A couple more condolences to extend from the PinkDome family:

EP Times: Timothy Allen Haggerty, a retired fire battalion chief and brother of state Rep. Pat Haggerty, County Commissioner Dan Haggerty and El Paso Community College Trustee Brian Haggerty, died on Wednesday. He was 59.

Tyron Garner also passed away recently. Tyron was one of two men whose 1998 arrests led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down bans on sodomy. In June 2003, the Supreme Court said that what men and women do in the privacy of their bedrooms is their business and not the government's. About being thrust into the limelight, Tyron said "I don't really want to be a hero...But I want to tell other gay people 'Be who you are, and don't be afraid.'"

Texas has lost many heroes this week. Again, our condolences to the family and friends of all who have passed on. Our lives have been touched for the better by these people, and I pray that we listen to the lessons learned from these heroes as we strive to make this a better state and better country for future generations.