It seems that former District 2 Council candidate Byron Miller has something in common with Mark Twain, because recent reports of Miller's death have been greatly exaggerated.

State Representative Joe Farias' Fourth of July blow-out at Harlandale Park drew hundreds of sweaty revelers — and two anxious rivals. The event became the latest front in the developing battle between Congressman Lloyd Doggett and State Representative Joaquín Castro in the new 35th Congressional District, which stretches from Austin to South San Antonio. War by flesh-pressing.

No department is sacrosanct in the County's effort to trim $15-$20 million from the $380 million budget* for the next cycle, and that includes the DA's office. But we hear Reed is making the case for sparing her department a million-dollar haircut: it's all people.

Dan Ramos remains chairman of the Bexar County Democratic Party — in cyberspace. After comparing gay Democratic activists to Nazis and trashing just about every existing Democratic officeholder, he was deposed by precinct chairs and replaced in May with operative Choco Meza, whom he unexpectedly defeated at the polls in March 2010. But on the webite www.bexarcountydemocraticparty.net, he still sits atop the party.