Tag Archives: Midland

2023 election results: Statewide

There are a few items of interest here, starting with this. Property tax cuts, a raise for retired teachers and billions in investments in infrastructure, research, tech and energy appeared headed for passage as voters showed their approval for more … Continue reading

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What happens when there’s no room for the sick people?

It’s already happening in some parts of Texas, mostly out west. Presidio and Brewster counties, home to Marfa and Big Bend, along with nearby Culberson County, lead the state in cases per 1,000 residents in the last two weeks, according … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Counties of interest, part seven: West Texas

Part 1 – Counties around Harris Part 2 – Counties around Dallas/Tarrant Part 3 – Counties around Travis Part 4 – Counties around Bexar Part 5 – East Texas Part 6 – Central Texas Last entry in this series, and … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Prevention > treatment

I mean, more treatments for COVID is a good thing, but you know what’s better? Not getting COVID in the first place. Maybe we can try doing better on that? Gov. Greg Abbott traveled to Lubbock on Thursday to tout … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The coronavirus doesn’t care about your rugged individualism

Put a pin in this story, and let’s see how things are in a week, and in two weeks. Reports of COVID-19 cases might not be as prevalent outside of the metropolitan areas, and official actions have been slower and … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

John B. Love III

Meet the ninth Democratic candidate in the Senate primary. John B. Love III, a Midland city councilman, is the latest Democrat to jump into the crowded race to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, saying in his announcement that gridlock in … Continue reading

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What kind of laws might have helped mitigate our recent violent incidents?

The DMN asks a good question. Texas politicians are looking anew at ways to reduce gun violence in the wake of the recent mass shootings in El Paso and Odessa. Dozens of policies, from the piecemeal to the comprehensive, have … Continue reading

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Greg Abbott is not going to take action on gun violence

Why would he? It’s not who he is. When Gov. Greg Abbott first convened the new Texas Safety Commission last month after the El Paso shooting, he brought with him a stack of papers and wasted little time directing the … Continue reading

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The Lege will not take any action on guns

By all means, keep calling for a special session to address the issue. Just do keep in mind who holds all the cards. At least 17 Texas state lawmakers are asking Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Our all-important metro areas

Another look at the trouble Republicans face in Texas now. The key to Texas’ political future is whether it finally follows the geographic realignment that has transformed the politics of many other states over the past quarter century. Across the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rep. Mike Conaway to retire

We will have at least three new members of Congress from Texas in 2021. Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas will not seek reelection in 2020, according to multiple GOP sources, becoming the fifth Republican to announce their retirement over the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

This is our most “run everywhere” election ever

We already knew this, and have quantified it in a number of ways, but it’s still worth taking a moment to marvel at the surge of Democratic candidates this year. Before she could talk about her campaign for the Texas … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Two more places that Uber won’t operate

Goodbye, Galveston. Just days after the City Council passed an ordinance designed to regulate transportation networks, Uber has shut down its service in Galveston. Monday evening, people in Galveston who tried to use the phone app to order a ride … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How many crimes does your police department solve?

Fewer than you think, unfortunately. Violent crime in America has been falling for two decades. That’s the good news. The bad news is, when crimes occur, they mostly go unpunished. In fact, for most major crimes, police don’t even make … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Conservation is still the best water plan

The state of Texas needs to do better at it. As Texas recovers from the severe drought of the last two years, water experts say that conservation is the easiest way to ensure that the state will have enough of … Continue reading

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Two water stories

The future of Texas’ water supply sure is a hot topic in the papers these days. I hope that continues after we start getting normal rainfall again. Story One is about desalinization: For El Paso and a growing number of … Continue reading

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Even in Midland

Fact-based sex education replaces mythical thinking in Midland. And they said it couldn’t be done. In the spring, public school students in Midland will cross what until very recently was the political third rail of sex education. For the first … Continue reading

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