Thursday, October 8, 2026
THE BOOK BAN WAR: I SWEAR UPON A STACK OF BIBLES...
Various Sources
A Pennsylvania school board president took her oath on banned books instead of a Bible, and one photo turned a local board meeting into a national flashpoint.
Karen Smith was sworn in as president of the Central Bucks school board in Pennsylvania with her hand on a stack of frequently challenged books. The titles included Night by Elie Wiesel, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart, All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, Flamer by Mike Curato, and Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin.
Smith said she is “not particularly religious” and that, after years of fights over library books in the district, the books carried meaning for her. The photo spread widely online, drawing attention from figures including Pink and George Takei.
The moment followed a heated local election. The previous GOP-led board had passed policies restricting “sexualized content,” creating a process that led to two books being banned and dozens more challenged. Critics said the policies targeted LGBTQ stories and books by or about people of color. Supporters of such policies have argued that parents should have more control over what students can access in schools.
A Pennsylvania school board president took her oath on banned books instead of a Bible, and one photo turned a local board meeting into a national flashpoint.
Karen Smith was sworn in as president of the Central Bucks school board in Pennsylvania with her hand on a stack of frequently challenged books. The titles included Night by Elie Wiesel, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart, All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, Flamer by Mike Curato, and Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin.
Smith said she is “not particularly religious” and that, after years of fights over library books in the district, the books carried meaning for her. The photo spread widely online, drawing attention from figures including Pink and George Takei.
The moment followed a heated local election. The previous GOP-led board had passed policies restricting “sexualized content,” creating a process that led to two books being banned and dozens more challenged. Critics said the policies targeted LGBTQ stories and books by or about people of color. Supporters of such policies have argued that parents should have more control over what students can access in schools.
Smith and four newly elected Democratic colleagues helped flip the board’s majority in November. At its first meeting, the new board moved quickly to suspend or reverse several prior policies, including rules on library materials, staff advocacy, and transgender athletes.
Smith has said parents already have ways to restrict what their own children check out, but should not be able to block access for every student.
School board meetings are usually local politics at their smallest scale, but this photo showed how national debates over books, identity, history, and parental rights are now playing out one district at a time.
Texas and Florida account for most of the 12,000 school book bans last year.
PEN America recorded its highest annual total of public school book bans in the 2025–2026 school year, surpassing every year since the organization began tracking them in 2021.
PEN America recorded its highest annual total of public school book bans in the 2025–2026 school year, surpassing every year since the organization began tracking them in 2021.
Those bans affected more than 7,300 different titles. The distinction matters: the same book can be counted more than once when multiple districts restrict it.
More than 4,500 titles entered the organization’s index for the first time, another record. New additions included Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.
Stephen King was the most banned author, with 312 recorded bans. Young adult author Ellen Hopkins followed with 234.
Stephen King was the most banned author, with 312 recorded bans. Young adult author Ellen Hopkins followed with 234.
Texas and Florida accounted for the vast majority of recorded bans. They also have more complete records, partly because local groups have obtained information through public records requests.
PEN America uses “book ban” to cover several kinds of content-based restrictions. These include removing books from libraries or classrooms, making them unavailable during reviews, and limiting access through measures such as parental permission or grade-level restrictions. The total does not mean every book was permanently removed.
The report also raises concerns about schools using artificial intelligence to review their collections. PEN America says these tools can take passages out of context and recommend removing books because other districts have already restricted them.
Books dealing with racism, LGBTQ+ issues and sexuality remain frequent targets, according to the organization.
PEN America says its figures are an undercount because restrictions often go unreported or are difficult to document. Even with those gaps, the latest school year produced the largest total in its five years of tracking.
SENSELESS IRAN WAR FORCES TRUMP TO DUMP TARIFFS
Trump simply reversed what he did to increase prices to begin with.
SAN BENE'S MAYOR'S CENSURE: TABLED, FULL OF SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING
By Joe F. Rodriguez
The San Benito City Commission met on Tuesday, and tabled am agenda item, (Resolution Number 2026-10-002(R) censuring Mayor Pedro A. Galvan for requesting information from the city's Economic Development Corporation.
After getting to Agenda Item #5, Commissioner Cortez (one of the commissioners who placed the resolution on the agenda) made the following request “Mayor, if I may, um, like to request that we, uh, move item #5 up in the agenda just to get it over with...”
The city attorney recommended that the Mayor Pro Tem take over Presiding Officer as part of a procedural move per Roberts Rules of Order.
Mayor Galvan stated for the record that the Censure Resolution was not included in the Commissioners electronic packet nor uploaded to the city’s web site as all resolutions are normally uploaded.
Commissioner Cortez stated that they had received letters (didn’t say from whom) that they had been threatened that their sales tax money would be taken away from them.
The Presiding Officer asked the City Attorney if they had an opinion on the Resolution.
Attorney Andrea Vela stated that the City Attorney’s office did not have a recommendation on the merits of the resolution itself.
Commissioner Perez (the other Commissioner requesting the agenda item) was asked to comment on the Censure Resolution.
His response: “So I’m gonna fall back on what, um, commissioner Cortez on, UH, you know, Mayor going over there or calling over there and asking for certain things and stuff, stuff like that”.
After the Presiding Officer made a motion to table and let all parties involved to basically hash it out. However, the motion failed with Nays from Commissioners Perez, Gonzalez, and Cortez.
The Presiding Officer asked for any other motion. What followed was nothing but silence for about a minute and half from the Commissioners who placed the Censure Resolution on agenda.
At that point the Commissioner Cortez asked to move the agenda item to the end of the agenda with no action at this point.
After they reached the end of the agenda, the commission came back to Agenda #5 Censure Resolution. Also, at this point, an audience member yelled out “TABLE IT. LET IT DIE A NATURAL DEATH”.
A commissioner who placed the Censure Resolution on the agenda moved to table the item to the next City Commission meeting.
Putting it plainly “The Two Commissioners Wimped Out”. They measured the temperature of the audience and they didn’t like what they saw.
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
GUESS AGAIN. TRUMP NOW TAKING BACK PROMISE HE'LL PAY FOR HIS ADS
Politics in Group Chat's Post
The Hill
The White House clarified Tuesday that President Trump will not pay back the federal government for money already spent on controversial political TV ads after he said he would start paying for the ads himself.
Trump said Monday he would pay for the controversial “Patriotic Ads” himself after receiving backlash for using taxpayer money to fund them. Your tax dollars. His image rehab.
The Trump administration moved $20 million into a DHS account used for commemorative events — including fallen-officer memorials — and then awarded a $20 million contract for taxpayer-funded ads promoting Trump, including a recycled version of his 2024 “Final Battle” ad.
“This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.,” the president added.
But a White House official confirmed to NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, that Trump does not plan to reimburse the money already spent, saying, “The President’s Truth was not referring to reimbursement.”
The White House clarified Tuesday that President Trump will not pay back the federal government for money already spent on controversial political TV ads after he said he would start paying for the ads himself.
The Trump administration moved $20 million into a DHS account used for commemorative events — including fallen-officer memorials — and then awarded a $20 million contract for taxpayer-funded ads promoting Trump, including a recycled version of his 2024 “Final Battle” ad.
“This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.,” the president added.
But a White House official confirmed to NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, that Trump does not plan to reimburse the money already spent, saying, “The President’s Truth was not referring to reimbursement.”
If your political brand needs millions in public money to sell itself back to the public, maybe the problem isn’t the marketing. Paid for by the U.S. Government. Literally.
A VISION OF OUR BELOVED BROWNSVILLE WE CAN ALL SHARE
My Vision for Brownsville
But potential is not enough. We have to have a vision— and then we have to do the work to make that vision a reality.
My vision for Brownsville is a city where basic infrastructure works. When it rains, families should not have to wonder whether their streets or homes will flood.
We need to invest in drainage, roads and infrastructure before problems become emergencies. We also need to look honestly at our water supply and make sure Brownsville has a reliable source of water for the future.
Not every student needs a four-year degree. Our children should have opportunities to learn skilled trades, technology, healthcare, welding, plumbing, electrical work and other careers that can provide a good living.
With the new industries coming to our port, SpaceX and other industries bringing new opportunities to our area, we need to make sure our students are prepared to fill those jobs.
Healthcare is another part of my vision.
As a physician who practiced medicine for more than 30 years, including 20 years as an oncologist, I know that access to healthcare can make the difference between catching a disease early and discovering it when it is much harder to treat. Brownsville deserves accessible, quality healthcare and better attention to prevention and early detection.
As a physician who practiced medicine for more than 30 years, including 20 years as an oncologist, I know that access to healthcare can make the difference between catching a disease early and discovering it when it is much harder to treat. Brownsville deserves accessible, quality healthcare and better attention to prevention and early detection.
I also believe we need a fairer approach to property taxes. Working families, seniors and homeowners should not feel as though they are being punished simply because they are trying to keep their homes.
These major developments can create tremendous opportunities, but we must make sure those opportunities translate into good jobs, better wages and a stronger local economy.
Economic development should not simply mean new projects. It should mean a better quality of life for Brownsville families.
That is my vision for Brownsville: reliable infrastructure, stronger education and workforce preparation, accessible healthcare, fairer taxation, public safety and economic opportunity.
But a vision is only meaningful if there is a plan behind it. We should be able to ask: What are we trying to accomplish? How much will it cost? Where will the money come from? When will it be completed? And who will be accountable if it doesn’t happen?
Brownsville does not need more empty promises. We need measurable goals, responsible leadership and people willing to roll up their sleeves and get the work done. I believe Brownsville can be better — not because I don’t appreciate the Brownsville we have today, but because I believe in what Brownsville can become tomorrow.
That is my vision.
LAY LADY LAY, LAID ACROSS NEW YORK HARBOR BAY
William Cunningham
I'm surprised he hasn't renamed her Lady America
Albert Wong
I'm surprised he hasn't renamed her Lady America
Albert Wong
She was here on a green card.
Brian Moore
The US no longer respects what she stood for, so I am not surprised.
The US no longer respects what she stood for, so I am not surprised.
Juan Charrasquiado
She talked funny, too
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
JAVIER GARCIA OVER AT BROWNSVILLE TEXAS, MATAMOROS HISTORY HAVING FUN!
(Ed.'s Note: We knew that Javier had a sense of humor, albeit a wry one. At first glance, the pictures of Market Square appear to be chronological photos, until you look closely at the one at bottom right and realize it's R2-D2 from Star Wars superimposed upon the building to look like the dome. Had us going there for a while, Javier. Saludos!)
PUSH COMES TO SHOVE IN GOVERNOR'S RACE: HELP GINA BEAT ABBOTT!
In June, the New York Times/Siena poll had me trailing Greg Abbott by 7 points, 51% to 44%.
Today, that same poll has me ahead, 49% to 46%.
That's a 10-point swing in three months, from one of the most respected pollsters in the country. It's not a fluke, either. This is the third poll showing us ahead of Abbott, and it's the most recent one, taken after weeks of Abbott's attack ads flooding Texas airwaves. The New York Times also ran a major story yesterday on the state of play in Texas. Read this:
Wendy Davis put it this way in the same article: "People have vastly underestimated Gina. Dollar for dollar, she's running the best statewide campaign we've ever seen."
That's what grassroots supporters like you have built $5 and $10 at a time. We haven't come close to matching Abbott's money, but every dollar has gone further than anyone thought it could.
The Times was also honest about what still stands in our way. Texas has 20 separate media markets, and national donors routinely pass the state over because reaching all of them is so expensive. And one in five Texas voters still doesn't know who I am.
Here's what the last three months have taught us: the more Texans get to know me, the more this race moves. Every one of those voters is someone we can reach, but only if we have the resources to do it. Abbott has raised more than $106 million in this race, and he's going to keep spending it in the final month to drag this race back his way.
We are 30 days from Election Day. The polls tell us this race can be won. What happens next depends on whether we have the financial resources to communicate our message to the voters who need to hear it.
For 32 years, Texans have been told a Democrat can't win statewide. A 10-point swing after more than $70 million in spending against us says otherwise. Let's go take Texas back.
Thank you — for everything.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED: THE EXTINCTION OF A SPECIES BY THE HUMAN RACE
Depiction of a shoot in Northern Louisiana, painted by Smith Bennett, 1875. Source: Wikimedia Commons
By Elizabeth Morgan, BA History w/ Tudor concentrationThe Collector
The extinction spurred the modern conservation movement, serving as a powerful lesson on the impact of human activity.
Once numbering 5 billion, the passenger pigeon vanished forever. The story of the hunt that caused its extinction.
The humble passenger pigeon once dominated the skies of North America. As the most abundant species of bird on the continent, they became the avian rulers of both land and air. When gathered in great numbers, these beautiful creatures were said to blacken the horizons due to their unprecedented population.
But a little over 100 years ago, in September of 1914, the passenger pigeon became officially extinct worldwide. Historians, ornithologists, and nature lovers may naturally question where it all went wrong. How did their number go from five billion to zero within the space of a few centuries?
The primary cause of extinction was relentless overhunting by humans for both commercial food and popular sport. When it comes to the passenger pigeon, there is no doubt about the cause of decline and eventual extinction. Just like countless other species, they fell victim to overhunting by the human race.
From the European arrival in America until the death of Martha in 1914, passenger pigeons were relentlessly hunted to extinction. People purposefully caught the species not only for their meat, but for the genuine enjoyment of sport.
The humble passenger pigeon once dominated the skies of North America. As the most abundant species of bird on the continent, they became the avian rulers of both land and air. When gathered in great numbers, these beautiful creatures were said to blacken the horizons due to their unprecedented population.
But a little over 100 years ago, in September of 1914, the passenger pigeon became officially extinct worldwide. Historians, ornithologists, and nature lovers may naturally question where it all went wrong. How did their number go from five billion to zero within the space of a few centuries?
The primary cause of extinction was relentless overhunting by humans for both commercial food and popular sport. When it comes to the passenger pigeon, there is no doubt about the cause of decline and eventual extinction. Just like countless other species, they fell victim to overhunting by the human race.
From the European arrival in America until the death of Martha in 1914, passenger pigeons were relentlessly hunted to extinction. People purposefully caught the species not only for their meat, but for the genuine enjoyment of sport.
At its peak, the passenger pigeon population was three to five billion, making up 40 percent of North America’s birds.
The last known passenger pigeon, a female named Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo on September 1, 1914.
Widespread deforestation for farms and towns destroyed the pigeon’s natural habitat, contributing significantly to their decline.
Monday, October 5, 2026
SAN BENE COMMISSION MINORITY ON THE WARPATH
San Benito Correspondent
The San Benito City Commission majority are on the warpath again going after Mayor Pete Galvan. First they tried to evict him from the City Commission for leaving an Executive Session during discussion regarding hiring a new City Manager.
Now, the majority placed the following agenda item for this Tuesday’s Regular City Commission meeting wanting to censure the Mayor.
The last few weeks, Mayor Galvan requested, in his capacity as the ex-officio EDC board member, copies of the applications for the open EDC Director position and the names of the Ad Hoc committee reviewing the applications.
On the advice of the EDC attorney, EDC denied his request forcing the Mayor to submit a Public Information Request for the information and triggering the requirement that the EDC ask the Texas Attorney General for an opinion within 45 days.
The main question is Internal vs Public. An internal board member, in his capacity as an ex-officio board member, is not a public disclosure but an internal inter-agency request. Because the records stay within the governance room, candidacy privacy rules (like TPIA section 552.1230) do not apply. Forcing an unnecessary delay was merely a procedural trap.
While direct lawsuits by ex-officio board members are rare, Texas courts and legal doctrines (The Right of Access) firmly establish that all members of a governing board—regardless of voting status—have an inherent common-law "Right of Access" to records required to fulfill their official governance duties.
On the advice of the EDC attorney, EDC denied his request forcing the Mayor to submit a Public Information Request for the information and triggering the requirement that the EDC ask the Texas Attorney General for an opinion within 45 days.
The main question is Internal vs Public. An internal board member, in his capacity as an ex-officio board member, is not a public disclosure but an internal inter-agency request. Because the records stay within the governance room, candidacy privacy rules (like TPIA section 552.1230) do not apply. Forcing an unnecessary delay was merely a procedural trap.
While direct lawsuits by ex-officio board members are rare, Texas courts and legal doctrines (The Right of Access) firmly establish that all members of a governing board—regardless of voting status—have an inherent common-law "Right of Access" to records required to fulfill their official governance duties.
Sunday, October 4, 2026
WTF! GUERRA PROMISES TO SPEED UP CITY'S PERMITTING PROCESS AS COUNTY JUDGE?
Will that be on day one, we wonder?
He already promised to save Boca Chica Beach – which belongs to Starbase and the State of Texas – to pump millions into infrastructure, and to propel us into a warm and fuzzy future. Like no one has ever seen in the history of Cameron County! Now he is going to fix the city's permitting process.
Psst, Hey, Steve. Wrong building. That's the City Plaza behind you. Or has our Wonder Boy suddenly changed his mind and is running for mayor or city commissioner? Beware of Guerra bearing gifts!)
IT'S FINALLY HERE! PREPARE FOR TWO DAYS OF RAIN
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
(By William Carlos Williams)
Saturday, October 3, 2026
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