Outgoing land commissioner headed to radio?

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has his eyes on the horizon.

Patterson, a Republican who lost his bid for lieutenant governor in the March primary, experimented with something that could be a new career.

On election night, he provided political analysis for Austin’s KLBJ News Talk 590 AM.

“I guess you can say, in the words of the great Hank Williams Jr., that it’s all over but the crying,” Patterson said of his political career. “This part-time radio thing might just be the next step for me.”

Election Day birthday

Tuesday was a big day for former first lady Laura Bush and not just because her nephew — George P. Bush — was on the Texas ballot.

It also was her birthday.

The wife of the 43rd president, George W. Bush, turned 68 last week.

The only mention she made on Facebook that day was noting that a friend of hers was sharing her Texas buttermilk coconut pie recipe on her blog.

Chairman sitting pretty

The National Republican Congressional Committee scored such a stunning victory in Tuesday’s elections — increasing the GOP majority by at least 13 seats — that U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, walked away from a leadership bid.

Williams and a few restive Republicans were preparing to challenge committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., before the elections. But Walden, in his first term at the helm, exceeded the committee’s “Drive to 245” goal of having 245 Republicans in the House. The GOP had 233 seats before Tuesday and has a net gain of 13 seats so far, with several races undecided.

Typically, chairmen serve for two election cycles, though they must be elected every two years. The election is expected to be held soon.

“Rep. Williams will not seek the chairmanship,” said Haley Graves, Williams’ spokeswoman. “He spoke with Chairman Walden … to congratulate him on the job well done and let him know that he is ready and anxious to continue working with him.”

Changing scope?

A Fort Worth volunteer commission studying women’s issues could be reorganizing after recent problems getting quorums at meetings and issuing reports to Fort Worth City Council members.

Melissa Mitchell, chairwoman of the Commission for Women, said the group is discussing changes to bylaws and composition to “make sure we are doing a good job in fulfilling a need within the city.”

Although the commission has reviewed issues such as childhood mortality rates, some city leaders believe changes are needed.

Assistant City Manager Susan Alanis told council members this year that the commission is “not running effectively.” And Councilman Jungus Jordan has asked for a staff report on the status of the group.

Mitchell said looking at the purpose and composition of the commission is a normal process, especially since the commission was originally created in 1983.

“When we came about, there was a different need and are we still filling it? I think every commission should ask that,” she said.

Staff writer Caty Hirst contributed to this report.

This story was originally published November 8, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Outgoing land commissioner headed to radio?."