Month: March 2006

Neal White, publisher of the WDL had some thoughts on Ellis County’s dirty primary season.

From Sunday’s WDL:

Trying to reason with political season

Sunday, March 5, 2006 9:18 AM CST

Ellis County farmers should have a good crop this year. I’m not a farmer — it’s just a theory based on this spring’s campaign season for the Republican primary and the amount of manure that’s been tossed about during the past two months.
In fairness, that statement is an over-exaggeration and in no way is meant to negatively reflect on the candidates who have run campaigns above board with dignity for themselves, their opponents and the people they hope to represent. In fact, we are honoring a few of those candidates in today’s editorial on this page.
Sincerely, I wish we could say that about all the races.
For those in our newsroom who have spent much of the past two months sorting through all the accusations, innuendos and hyperbole to provide factual, fair and balanced news stories on this year’s campaign, we all agree this has been one of the most negative campaign seasons any of us can remember.
We are all ready for Tuesday night.
There is an old axiom they teach in journalism school about working on controversial stories, particularly stories that involve politics. The expression is told to help temper the metal of aspiring reporters while also serving as a reminder the need to be vigilant in providing thorough, fair and impartial news coverage. The axiom is: If everyone involved in the story is mad at you, then you did a good job.
If that axiom holds true then we’ve been doing a really good job on our political coverage.
For example, I received a courtesy call from a member of the Ellis County Democratic Party after one of their recent meetings. It was one of those “just so you know” calls, informing me the county’s Democrats perceived the paper as an ultra right-wing publication. The caller also said they thought I leaned so far to the right, the perception was everyone thought I was sitting on Jimmie Simmons’ lap. For those who don’t know Jimmie, he is a long-time member of the Ellis County Republican Party, known for his conservative views and published opinion columns.
I won’t get into what the politicians said about us, but if they were honest, they would all say we were fair — even if they didn’t want us to run the story.
I will share another call I received from a ranking member of the Ellis County Republican Party. It was another one of those “just so you know” calls to inform me the membership felt I was a left-wing liberal socialist. More specifically, at least one member of the party’s ultra conservative faction was going around the county telling everyone who would listen that I was a “heathen liberal Yankee.” And — it really does get better — certain members of the party, namely its hardcore conservative faction, had alleged I was part of a diabolical cabal with certain members of the “Waxahachie establishment” to run the county.
Normally, I don’t respond to comments, particularly during political season when emotions are running high and people tend to take things way to personal. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I feel the need to clear some things up.
If someone runs into members of the party’s ultra conservative faction — since they obviously aren’t talking to me — please point out to them:
1). The Civil War is over. We are all Americans now.
2). If using the term “Yankee” as a derogatory term, it is only applicable when referring to the geographical location of a person’s birthplace or where they were raised. I was born in North Carolina, raised in South Carolina — both states that left the Union and joined the Confederacy. For someone who dresses up and pretends to be a Confederate soldier on weekends, I really thought they would have known that. They can call me a lot of things, but in this case, “Yankee” isn’t one of them.
As for the diabolical cabal, I don’t know whether to be flattered that they think so highly of me, or burst into laughter over the outrageous insinuation. Honestly, if there is such an organization, I’m not on the e-mail list. Maybe it’s because the members of that alleged group are too busy volunteering their free time to non-profit organizations that are trying to build Ellis County and improve the quality of life for everyone.
Speaking only for myself, almost all of my time away from work and family is devoted to organizations that support children. I coach, I mentor, I teach, I help raise funds for projects that I believe in. I have always looked at my involvement as nothing more than reinvesting my talent and blessings back into the community. Honestly, it never crossed my mind there was anything diabolical about teaching a kid how to hit an inside fastball, or helping provide a safe place for children to go after school, or helping students develop leadership skills through my involvement with 4-H. I really could go on, but you get my point.
And just in case my patriotism comes in to question, I am a veteran. I served my country for six years in the U.S. Navy. I descend from a family with a long line of patriots that have answered our nation’s call to duty — dating back to and including the Civil War. My family never felt the need to re-open old wounds or dress up and pretend to be a soldier to re-enact a 140-year old battle in order to feel patriotic — we were there when it happened.
Again, in the interest of being thorough, fair and balanced, just wanted to make those facts known.
Sadly, the comments being made against me and the paper pale in comparison to some of the vicious, personal attacks being made against opponents in this year’s primary campaigns.
Wouldn’t it be nice if all politicians would just stick to their qualifications, their record and what they plan to do if elected? Again, speaking solely for myself, I find nothing dignified or honorable about negative campaigning. It is a shame that so many of our politicians seem to believe that is the only way they can win.

Neal White is the publisher/editor of the Waxahachie Daily Light. He may be reached by e-mail at neal.white@waxahachiedailylight.com.

I thought I posted on this Saturday night, but I must have goofed and it must not have saved.
Anyways, congratulations to the State Champion Waxahachie Lady Indians!

From the WDL

STATE CHAMPIONS! Lady Indians bring home title

By JIM PERRY Daily Light Assistant Sports Editor
Sunday, March 5, 2006 9:16 AM CST

AUSTIN – It was typical Lady Indian basketball as Waxahachie (32-6) seized the fourth quarter and the state championship with a 52-48 come from behind win over Kerrville-Tivy (31-5).
Trailing 40 to 34 going into the final stanza, the Lady Indians turned on full court pressure to totally rattle the Lady Antlers. Waxahachie outscored Tivy 18-8 in the final period for the win.
“Words cannot describe this. It is just incredible. These kids worked hard and deserve this,” head coach Lesli Priebe said.
The Hughes sisters were unstoppable in the fourth period. Sophomore Destini Hughes scored nine of her 13 game points in the final eight minutes, while sister Niqky had five points during the stretch sprint.
Niqky Hughes was named most valuable player of the championship game.
Only four players for Waxahachie made the scoring column. Niqky Hughes had 21, Destini Hughes had 13, Laura Lewis had 10 and Toriann Timms had 8. Lauren Rust, Kelsey Benford and Tarrah Carr all played well defensively.
It was the first state title for the Lady Indians program and the second trip to the state finals in seven years.
“We had to go through Lincoln, Dunbar and Tivy to get to the championship. Some schools have easy games in the playoffs, but everyone we played definitely tested us,” Priebe said.
“We were determined to get here. We were determined to make it to Austin. After the game I was crying and I didn’t even know why,” Niqky Hughes said.
The state championship is a just reward for a team that worked hard all year.
Complete game coverage and additional highlights and photos from Saturday’s game will be published in Monday’s edition.

WFAA Channel 8 has a new web reporter, Mojo, or Aaron Chimbel who reports straight to the web site.
Chimbel comes from TXCN and KWTX in Waco. I covered several stories and events with him. Fun guy. I think we both ended up covering the flooding Nolan Creek in Harker Heights one day.
Anyways, he’s got some real funny stuff. I’m not sure if it’s meant to be funny or not, but his delivery makes it very entertaining.

The WFAA.com team is always thinking about fresh new ways to present local news. Recently, we launched an exciting project designed to put a different perspective on events that affect you directly.
Aaron Chimbel, our newly-hired mobile journalist (“MoJo”), is producing video reports on local stories exclusively for the Web.
“We’re aiming to provide new, fresh content – something you’re not going to see anywhere else,” Chimbel said.
He is quite literally going to be on your street, near your workplace and in your shopping mall with a video camera and laptop, sending stories back to WFAA.com throughout the day.

Former Poteet HS governement teacher, Victor Morales, is running for the U.S. House near San Antonio.
Morales was the first political candidate I interviewed. It’s interesting to see where life takes you.

Read the Morning News story.
or…
From the Statesman:
Three vying to represent area that includes 11 counties.
By Miguel Liscano

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Saturday, February 25, 2006

SAN MARCOS — In the most contentious congressional race in Texas this spring, former allies are now bitter rivals as they re-fight a 2004 battle that was decided by by 58 votes.
The winner of the March 7 Democratic primary, which first-term U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and former four-term Rep. Ciro Rodriguez are competing for, will represent District 28, an area that includes 11 counties and stretches from Buda south through San Antonio and into Laredo. No Republican has signed up to run.
Cuellar is from Laredo, and Rodriguez from San Antonio.
Victor Morales, who gained fame by driving a white pickup across Texas in a 1996 bid to unseat then-U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm, also is running.
“I passed more legislation in my first year than he did in eight years,” Cuellar said of Rodriguez.
“It’s one thing to reach out to the other side,” Rodriguez said of Cuellar’s record of working with Republicans. “It’s another thing to sell out to the other side.”
Rodriguez and Cuellar were friends when they served together in the Texas House in the 1980s and 1990s. But when Republicans realigned the state’s congressional districts in 2003 and added part of Laredo to the 230-mile-long district, Cuellar decided to challenge the popular incumbent.
Rodriguez’s 145-vote election night win was erased by 419 additional ballots discovered in two of Cuellar’s strongest counties. Cuellar beat Rodriguez by 58 votes after two recounts and four court decisions.
Now Rodriguez wants his job back. “It’s been bare-knuckle politics,” said Richard Gambitta, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. “In a large degree, I think the race is between Rodriguez and Cuellar. Victor Morales doesn’t have much of a shot.”
Cuellar had seven times more cash on hand than Rodriguez at the end of last year, according to federal filings.
Rodriguez, however, got an unexpected boost to help close the gap after a picture of President Bush happily greeting Cuellar by the cheeks at the State of the Union address circulated among left-leaning blogs last month. Rodriguez collected $272,000 in January and February, while Cuellar took in $319,000.
Cuellar says the picture only shows he works with both parties.
Morales reported $11,304 on hand in the latest filings.
The election day results results also could hinge on who energizes their bases — and their hometowns — most.
“If San Antonio turnout is very high . . . and Ciro gets an overwhelming majority in San Antonio, he can really give (Cuellar) trouble,” said Nasser Momayezi, a political science professor at Texas A&M International University in Laredo.
Rodriguez said voters didn’t think he would lose last time and didn’t vote, which he hopes will change this time. Cuellar says he’s working to win voters in San Antonio’s Bexar County. He’s also hoping for another large turnout in his native Webb County, where voters will likely go his way.
Cuellar, 50, is helped this time by the advantage of incumbency and a record that could make or break him.
He says he’s secured $850 million for local projects, such as $3 million for roads in Hays County and a $6 million grant for a library in the Harlandale school district in San Antonio, and he’s passed two bills that secured millions of dollars for law enforcement along the Texas-Mexico border.
On the campaign trail, he touts his authorship of the bill, while in the Texas House, that created the TEXAS Grant program — a $300 million state financial aid program for higher education — as proof that he’s big on education.
He voted with mostly Republicans for the Central American Free Trade Agreement last year because he thought it was good for trade. “I don’t vote blindly,” Cuellar said. “Whatever the issue is, if it’s good for my district, I will vote for it.”
Cuellar is the son of migrant workers who don’t know much English.
At a recent concert at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Seguin, Yolanda Barrientes, 59 of San Antonio, pointed to him and said, “I’ll vote for him,” after he told his parents’ story.
Rodriguez, 59, greets most people he meets on the campaign trail in Spanish first. And most answer in Spanish as they talk about how he wants his job back and he criticizes Cuellar’s congressional voting record during his first term.
He knocks Cuellar for the CAFTA vote, which he says will take away American jobs.
Rodriguez wants a prescription drug plan that’s less confusing than the new Medicare plan many seniors find tough to use. He says he voted against Bush’s Medicare reform bill in 2003 because it didn’t allow price negotiations with pharmaceutical companies.
Rodriguez, who chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus while in Congress, said he has the experience necessary to get things done in Washington.
“I’m the best qualified,” Rodriguez said. “It’s about making sure we get somebody who fights for our issues.”
The pair both criticized Morales, who they say is not a viable opponent because he doesn’t live in the district.
Morales, 56, is a high school teacher from the Dallas area. He lives more than 300 miles away from his mother’s home in Pleasanton, the address he lists to run in the district.
But he says he grew up in the district, has taught in Cotulla, and would move back if elected.
He entered the race in late December and had used a 2001 Lexus to campaign in until voters repeatedly asked, “Where’s the truck?” He resumed campaigning in the white Nissan pickup that still has two “Morales U.S. Senate ’96” bumper stickers, the ink on one nearly faded off.
If elected, he says he’ll work to secure worker pension plans and try to put more crossings along the border to expedite getting into the country legally.
Morales says he’s the best choice partly because he’s a regular guy who won’t be beholden to special interests: “I’m bucking the system.”

(i)Henry Cuellar
Age: 50
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Associate’s degree in political science, Laredo Community College; bachelor’s in foreign service, Georgetown University; master’s in international trade, Texas A&M International University in Laredo; law degree and doctorate in government, University of Texas
Experience: Texas House of Representatives, 1987-2001; Texas secretary of state 2001-02; U.S. House of Representatives, 2005-present
Worth noting: Serves on House Agricultural Committee; lost to U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-San Antonio, for District 23 congressional seat in 2002; beat then-U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, two years later by 58 votes for District 28 spot.
Web site: www.henrycuellar.com

Victor Morales
Age: 56
Occupation: Teacher
Education: Bachelor’s degree in secondary education, Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M-Kingsville)
Experience: U.S. Navy, yeoman 2nd class, 1970-72; Crandall City Council member, 1994-96
Worth noting: Ran two losing campaigns for U.S. Senate, in 1996 and again in 2002; lost a bid for U.S. House to Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, in 1998; known for campaigning in white pickup during his first race.

Ciro D. Rodriguez
Age: 59
Occupation: Former educator and social worker
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science, St. Mary’s University; master’s in social work, Our Lady of the Lake University
Experience: U.S. House of Representatives, 1997-2005; Texas House of Representatives, 1987-97; Harlandale school board member, 1975-1987
Worth noting: Chairman of Congressional Hispanic Caucus, 2003-04
Web site: www.cirodrodriguez.com

From frontburner:

The DMN is set to launch a bi-monthly lifestyle magazine called IN. The mock cover I have features a picture of a woman holding a plate of cookies. The cover line is: “The Sweet Life: Between shoots, local model Amy Mueller’s got milk–and cookies she bakes herself.” If that doesn’t make you throw up in your mouth a little, read how IN describes its mission and content.

A church in DC has redesigned their invitation cards to advertise their third location. But rather than using a typical street map, they thought out of the box and put a map to their locations using the Metro system map.
That’s reaching out to the community if you ask me.
Granted their’s no public transportation in Waxahachie, but with the DART system expanding, churches in the Dallas area could really take advantage of something like that.