heart sanctuary

Leann Landmesser, owner of Le’Land Heart Sanctuary, left, plays with Winnie the Pooh, a sharpay lab, Monday afternoon. Winnie the Pooh is one of about 60 dogs Landmesser has been preparing for adoption at Le'Land Heart Sanctuary, just outside of Lubbock. Winnie was found in a Lubbock landfill with a bullet in her stomach. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Kaidyn Steward, 6, plays with a dog along side her mother Ashlie Steward, top, Monday afternoon at Le'Land Heart Sanctuary, just outside of Lubbock. The Stewards have volunteered a few days at the sanctuary and are deciding which dog they want to adopt. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)


Ashlie Steward, center, and her children Trystan, left, 3, and Kaidyn, right, 6, play with dogs from the Le'Land Heart Sanctuary, just outside of Lubbock, Monday afternoon. The Stewards have volunteered a few days at the sanctuary and are deciding which dog they want to adopt. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Alberto Gonzales

Alberto Gonzales, the 80th Attorney General of the United States, leaves an interview with the Avalanche-Journal for another interview with local media Thursday, July 23, 2009, at Texas Tech University. Gonzales was hired by Texas Tech as a guest lecturer and a political science professor. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Alberto Gonzales, the 80th Attorney General of the United States, answers questions from the Avalanche-Journal Thursday, July 23, 2009, at Texas Tech University. (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
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Although Alberto Gonzales looks pleasant in these photos, that is not the vibe we felt during the interview. At the end, all of us (the reporter, videographer, and I) thought he wasn't very nice and had a certain attitude about him. Anyway, I wasn't impressed. But he did say some interesting things in the interview - especially when he thought he and the Bush administration had "made mistakes".

speed self-promoting

Danny Soliz of Workforce Solutions, right, keeps an eye on his stop watch as participants of the Lubbock Chamber mega-marketing event share their 90 second self promotions with each other at the Chamber of Commerce, Tuesday morning. Participants were paired up for three minutes to share a 90 second self promotion before changing places. Tuesday, July 14, 2009 (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

city adjustments

City budget proposals and bond elections are likely to bring change to Lubbock. The question - who's paying for it? Read Elliott Blackburn's related stories: City Council considers citizen oversight in its effort to push bond packages & Fees Upped: City residents would pay higher fees, but same taxes under newly proposed budget
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A youth soccer game takes place feet from a sprinkler head measuring six inches in diameter, bottom right, Saturday at Berl Huffman Athletic Complex. Parents have voiced concerns that many of the field's conditions are unsafe. Improved soccer facilities are one of the items on a November bond election. Early estimates put the full cost of soccer improvements at $12.3 million. May 23, 2009 (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Mammie White, left, and Rickey Shaw, center, wait for Greg Jackson, right, as he requests a birth certificate for his daughter, Wednesday at the City of Lubbock Health Department. The current proposed budget will eliminate six positions at the department. Wednesday, July 08, 2009 (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Lubbock firefighter Rodney Brown blows leaves from the engine garage at Fire Station #6, Monday afternoon. The city could add three new fire stations at $2.5 million a piece as part of a $61 million bond package in November. Monday, July 06, 2009 (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Lubbock firefighters Rodney Brown, left, and Chad Dawkins dry fire engine 6 at Fire Station #6, Monday afternoon. The city could add three new fire stations at $2.5 million a piece as part of a $61 million bond package in November. Monday, July 06, 2009 (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

making doctors

I followed a group of elementary-aged science explorers last week as they learned how science is used in a hospital setting. Talk about hands-on learning. I would've loved this at their age.

Eleven-year-old Marcus Johnson studies the breathing pattern of a mannequin as he and other campers of Science Exploration Academy Camp learn in the School of Nursing Simulation Center at the Texas Tech Health Science Center, Tuesday morning. The camp offers youth an opportunity to learn about all types of science in real life situations. Tuesday, June 30, 2009 (Photo by Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)