The right stuff to know for Lubbock
“________ ________ is crooked.” Fill in the blanks with your least trusted, least liked elected official. We’ve all heard it; many of us have thought it. Our incredulity at the absence of good sense in certain public decision-making processes lends support to the idea there must be some sort or kind of illicit benefit at … Continued
The short answer is, yes; if Lubbock County continues spending at the same rate as the last four years we will be broke, bankrupt, in a year. The numbers don’t lie. According to the latest figures from outside auditors, in the last four years Lubbock County’s unrestricted reserves have shrunk by 75 percent. In 2014 … Continued
In its 3-to-2 vote to rush a $100 million road bond to voters in May, the Lubbock County Commissioners Court proved Monday you can change some of the faces, but bad habits linger like a fungus. It was farcical, but no one was laughing. The saga began last week with the disclosure Expo Center promoters … Continued
“Why did you say that about ____________?” Fill in the blank. Everyone is someone’s favorite, even the Sandstorm Scholar. And sometimes they’re our favorites too; holding public officials accountable isn’t always a barrel of laughs. But even among those who appreciate accountability journalism and its companion op-ed pieces, many will become uncomfortable when it is … Continued
The newly seated Lubbock County Commissioners Court faces many challenges but nothing looms larger than the questions coming out of the Lubbock County Medical Examiner Office. One might think, since the clients never complain, a medical examiner office would be the last place for controversy, but a quick Google search reveals news stories about medical … Continued
It is easy to make fun of constables who parade around the county costumed like Third World dictators. There’s no doubt, their antics on the highways are exciting, albeit expensive to the county. But Constable Jody “Barney” Barnes has taken the entertainment to new heights. Helicopter heights. Barnes became the first Lubbock County law enforcement … Continued
“I distinctly remember forgetting that.” Forgiveness expressed as an act of deliberate erasure. I was a young man who felt compelled to make apology to the President of my college for antics the year before. James R. Cope, President of the tiny Bible college I attended, was a stern man and one you did not … Continued
Seven weeks from yesterday, I want to vote for the venue tax to fund the Lubbock County Expo Center. My background and biases predispose me to support the idea of a dirt facility. I learned fundamental skills of leadership and business in 4H and FFA. Those activities still merit support. With backing by stakeholders from … Continued
How did we get here? How did Texas Tech University regents transition from talking about whether to renew a contract to Chancellor Bob Duncan resigning? Bob Duncan is one of our own. As our home-grown favorite son he represents the best aspirations of a university charged with preparing young women and men for success. And … Continued
Sheriff Kelly Rowe’s revelation last week that county commissioners have demanded he cut $2.53 million from last year’s $15.285 million budget may not have been the biggest shock of the week, but it in terms of ill-motives, it may rank as the outrage of the year. Six weeks into the budget process the sheriff was … Continued
On Monday, the Lubbock County Republican Party will make a statement about the importance of a political party. Or it won’t. Even the casual observer knows about once every four or five years, the Republican Party has to choose a candidate because the party’s nominee has vacated the ballot for one reason or another. This … Continued
The outrage of the year may have been an editorial cartoon* the daily newspaper published depicting an overweight white police officer shooting a black youth in the back. It included the caption, “Far from the border … children are being separated from their families.” The next day, faced with the outrage of both the law … Continued
I don’t buy fireworks. I did as a kid. I lived in the country and I still remember shooting bottle rockets at 2 a.m. over Danny Wright’s house a half mile down the road. Mr. Wright, Danny’s dad, walked outside and ratcheted a round into the chamber of a shotgun. Unless you’ve been fifteen and … Continued
Constables are like tonsils: you don’t really need them and you’re usually better off without them, but if you keep them around, sooner or later they’re going to make you sick. Constables are the anachronistic remnants of another day and time. Like the county weigher and inspector of hides and animals, they have become the … Continued
Few will note last Thursday night as significant but it may prove to be a seminal moment for the Lubbock County Republican Party: the night it voted unanimously to initiate removal proceedings against an elected Republican constable. Precinct 4 Constable C.J. Peterson was arrested in the early morning hours of May 6 for suspicion of … Continued
Last week the most important piece of legislation for this region went down in defeat when the House voted down the Farm Bill 215-198. If you read the Associated Press headline and story, you might think it was House Republicans who killed the Farm Bill with words like “conservative revolt” embedded in the headline. In … Continued