Today in Texas History – August 20

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From the Annals of the Civil War – In 1866, the Civil War officially ended when President Andrew Johnson issued a proclamation of peace between the United States and Texas.  Johnson declared that “the insurrection in the State of Texas has been completely and everywhere suppressed and ended.” Johnson had previously declared a state of peace between the U.S. and the other ten Confederate states on April 2, 1866.  Being the most remote of the rebellious states, fighting in Texas did not end until May 13, 1866 when the last land battle of the war took place at Palmito Ranch near Brownsville.

Photo of Andrew Johnson from historyplace.com

Only Ten?

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Houston Press has published its list of the 10 most embarrassing Houstonians.  Try as he might, Red didn’t make the list.  At PIH we feel that any such list that does not include Sen. Ted Cruz (TP-Texas) is woefully inadequate.  Paradoxically, we feel that any list that has radical right-wing talk radio racist blowhard Michael Berry as the most embarrassing Houstonian is spot on.  No doubt the shameless self-promoting Berry will wear his No. 1 ranking as a badge of honor – a la Dan Quayle – someone of similar intellectual firepower.

Today in Texas History – August 19

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From the Annals of the Methodists –  In 1837, Robert Alexander crossed the Sabine River and began preaching his way westward – the start of a ministry of forty-five years in Texas.  Alexander quickly formed the San Augustine circuit and by mid-October formed the first Methodist missionary society in Texas during a camp meeting held at Caney Creek.  The mission was later organized into the Texas Conference.  Alexander served as first presiding elder of the several districts including  Galveston, Huntsville, and Chappell Hill. His pastoral appointments included Belton, Chappell Hill, Galveston, and Waco.  When the Methodists split over slavery in 1844, Alexander’s colleagues elected him delegate to the Louisville Convention that organized the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1845. They subsequently elected him to nine succeeding General Conferences.

Lone Star Rail District Moving Forward

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The Lone Star Rail District plans to connect San Antonio and Austin by efficient and time effective rail service seems to moving slowly towards reality. LSRD officials are seeking $500,000 in funding from the San Antonio City Council to begin planning work in the Alamo City.  The LSRD plan includes improving the existing Union Pacific rail line between San Antonio and Austin for passengers at an estimated cost of $800 million. But LSRD first has to build a $1.6 billion freight line east of San Antonio to divert freight traffic.  Funding for the rail line improvements is expected to come from state and federal grants as well as the private sector.  LSRD also needs assurances from municipalities along its route from San Antonio to Georgetown that they will pay for continued maintenance and operations of each stop.

LSRD envisions transported 20,000 people each day and reducing traffic on I-35 by 18,000 vehicles.   The plan includes 16 stations with six in the San Antonio, one in New Braunfels, one in San Marcos, one in Buda/Kyle and the rest in the Austin-Georgetown corridor.

Red took the train from Austin to San Antonio exactly one time – with his mother when he was 5.  Red didn’t ride on a train again until he was 20 years old and taking a train from New Jersey into New York City.   The average European could not imagine a 15 year gap in train trips.

Thanks for Nothing Katie Lang

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Hood County Clerk and Tea Party favorite Katie Lang explains why she cannot fulfill the duties of her office because of her religious beliefs.  If that is the case, she needs to step aside and let someone who actually can perform one of the essential duties of the office take over.

Oh, and by the way, Lang’s religious beliefs ended up costing Hood County $44,000 in her failed attempt to deny a marriage license to Joe Stapleton and Jim Cato.  In fairness, Hood was led astray by that paragon of legal virtue – Attorney General Ken Paxton – who encouraged Texas civil servants to violate the law.  Off the Kuff has the details on how the taxpayers of Hood County took it in the shorts because of Lang.

Jade Helm 15 Update, Cont.

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Red has plumb lost track of how many days we are now into the massive Jade Helm 15 conspiracy in which the jack-booted thugs of the federal government are coming to Texas to take away our women, children and most importantly guns.  As far as Red can see, the Feds have yet to take away a single one of the aforementioned WCAMIG’s.  But this is how the war is won.  First, you get your opponent all riled up and in such a froth that they can’t hardly think straight.  Check.  Second, you give a plausible explanation for your actions that soothes the weak-minded.  Check.  Third, you roll out the troops in the most non-confrontational manner possible.  Check.  Fourth, you lull the rest of the populace to sleep by seemingly doing nothing to take away their WCAMIG’s.  Check.  Fifth, you keep doing that. Check.  Sixth, you swoop in and lickety-split grab the WCAMIG’s while the vigilant ones have fallen asleep on the couch during a baseball game after 6 beers and 2 plates of nachos.

Don’t let it happen to you!

Vigilantly yours,

Red

Dipped, Battered, Fried, Re-dipped, Battered, Re-Fried, Coated with Sugar and Dipped in Chocolate

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KSWO in Wichita Falls  reports on the finalists for the new food to showcased at the Texas State Fair in October.  And as a big surprise, various fried delicacies are included.  The winners will be chosen by a panel of celebrity judges in a cook off on August 30.

The . . . finalist foods include fried cowboy corn crunch, with sweet corn, jalapeno, cream cheese and a hint of smoky bacon.

Fernie’s holy moly carrot cake roly has carrot cake coated with cream cheese.

The Lone star pork handle includes a marinated chop, dipped in batter and deep fried.

Pretzel-crusted pollo queso features shredded chicken, cheese and bacon rolled into a ball, crusted with pretzel breading and fried.

The smoky bacon margarita – is self-explanatory.

Somewhere Sid Miller is smiling.

Today in Texas History – August 18

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From the Annals of Nascent Revolution –  In 1813, the Battle of Medina was fought.  The fight was between the Gutierrez-Magee Expedition and Spanish troops and took place some 20 miles south of San Antonio de Bexar.  The battle was the end of the effort led by Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara to break Texas away from Spain and declare and independent republic.  The expedition was an offshoot of the initial failure of the Mexican War for Independence that began with El Grito by Padred Hidalgo in September 16 , 1810.  After some initial success, the expedition was decimated at Medina losing some 1,300 men and effectively ending the revolutionary movement in Texas.