In the small north Texas dairy town of Windthorst, population 440, one of their treasured and beloved sons recently fell victim to an IED attack in Iraq. The death of 21 year old Marine Sgt. Gary Johnston shook this small community to its core. It's a tragedy that has spread beyond family, friends, and community. The entire immediate region suffers the loss.

Since Mayor Laura Miller announced in July of last year that she wouldn't be seeking re-election this May, candidates to replace her have been plentiful. The usual campaign tactic for the crop of around 20 candidates has been to criticize the current mayor while explaining their own business successes as credentials for city leadership. If you thought the Democratic field of Presidential contenders was large and complex, wait until you see this.

Steven Bollinger, past president of Texas Young Democrats and well-known progressive hero, celebrated the finalization of his divorce in Denton County last night. The event was roundly categorized as a rousing success. Incredibly, production continues unabated this morning at the Texas Blue.

Clay County Memorial Hospital's financial condition is sound, it's without long-term debt, and costs are being controlled. Nevertheless, this north Texas rural hospital could go the way of the drive in theatre: extinct.

There is no bigger story in Texas politics today than the death of Molly Ivins. Although I did not know her beyond meeting her a time or two, I'm willing to bet she would agree that the news waits for no man, so we might as well talk about it.

"I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults."

Molly Ivins, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 1, 1992

Molly Ivins passed away today, after battling breast cancer for seven years.

Molly will likely be most remembered for using her biting wit to skewer the status quo of politics, something for which she had a remarkable talent. Personally, I can't help thinking that doesn't do her justice.

Monday Jan. 29

Since the minimum wage issue is up for vote again, I decided to write my Senator (I already wrote KBH last year and got a small business sob story). So since I've never actually written Senator Cornyn before, I figured I would try this out on him.

What do you get when 500 climate scientists gather to discuss greenhouse gases?

Traffic checkpoints are not allowed in Texas. If HB 253 and SB 59 are passed, sobriety checkpoints will become part of law enforcement efforts to stop drunk driving.

There's a lot of this sort of thing going around - Defense Secretary Robert Gates took a page out of the 2003 playbook when he said that the proposed Senate resolution against the troop surge in Iraq "emboldens the enemy." Lest anyone thought he would truly be any different than Rumsfeld, I say he wouldn't have gotten the job if that were the case.