Wharton Journal-Spectator (Wharton, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 97, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 4, 2013 Page: 4 of 14
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Opinion
Wtjarton Journal-Spectator
www. j ournal-spectator.com
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 • Section A Page 4
The sound
of music
‘Doc’
Blakely
Pokin’ Fun
Music has been a
big part of my bfe ever
since I heard the works
of Bach. You remember
him, don’t you? Bach
Owens and his Bacha-
roos? Then along came a
couple of really talented
guys by the name of
Homer and Jethro. My
contribution to their rendition
of Cold, Cold Heart was, ‘You
know you want and need
my love, I’m every woman’s
dream. Yet every time I make
a pass you’re covered in cold
cream. You are so slick that
it’s a trick to hold you in the
dark. And it’s a shame it
would take propane to melt
your cold, cold heart.”
OK, so I’m an incurable
romantic but that kind of
thinking has paid the bills
over the years through the
change from butane to pro-
pane so it warms the cockles
of my heart. And there is
nothing more romantic than
warm cockles.
My son, Mike, has also re-
sisted the temptations to find
steady employment and has,
over the years, secured the
titles of Singer/Songwriter/
Novelist/Non-Chelan Bon
Vivant.. .and... Man About
Town. He’s one of the best in
the country. OK, so he’s not
so big in the cities, but a star
in the country. The two of us
team up on special occasions,
like when the phone rings
with an offer from a client.
And then sometimes we
just take it upon ourselves
to show off around our old
stompin’ grounds. Such was
the case recently when Mike
released his latest novel,
“What Are the Chances?”
co-authored with legendaxy
singer Kenney Rogers. Mike
was the star and I was the
side man on this one, which is
exactly the way he prefers it.
So we were preparing for
a house concert and book re-
lease party on the ranch. We
invited Kenny but he made
up some flimsy excuse that
he had a concert of his own
in a much bigger house that
seated about 50,000. Anyway
we had worked a show the
night before and got back
home kind of late. Still, being
semi-working cowboys, we got
up at the crack of 9:30 look-
ing for a gourmet hut that
served Juevos Rancheros on
a beautiful Saturday morn-
ing. Luckily we had several to
choose from and were on our
second pot of coffee when my
cell phone rang.
A neighbor gave me the
news that he saw one of my
cows next to the road and she
was prolapsed. This is not
good.
This means that the uterus
which was not designed to see
the light of day was now get-
ting a sun tan. We rushed out
to the ranch, quickly found
her, hauled her to the clinic
and had her un-prolapsed by
the veterinarian before the
noon deadline for watching
Johnny Manziel.
Mike had the best line of
the day when he waxed philo-
sophical about the emergency,
“I’m glad that happened. I’m
going to sing a lot of cowboy
songs tonight and nothing
gets me in the mood to do
that better than a good uter-
ine prolapse.”
■
Hey folks: Don’t forget the
Rotary Gala coming up, Sons
of the Pioneers and The Vir-
ginian, on Thursday, Dec 12
at the Wharton Civic Center.
Get tickets at Milam Street
Coffee, Wharton Journal-
Spectator or online, or call
Rotary Treasurer Sharon
Joines at 979-532-2636.
Doc Blakely is a humor-
ist and motivational speaker
who resides in Wharton. For
more information, visit www.
docblakely.com.
How to reach your
elected/public officials
WHARTON COUNTY
• County Judge Phillip Spenrath (R)
309 E. Milam St.
Wharton, TX 77488
Phone: 979-5324612
Fax: 979-532-1970
Email: judge.spenrath@
co. wharton. tx. us
• Pet. 1 Commissioner Leroy Dettling (R)
3738 FM 3012
Wharton, TX 77488
Phone: 979-532-1991
Fax: 979-532-0838
Email: leroy.dettling@
co.wharton.tx.us
WHARTON
• Mayor Domingo Montalvo Jr.
120 E. Caney St.
Wharton, TX 77488
Phone: 979-5324811, Ext. 229
Fax: 979-532-0181
Email: dmontalvo@cityofwharton.com
WHARTON ISD
• Rachel Rust, school board president
2100 N. Fulton St
Wharton, TX 77488
Phone: 979-532-3871
Fax: 979-532-6228
Email: rrust@wphk-law.com
Website: www.whartonisd.net
Button Journal-Spectator
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of the playoffs............................................................................... 8%
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Senator Leticia an de Putte:
Democrat in for It. governor
Leticia Van de Putte, the seasoned
Democratic state senator from San An-
tonio, will be the first female lieutenant
governor in Texas history — if she wins
the job in 2014.
Of course, it’s an uphill climb in a
state that hasn’t elected a Democrat
to statewide office since 1994. Texas
Democrats have had the longest politi-
cal drought of any state in the country.
But Van de Putte, who considered
running for governor in 2010, certainly
has the credentials to do the lieuten-
ant governor’s job of presiding over the
Texas Senate.
She’s been a senator since 1999, after
eight years in the House. She headed
the Senate Democratic Caucus for sev-
eral years, co-chaired the 2008 Demo-
cratic National Convention, and served
as president of the National Conference
of State Legislatures.
She’s also managed to mix a career
as a pharmacist and a mother of six
with her duties as an elected official
making $7,200 a year — the same sal-
ary paid the lieutenant governor.
Van de Putte gained greater fame
the same night in June that Sen.
Wendy Davis, the Fort Worth Democrat
running for governor, gained nation-
wide fame filibustering for 11 hours
against a bill to make it significantly
more difficult to get abortions.
After Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst shut
down Davis’s filibuster on what Demo-
crats called over-zealous enforcement of
Senate rules, Van de Putte joined other
Democratic senators trying to delay
past the special legislative session’s
midnight deadline.
Van de Putte, exasperated from
trying in vain to be recognized by De-
whurst to speak, finally asked, “At what
point must a female senator raise her
hand or her voice to be recognized over
the male colleagues in the room?”
That, after Davis’s filibuster was
shut down, brought the packed gallery
of mostly women against the bill to
their feet, roaring so loud and long that
they shouted down the senators until
past midnight.
It lasted past midnight, the bill died,
and Gov. Rick Perry quickly called a
second special session, in which it was
easily passed by the large Republican
majority.
Republicans, led by Atty. Gen. Greg
Abbott, the favorite to be their nominee
for governor, are hoping to paint Davis
as a one-issue candidate — “Abortion
Barbie,” as one tweeted. That effort will
also be aimed at Van de Putte.
She predicted it wouldn’t work.
’Women aren’t that dumb,” Van de
Putte said. We know what’s important
to our families and our neighborhoods,
and to make it into one issue is very
condescending toward women.”
At a joint appearance in Austin with
Davis Nov. 23, following Van de Putte’s
announcement in San Antonio, Davis
said issues in the 2014 elections are
about much more.
“She and I will be talking for the
next 11 months about the values of
Texas families,” Davis told reporters.
Van de Putte said the election is
about “the education system. It’s our
transportation system. It’s the highway
system. It’s valuing things like afford-
able health care and respecting our vet-
erans. It’s a number of issues, not just
what we would call women’s issues.”
She said she was shocked in 2011
when Republican legislators cut $5.4
billion in public school spending. That’s
one of the signals that they are more
concerned about protecting their right
flank in their party primary than facing
up to the state’s needs.
In Texas, the governor and lieuten-
ant governor are elected independently.
But Democrats are already presuming
a Davis-Van de Putte ticket for next
November, stressing similar views.
Van de Putte may benefit from the
slugfest among the four running for the
GOP lieutenant governor nomination in
the hottest battle in next year’s prima-
ries.
Dewhurst’s political trajectory was
rearranged in last year’s U.S. Senate
GOP primary loss to Ted Cruz, so now
he wants to hang onto the job he had
hoped to leave to be a senator.
Major opponents are Sen. Dan
Patrick of Houston, and two former
senators — Land Commissioner Jerry
Patterson and Agriculture Commis-
sioner Todd Staples.
Patterson and Staples had said
they’d run in 2011, after Dewhurst an-
nounced for the U.S. Senate, and didn’t
back off after Cruz changed Dewhurst’s
plans.
The effort to “out-conservative” each
other is almost embarrassing. Staples
misses no chance to attack the others —
especially Dewhurst.
Van de Putte’s candi dacy is “another
reminder that conservatives are in
desperate need of new leadership. En-
ergized Texas Democrats are the result
of the failed leadership of David De-
whurst. By allowing Democrats to take
over the Senate, Dewhurst made a
national hero out of Wendy Davis and
inspired Obama’s Battleground Texas,”
Staples charged. “I ask for your sup-
port in the Republican Primary so that
I can stand up and fight for our shared
conservative values next November.”
■
If Van de Putte loses next year, she’ll
remain senator, since her term lasts
through 2016. Davis won’t, because
her senate seat is also up for election in
2014.
Contact Dave McNeely at davemc-
neelylll@gmail.com or 512-458-2963.
Candidates are lining up for the
Republican, Democrat primaries
AUSTIN — Texas’ primary election
is set for March 4,2014, and the fist of
candidates for statewide office is largely
settled, with Dec. 9 as the filing deadline.
Most recently gaining notice was
state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San
Antonio, who announced her candidacy
for lieutenant governor on Nov. 23. Van
de Putte has 22 years of experience as
a state lawmaker — eight years as a
state representative and 14 years as a
senator. She serves as chair of the Sen-
ate Committee on Veteran Affairs and
Military Installations. Van de Putte and
her colleague Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort
Worth, who is seeking the Texas Demo-
cratic Party’s nomination for governor,
form the nucleus of an effort to end a
20-year Republican sweep in statewide
elections. Also seeking the Texas Demo-
cratic Party’s nomination for lieutenant
governor is Seadrift Municipal Court
Judge Reynaldo “Ray” Madrigal.
State Attorney General Greg Ab-
bott, a Republican, is campaigning to
succeed Rick Perry as governor. Last
summer, Perry chose not to seek an-
other term in the office he has occupied
since 2001 and speculation about his
mounting a second run for the presi-
dency continues. Also running for the
Republican Party of Texas’ gubernato-
rial nomination are former Univision
personality Miriam Martinez of the Rio
Grande Valley, author and former radio
show host Lisa Fritsch of Austin and se-
cessionist Larry S. Kilgore of Arlington.
Four Republicans to vie
While incumbent Lt. Gov. David
Dewhurst has presided over the Sen-
ate since January 2003, he appears
unready to change his job description.
Dewhurst, who explored and passed on
a possible run for governor, faces a field
of three of his fellow Republicans in the
GOP primary: Texas Land Commis-
sioner and former state lawmaker Jerry
Patterson, Agriculture Commissioner
and former state senator Todd Staples,
and state Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston,
Ed
Sterling
State Capital
Highlights
chair of the Senate Education Commit-
tee.
Four seek to be state’s next AG
In the race to succeed Greg Abbott
as state attorney general is Houston
attorney Sam Houston, a Democrat, the
lone candidate seeking his party’s nomi-
nation. Seeking the Republican Party’s
nomination are Texas Railroad Com-
mission Chairman Barry Smitherman
of Austin, state Rep. Dan Branch of
Dallas, chairman of the House Higher
Education Committee; and freshman
state Sen. Ken Paxton of McKinney,
vice chair of the Senate Transportation
Committee and former House member
(2003-2012).
Four ruiming for comptroller
Seeking the Texas GOP nomination
for comptroller of public accounts, to
succeed Susan Combs as the state’s
chief financial officer, are Republicans
Harvey Hilderbran of Kerrville, chair
of the House Committee on Ways and
Means; Sen. Glenn Hegar of Katy, chair
of the Senate Committee on Nomina-
tions; and Debra Medina of Wharton,
a registered nurse, tea party activist
and GOP primary candidate for gover-
nor in 2010. Accounting executive and
energy company chief financial officer
Mike Collier of Kingwood is running for
comptroller on the Democratic ticket.
Five after agriculture dept, role
Now in primary races for the top spot
at the Texas Department of Agriculture
are Republicans J. Allen Carnes of
Uvalde, former state Rep. Tommy Mer-
ritt of Longview, Karnes City rancher
and attorney Eric Opiela, former state
Rep. Sid Miller of Stephenville. Demo-
crat Jim Hogan of Cleburne is seeking
his party’s nomination for agriculture
commissioner. Whoever wins election
in November will succeed Agriculture
Commissioner Todd Staples, who is
running for lieutenant governor.
Incumbent chief justice files
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice
Nathan Hecht, a Republican, has filed
for candidacy to retain his current
position. Hecht, who has been a mem-
ber of the high court since 1988, was
appointed chief justice on Sept. 10 and
was sworn in on Oct. 1. He succeeded
fellow Republican Wallace Jefferson.
As of Dec. 1, no Democrat had filed as a
candidate for chief justice.
TxDOT has repair plan
The Texas Department of Transpor-
tation on Nov. 26 announced a resolu-
tion to manage the maintenance of
roads heavily used by energy companies
in LaSalle County, where cheap patches
on damaged stretches were proposed to
the Texas Legislature last summer, due
to budget tightening.
TxDOT leaders said they have
agreed with La Salle County to share
responsibility in repairing roads in need
and maintaining them over time and
agreements with other affected coun-
ties in the region are being worked on.
Counties will purchase the materials
while TxDOT will perform repairs and
provide labor. “Once fixed, the county
will take over maintenance of the roads
and be responsible for them for five
years or until traffic in those energy
areas drops off,” according to TxDOT’s
statement.
Ed Sterling writes a weekly State
Capital Highlights column for the Texas
Press Association, where he is director
of member services. Email: edsterling@
texaspress.com.
Wharton Journal-Spectator
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Wallace, Bill. Wharton Journal-Spectator (Wharton, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 97, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 4, 2013, newspaper, December 4, 2013; Wharton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth660634/m1/4/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Wharton County Library.