Catching Up

So, after about four months (off and on) on the road working as a consultant (not a producer) on Cold Justice, we're finally done with filming for Season One and I'm back home for good.  Working on the show was a lot of work with very long days, but I enjoyed the hell out of it.  I think the show is going to be awesome when it airs.

I know the blog has been slacking badly in my absence.  I haven't been around to follow up on the latest news and gossip.  I would hear bits and pieces of news while I was out on the road, but I didn't have the time or resources to confirm what I was seeing until it was old news.

What's funny is that most of the comments I got about my absence from the blawgosphere were from people who hate the blog in the first place.  I suppose it just fulfills some need of theirs to be angry and they missed me.

I was in Arizona when I learned about Mike Anderson's cancer diagnosis.  As a friend of Mike's and as a father and husband myself, I'm saddened beyond words about what the Anderson family is going through right now.   As I said before, my thoughts and prayers are with him, Devon, and his kiddos.  Moments like this should make us all take a moment to stop and focus on the truly important things in life.

I've heard some complaints about the morale at the Office lately.  It doesn't rise to Lykosian Levels, but there have been grumblings from the troops about some of the people in higher positions and some questions about certain people in certain promotions.  Some of the complaints I agree with.  Some I don't.  It sounds a lot like the D.A.'s Office I remember from when I worked there.

There have been a couple of scandals this year, but the major one so far has been this one, which I already wrote about.

I don't know what is going on with Amanda Culbertson's lawsuit against the District Attorney's Office, Pat Lykos, and Rachel Palmer.  I haven't heard any updates.

There are some interesting developments going on in the aftermath of the Jeffrey Stern case, but I'm not at liberty to discuss them quite yet.

Two courthouse folks have publicly announced their candidacies for some appellate court positions. My friend (and one of my favorite people) Jani Jo (Maselli) Wood is running for Place 4 on the Court of Criminal Appeals.  She is an outstanding candidate who would make the Court a better place.  In addition to having outstanding taste in music, she is guided by a strong moral compass that is backed up by her tireless devotion to the law.  I'll be writing more about her in the months to come.

Harris County Assistant District Attorney David Newell is running for Place 9 on the Court of Criminal Appeals.  I don't know David very well, but I'm familiar with the work he's been doing on behalf of the Office.  Everything I know about him indicates he'll make a great candidate for the Court, as well.  I'll do some more research on him and get back to you in the months to come.

Of course, Governor Rick Perry's announcement today that he isn't going to run again for office is going to shake things up drastically around Harris County, too.

That's pretty much the stuff on my mind right now as I start to catch up on the blog.

What's on y'all's minds?