Dwayne is standing at the back of the room. His sport coat is too narrow in the shoulders, and his tie is askew.   Standing next to him is Marlene Preen, President of the McLennan County Republican Club.  She wrings her hands and scans the crowd for signs of trouble.   “I’m worried he’s going… Read More

Ellie Endsley wakes when the heavy door in a neighboring hotel room slams shut.   The computer on which Endlsey was working when she fell asleep comes to life. She squeezes her eyes shut and turns away. “Off” she pleads, and the light is extinguished.   It’s late. Through the wall, she hears a man’s… Read More

“I’m gonna help you guys out,” Gonzo Garza types. He is responding to a message requesting the Speaker’s financial assistance for a long-shot political project in West Texas. “Go see Trent Thompson in Midland, and follow up with me after you talk to him.”   After he sends his response, Gonzo continues reviewing messages that… Read More

“I don’t care if you’re black, white, brown, or yellow. I don’t care if you’re homosexual, heterosexual, or asexual. I don’t care if your family has been in the United States for generations, or if you just got off a boat from the far-east yesterday. If you wanna work hard, and you wanna make some… Read More

James Carlos Cates flips through a recent edition of South Texas Catholic while he waits for Bishop Muñoz to return from the bathroom.   The magazine, which is published by the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi, includes an article about the Helping Hands Beach Restoration Project – an IRS-recognized Public Service Organization founded by Cates… Read More