#brat of county commissioners

[shoesandsocks]

Doing some ballot research and I'm always glad to see a candidate NOT use the book of faces for their platform.

I'm guessing this fella doesn't realize how close he is to the brat summer trend. He just likes green.

[royaletiquette]

As he started with the criticisms, Kyoko parted her lips to correct him, though Nezumi instead kept talking without leaving her the opportunity to. Nor did she waste the effort to talk over him. His mind was set on an opinion formed entirely one-sided, but also, it truly just didn't matter what he thought. He managed to get the queen's head to sway gently to the side as he spoke of her daughter's home life, more curious as to what made him jump to such conclusions than what he had to say.

And yet, as easily as she fell for the bait to draw Kyoko in, he lost her again. It wasn't as if she went in knowing (or caring to know) much about Nezumi, besides being a plus one to a woman who was immediately put on thin ice by that knowledge alone, and being the mastermind behind Hibiko's wreckless behaviors as of late. What she didn't assume was that he would abuse the audience of bored ears to discuss his charity work in Edo. She listened - well, watched him - go off about complaints he knew nothing about until they returned on topic.

So, there was . . . no plan? He was going to learn nothing from this, as predicted with Kyoko shielding him from all the backlash. It serves her right, truthfully, having agreed to Hibiko's pleas of panic too quickly. She should have thought about it more, but by the time she realized the mistake, backing down would only cause more issues in the household when her daughter returned home.

Any sense of decorum was long gone, allowing the deadpan, I don't want to be here mentality to show as clearly as it was obvious Nezumi wouldn't be compelled to behave any better no matter how she held herself. "Mmm," like the disappointed mother that she was. "An unfortunate waste of time and energy, then. But," she smacked her lips before letting out a sigh, "what are you going to do. What's done is done."

Standing, as if leaving and ending the conversation there was her own choice, "I suppose I can start turning my attention to the county commissioners' requests. Apparently one of their nephews was assaulted at the party that same night and has been demanding my husband look into it. I don't know if they were looking to still press charges, or whomever the guest might have come with?" The faux spontaneous train of thought finally allowed her eyes to land back on Nezumi's already trying to rip her apart. Held for another beat longer before adding, "But I'm sure that shouldn't be of concern to you," as she finally began to make her leave.

Clearly, all of this was pointless, not only a waste of her time and energy but resources as well. Her only saving grace was that Hibiko was safe, hopefully coming home actually learning something and having a plan - unlike the degenerate Kyoko was leaving behind without another word. And truthfully, she hadn't looked into what happened to that annoying brat that was pushed or tripped, slapped, whatever. She didn't have to.

No, she didn't need to hope her daughter would do the right thing, she will. Hibiko at her core was well-mannered, smart, and knew how to do the right thing no matter how difficult, and some no-name actor couldn't change that.

Kyoko was right. The theatre wasn't for her. Neither was Nezumi's changing room. She was unwelcome and an intruder. If the choice was Nezumi's — and if he thought he could get away with it — he would have told her to fuck off before he offered a greeting. He didn't want her here. He didn't want to talk to her, nor did he think there was anything to talk about. What had transcribed happened between Nezumi and Hibiko; the queen's involvement was unnecessary and pitiful.

But she was the queen; it didn't matter if she wanted to make a fool of herself in Nezumi's eyes. His personal opinion had little value — and he intended to take full advantage of that.

"Alright then, Mrs Subarashi," Nezumi shrugged. He flashed Kyoko a polite smile. "I didn't want to make you feel old."

Nezumi observed her. Up close, she didn't look as regal and intimidating as he thought she would, sitting next to the mess of theatre costumes. She looked like a parody of herself, having sunk so low for reasons so vain.

Nezumi didn't let his eyes drop from her expression. Whenever she looked towards him, there he was, staring daggers into her eyes. Unlike her, Nezumi didn't sit down. He was leaning against the vanity table with his ankles leisurely crossed and his palms resting on each side of his hip, but his laissez-faire mannerism contrasted starkly with the cold edge of his irises.

" . . . as I'm sure we both have plans we'd like to return to after this."

Nezumi snorted and muttered under his breath: "Yes, some of us seem busier than others."

He waited for her to get to the point, not even bothering to think of a reply to her feigned concern. If her questions had been papers on a table, Nezumi would have swept them aside without glancing once and urged her to speak plainly. He wanted this meeting to be as short as possible, but he couldn't help the laughter that bubbled from his throat when she finally came clean, and the ridiculousness of her visit reached the light.

Nezumi stared at her as if she were the court jester — now with unfiltered humour colouring his eyes.

"It isn't my fault you've built your reputation on a fragile public image; royalty has one job, and somehow, you managed to fuck even that up," Nezumi shrugged. "If you were half the person you want this country to think you are, you would have given your daughter the upbringing she deserved, and none of this would've happened. I hope she grows so far over your head the most you'll ever see of her are the soles of her shoes as she steps over you because that's what I think you deserve."

Fuck. That felt good. It would change nothing at all, nor would it move the woman, but it was worth every wasted breath.

"As for my plans," Nezumi gestured vaguely. "I plan to join a protest; help compose a petition, volunteer at a soup kitchen, and I have the theatre to worry about. Did you know there is a luscious green patch of land in the city, which the surrounding community turned into a lovely park for their children, but now the council sold it to some capitalist pig for big bucks who plans to pour concrete over it and raise a supermarket? The people don't need another supermarket in the area, they have stated as much. But thanks to the park, the neighbourhood attracted more people, so, of course, more capital."

"I'll also be helping the West district write a petition to get their sewage fixed. The city hall has been turning down individual requests and complaints about pollution in the streets and drainage for months. Do you know the disparity between poor neighbourhoods and wealthy ones? Do you know the difference in population density? How many children and marginalised people live in horrible conditions? Do you give a fuck about the homeless people in the streets, or do they disgust you because the street isn't a place meant for you?"

Nezumi tilted his head. The corners of his eyes wrinkled mockingly.

"Don't be disappointed. I don't even know when Hibiko's coming back. Nor is it any of my business. She comes and goes on her own schedule."

How arrogant of the queen to think Nezumi made any plans involving her daughter. How pathetically self-centred.

"I'll be real with you — if you're here because you care about your daughter's emotional well-being, then we're on the same page. I don't want to hurt her. But if your priority is your public image, then —" he gestured to the door, a nasty 'fuck off' on the tip of his tongue. He bit it, swallowed and said: "There's the door. We're done here either way."

[texbiker-blog]

Texas Bicycle News March 9th 2022

North Texans can help rebrand Fort Worth to Dallas bicycle trail(https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/news/2022/2/NCTCOG-Bike-Trail-Rebrand)

www.fortworthtexas.gov

The North Central Texas Council of Governments is looking to name and brand the 60-plus-mile bicycle-pedestrian trail connecting Fort Worth and Dallas, and residents are asked to help.

A project is underway to create a new name, brand, wayfinding system and other recommendations for the trail, currently called the Fort Worth to Dallas Regional Trail. More than 50 miles of the trail are open, spanning Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving and Dallas.

The ribbon cutting to open the trails is targeted for 2024. The trail is ...

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## [New bike-themed brewpub cycles into San Antonio this fall]()

#### By Francisco Ortiz | sanantonio.culturemap.com)

Sure, it’s not quite autumn, but it’s never too soon to start planning for an Oktoberfest bash. And local suds lovers in search of a new brew to toast the annual celebration won’t have to leave town to break away from the same old beer offerings. San Antonio’s newest brewpub will make it a breeze to break the cycle and imbibe something different.

Introducing Breakaway Brewing Co., the intoxicating new beer joint from locals Chris Pal-Freeman and his wife, Jean, which is on schedule to open this fall.

Pal-Freeman has done a lot of moving around the United States, be it as a military brat or with his family, and his stops have included San Antonio. But the couple has spent the ...

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## Podcast #055 – Colin Strickland talks Red Bull gravel race, bike setup & more!

#### by Tyler Benedict | bikerumor.com

Colin Strickland didn’t grow up cycling, but that sure didn’t stop him from bursting onto the scene and quickly making a name for himself.

Now a legend in the burgeoning gravel racing world, he’s working with Red Bull to host the inaugural Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel race in May 2022. We caught up with Colin to see how the event came to be, get a little course intel, and hear how about his bike setup, race day nutrition, and more!

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Proposed Houston bike path near Herman Park to fill gap in network

#### Jay R. Jordan | www.chron.com

Commissioner Rodney Ellis plans on presenting the plan for approval March 22.

Plans are in the works to close a major gap in Houston's bike network that will connect more people to the Texas Medical Center, NRG Park and several other places south of downtown Houston.

Rodney Ellis, commissioner for Harris County's Precinct 1, is planning to use precinct funds to widen the narrow sidewalk along Almeda Road between Old Spanish Trail and Holly Hall Street. Work could start as early as May on the mile-long stretch, which will be transformed into a 10-foot wide shared-use path similar to others in the area and along the bayous that can be used for those who walk, roll, ride or run. The current design is prohibitive if multiple people are on the sidewalk at once, which could force those on ...

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https://www.reddit.com/r/socialcyclingaustin/comments/tajia1/tnsr_let_there_be_lights_03102022/

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## Velodrome Update!

#### Alkek Veldrome | shoutout.wix.com

The 2022 track season is coming in hot! First race is Atomic TT on Sat 12th followed by TNR on Tues 15th! - If you are planning to race this year check out our racer guide!

Upcoming Events

Atomic TT 9am Sat March 12th

TNR Bunch Racing 6:45pm March 15th

BellVelo #3 9am Sat March 19th

Intro to Track Cycling 10am March 20th

Velodrome Cycling Swap Meet 1pm March 20th

TNR Sprints Racing 6:45pm March 22nd

TNR Track on Speed 6:45pm March 29th

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## [Video: Would you bike ride to RodeoHouston to avoid heavy traffic?](https://www.click2houston.com/traffic/2022/03/08/would-you-bike-ride-to-rodeohouston-to-avoid-heavy-traffic/)

#### Anavid Reyes | www.click2houston.com

HOUSTON – What if you could skip all the rodeo traffic and hop on a bike straight into all the fun instead? That could be a reality in the future!

The City of Houston’s proposed new pop-up bike lane will not only help you beat the traffic, but it’s also free to park your bike in front of NRG, which means more money in your pocket for those fried Oreos at the carnival! ...

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## [UTA launches electric bike share program on campus](https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2022/03/09/uta-launches-electric-bike-share-program-on-campus/)

#### By Cecilia Lenzen | www.dallasnews.com

The e-bikes have 105 pickup and drop-off locations.

/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/dmn/BHKNSQNEFJE3HHWPUHXHV2OOLQ.jpg)

The University of Texas at Arlington has launched a bike share program in collaboration with Blue Duck, an electric bike and scooter service.

The program lets students rent e-bikes for on-campus use through the Blue Duck app.

Greg Hladik, executive director of auxiliary services at UTA, said the program is meant to provide the UTA community with a “micromobility option” for greater access throughout campus and downtown Arlington. ...

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https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca56E6Ttrq9/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca3zcQNuXKe/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5YsIOuHfs/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5j98wp1Aj/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca5vZydFyC9/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca53LJqueIZ/

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[newssplashy]

Republican voters lashed out against traditional party leaders Tuesday, ousting Rep. Mark Sanford of South Carolina and nominating a conservative firebrand for Senate in Virginia, the latest illustration that fealty to President Donald Trump and his hard-line politics is paramount on the right.

Sanford, a former governor once seen as a possible candidate for president, lost to Katie Arrington, a state lawmaker, in a closely contested primary, The Associated Press reported. Arrington had made the incumbent’s frequent criticism of Trump the centerpiece of her campaign.

 And the president endorsed her in an unexpected, and deeply personal, broadside against Sanford just three hours before the polls closed.

In Virginia, Republicans dismissed the concerns of mainstream party leaders to nominate Corey Stewart, a local official who has made his name attacking unauthorized immigrants and embracing emblems of the Confederacy, the AP reported. He will challenge Sen. Tim Kaine, the former Democratic vice-presidential candidate.

Party leaders fear that Stewart, a fervent Trump supporter who has mimicked his slashing style, could drag down other Republicans in a state that is key to control of the House.

But Republican primary voters appeared more eager to punish Trump’s enemies than to reward his allies: Even as they seemed poised to turn out Sanford, South Carolina Republicans forced Gov. Henry McMaster, one of Trump’s earliest supporters, into a runoff election against a 39-year-old political newcomer.

It was the upset in Sanford’s Charleston-area House district, however, that represented the starkest reminder that many Republican voters now demand total fidelity to the president: Sanford, who resurrected his career in the House after conducting a much-publicized extramarital affair as governor, has repeatedly taken aim at Trump.

Sanford had demanded Trump release his tax returns while bemoaning what he calls “the cult of personality” gripping the GOP. Arrington’s surprise victory seemed to vindicate Sanford’s assessment of the party — at his own expense.

Sanford remained defiant in the face of defeat, telling supporters in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, that he did not regret clashing with Trump.

“It may have cost me an election in this case, but I stand by every one of those decisions to disagree with the president,” Sanford said Tuesday night as his chances appeared to grow more bleak.

Taking the stage at her election night party, Arrington affirmed Sanford’s assessment: “We are the party of Donald J. Trump,” she said in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The president’s popularity with conservative activists did seem to do in Sanford: Arrington focused relentlessly on his apostasies, assailing Sanford for “bashing our captain, President Trump,” as she put it in a debate earlier this month.

Trump, catching up on Tuesday with a campaign waged for months in his shadow, echoed those attacks. He invoked the affair Sanford conducted with an Argentine woman, effectively firing a warning shot at those Republicans who dare speak out against him.

“Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA,” Trump wrote on Twitter, referencing his “Make America Great Again” slogan as he flew back from Singapore. “He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina. I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love.”

While Trump has repeatedly savaged less-pliant Republicans in the Senate, including Jeff Flake of Arizona and Bob Corker of Tennessee, his surprise attack on Sanford was his first comparable effort to make an example of a critic in the House.

Sanford is the second House Republican to tumble in a primary election against a challenger displaying disloyalty to the president. Rep. Martha Roby of Alabama, who withdrew her endorsement from Trump in 2016 after the publication of a recording in which he bragged about sexual assault, failed to garner a majority in a primary earlier this month and was forced into a runoff.

Trump’s blast appeared to be unplanned. Some White House officials were not aware his tweet was coming, pointing out that the president sent the message while he was on Air Force One returning from the summit with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, in Singapore. And about 40 minutes after he took aim at Sanford, Trump appeared to confirm he was catching up on news back home when he also swiped at actor Robert De Niro, who recently used the Tony Awards ceremony to aim a four-letter attack at the president.

Yet on the same night that Sanford struggled, McMaster, a staunch Trump ally, was forced into a runoff — a vivid illustration that the Republican base’s thirst for insurgency does not necessarily spare Trump’s supporters. McMaster, 71, who has been buffeted by an ongoing corruption investigation in the state capital, garnered just 44 percent of the vote and will face John Warren in the June 26 runoff.

After Trump traveled to the state earlier this year to raise money for McMaster, the governor used footage from trip to make a television ad. Over the weekend, the president tweeted his support for McMaster, calling him “a special guy.”

The question now is whether Trump will campaign for McMaster in the runoff election, putting his own political capital on the line for a governor who was one of the first elected officials to endorse him and assumed his office when Nikki R. Haley became ambassador to the United Nations.

South Carolina Democrats, who have not won a governor’s race two decades, nominated James Smith, a state legislator and Afghanistan veteran for the state’s top job.

In Virginia, Republicans braced for the possibility of protracted turmoil: Stewart, who nearly seized the nomination for governor last year, has also savaged GOP leaders in the state and faced intense scrutiny for his associations with multiple white nationalist figures.

Republicans fear that having Stewart as their nominee against Kaine, the former vice-presidential nominee, will spur moderate voters and women to desert the party in droves, imperiling several contested House seats in the state. Republican candidates across the state may now find themselves captive to Stewart’s every utterance over the next five months — an unwelcome burden for lawmakers like Reps. Barbara Comstock and Scott Taylor, who were already endangered.

In an emphatic display of the energy behind Democratic women in congressional races this year, Virginia Democrats nominated three women Tuesday night for the three most contested House seats in the state. They selected Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer, to oppose Rep. Dave Brat outside of Richmond, and Elaine Luria, a Navy veteran, to challenge Rep. Scott Taylor in his Hampton Roads-based seat.

And in the state’s most vulnerable Republican-held district, Democrats selected state Sen. Jennifer Wexton to oppose Rep. Barbara Comstock. Comstock’s district, which stretches from Northern Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley, voted strongly against Trump in 2016 and rejected Republican candidates for the legislature and statewide offices last fall.

Primaries were also held Tuesday in North Dakota, Maine and Nevada, with the latter two featuring Democratic contests where long-serving women faced off against male opponents. Democratic women have fared well in many congressional primaries this year, but the Maine and Nevada races marked the starting line for a long season of more difficult primaries for female candidates for governor.

In Nevada, Steve Sisolak, a Clark County commissioner, easily defeated his fellow commissioner Chris Giunchigliani in a race that evolved into a proxy battle between former Sen. Harry Reid and Hillary Clinton.

Sisolak entered the race with the blessing of Reid, the former Senate majority leader who remains the de facto head of the Nevada Democratic Party, and he raised significantly more money than the progressive Giunchigliani. She won an infusion of money from outside groups, most notably Emily’s List, the group that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights, and a late endorsement from Clinton. But it was not enough to threaten Sisolak

He will face Adam Laxalt, the 39-year-old state attorney general and grandson of former Sen. Paul Laxalt, who easily won the Republican primary.

In Maine, where Democrats and Republicans were selecting their nominees for governor, a new system of voting promised to provide an atmosphere of uncertainty that could last for several days. Voters in the state were ranking primary candidates in order of preference, and using second- and third-place preferences to settle races in which no first-choice candidate achieves majority support. There is a crowded field of governor’s candidates in both parties and it is unlikely anyone will win based on the first round of preferences.

While races in most of the country have been defined by a candidate’s stance toward Trump, the race for governor in Maine has largely unfolded in the shadow of Gov. Paul R. LePage, an unpopular and deeply divisive Republican who has aligned himself with the White House.

On the Democratic side, the strongest candidates appeared to be Janet Mills, the state attorney general, and Adam Cote, a businessman and military veteran. But the race is unsettled enough that other candidates, like Mark Eves, a former speaker of the State House of Representatives, may have a chance to win. Shawn Moody, a wealthy businessman, prevailed on the Republican side.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

JONATHAN MARTIN and ALEXANDER BURNS © 2018 The New York Times

via NewsSplashy - Latest Nigerian News Online

[democratsunited-blog]

What to Watch in Tuesday’s Primaries: Trump Looms in GOP Races as Democrats Eye Midterms

https://uniteddemocrats.net/?p=3490

What to Watch in Tuesday’s Primaries: Trump Looms in GOP Races as Democrats Eye Midterms

Five states hold primaries Tuesday—Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina and Virginia. Democrats will decide on their candidates for a handful of House seats they hope to win in November, while Republicans will determine the political cost of speaking out against President

Donald Trump.

When will Maine know who won its primaries for governor and Congress?

It probably won’t be on Tuesday night, according to Maine elections officials. Tuesday’s primaries are Maine’s first experiment with ranked-choice voting, a system that allows voters to choose candidates in order of preference.

The system is designed to avoid having candidates win with less than 50% support. But in races with multiple candidates—three Democrats are seeking the party’s nomination in the state’s second congressional district and seven Democrats and four Republicans are running for governor—it means a definitive result won’t be known until next week.

That is because the state’s election clerks will report only first-choice results on Election Day. If no candidate reaches a majority, the ballots and election-machine memory devices will be transported by courier service to Augusta, the state capital, where they will be tabulated to determine a winner through the ranked-choice process.

The Maine secretary of state’s office isn’t planning to run the tabulation until next week, spokeswoman

Kristen Muszynski

said Monday.

Will a Trump critic survive a Republican primary challenge in South Carolina?

GOP Rep.

Mark Sanford

of South Carolina is facing a primary challenge Tuesday that poses a fresh test of whether Republicans who criticize Mr. Trump will pay a political price in 2018.

Mr. Sanford is best known for having been disgraced as South Carolina governor in 2009 after an aide claimed he was hiking the Appalachian Trail while he was conducting an extramarital affair in South America. By 2013, he rebounded to win a House special election. Now, he is known as one of the few Republican elected officials openly critical of Mr. Trump—opposing his tariff and offshore drilling policies and criticizing his provocative rhetoric.

Running against him is GOP state

Rep. Katie Arrington,

who is portraying herself as a Trump loyalist, and attacking Mr. Sanford for going on television to “bash President Trump.”

“It’s time for Mark Sanford to take a hike—for real this time,’’ she said in one TV ad.

He responds to charges that he is disloyal to the president by saying he is being true to his own convictions.

“We don’t have a parliamentary system,” he said in an interview Monday. Asked whether South Carolina Trump supporters will punish him, he said, “It’s going to be a fascinating litmus test.”

The Sanford challenge comes just one week after another GOP incumbent,

Rep. Martha Roby

of Alabama, suffered consequences for her criticism of Mr. Trump in the 2016 campaign. Ms. Roby failed to win more than 50% in the Alabama primary against GOP opponents who accused her of being disloyal to the president, and now faces a July runoff election.

Also on Tuesday in Virginia,

GOP Rep. Scott Taylor

is facing a long-shot primary opponent, former local official

Mary Jones,

who has attacked the incumbent for making critical comments about the president.

Does neo-Confederate

Corey Stewart

have another political life in Virginia?

In 2017, Mr. Stewart, after running an underfunded campaign rooted in restoring Virginia’s Confederate monuments, nearly topped GOP establishment favorite

Ed Gillispie

in the primary for governor.

Now, Mr. Stewart is back and running for the Virginia GOP nomination to run against Democratic incumbent

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine.

There is no reliable public polling in his three-way race against

E.W. Jackson,

a minister who was the party’s lieutenant governor nominee in 2013, and

Nick Freitas,

a state legislator backed by libertarian

GOP Sen. Rand Paul

of Kentucky.

Whoever wins the Virginia GOP Senate primary will be a heavy underdog against Mr. Kaine, who has more than $10 million in his campaign account, but Mr. Stewart’s name at the top of the ticket could alienate suburban GOP voters key to the hopes of Republicans running in other races.

GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock,

in the northern Virginia suburbs across the Potomac River from Washington, is among the most endangered Republican incumbents in the nation. GOP Reps. Dave Brat near Richmond and

Scott Taylor

in Norfolk are likely to face much tougher challenges than they have in the past.

Democrats are also targeting a rural House seat being vacated by

Rep. Tom Garrett,

who announced last month he wouldn’t run for re-election while seeking treatment for alcoholism.

Who will Democrats nominate for governor in Maine and Nevada?

Democrats have contested gubernatorial primaries Tuesday in two states that are top pickup opportunities for the party, which is trying to dig itself out of a big hole in state government power.

After a decade of losses, Democrats now hold just 16 governors’ seats, while Republicans hold 33 (one is held by an independent). But Democrats have multiple opportunities this year because there are 26 GOP gubernatorial seats—including 12 open seats—on the ballot, compared with just nine Democratic seats.

Maine and Nevada are both open seats now held by Republicans, and are rated as “tossups” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

Maine is one of the Democrats’ best opportunities because

GOP Gov. Paul LePage

is prevented from running again by term limits. There are seven Democrats vying for the nomination in Tuesday’s primary, including Attorney General

Janet Mills,

broadly viewed as the front-runner.

In Nevada, the Democratic primary to replace term-limited

GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval

pits a pair of Clark County commissioners—

Chris Giunchigliani

and

Steve Sisolak.

Democrats are hopeful about Nevada because they fared so well in the state in 2016, when

Hillary Clinton

won the state against Mr. Trump and Democrat

Catherine Cortez Masto

won the state’s U.S. Senate seat against

GOP Rep. Joe Heck.

In South Carolina, which GOP gubernatorial candidate will win Trump voters?

It has been a long time since a Republican governor in South Carolina faced a serious primary challenge.

But

Gov. Henry McMaster

faces four Republicans in Tuesday’s primary, and the top two vote-getters are almost certainly headed to a June 26 runoff.

Mr. McMaster is unusually vulnerable to a primary challenge because he has been in office just 16 months, after being elevated to the job when President Trump chose then-

Gov. Nikki Haley

as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Mr. McMaster, a fixture in state politics for 30 years, was an early supporter of Mr. Trump in the state’s 2016 presidential primary. Mr. Trump has returned the favor, offering his endorsement in a rally, a TV ad and in a weekend tweet.

But his top opponents say they are the closest to Trump—one in style, and one in pedigree. Mr. Trump is very popular with Republicans in the state, and proximity to him has been a hallmark of the campaign. LINK:

Catherine Templeton

is a former Haley cabinet member who has been running for more than a year, saying that like the president, she’s a “conservative buzz saw” ready to face off against bureaucrats.

Entrepreneur

John Warren

entered the race this spring with $3 million of his own money, saying he is the most Trump-like because he is a self-made business leader who can’t be bought by special interests.

Write to Reid J. Epstein at reid.epstein@wsj.com, Janet Hook at janet.hook@wsj.com and Valerie Bauerlein at valerie.bauerlein@wsj.com

Read full story here

[gregslowe]

Two Bike Events Come to Marshall Co. in April

Hell of the South annual Bike Race event on April 1 begins 3rd year in Belfast, TN.

On behalf of Shake-n-Bake racing, the city of Lewisburg, the community of Belfast, and all of our sponsors, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the 2017 Hell of the South road race. Our goal back in 2010 was to provide a unique racing experience in middle Tennessee, a race that had a bit of the feel of a spring classic like the tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. The move to Lewisburg in 2015 introduced a different dynamic to our race. In addition to a bit more climbing we have some of the best scenery and best roads to ride a bike through anywhere in Tennessee. So come and enjoy your visit to Lewisburg and Marshall county and please visit and support our sponsors, interact with the local residents and show your appreciation to them for welcoming us to their home. Lastly, we want to thank all of our sponsors, without them there is no race. Shake and Bake Racing would especially like to thank our gracious hosts, Cary Whitesell and the City of Lewisburg. Their support can’t be overstated and is critical to the success of our race. When we lost our venue in 2015, the city of Lewisburg stepped up with unprecedented support in the form of volunteers, logistics, and of course race sponsorship. If you have a chance to meet any of the representatives from the city this weekend, please thank them for their dedication and support to allow the Hell of the South to happen. Also, please be courteous to all volunteers you see and/or interact with as they have dedicated a large part of their day for your success and enjoyment.

HOS Race Bible

HOS Race Flyer

HOS Race Registration

Henry Horton State Park is proud to host The Horton 100, the annual springtime Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee (BRAT) event on April 22-23.

Riders will begin and end each day at Henry Horton State Park in Chapel Hill. With a mix of beginner and more challenging stretches, this ride will show the best of what Middle Tennessee has to offer from the prime vantage point of a bike seat. Participants can ride the full 100 miles in increments of 50 miles per day, or choose a new 25 mile per day option.

“Hundreds of riders come to Middle Tennessee from all over the country for this annual springtime ride,” said Brock Hill, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Conservation. “Henry Horton State Park is an ideal place for riders to begin and end their journeys, with plenty of activities for participants and their families to enjoy throughout the weekend.”

In partnership with Bike Walk Tennessee, Henry Horton will be offering an additional feature this year for families – a youth bike clinic on Saturday, April 22. The clinic will be open to children of all ages and include lessons on rules of the road, bike safety and a ride of up to three miles. Youth participants will need to bring their own bike and helmet. More information and registration for the youth event can be found at http://ift.tt/1xKyDZRparks/event_details/henry-horton/#/?event=horton-100-youth-bike-clinic-ride-2017.

"Biking is such an important part of the life of our state here in Tennessee,” said Anthony Siracua, President of Bike Walk Tennessee. “We are proud to partner with TDEC and the Friends of Henry Horton Park to teach bicycle handling skills to the children of middle Tennessee. Teaching kids to bicycle at an early age is a great way to encourage bicycling as a life-long activity, and it allows us to show the youth how to operate their bicycles with awareness and poise.”

Registration includes two days of rides, two nights of camping (Friday and Saturday) and three meals. The registration fee per person is $125 for both days and $65 for one day until March 31. On April 1, the fee increases to $135 for two days and $70 for one day. Online registration will close on April 17. Riders can camp for free, stay in one of the park inn’s 68 rooms or reserve an RV campsite for an additional fee. 

The park is located on the shores of the historic and beautiful Duck River, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Park Rangers will offer interpretive programming, including crafts and games, for kids and families who are there for the weekend.

Most of the routes will be on two-lane highways. Riders are encouraged to wear appropriate safety gear, including reflective clothing and bicycle lights. Helmets are required to participate. Rest stations with refreshments will be available at various points along the ride. More details, including the routes for both days, can be viewed online athttp://ift.tt/1xKyDZRevents/details/#/?event=2017-horton-100.

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