busy with drunk drivers, they have as long as they need. It already takes an act of congress to buy some simple painkillers. Can anyone show that it’s done anything to slow down the meth labs?

Hey wait, don’t we have a curfew anyway? That’s working out so well to prevent late night grafitti . . . . just ask Stafford.

Update: I thought we officially were not blaming the refugees for the crime increase? That makes two articles in one day linking crime and our “friends” from New Orleans.

Did Mrs. White get mugged last week or something?