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Was there a Texas Famine in the drought years of 1885 through 1888? The Handbook of Texas makes no mention of famine at that time. It only refers to a blizzard in the fall of 1886 into 1887 that covered the Great Plains in more than 16 inches of snow with temperatures dropping to nearly 50 below.
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The Texas Senate’s chief budget writer said state agencies and higher-education institutions have requested nearly $25 billion in funding as the legislative session gets underway. State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, told The Dallas Morning News the requests for new money reflect the growing functions and purposes of state agencies that serve the public.
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Welcome to January — the month of new beginnings! That little shout-out is my attempt at positive thinking because I sure don’t want to wander through January as dysfunctional as I was in December. All I will say is that if you’re a woman who has raised children, you know you never stop being a mom in your heart. Unfortunately, kissing boo-boos, wiping away tears and hugs won’t fix the things that go wrong in your adult children’s lives. Life goes on but it still weighs heavy on your heart and can steal your joy during “the most wonderful time of the year.”
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As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end” and as such I am making my retirement from Grill Sergeant Hot Dogs official. It’s been a great ride, I have very few regrets, too many good times to count, and it’s just time for me to move on.
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Drivers will no longer be required to get annual safety inspections beginning Jan. 1, the Texas Standard reported. However, drivers in the state’s 17 most populous counties will still be required to get an emissions test in order to register their vehicles.
Read moreIt’s been nearly a half century since Mance Lipscomb’s death stopped his plaintive blues guitar voice along Navasota’s Piedmont Road where he found a family home.
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Although I’ve seen this lady many times around N.I.S.D., where she has worked for over seven years, I’ve never known her name or story. I’ve also seen her at my side job at Santa’s Wonderland, although we never spoke. I met with Freda Warren on a rainy Saturday morning. I didn’t bring any drinks with me, but later regretted not bringing a cup of coffee because I could have sat and talked with her forever. Mrs. Warren is quite the character! She had me laughing and writing down life tips, and I left our visit sad that our time was limited because of our busy schedules.
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Gov. Greg Abbott said last Thursday the state is initiating a billboard campaign across Central America and border cities in northern Mexico to discourage migrants from attempting to enter Texas, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The billboards are in multiple languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Russian. They tell stories of migrants being sexually assaulted while trying to enter the United States. “This is tough medicine," Abbott said. “But we want no more rape trees in Texas. Do not make the dangerous trek to Texas.” He was referring to the ashes of a tree where migrant women were sexually assaulted by human traffickers and left to die, according to the Statesman. Abbott is seeking another $3 billion in the next legislative session for Operation Lone Star. Since launching in March 2021, the state has spent $11 billion to deter migrants and fortify the border.
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