Tales from the West Texas Dust

Here's some more of the current headlines in our state's newspapers found this past week:

[Lubbock Avalanche-Journal:] (1.) Sen. Robert Duncan and Rep. Carl Isett (both Republicans from Lubbock) have filed a measure that would give voters the power to dissolve an economic development corporation and repeal taxes imposed to support that entity. This comes as a result of an attempt by the Lubbock City Council to soothe the concerns of critics of recent proposed sales tax increases that the Council might impose for economic development...

(2.) Gene Messer Automotive Group, who has automotive dealerships in Amarillo, Lubbock, and Rockwall, was recently acquired by the publicly held Group 1 Automotive Inc. of Houston for $59 million in cash and 750,000 shares of Group 1 common stock...

[Lubbock Magazine:] Lubbock's historic Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Depot (which was registered as a national historic site in 1990 and now serves as the cornerstone of the Depot District, may soon be the recipient of $131,020 if a challenge grant by the Meadows Foundation can be met to secure needed improvements on the historic site that will soon become the new Buddy Holly Center that will house the Buddy Holly memorabilia collection. The Meadows Foundation provides grants to support museums, art centers, and historic preservation in Texas...

[Texas Monthly:] One of the state's most storied establishments and barbeque joints may soon be forced to shut its doors. Kruez Market in Lockhart after nearly 100 years may be required to close due to a family dispute between the children of former owner Edgar "Smitty" Schmidt (who died in 1990)--Nina Sells (whom Schmidt bequeathed the building and the property it occupied) and Don and Rick Schmidt (who now own and operate the business). The heirs are in a dispute over the renewal of the lease by Rick and Don in which Nina wishes to raise the building's rent to $400,000 over the next four years...

(2.) It seems that this year's Grammys will apparently feature over 30 current and former Texans nominated in a significant number of major catagories. And Tejano music will finally get its own stand-alone catagory for the first time...

[Amarillo Globe-News:] A classified employment ad put out by Stanley Marsh for the Dynamite Museum has raised quite a stir in this Panhandle city. The ad seeks people with skills in the following areas: juggling, mimes, sousaphonists, unicyclists, signmakers, imposters, giants, fat and/or bearded ladies, etc. The ad also says, "The offer...is for unique talents who naturally draw attention to themselves by doing what they do well."...

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