There is some music I don’t need to listen to anymore
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Yes. I’ve never known much about music.
Opinion
Expanding Texas’ water supply is now in the hands of voters
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Apriority for state lawmakers this year was the establishment of new funding sources to help ensure Texas has ready access to enough water to sustain both its growing population and economy. Their efforts culminated in early June with the stroke of the governor’s pen, signing their legislation into law.
House Democrats’ tax plan would help renters
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Texas House Democrats unveiled a $20.9 billion plan for property tax relief that drops tax rates, increases the homestead exemption, gives annual rebates to renters, and includes pay raises for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Are we too old to join a book club?
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My new friend, Betty Lou, started a book club, and she asked me to join. I was delighted.
That flag means different things to different people
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Just about a week now, boys, and Happy Birthday America! “Got that right, Herb. You finished with that hot sauce?” “Here you go,” said Steve.
Paying for my medications twice: Texas law needed to protect patients
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Iwas only 10 years old the first time I went to the hospital with severe head pain, uncontrollable vomiting, and visual disturbances with complete blindness in my left eye. Driving four hours to Dallas from my home in Abilene was my family’s only option if I wanted to see a pediatric neurologist after being diagnosed with chronic migraine. It was a sacrifice of time, but necessary for my health. More than 35 years later, managing this illness, several co-morbid conditions, caring for my family, and working is a lot to juggle, physically, emotionally, and financially. I pay what I owe, but I was livid when I realized that fine print in my insurance contract was causing me to pay my deductible twice.
Always company when visiting mom
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Ispent the week visiting my parents at their retirement home “up north,” and so I got to see them and my mother’s outside pet, Stubby, the red squirrel. I hadn’t seen Stubby since last winter, when he had made an elaborate network of tunnels in the deep snow outside my parents’ window facing the lake.
We daydream about shade, cool drink this time of year
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O ur day is filled with heat at this time of year. It commands our attention and makes our work harder. As we toil, we daydream not about love or success, but things as mundane as shade and a cool drink.
Conservation urged as searing heat wave sweeps state
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Texas’ power grid reported record electricity use early last week. Both the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are urging residents and businesses to voluntarily reduce electricity use as temperatures soar above100 degrees over much of the state. So far the grid, which administers 90% of the state’s power load, has been able to keep up with demand.
Making gains on oversight reforms
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Regulation of law enforcement in Texas made an important step forward this year from being “toothless,” according to one account, to one that meets Texans’ needs for better data and accountability at law enforcement agencies across the state.
