As the Gossips predicted last week, Council Member Carol Alvarado had no knowledge of the bonuses award her Pro Tem staff. She said last weekend in the Houston Chronicle " 'THESE ARE CLEARLY NOT MY INITIALS' and that " someone forged her signature to approve the bogus bonuses". " I can tell you right now that's not my handwriting," said Alvarado to the Chronicle. The Gossips are feeling better about Carol's political future.

The District State Senate 7 race is getting interesting. State Rep. Joe Nixon is on TV with a black and white ad that clearly shows that Joe is bald and a little on the heavy side. Good for Joe and his truth in advertising say the balding Gossips. Meanwhile Joe picked up the endorsement of State Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale and Corbin did not just endorse Joe, he blasted Dan Patrick in his email to his voters. It said " I cannot stand idly by while he deceives the very people I try hard to honestly represent. Whether it be about taxes, or spending, or legislator pay, or his residency, or things I've said, or things his opponents have said----you have my word as someone who's officially sworn on oath to God to represent his constituents to the best of his ability----that we are witnessing the systematic use of words (sometimes false, sometimes technically-correct) to mislead voters -- all fueled by political ambition -- to a degree that I cannot in good conscience keep silent about." Wow, the Gossips are impressed that Corbin got God in the message.

Dan Patrick is not on TV yet and the Gossips wonder what he has done with the $250K that he loaned his campaign. Bought radio time maybe? So far Peggy Hamric is very quiet in her campaign but calling and mailing voters. A qualified woman, which Peggy is will do well in any election, so the Gossips think the race is between Joe, Dan and Peggy. Early voting started today.