By Gregg WendorfAdvance News JournalHidalgo County has always had its fair share of colorful, outspoken characters, most of whom have proven to be thorns in the side of elected officials.The county lost two in the last week — Nathan Gower- Schwarz, 40, who was always talking about how the local voting machines were flawed, in his opinion, along with other topics related to local politics; and Jim Barnes, 81, a member of the OWLS (grassroots political watchdog group).Gower-Schwarz was killed last Friday morning at approximately 2 a.m. when a car in which he was a front-seat passenger slammed into a ...