Opinion

I am happy to report that I have been asked to resume writing articles again and look forward to bringing my perspective back to Austin County in print. This month with the spring like temperatures already creeping in on us gets me thinking of the many things we can do outside. The topic of this month is the many outdoor activities we can do in the areas in and around Austin County.

My mother has a pet squirrel named Stubby. He is not, technically, her pet, as he lives outdoors as a wild squirrel.

Gov. Greg Abbott has created a statewide task force after several “street takeovers” recently took place in Austin in which motorists obstructed intersections, shot off fireworks and drove recklessly.

E arlier this month, Americans reflected on the 20-year anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster that took the lives of all seven astronauts on board. On Feb.

It was snowing hard, the way it almost never does anymore, and I decided I needed to go for my walk, heedless of the weather. “I probably won’t be gone long!” I texted a friend in California as I headed out the door looking like an Arctic explorer.

As your state senator, I am deeply honored to represent nearly one million Texans from the piney woods of Montgomery County to the shores of Rockport. Whether you live in a city, suburb or remote rural area, my goal is always to build a better Texas for our children and grandchildren.

Gov. Greg Abbott, in a State of the State address last Thursday, outlined his seven top priorities for the ongoing legislative session before an invitation- only audience at a manufacturing facility in San Marcos, the Austin American- Statesman reported. Those priorities include $4 billion for border security, property tax relief and more school choice for parents, which he called “education freedom.” He avoided use of the word “vouchers.’

For all the challenges facing Texans, our state government serves the people pretty darned well, especially when compared to the frequent dysfunction in Washington. Having just finished eight years in statewide elected office as Texas Land Commissioner, I can share the “secret sauce” that makes Texas work: relationships.