| Archived Columns |
| Stimulus money, earmarks and the Republican governors race |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, October 18, 2009 |
Gov. Rick Perry and re-election opponent Kay Bailey Hutchison both willingly ignore the late President Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment:
"Thou shalt not speak ill of any other Republican." |
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| Vote yes on Prop. 9 to keep Texas beaches open to all |
| By Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson | Published Sunday, October 18, 2009 |
| Can you imagine driving your family to the beach for summer vacation only to find a high fence covered with "no trespassing" signs? |
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| Vote for Ol So-and-So - he needs a job |
| By Willis Webb | Published Thursday, October 15, 2009 |
| There are term limits on elected offices in a number of Texas cities. Most municipal offices are for two-year terms. |
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| The risky business of immigration reform |
| By Marc A. Levin | Published Thursday, October 15, 2009 |
| Undaunted by vigorous debates over heath care and energy legislation, the Obama administration will soon push Congress to add immigration reform to its already full plate. In the coming months, Obama has promised to offer a plan very similar to that of his predecessor, George W. Bush, which coupled enhanced border enforcement with a controversial guest worker program. |
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| Perry, Hutchison, compete for Anti-Taxer Grover Norquists Blessing |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, October 11, 2009 |
| In some ways, it's reminiscent of the 1980s, when competing black Democrats, some who couldn't stand each other, got in elbowing matches to stand closest to black presidential candidate Jesse Jackson. |
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| A health system that bankrupts families |
| By Jim Hightower | Published Sunday, October 11, 2009 |
| America's corporatized health care system keeps producing unpleasant surprises. |
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| Interacting with neighbors brings truth to news |
| By Willis Webb | Published Thursday, October 8, 2009 |
| There's a human tendency to react negatively to someone or something with which we disagree. In journalism, that tendency is akin to killing the messenger. |
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| Action now preserves the Texas Tomorrow Fund |
| By Michael Quinn Sullivan | Published Thursday, October 8, 2009 |
| A true fiscal conservative protects the taxpayers even when it will raise the ire of those around them. Comptroller Susan Combs inherited a structurally-flawed college program known as the Texas Tomorrow Fund. In recent days, she has taken difficult, but necessary, actions to protect the integrity of the fund. More importantly, she has protected the taxpayers who will ultimately bear any risks the fund's structure might create. |
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| Rep. David Farabee retiring a blow for Democrats |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, October 4, 2009 |
| It's been a long run for the quiet man from Wichita Falls. David Farabee, the lanky, low-key state representative first elected in 1998, recently announced he won't run for re-election. |
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| Do not ignore the illness |
| By Todd Staples | Published Sunday, October 4, 2009 |
| While Washington jostles over proposed government health care legislation, simple truths are being ignored and overlooked. A great deal of the money spent on health care today is avoidable. A comptroller's report estimates Texas businesses alone are spending $1.3 billion in health care costs linked to obesity. |
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| What do we do about child abuse? |
| By Willis Webb | Published Thursday, October 1, 2009 |
| Most caring people have strong feelings when it comes to stories about terrible mistreatment of children, particularly when it is compounded with sexual assault. When I hear or read such stories my heart aches, followed quickly by total revulsion for the perpetrator(s). |
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| Please do not tread on us |
| By Joseph M. Nixon | Published Thursday, October 1, 2009 |
| Texas' economic success, achieved in part by 10 years of civil justice reform, is at risk in the current national health care debate. |
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| Public schools forced to teach Bible course |
| By Brandon Evans | Published Sunday, September 27, 2009 |
"The separation of church and state is extremely important to any of us who holds to the original traditions of our nation. To change these traditions by changing our traditional attitude toward public education would be harmful to our whole attitude of tolerance in the religion area. If we look at situations which have arisen in the past in Europe and other world areas, I think we will see the reasons why it is wise to hold to our early traditions."
- Eleanor Roosevelt |
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| Hutchison may be factor in next Lt. Gov. |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, September 27, 2009 |
| Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the Senate's presiding officer since 2003, is hankering for the United States Senate seat Kay Bailey Hutchison has said she'll relinquish late this year to concentrate on her Republican primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry. |
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| One ringy-dingy, two ringy-dingy |
| By Willis Webb | Published Thursday, September 24, 2009 |
| It was surrender time. I gave in to my partner and signed up our two cell phones for texting. |
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| With health care, who needs truth? |
| By Jim Hightower | Published Thursday, September 24, 2009 |
| Our country's corporatized healthcare system is so uncaring that 76 percent of Americans tell pollsters it must be "fundamentally changed" or "completely rebuilt." But Rick Scott says no, what health care needs is more corporatization - or even Wal-Martization. |
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| The most powerful governor in Texas history? |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, September 20, 2009 |
"It was bad enough when Rick Perry went to meddling in the affairs of Texas A&M. But now the governor's messing with three of Texas' university systems. What does the Republican think our colleges are, his playground?"
- Dallas Morning News |
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| It is important that everyone is counted |
| By Frances Deviney, Ph.D. | Published Sunday, September 20, 2009 |
| New Census Bureau data shows that for the 10th year in a row Texas has the highest rate of uninsured children in the country, with one of every six kids uninsured. Nearly one of every four Texas kids lived in poverty in 2008 (e.g., $17,600 for a family of three). |
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| John Sharp says he has best chance |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, September 13, 2009 |
| John Sharp thinks he has the best chance to lead into a special election runoff for a U.S. Senate seat. At least, that's what he told a crowd Sept. 2 on a restaurant deck overlooking Lake Austin. |
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| Governor names new leadership team for Texas Youth Commission |
| By Ed Sterling | Published Sunday, September 13, 2009 |
| Officially, the Texas Youth Commission provides services to delinquent youths, ages 10 to 19, through programs and facilities that administer constructive training for rehabilitation. |
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| French Hotel DeVilles ain't no chain |
| By Willis Webb | Published Thursday, September 10, 2009 |
| A July trip to France revealed many things to this inexperienced world traveler. Nothing short of a travelogue would do justice to that beautiful, interesting country. However, there are a number of observations that can provide different views on public problems. |
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| New homestead exemption offers relief for disabled veterans |
| By Susan Combs | Published Thursday, September 10, 2009 |
| Texas state government is doing the right thing by offering a new tax exemption to a group that truly deserves our respect: disabled U.S. military veterans. |
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| What lesson are we teaching when parents pick fear |
| By Brandon Evans | Published Sunday, September 6, 2009 |
"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold." - Helen Keller
A river of fear flows through the heart of Wise County. |
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| Keep politics out of the classroom |
| By Peggy Venable | Published Sunday, September 6, 2009 |
| For some students, Sept. 8 is this year's first day of school. This year it's also another first, the first time a U.S. president has asked to be invited into classrooms to speak directly to children. |
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| A dancing DeLay, yet. Hammer, anyone? |
| By Dave McNeely | Published Sunday, September 6, 2009 |
It's hard to hear about The Hammer "Dancing With The Stars" without coining one-liners.
Like, will they make him dance to "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time?" |
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| NEW BOUNDARIES - The Decatur School Board last night approved new elementary attendance boundaries to take effect with the opening of the district's third elementary next fall. Generally, areas on the west side of the district are zoned into Rann Elementary, areas on the east side of the district are zoned into Carson Elementary and southern areas of the district including much of the downtown area of Decatur are zoned into Young Elementary. See Sunday's Messenger for a detailed map of the new boundaries. |
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| Chico student athletes Malori Moss, Malanie Gates and Shelby Collins express their emotions at the news that trustees approved a resignation agreement with Pete Hart. |
| Photo by Joe Duty |
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| Sutton picks kindness over clock |
| Slidells Staub just misses medal |
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