Monday, January 20th, is a celebration of one of America's most iconic uniters for peace -- Dr. Martin Luther King -- and it's the inauguration day for one of America's most iconic partisan disruptors, Donald J. Trump. If the incoming President can lead the world to end the carnage (not a war) of the Palestinian people. he is to be congratulated.
See our lead article, "From King to Trump" and check out this entire LIV News.
We hope this edition of LIV News entices you to join us online on Monday, January 27 at 7 pm to discuss the following: If failure is our best teacher, the forty years of failure to empower independent voters even as our numbers continue to rise, indicate there is a way out of our partisan poisoning and political madness. But, we need to figure this out together turning to a new chapter of civic engagement. Sign in here to join us at this important forum.
More on why LIV Reorganization is underway:
Those who engaged in partisan poisoning, aka "RINO hunting", to ram their chosen new Texas House Speaker, were warned that it would boomerang. It did and they lost. Now we must deal with a new Speaker, Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), who led the attacks on municipal home rule powers in 2023 -- local control. (See our "RINO Hunting is so 1800s" article.)
The internecine political knife fighting is not reserved for Republicans. It can be seen in one-party ruled cities like Austin with all Democrats on the city council, despite that Austin has changed to a parity city. And, the incumbency addicted 4-term with 4-year terms, Mayor Kirk Watson. started way back in 1997, making one of his signature issues petition signatures. All these years, Watson has tried to harm the rights of Texans to petition in 350+ Texas home-rule cities, where the vast majority of Texans live. (Visit our "Homegrown Petitions" page.) Partisan poison is filtering into small cities. The small city Bastrop is a big mess created by an unruly 3 to 5 majority aided by its unhinged City Manager, Sylvia Carrillo. who made up a story over a year ago to justify sitting city council members using recall petitions to oust Nelson. Lyle hung in there, but resigned on Tuesday, a decision we support.
For now, LIV News is the only place for you to get all the complicated facts that have been confused by a pack of innuendo and story-telling hounds. It's also a great story. See the latest: "The Silencing of Chery Lee," and, "Bastrop Mayor Lyle Nelson Resigns."
On that note, don't miss open government attorney, Bill Aleshire's 2-minute video take just after Lyle's resignation here!
LIV News is getting its mojo on through a reorganization. We want to talk with you about how you can help. Join us on Monday, January 27 at 7 p.m.,
all you beautiful horses of a different color!
Sign in here.
*The city of Bastrop sits in the county with the same name, now famously associated with Elon Musk-related industries. The connection is related to the handling of wastewater, something local water wonks are tracking.
Additional News in This Edition
LIV Originals:
• The TX Lege is in Session: Half-assed economic policy and nutty water plan. Is Gridzilla on steroids? • Bastrop Mayor Lyle Nelson Resigned: Community Distract News Rides Again! • In celebration of MLK: Farewell Jimmy, hello independent voters and civic duty
• Posted on Dec. 23: 'Twas the week before Christmas and throughout City Hall, City Manager Sylvia made sure to appall: The silencing of Cheryl Lee
Additional Reads: >The latest 60 Minutes Report about the US role in Israel's war on Gaza. >Independent journalist, Lee Fang, on MAHA realignment from food diyes.
>When a Mayor =/ Not a Mayor: Carol Spencer, about Bastrop Mayor Lyle Nelson's resignation > ICYMI: "This is My Chernobyl," News Nation. about the permanent contamination of the Coleman's of Johnson County heritage ranch by "forever chemicals" from fertilizers. Texas A&M has confirmed the contamination.
Calendar of Events:
Monday, January 27, 7 pm, LIV Online forum at 8 pm. If failure is our best teacher, how do independent voters proceed beyond the madness of partisan poisoning brought to us by the two-party system? Sign in to join us!
January 27-29, Contested Case Hearing: Corix Utilities McKinney Roughs WWTP: Further upstream at LCRA’s McKinney Rough Park, Corix Utilities is undergoing a 10-fold expansion of its wastewater facility inside the park. Environmental Stewardship has taken the lead in contesting that permit, asking that the permit be delayed until TCEQ collects more current data on the river’s health. With this hearing looming, Environmental Stewardship is now actively involved in the pre-hearing legal process including initial disclosures, discovery, initial disclosures regarding expert witnesses and their materials, that will lead to testimony and exhibits used to make our case at the hearing on merits. The hearing is on the merits in this case is scheduled to be held before the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
Looking to watch the TCEQ contested case hearing with Corix and Environmental Stewardship? Here ya go:
SOAH's YouTube page
The broadcast will start on Monday 9:00 AM
and each day until ending as late as Wednesday.
Here is a direct link to the SOAH hearing:
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