Opinion

Trash pick up, stop sign proposals top agenda

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We had a City Council meeting on Monday without the presence of our city manager who was absent due to the death of her brother who she had provided a lot of care for during a recent illness. If she had been present I’m sure she would have had a valuable input on several of the topics.

Shirley Cook endorses Steve Smith for office

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I have worked with Steve Smith for 16 years. He works with our delinquent tax attorney. Steve has a wealth of knowledge with the property tax system and has been very helpful to our office with the calculations of tax rates and collections. Steve has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and has completed all courses necessary to be a certified Texas State Tax Assessor Collector. He has been a Hardin County resident for several years. I have full confidence in his qualifications and am happy to endorse him as the next TAC.

Foolishness of trying to rearrange nature

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When I was a kid I loved to climb trees. In fact I must have spent many hours during the summer sitting atop a pecan tree. A jug of Kool Aid and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich seemed like a gourmet meal while I viewed the world.

Quakes prompt officials to limit disposal wells

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The Texas Railroad Commission has suspended nearly two dozen permits that allow oil and gas companies to inject saltwater into the ground, which regulators say has contributed to increased earthquakes of greater magnitude in West Texas.

Voter registration deadline for primary approaches

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The deadline to register to vote in the Texas Democratic and Republican primary elections is Feb. 5. Voters on March 5 will choose their nominees for president, U.S. Senator, all 38 U.S. House members from Texas, and a number of other state and local offices, from the Texas Supreme Court to district attorneys, sheriffs and county commissioners.

Spate of new laws effective Jan. 1

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After the Texas Legislature spent much of 2023 in session, a bevy of new laws go into effect on New Year’s Day, though some have been delayed by lawsuits challenging their constitutionality. The Austin American- Statesman reported on SB 17, a new law that institutes a ban on programs and policies “designed or implemented in reference to race, color, or ethnicity” at Texas public universities or colleges — commonly known as diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.