Columns

Early voting underway in local elections

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AUSTIN— Early voting began Monday, April 22 for municipal, school board and various bond elections. It ends on April 30 with Saturday, May 4 being election day. What is on the ballot depends on where you live.

BOOK-BANNING LAW GUTTED BY APPEALS COURT

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A wide range of emergency preparation supplies will be exempt from sales tax April 27-29, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The total cost of the items must be less than $75 for most items on the list, such as batteries, first aid kits, flashlights, tarps, and fire extinguishers. Higher amounts are allowed for portable generators (less than $3,000) and emergency ladders and hurricane shutters (less than $300).

History’s storytellers

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“The only protection as a historian is to institute a process of research and writing that minimizes the possibility of error.”— Doris Kearns Goodwin My wayfaring existence, with a great deal of time spent behind the wheel, lends itself to listening to audiobooks.

‘Aggressive’ hurricane forecast for Gulf Coast

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AUSTIN—Colorado State University researchers are calling this year’s hurricane season forecast “the most aggressive” ever, the Texas Standard reported. They say there is a 54% chance a hurricane will strike the Texas coast, and a 25% chance it will be major.

Agencies blasted over wildfire oversight

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AUSTIN— State agencies and regulators were heavily criticized at a Texas legislative hearing for failing to communicate during the deadly Panhandle wildfires, the Texas Tribune reported. The three-day hearing, held in Pampa, investigated the Smokehouse Creek fire and others that burned more than a million acres, destroyed hundreds of homes, killed up to 10,000 cattle and resulted in two deaths.

Garza County Jail remains in compliance

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Sheriff Terry Morgan was notified that a recent inspection of the Garza County Jail found the facility to remain in compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. An inspection was conducted on Mar. 28.

Attention to detail

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Ah, the mentality of the five-year-old who whines to parents that he “really did take a bath” when the smell and dirt under the nails say otherwise. How about the students who wait until 7:56 a.m.