Did You Wonder Why We Didn't Hear A Peep From The Chair Of The House Tourism Committee Regarding Nixon's $7M Cuts To The State's Tourism Commission:

He was busy.

For the past several weeks the main stream media (MSM) and bloggers (including this one) has been ablaze with articles and postings about Governor Nixon's cuts to the Missouri Tourism Commission.

Everyone connected with tourism in Missouri has had a word or few to say about Nixon's cuts.

Everyone has given their opinion.

Everyone has denounced Nixon's cuts.

Everyone has said their piece.

Well, almost everyone.

What?

Well, he's been busy.

WHAT?

It's official. According to the Stone County Website, Dennis Wood has resigned his seat in the Missouri General Assembly (and his position as Chairman of The House Standing Committee On Tourism) and assumed the position (after appointment by Governor Nixon) of Presiding Commissioner of Stone County, replacing George Cutbirth who resigned due to health problems.

According to a frequent bus rider, both the Democratic and Republican central committees of Stone County made their recommendations for Cutbirth's replacement to Governor Nixon. Wood wasn't on either organizations' list.

Why did Nixon appoint Wood to the position?

Why did Nixon appoint Wood to the position after both the Republican and Democratic committees recommended different individuals?

Wood, a real estate agent who was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2002 and perhaps best remembered for championing the crawdad as the official state critter, gave away wooden nickels during his inagural campaign. His other lack of major achievement was in voting for a bill which allowed Robert Plaster to begin the process of creating the Village of Evergreen on Hwy. D, in Stone County.

Of course, he blamed whole affair on then Speaker of the House, Rod Jetton, rather than admit he, too, failed in his duties, the most major of which is to simply pay attention.

Wood told the Kansas City Star: “This is a horrible law, and it got pushed through because I didn’t catch it and because many others didn’t either,” said Dennis Wood, a Kimberling City Republican. “The speaker himself promoted it and got it through without the knowledge of the rest of us.”

Some are theorizing that Nixon's appointment of Wood as Stone County Commissioner was a reward for keeping out of the fray over the tourism monies.

Will the Tour Of Missouri (that old cash cow) now be going through Galena?

Most of us are probably having the same thoughts Steve Justus voiced when he was interviewed by David Catanese:

Justus said he had heard Wood was interested in the county commission, but was more surprised at how he landed there.
"I'm a little bit surprised the Governor appointed a Republican. That's the biggest thing I'm surprised about," Justus said.

Its not like there aren't many Democrats in Stone County.

Can you even buy a decent hotdog in Stone County?