McNeely: Dems not optimistic Dingus can win

The following came from Dave McNeely, a former Austin-American Statesman columnist and Reporter-Telegram contributor.

"Democrats aren't terribly optimistic that (Bill) Dingus can beat (Tom) Craddick, in a heavily Republican five-county district. But Dingus has name identification from seven years on the council, is a multi-millionaire who can self-finance his campaign if necessary, and may at least keep Craddick tied down somewhat and spending money and time in defending his seat at home rather than helping his minions in other districts around the state."

Local Dems can't be too happy with that unless their ultimate goal isn't to see a Dingus win but a House speaker other than Craddick.

However, does anyone really believe that Craddick's campaign with Dingus will keep him from doing what he needs across the state? I might be underestimating Dingus and the challenge will bring, but there are just too many factors working against Dingus to think Craddick will be tied down here any longer than he needs to be.

Boom, that four-letter word

The Wall Street Journal offered this about our "quintessential oil town."

Favorite line: "Restaurants are packed, an on weeknights the downtown Wall Street Bar & Grill is full of construction workers swigging cocktails mixed with pricey Grey Goose vodka."

Really? Construction workers swigging Grey Goose at Wall Street? Really?

Second favorite line: This from David Arrington, president of David H. Arrington Oil and Gas. "Being diversified is always tantalizing and sounds good ... But Midland, Texas, is an oil city."

Very True

Crossing my fingers ...

... that the members of the U.S. Olympic softball team make it out of Midland in one piece.
While injury is unlikely, reading that the pitcher's mound was left on the field during the transformation of CitiBank Ballpark for tonight's event leaves me a little nervous. Having an Olympian go down is the worst case scenario for the event, and will leave of people wondering what were they thinking.

But I will be optimistic, credit organizers with putting on a show before a standing-room-only audience and thank people like Bill Williams and Freddie Ezell for making Midland so relevant that USA softball decided to make West Texas a stop in the first place.

4B board makes right call

Major kudos to the Scharbauer Sports Complex (4B) board. They decided not to use sales tax money for operations and maintenance. They did compromise, offering to use the income to help offset operations costs.

Ken Marks said in this Reporter-Telegram report, "That is what we had advertised -- pay the debt; it'd go away; and the voters can decide what to do next."

Councilman Scott Dufford has long argued for the use of sales tax monies to help pay maintenance and operations. While I agree with Dufford on many issues, this isn't one of them. Once this complex is paid for, we need to make it as easy as possible to make the quarter-cent tax increase go away.

I guess we'll find out if the Council agrees.

The always popular Cedric Benson update

According to this Austin American-Statesman report, a Travis County judge has ordered former Lee High School running back Cedric Benson to get breathalyzer device on car.

There's other Benson coverage, including a picture of Cedric with lawyer, at www.statesman.com.

Using 4B sales tax to pay for complex operations

I'm not for it but apparently the Midland Football-Soccer and Baseball Complex Development (4B) Corp. is considering it.
During a meeting on June 25, the board will "discuss and consider a motion making a recommendation to the Midland City Council to use 4B sales and use tax proceeds to fund the maintenance and operating costs of the Scharbauer Sports Complex."

I agree with the Reporter-Telegram editorial board stance from a Dec. 13 editorial titled "Correct solution in sight for Sports Complex."

The editorial included:
"We realize that keeping that tax for operational needs is an enticing possibility, but that is not what citizens voted for. Any other use of that money should be voted on by citizens. The operational costs of approximately $700,000 should be absorbed within the framework of the city budget just as with all city parks."

Sounds good to me.

So how's that Dean Baldwin decision looking now?

The Associated Press is reporting that Dean Baldwin Painting had laid off 65 of its 155 employees during the past two weeks.

We credit Jessica's Well for bringing this latest nugget to our attention. The Midland blog, you may remember, put all that information out there on Dean Baldwin which played a factor in the Council saying no to an MDC proposal that would have brought the airplane painting company to Midland.

The more we know about this company, the easier it is to believe that saying no to Dean Baldwin was the right thing to do.

Replacing Russert

It has been reported that Brian Williams will host Meet the Press on Sunday.

In the same report, it was written NBC is still looking for Tim Russert's replacement. I have to admit I have been disturbed by the reported list of potential successors. They run out names like Chris Matthews, David Gregory, even Keith Olbermann. Seriously.

I wouldn't consider any of the above. In fact, I expect that when we watch Sunday, we will see the perfect candidate to replace Tim Russert. We will see a person who picks substance over style and professionalism over preference. And in the end you will watch and come away thinking the hour was about the issues and not host. Unfortunately, the same can rarely be said of any host on cable news.

Sure, Williams is the NBC Nightly News host, and yes, NBC and ABC are in a fight over which network has the top-rated 5:30 p.m. news show. However, some reports indicate the nightly news isn't nearly what it once was, drawing about half the audience it did in 1980. Too many options.

So why not adjust Williams' schedule to allow him the anchor the Nightly News most of the week (say Monday through Thursday) and then take over Meet the Press on Sunday?

The reality is NBC couldn't have anticipated what happened and is unprepared to make the decision. But this is Meet the Press, a show which has stood the test of time. It's not a show to hand over with the hope that a host will become the next Russert or a show to drastically change with an anchor carrying his or her own agenda and guaranteed to turn off a large chunk of Americans.

Fact is NBC needs a big name but not an overwhelming presence. It needs someone guests and viewers can trust. It needs to carry on the legacy.

Unless something shocking happens, I can't see how this is not Brian Williams.