Musing at 5 am

Here are the news highlights as I see them this week...

• BRADY WORKING TO CURB PILL MILLS
• SCUBA STORES WARNED ABOUT POTENTIAL TERRORIST CUSTOMERS
• HURRICANE ANNIVERSARY AUDRY
• VIDOR PRINCIPAL RESIGNS
• JEFF CO DEPUTY PAY
• MAYOR OF ORANGE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL
• ARMED ROBBER DIES FROM INJURIES
• FUNERAL FOR VINTON SOLDIER
• HARDIN CO. BOOZE PETITION HANDED OVER TO COUNTY
• SEVERAL FATAL ACCIDENTS

I'm glad to see that Brady is talking about the "pill mills" in southeast Texas. My mother had to quit her job when one of these moved next to her place of business. Seems it got too dangerous to go to the parking lot. There were muggings and at least one attempted car theft because of the folks milling around, waiting to get their fix from Dr. Feelgood. I hope Mr. Brady is actually doing something and not just grabbing a headline. We have so many news items that seem to be posturing, but nothing gets done. Consider all the stink last year about prostitution raids in Beaumont. Are we really making a difference? (here's something for our area reporters to look into)...it's been months since we had some high-profile raids... are the ladies of the evening thriving in their trade?

I hope the deputies get their pay raise. I know there is a lot of talk on the blogs saying the current negotiations are just "payback," but I have no problem in paying lawmen and firemen well. When did it become government's job to build museums and grant cash to those who work in the tourist industry? Lets take some of that cash and hand it over to the people who are serving what should be a main focus of government..that is...protecting people.
By the way, on a side note...I keep hearing the county has all of this cash it did not have before. This is the reason many sources say the deputies may get their raise. I want to know how we went from gray skies to sunny skies financially. It seemed to change less than a year after the new judge took office. Is this the effect of something judge Griffith and company brought about...and if not...what did Judge Walker's folks do to change things. Everyone seems to be silent in answering this question. Who is responsible for the "good times" that magically showed up?

The week started with a story about a store clerk that used a gun and blew away an armed robber who was holding up one of his fellow clerks. Good for the clerk! I know there will be those who will say the robber didn't deserve to die because he was holding up a store. My take is that store clerks do not deserve to die...or feel they may die...because some jerk with a gun wants to get a little cash to go buy his drugs. The thief lost his right to live the moment he threatened to take someone else's' right to live.

Sadly, while all of the above was going on, the national cameras were focused on Paris Hilton...another socialite who gets a wink and a nod..and a very short jail sentence for doing the same thing that put many behind bars for months. What struck me was the attitude of "me behind bars?" from Hilton. Give me a break. Her butt should stay in jail just as long as anyone else who commits a crime. Hmmm... if she had been an office worker or a construction worker, how long would she have spent in custody?

LOOKING FORWARD
Port Arthur will get it's first African American mayor this weekend...David Drake is expected to have his murder trial next month...and get ready for those TEA ratings...What will the journalism majors "uncover" over the next few weeks?