It's still kind of tough to be an Indian but at least the EPA is cleaning up some of the mess

By dwray in The nature of things

So the EPA is cleaning up a Navajo reservation. It's hard to believe but even after all this time, it's kind of lousy to be an Indian. I've got blondish hair and blue eyes, but somewhere in the stuff that ...

Speaking of shale, have y'all heard about North Dakota?

By dwray in The nature of things

With all the hubbub going on down here about shale, it's easy to think we've got the only shale there is buried way down in these parts. Well, if you've made that mistake, you've got another think coming. There's been ...

Question of the day: What has been the most challenging part about summer?

By dwray in The nature of things

"The heat and no rain." - Sharon Parramour, retired principal, Spring. "The heat and no rain. We need to pray for rain." - Faye McDonald, retired, Edna. "The lack of rain." - Steve Latham, A1 Homes, Victoria. "I'd say just ...

Could there be a new Dust Bowl? History is awful fond of hitting repeat

By dwray in The nature of things

Way back when my granny was a kid, the country was in the midst of living through both the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Now we know that poor farming practices and a six-year drought caused the soil from ...

Yehaw, it's almost Friday so here's a Thursday enviro news round-up we wrangled for ya

By dwray in The nature of things

There's lots of things happening on the environmental news beat. Here are a few stories you might find interesting: There's a House bill out there that would basically gut two key environmental rules. As the President gets ready to start ...

So my dogs have carbon pawprints?

By dwray in The nature of things

I have these two dogs. Roly, the fluffy orange one, is kind of like Gary Cooper, if Cooper were to be trapped in a little dog's body. A littler conservative, a little mischievous, but generally an OK guy. Then there's ...

Question of the day: Would having a 5-day U.S. Postal Service operation affect you?

By dwray in The nature of things

"I don't think it will affect me because I'm just a kid and I don't get most of my mail that way. Everything is electronic." -Denise Egressy, student, Victoria. “It doesn’t matter to me.” - Donna Perry, self-employed, Yoakum. "I ...

The Twilight Rapist: When does crazy stop being a defense?

By dwray in The nature of things

Billy Joe Harris, the suspected Twilight Rapist, pled not guilty by reason of insanity. Yesterday, Harris testified about his insanity, claiming he had done things in his life that make those infamous donkey shows in Mexico seem tame. According to ...

To use the AC or not, that is the question

By dwray in The nature of things

Last week, I made a terrible mistake. Traditionally, I avoid opening my electric bill until I absolutely, they-are-going-to-turn-it-off-tomorrow have to. Most of the time I try to keep my expectations protected by a hard candy shell of cynicism about things ...

Question of the day: Do you think Victoria is growing?

By dwray in The nature of things

"Yes, the Caterpillar plant, the construction, the traffic. It's definitely growing." - Larry Shook, retired, Edna. "Yes because there's so much construction." - Michelle Morales, nurse, Ganado. "Yes, everything around here is growing." Bruce Bednorz, chemical operator, Schroeder. "I think ...

The Gulf oil spill: We finally know who done it

By dwray in The nature of things

I'm not exactly a big mystery reader, but I love a good ole fashioned hard-boiled detective story. You know, the kind written by Dashiell Hammett or Ray Chandler featuring whiskey-soaked prose and the kind of whodunit that keeps you guessing ...

Question of the day: What's your favorite thing about Fall?

By dwray in The nature of things

"The way the foliage changes and how it gets a little bit cooler. I like everything about it." - Sandra Lane, retired, Port O'Connor. "It's a lot cooler. You can do more outside. I love this time of year." - ...

Question of the day: Where were you on Sept. 11?

By dwray in The nature of things

"I was in Dallas, Texas. I saw it on the television and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was like a movie." - Janie Schwarting-Cryan, housewife, Sealy. "I was in Tivoli inspecting the boll weevil traps." Key Schwarting, ...

Texas is burning, and other news

By dwray in The nature of things

The fires are still ragingacross Texas, and that's pretty much the biggest news there is. The fires are awful, and I don't think it's possible to see the pictures or smell the smoke and not feel for the people facing ...

Question of the day: Are you concerned about the Texas wildfires?

By dwray in The nature of things

"I am. My dad lives in Spicewood and he was evacuated because of the fires." - Robin Vasquez, stay-at-home-mom, Victoria. "Yes, I'm worried about it. i read about it online." - Aurora Ramirez, stay-at-home-mom, Victoria. "Yes, I'm worried. There were ...

Question of the day: Fall is just around the corner, so what is your favorite time of year?"

By dwray in The nature of things

"I'd have to say fall is my favorite time of year." - Karol Parker, Snook, unemployed. "Spring, definitely." - Charley Parker, land man, Snook. "My favorite is winter time." - Joe Hashke, sales, Victoria. "I would have to say the ...