Opinion & Letters

Anyone who lives anywhere NEAR Avenue N knows what I’m talking about. I understand that some things are unavoidable during a construction project. Things like a coating of dirt over everything I own outside, constant shaking from giant digging equipment, and an ugly black chicken wire construction fence in my front yard. But these guys go a step beyond: This construction crew has hit waterlines on MULTIPLE occasions, killed limbs out of our trees, and left my yard flooded with thick construction mud twice after rains.

The image of Texas around the world often centers on a cowboy herding longhorns or a roughneck working on an oil rig. Texans cherish their western, and oil and gas heritage, but we also know that no single portrait can capture the diversity of our land, our people and our traditions. In Texans One and All, John L.

Dear Editor: There is a new face at Dairy Queen these days and that new face is Robyn Henderson. She wasn’t there today when I went in to check this out, but I was still greeted by a familiar face, that of Faye Lechow. Faye tells me she will still be there and that she isn’t going anywhere.

The average Texas family now spends around $100 to fill up its truck or SUV, so imagine the financial burden confronting our nation’s air carriers, as they struggle to fuel their fleets amid soaring energy costs – a 737 aircraft burns more than 885 gallons of jet fuel per hour at cruising altitude.

JC FFA Annual Convention Last week the Johnson City FFA went to Lubbock for their annual convention. There were 10,000 students from all over the state of Texas that attended. I can truly say that I was overcome with all these wonderful teenagers. Our school sent 11 students with their Ag teachers and two chaperones.

In 1944 the Congress passed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the GI Bill of Rights, which rewarded World War II veterans with higher education benefits paid for by the federal government. As a result some 7.8 million returning veterans were afforded the chance to complete their education and prepare for the future – at four-year colleges, vocational schools or agricultural training programs. The resulting efforts and enterprise of these veterans allowed the United States economy to flourish and laid the foundation for the technological, industrial and agricultural boom that would last for decades. The men and women of today’s military match the service, valor, and sacrifice of that Greatest Generation.

Dear Editor, I suspect your readers have heard by now that notices of intent to appeal the judgment in the lawsuit involving PEC have been filed. They’ve probably also heard from some, including, unfortunately, the new PEC general manager, that these appeals are bad for PEC, and bad for us member/owners.

The federal Highway Trust Fund, which is the largest single source of funding for Texas’ 79,000 miles of roads, is on the brink of insolvency. Unless Congress takes action, there will be a 34 percent cut in U.S. highway and bridge investment, which will cause our transportation infrastructure to deteriorate and our economy to suffer.

Transportation has always shaped the destiny of Texas. Systems for moving people and products are more complicated and even more vital today, as highways, airports, rail lines, waterways and pipelines generate our economic growth. When Texas was a new state, most transportation was by road. But the best indicator of economic growth then was a relatively new invention – the railroad.

Dear Editor: I’m sorry this letter was not written sooner, but as soon as my son Cameron graduated – we went on vacation. But I would like to share something with our community. Wow! Once again this town has brought spirit back to our community. Its not just football anymore and I am very proud of that.