The Way I See It

VIP students are tops ... Box Tops!

I t’s always nice to be treated as a VIP, and last week my co-worker and friend David Wickersham and I were honored to represent the Pleasanton Express during the Pleasanton Elementary Box Tops lunch. We have been invited to have lunch at the school as VIP guests for the past few years and parent volunteer Christel Nieschwitz organizes these […]

State Capital Highlights

Spigot is open: Flow of legislative bills, resolutions begins

On Nov. 10, dozens among Texas’ 31 state senators and 150 state representatives, including a few members-elect who won’t be sworn for nearly two months, jumped right in and filed legislative bills in advance of the 84th regular session of the Texas Legislature, which convenes on Tuesday, Jan. 13. In all last week, 316 House and 170 Senate bills, proposed […]

Texas Politics

Democrats: Don’t quit, fight. Plus property tax remedies

While Republicans revel in their landslide victory Nov. 4, the chairman of the Texas Senate’s Democratic Caucus isn’t trying to downplay his party’s rout. Instead, Austin Sen. Kirk Watson is calling for Democrats to fight rather than quit. “I won’t sugarcoat how ugly and messy this upcoming legislative session is going to be,” Watson wrote in an on-line letter to […]

Writer’s Roost

Stories of Houston’s 3-newspaper era pique memories

Stories of Houston’s 3-newspaper era pique memories Since I spent more than half my 70- plus years in the Texas Gulf Coast area, in or near Houston, I maintain my readership in the Houston Chronicle. My first two years of college were spent in Huntsville, less than two hours north of the metropolis, then the final two in Houston. I […]

On the Edge of Common Sense

Farming Dreams

I n the land of Nod a movement sprung up to build houses without the use of power tools. The advocates of organic construction (OC) supported the movement because it prohibited the recovery and use of the carbon coal and oil. To be OC any lumber used must be hand-hewn, saws must be manually operated. Mule power is approved. Machine […]

Long range planning, cafeteria food discussed at Pleasanton School board




During the recent Pleasanton School District meeting, Joseph Warnken had to resign the position of District 6 trustee that he accepted just last month. This was due to a rule that said a trustee cannot take a position within 30 days of a family member being employed by the district. He was then reappointed to the position and sworn in. […]

Plant Q & A Texas A&M

Sweet peas are fussy flowers for our area

Q. What is the trick to growing sweet peas? It seems like they should prosper in the winter here, but we have not been able to produce a crop. They are my favorite bloom for cut flowers because of their fragrance and colors. A. I agree that the sweet peas are spectacular flowers. Unfortunately, they are very fussy about growing […]

Brush/bulky pick-up continues



The city-wide brush/ bulky trash clean up for Pleasanton started this week. The City of Pleasanton appreciates the cooperation of our residents and businesses in keeping Pleasanton beautiful. The second week of the pickup begins November 24-28. The area that will be serviced are properties that are west of Hwy. 281 to Bryant Street and south of Oaklawn. Week Three- […]

Commissioners’ Court accepts canvass of returns for November 4 general election




Atascosa CountyCommissioners’ CourtSpecial MeetingNovember 17 , 20149:00 a.m.Ordered byHon. Diana Bautista,Atascosa County Judge Present were all four Commissioners, Lonnie Gillespie, (Precinct 1); William “Bill” Torans, (Precinct 2); Freddie Ogden, (Precinct 3) & Bill Carroll, (Precinct 4). After call to order of the Special Meeting of the Commissioners’ Court, Judge Bautista called on Atascosa County Elections Administrator Janice Ruple for report […]

Jourdanton superintendent squelches rumors of special education co-op




Superintendent Lana Collavo opened the Jourdanton ISD meeting with the Supplemental Funds Report. This annual report was formatted to show the values of the last ten years. Comparisons show that there is less money coming in from the Federal government than in the past, including the rural education money, which is no longer received and the stimulus money from 2009/2010, […]