My impressions and cuts from some footage taken on Saturday. I didn't realize until I watched this to edit it that Todd Staples is FROM PALESTINE and that he had tried to flood that area.

During the just-finished special session of the Texas Legislature, Rep.
Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) made a last-gasp attempt to address the state railroad's problem. He introduced a bill that would have
appropriated $500,000 in general revenue funds to keep the railroad
operating through August 2007.

Hopson, whose district includes Rusk, said the special appropriation
would give local leaders more time to come up with a plan.

Also, it would keep the railroad on track during the 2007 session of
the Texas Legislature, when supporters of increased funding of state
parks hope to make some headway in garnering more money for all state parks.

Hopson's bill went nowhere.

Of course, all these machinations over the fate of the railroad are
moot if a controversial reservoir is constructed in East Texas.

Fastrill Reservoir, being pushed primarily as a water supply for
Dallas, would be built astride the Neches River.

The reservoir would destroy more than 25,000 acres of forest ? an area
being considered for a national wildlife refuge. It also would drown
much of the railroad.

Last year, the Texas Senate passed a resolution expressing its support
for creation of Fastrill Reservoir.

The resolution was introduced by Staples.

Let's also not forget that Staples is the primary pusher of the Trans Texas Corridor. Seems that both Staples and Henserling don't care about the citizens in their area-willing to ignore any type of wildlife refuge as well as take land away from private citizens. VOTE THEM OUT!

Local Representative Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) has strongly supported the wildlife refuge and what he calls