Morning Roundup: No ifs, ands or butts edition

Good morning, Houston. Remember the city's smoking ban, which went into effect in September? Well, so does KPRC. The station checked around and found something that will shock you to your very core: Houstonians are still smoking in bars and restaurants! No, really. One of the bars Channel 2 visited was Henry Hudson's Pub on the west side, where reporters found customers and the bartender smoking — and "we even bought a pack of cigarettes out of a machine inside the pub," according to reports. We're just as surprised as you are — and as City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado is. "To be breaking the law so blatantly, obviously these people have no concern, no care, no sensitivity," she said. And no Nicorette, it would seem. KPRC reports that two city smoking inspectors have followed up on 228 complaints since the ban went into effect, which have resulted in more than 60 warnings and four citations.

>> Lawyers to Perry: Name a new DA now: A group of Harris County trial lawyers called on Gov. Rick Perry to immediately name a new Harris County DA on Wednesday, saying that county prosecutors might lack the authority to pursue their cases without a leader. Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association President Patrick McCann said that, under an interpretation of state law, a DA's office without an elected head is like a court without a judge. But Alicia Castile, a spokeswoman for the governor, rejected that idea, pointing out that authority over the department is given to the first assistant — the procedure that was followed after former DA Chuck Rosenthal resigned Friday. Castile said that no timetable has been established for naming a new DA.

>> New soccer stadium? NIMFY, East Enders say: Residents near the land that could end up being the site of a Houston Dynamo stadium aren't too happy with the idea of a sports facility in their front yards, KHOU reports — in fact, they're saying the city is proceeding in secret. "[The stadium] doesn't bring anything to this neighborhood. It doesn't bring anything to the residents except the downsides," Michael Lambert, who lives a block away from the potential stadium site, said. The city has bid $15.5 million for a five-block parcel between Dowling, Texas, Hutchins and Walker, on the east side of downtown a few blocks from Minute Maid Park, but officials say the stadium isn't a done deal: The land, the city said, could be used for something else, like multi-family housing. And until a deal is on the table, Mayor Bill White said it's too early to hear from residents. "I think it's fair [to talk to residents] if there's a particular plan or proposal, which there's not right now," he said. And speaking of deals that aren't done, some folks are already figuring out how MetroRail could be adjusted to make room for the stadium.

>> Today's weather: Looks like the rain isn't out of the picture yet: Expect a 50 percent chance of showers today, with a high in the mid-70s this afternoon. Tonight, the rain chance will let up a bit as temperatures fall into the lower 60s; the good news is that things should clear up by Friday afternoon, leading to a fantastic weekend. Just hang on a bit longer ...

>> In brief: Clara Harris has sued her former attorney ... Home Depot employee run over while trying to stop theft ... UH considers old-school warning system ... Cactus Music will hold its grand opening this weekend