Chad’s Morning Brief: Lubbock City Council Meetings at Night, Super Tuesday Results, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of March 7, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.
1. Super Tuesday
10 States, 400 delegates and this race still isn't even close to being over. Newt Gingrich won his home state of Georgia and sounded as though he would continue in the race no matter what in his victory speech. Rick Santorum had another good night winning big races in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and North Dakota. The wins keep Santorum's campaign alive and may even bring in some much needed cash.
Mitt Romney won six states including the very crucial state of Ohio. Romney won Ohio by capturing 38% of the vote compared to Rick Santorum's 37%. It was a big win for Romney who trailed Santorum just days ago in Ohio.
No matter what happens going forward, I don't see how anyone can beat Mitt Romney with both Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum in the race. One of them must drop out, and unfortunately I think it has to be Newt. Santorum has shown he can win all over the place, not so much for Newt Gingrich. Don't take that as an endorsement though. I would rather have Newt Gingrich win the nomination than Rick Santorum. I just don't see that happening. I don't really see Santorum beating Romney either, but he has a much clearer path than Gingrich.
2. Night Meetings (link)
I gotta admit, I was surprised to learn that the Lubbock City Council unanimously approved Councilman Todd Klein's resolution to hold at least one evening meeting per quarter. I really thought the Mayor would vote against the measure, but I guess he saw the politics of the issue.
Evening meetings are specifically to be held when the Council is to discuss the involuntary annexation of real property, adoption of the City of Lubbock budget, and items relating to the City’s tax rate.
Mayor Tom Martin agreed with the resolution, pointing out that it was much different from Klein’s original resolution to hold evening meetings around a year ago. “Since you’ve narrowed this down over the last year since you started first presenting this, I can support it.”
Some of the concerns regarding evening meetings running late were also addressed. “We can manage a meeting. I don’t think the public wants to be here until 3 in the morning, but they do want to be here occasionally or at least have that right,” said Klein.
We will see how this works out. Kudos to Councilman Todd Klein for getting the ball rolling on this.
3. Don't Go to Mexico (link)
Texas DPS again on Tuesday warned Texans not to go to Mexico for Spring Break.
“The situation in Mexico today is significantly different than it was just a decade ago,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said in a prepared statement. “Many crimes against Americans in Mexico go unpunished, and we have a responsibility to inform the public about safety and travel risks and threats. Based on the unpredictable nature of cartel violence and other criminal elements, we are urging individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time.”
The warning includes statistics on violence to further discourage travel: 12,903 narcotics-related homicides were reported in the first nine months of 2011; and 120 U.S. citizens were reported murdered in 2011, compared with 35 in 2007. The advisory also said that U.S. citizens have fallen victim to transnational criminal activity, including kidnapping and carjacking, and that rape and sexual assaults are ongoing problems in resort areas.
“Some bars and nightclubs, especially in resort cities such as Cancun, Acapulco, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Tijuana can be havens for drug dealers and petty criminals,” the warning says.
This is the first time I can remember DPS warning Texans about resort cities like Cancun. Traditionally, it's been the thinking that as long as you stay in the resort towns, you are fine. This is different. Of course Mexico will condemn the release saying that all is fine in parts of Mexico. Maybe they are right, but I'll take my vacation somewhere else.
4. U.S. to Track Immigrants (link)
The Department of Homeland Security is finalizing plans to have a tracking system in place for immigrants who leave the United States.
An exit system to track who is leaving the country and when has been sought since before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. DHS officials, including Secretary Janet Napolitano, have agreed with the need for such a program but have previously said it would be too costly.
John Cohen, the department’s deputy counter terrorism coordinator, did not discuss the cost in his testimony about the problem of immigrants who overstay visas. He said the department’s report to Congress will explain how DHS plans to better determine who has overstayed their visa.
The criminal case against Amine El Khalifi, 29, of Alexandria, Va., accused in an alleged bomb plot against the U.S. Capitol, has renewed the debate about how the U.S. government — a decade after the terror attacks of 2001 — routinely fails to track millions of foreign visitors who remain in the country longer than they are allowed. El Khalifi was arrested in a parking lot, wearing what he thought was an explosive-laden suicide vest. He had been living illegally in the United States for 12 years.
Thoughts?
5. Dumb story of the morning (link)
Don't paint your nails on the plane.
A Burbank woman was detained for 10 hours after taking a Southwest flight to Houston for painting her nails on board.
Jeanie Daniels was on the flight on Feb. 26 to see her boyfriend, Jimmy Hauser, who lives in Houston. Daniels was painting her fingernails in her seat when a flight attendant asked her to stop.
“I said I’m sorry, I apologize and I put it away,” Daniels said in a phone interview. “About 10 minutes into the flight I discovered I only had two nails left to paint so I thought, ‘well if I went to the bathroom and did it, it wouldn’t offend anyone.”
She found another flight attendant waiting for her to exit the bathroom, and the began to argue.
Yes, the lady was detained and finally the Judge threw out the charges. Over-reaction on both ends? Probably. But I still wouldn't want some lady doing her nails next to me. That stuff can stink and I don't want to be next to it.
6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)
Total stranger pays for man's $53,000 cancer treatment.
The family of a man with 10 brain tumours say their prayers have been answered after a generous stranger agreed to pay for a life-prolonging drug denied to him by the NHS.
Father-of-two Glen Cunningham, 29, who suffers from a rare form of cancer called gliosarcoma, had been planning a fundraising mission after he was refused Avastin, a ‘wonder-drug’ which costs £33,500 per year.
But he now hopes to spend more time with his partner and young children after a property developer decided to donate the entire sum himself.
Kenny Vickers, 34, and wife Melody, 33, whose youngest son is fighting for life after being born prematurely, were touched by a report of Mr Cunningham's plight in a local newspaper.
Mr Cunningham's mother Patricia, 64, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, said: 'I misheard the amount, I thought it was £3,500, which in itself is fantastic, but £33,500? I am going to cry.
'What can we say except our prayers have been answered.'
Speaking after Mr Cunningham and his family traveled to Sheffield for more treatment, his partner Yasmin Malik, 26, said: 'I am honestly stunned.
'I don’t quite know what to say. I never thought for one minute there would be people in the world as generous as this, it’s not sinking in.
'Glen is still half asleep from yesterday, I don’t think he can believe it, we can’t thank this man enough for what he has done.'
Great story and a great answer to prayer.
Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day! Join Lubbock’s First News at Good Brews on Thursday March 8th from 7-9am. Good Brews is located inside the Kingsgate North Shopping Center at 82nd and Quaker.
Other Top Stories:
Guests Appearing on LFN Today:
Lubbock City Councilman Todd Klein at 7:07am
Larry Williams from Williams Brake, Tune, and Tire at 7:37am
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
More From News/Talk 95.1 & 790 KFYO
