It has been a sad summer in TX. One of our premiere writers has left the Republic! That's right, Mark Patterson has decided the West Texas locale is overstimulating (editor's guess, not Mark's own words) and has relocated to Virginia. Congratulations to Mark on the completion of his Doctorate from Texas Tech University and best wishes to him in his new digs in suburban Richmond, VA. Mark begins his tenure as the Director of Music at Salisbury Presbyterian Church in Midlothian, VA.