I’d read Joan Arbery’s arts columns in D magazine for a couple months but confess I was unaware that last month, she and several other young, local writers (Teresa Burkett, Lucia and Peter Simek) also launched a handsome-looking, Dallas-area arts site of their own: Renegade Bus.

The name evokes an enthusiastically unpredictable path down the off ramp, a la Otto, the Simpsons’ school-bus stoner (“fifteen accidents and not a single fatality!”). But far from being wayward, the fledgling site so far has been a smartly steered compilation of reviews, interviews, think pieces and, you know, online stuff.  North Texas can use all the intelligent cultural journalism it can get (we’ll just have to forgive Arbery for being wrong about Chekhov).

Do not talk to the driver while bus is in motion. Windows can be used as exits.

Welcome aboard.