Tag Archives: Amarillo

Uncategorized

News hits like a punch in the gut

Well, I’ve just taken an emotional punch that takes my breath away.

Word came out today that William Hughes “Buddy” Seewald has died in an auto accident. I don’t know the details, except that a good man — and someone I called a friend — has been taken from us.

I won’t linger too long over this post, except to say that Buddy was one of the smartest, most politically astute and decent men I’ve had the pleasure — and honor — of knowing.

We shared a lot of views over many years during my time as a daily journalist in Amarillo and his time as a contributor to our opinion pages. He could be biting in his critique of the prevailing attitude among most Panhandle residents. He was a distinctly progressive voice in a community dominated by conservative thinking. Buddy was fearless in his belief in liberal political causes.

I admired him as a political thinker and activist. Moreover, I always enjoyed our time together — usually over lunch — in which we would kick ideas around and occasionally share in some common political fellowship.

I had not seen much of Buddy in recent years. His myriad business interests kept him busy. I exited my career in daily journalism a year ago and have moved on to other pursuits.

But I will always cherish my memories of this larger-than-life soul. I’ll miss him terribly.

Uncategorized

Stay the course with red-light cams

I am tipping my proverbial cap to the Amarillo City Commission for showing the courage of its convictions relating to the red-light cameras it has deployed at intersections throughout the city.

Rather than buckling to a vocal minority of critics, commissioners are increasing the number of cameras. They’re adding even more electronic eyes to watch for those individuals who cannot seem to avoid running through red lights and endangering other motorists and pedestrians.

It’s an interesting display of backbone. Lubbock installed red-light cameras some years ago and then pulled them down when the critics got too loud. Amarillo, on the other hand, has stood firm against the critics, telling them flat out that if you don’t want to get slapped with a fine, simply obey the law.

This criticism, incidentally, has puzzled me.

I cannot prove it from my perch, but I cannot get past this nagging notion that if someone were to conduct a thorough public opinion survey of residents regarding the red-light cameras, there would be a substantial majority of respondents who would favor them. I suspect there might be a large “no opinion” result in the sampling, but those who do have an opinion on the red-light cameras would endorse them — in my humble view.

However, the red-light camera critics in Amarillo have been vocal. They’ve managed to bluff and bluster more loudly than their small numbers would suggest.

Let’s understand one key element of the cameras’ deployment: The city isn’t raking in large sums of money for frills and needless expenses. State law requires cities to use the revenue derived from the fines they collect to go directly toward traffic improvement projects. Amarillo has done that.

So now the city is marching ahead with its program to persuade motorists to obey the red traffic lights that command them to “Stop.”

Maybe one day, the scofflaws will get the message.

Uncategorized

West, South Texas running dry

A University of Nebraska study has produced a U.S. Drought Monitor survey that provides some grim news for West and South Texas.

Three significant cities in the region are running out of water.

http://money.msn.com/investing/5-cities-running-out-of-water

Are you ready for this, Lubbock, McAllen and Harlingen? Of the five cities profiled, the other two are in Colorado: Pueblo and Colorado Springs, according to the study.

What do all these communities have in common? They’re all served by the once-massive Ogallala Aquifer, which sprawls under 11 states from Texas to the Dakotas.

The good news — if you’ll forgive the parochial nature of this observation — is that Amarillo isn’t among the endangered cities list.

But what about our neighbor to the south, Lubbock? Not so good there, the Drought Monitor says.

MSN.com reports: “Nearly half of the Lubbock area has been in a state of exceptional drought since 2011, conditions that are worse than any other U.S. city with a population of 75,000 or more. During that time, more than three-quarters of the area has been under exceptional drought in an average week.”

Lake Meredith, which once supplied Lubbock with surface water, is out of commission. The Canadian River Municipal Water Authority has stopped pumping from the lake because, um, it’s running out of water. Last I heard it was down to 26 feet — and receding. CRMWA has purchased an enormous amount of groundwater rights from T. Boone Pickens. Amarillo, meanwhile, is purchasing water rights on its own while trying secure water security for the next century or two.

I’m guessing that Lubbock is heading toward some serious water rationing. Get ready, South Plains residents.

Uncategorized

Why not visit Panhandle, Sen. Cruz?

It just occurred to me today, after commenting on Sen. Ted Cruz’s schedule of town hall meetings, that he’s not coming to the core of his support in Texas.

I’m talking about the Panhandle.

Cruz’s itinerary will keep him down state during his meet-and-greet tour. He’ll be talking to politically friendly audiences.

If that’s going to be his modus operandi during the congressional break, then he needs to come to where his support is really — as in really, really — strong. The Panhandle is known to be a hotbed of tea party support for any statewide candidate. Cruz has taken the next important step and actually won a statewide office.

As the junior Republican U.S. senator, he’s made a big name for himself talking tough about shutting down the government and questioning the commitment of real-life Vietnam War heroes, such as Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, to our national defense. I feel compelled to insert at this point that Cruz has never worn his country’s uniform, let alone in battle — as Kerry and Hagel have done.

So, what say you, Sen. Cruz? Can’t you find some time in your busy schedule to drop in on, say, Amarillo, for some flesh-pressing with those who just think you’re the bee’s knees?

If you come this way, I might even find time to attend your session and when you open the floor up to questions, I might even challenge you to explain why you believe shutting down the federal government is good for the country.