Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 26, 2002 Page: 2 of 18
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I
PAGE 2 A Thursday, December 26, 2002
Murray and Mary Judson
Co-Publishers
Mary Judson
Editor
Phone (361) 749-5131 e-mail: southjetty@centurytel.net
Opinion
Dave
McNeely
Speaker Laney:
Back to the floor
Rep. Pete Laney is about to do something
that hasn’t been done for more than half a
century. The five-term speaker is leaving as
head of the Texas House
of Representatives and
going back to serve at
least one more term as a
rank and file member.
The last speaker to do
that was Democrat Will-
iam O. Reed of Dallas. In
1949, after a single term
as speaker, Reed relin-
quished the job and re-
turned to a desk on the
House floor with the
other 149 members. He
did not seek re-election in
1950. -
Ever since, every outgoing speaker has
left the post by leaving the House — some
to run for other offices, one to take an ap-
pointment to the Texas Railroad Commis-
sion (Byron Tunnell), and some, including
Laney’s immediate predecessors (Billy
Clayton and Gib Lewis), to become lobby-
ists.
Laney’s departure from the speaker’s
position comes after Democrats lost a ma-
jority in the House for the first time since
just after the Civil War. Rep. Tom Craddick,
R Midland, says he has backing from enough
legislators to be elected speaker.
Laney said he thinks his 10-year tenure
helped return meaning to the “Honorable”
title before House members’ names and he
said he plans to continue to try to help the
process work.
“1 fully intend to be supportive when I
can, when it’s to the best interests of my
district, and do like I did for the first 20
years I was in the Legislature — and like I
did for the 10 years I was speaker,” Laney
said. “Do what I thought was right for my
district and the State of Texas.
“The pressure’s not going to be there -
of being responsible for the system work-
ing,” Laney added. “I not only had to repre-
sent my district, I had to represent the State
of Texas, and make sure the system worked
like it should for the members.... There’s
somebody else going to be responsible now
for whatever happens.”
Laney isn’t particularly expecting any plum
committee assignments from Craddick, much
less a committee chairmanship. He had been
chairman of the powerful State Affairs Com-
mittee for 10 years before being elected
speaker, and of the House Administration
Committee for eight years before that.
Craddick had been part of the team that
elected Laney speaker in 1993, and was
chairman of the Ways and Means Commit-
tee until Laney busted him in 1999 after
Craddick’s involvement in elections against
House members who supported Laney be-
came too blatant.
Observers think Laney’s Northwest Texas
district is unlikely to be punished, since
Craddick’s district is in the same area.
To successfully represent his district,
however, Laney will have to remain involved
without appearing to be meddling with
Craddick’s leadership.
Laney said he’s not upset about his move
from the head of the chamber.
“Anytime anyone can spend 20 years in
the House as a member, and 18 of those as
chairman of a major committee, and then
spend 10 years as speaker of the House —
which is the best job in the world — you can
have no regrets....
“It’s been a great experience," Laney said.
“And starting the second week of January,
it’ll be another great experience.”
Dave McNeely can be contacted at 512/
445-3644 or dmcneely@statesman.com.
Letters to the editor
Letters to the editor must meet
the following criteria:
• Letters should be of interest to
the readership of the South Jetty •
should be limited to about 300 words
• must contain a valid signature • must
contain a valid mailing address • must
contain day and evening telephone
numbers where the writer may be
reached • names of persons writing let-
ters will not be withheld from publi-
cation • unsigned letters will not be
published *only one letter per person
per 30 days period will be published •
letters endorsing or opposing political
candidates are considered political
advertising and should be taken to the
advertising department* all letters are
subject to editing • letters of complaint
about private businesses will be for-
warded to the business in question and
will not be published • Thank you” let-
ters are considered classified adver-
tising and should go to the classified
ad department • deadline for letters is
10 a.m. Monday for inclusion in the
following Thursday’s edition.
Asmte dewty prime
THAT WE DEFINE AS "DOW. USE"..
FOR INSTANCE, THIS GIANT
callfoint pm cw Also
95EP A*5 A CECCRKFIVE
PAPERV®&Rn..
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I
Preserve the past, protect the future
Port Aransas is forever changed. We are
not the sleepy fishing village we were 15,
20 or more years ago. That’s history - and
a great one!
At last week’s City Council meeting,
Mayor Glenn Martin and Councilmember
Jay Kenigsberg made a very good point.
“We’re not preserving what is here, we
are protecting what is to come,” Martin
said.
Port Aransas has had so few rules when
it comes to architecture control. That en-
abled us to become an eclectic mixture of
Mary Henkel
Judson
Editor
styles. Until recently,
that has been accept-
able. Now, however, it is
apparent that Port
Aransas is on the grow
and it is our future that
we must protect.
The Planning and
Zoning Commission has
a difficult task in devel-
oping an ordinance that
will preserve what is
eclectic and protect what
Flat ahs rule!
Early morning television is dominated
by the Ab. That’s TV talk for the abdo
men. From midnight to 6 a.m. the abdo
men rules the airwaves. Nothing gets more
exposure than abdomens formerly balloon-
ing but now flat as a blown tire in Odessa.
And it’s all because of the myriad of won-
derful gadgets designed to do just that -
give you a flat belly. The come in ride’em,
rock’em, squeeze ’em, hug ’em, pull ’em,
but all of ’em will do the job - or your
money back.
Always making the pitches are a guy and
a gal who are to flat abs what meat is to
barbecue. You could
shoot craps on their
stomachs. The are the
happiest couple you’ve
ever seen surrounded by
a studio of deliriously
joyful people, shouting,
and clapping and smiling
and all because they, too,
have acquired the
miracle ab machine that
has given them the secret
of happiness - a flat ab.
They listen with reli-
Cactus
Pryor
is not. That’s a tall order, especially in view
of the fact that it is clear we can’t agree on
what is “pretty” and what is not.
The bottom line is that collectively, I
think, those of us who have invested our
hearts, souls and bank accounts in Port
Aransas do not want the inevitable growth
to turn ms into a South Padre Island or a
Miami.
We as a community have the right and
responsibility to direct that growth so that
our past is preserved and our future is pro-
tected.
gious fervor to the testimonials of former
flabs now saved. They become very teary-
eyed when they confess about their pouchy
abdomen days. But then there’s glory, glory
everywhere as the testifier displays a flat
ab. The joy will carry you through a dark
night.
I’m not sure, but I believe I lost an inch
or two in my waist just watching these pro-
grams last night.
However, after considerable monitoring
I have reached a frightening conclusion.
It is apparent as the ab freaks lose inches
from their abs the fat goes to their brains.
VfoYDoYOU
uke these
COD SNAPS?
JUST ENOUGH
-l®® HEWN
1 MO® HERE IN THE
FIRST PLACE
9*iVty»il1ockAk*J»m
Deadline for
Letters to the editor
TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE JAN. 2 EDITION
is Noon Friday, Dec. 27
Preview what’s coming out in the next edition of the
Ski
See all the Classified word ads or place an ad online at
www.portasouthjetty.com
Port Aransas South Jetty
Member:
South Texas Press Association
Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
Texas Press Association
National Newspaper Association
Stay away from
milk, cookies
Things For Me To Do
Santa Claus
Dec. 26, 2002
Sleep late, very late.
Get out of bed slowly,
stretch.
Check in on Blitzen.
Have the veterinarian elf
look at his hoof if it’s still
sore where he bumped
into that satellite dish in
Atlanta.
Drink nothing but wa-
ter and eat only bland
foods, if any. Stay away
from milk and cookies.
. -A !
>
* 4 ?
A Texas-
Voice:
Go to bed early. StEVE|
Things For Me To Do MARTAINDALE
Santa Claus
Beginning Dec. 27, 2002
Write a thank-you note to Larry in Bakers-
field. That little dose of caffeine came at?
the perfect time.
Recommend to the head technology elf
that she examine the possibility of utilizing
GPS for tracking families moving at
Christmastime.
Ask Jose to help figure out how to set the
clock on my VCR.
Set VCR to record “Monk” every week.
Check candy cane supply.
Hit the gym, can’t let those sore muscles
keep me from exercising.
Respond to Jimmy Buffett’s invitation, tell
him I’ll be happy to sit in on his next re-
cording session.
Send Santa suit to the cleaners and ask
them to take in the waist about four sizes in
preparation for next fall.
Notify the cartography department about
the new highway signs in Uruguay.
Make an appointment for my annual post-
Christmas beard trim.
Prepare a press release giving the usual
statistics for this year’s run.
Fire off an e-mail to Roscoe, see if he wants
to get in a round of racquetball tomorrow.
Install those new shutters that have been
sitting in the store room for two years.
Send a memo to the marketing depart-
ment to suggest a campaign to bring back
Hula Hoops. I miss watching kids play with
them.
Write a computer program that will do
continual follow-ups on the status of naughty
boys and girls.
Amber in New Rochelle almost slipped
through the cracks this year. It would have
been so embarrassing had I accidentally left
coal in her stocking.
New Year’s resolution: Don’t waste so
much time playing solitaire on the computer.
Finalize vacation schedule for the elves.
Insist that Donald actually takes some time
off this spring.
Write a letter to Trent Lott. This time,
be blatantly clear where I stand on the is-
sue. It seems he didn’t really get the idea
the last time.
See how Mrs. C. feels about going to
Dublin again for St. Patrick’s Day. I loved
that last year.
Replace the hinges on the door to the
bedroom closet.
Update the message on the answering
machine, downplaythe ho-ho-ho’s for a few
months.
Fix that leaky bathroom faucet.
Repaint living room.
Book a hotel room for baseball spring
training. I think I’ll concentrate on the Cubs
this year, see how Dusty Baker’s doing.
Reconcile check book; I’m about four
months behind.
Schedule annual physical.
Fix that squeaky board in the dining room
floor. It’s no longer funny that Mrs. C. thinks
it indicates I need to lose weight.
Conduct a load-bearing stress test on
sleigh’s right runner. I’m afraid that hard
landing caused by a wind shear in Germany
may have cracked it.
Shovel the sidewalk.
Have the R&D department look into the
practicality of a change in what I leave
naughty girls and boys. I’m thinking saw-
dust would be good. We have plenty left
over in the toy shop and, besides, we can
use the coal heating the reindeer stables.
Be sure to fill out my Academy Awards
ballot and get it in the mail early.
Steve Martaindale is a good boy and a
self-syndicated columnist. Write him at
steve@ATexasVoice.com.
The South Jetty (946-020)
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 26, 2002, newspaper, December 26, 2002; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth644132/m1/2/?q=%22%22~1: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.