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It’s Dave Ward’s birthday

Monday, but he’s the one who has a gift for Houston. The longtime KTRK news anchor is holding a book launch for his memoir, “Good Evening, Friends: A Broadcaster Shares His Life.” The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Dave Ward Building at Crime Stoppers of Houston, 3001 Main St. The book covers his life from son of a Baptist preacher to a radio news guy to certified Guinness World Record-holder (no spoilers, but it’s TV-related). Over his storied career, Ward covered NASA, the opening of the Astrodome, hurricanes, and the energy biz boom and bust, all on the way to becoming, for many Houstonians, the most trusted voice in news. Congratulations on the book and a happy birthday from the Thumbs!

A U.S. district judge clearly doesn’t understand the power of true crime series on basic cable. How else do you explain his audacity in requiring Kelly Siegler, former Harris County prosecutor and current star of “Cold Justice,” to appear at a hearing for a death row inmate who claims Siegler improperly used prison informants? When Siegler didn’t show on Monday, the judge, who had threatened her with contempt, decided to give her another chance. A spokeswoman for the Oxygen network told the Chronicle that Siegler was on location shooting new episodes. Fortunately for all involved, Siegler agreed to testify via video link later in the week. The Thumbs wonder if her lawyers got through to her. Or maybe it was her agent, offering her a role on MSNBC’s “Lockup: Harris County” that changed her mind?

The Thumbs are huge fans of

“The Simpsons,” so when they hear the word “paddling” they can’t help but picture substitute teacher Jasper threatening kids to a paddlin’ if they talk out of turn or look out the window. But there’s nothing funny about hitting children or how H.B. 420 —which would prohibit corporal punishment in Texas schools — has languished without a hearing in the Public Education committee. Hitting, spanking or slapping is ineffective and harmful to children, yet Texas ranks No. 2 nationally in the number of paddlings, according to a report from Education Week. Minorities, as usual, get the short end of the stick (or maybe the long end of the paddle?): They are more likely to be punished than non-Hispanic white students. While many school districts in the state already have bans against corporal punishment, why is this still a thing in Texas?

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a tweet this week that a recently passed House bill that would lower penalties for pot possession is “dead in the Texas Senate.” This came on the heels of the Senate approving the use of herbicides to fight Carrizo cane along the border, so maybe Patrick doesn’t so much dislike pot as he just hates weed(s). Attitudes over putting people in jail over marijuana use are softening in Texas, and H.B. 63 reflects that. The bill would change possession of an ounce or less of marijuana from a Class B to a Class C misdemeanor — basically like a traffic ticket. Patrick should reconsider his position and stop harshing the mellow on this bipartisan bill.

May 4 is Star Wars Day, but you must forgive the Thumbs and other fans of George Lucas’ space saga if our celebration is muted this year. Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in the original trilogy and in 2015’s “The Force Awakens,” died Tuesday in his North Texas home. At 7 feet 2 inches, Mayhew ably brought the ace Wookiee pilot, devoted companion and “big walking carpet” to life, becoming a beloved character in the series and one of the few to appear throughout (please save your arguments that the prequels don’t exist for later). “We were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and I loved him,” said Harrison Ford. Hundreds of millions of fans around the world share that love.