El Paso Politics

There was a hearing today for a case that sounds a lot like a plot to a movie. Picture this: A poor Latino community that is in the throws of an identity crisis trying to feel its way in the world and torn between being known as a city or rural community, takes a powerful, all-Anglo, utility district to court. Sounds like a movie, but it isn't. The City of Socorro and Horizon are locked in a battle over, of all things, waste water. Not for who gets it, but essentially who gets stuck with it. According to the arguments made in court, here's how things transpired. In 2006 the Horizon Municipal Utility District (MUD), an elected board, planned for a $2.2 million expansion of their waste water project. In 2009 MUD applied for and obtained a permit to do so from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The project was to pipe waste water from Horizon through some county areas and the city of Socorro in to an area in Socorro and eventually in to the Rio Grande. That's pre...

Sorry this one was a little late, but I've been a little busy. I've been to many fundraisers over the years in politics. El Paso fundraisers are usually pretty sad affairs. The real money in most campaigns doesn't come from people who show up to fundraisers. The big money guys prefer to donate in private. But nonetheless they are still fun to attend because who how shows up, who doesn't, and all the info you can usually find out about. Usually the fundraisers are a big flop and quite often, they end up costing the candidate more money than they raise. But Isela Castanon-Williams, who is running for re-election to the EPISD school board had the most successful fundraiser in terms of attendance that I've ever been to. It was held at Andale's Restaurant on the Eastside and the place was packed. There was no room to sit. She doesn't have an opponent yet, and judging by who was there to support Castanon-Williams, it wouldn't be advisable for anyone to through...

Wanna see a wrap up of Isela Castanon-Williams announcement and fundraiser? Wanna hear which Latino elected official in town said they were supportive of UTEP's decision to eliminate Cesar Chavez as a holiday? Which city council rep candidate is afraid to answer a few simple questions? Which city council rep worked for a non-profit and got in trouble for losing a laptop and sending political emails from her work email address? Find out this weekend on The LionStar Blog...

Brooks Vandivort, who is a member of the City Planning Commission, has said that he was going to take the weekend to decide if he was going to make a run for city council. Vandivort lives in District 1 and if he made the decision to run, it would be against City Rep Ann Lily who is the incumbent and Manny Hinojosa. So whats the big rumor? Well its been going around in Republican circles that my co-host Greg Freyermuth would be running for city council. Here's what I know in terms of facts. Freyermuth has made no announcement to run for anything. But I do know that he has received invitations from people in the business community to discuss issues important to them. Let's face facts people, business people tend to be conservative and Greg is El Paso's arch-conservative, so naturally he would be someone that they would like to have conversations with. Stay tuned.

City Rep Eddie Holguin has an opponent that has confirmed she will be running against him. So I wondered what the incumbent had to say about having a challenger. I called Holguin and started the interview by asking him what he felt about having an opponent in his upcoming re-election bid. “I think its great. I think anyone who wants to run should run.” I asked Holguin what he thought about running against a Republican and he replied, “I think its great to have a Republican like Lazarin and a Democrat like myself run. The voters get to decide whether they want a Republican or a fiscally conservative Democrat.” When asked about the fact that his opponent originally though she lived in another district and whether he thought it would be an issue to voters, Holguin's answer was “That's something the voters will have to decide on.” Holguin reminded me that the official filing window hasn't even opened yet which is why he hasn't had an official announcement yet, but it appea...

Omar Macias has dropped out of the District 5 race citing the fact that he is not living in the District at this time. He is currently in District 6 because he is house-sitting for a friend. Macias says he's lived in the district for over 10 years but due to the fact that he is currently house-sitting, he didn't want it to be a distraction. This is now the second candidate who originally wanted to run in District 5 but actually lives in District 6. Macias is not planning a run for District 6. The other candidate that didn't live in the district she wanted to run in, Zulema Lazarin , has announced that she will be taking on Holguin. She may not be in the position to quit at this point. Sources at city hall indicate that she made an interesting revelation when she was on the 10th floor. Apparently she revealed that she had to run because she had already recieved contributions. At the time she allegedly made this comment, she hadn't filed for a treasurer for her campaign ...

Zulema Lazarin, former Secretary of the El Paso Latino National Republican Coalition has decided to take on City Representative Eddie Holguin for his positon in District 6, which is made up mostly of the Lower Valley and does have a portion of El Paso's Eastside. That's a decision that has several people, some in her own party in fact, questioning the decision. Lazarin lives near the very upper boundary of the district. I ran in to Lazarin at a fundraiser for a Democrat, Isela Castanon-Williams who is running for re-election to the El Paso ISD Board. Lazarin with sitting with her spouse and Manny Hinojosa, who is a Republican precinct chair and candidate running for District 1 against Ann Morgan Lily. I wasn't expecting to see the Republicans there but since they are running in non-partisan races it makes sense that they would make the rounds at as many events as they possibly can. In light of the fact that Lazarin was going to file to run for the seat in District 5 until s...

Apparently my buddy David K takes issue with the fact that I mentioned that the Latino National Republican Coalition has made an impact in elections in just a short period of time. Of all the stuff I've said on my show that he could take issue with, considering he's a Republican and I'm a Democrat, I figured it would've been something of more significance, but oh well. Let me just say that the LNRC has made an impact, more so, at least I would argue, than the other auxillery clubs in town. Maybe Senor Juice was busy with his own campaign to really notice but the group went from nothing, to being an established and contributing club in really just a matter of weeks. The LNRC is a new group and it has allowed people that haven't normally participated in Republican politics in a meaningful way to contribute. David says they aren't knew, but since most of the members of the LNRC don't know David K, I doubt he can say that with any certainty. Plus, I know for a f...

The mother's of a couple of prominent El Pasoans have passed away recently and I thought it would be appropriate to pass along the information. County Commissioner Anna Perez's mother passed away last week after having been ill for quite some time. Services were held on Monday, which is why there was a late start to the Commissioner's Court meeting and I am told that many of the judges from the courthouse were in attendance. George Ybarra's mother has also passed. Here's an excerpt of an email announcement that was sent to members of the Democratic Party, along with information about the services. "It is with a heavy heart that I deliver this message. My mother, Magdalena R. Ybarra, died this morning (1/26/11). "Maggie" as friends called her has run her final race. The services will all occur on Friday January 28, 2011. It all had to be done in one day because that was the only time available this week. Viewing will be from 9 to 11 am at Funeraria Del...

Amy Morales, formerly a staffer in Joe Moody's district office has landed on her feet following the November 2nd election. She is now working in the office of State Rep Joe Pickett. Morales, a graduate of Texas Tech University is the Legislative Director for Representative Pickett and will be working in Austin during the legislative session. Morales is also a founding member of the El Paso Young Democrats and has worked on campaigns for El Paso Democrats.

By Jaime Abeytia My two favorite chants last night..."Farley, Farley, Farley" and "Fredo, Fredo, Fredo". Last nights State of the Union watch party at the McCall center was a packed house and there were a few notables in the room. Representative Eddie Holguin (he was lost, he thought it was a Republican event. Just kidding.), Joe Moody, Eliot Shapleigh were the current or former electeds in the room. Shapleigh sporting his trademark denim and UTEP hat had a somewhat awkward reunion with his former communications director, Claudia Ordaz, who is now the deputy press secretary for Congressman Reyes' office. If you don't understand why its awkward allow me to explain. Leaving Team Shapleigh to work for Team Reyes is like leaving the Yankees to play for the Red Sox. (I know, that things happens all the time now, don't even get me started on free agency, but you get the point.) Jerome Tighlman, one of my colleagues at Talk Radio 1150am, who once considered run...

David K is at City Hall right now and told me that the meeting is a real snoozer. To back up his claim, he took this picture of a lady in the audience that is in the middle of nap time. I don't blame her, without crazy people at council, it can often be like watching paint dry.

Couple of quick notes: Omar Macias has made it as official as anyone can in terms of an election bid for city council in District 5. He filed paperwork for a treasurer for his candidacy. The other opponents, Michael Noe and Maria "Mayela" Mejia will presumably join him on the ballot. District 5 will likely become a crowded race and expect voters to have a tough time trusting the candidates. After the last few years, voters will likely be looking for a candidate that they can trust with the office, not just in terms of integrity but with the intellectual tools to do the job. State Democratic Executive Committeeman Don Williams lost his camera, allegedly in a cab though Danny Razo of the Mexican American Bar Association and the El Paso Young Democrats joked about an alternate theory, during a recent trip to Austin, Texas. For most of you thats not a big deal, but for those of you who travel in political circles, you know that it was somewhat of a crisis for Don Williams and exp...

Apparently former State Rep Norma Chavez has some extra time on her hands today and has spent the day at the Capitol in the House Gallery. She has been there monitoring the day's activities for several hours. A staffer at the capitol says she's been sitting by herself most of the day playing with her cell phone though she was seen speaking with Moises Bujunda for a short while in the gallery. He's a lobbyist that is originally from El Paso. Word around the capitol is that she was shouting (presumably greetings) to members on the floor from the gallery, though there is no indication if the House was in session at the time. See Republicans, Democrats can break decorum in the House too! No one was surprised that she was in attendance for the opening festivities but a few legislators have made some comments about Chavez's day-long visit. Some remarked that it was "sad", some just laughed, and others joked to particular members to just keep moving because its harde...

Like I said before Gary Larcenaire's contract isn't all that big a deal with me. I think we should be paying a competive salary because we deserve the best talent out there. But there is one part that I think is troublesome and hopefully their board will re-examine it, or better yet, perhaps he will ask to have it changed himself. There is a claus that Larcenaire gets paid big money if he is let go, even if its for a felony. I know he would never do this, but for sake of argument, what if he were to someday be involved with embezzlement? Again, not alleging this at all, just trying to examine a potential sticky situation. So if he one day, hypothetically chose to go down that road and was fired for it, wouldn't he in affect be getting paid for the transgression? Just wondering...

Cortney Niland, candidate for the seat that will be vacated by Beto O'rourke and who is celebrating a birthday today, seems to be doing all the right things so far, despite being “too busy” to answer a few questions about her platform and candidacy. But like I said, I'm sure I'll get a chance to ask some questions of substance along the campaign trail, perhaps at a forum. She tossed her hat in the ring early. Right move. She apparently has associated herself with two skilled political operatives in Mark Smith and Rick Armendariz. Right move. It now appears that she will have the financial backing of two big Republican donors, Woody Hunt and Bob Hoy. Let me clarify what I mean by Republican donors. They are donors who are Republicans but they frequently donate to Democratic candidates and don't exclusively fund Republicans. Sources close to the two have indicated that they intend to contribute to Niland's campaign. Its early, but Niland appears to be ready to hit the...

The Republicans aren't exactly competitive in many races and that has led to some pretty interesting and eccentric candidates over the last couple of years from the El Paso GOP. But there are plans in motion within the Republican party to have more party discipline. Personally, I think its a little too Big Brother for me, but the GOP doesn't like having absolute control over candidates and circumstances. I understand their argument too, they aren't very competitive and certainly want to save their powder for winnable battles. So when a member of the College Republicans took Tim Besco to task during a candidate forum near the end of the general election campaign season, he was “spoken to” about it. Apparently there has also been some discussion about people that they don't want to see run for office again under the GOP banner like Tim Besco, Dan Chavez and Jaime O. Perez. I think that's a mistake for two reasons. Number one, in the long run some people will rebel aga...

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will be in El Paso at the University of Texas at El Paso on Monday, January 31 at 10 a.m. MST. Secretary Napolitano will deliver remarks on the Department of Homeland Security’s southwest border security efforts. The event is open press. “Communities such as San Diego, El Paso, McAllen, and Brownsville are safer than most American cities due to outstanding law enforcement work and the dynamic border security strategy in place at the federal level,” Congressman Reyes said. “Secretary Napolitano and other top administration officials have made it a priority to visit the border region often and engage the community to enhance our border security efforts. I look forward to joining Secretary Napolitano once again, as we continue working to address the many complex issues facing our region.” Congressman Reyes and Secretary Napolitano will be joined by UTEP President Dr. Diana Natalicio at the event, scheduled to take place at ...

There's going to be a story airing tonight that will have some pretty interesting and potentially big political ramifications. Keep an eye on the news tonight and by Sunday it will likely be all over the place. Just a heads up.

Its been a while since I've given these awards but I think its time to start again. This weeks Homegirl of the Week goes to Ouisa Davis. She wrote a great column in today's edition of the El Paso Times about Cesar Chavez. This weeks A-hole of the Week Award is a tie between City Rep Carl Robinson for having the worst voting record on social justice of any rep on council while having the nerve to talk about being discriminated against, and every Latino elected official in town that has been silent on the exclusion of Cesar Chavez Day as a holiday at UTEP. Not only did many of you go there, teach there, etc, but as Latinos they benefited from the trails blazed by Cesar Chavez. They have a unique responsibility to be a voice for our community. But then again, it should come as no surprise becuase they don't even attend the Cesar Chavez march! I'd name them all by name, but that would take too long. Its every single one at every single levels of government in El Paso. You p...

Sources in City Hall indicate that Zulema Lazarin, former secretary of the El Paso Latino National Republican Coalition intended to file candidacy papers to pursue the office being vacated by City Rep Rachel Quintana. Her desire to pursue the office was also written about it in my homie Sammy C's blog a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, according to multiple sources at city hall, Lazarin couldn't file to run for District 5. Turns out there was a little problem along the way for Lararin... she doesn't live in the district . Lazarin in fact lives in Representative Holguin's district. According to sources she spent some time on the 10th floor yesterday after finding out she lived in the wrong district. There was no indication as to what she was doing but I'm told she was in the Mayor's office and Representative Holguin's office. I don't know for sure, but I'm betting she went to inquire with Holguin if he intended to run for re-election. Lazarin was ...

So the Governor was inaugurated today. The session starts soon. I noticed something I haven't hears around here in a long time...peace and quiet! So far, we've been spared the infighting and turf wars that made our community the joke of the state in previous years. No ridiculous photo ops and fake ass press releases feigning unity when there really isn't any. I'm glad to see that it looks like things are getting better in terms of how the delegation gets along. Its a sad commentary on previous delegations that we've ever had to make that observation.

Wow city council. Way to show some moral courage. Turn your back on mental health, but take a firm stand on disposable plastic bags. Way to make a political stand and be focused on what's really important to this community. I'm glad that city council put aside the trivial stuff like mental health in order to focus on the most important issue to El Paso, the evil scourge of plastic bags. I hope city council starts a Plastic Bag Awareness Month. Maybe we can find some ecologically friendly material to make commemorative ribbons as a reminder of how vigilant we must be to combat the various evils of plastic bags. We must combat the convenience of plastic bags. We must stop the poor from saving the bags and re-using them for a range of other uses. We should not let that happen! In fact, the ribbons should be white, just like most of those cursed bags! Okay, if you haven't caught my sarcasm, let me just end with this. I hope people pay attention to some of the decisions of city ...

He's irritated and doesn't want people to know the truth, his crusade against domestic partner benefits is a manifestation of discrimination. Its also interesting to point out that the good pastor knows that people will not be inclined to vote against equality or vote down a charter amendment that mandates equality. I can't help but think about the fact that yesterday was Martin Luther King Day and I am reminded that he was a man of God who fought for equality. Fast forward to this century and we see Pastor Brown, a man of God his is fighting against equality.

Again, more comments on the reflection of Martin Luther King Day. On Sunday, the Times got a quote from City Representative Carl Robinson about a food drive in observance of MLK Day. I think its admirable that Carl Robinson, who has been doing this since before he was elected, spearheads the operation. I like that he has framed it as a day of action. But let's be honest here. Its not like Representative Robinson has the best record on social justice issues since he's been on City Council. In fact, he has the absolute worst record on social justice in terms of his voting record. Martin Luther King, Jr began the civil rights movement and the struggle for social justice. When we say that we honor Dr. King in our actions, then we must be complete in that sentiment. That means not only feeding the hungry in Dr. King's name, but it also means being on the right side of social justice when you are one of the few privileged to be in a position of being able to cast a vote that has ...

What the hell city council? Okay, not all of you, but post of you! In the wake of the Tucson tragedy, when people are finally understanding the need for improved mental health care, you people decide to pull a Pontius Pilot and wash your hands of mental health? Last night Darren Hunt of ABC 7 Extra hosted a great conversation between County Judge Veronica Escobar, City Rep Steve Ortega, and Gary Larcenaire of the El Paso MHMR. Essentially the city of El Paso has decided that mental health care in El Paso is a broken system. I don't think too many people would debate that fact. But rather than endeavor to being part of the solution, the city has said they want to walk away from mental health and would just rather pay $100K a year in chump change (guilt money). Larcenaire says that for every dollar that is put in to mental health resources, that saves $23 later. Ortega makes a good point about dispersed accountability and government agencies. Its' hard to argue against his cent...

Wow, Pastor Brown has a book signing over the weekend. I'm so shocked by that. Yes, that's sarcasm. Does it surprise you that the good pastor would like to make a little money out of his notoriety? If it does, it shouldn't. All you have to do is check out his website and you don't have to look hard to see the For Sale signs. In fact, on the home page alone, you will find more references to what is for sale, rather than references to God.  Go ahead, check, I counted.  I don't care that he wants to make money, I just find it worth a discussion that he appears to want to be WEALTHY off of it. It also reminds me of Jesus' righteous anger towards the money changers. The Gospel of John says that Jesus was so angry that he said,  "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" The bottom line here is that if he is in the business of peddling wares, then free positive press is in his best interest. If you know you are releasi...

Victor Houston, alleged Original Black Panther apparently knows no bounds when it comes to hypocrisy. After having the nerve to say we need to remember that words have power (said the guy fired from talk radio because of inflammatory remarks) he called in to the show this morning and said something I found equally ignorant. He said is this "the beans and rice show"? Give me a break! Imagine what his reaction would've been if I'd made a similar remark about food and his culture?!?! He'd shit his pants. How does a guy supposedly join an organization that advocates against people disrespecting his people turn around and make such an ignorant statement? But it gets better. I guess he thinks that I don't stand up for the "left" as good as he thinks I should. Well, I'm a Democrat and I stand up for those values. Houston is a Communist or Socialist or something like that. I don't subscribe to those ideas and so I don't have to defend those ideal...

Wednesday was a tale of two messages. In the morning, Sarah Palin released a free pre-taped message with all the dignity of a middle-of-the-night injury lawyer's television commercial. Despite the Tucson tragedy and the fact that she has removed controversial images from her Facebook page, Palin has decided to stick with her guns on the rhetoric. Rather than take this opportunity as a chance to step back and reexamine the political dialogue in the country, she'd much rather stick her head in the sand and pretend that there's nothing wrong. She actually went in the opposite direction and made her now infamous anti-Semetic remark about blood-libel. She either did that purposely as some sort of sick grab for controversy and attention, or she is ignorant to the meaning of the phrase. Bet she understand that words have power now! The main thrust of her message was one of defensiveness and division. In the evening, the President gave a stirring and dignified speech that moved Ame...

I'm not taking sides in this one because I'm not exactly a member of either's fan club, but I'm not buying my buddy David K's last piece about the Ballad of Charlie Garza. Yes, I agree that Garza's sudden move to jump in to the middle of the personal beef between Eliot Shapleigh and Dr. Garcia is ill-advised and no, I don't see a benefit to Garza in the move. I have sort of come to the conclusion that Garza just wants to take the bull by the horns to make a name for himself and set the tone of his administration. And maybe, just maybe, he thinks it will help him in the next election win some more votes in El Paso. It won't, but its a good try nonetheless. But the Juice's notion that he's doing it to get in good with Garcia so that Garcia can make him a superintendent somewhere else doesn't make any sense at all. He's a member of the State Board of Education with credentials to be a superintendent. If he wanted to take advantage of a situa...

This one isn't about Theresa Caballero. I was listening to Jerome Tighlman's show the other afternoon and I heard something that again, almost made me spit soda on my computer monitor. Victor Houston, who touted himself as an Original Black Panther, called in to admonish people about the intensity of their political rhetoric. He said that people need to remember that words have power. This is coming from the vato that lost his show because of what he said about police officers! Are you kidding me?

As we continue in this election season, more and more people are starting to throw their names around for consideration as candidates, let me give you a quick summary of what I now about the candidates that are in the hunt (so far). District 1 – Ann Morgan Lily is the incumbent. She's filed for re-election. You basically know her already. Her only opponent so far is Manny Hinojosa. He describes himself as a “watch dog” but its unclear what he's watching other than the Domestic Partner Benefits issue. He's a minister, but not a very strong speaker as ministers go, which is a shame because his opponent isn't the greatest speaker either. Hinojosa has a bit of a temper and is sometimes prone to getting frustrated. He's also pretty defensive so if someone turns up the heat on him he's likely to give us a little entertainment. I've had discussions with Hinojosa, mostly about the Bible, but we've also talked a little about policy. I think he should hit the bo...

Generally you don't see elected officials other than governors and presidents use their investiture as an opportunity to make a long drawn out speech about policy or tone of their administration. Charlie Garza has visions of grandeur and treated the event like he was just elected to congress. I guess I can understand why. He's tried to run and usually loses, but he chose a Republican district to run in this time and he was finally able to win this time. So of course, he treated it like it was being enshrined somewhere. As far as speeches go, it was one of the most boring I've ever heard, and that's saying a lot because I have heard some really bad speakers in my day. He spent a great deal of time patting himself on the back, but if you know Charlie Garza, that doesn't surprise you. But there was a certain level of genius in Charlie's speech. He did something that I personally think isn't advisable, but it will still have an impact. He basically decided to st...

The El Paso Times did a piece over the weekend of people to watch in the next year. They only had one politico on their list, so I compiled a quick list of people I think to keep an eye on over the next year. 1. The Delegation – We have a pretty new delegation and we have a Republican in the delegation again. So all political eyes will be on the delegation, how they get along, and what they get done. I'm not sure why the Times chose to put the spotlight on Rep Naomi Gonzalez, other than shameless self-promotion because she will be blogging for them. Given the number of Republicans in the legislature in this session, there really won't be a substantive vote for Gonzalez and its doubtful she will have any major legislation. But she does represent a much needed change. The people I'll be watching will be Dee Margo, Chente Quintanilla, and Joe Pickett. Pickett because I'm interested to see how he herds the cats, Quintanilla because I want to see what kind of use he makes o...

Prominent El Paso attorney, Theresa Caballero was on the air with Hector H. Lopez a couple of times over the last few weeks and basically led Hector H. Lopez around by the nose. I'm working on a more extensive piece that breaks down some of the things she says and alleges along with some analysis. Frankly, its a lot of material and I'm still working on it. But in the mean time, she said something on Friday that almost made me spit my soda all over the computer screen. Take a listen, take a look...

I have plenty to say on the Giffords assassination attempt earlier today in Tucson. As you know, the story is all over the media and will be for the next few days. People will no doubt be trying to decipher what the guys motives were over the next few days and I am saddened by what I know will be the inevitable, this event will become politicized. But because there is a huge political subtext, I will be forced to comment about it over the next few days. For now, here is some local reaction to the shooting. From Congressman Reyes: "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic act of violence in Tucson that has claimed the lives of several victims, including Chief Judge John Roll, and has left Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords fighting for her life. Carolina and I are praying for Gabby, her staff, and all those affected by this national tragedy.  I ask all El Pasoans to keep Congresswoman Giffords, and all of today's victims, and their families in their prayers. "Congressw...

According to News Channel 9 , Rachel Quintana will not seek re-election. Quintana says that her decision was not because of the pending charges against her. I obtained a copy of her statement and it says the following: “It has been an honor to serve my community. I would like to convey my appreciation and gratitude for the opportunity. I have given this decision paramount consideration and it is in the best interest of my family and community for me not to seek a second term... Whether in office or not, I will continue to work for positive change.”

Claudia Ordaz, former Communications Director for former Senator Eliot Shapleigh has been named the Deputy Press Secretary for Congressman Reyes' Office. She will serve with Press Secretary Vince Perez who works primarily in Washington for the Congressman. Ordaz will serve in the El Paso District Office for the Congressman. Other employment developments in the Congressman's Office include the hiring of Desirae Manzanares who will serve as a Staff Assistant and the promotion of John Aguilar to Legislative Assistant. Aguilar replaces Alexandra Sifuentes who left to work at the US Department of Agriculture. "I'm pleased to welcome these talented El Pasoans to my staff," Congressman Reyes said. "Desirae, Claudia, and John are passionate about the community and have a strong desire to help make El Paso a better place through public service. I know they will serve the community well. I also extend my appreciation to Alexandra for her deidcation and hard work as Sen...

I'm working on a profile piece for the candidates running for city council and I have been trying to you. Some of you are playing hard to get. Whoever is advising you of that is giving you bad advice. You want your message out to voters, so make yourself accessible, nobody wants to elect someone who is too busy to talk to them. They want someone they can talk to and learn about. Seeing how pitiful voter turnout is in this town, you know every vote counts. So return my calls so that the people can get to know you. Its really the only free way you will have to get your message out considering the local media won't give much coverage, no in-depth coverage, and you'll have to pay for commercials. I already ran one piece on Manny Hinojosa. Jorge Artalejo has run for several offices so you probably already have a sense of the guy, but there are a couple others out there that are ready to run and I haven't heard from. Now is the time people, the questions are about issues so y...

So as we enter the New Year I thought I'd recap some of the more memorable moments of the last year. There's no scientific formula for how I compiled the list, its just my list of shit I remember from last year. No particular order here I either. Onate Rides Again! - I often refer to former State Senator Eliot Shapleigh as Onate because he reminds me of Don Juan de Onate. A white guy who speaks Spanish and likes being in charge of Mexicans. Many thought he would ride off in to the sunset, but I had a feeling he had bigger plans. That remains to be seen, but he has decided to go for one last ride. Onate is now crusading against the EPISD and the Superintendent Dr. Gar-sea-yuh. Funny thing is, Shapleigh might end up being right and could end up having the last laugh. Norma Chavez Destroys Her Own Political Career – The once seemingly unbeatable Norma Chavez was defeated by a candidate who was coming off a loss for City Council in a race for an open seat in a smaller district wh...