Austin American-Statesman's Asher Price got a few words with Rep. Joe Strauss, who will most likely become the next Speaker of the Texas House. While many folks have been saying "ABC" ("Anybody But Craddick" for Speaker), it looks as if there may be somebody in the Speaker's chair who give a fair, evenhanded chance to environmental conservation this session, even - we hope! - appointing a Chair of the Environmental Regulations Committee who's isn't simply a lapdog for big polluters. That's a New Year's surprise everybody can be happy about!

Labels: joe strauss, speaker, Texas House, tom craddick