by Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com Participation in religion in general has been on the decline in the United States for decades and has rapidly declined over the last 20 years. Participation among younger generations starting with Millennials has seen the most rapid decrease. We should be encouraged then that a new religion is being born in the ashes of Christianity. I find it extremely…

by Tony Farkastony@polkcountypublishing.com I’ve always been a proponent of practicality, in that there’s all kind of people in this world that love to spout ideas and ideology as if that makes some sort of difference in how they are perceived. Or, more simply, there’s quite a big difference between theory and practice. Take, for instance, the latest developments in immigration and its effect on…

By Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last week chartered two planes to transport 50 migrants from a location in San Antonio, Texas to a small island town, Martha’s Vineyard Massachusetts, without notifying anyone they were coming. He defended his action by claiming he was actually helping these people by sending them where they were wanted, explaining that…

By Mollie LaSalleclassified@tylercountybooster.com Thursday, September 8, brought news of global proportions from across the pond with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral in Scotland. This is one of those moments in time where history stops; one of those watershed moments where you find yourself part of history. I was too young to remember when John Kennedy was killed, yet…

by Tony Farkas tony@polkcountypublishing.com Sunday marked 21 years since the attack on New York City and The Pentagon by Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorists. As with most things in this life, this world, I feel that complacency has taken over, and society has forgotten the attacks and the implications of that. More to the point, it seems that instead of investing in our country’s safety,…

by Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com In 1955 pastor Fred Phelps founded a small Primitive Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas. He named it Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), and it averages around 70 members, primarily members of his family. WBC gained national notoriety when in 1989, and continuing through the early 2000’s, the church focused its efforts on actions against Gay people. Members of…

by Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com The songwriter/composer Irving Berlin wrote something like 15,000 songs in his lifetime. He won four awards. “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.” Napolean Bonaparte I turn 72 this month. The average lifespan for an American in 2022 is 76, a decline over three years ago, primarily because of deaths from the Covid pandemic and…

by Tony Farkastony@polkcountypublishing.com Sunday was the 10th anniversary of my mother’s death, so she already was heavy on my mind these last couple of weeks, especially when I was able to visit her grave in New Mexico recently. My mother was something special. Everyone’s mother is, but for me, her journey was especially poignant, since she had to overcome hardships such as German and Allied…

By Ted James, Region 6 South Central Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will lower prescription drug, health care, and energy costs. It will lower the deficit and no one making under $400,000 per year will pay a penny more in taxes. It will also fight climate change. This is a pretty good deal for most of us dealing with our changing climate…

by Jim Powers jim@polkcountypublishing.com Bonners Ferry, Idaho is a small town with a public library, which is always an asset to a community. And the residents are glad it is there. Sadly, there are some folks, though, who believe that books are a threat, rather than an asset, and they have put the continued existence of that library at risk. A group of Christian activists have lately descended…

By Tony Farkastony@polkcountypublishing.com A friend of mine, obviously on the opposite side of politics from me, has adopted an attitude of apathy toward the recent action on student loans taken by President Biden. In case you were more worried about the rise in consumer prices on everything and missed it, the president announced a plan to forgive $20,000 in student loans for around 8 million…

By Sen. Robert NicholsRepresenting District 3 Sixty-four years ago this month, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which established NASA and emphasized our commitment to space exploration and manned space flight. NASA later elected to build a new flight-control center outside of Houston, making Texas an essential piece of the space race. Here are five…

On any given day, I’ll get up in the morning, put on coffee that I bought at the store (paying sales tax, of course, as well as corporate taxes and tariffs built into the price). As I putter around the house (the property which is taxed on state and local levels) getting ready, showering (fees and taxes apply on water, sewer and electricity), using numerous items taxed at sale and elsewhere, I’m…

By Tony Farkastony@polkcountypublishing.com Pardon my dour tone this week. I’m struggling with the fable of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and wondering if and when a swing in the pendulum is coming. Lots of euphemisms there, I know. But I was a touch gobsmacked about something I heard on the TV show “On Patrol” the other day. Seems that there was a fire alarm going off at a business in Florida, and…

The Advance Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center and the House Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting released reports on their assessment of the tragic shooting in Uvalde. By Sen. Robert Nichols Sixty-four years ago this month, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which established NASA and emphasized our commitment to space…

The House Committee on County Affairs is a nine-member committee that has jurisdiction over the organization, creation, governance, and finances that apply to Texas counties. By Rep. Trent AshbyDistrict 57 As we enter August and what is typically the hottest month of the year, we are experiencing severe drought and dangerous wildfire conditions across every region of Texas. Please do your part by…

By Tony Farkastony@polkcounty
publishing.com Pardon my dour tone this week. I’m struggling with the fable of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and wondering if and when a swing in the pendulum is coming. Lots of euphemisms there, I know. But I was a touch gobsmacked about something I heard on the TV show “On Patrol” the other day. Seems that there was a fire alarm going off at a business in Florida,…

By Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com Like most teenage boys in the 1960s, I was obsessed with cars. And, like most teenage boys in the 1960s, I didn’t have much money. Unlike today, though, a broke teenager could buy a running used car for a few hundred dollars. Cars were not as durable then, as they are now, so any used car I was able to buy as a 16-year-old required a lot of work to keep…

By Sen. Robert NicholsDistrict 3 Sixty-four years ago this month, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which established NASA and emphasized our commitment to space exploration and manned space flight. NASA later elected to build a new flight-control center outside of Houston, making Texas an essential piece of the space race. Here are five things…

By Tony Farkastony@polkcountypublishing.com When is a recession not a recession? When does a curve not flatten? When it’s found on social media, or sadly, in the mouths of politicians. President Joe Biden, facing criticism on his economic and national policies, did what any 8-year-old would and countered with, and said there is not recession. In the background, the administration also changed the…

by Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com Seems like a strange question to ask, right? Does the future exist? But whether it exists depends on our point of reference, and for us it is rooted in our biological nature. Our belief about the future is an existential one. Every choice we make, or don’t make, nudges the outcome one way or the other. Do we have any responsibility for the future? We are…

The Special Committee to Protect All Texans heard testimony stating improvements need to be made to Texas’ mental health system. By Sen. Robert Nichols Committee to Protect All Texans hearing This month, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick appointed me chair of the Special Committee to Protect All Texans. The committee was formed in response to the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School. We were…

By Rhonda Oaks I immediately noticed the elderly lady on a cane when she walked in the door. She walked upright, tall and straight with her chin held up high and looked to be in her late 80’s. We were on the second floor of a convention center holding an open house for a future project and we don’t usually see visitors her age attend. My guess was the lady with her was probably her daughter. They…

With Summer in full swing and most of East Texas experiencing moderate drought conditions, water is a popular topic right now. Several Texas communities in North and West Texas have already begun curtailing water usage and without some good rain in the near future, water restrictions and curtailment will become commonplace. Closer to home, many are praying for rain on our gardens and hay meadows,…

While everyone is watching the economy go up in flames, our government running around approving bills that guarantee things already guaranteed, and our president, after floundering around the world accomplishing nothing, being sequestered because of a COVID diagnosis, there’s a kangaroo court being conducted. I’m of course referring to the Jan. 6 committee hearings, which is purporting to get to…

By Jim Powersjim@polkcountypublishing.com “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” Marcus Aurelius Moral intuitions are beliefs that we hold that are strong, stable, and immediate. In common parlance, we know when something is right or wrong when we see it. It’s our immediate response when confronted with a moral question. And while there is endless discussion among…

By Tom Purcell Here’s a trend that may not bode well for the future of our country: According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 40 percent of 16- to 19-year-olds have summer jobs — down from 75 percent of teens a generation ago. As it goes, according to the NerdWallet website, teen summer employment has been declining for decades. Why? One reason is that jobs typically tailored…

The House Committee on Natural Resources has been tasked with examining a comprehensive list of projects and initiatives related to our state’s water infrastructure. Capital UpdateBy Rep. Trent Ashby The House Committee on Natural Resources has jurisdiction over the conservation and development of water resources across our state. The 11-member committee also regulates all local water-related…

By Brett WesnerGuest columnist Google and Facebook have enormous economic and political power in society — especially over the news industry. Many ask if they have played a role in the misinformation that erodes our free press and plagues our democracy. Google and Facebook have a duopoly of the distribution of digital news content, which drives people to their platforms where they make money. The…

By Chris Edwards Last week, it was announced that a medical marijuana dispensary opened in our region. Texas Original, the provider, is one of 14 across the state, opened in Nacogdoches and the company stated in a news release that it provides the “highest quality of medical cannabis products to qualifying patients in the state.” It is a step in the right direction, but Texas is still home to…