Due to problems with four animal rescue centers, some people in Tennessee want to regulate private animal centers.  This actually may not be a bad idea.  There have been problems with shelters in Texas (one in Montgomery County springs to mind immediately), which seemed to be more a front for animal hoarding than actual shelters. 

It would be wonderful if all the shelters had some basic requirements, but it never seems to be so.  I am proud to be associated with Noah's Ark Bayou Sanctuary here in Brazoria County, and I am personally amazed at Pam Sanidakos' energy and drive.  She is very careful with the animals, and they all seem to thrive in her care.

She has gone the extra mile of getting her sanctuary incorporated, finding vets who will help her with basic care, setting up contracts in an attempt to make sure the animals are getting good care after they leave her.

Most other shelter workers are like Pam, but there are some who screw it up for everyone else.  Since most shelters are running at a loss, the bad shelters screw up the donations the others need to keep saving animals.  Maybe it is time to make all shelters promise to take good care of the animals, like Pam does with new pet owners.  If nothing else, it will make it easier to take the pets and place them with another shelter where they may thrive.  Just a contract with the state saying, yes, we will care for our animals.

The House voted to provide help to Brazoria County (amongst others) due to Hurricane Rita damage and economic damage caused by the evacuation.  More info here.

Hopefully the tax break for families will also be available here.  Like many others, we had to reshingle parts of our roof due to the high winds, and it wasn't covered by our homeowners insurance.  Even a little break would be nice.

Kassidy James only lived five weeks.  Her mother was charged yesterday with two counts of injury to a child in Kassidy's death.  Katherine James, 25, breastfed her daughter, and it was enough to kill the tiny infant--with cocaine. 

Kassidy died of acute cocaine toxicity, a tiny victim of a horrible drug.

Deputy Jason Alexander Oliff, 27, was killed while working an off duty job at a plant on FM 2004.  He was placing flares on the road when two vehicles came up on him; the first pulled off to avoid him, the second tried to pull around the first and struck the deputy even though he apparently had a lighted flare in his hand.

Deputy Oliff was a four and a half year veteran of the department, starting in 2001 in the Brazoria County jail.