Opening Week
I am one of those who doesn’t have a problem with AOC stepping forward to help lead the fight for Democrats on the national level. She is articulate, smart, sharp and a Latina. I would rather have her taking a lead than one of the Democratic retreads. Go for it, AOC.
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Here we go again. Commentary is talking about the state’s leadership going after the bureaucracy they created. See this from the Chron:
Lt. Gov Dan Patrick isn’t declaring war on the Texas bureaucracy quite like President Donald Trump has with the federal government. Still, it is clear his frustration is growing on two key fronts: the lottery and THC retailers.
Weeks after blasting the Texas Lottery Commission for overstepping its authority on how it regulates the sale of lottery tickets, the Houston Republican was taking state health officials to task for allowing for a proliferation of THC retailers — something he said the Legislature never intended when they passed a 2019 law legalizing hemp sales.
In both cases, Patrick dusted off his old broadcasting skills from his tenure at KHOU in Houston. Hedid his own social media investigations to show problems he saw with the lottery sales and THC retailers, for which he partly holds state agencies responsible.
Patrick told me he “absolutely” believes Texas bureaucrats are taking too many liberties and not following the Legislature’s intent on important issues.
Given that the Legislature typically meets just once every two years, he said there can be 12 to 18 months where “agencies kind of go their own way.”
His message to state agencies is for them to be more proactive and reach out to the Legislature when they see abnormalities, like a shocking surge in lottery sales or a jaw-dropping surge in THC businesses opening up.
“Part of those issues are when agencies don’t communicate with the Legislature,” Patrick said. “There was no input to us that ‘we might have a problem here.’”
Here is the entire Chron read: Dan Patrick has warning for Texas agencies after THC, lottery fights.
Anything that is wrong in Texas that involves state government can be blamed on the political party in control for over the past couple of decades – period. No ifs, ands, or buts.
The lottery, highway congestion in our big cities, regional water shortages, health care, you get the picture.
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The Rodeo is over, and Luke Bryan was named the 11th member of the Rodeo’s Star Trail of Fame. Since you asked, the other ten members are Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, George Strait, Elvis Presley, Charley Pride, Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Selena, and Brad Paisley.
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The men’s Sweet Sixteen is set and two teams from Texas are sweet. UH and Texas Tech.
The women’s Sweet Sixteen will be set this evening with TCU reaching the Sweet Sixteen and Texas playing this afternoon for a Sixteen slot.
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“Today” had an interview this morning with new Mets player Juan Soto. I learned from the piece that the Mets have never had an NL MVP Award winner.
Just so you know, the D-Backs and Rays also have not had an MVP Award winner.
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It is Opening Week for Astros baseball. Opening Day is this Thursday. The Astros play the Space Cowboys today and tomorrow at Daikin Park. The Chron put out a 32-page Astros section in the hard copy of yesterday’s edition. Astros left fielder Jose Altuve is on the cover in the featured photo. Yep, get used to saying left fielder Jose Altuve.
I don’t know about the cover headline that says, “New Era Begins.” Well, I guess since we don’t have Alex Bregman, Ryan Pressly, Kyle Tucker, and Justin Verlander, it is a different team. Oh, well.
Jon Singleton won’t be in an Astros uniform this Thursday. He didn’t make the team.
The team will decide in the next couple of days who will be wearing the orange and blue this Thursday afternoon.
