Category Archives: local news

local news, political news

RINOs are everywhere!

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Seems as if it takes damn little to be labeled a RINO these days … you know, a Republican in name only.

Donald Trump, the nation’s RINO in chief, throws the term around with utterly no understanding of the irony that he calls anyone a RINO.

Texas is going through its primary election today. State Rep. Jeff Leach has been called a RINO by his challenger Henry Thorsen. Why? Well, it seems that Leach had the temerity to serve as a prosecutor in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.

Never mind the body of work that Leach compiled while representing Collin County in the Legislature. You turn against a crook like Paxton? You’re toast.

It’s happened to other anti-Trump Republicans, such as former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney. She stood her ground and went for Trump’s jugular. She remains a conservative Republican. But she’s now out of office, scorned by the very party to which she once dedicated her political life.

Paxton and Trump are now besties. That’s the connection between the Texas AG and the POTUS.

I won’t vote in the Texas GOP primary today. I am going. to pull for Jeff Leach. I don’t know him well, but I do know him to be a conservative with a conscience. What’s more, he is no RINO!

local news

How has my life changed?

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Every now and then, I get a question from a High Plains Blogger reader that makes me struggle for an answer.

Such as this one, from a critic: How has my life been made worse by Donald Trump? He is likely to read this post and might respond to me, probably telling me I suffer from terminal Trump Derangement Syndrome. I’ll plead guilty to it.

Truth is, my life isn’t worse because of Trump. I’m on a fixed income and Trump has been unable to mess with it. I live comfortably in my North Texas home. I am making friends. I have two dogs who adore their daddy. I am enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care program, so my health insurance isn’t affected by Trump’s gutting of it.

None of this is about me. Trump’s ruination of our democratic republic has caused me some anxiety. He has made me jittery at times. My sleep deprivation is worsening and I suppose I could lay some of that at Trump’s feet.

I see polling data that tells me most Americans feel uneasy about the direction Trump is leading this nation. Americans dislike the tariffs, we’re angry that his promise to end inflation has flopped, his pledge to end the Russia-Ukraine war hasn’t borne fruit.

The most frightening act he’s committed was to pardon all the traitors who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, including those convicted of attacking police officers assigned to keep law and order. And then he accuses President Biden’s border policies of endangering Americans because he lets felons enter the country illegally. Good ever-lovin’ grief, man!

Has my life been altered by the moron in chief? Not in a tangible way. I suppose it’s fair to ask whether the MAGA crowd has seen its life enhanced by the policies enacted in Trump’s name. If you’re worth billions of dollars, I suppose you’re breathing a bit more easily these days.

Meanwhile, I shall keep my eyes focused forward … to Nov. 3, Election Day.

local news, political news, State news

MAGA field launches suicide mission

Watching the enormous Texas Republican primary field trying to out-MAGA itself is sorta like watching a circular firing squad eliminate a traitor … in that there will be plenty of stray bullets to take out bystanders.

Actual conservatives are now being called “Republicans in name only” by Donald Trump loyalists who seek to keep the MAGA meister relevant to the current policy debate. They seem to ignore polling data that suggest Trump’s approval rating among all voters is cratering more rapidly than a Mar-a-Lago minute.

The MAGA crusade is good for the base of the party that still remains wedded to what passes for Trump’s philosophy — as if he actually had one, which he doesn’t.

Real conservatives like U.S. Sen. John Cornyn have been hung with the RINO tag. Same with state Rep. Candy Noble of McKinney, who’s been called a “liberal” by her primary foes. Congressman Chip Roy has been called “disloyal” to Trump by MAGA adherents; Roy answers that he is stands with Trump on virtually every policy one can mention; he is running for Texas attorney general!

The good news for the rest of us is that the MAGA cultists are likely to win many of these primary races, setting up the possibility of a massive congressional rout in favor of real patriots in the fall election. I can’t speak for what might occur in some of these Texas-centric races, as the state’s political makeup remains a bit of a mystery to me.

I will cast my vote in the other party’s primary, which seems to be progressing on my realistic, reasonable grounds. I still intend to wait for Election Day, March 3. I am praying my candidates don’t mess up between now and then.

local news

Stunning casino discovery …

I walked into a gambling casino this weekend and made a startling discovery upon entering the place … it was the lack of cigarette/cigar smoke lingering in the air.

Yep. Even casinos have become smoke-free environments.

This one was at the Winstar resort in Thackerville, Okla., just about 90 minutes or so from my North Texas home. My friend and I walked in and I was prepared to cover my mouth and nose from the stench.

Didn’t need to …

I don’t visit gambling joints very often but every one I ever have seen has been filled with blue smoke from cigarettes. I recall seeing a middle-aged woman one time in Las Vegas playing three slot machines at once, cigarette dangling from her mouth as she moved gracefully among the machines that were gobbling up her money.

Well, whatever. That was then. Today, I saw a smoke-free environment flourishing just fine without the stench of smoke.

local news

Jackson bridged huge gap

Jesse Jackson’s death at age 84 brought to my mind immediately an experience I had that bore witness to the enormous political strength of this iconic civil rights leader.

I was new to Southeast Texas in 1984, the year Rev. Jackson ran for the presidency the first time. I had a side hustle going on with an election research firm in which I would cover the election in Texas. They folks for whom I worked assigned me to cover a Democratic caucus in a precinct in what we used to call Beaumont’s “fashionalb west end.”

In 1984, Texas Democrats caucused on primary election night with representatives for candidates making their arguments on behalf of their candidate. Those who attended the caucus then were asked to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice.

The west end of Beaumont was mostly white. However, Rev. Jackson — a Black Baptist preacher — managed to parlay his passionate support into votes at this caucus. Black voters were present to cast their votes for the man who spoke directly to them and for them. As it turned, Jackson would end up winning the caucus in that particular precinct while doing exceptionally well throughout Jefferson County.

I cannot recall who won the Texas Democratic primary that year, but I do recall as the nation mourns Jackson’s passing that this fiery orator, disciple of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and a champion of what became the Rainbow Coalition of Americans made his presence felt in Democratic Party politics.

His imprint on the political landscape is as indelible today as it was in 1984 when he burst onto the scene as a mainstream candidate for president of the United States of America.

May this iconic leader and champion for the dispossessed rest in eternal peace.

business news, economic news, entertainment news, local news

Downtown doesn’t exist here

Allow me a moment to vent about something that’s been gnawing at me since just about the time I laid eyes on the city I am proud to call home.

I have lived in Princeton, Texas, for seven years. My wife and I found a lovely, modest home in a newly built subdivision just south of U.S. 380.

We took to life in this Dallas suburban community right away … except for one key element that was missing. Princeton does not have any sort of downtown business, finance or entertainment district. I know where it should be, near the Veterans Park near Second Avenue. But it ain’t there, man.

The city has become the fastest-growing city in America, a label that I love advertising to people I meet. Many of the Dallas-Fort Worth residents know it already. I tell folks we’ve exploded from fewer than 10,000 residents to something north of 40,000 in just the past 15 years. The growth isn’t letting up, not even a little bit.

It’s happening, though, despite the absence of a downtown district that could serve as a magnet for those seeking a place to do business, to shop for goods and gifts, or to enjoy a quality meal with friends and family.

I spoke to Derek Borg, who at the time of our arrival in Princeton served as city manager. He told me of some conceptual plans that the city had approved and assured me downtown development would occur. He offered no timetable, no specific notion of what downtown would include. All he spoke about, as I recall it, was of some vague notion that the City Council had approved. Borg is now gone from City Hall and all the reporting I have read about the city’s future has made next to zero mention of downtown development.

I have noted already on this blog that Princeton is sprouting into a city with no personality, no identity. The place to establish such a trait must be in its downtown district. State demographers tell us the city will be home eventually to more than 100,000 people. Where in the world are they going to go to enjoy city life in this one-time burg?

We aren’t a burg any longer. I am just one resident in a community that needs to build an identity on which it can attract others to come here to enjoy themselves, or just to do business.

Downtown Princeton needs to be conceived and then given a set time for birth and then growth.

local news, medical news

Recalling the ‘worst day’

It’s been a minute or two since I last wrote about the emotional journey I have undertaken since the worst day of my life came and went just shy of three years ago.

I believe my most recent post on High Plains Blogger mentioned that my journey was for all intents complete. That I had turned an important emotional corner since Feb. 3, 2023 when my bride, Kathy Anne, drew her final breath.

Indeed, my suffering is far less intense today than it was three years ago. I can smile, laugh at bawdy jokes and carry on as I used to do with my wife of 51 years. I have redefined “good” as it applies to my personal well-being and I am comfortable with saying I am “good” now. That’s an important thing for me.

I am also going to reveal on this blog a bit of news for you, which is that I am in a relationship with a woman who understands the journey I am still traveling. I won’t go into detail about her, other than to say we enjoy each other’s company.

My journey also has put me in touch with fellow brothers in grief. Many of them have lost their wives even more recently than I lost my bride to glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The question comes from them: I can’t stop crying when I think of her. When will it stop? My answer? It won’t ever stop. Do not try to make it stop, because human emotion can be like a runaway freight train. You can manage it. I know that to be true, because I am able to manage my own emotions.

I had a moment today at lunch with one of my sons. He and I were talking about the upcoming date of commemoration and he recalled having dinner with his Mom and me. During our time together, Kathy Anne announced to my sons, our daughter-in-law, our granddaughter and me that in five years we were going to throw a huge party to salute her being “cancer free.” She was recovering nicely from the brain surgery she had to remove part of the tumor. We weren’t able to have that party, as just a few days later, Kathy Anne suffered a grand mal seizure … from which she didn’t recover.

My son’s recalling that statement from his Mom, however, filled me with sadness. My eyes got wet. I wanted to cry out loud. I held back.

These are the kinds of events that continue to tug at my ticker. But I am able to manage my emotions.

I don’t know what will occur a couple of days from now. I don’t expect the day will overwhelm me. I’ll have to run a couple of errands that will take me away from the house for most of the morning. I’ll drive to Bonham to see the Veterans Administration medics who take good care of me.

Feb. 3 always will be a day I will never forget. Not ever! It comemmorates the worst day I hope to ever experience during my time on this good Earth.

I’ll just add this. Kathy Anne instructed me to be happy if that day ever arrived and like most dutiful husbands I know, I always do what I am told.

local news, media news, Uncategorized

If I had a dollar …

You’ve heard others say it, or perhaps you have said it yourself, that “if I had a dollar for every time … blah, blah, blah.“

I am an old-school media guy. I grew up reading the newspaper that was delivered to our home from front to back. I did so each day. Every day!

My love of newspapers didn’t end when I left home when I was in my quite early 20s. I got married at 21 to a young woman who was 19. We built a nice life together and it involved newspapers. I worked for four of them over the course of nearly 40 years. Two in Oregon. Two in Texas.

My full time career ended in August 2012. The media world was in the midst of a huge change. It’s still underway.

Americans aren’t ready newspapers the way we all once did. So, when someone tells me they still “prefer to read an actual newspaper” that blackens their fingers with printer’s ink, all I can do is chuckle.

Why? Because if I had a dollar for every person who said such a thing to me I’d be a gazillionaire.

I hang out, I reckon, with too many old timers like me, folks who grew up as I did reading newspapers. That includes the advice columns and the horoscopes, man.

I’m all but absolutely certain that were I to hang with younger folks that I would see a much different world than the one I have left behind. Which I suppose brings me to my point. The media are looking for ways to appeal to the younger among us. They are the future. People like me are part of the fading past.

I get it. Totally and completely.

I want to wish the media companies well in their quest for new readership audiences. I also want to wish the younger Americans out there looking for sources to inform them of the events of the day. They’re out there. You just have to look carefully and decide who among those sources are giving it you straight and which of them are foisting their own world view on a gullible ocean of empty skulls.

local news

Life with puppies …

Today I want to regale you with a brief tale I am living as I sit at home in North Texas trapped indoors by the bitter cold that has swept in as announced.

I’ve turned the TV off because I am sickened by the news created by the monsters disguised as immigration cops.

So, I will talk briefly about my life with two dogs. They are — to put it mildly — a serious hoot and a scream.

Sabol is the older of them. She is a Chihuaha mix. She’s about 7 years old. She joined my family about 18 months ago. She loves attention. She cannot lick you enough. She’s a little pudgy but she gets around just fine. She runs around in the back yard and she likes the sound of her own voice … if you get my drift.

Then there’s Endo. She joined me almost a year ago. Endo is a 4-year-old black-mouth cur mix. She and Sabol are BFFs. They established their lasting friendship the moment Endo walked into the house. Sabol had to sniff up and down. She gave Endo the once over and conveyed the message I understood completely, which is that “this one is good, Dad.”

I had been a bit fearful that Sabol might not like another fur baby joining the family, as this is her house. She’s the boss.

Hey, no worries.

Well, we’re all kinda trapped inside for next little bit of time. We’re all waiting for the deep freeze to lift.

Normally, I keep the back door open to the back yard. Our doggie door allows them to move in and out at will. With the temperature hovering at around 20 degrees, I am keeping the door closed. The puppies let me know when they want to go outside.

Endo usually sends the message by jumping up and down in front of me. I ask her, “Do you want to go outside?” She responds by bolting for the door. Sabol joins her there and they sort of “play growl” at each other. I open the door and they blast through the doggie door.

Then Endo launches into a three- or four-lap sprint around the back yard. Full tilt! Flaps up!

Only this morning, when she went out she couldn’t keep her footing when she wanted to reverse direction. The ice covered the lawn and made it treacherous for her. She made less than two laps today before bolting back inside. Endo is a short-hair pooch, as is Sabol. Neither of them is comfortable with the cold weather.

I am happy to report that life around my house is a bit quieter than normal. I am even happier to report that I hit home runs when I acquired these two pups. I’ll be clear on this final point, which is that I don’t do cold weather well. I am ready to let Sabol and Endo enjoy the great outdoors.

environmental news, local news

Reporting the weather takes on new urgency

My fellow North Texas residents I am sure have noticed the extra urgency in the tone of voice used by the broadcast TV weather forecasters as they tell us about the winter storm that is bearing down on much of the country.

I get why they sound so, um, excited.

The last one of these “major” winter weather events turned into a catstrophe. It was February 2021. Snow and ice blanketed the entire state. Hundreds of Texans died in the blast of cold. One U.S. senator, Republican Ted Cruz, infamously jetted off to Cancun while the state was freezing to death. He hurried back when the media exposed his getaway.

ERCOT, the agency that overseas energy production and distribution, acknowledged system failure. Legislators pledge to fix it. Now we’re on the verge of getting another big-time blast.

ERCOT is telling us the system will hold up. The media are reporting ERCOT’s assurances dutifully, as they should.

This kind of reporting has become a regular staple now when we hear about winter storms. Will the system hold up? Has ERCOT winterized the natural gas heating pumps sufficiently? Are local governments setting up enough warming shelters to give residents a place to go in case of power failure?

The 2021 storm did not affect my wife and me as it did many other families. We lost power for a couple of days, water for a couple of hours.We powered through it. To be honest, we did not expect to be without either power or water.

This time I am prepared for the worst. Got flashlights standing by. I even have a lithium battery-powered lantern I can deploy if I need extra light. Plenty of water on hand. Food in the cupboards.

I have been advised by the weather hounds of what to do.

Experience has taught us a bitter lesson to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.