Foreword -R.G. Tomlinson In November 1997 a spokesman for Ku Klux Klan said that they were coming to Boerne. He said, “We were wanting a rally and membership drive around Thanksgiving and Kendall County members had expressed some interest in it.” Authorities asked that local residents not come to the rally, to be held on the steps of the Kendall County Courthouse. There was a heavy police presence but only one arrest. The rally fizzled and ended early. The following is memoir of that day by Brent Evans

Kendall County elected Henry Hodge in 1997, the first Black sheriff in Texas since Reconstruction. So, the Klan announced they were coming to Boerne to protest. There was a lot of talk in town about going to protest the Klan’s protest; as such, Henry Hodge’s Sheriff’s Department would have to protect the Klan from residents.

Then my daughter Laurel and her friend Brook Tremper said they wanted to hold an anti-Klan rally at the Cibolo Nature Center. Now, we had just moved the 100-year-old building out to City Park to become our Visitor Center. Good friend and wood worker David Pipes had been hand-crafting new walls and doors and railings. Along with other volunteers, Pipes had poured his blood and sweat into this old house, and now I imagined the whole thing being burned to the ground.

The Klan was known for being crazy violent. But here were these sincere kids looking into our eyes with puppy eyes, with such hope. We had to ask our board about this thing that was not exactly in our mission statement.

The board decided that if our mission was preserving diversity in the local biological community, then that should include diversity in the local human community. So, we said do it, and do it at the same time as the Klan rally. But we asked the kids to call it “Diversity Day,” and to not have loud-mouth speakers irritating irritable people.

They agreed. In fact, we agreed there would be no speakers, and to just have a day of our community playing together in nature. The kids designed a flier which they handed out at Boerne High School and all over town.

Next, I called the Police Department to ask for an officer to be present to discourage any bad actors, but was told, “No way; we are going to have our hands full with crowd control at the courthouse steps.” The Sheriff’s Department also declined to provide protection for the same reason.

The next few nights were sleepless. I imagined the worst; violence against property or person or who knows what. Our children massacred. Our old building going up in flames. I could smell it.

But the day came off beautifully with a large and peaceful gathering at the nature center, while a rowdy shouting match went on at the courthouse. Meanwhile in the park, folks were flying kites and playing Frisbee. Romances were blooming along the trails. Kids running about, elders strolling. And they were all different colors and shapes and persuasions. Even Mayor Patrick Heath showed up to show his support.

But the main comfort I received that day was from the 9mm pistol concealed in my back pocket. Thankfully, my flaming fantasy failed to ignite. And the 9mm did not go off and shoot me in the butt, which was just one of the possible nightmare outcomes.

It was a good day. And I have never been prouder of our little nature center than on that sunny November day in 1997.

When Laurel applied to Antioch College and needed an essay for the admissions process, she wrote up the Ku Klux Klan story — and what do you know? She received a $25,000 scholarship in recognition of her local citizenship.

I figure the Ku Klux Klan helped pay for my daughter’s college education at one of the most radically liberal institutions in the country.

“Sharing the Past” is a series organized by the Kendall County Historical Commission

Early voting in both the Democratic and Republican runoff races ends May 22, with the election May 26.

On the GOP side, the statewide runoffs are:

• U.S. Senate: John Cornyn and Ken Paxton

• Texas attorney general: Mayes Middleton and Chip Roy

• Texas Railroad Commission: Jim Wright and Bo French

• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3: Alison Fox and Thomas Smith The statewide Democratic runoffs are:

• Lieutenant governor: Vikki Goodwin and Marcos Vélez

• Attorney general: Nathan Johnson and Joe Jaworski There are also runoff races for several House seats, the State Board of Education and Texas Senate District 19, which runs along the U.S.-Mexico border. Voters who cast ballots in the March GOP primary can’t vote in the Democratic runoff races, and vice versa.

Registered voters who did not participate in the March primary can vote in either party’s runoff election, but not both.

Texas oil industry at war with itself

The GOP runoff race for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission is pitting oil industry leaders against each other. Many smallscale oil companies are supporting former Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French because of incumbent Jim Wright’s efforts to lead reforms at the commission, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Lance Thomas, manager of Albany- based Stasney Well Service, said he is not supporting Wright. His company is suing the Railroad Commission over new rules about how oil operators manage onsite waste pits. A political action committee associated with oil billionaire Tim Dunn, a conservative megadonor, has contributed at least $350,000 to French’s campaign.

On the flip side, Chevron, Exxon Mobil and other major oil companies have contributed to PACs backing Wright.

French has drawn controversy for public comments he has made about Muslims and diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Paxton steps up probes as runoff intensifies

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has steadily increased his lawsuits, investigations and public threats around many of the conservative causes that energize Republicans, The Dallas Morning News reported. More than 100 news releases announcing such actions have been issued since early January.

Critics say he is using the Attorney General’s Office for political gain rather than enforcement. Supporters say Paxton is pursuing the issues Texas conservatives elected him to champion.

“He’s been suing the pants off people. I like that,” said Laura Oakley, president of the Grapevine Republican Club.

The topics since the March primary included immigration, Islam, China, visa fraud, election maps, birthright citizenship and foreign influence, according to The News report.

A spokesman for Paxton’s campaign called the review of Paxton’s investigations “garbage” and not “worth printing.”

Lottery ex-director faces criminal charges

Former Texas lottery director Gary Grief and the Texas Lottery Commission have been charged with misusing their positions in a 2023 Lotto Texas drawing worth $95 million, the Austin American- Statesman reported. The criminal charges assert the agency helped international gamblers engineer a guaranteed win.

Agency officials helped professional bettors purchase nearly every possible six-number combination — more than 25 million tickets — assuring they would win the $95 million jackpot, according to the charges. However, Grief’s attorney issued a statement saying, in part, “When all facts are revealed in court, the public will see that Gary’s leadership at the Lottery Commission generated millions of dollars for Texas schools and veterans and there was no crime.”

Grief and the commission are charged with abuse of official capacity, a broadly worded offense alleging “intent to harm or defraud another” by misusing “government property, services, personnel or any other thing of value belonging to the government,” the Statesman reported.

Texas’ migrant deportation law likely to be blocked

A new law allowing state officials to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants took effect last week, but it appears likely a federal judge will soon move to block it, according to the Houston Chronicle.

U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra has previously called the law “patently unconstitutional,” but delayed making a ruling.

Senate Bill 4 has been stymied since its passage by legal challenges arguing that immigration enforcement is under the purview of the federal government, not state governments.

“Gov. (Greg) Abbott is the sovereign governor of the state of Texas. He is not the president of the United States,” Ezra said. “(Department of Public Safety) officers are not (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents.”

The GOP majority in the state Legislature passed the law during an immigration surge at the time of the Biden administration. That surge has since receded, and few GOP lawmakers have been pushing for the law to be implemented, according to the Chronicle.

Grimes County residents question chip facility plans 

Elon Musk’s bid to build what he calls the world’s largest computer- chip manufacturing facility in Grimes County, southeast of College Station, is drawing opposition from some residents, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

Musk is seeking tax breaks to build the facility, dubbed Terafab.

Supporters say the initial $55 billion investment would later double in subsequent phases, which is too good to pass up. Opponents question the track record of Musk’s businesses, such as SpaceX, and whether the huge company needs tax breaks.

“I believe it would be immoral to give this company tax abatement when we have serious concerns about health issues and safety issues,” resident Jacqueline Ross told Grimes County commissioners.

SpaceX was fined nearly $150,000 in 2024 for breaking clean water laws after a fuel spill at its South Texas launch site. It also was cited for illegally discharging wastewater into wetlands near its Boca Chica facilities.

The company is seeking a $1.75 trillion valuation when it goes public in a few months, prompting some residents to question why it needs a tax break.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

Let’s say you dream of spending your retirement mornings on a warm beach, coffee in hand, waves rolling in. To get there, you had a simple plan: Save $1 million and buy the beach house you always wanted.

But when retirement arrives, reality hits. After accounting for keeping your current home, everyday expenses and health care, $1 million doesn’t stretch as far as you thought, and the beach house remains a dream.

The problem wasn’t your discipline – it was that your number was never really your number. It was arbitrary, not anchored to what your ideal retirement would actually cost.

How can you make sure your retirement number is right for you?

A solid savings goal starts with a clear picture of the retirement you want. Think about where you plan to live, whether you’ll keep your current home or downsize, how much you plan to travel, if you’ll help children and grandchildren financially and what health care might cost you later in life.

Build a realistic monthly budget, then multiply by 12 months to find your annual need. Adjust this amount for inflation until the first year of retirement. Then, multiply that figure by 25 to get a sense of how much may be needed to save. It’s a formula based on the idea of withdrawing 4% annually from your savings, assuming you retire in your mid-60s. If you need $60,000 a year, your target is around $1.5 million.

You may need more or less depending on your lifestyle, health, unexpected expenses, Social Security benefits and other income. No single rate or strategy will work for everyone.

Once you know your target, the path forward becomes clearer.

Here are a few tips for next steps:

Start early. The sooner you begin saving, the more time compound interest has to work in your favor. Small amounts set aside automatically each paycheck have the opportunity to grow significantly over decades.

Live below your means. Spending less than you earn is one of the most powerful wealth-building habits. When your income rises, save and invest the difference instead of upgrading your lifestyle.

Keep your debt under control. Since credit cards and other high-interest debt can slow your progress, pay off balances monthly when possible.

Invest consistently. If your employer offers a 401(k), aim to contribute at least 10%-15% of your salary, and increase your contributions after every raise. If you max out your 401(k), a traditional IRA or Roth IRA may offer additional tax-advantaged growth (eligibility and contribution limits apply).

Boost your income when you can. Develop new skills, ask for a raise or explore a side income. Every extra dollar saved moves you closer to your goal.

The difference between a retirement you love and one full of compromises often comes down to the planning you do today. Know your real number, build a solid plan and get the right help along the way.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Several weeks ago, I was fortunate to attend an incredible event held at First Baptist Church of Boerne called Starlight Ball.

Starlight Ball began four years ago when Cathy Smith imagined creating a prom for Boerne area students and adults with special needs and developmental challenges.

The program has grown from 65 participants in the first year to 100 this year. Each attendee is matched with a volunteer buddy, many of whom attend the same school.

Starlight Ball consists of a variety of things, starting with a photo shoot of the attendee and their buddy, followed by a dinner, a limousine ride from the dining hall to the gym where the dance is held. Prior to entering the dance hall, participants walk up a red carpet as they are introduced to a wildly cheering crowd of admirers.

It takes about 100 volunteers to assist with the setup and delivery of the event with all expenses paid by FBC, which has created this event as one of its ministries.

Cathy shared with me the comment that one participant made, saying that this event literally changed her life. This echoes what a parent of a student told me – that this was a day where her child felt very special, and it meant the world to her that so many people would volunteer their time to make her happy.

Cathy also mentioned that the first Starlight Ball inspired one Boerne High School student, Maddie Gerbes, to form a club to support students with special needs.

Cathy summarized things by stating “What a testimony of what God can do to change people’s lives for the better.” I marveled as I watched the volunteers work and the participan ts enjoy themselves. me, this is a great example of Boerne at its best; people helping other people. We are truly blessed to live in a community where so many people are giving of their time and treasure to support others.

Sadly, however, there is a flip side to this coin: The worst of Boerne.

What I am referring to is the increasing tendency of various Facebook sites in our town that bring out the worst in people.

While the administrators of these sites may have started out with the best intentions in attempting to create community dialogue, they have descended into a snake pit of nastiness and meanness that is not reflective of our wonderful community.

Whether it be politics or any other topic, people say hurtful things online that I suspect they would not dare to share face to face. Folks that slander, present false information and display nothing but classless ignorance should look themselves in the mirror and ask, “Is what I am posting helpful to our community?”

Perhaps this is how these keyboard warriors get their kicks, but it is detrimental to our community to see such divisiveness. It’s behavior like that which leads some to say, “Boerne, gone forever.”

President Abraham Lincoln paraphrased Mark 3:25 in his famous “House Divided” speech where he stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” The phrase “Satan divides” reflects the idea that division is a tactic used by the devil to create chaos and discord among individuals and communities.

It’s way past time for these keyboard warriors to offer a heartfelt repentance of their actions. They do not represent the overwhelming majority of the good people of Boerne.

It has been attributed to the British statesman Sir Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.”

The message to the good people of Boerne is simple: Rise up and denounce those who seek to divide us and unfairly castigate others, and lead by example the good life that each of us are called to lead.

We live in a great community comprised of wonderful people; let’s shake off the negativity to focus on all the things that make our community exceptional.

Rich Sena is a resident of Boerne and a member of the Republican party.

Texas needs new energy generation. We also need to power the Permian Basin, which supplies the oil and gas production that America runs on.

Yet despite our state’s explosive growth and rising demand, we are still woefully behind in building reliable generation, with only one natural gas plant, coming online this month, since before Winter Storm Uri.

Generation creates power. Transmission just moves power around.

The proposed transmission lines would primarily move existing electricity across the state without any meaningful increase in the amount of reliable power available to Texans.

Meanwhile, ratepayers will pay billions more to finance that infrastructure without fully solving the real problem: adding energy capacity.

There is an obvious answer: Build new natural gas generation, close to where energy is needed most — the Permian Basin.

Transmission will always be an important part of meeting Texas’ energy needs. But prioritizing dependable generation near the fuel source strengthens long-term reliability while avoiding unnecessary expansion of transmission infrastructure across rural Texas.

That means lower long-term costs for Texans and fewer threats to the farming and ranching communities that have shaped our state for generations.

This is why I joined many of my colleagues in sending a formal letter to the Public Utility Commission, urging thoughtful implementation of existing laws and careful consideration of future solutions.

Texans have always been willing to do what it takes to keep the lights on and support our growing state. But they also expect practical solutions to complex problems. And they deserve a seat at the table when major infrastructure decisions are being made.

We can electrify the Permian Basin without overbuilding transmission. We can strengthen the grid without ignoring landowners and ratepayers. And we can meet Texas’ future energy needs by focusing on dependable, dispatchable generation that actually adds capacity to the grid. With federal wind and solar subsidies coming to an end, Texas now has an opportunity to rebalance the energy market and encourage long-term investment in reliable generation. Texas succeeds when we protect taxpayers and property owners, focus on practical solutions, and build infrastructure that serves the people, not just the process. I stand ready to help get that done.

Republican Ellen Troxclair represents District 19 in the State Legislature.

I have read a recent piece concerning Hermann Lange with both interest and concern. It is not my habit to take public exception lightly, particularly when a young man’s death is the subject.

All losses in the Civil War deserve a degree of solemn respect. Yet respect for the dead does not absolve us of our obligation to the truth, nor does it permit the reshaping of history to suit modern sentiment.

The article presents Hermann Lange principally as a martyr to conscience, a young man standing nobly against oppression. That framing, while emotionally compelling, is incomplete to the point of misrepresentation. t neglects the broader and essential context in which these events unfolded, namely, that Texas in 1861 was a sovereign state, having exercised what its people understood to be their lawful right of secession, a principle neither invented in haste nor without precedent in American political thought.

To speak plainly: refusal to render service to one’s state in time of war, particularly while residing within its protection, was not regarded as an abstract exercise of conscience by contemporaries.

It was seen as defiance of lawful authority in a moment of existential crisis. That fact may sit uneasily with modern readers, but it remains a fact, nonetheless.

The Nueces incident itself is treated in the article with a simplicity that history does not support. It is described as a massacre, implying one-sided brutality visited upon innocent men. Yet the record, when fully examined, reveals a far more complex and tragic encounter.

Armed men were moving in a contested region during wartime, many intending to flee to Mexico and ultimately join forces hostile to Texas and the Confederacy. Confederate troops were dispatched to intercept them. What followed was not a peaceful gathering undone by cruelty, but a violent clash born of confusion, fear, and divided loyalties.

None of this is to celebrate the outcome. It is to insist that we not flatten it into something it was not.

Equally troubling is the article’s moral framing, which leans heavily on present-day language, “liberty,” “oppression,” “democratic ideals,” as though these terms carried identical meaning to all parties involved. They did not. The men of the Confederacy believed themselves engaged in the defense of their homes, their laws, and their inherited understanding of constitutional order. One may disagree with their conclusions, and many do, but to omit their perspective entirely is not history. It is advocacy.

There is also an absence worth noting. While Hermann Lange is afforded a full and sympathetic remembrance, the countless young men from Texas and across the South who answered their state’s call, many no older, and definitely no less sincere, are rendered invisible. Their convictions, sacrifices, and graves deserve equal acknowledgment if we are to claim any measure of fairness or reconciliation.

History, properly told, is not a matter of choosing which dead are worthy of remembrance and which are not. It is the careful weighing of all sides, all motives, and all consequences, however uncomfortable.

If Hermann Lange is to be remembered, and he should be, it ought to be within the full truth of his time: a divided land, a lawful call to service, a refusal grounded in personal conviction, and a violent end in a conflict where brother often stood against brother. That is tragedy enough without the need for embellishment.

I would simply submit that we do both the past and the present a disservice when we exchange complexity for convenience. The story of Texas, like that of the South itself, is not improved by being simplified. It is honored by being told honestly.

Charles C. Hand IV is commander of Sons of Confederate Veterans, 1st Lt. Jesse Page Camp #2351-Boerne.

Top Texas legislators are pushing to waive a new state law that requires camps to install broadband fiber optics to legally operate this summer, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Scores of camps are struggling to meet the deadline. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows released a statement last week saying they support lifting the law.

Nearly 20 camps have sued to block the requirement, arguing it does not make their properties safer and would cost millions of dollars. So far only nine Texas summer camps are licensed to open, with fewer than two weeks before the season begins. Nearly 300 are still working to obtain licenses. The Department of State Health Services said last week camps will be allowed to operate under existing licenses while their applications are reviewed.

The laws were passed in the aftermath of last year’s July 4 flooding, which killed more than two dozen campers at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River. In addition to fiber-optic networks, camps must install emergency warning and public-address systems and provide safety training for campers.

Patrick backs Middleton in attorney general runoff 

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is backing state Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, in the GOP runoff for Texas attorney general May 26. Early voting runs from May 18 to May 22. In the runoff, Middleton faces U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin.

“Mayes Middleton has established a record as one of the most conservative senators in Texas history,” Patrick said on social media.

The Dallas Morning News quoted Patrick as saying Middleton will make the post “the strongest and most impactful AG office in the nation.”

Democrats Joe Jaworski, a former Galveston mayor, and state Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, are in a runoff for their party’s nomination. Incumbent Ken Paxton opted not to run and is locked in a GOP primary runoff with incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

Cornyn, Paxton remain in tight runoff battle 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is locked in a tight race against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn for the GOP nomination, the Texas Standard reported. The Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston recently conducted a poll that showed Paxton leading Cornyn, 48% to 45% with 7% still undecided.

The poll of those indicating they were likely to vote in the GOP runoff had a 2.83% margin of error.

In the first quarter of this year, Cornyn raised nearly $9 million, including $3.4 million after the March primary. Paxton raised $2.2 million. Democratic nominee state Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, raised a record $27 million in the first quarter, the largest-ever sum for a Senate candidate in the first quarter of an election year in any state.

Texas has biggest teacher workforce, but paid less 

Texas has the country’s largest teacher workforce but lags behind the national average in teacher pay and per-student spending, according to a report in the Austin American-Statesman.

A National Education Association report said teacher pay in Texas is about $10,700 below the U.S. average. Texas public school teachers earned an average of $63,749 in 2024-2025, which put it 33rd among states and Washington, D.C. The national average was $74,495.

Texas had nearly 370,000 public school teachers in 20242025, the highest number in the country.

Texas leads in immigration Detention; crossings plummet

Texas continues to lead the country in the number of people held in detention centers, even as unauthorized border crossings plunge, the Houston Chronicle reported.

As of early April, the daily average in Texas was nearly 18,000 people. That’s more than twice the average number of immigrants held in Louisiana, the second highest, with about 8,100 per day.

Texas’ high numbers are partly due to the state’s numerous detention centers and a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the practice of holding immigrants until their removal proceedings conclude.

“The 5th Circuit is not immigrant-friendly, and it’s easier to remove people who are detained in the Texas facilities,” said Zenobia Lai, executive director of the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said decisions on where detainees are held are made on a “case-by-case basis in accordance with U.S. law.”

Texas most at-risk for hail damage

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hail, according to Cotality’s 2026 Severe Convective Storm Risk Report, published in the Austin American-Statesman. The state ranks as the most at-risk for hail damage, with 8 million homes exposed and a combined reconstruction value exceeding $3.1 trillion.

Four Texas cities rank among the top 10 for homes at greater risk of hail damage. Dallas ranks second nationally, behind Chicago, followed by Houston in third, Austin in ninth and San Antonio in tenth.

“Although most hailstones are typically pea- or dimesize, hail can grow to as large as golf balls and baseballs. In extreme cases, hail can reach the size of a softball, grapefruit or even a pineapple,” Statesman meteorologist Mary Wasson wrote.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

It’s not just elected statewide leadership that’s trampling on voting rights — see Aprill 11’s “Progressive Views.” The office of the Secretary of State (TxSoS) has only two responsibilities under the Texas Constitution, one of which is to maintain the voter registration files and voting records. The other is to register business entities and maintain their public records.

The current Texas Secretary of State, Jane Nelson, was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in early 2023 and is accountable to him.

Under her leadership, the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, previously a very efficient and responsive agency, has become much more difficult to work with.

The Texas Democratic Party (TDP) operates a statewide voter database called VAN (Voter Activation Network); TxSoS provides voter file updates on a regular basis to populate this database. (Republicans use a different database.)

Democratic county parties (including the Kendall County Democratic Party, KCDP) and candidates use this data to plan voter contact, fundraise and organize “get out the vote” actions.

However, during this current election cycle, these voter file updates have been repeatedly delayed and full of errors.

The fault lies entirely with the Secretary of State’s office. TDP has been reluctant to publicly call out TxSoS; at first, TDP believed that TxSoS was working to address the problems. At this point, TDP has decided it can no longer stay silent about the problems.

The voter file TDP received from TxSoS in March was riddled with errors statewide, including missing or unassigned precincts, incorrect or missing Congressional district assignments and incorrect Texas Legislature assignments.

An outside quality control (QC) group advised TDP not to distribute a file with so many errors (a wildly high 10% error rate). TDP had to manually edit assignments and make other changes to make the file more usable. TDP staff worked around the clock one week in late April to reduce the error rate to 2%.

TDP has now submitted its third voter file to the QC group for approval; the previous two did not pass their quality control process. On Monday, the quality control group finally approved the file for distribution.

In addition to voter file problems, TDP has still not received voter history files for the November 2025 Constitutional Election or March Primary Election from TxSoS after more than six weeks of no response, nor does TDP have an expected date to receive those files.

These problems don’t just affect voting, either. Criminal cases in Texas, particularly in high-volume areas like Harris County, are experiencing delays partly due to inefficient jury pool creation, often hindered by outdated voter records and high rates of undeliverable summons.

Inadequate voter records directly impact the number of potential jurors who receive notice, compelling courts to summon more people to compensate for those who cannot be reached.

Many statewide voters still don’t have their 2026 voter registration cards, two months after the March 3 primary. While these voters are still registered, and can vote with a photo ID, the lack of the cards caused confusion during the primary.

Voters wondered if they were still registered or if something had gone awry. KCDP answered many such calls at our office. You can always check your current voter registration status at www.votetexas. gov, and we encourage all voters to check this website regularly.

It’s very doubtful that Secretary Nelson, on her own initiative, is directing the TxSoS Elections Division to drag its feet. She is almost certainly doing so at the direction of Abbott — and him, at the president’s urging — to make it look like “state-run elections don’t work.”

Which then leads to “ justification” for the federal government to get involved with state elections.

It’s clear that our Republican leadership wants the Texas election system to fail. It’s long past time to elect statewide leadership that works in the interests of voters, not against them. Time to elect Democratic leadership.

For more information on KCDP and our advocacy visit our website at www. kcdems. us

Terri Burke is the Executive Director of TDP. Laura Bray is the former KCDP Chair. The TDP Data Team also contributed to this article.

Consider this scenario: A teacher of 30 years and mother of three passes away at age 58. She leaves behind a modest home, a retirement account and cherished family heirlooms – but no estate plan.

Her children, still grieving, find themselves navigating a confusing probate process, disagreeing about when to sell the house and considering who gets their grandmother’s ring.

This mom wasn’t wealthy by most measures, but her lack of planning created confusion, conflict and uncertainty at a time when her family needed clarity.

Her story reminds us of an important truth: estate planning is about easing conflict and making sure what you have goes where you want it to go.

As you think about your own legacy, consider these myths that can lead to costly mistakes and unintended outcomes.

Myth 1: Estate planning is only for wealthy people The desire to make things easier for loved ones has nothing to do with net worth. Formally documenting your wishes reduces the burden on family members and gives you control. Without a plan, your state’s laws will decide how your estate is handled, and you may not like what those laws say.

Myth 2: Having a will is all you need While a will is important, it only takes effect after death. That means it offers no protection if you become incapacitated and cannot make decisions for yourself. It does, however, allow you to name legal guardians for dependent children.

The foundation of most estate plans includes a will (which directs asset distribution), a financial power of attorney (for financial decisions), a health care power of attorney (for medical decisions), and a medical directive (to share your end of life wishes).

While not everyone needs a trust, there are several that allow you to make special provisions, such as for minor children, a special needs family member or even a cherished pet.

Consulting with a financial adviser and an estate planning attorney can help determine the right combination based on your situation.

Myth 3: Equal distribution is always fair It’s likely that the individuals in your estate plan, especially if they are adult children, have different family and financial situations. You may have one child who’s extremely successful financially while another is struggling.

Or you may have assets, such as a house or ownership of a family business, that are more suitable for one beneficiary than another. It’s important to consider any unique circumstances as you develop your estate plan.

Myth 4: I can set it and forget it

You’ll want to review your estate plan every few years or when a major life event occurs. Life is full of changes, such as marriages, divorces, new children and relocations, and they will likely impact your goals.

Reviewing your plan helps keep everything aligned with your wishes and serves as a reminder to keep your beneficiaries on all your assets up to date.

Ultimately, estate planning is about helping ensure your voice is heard and your loved ones cared for, no matter what the future holds.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

While a will is important, it only takes effect after death. That means it offers no protection if you become incapacitated and cannot make decisions for yourself.

Asthma is often hereditary and can affect people of all ages. Globally, it is the most common chronic condition among children. In the U.S. alone, it affects 28 million adults and nearly 5 million children. In Texas, 8% of adults and 7.5% of children reported having asthma. Beyond its health impact, asthma also contributes significantly to healthcare costs, with annual expenses in the U.S. reaching around $82 billion.

Asthma can be safely managed with consistent treatment, allowing individuals to live healthy, active lives. If you or a loved one has asthma, consider the following tips:

Seek proper diagnosis and treatment. 

If you experience symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness, schedule a consultation with your provider. Diagnosis may include a physical exam, lung function testing, imaging or allergy testing.

For children, a pediatrician can conduct similar evaluations. Once diagnosed, providers may recommend treatment plans that include long-term control medications such as inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, combination inhalers, and biologics.

Medications may be delivered through inhalers, nebulizers, pills, or IV treatments depending on the severity.

Identify and avoid triggers.

Asthma attacks are often triggered by environmental factors such as pollen, pollution, dust mites, pet dander, fragrances and sudden weather changes. Allergic asthma — affecting about 60% of patients — is especially sensitive to airborne allergens.

During the spring, increased pollen levels can worsen symptoms. Monitoring pollen counts, limiting outdoor exposure during high levels, and avoiding activities like intense outdoor exercise can help reduce risk.

Going outside after rainfall, showering after time outdoors, and washing clothes can also minimize allergen exposure. In some cases, providers may recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to reduce sensitivity.

Prepare for emergencies.

While the best way to manage asthma is to avoid triggers. It’s also important to be prepared for emergencies, particularly during the spring, while allergens are difficult to avoid.

Take medications to prevent symptoms and prepare to treat asthma attacks when they occur. Make sure to always keep your inhaler with you so you can act quickly in the event of a flare up and decrease your risk of a severe asthma attack. A respiratory illness, like the flu, may also increase the possibility of an asthma attack occurring, so talk to your provider about how best to support your immune health.

If you do get sick, monitor flare-ups and prioritize your recovery. Mental health has also been shown to have an impact on asthma symptoms, with stress, anxiety, and depression contributing to flare-ups. It’s important to also keep your emotional well-being in mind and look for ways to reduce stress, encourage relaxation, get good sleep, and seek support when you need it.

Although asthma is a chronic condition that affects millions of people, it can be effectively managed by following the proper steps. If you or a loved one has asthma, there are many ways you can support your overall respiratory health and lead a full, active life.

Dr. Hiron Patel is chief medical officer for United-Healthcare of Texas.

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Texas has risen from $2.55 in early February to $3.91 as of Sunday, according to AAA. Diesel prices hover around $5 a gallon.

The average Texan now spends $233 a month on gasoline, according to a study reported in The Texas Tribune.

“It’s all crazy,” Victor Cortez, a 40-year-old Austin construction worker, said while filling up his pickup. “It depends on the day; some days I’m moving to three or four buildings and spending 100 bucks a day.”

The steep climb in prices comes as a result of the war with Iran, which began in February. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, has caused a sharp increase in oil prices. The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the world benchmark, was $114 on May 3, up from about $70 a barrel before the war began.

The rise in diesel prices, which averaged $3.30 a gallon in early February, is affecting everything from shipping costs to farming operations. About half the truckers in Texas are independent operators who buy diesel at gas stations and truck stops and don’t receive the discount that large companies with their own trucking yards get for buying in bulk.

Camp Mystic will not reopen 

Camp Mystic announced last week that it had withdrawn its application for a camp license for this summer, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The decision followed a week of hearings before a joint state Senate- House committee, which heard testimony from the loved ones of last summer’s flood victims. The July 4 flooding along the Guadalupe River killed 25 children, two counselors and the camp’s longtime owner, Richard “Dick” Eastland.

“No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July’s tragedy,” the camp wrote in a statement.

The Texas Department of State Health Services, which is responsible for issuing camp licenses, conducted investigations. The camp has been planning to reopen its Cypress Lake campus, which was not damaged by the flash floods. More than 850 children have already registered to attend that camp.

Camp Mystic said it would continue to “fully cooperate with all ongoing investigations.”

Talarico leads Cornyn, Paxton in latest polls

A poll shows Democrat James Talarico leading both the Republicans who are locked in a fierce runoff to determine who will face him in November, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Talarico led U.S. Sen. John Cornyn 40% to 33%, according to the University of Texas at Austin Politics Project survey.

He holds a 42% to 34% advantage over Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn in a GOP runoff May 26 since neither won a majority in the March primary. In both scenarios, 19% of voters said they were still undecided.

“While the Democratic candidate leading two established Republicans in these matchups is sure to raise some eyebrows,” the pollsters wrote, the results “reveal a Republican electorate still registering the effects of the months-long, bruising, negative campaigning by Paxton and Cornyn, and the GOP divisions the race has exacerbated.”

Early voting runs from May 18 to May 22. Voters who cast ballots in the Democratic primary cannot vote in the GOP runoff. Only voters who participated in the GOP primary or did not vote at all can vote in the GOP runoff.

$56 million in fed funding granted for rural health care 

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is making $56 million in federal funding available to rural health care providers. The “Infrastructure and Capital Investments for Rural Texas” initiative will support modernization of rural health care delivery by funding new equipment and minor facility renovations.

Health care providers can use the funds to “update lab, CT scan, ultrasound, or mammography equipment; stretchers, wheelchairs, patient beds, telemetry units, nurse-call systems, generators, defibrillators, crash carts, medication dispensing units, sleep labs, vital sign monitors, oxygen tanks, and other allowable equipment,” according to the HHSC news release.

The state is expected to receive about $1.4 billion in federal funding over the next five years through the program supporting rural health care.

Patrick to close loophole for prediction markets

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has directed state senators to explore ways to close gambling loopholes that allow online prediction markets to operate in Texas, according to The Texas Tribune. He is concerned state elections and sporting events could be manipulated for profit.

Prediction markets allow users to bet on outcomes of everything from sporting events to election winners, and even the weather. The Trump administration has blocked attempts by other states to regulate the prediction markets, such as Kalshi, claiming oversight belongs to federal agencies, not the states.

“We are regulated at the federal level, but of course, given now the popularity of prediction markets, we are doing a lot of educating on the state level,” said Sara Slane of Kalshi. “That’s the dialogue that we’ll envision having, certainly, in the state of Texas.”

While 39 state attorneys general signed on to a legal brief arguing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission doesn’t have sole authority to regulate the prediction markets, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declined to do so.

Texas cities dominate another ‘best’ list

Several Texas cities dominated the top spots in Livability’s new ranking of the most affordable, desirable cities to live in the U.S., according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The list includes only cities with populations from 75,000 to 500,000 and median home values of $500,000 or less.

Factors considered include economy and housing; amenities and environment; safety, health and education; and transportation.

Texas cities in the top 10 were Sugar Land at No. 3; Plano at No. 5; Round Rock at No. 9; and New Braunfels at No. 10.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com

That’s why we’re inviting you to be part of something bigger.

For us, growth is measured in impact and influence. Recently, we saw our community come together to support Texas flood victims and the first responders on the front lines. In those moments, people stepped up with generosity, urgency and purpose — giving their time, resources and energy for a cause greater than themselves. It was truly amazing.

But we don’t need to wait for a crisis to unite. We are already bound by the values that define us as Republicans: our faith, freedom, opportunity and personal responsibility.

Right now, issues like education, water, transportation/ mobility, public safety, even national security and the defense of our freedoms are shaping our communities. These causes need more than our agreement; they need our action.

We have a duty to be informed, engaged and active, not just during election season, but all year long. The future of our county, our state and our nation depends on it.

Yes, life is busy; jobs, families and responsibilities pull at us all. But getting involved doesn’t mean giving it “all”; it means giving what you “can.”

Every contribution — whether it’s a fresh idea, a connection, a helping hand, a donation or your vote — makes the difference.

So, here’s my challenge to you: If you believe in Republican principles — if you want to see your community thrive; if you’re looking for a place to belong — join us.

Together, we can lift others up, build for the next generation and make a lasting impact in Kendall County.

When we come together, we multiply our influence. And when we grow our tent, we grow our power to shape the future ... in bold, meaningful and enduring ways.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Kendall County Republican Women Website: https://www. kendallcountyrepublicanwomen. com/ about/ Meets monthly on first Tuesday (luncheon) Interested in membership? Email: kcrwtx@ gmail. com

• Kendall County Republican Club Website: https://kendallcountyrepublicanclub. com/ Meets monthly on third Wednesday (evening) Interested in Membership?

Email: kcrctexas@

gmail. com

• Kendall County Republican Party Website: https://www. kcrptx. com/ Meets quarterly ( evening) Contact: https://www. kcrptx.com/contact-us

Art Humphries is a Kendall County Republican

Many in your situation, however, assume retirement plans are complicated or only suitable for large companies. The reality is quite different. Today’s retirement plan options encompass businesses of every size, from solo entrepreneurs to companies with dozens of employees.

The key is understanding which plans work best for different kinds of businesses:

Self-employed individuals or businesses without employees.

Three commonly used retirement plans: — Simplified employee pension (SEP) plans are relatively straightforward, low-maintenance, lower- cost and flexible on how much you contribute each year.

— Owner-only 401(k) plans are ideal if you’re willing to accept additional cost and complexity in exchange for benefits like higher contribution limits and borrowing options.

— Owneronly defined benefit plans work best for owners with high, steady income who want to maximize their retirement contributions and guaranteed retirement income. These plans come with required annual funding and greater administrative complexity.

Businesses with employees can also consider an SEP plan, although it only allows for employer contributions. Other plan options include: — The SIMPLE IRA (savings incentive match plan for employees) can work well for companies with 100 or fewer employees seeking a low-maintenance option. Employer contributions are required, and it has lower contribution limits compared to other plan types.

— Traditional 401(k) plans offer maximum flexibility by allowing both employee salary deferrals and employer contributions that can be adjusted based on business performance. These plans have added costs and administrative responsibilities.

— Safe Harbor 401(k) plans are ideal if you want to maximize your own retirement contributions without complex testing requirements and you’re willing to make required employer contributions.

— A cash balance plan is often paired with another plan type, such as a 401(k), to allow greater retirement savings. It works well when you have a smaller company with high-earning employees and consistent cash flow, and you’re comfortable making required contributions.

Each plan type involves different eligibility requirements, establishment deadlines, contribution limits, complexity and costs. In determining a workplace retirement plan that’s right for your business, you’ll want to consider your number of employees, desired contribution levels, comfort with required employer contributions and willingness to handle administrative responsibilities. And, of course, the goals for your business and your own retirement are important criteria.

Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate this decision alone. A financial advisor can help you evaluate the tradeoffs among different plan types and select the option that best fits your situation. They can explain how various plans work and guide you through the setup process.

Starting a workplace retirement plan is an investment in your future, your business and your employees. With professional guidance, you can find a plan that helps everyone build financial security while positioning your business for continued success.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser. Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Not long ago, I said the Hill Country is in danger.

Now, I’m saying something even more direct: We are out of time for polite concern.

Across the region — from Blanco to Fredericksburg, from Wimberley to Marble Falls, from San Marcos to Comfort and places in between— people reached out.

Farmers. Ranchers. Residents. Business owners.

They are seeing the same thing: Water disappearing. Land disappearing. The heritage of the Hill Country they love disappearing.

And here is the truth we can no longer ignore: This is not happening by accident. It is happening because we are allowing it.

We are allowing developments without proven water.

We are allowing fragmentation of ranch land that has held this region together for generations.

We are allowing short-term decisions to dictate a longterm future.

And while groups like the Blanco County Conservation Initiative and the Hill Country Alliance continue to educate and advocate, they cannot carry this alone. This fight belongs to all of us.

So here is the shift: No more awareness without action.

No more meetings without outcomes. No more silence.

If you are a legislator, we need water policy reform now, not someday.

If you are a county leader, require infrastructure before expansion, not after damage is done.

If you are part of an environmental organization, turn up the volume.

If you are a farmer or rancher, your stewardship is the backbone of this region, and we stand with you.

If you are a business leader or landowner, think beyond the next deal.

If you are a public figure or celebrity who loves this place, your voice can move mountains. Use it.

And if you are simply someone who calls the Hill Country home: Show up. Speak up. Stay engaged.

In Blanco, we are not stepping back. Protecting our river, our water and our way of life is not optional — it is our responsibility.

We are ready to work with anyone — any city, any county, any organization — willing to stand up for this region.

This is bigger than any one town. This is about whether the Hill Country remains the Hill Country. ... or becomes something unrecognizable.

The line in the caliche is being drawn right now; not years from now, not someday. Right now.

And history will remember who stood up ... and who stayed silent.

For the future of Blanco. For the future of the Hill Country.

The opinions here are those of Candy Cargill. They do not reflect necessarily the views of any employees of the City of Blanco, or committees or council members.

A ban on the sale of natural smokeable hemp products has been blocked, possibly until the end of April, by a Travis County district judge. A court hearing is set for this week.

The Texas Tribune reported lawyers for the hemp industry argue state agencies overstepped their constitutional authority by imposing new testing requirements that created a 0.3% total THC threshold.

The industry says that effectively eliminated smokeable products by essentially rewriting the statutory definitions of hemp created by legislators in 2019. While that 2019 law also limited THC levels to 0.3%, manufacturers got around it by cultivating hemp plants with another type of THC called THCA, which produces a high when ignited.

The newly written limits on any type of THC mirror those that will be imposed by the federal government in November.

Texas awards first $400 million in school vouchers

State officials began sending out the first notices to families awarded education vouchers last week, the Houston Chronicle reported. In the initial round, 42,644 qualified, mostly students with special needs who are considered the highest priority.

More than a quarter-million students have applied to the state’s voucher program, with a lottery determining who gets a spot. Initial funding for the program is $1 billion, and it is projected to support 100,000 students in its first year.

The program offers taxpayer money to help pay for private and homeschool education. The amount of each voucher awarded in the initial round varied, from $2,000 each for the 11,000 children applying for homeschool funding to an average of $15,585 for parents who documented their children’s special educational needs.

Appeals court rules for Ten Commandments in classrooms A federal appeals court last week ordered public school districts to place copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, the Austin America-Statesman reported. Parents and a group of faith leaders in nine school districts sued over a 2025 state law that requires public schools to post donated posters of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

By a split vote, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided the law does not violate the U.S. Constitution, overturning a San Antonio federal judge’s ruling last year. The case could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Students are neither catechized on the Commandments nor taught to adopt them,” the judges wrote. “Nor are teachers commanded to proselytize students who ask about the displays or contradict students who disagree with them.”

Six judges on the appeals court dissented, with Judge Leslie H. Southwick writing that “(Texas Senate Bill) 10 is facially unconstitutional under the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses.”

STAAR ends after this spring After 15 years, this spring marks one of the final times Texas students will take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams, according to the Houston Chronicle. Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, that endof- year assessment will be replaced by three shorter tests.

Backers of the change say it will reduce classroom time spent preparing for the test and be a more accurate measure of students’ progress. Critics say the changes will still place too much emphasis and classroom time preparing for the tests.

“The only evidence is that it will create more testing,” said state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Gov. Greg Abbott’s Democratic challenger for governor. “We’re going from 15 tests to 51 tests by the time a kid’s done with eighth grade. It’s outrageous.”

The new Student Success Tool will provide three tests through the school year, instead of a single high-stakes test at the end of the year. Results will be available within 48 hours of each test, unlike STAAR results, which are usually released in mid-June, months after students take the test.

Workplace fatalities dipped slightly in 2024

The Texas Department of Insurance has reported 557 workplace fatalities were reported in 2024, the latest year for which statistics are available. That is down slightly from the 564 workplace fatalities reported in 2023. More than 90% of the fatalities occurred in the private sector.

The most fatalities were reported in the trade, transportation and utilities sector at 175; construction fatalities, with 128, followed. The most common occupation involving fatalities was motor-vehicle operators A total of 75 fatalities were due to violent acts in 2024. Men accounted for 92% of the 557 total incidents in 2024.

Texas economy hits record $2.9 trillion

The Texas economy expanded to $2.9 trillion in 2025, growing faster than the nation at a 2.5% rate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The state maintained its rank as the world’s eighth-largest economy, based on preliminary estimates from the International Monetary Fund.

“The Texas economy expanded to a record high of $2.9 trillion thanks to the productivity of our skilled workforce and the entrepreneurs and businesses investing here with confidence,” said Greg Abbott.

The state’s economy has grown by 46% over the past 11 years.

Wildfire risks in Panhandle, West Texas rise Dry windy conditions across West Texas and the Panhandle are rising, the Austin American-Statesman reported, leading to increased risk of wildfires. The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings from Canada to Mexico, including those areas in Texas.

“A red flag warning means a combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity, dry vegetation and strong winds. These conditions can quickly spark and spread wildfires, and in this environment, even a small fire can grow rapidly, so extra caution is critical,” reported Mary Wasson, a meteorologist with the San Antonio Express-News.

The Texas A&M Forest Service reports that nine out of 10 wildfires in Texas are human-caused and likely preventable. Burn bans are now in effect in 102 Texas counties, and wildfire preparedness is at Level 2, with Level 5 being the highest risk.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

Everyone needs an emergency fund. Financial experts recommend it, and we’ve all experienced surprise expenses: a costly car repair, a broken water heater or unexpected medical bills.

Despite our best intentions, building a financial cushion can feel impossible. After rent or mortgage, groceries, utilities and everyday expenses, it seems there’s nothing left to save.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many Americans struggle to maintain emergency savings. But building those savings doesn’t necessarily require massive lifestyle changes or windfalls.

With a strategic approach and realistic milestones, you can create the financial safety net you need.

Start small and build momentum Traditional advice suggests saving three to six months of total expenses. Ian excellent goal but can feel overwhelming when you’re starting from zero.

Instead, begin with a more achievable target, such as $500 or a full month’s worth of expenses. The key is to get started and contribute consistently.

Even a few hundred dollars can provide meaningful protection and help you avoid relying on credit cards or high interest loans. This initial milestone can cover many medium- sized emergencies. Once you reach the first milestone, work toward one and a half to two months of expenses, then the full three to six months.

Find money you didn’t know you had Building your emergency fund doesn’t always require cutting expenses. If you’re employed, set up automatic transfers from your paycheck into a separate savings account.

Cancel subscriptions you rarely use, shop around for better insurance rates and take advantage of sales whenever you can. Consider saving windfalls like tax refunds, work bonuses or birthday money.

If your budgeted expenses come in lower than expected, perhaps your health care costs or home maintenance needs were less than anticipated this month, save the difference in your emergency fund.

Have a dedicated account for your fund

Keep your emergency savings in a separate account from your regular checking, so you’re less tempted to use the money for non-emergencies. Choose an account that’s easily accessible and without penalties and, while you shouldn’t invest emergency money in stocks or bonds, look for an account that earns interest.

Balance competing priorities Building an emergency fund is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of other crucial financial goals. If you’re carrying high-interest debt or missing out on your employer’s retirement contribution matches, address those priorities first, while still building your emergency savings.

Ultimately, you’ll want to balance your emergency fund with other goals. To determine an emergency savings target, consider your personal risk for unexpected expenses, your job security and family circumstances. You may need three to six months’ worth of savings, or possibly some other amount. If this step feels overwhelming, ask a financial advisor to help you come up with a suitable plan.

The path to financial security requires progress rather than perfection. Begin where you are, use what you have and take one small step at a time. That first $500 might feel modest, but it represents the freedom to handle whatever life throws your way.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser. Edward Jones, Member SIPC

“Saving our bacon” is a very old slang term originating from the practice of protecting prized bacon from scavenging dogs. Later, “bacon” came to mean the human body.

In any event, you get the idea: Our judicial system appears to be the only entity protecting us from a totalitarian regime bent on taking complete control of our nation.

The recent election defeat of Hungary’s far right Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is good news, and hopefully, a trend we will see replicated in the United States and around the world.

Healthy democracies promote a system of effective checks and balances. Our Congress has become a lapdog, so the only check on presidential power is our judiciary.

The current administration has attempted to use emergency powers and executive orders at an unprecedented rate. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) recently remarked, “The Trump Administration has acted illegally and unconstitutionally in ways that weaken our democratic institutions, slow down our economy, roll back protections for public health and the environment, and put health care and Social Security benefits at risk for millions of Americans. And that’s just the start.”

Lawfare, a respected nonprofit, nonpartisan publication that provides analysis of legal and policy issues, had this insight: “President Trump is not the first president to invoke emergency powers for lessthan- crisis-level policy matters. But the sheer scale, pace and breadth of emergency powers deployed by this administration presents an opportunity for courts to reject this behavior and rein in executive overreach.”

Fittingly, a federal judge just stopped construction of the aboveground portion of the White House ballroom, saying it must have congressional approval.

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed in response to the actions of the current administration.

According to AP News, 150 have been blocked, 102 left in effect, and 107 are pending.

The huge number of losses in court by this administration is the result of work by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU defends the rights of all people in our nation. They are leading the fight to restrain an out-of-control executive branch.

It was arrogant to attempt to change the constitutional right of “birthright citizenship” with an executive order. The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to all children born in the United States.

Not only unconstitutional but also morally wrong, as ending “birthright citizenship” would upend the lives of thousands of innocent families. The ACLU defended this right, and I’m rooting for the Supreme Court to put an end to the nonsense.

Closer to home, the Texas Freedom Network has also been leading legal battles against tyranny. In conjunction with the ACLU, a lawsuit has been filed to remove the unconstitutional aspects of Texas Senate Bill 12, which places expanded restrictions on classroom instruction and student activities. The bill is basically an anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) overreach.

TFN Political Director Rocío Fierro-Pérez said, “SB 12 gives politicians the license to undermine the histories, identities and voices of countless Texans. It opens the door to the erasure of Black, brown, LGBTQIA+, immigrant and Indigenous narratives in our classrooms “It intimidates educators from teaching history truthfully and discussing identity honestly. It impacts the ability of students and teachers to engage in meaningful, reflective dialogue that fosters empathy and critical thinking.”

Retribution cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James have been thrown out. Grand juries are refusing indictments in cases brought by the Justice Department.

The best example was the attempted indictment of the six Democratic lawmakers who appeared in a video encouraging military members to stand up against illegal orders. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was fired because she failed to win absurd cases against high profile political opponents and enemies of the current president. She also contributed to the mass exodus of skilled career Justice Department lawyers who couldn’t stomach her lack of independence and ethics.

Surely we can do better. I am not Catholic, but I have tremendous respect for Pope Leo and his efforts to spread a philosophy of peace and love.

To learn more, check out the Kendall County Democratic Party website: kcdems. us.

Kevin Henning is a local Democrat

Texas will need to invest $174 billion over the next 50 years to keep up with water demand, according to a draft 2027 state water plan approved last week, the Austin American- Statesman reported.

That is more than twice the projected cost in the previous state water plan published in 2022.

The draft report, released by the Texas Water Development Board, says the increased costs are due to inflation in construction costs, more frequent droughts and a decline in existing water supplies as the state’s aquifers become depleted.

The state last year earmarked spending $20 billion over the next two decades for water infrastructure and supply projects — an amount that falls far short of what will be needed, according to some experts.

“This figure validates concerns that $1 billion a year is not going to be sufficient to meet the infrastructure needs to ensure our water supply,” said Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, a construction trade coalition for water projects.

The state water plan is created with input from 16 regional planning groups that identify future water needs in their regions and how to meet them. The draft plan is open for public comment and can be accessed here: https://tinyurl.com/3ktz5fpm.

Talarico raises record $27 mill; leads Paxton in fundraising 

State Rep. James Talarico raised a record $27 million in the first quarter of this year, the largest-ever sum for any Senate candidate in any state in the first quarter of an election year, The Texas Tribune reported.

“Winning in Texas will require unprecedented resources,” said Seth Krasne, Talarico’s campaign manager. “This grassroots fundraising haul puts our movement in a strong position to spread our message in some of the most expensive media markets in the country. But we can’t take our foot off of the gas.”

Talarico has raised more than $40 million since entering the race last September from more the 540,000 individual contributors.

On the Republican side, where incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is heading to a May 26 runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Cornyn outraised his opponent by fourfold, pulling in $9 million in the first quarter. Paxton raised $2.2 million “The Cornyn campaign continues performing at a high level, building off the over performance in the March (3) primary to announcing a massive fundraising haul in the first quarter of 2026,” Cornyn campaign manager Andy Hemming said.

Camp Mystic to preserve cabins where girls died

An Austin state district judge ordered Camp Mystic’s owners not to alter, repair or demolish cabins that housed campers and counselors who died in last year’s July 4 flood along the Guadalupe River, southwest of Kerrville.

The flood killed 25 girls, two counselors and one of the owners of the camp.

The camp’s owners are being sued by the parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward, the only victim whose body has not been recovered. Other parents of children who died in the floods also have lawsuits pending.

“This finding is supported by facts tending to show that defendants owed a duty of care to Cile Steward and other minor campers, which they breached by operating Camp Mystic in a high-risk zone without adequate flood protections,” Judge Guerra Gamble wrote.

The injunction remains in place until the lawsuit is resolved or the court rules otherwise. The judge set a trial date of May 3, 2027.

SNAP recipients must read labels, as not all food applies 

Changes in what can be purchased under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are now in place in Texas, and consumers are spending more time examining the ingredients label, the Texas Standard reported.

SNAP benefits can no longer be used to buy candy or sweetened beverages under Texas Senate Bill 379 passed last year. That includes drinks with more than 5 grams of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweetener.

The ban does not include baking sugar or sweet cereals, however. The guidelines do not provide an itemized list, so retailers must interpret them and apply them to the food items they sell.

“You use Google a lot to get the internet’s interpretation. You look at the law and how it’s written,” said John Robertson of Austin’s Fresh Plus grocery stores.

Solons grill data-center owners 

Texas lawmakers grilled data-center developers, energy companies and grid officials recently on the impact of the state’s data-center boom, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Grid officials say they are proposing regulations that will ensure Texas can handle data centers without raising electricity costs for consumers or risking power blackouts.

Officials from various Texas energy companies said data centers could help upgrade the state’s grid infrastructure.

“If we have an opportunity to have new customers coming to the state pay for that, we’ll have done some really good work,” said Brian Lloyd with Dallas-based Oncor Electric Delivery, the Texas utility with by far the most data centers seeking to connect to its system.

Thomas Gleeson, chairman of the Public Utility Commission, told lawmakers his agency is working with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid operator, on rules to encourage data centers to bring their own power generation to help prevent price spikes.

“I honestly don’t think on the generation side you’re going to see a large increase in costs at this point, because we have so many renewables and batteries on the system,” Gleeson said.

State drought reach on the rise 

Near the end of March, 89% of the state was in drought, according to hydrologist Mark Wentzel with the Texas Water Development Board.

That is the largest extent of drought in nearly four years, Wentzel wrote. In addition to continued dry conditions, average March temperatures were 66.8 degrees, beating the previous record by more than 1.5 degrees.

Wentzel said there is some reason for optimism with a wet, cooler start to April and a forecast of drought contraction in much of the state, except for the Panhandle and West Texas by early summer.

“Also note that we’ve set a new monthly record every year since 2021. In 2021, we set the record for the hottest December. In 2022, it was the hottest July, hottest September in 2023, October in 2024 and November in 2025,” he wrote.

Now March 2026 can be added to that list.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

A growing state means more Texans on our roads, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is meeting that increased demand with roadway improvements underway in more than 1,800 active work zones across the state. This month, TxDOT is highlighting safety tips in work zones to help protect workers and drivers.

The data

In 2025, there were more than 28,000 traffic crashes in Texas work zones, resulting in 203 people killed, including seven roadside workers.

And while workers are at risk doing their jobs to keep us safe, most of the people who died in work zone crashes were drivers and their passengers. Driving with caution through work zones is as much for your protection as it is for the people working.

Work Zone Awareness Week

In recognition of National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 20–24, TxDOT is raising awareness about how to be safe and drive smart in work zones to avoid crashes and fatalities.

“Maintaining a safe highway system requires year-round effort from brave and dedicated work crews,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. “Unfortunately, work zone crashes happen far too often. It’s crucial that drivers slow down, pay attention and give workers space. It’s the Texan thing to do.”

Stay safe in work zones with these Be Safe. Drive Smart. tips 

Slow down. Follow the speed limit and adjust your speed to road conditions. Remember that traffic fines double in work zones when workers are present.

Stay alert. Focus on driving, avoid distractions and put your phone away.

Watch out for road crews. Roadside workers deserve to get home safely, too. Always follow their instructions and work zone signage.

Never tailgate. Give yourself room to stop in a hurry. Rearend collisions are the most common type of work zone crash.

Allow extra time. Road construction can slow down traffic. Plan ahead so you aren’t tempted to speed.

Motorists are also reminded to follow the state’s Move Over or Slow Down law. The law requires drivers to move over a lane or reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when approaching vehicles stopped on the roadside with flashing lights activated. That’s not just law enforcement cars, but emergency vehicles, TxDOT vehicles, tow trucks or utility vehicles.

Be Safe. Drive Smart. is an important part of TxDOT’s Drive like a Texan: Kind. Courteous. Safe. initiative. Drive like a Texan is about embracing the pride, camaraderie and responsibility of being a Texan on the road. By making thoughtful choices, we can all help keep each other safe. Learn more at DriveLikeATexan.com.

GUEST COMMENTARY

Voters often ask for advice on voting choices. It’s totally understandable, with many different elections and the avalanche of candidate information thrown at us. I’ve been in many campaigns, and here are some tips and tricks to becoming an informed voter.

First, I want to demonstrate the power of a Texas voter. In our great democracy, each voter has tremendous power. Let’s start with the whole population; there are about 22.8 million Texans of voting age. Of that total:

• 82% are registered to vote.

• 49% voted in the 2024 November general election (a presidential election year).

• 14% voted in the 2024 March primary election.

• 3% voted in the 2024 May primary runoff election.

So, you can see the immense power of a Texas voter. Under 50% of adult Texans chose the president for all of us. Only 14% of Texans chose which candidates would be on the November ballot, except for those in a runoff election, where a scant 3% of Texans chose the November candidates.

Discouraging, isn’t it? On the other hand, primary and runoff voters have great influence and power. That power can be used for good or ill, for personal gain or selfless service. It’s easy for anybody to exercise that power. Here’s how to become an informed voter.

You may have favorite candidates already or may know someone on the ballot. If so, press on. But if you don’t have a candidate in mind, there is help available.

First, ask among your own personal network. You have friends who share your views, and they would likely choose similar candidates as you. Attend candidate events, where you can hear directly from candidates. The Kendall County Republican Party hosts excellent events of this type.

Take note of a candidate’s network and group of supporters. Do they share your views? And beware of the clusters of chronically unhappy people; those malcontents, who always complain and talk about what we’re doing wrong.

Sure, there’s a place for criticism in public discourse. But avoid those who constantly traffic in bitterness, recriminations, falsehoods and victimhood.

Google, Safari, ChatGPT and others are great resources for online searches, but I offer a huge caution. Do a quick search to find the source of a group or candidate’s funding. Even if the group claims to be “nonpartisan,” be skeptical. They almost always have an agenda.

Search for campaign donors. If you see major donors who do not share your beliefs, vote accordingly. Also, check the endorsements. Candidates will associate with people who share their views.

Look at candidates as if you were about to hire them. Check their qualifications, education and experience. Look for any red flags in the candidate’s background. When the GOP is vetting potential candidates, we routinely ask if there is anything in that person’s background that would be newsworthy and/or embarrass the candidate or the GOP.

If you can speak directly with a candidate, ask why they are qualified to hold the position. Ask about their education. If the candidate is running for re-election, ask about their accomplishments while in office.

Experienced political folks are a great resource. Ask a Republican party official for recommendations; some of us have experience with many candidates, away from the cameras and microphones. Thousands of people have asked me for voting advice over the years, and I am always happy to help.

After you have done some research, or asked for advice, you are ready to vote. I recommend early voting; you can choose a convenient day and time from your schedule. You can also vote on Election Day, when you have many more sites to choose from; you can vote at any of them.

When voting, you will encounter election workers and judges. We are your fellow citizens, ensuring that our fantastic democracy works for everybody. In fact, we have sworn an oath before the polls open, to abide by Texas election laws.

After you cast your ballot, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are an informed voter. And you will also know that you are in that group of powerful people who make decisions for all Texans. Our precious democracy works because of people like you.

Scott S. Kramer is former Chairman of the Kendall County Republican Party.

When you think about investing, you probably want your money to grow. But maybe you also want it to make a positive difference in the world while you continue pursuing your financial goals. That’s the foundation of sustainable investing: an approach that considers environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors alongside traditional financial analysis.

Sustainable investing allows you to support better business practices through your investment choices. It looks at how companies address issues ranging from climate change to worker well-being to corporate ethics. At its core, it’s about aligning investments with personal values while still focusing on long-term financial outcomes.

Here are the three main areas of sustainable investing:

• Environmental considerations include how companies respond to climate change, use natural resources and manage pollution.

• Social factors address workforce well- being, product safety and efforts to reduce social inequities.

• Governance focuses on corporate behavior, ethics policies and financial transparency.

You may wonder whether investing sustainably means sacrificing returns. Research suggests it doesn’t. New York University’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business reviewed more than 1,000 studies from 2015–20 and found that incorporating ESG factors does not inherently diminish returns, and in many cases is associated with improved financial performance.

As with any investment approach, it’s important to focus on high quality investments that help support more consistent long-term returns.

Sustainable investing can take several forms:

• ESG intentional strategies spread out your investments and have clear goals for choosing companies that follow strong environmental, social and governance practices.

• Sustainable thematic strategies focus on specific issues, such as clean energy or water conservation.

• Impact investments

go a step further, targeting measurable environmental or social outcomes. Because they prioritize more narrow, specific objectives, they may carry higher volatility and potentially lower returns.

One concern you may hear about is “greenwashing,” which happens when companies or funds exaggerate their environmental efforts. To help prevent this, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission created a rule in 2023 that requires any fund with “ESG” in its name to keep at least 80% of its assets in ESG aligned investments.

Another challenge is data consistency. Today, 99% of S&P 500 companies report ESG metrics, according to the Center for Audit Quality, but different rating providers still use different methods. Looking at relative rankings can help you compare companies and mutual funds in a more consistent way.

Deciding whether to include sustainable investments in your portfolio really depends on your values and financial goals. You can build a well-diversified portfolio with or without them. A qualified financial advisor can help you understand whether adding sustainable investments fits your overall strategy and makes sense for your situation.

As more companies disclose ESG data and more funds offer sustainable options, investors have increasing opportunities to align their portfolios with their values, without sacrificing their financial objectives.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warned last week the GOP risks losing its majority in the state House this November and urged party unity behind the winner of the May runoff between U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Without that unity, Patrick said state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, could win the U.S. Senate race, The Dallas Morning News reported.

State House Speaker Justin Burrows said he believes the GOP will keep its majority in the chamber but agreed unity is critical.

“We’ve got to be on the same page,” Burrows said. “We’ve got to be working and rowing in the same direction.”

Democrats, who have not held a majority in either chamber in more than 20 years, would have to flip 14 Republican seats to achieve a majority in the 150-member House.

Data centers set to get billions in tax breaks

An exemption for the state’s booming data center industry means Texas will lose $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years, The Texas Tribune reported.

Lawmakers say they will consider proposals to either limit the tax break or eliminate it altogether when they meet in January for the next legislative session.

“These new numbers are extremely concerning, and I will say they’re unsustainable,” said state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, the chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Finance. “I plan to look at filing legislation to either repeal the exemption or take a very close look at it and see.”

The tax break was approved by lawmakers in 2014, when there were far fewer data centers and they were much smaller. If nothing changes, exemptions could reach $1.75 billion annually by 2030.

The state already has more than 300 active data centers, with more than 100 additional projects either under development or planned.

Texas may face $700 mill in SNAP penalties

New federal rules designed to cut waste in the nation’s food stamp program means Texas taxpayers will have to pay $700 million more each year to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, The Tribune reported.

Officials with Texas Health and Human Services disclosed this to lawmakers at a recent committee hearing.

Almost 9% of the state’s SNAP payments had an error, slightly better than the national rate of 11%. Texas has until October 2027 to bring the error rate down below 6%. The error rate is based on unintentional mistakes by either the agency or the client receiving the benefits that result in an overpayment or underpayment Nearly one-fourth of the state’s population gets some type of assistance from Texas Health and Human Services.

“We are dealing today with a health care epidemic, but not from a disease or virus,” said Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the committee chairwoman. “With scandals in places like Minnesota and California drawing national attention, we, as Texans, must examine our own system and see how we measure up to other states.”

Court pauses smokable cannabis ban, higher fees

A Travis County district judge has temporarily lifted a statewide ban on the sale of smokeable hemp products, The Texas Tribune reported. The temporary restraining order is in effect until at least April 23, when another hearing is scheduled.

Texas hemp companies sued to block new state rules that have wiped out a huge portion of the legal cannabis market, the Texas Standard reported. The rules took effect March 31 and prevented stores from selling smokable hemp products and vastly increased licensing fees.

Smokable products make up the vast majority of hemp sales in the state.

“I estimated that flower is about half the market and smokable products put together including vapes are about two-thirds of the market,” said Robin Goldstein, a University of California economist who researches cannabis markets. He said the Texas market had about $4 billion in retail sales annually.

The plaintiffs are also suing over a jump in annual licensing fees for manufacturers from $250 to $10,000. Retailers must now pay $5,000 per store, up from $150.

“These provisions function not merely as regulatory tools, but as significant economic barriers not authorized by statute,” the lawsuit contends.

The suit was filed by the Texas Hemp Business Council, the Hemp Industry and Farmers of America, and eight Texas-based hemp companies.

State to launch statewide food services permit July 1 The Department of State Health Services will begin offering statewide operating permits for food trucks in Texas beginning July 1, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Food truck owners currently must pay each city’s permitting fees to operate there, which discourages them from traveling to other places to sell their food.

“It’s a hassle to take time off to go and do that where we have to stop what we’re doing and lose money that day,” said Dallas food truck owner Eloisa Schessler.

Some cities opposed the new law, fearing they may lose control of how mobile food trucks operate in their jurisdictions. They will still be able to control where and when food trucks operate, but they will not be able to collect permit and inspection fees.

Texas’ job growth still outpaces national rate

Texas added 40,100 nonfarm jobs in January to reach 14,379,500 positions, outpacing the national growth rate by 0.6 percentage points, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

“Texas employers continue to spur our state’s economic momentum, adding more than 40,000 jobs across a wide range of major industries,” said TWC Chairman Joe Esparza. “TWC remains committed to supporting Texas’ pro-growth policies and world-class talent pipeline that make Texas the best place to do business.”

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the state remained at 4.3%, which is below the national jobless rate of 4.7%.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

LASCA ARNOLD PENDLEY

ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER

Receiving news that you need major surgery is never easy. If you have only a short time (weeks or days) to react, focusing on the essentials is key. Reviewing your estate plan is among those crucial to-do items. Make the best use of your time by considering the following urgent steps.

Who to call, what to update

• Your Estate Planning Attorney. After notifying loved ones of your impending surgery, your next call should be to your estate planning attorney. Time is of the essence, and your attorney can quickly triage the documents that provide the most immediate protection for you and your family.

• Review existing documents. Ensure that your estate planning documents, such as a Will, trust, and powers of attorney, are up to date and accurately reflect your current assets and wishes.

• Update personal representatives and heirs. Confirm that the executor or personal representative named in your Will and the trustee named in your trust are still the people you want managing your affairs. Separately, review beneficiary designations on life insurance, retirement plans, and investment accounts.

• Create (or update) a Will or trust. Although it may be difficult to set up a trust or complex Will in a limited amount of time, your attorney may be able to quickly update the provisions of an existing trust or Will. If you have no Will or trust, an attorney can usually prepare a straightforward Will on an expedited basis.

• Your Healthcare Power of Attorney. You should also contact your healthcare agent (the person named in your healthcare power of attorney or advance directive) to notify them of your surgery and the timing.

• Review wishes. Take a few minutes to review your wishes with them, especially any updates on end-of-life care, pain management, and specific interventions so, they can confidently act as your voice if you cannot communicate.

• Confirm availability. Ensure that your agent will be reachable and ready to respond during your surgery and immediate recovery period. It is wise to confirm that you have named a backup agent in case your primary agent is unavailable.

• Execute a new document if needed. If you do not have a healthcare power of attorney in place, now is the time to get one.

What documents to prioritize At a minimum, you should ensure the following documents are in place. Together, they protect your medical care and financial well-being if you become temporarily incapacitated.

• Living will. States your specific wishes regarding life-sustaining medical treatment if you are unable to communicate.

• Healthcare power of attorney.

Designates a trusted person (your healthcare agent) to make all medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so.

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization form. Gives named people permission to access medical information and speak with your providers.

• Financial power of attorney.

Authorizes named people to handle finances on your behalf, including paying bills, managing accounts, accessing records, and filing taxes

• Will. Controls the distribution of probate assets at death and allows you to nominate an executor or personal representative and a guardian for minor children.

• Trust. If you have a trust in place, ensure that it reflects your current wishes and is funded (i.e., assets are properly titled in the trust’s name), so that it can function as intended.

If short on time —

If time is extremely limited, prioritize the most urgent step: formally naming the key people who can act for you — your healthcare agent, your financial agent, and (if you have minor children) a guardian.

Once those roles are filled, communicate your wishes clearly to each person, so they are not left guessing in a high-pressure situation.

In addition, draft a thorough list of your assets including digital assets (belongings, money, and property), their locations, and any identifying information, including logins and passwords.

Finally, ensure that your loved ones have your attorney’s contact information and know where your original signed estate planning documents are physically located.

While estate planning may be the last thing you want to do before major surgery, taking these urgent steps can give you peace of mind.

This article provided as a service of the Law Office of Lasca A. Arnold, PLLC.

Our political leadership is trying to confuse the elections process and throw up more roadblocks to a citizen’s right to vote.

Our political leaders have spent years trying to convince you that your vote doesn’t matter and that the election system is corrupt; they’ve enacted unnecessary steps to make it harder to vote. All so you’ll give up and not cast your ballot.

They’re engineering it to make it seem like voting doesn’t matter.

But it does. Efforts to further restrict voting start at the top. The president recently signed an executive order, which our governor supports, to “crack down” on mail-in voting. The executive order directs the Department of Homeland Security to create a national voter list, among other requirements.

In an April 1 editorial, the San Antonio Express-News stated, “The idea of the federal government maintaining a national citizenship list is weird and creepy. Merely by issuing this order, he has likely sown seeds of suspicion about the midterm elections before any votes have been cast.”

The U.S. Congress is at work on voter suppression as well. The misleadingly named SAVE Act, and related bills, would require all Americans to prove their citizenship with documentation that millions of voters don’t have and will find it difficult to obtain. It would completely upend the way America registers to vote. This bill has passed the House and is under consideration in the Senate.

The SAVE Act will be able to purge voter rolls monthly, increasing the likelihood of being wrongfully purged from voter rolls. The bill includes measures that would mistakenly flag lawfully registered U.S. citizen voters as ineligible and allow states to purge their voter rolls without notifying voters before removing them.

This would mean already-registered Americans wouldn’t know they were removed from the rolls until they showed up to vote and learned they were no longer registered.

This has happened before. In a 2024 voter purge in Virginia, based on outdated citizenship information, 1,600 purged voters were U.S. citizens, according to an AP story.

The nonpartisan League of Women Voters opposes these bills. Their statement said, “It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Requiring documentary proof of American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary and seeks to divide us.

“ It simply creates another barrier to voting. Many communities of eligible voters would be unnecessarily burdened by the requirements of the SAVE Act,” they added.

Texas already makes it hard enough to vote. A 2022 study found Texas ranked 46th in the country for voting access. Additional federal hoops won’t help voting access in the slightest and will do little to nothing to enhance election security.

There’s plenty you can do to fight these efforts. First, make sure your voter registration is current and accurate — visit:http:// www. votetexas. gove/ www.votetexas.gov to check. We recommend that you check your voter registration at least 30 days prior to every election, to make sure nothing has changed and that your record has not been purged.

Vote in every election, all the way down the ballot.

Urge your family and friends to vote. In 2022, less than 21% of eligible voters voted for Republicans. Over 43% didn’t vote at all (with an additional 19.2% unregistered).

Texas isn’t a “red state,” it’s a “non-voting state.”

Squawk when you see injustice. Call or email your legislators or better yet, show up at their office. Show up at organized protests — the March 21 “No Kings!” protest in Boerne drew a record crowd of more than 800.

Write a letter to the editor. Submit written testimony to the State Legislature or testify in person.

Raising your voice does make a difference. Last month, when ICE arrested several mariachi kids, the action provoked widespread outrage from citizens and politicians alike that the teens were released from immigration detention.

Outrage and calls/ emails to the U.S. Senate have stalled the SAVE Act and, so far, prevented its passage.

For details on the Kendall County Democratic Party, subscribe to our newsletter on our website, call our office at 830331-1243, or visit www. kcdems.us.

Laura Bray is the former Chair of the Kendall County Democratic Party

RYAN MARQUARD, D,

AAMS

EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS

While older generations worry about having enough money for retirement, many Gen Z workers aren’t even starting to save. Research in 2025 by Edward Jones and Morning Consult shows that nearly half haven’t begun setting money aside for their golden years, and only 22% are contributing to a workplace retirement plan.

The culprit is a perfect storm of financial pressures that can make saving for the future feel impossible.

One of the biggest challenges this generation faces is debt. High-interest credit card balances and persistent student loan payments leave many feeling they’re just trying to stay afloat, rather than planning decades ahead.

The cost of living doesn’t help either. Nearly 60% of Gen Z renters are considered “ rent- burdened,” spending more than 30% of their pre-tax income on rent, according to a StreetEasy analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Rising prices driven by inflation and tariffs squeeze budgets further, moving retirement savings down the priority list.

The nature of work has also changed. Gen Z is more likely than previous generations to hold gig jobs, contract positions or other flexible work arrangements that often don’t include employer retirement plans, according to Pew Research.

Even when plans are available, only 22% participate. Feeling overwhelmed by jargon, confused by investment choices or focusing only on today’s experiences and technology can all delay participation. These early gaps may lead to catch-up needs later in life.

Unfortunately, Gen Z has little faith in the retirement safety net. Only about a third of Gen Z-ers say they believe Social Security will still exist when they retire, according to the latest information from the CATO Institute.

Fortunately, there are steps Gen Z can take now to get their retirement savings off to a good start:

Start small. Even a few dollars per paycheck builds a savings habit and gets compounding interest working in their favor. Early momentum matters more than starting big.

Let compounding do its work. Small, consistent contributions can grow dramatically over time, especially when they have decades to accumulate.

Use a workplace retirement account. For anyone with access to a plan, enroll and contribute at least enough to receive any employer match. It’s one of the few forms of “free money” available.

Open an IRA. If no plan is available through work, take charge by opening an individual retirement account (IRA).

Simplify investing. If the choices feel confusing, consider options such as a target date fund, which reduces complexity and helps keep you properly invested without needing expert advice.

Use found money.

Direct tax refunds, bonuses or gig income into retirement savings to boost progress without straining the monthly budget.

Automate contributions.

Automatic transfers make saving effortless. Review this annually and increase contributions as income grows.

Build confidence.

If investing feels overwhelming, look for quick financial education resources from an employer, plan provider or reputable nonprofit organization. Even a little knowledge can make decisions easier. The path to retirement doesn’t require perfection, just progress. Building consistency early helps create choices, security and financial breathing room later in life.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

GARY BORDERS

Camp Mystic has filed an application with the state to reopen this summer, the Houston Chronicle reported.

More than two dozen children and two camp counselors were killed in the July 4 flash floods that swept the camp. The Texas Department of State Health Services, which oversees camp licensing, said it has received complaints about the camp and that it will be “investigated for violations of the laws and rules governing youth camps.” DSHS has been sued by the parents of nine victims who contend the camp was wrongfully licensed just two days before the disaster last summer, even though it lacked an evacuation plan.

In a separate case, a Travis County judge has ordered Camp Mystic to preserve for future examination the cabins and grounds damaged in the floods.

Camp leaders are asking for permission to open its Cypress Lake campus, which they said is “in compliance with all aspects of the state’s new camp safety laws and has implemented additional safety measures that exceed the requirements of those laws.”

Big Bend border wall apparently put on hold

After public outcry, a physical border wall through Big Bend National Park appears to be on hold, The Texas Tribune reported.

In February, the Trump administration waived more than two dozen environmental laws to clear the way for a 150-mile-long wall through West Texas, including Big Bend and the adjoining state park. Opposition quickly arose from people and politicians from both parties.

The sheriffs of Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Presidio and Terrell counties — a mix of Democrats and Republicans — wrote an open letter that said: “Based on decades of combined experience working with this terrain, we believe that construction of a continuous physical border wall in the Big Bend region would not represent the most practical or strategic approach to border security in this area.”

Now, a map on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website no longer indicates plans to construct a physical wall in the Big Bend region. It is unclear if those plans are final, since the map has been changed several times in the past few weeks.

The rugged area historically has been the least-busy of the nine Border Patrol sectors, accounting for just 1.3% of the 237,538 apprehensions recorded along the entire U.S.-Mexico border during the last fiscal year.

State sued for lack of AC in prisons

The Texas government is now on trial in an Austin federal court to determine whether it must provide air-conditioning in state prisons, kut.org reported. Inmates and their attorneys have argued for decades that summer conditions — where temperatures can reach 110 degrees — constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

“The Constitution requires living conditions that are not exposing individuals to high heat levels, and the evidence has consistently shown that what (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) has done as an alternative has just not been effective,” attorney Brandon Duke said. “It’s not a solution.”

The state counters that it is bringing more AC online at its prisons. Plaintiff attorneys say at least five inmates have died in Texas from heat-related illness since 2023.

TDCJ officials said it would cost $1.5 billion to install air-conditioning systems at all state prisons, and that Texas lawmakers must approve the funding.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pittman is expected to rule from the bench after the trial concludes.

Teacher pay drops in Texas public schools

A new report from the University of Houston Education Research Center indicates average pay for Texas public school teachers has dropped about $5,000 over the past decade, the Chronicle reported. The decrease comes even as the cost of living has increased during that time span.

“When we look at those regional differences, there are some increases across the state, but really what we’re seeing is that average teacher salaries haven’t kept up with inflation,” said Toni Templeton, the Education Research Center’s senior research scientist.

Average base pay for the state’s most experienced teachers, those with 11 or more years of experience, has declined from about $73,000 to about $66,000 in 2024-25, according to the report.

The Legislature has approved pay increases based on teachers’ years of experience, and those raises could show up in future studies.

SpaceX planning largest IPO 

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is confidentially planning to sell shares to the public in what could be the largest initial public offering in history, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

It has filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission that indicates it could raise as much as $75 billion in an IPO by July.

The confidential filing allows companies to get feedback from regulators without revealing information to competitors. However, SpaceX will have to release a public filing at least 15 days before its IPO “road show,” when it presents its financial plan to potential underwriters and institutional investors.

SpaceX has become the world’s leading commercial rocket launch company. Over the past five years, it has secured $6 billion in contracts from the federal government.

TDI helps stop $400 million Medicare scheme

A Texas Department of Insurance investigator and crime analyst played a key role in arresting a Russian national who submitted $400 million in fake Medicare claims.

Nikolai Buzolin established a durable medical equipment company in Houston in 2025. He is charged with stealing patients’ and doctors’ identities to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare Part C.

“A few of the patients checked their explanation of benefits and noticed that they were getting medical equipment that they didn’t need. And it was coming from doctors they’d never met,” said TDI Fraud Unit investigator Sgt. Kevin Mannion.

FBI agents arrested Buzolin as he was boarding a plane in Los Angeles to Russia. He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

“TDI works with federal, state and local partners to follow cases wherever they go, whether it’s California or right here in Texas,” Mannion said. “We track them down, we shut them down and we help dismantle these criminal activities.”

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.

April is National County Government Month, a time to recognize the work counties do for Texans every day.

In our 254 counties, government isn’t some distant idea. It shows up in daily life. It’s the road you drive to work, the court that handles local cases, the elections in which you vote, the records that document your life’s milestones and the first responders who pick up the phone when something goes wrong, no matter what the hour.

Counties are the backbone of how Texas runs. And behind the work that counties do are people with stories.

That’s why the Texas Association of Counties recently launched “Texas County Storytellers.” The goal of this multimedia initiative is simple: Highlight the real-world experiences of county officials and employees across the state. Because county government isn’t abstract. It’s where public service becomes personal.

Our first featured story comes from the Eagle Ford Shale. There, county leaders were dealing with serious road damage caused by heavy energy- sector traffic. They found a solution in working together as a region to secure state funding to help them repair and protect their roads.

Theirs is a powerful and practical example of how county government confronts real problems responsively, creatively and with the community in mind.

Stories like that are happening all the time, in counties big and small. They may not grab headlines, but they make a real difference in people’s lives.

What stands out most about county government isn’t just the range of responsibilities. It’s the people doing the work. County officials and employees understand local needs because they share them. They are neighbors serving neighbors.

National County Government Month gives us a moment to recognize that effort. It’s a chance to appreciate the people who keep things running, often without much attention.

Every Texas county has a story, and a legacy of service worth celebrating. This month is a good reminder to notice them, and to recognize the commitment and care behind the work.

Cindy Yeatts Brown, Denton County treasurer, is president of the Texas Association of Counties.

Good financial habits are a little like brushing your teeth. When you learn them early, they become second nature, and you carry them with you for life. And while money can feel complicated, especially today, the foundation starts simply.

Parents can begin the conversation with very young children, and young adults can build on those basics as they take on more responsibility. Step by step, these habits create confidence that helps build long-term financial security and a more fulfilling life.

The following are the four key stages of financial growth.

Stage 1. For very young children, the goal is to make money feel simple and manageable. A great place to start is with three jars labeled “ Spend,” “Save” and “Share.”

When kids can actually see their money grow or shrink, the idea starts to make sense. Saving also introduces them to goal setting, and working toward paying for a small toy or outing teaches patience.

Most important, you’re helping your children see money as a tool they can understand easily and use with confidence.

Stage 2. If you have tweens (children roughly 9 to 12 years old), they’re usually ready for slightly bigger financial ideas. This is a great time for them to earn money through chores or small jobs, helping them see the connection between effort and reward and building a sense of ownership.

Conversations about needs versus wants also become more meaningful, because kids are now making real choices with money they earned themselves. Your tween may be ready for a simple savings account to watch their savings grow, or a reloadable cash card for spending.

Stage 3. By the time teens reach high school or young adulthood, budgeting becomes essential. This doesn’t need to be overly strict or complicated. A simple system that helps them track deposits and withdrawals can make all the difference.

Whether they use an app, a paper notebook or a spreadsheet, the real goal is awareness. Teenagers also benefit from learning how credit works. Understanding how to build a healthy credit score and how to use credit wisely protects them from costly mistakes in later life.

Stage 4. Then come the early working years, when habits shift from learning to building.

One of the smartest steps at this stage is paying yourself first. Automatic transfers to savings or retirement accounts help establish stability without extra effort.

Even small retirement contributions matter more than most people realize, because time allows compounding to do the heavy lifting. This is also when young adults can start organizing their money into different buckets for rent, automobile payments, emergencies, retirement and everyday spending. These habits help lay the groundwork for financial freedom down the road.

Throughout every stage, the theme is confidence. Each small success creates a sense of control and each good habit makes the next one easier. Over time, these habits turn into a lifetime of financial security and fulfillment. When you start strong and stay consistent, money becomes a tool that helps your children support the lives they want.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

A presidential candidate years ago had a powerful call to action for the American people to remain vigilant and strong to keep the peace. He emphasized that only a strong nation can ensure peace and that the Republican Party’s message is clear: peace through strength.

His speeches were a response to the weakness of the incumbent Democrat and the threats to peace. He called for a strong America to counter the enemy’s doubts, while ensuring the nation’s strength is not used to provoke conflict, but the importance of strength in maintaining peace.

That political candidate said, “To insist on strength, let me impress you, is not warmongering. It is peace-mongering the only kind that has ever worked in the whole history of the world.”

Only with the strength to keep the peace can we ever hope for the time in which ideological obsession of Marxism and Communism is abandoned so we don’t keep seeing what we just saw on the streets of our US by demonstrators called “No Kings.”

Yet, there are those who fear that strength may only provoke the enemy as we’ve been hearing from the “leftists” in the U.S. Where were those leftists when the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other Jihadist groups terrorized the U.S.? This fight, this “war” has been going on for years; not just since 9/11, but for eternity.

I thank our Lord and savior for the grit, foresight and fortitude of our President Donald Trump and his Cabinet to charge ahead with policies and procedures less involved and twisted with diplomatic red tape so that any enemy won’t wonder if we will respond.

Yes, Republicans support the president in this strong, right action that we’re seeing today in Iran. No, we will not let needed actions detract us from the necessary freedoms we crave and expect in our U.S.

We must, instead, prosecute the action in Iran with the object of ending it along with the threats to peace that it poses all over the world.

Taking strong action simply to return to the status quo is not worthy of our sacrifices, our ideals, or our vision of world peace, freedom and justice.

This doesn’t mean the use of military power alone. We have vast resources of economic, political, diplomatic and psychological power which are being tapped in our Iran strategy. These are peaceful means of waging war. I’m grateful we’re using them.

As it is, we’ve seen too many previous White House administrations making crisis decisions in the middle of the night — reactionary, crisis decisions for supposedly isolated outbreaks of fire.

But why wait for the enemy to keep attacking. The “war” fomented by Iran didn’t start last month. It began, some would say, 47 years ago during the Carter administration. Moreover, for those of us who have lived and worked in the Middle East and read and understand the Koran, the war began centuries ago.

Today our society is threatened by organized and deliberate civil disobedience justified by concepts that are semantic traps, and more astoundingly organized and funded by the likes of George Soros. The only enduring method of realizing the goals of those who engage in civil disobedience is the use of our means for orderly change.

But the threat is real and continues by organized, intentional civil disobedience, undermining the stability of a society built on law. What we’re seeing isn’t spontaneous protests. The protests today are deliberate, coordinated efforts to ruin the U.S.

Civil disobedience bypasses the legal mechanisms designed to handle change. It encourages people to treat laws as optional when they disagree with them. It risks eroding the shared commitment to rule-governed behavior that makes constitutional systems work. Once people start choosing which laws to obey, the entire legal order becomes fragile.

What has happened to us? Why is it necessary, at this moment, in this forum to repeat what should be axiomatic and accepted?

In this frame of reference let’s identify certain forces whose aim is to destroy our law-based society, e.g. Soros. Let’s all ask our national representatives — what is our law-based nation doing to pursue those threats?

Art Humphries is a Kendall County Republican

Texas is poised to lead the nation by 2030 in the number of data centers, the Austin American-Statesman reported, surpassing Virginia.

The state currently has 6.5 gigawatts of data center capacity under construction, accounting for 20% of the capacity added to the U.S. pipeline last year. One gigawatt can power about 750,000 homes on average.

Data centers provide the infrastructure to support both crypto currency facilities and the growth of artificial intelligence. The centers require huge amounts of power and water to operate. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates most of the state’s power grid, said the continuing growth in data centers will increase Texas energy demand by 71% in the next five years.

Central Texas has become the top data center market in the country. The American-Statesman identified at least 55 completed or planned projects between Temple and San Antonio in 2025.

Paxton calls for Hancock’s removal

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for Gov. Greg Abbott to remove acting state Comptroller Kelly Hancock, calling him an “incompetent loser,” The Dallas Morning News reported.

Paxton said the governor should replace him with Don Huffines, who defeated Hancock in the GOP primary race for the post earlier this month.

“Kelly Hancock was rejected by Texans because he failed to do his job. He failed to take me down during impeachment, and his career is over,” Paxton wrote on X. “It’s time for him to be fired.”

Before his appointment as acting comptroller, Hancock served in the Texas Senate and was one of two Republican state senators who voted to convict Paxton in his impeachment trial. Paxton was acquitted.

The latest dispute comes after Hancock sent a letter to Paxton and to federal officials, calling for stripping the Houston Quran Academy of its charter because of alleged ties to CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights advocacy organization. Abbott has designated that group a foreign terrorist organization.

The academy is suing to overturn the designation.

$116 million in FIFA safety grants announced

The city of Houston and the North Central Texas Council of Governments, areas hosting FIFA World Cup events, will receive $116 million in grants to provide for safety personnel, equipment and other public safety needs, the Governor’s Office has announced.

“The FIFA World Cup coming to Texas gives our state a premier opportunity to showcase all it has to offer,” Abbott said in a news release. “These public-safety grants will help ensure that travelers visiting and traveling throughout Texas can enjoy our great state safely, will bolster Texas’ efforts to combat crime, and help prevent potential acts of violence.”

The money is coming from the federal government under the omnibus budget bill passed last year, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The budget provides $625 million in federal funding to host cities across America. The funds are allocated for recipients to provide extensive security to protect venues, players, staff and attendees against potential terrorist attacks.

License seekers have to prove they’re in country legally Anyone seeking a professional license in Texas, from barbers to dog breeders, will have to prove they are in the country legally after May 1, The Texas Tribune reported.

The state’s Commission on Licensing and Regulation last week adopted a new rule that could affect thousands of workers.

A long line of speakers at a hearing urged the commission not to adopt the rule, arguing it will hamper the state’s economy and push people to work without a license. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

“TDLR has long been evaluating verification of license eligibility in line with federal law. With the transfer of the Texas Lottery to TDLR, the recent launch of our licensing system modernization project, and increased focus on combatting human trafficking, the department is moving forward with lawful presence verification,” said Caroline M. Espinosa, a TDLR spokeswoman.

TDLR attorney Derek Burkhalter told commissioners that some non-citizens will still be able to get licenses if they are here legally; for example, if they were granted asylum or admitted as a refugee.

“The proposed rules do not impose a citizenship requirement,” Burkhalter said. “Individuals who are not U.S. citizens may still be eligible for licensure if they meet the eligibility criteria.”

Pedestrian, bike fatalities climb

With spring and warmer weather here, there are more pedestrians and cyclists out on the road.

More than 20% of all Texas traffic fatalities involve either pedestrians or cyclists, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, which is urging drivers to know and follow the rules for sharing the road.

In 2024, 852 cyclists and pedestrians were killed in crashes on Texas roads. There were 6,095 crashes involving pedestrians and 2,761 crashes involving bicyclists. In 2025, there were 1,372 traffic crashes involving pedestrians in Texas and 527 traffic crashes involving bicyclists. In these crashes, 186 people were killed.

“All of us share a responsibility to watch out for each other, but people on foot or riding a bike are most at risk for serious injury or worse in a crash with a car, which means drivers must be extra vigilant,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said.

Prediction: Slightly less active hurricane season

Hurricane season is a little more than two months away, and weather media outlet AccuWeather is predicting a slightly less active season this year than in 2025, the Houston Chronicle reported. However, Texas and the Gulf Coast are still at risk of being hit.

AccuWeather forecasts 11 to 16 named storms, including four to eight hurricanes. Of those, one to three are expected to become Category 3 or strong hurricanes, with winds of at least 111 mph. Three to six storms could directly hit the United States, including one to three along the Gulf Coast, putting Texas and neighboring states at risk.

Last year was the first since 2015 without a hurricane making a direct U.S. landfall. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published several community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com.