News

BRYAN, COLLEGE STATION — The Texas A&M University System has again received the highest possible credit ratings from the nation’s major rating agencies as it issues its 2025 Revenue Financing System bonds. Moody’s Ratings, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings each assigned top ratings to the System’s new 2025A and 2025B bond series and reaffirmed their highest long-term ratings on existing System debt. All agencies issued stable outlooks, underscoring confidence in the System’s financial strength and longterm trajectory.

A federal district court in the Southern District of Florida accepted the guilty pleas of two men to conspiring to obstruct, delay or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.

Washington – A federal court has granted the Computer & Communication Indust ry Association’s request for a preliminary injunction blocking Texas SB2420, the App Store Accountability Act, from being enforced against any entity pending a final decision on the merits of the case. Judge Robert Pitman agreed with arguments that the law likely violates the First Amendment by being vague, overly broad, and a restraint of the protected speech of both app stores and app developers.

ATHENS – New Year’s Day 2026 will launch the 40th season of the Toyota ShareLunker Program, another major milestone for Texas’ highly acclaimed and storied largemouth bass selective breeding and stocking program.

BY TY KERLEY Christian philosopher Eleonore Stump states, “Orthodox Christian doctrine holds that persons once created are everlasting and are of infinite value. If they become defective, it is up to a good God not to eliminate them, but to fix them if He can.” Although Christians hold these truths to be absolute, this statement presents us with a conundrum or a difficulty.

It was New Year’s Day, and I got up before The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. I poured my coffee and then sat in my easy chair to reflect on the day.

AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott, Southwest Airlines, and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson announced at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) that Southwest will establish a new pilot and flight attendant crew base in Austin. Southwest’s expansion will lay the groundwork for future operational growth in the state and is expected to create 2,000 jobs in Austin by mid-2027. A Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant of $14 million has been extended to Southwest Airlines. In addition, the company has been offered a $375,000 Veteran Created Job Bonus.

If you plan on using a state-limited- use or state-restricted-use pesticide, such as Grazon P+D, 2 4-D, Weedmaster, etc., and need a license, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Austin County will be hosting several Private Applicator Training classes during 2026 at the Austin County Extension Office, 800 E Wendt St, Bellville. Books and study materials for the course may be purchased ahead of time at the Extension Office for $50.