Page Two

The election next month is not just for the national races. There are several important races happening closer to home, not to mention such ballot issues as light rail. Over the next few issues, we will take a look at these contests. The results of the race for district attorney -- pitting incumbent Ronnie Earle against two-time challenger Shane Phelps -- will tell us a lot about how Travis County will evolve politically and socially (see cover story by Amy Smith).

The question I have for light rail opponents is: What? What would you do about transportation in and around Austin as we go into the future? What? Build more roads and then more roads and then more roads? We have to look to alternatives. If we don't pass light rail now, then we will in a decade, and think of what it will cost then.

The future, as always, is ours, and the best way to try to control it is to vote.

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Austin Chronicle house manager and den mother Deborah Wilson has left her flock. Wilson worked at and ran the front desk, was responsible for the building, and organized social occasions. She coordinated our regular Wednesday lunches, doing the shopping when it came from Wheatsville, handled supplies, and showed up with boxes of Twinkies and Ring Dings when people's energy was running low. Deborah visited folks in hospitals and provided a shoulder to cry upon when the need arose. Her husband Sam is as much a part of the Chronicle's family as any employee. Deborah was part of the glue that held this place together, helping us to produce the paper you hold in your hand week after week.

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Mail -- we get lots of mail. Here it is. But we don't publish unsigned letters.