Former "Person of the Week" James Bernsen has returned from his tour in Iraq. His friends invite you to join them in welcoming him home TONIGHT, starting at 5:30 p.m. at J. Black's Feel Good Lounge at 710 W. 6th Street in Austin.
With Mary Katherine Stout going to the governor's office (see below), the Texas Public Policy Foundation created a new position of Vice President of Policy and Communications and named longtime Capitol staffer Justin Keener to fill it.
From the press release: "Keener’s background includes work in the Texas House, Texas Senate, non-profit community and private sector. He served as an aide to Speaker Tom Craddick, Senator Florence Shapiro and the Senate State Affairs Committee. He has worked for the Greater Dallas Crime Commission and as a consultant where he directed public affairs campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, advocacy organizations and political candidates."
Keener starts August 1.
Okay, who knows Mary Katherine Stout and what can you tell us about her? According to the governor's press release, Stout is joining his team after working for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Stout has also worked for the Texas Conservative Coalition and Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Diane Rath. "Mary Katherine Stout brings legislative and policy expertise rooted in sound fiscal conservative principles," said Gov. Perry. "Her work on a broad spectrum of policy issues at one of the leading conservative think tanks in the country provides her with a depth of knowledge that will be invaluable."
I did find this blog for policy wonks called StateHouseCall.org where Stout has been a contributor on articles relating to health care. Here's a guest column she wrote for the Dallas Morning News re: the need to build more roads, not light rail. And here's a guest column she wrote for the Wall Street Journal last year defending President Bush for his stand on a limited State Children's Health Insurance Program. I think you'll be able to learn more about her philosophies on government by reading what she's written for these sites.
So what does this mean for longtime budget and policy director Mike Morrissey? The Morning News' blog, Trail Blazers says he'll now be a senior advisor on budget issues. I'm just wondering how hard that will be... to go from running the division to being just an adviser.
Have heard through the grapevine that the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has made a decision to cut costs at its Capitol Bureau, and that means one of its three reporters has to be let go.
Word on the street is R.A. "Jake" Dyer drew the short straw and will be gone by the end of June.
He's a GREAT, old-style reporter, meaning when he sinks his teeth into an issue, he won't let go. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize when he worked for the Houston Chronicle.
He's also written several books about billiards and the colorful characters who play it, including The Hustler and the Champ.
We know Jake will be just fine, wherever he ends up... it's just sad that another bureau is reducing its coverage of state government. If anything, we need more reporters digging into the people's business.
So sad to hear about the death of State Rep. George "Buddy" West. I have a good friend who worked for him for years and he was nothing but kind and generous to his staff. I still believe you can judge a lawmaker by the way he or she treats his staff.
Rep. West, who was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1992, had lost his bid for re-election during this year's primary. His long list of accomplishments can be read on his campaign website.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow, Friday, June 25, at 3:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Odessa.
Let's remember her in her glory 
and hope they can bring her back.
Just breaks my heart that someone would damage something so beautiful. Thank God no one was injured and the historic furniture had been removed for the renovation...
Photo by Associated Press photog Harry Cabluck from the Houston Chronicle
From the Center for Public Policy Priorities (nicknamed the Center for Too Many P's):
"Next Friday, June 6, our Communications Director position will officially close. Several people have asked us if we have a candidate in mind, and we do not. While we have had many strong applicants, this is an open process and we encourage anyone who is interested to apply. If someone you know or in your network might be interested, please forward this e-mail to them. We anticipate the hiring process to take four to six weeks after the application period ends. We would like our new communications director to start by September." For the job description and application instructions, download this document. To learn more about CPPP, visit their website at www.cppp.org.
Mary Lenz of DPS also wants to spread the word about an opening in the Governor's Division of Emergency Management for an assistant public information officer. That job posting is here. Apply before June 9th.
And let me know if you get the job...
Memorial Day is the perfect day to tell you about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial being planned for the Texas Capitol Grounds.
Lobbyist Robert Floyd said, "This effort started when a group of lobbyists and members of the Texas Legislature, all Vietnam veterans, sat down informally and talked about wanting to have a monument on the grounds of the State Capitol to honor Texans who served in Vietnam."
During the 79th Regular Session (2005) of the Texas Legislature, House Concurrent Resolution 36 was approved “giving legislative authorization to a Vietnam War monument for the Capitol grounds, subject to state law and rules of the State Preservation Board.” The resolution was sponsored by Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and Representative Wayne Smith and co-sponsored by more than 35 other legislators. It was unanimously passed by both houses of the legislature and was supported by Governor Rick Perry, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick.
A committee of lawmakers, lobbyists, and other interested individuals (such as the dearly-departed Lady Bird Johnson) has been busy ever since, working to make the monument a reality. An artist was chosen, Duke Sundt of New Mexico. He created the design pictured above. When completed in May 2010, the monument will be 14-feet high, with each of the five figures measuring about 7-feet tall. According to the Build The Monument website, this will be "the first monument on the Capitol grounds to reflect the racial diversity of Texas’ culture." It will be placed on the East Grounds (the senate side) near other war memorials.
Now comes the hard part... raising the $1.5 million that's needed to build the large bronze and granite monument. According to the website, that's just $3.00 for every Texan who served in Vietnam. The website allows you to make an online donation that fits your budget, or you can purchase a Combat Cross sculpture for $1000.
On this Memorial Day, a donation would be a great way to say "thank you" to the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country, sometimes by giving their lives.
photo courtesy Build the Monument website
