Opinion

Slow down. What’s the rush?   Due to a new law passed in the last Texas Legislature, school districts across the state are now being required to install video cameras in certain special education classrooms, if requested.   Although there are differing opinions regarding how the law – SB 507 – should be implemented and…

As early voting ends today (Friday), the Hidalgo County Elections Department anticipates up to 100,000 people to turn out on election day, Nov. 8. So, vote early and save a long wait in lines on election day. If you do wait to vote on election day, go early in the morning, as the lines are…

A lot of people have asked me what I think of Proposition 1, the plan on the ballot being pushed by the Border Health PAC that would establish a new Hidalgo County Healthcare taxing district.   I have interviewed a lot of the players – both pro and con – and I have covered several…

Our county government is at it again.  The Hidalgo County commissioners just approved the addition of 26 new positions to the county payroll and increased the county minimum wage to $12 per hour.  That’s a 19 percent increase from the current $10.10 minimum wage. How many taxpayers would like to receive a 19 percent pay…

My column last week about the Mission CISD tennis court lighting expenditure received a lot of attention.  I have had many, many people tell me they liked the column and agree with my reasoning.  The column, besides running in our 8,500 papers printed each week, also reached 9,937 people on Facebook, creating some much needed…

It’s bad enough that our Mission CISD board of trustees goes along with a “coach’s opinion” that, if the district is going to spend $31,000 for lighting upgrades for the Veterans Memorial High School tennis courts, they might as well just spend $150,000 to $190,000 for “competition level” lighting. (See our story on page 12…

It is difficult to understand how our politicians seem to forget that they live in one of the poorest counties in Texas. Thirty-five percent of the people live on an income that is below poverty. Almost 80% live on a fixed income and can’t afford to pay more for anything. The reason we should concentrate…

Federal court rules in  UT’s campus carry policy AUSTIN — An attempt by three University of Texas at Austin professors to prevent licensed permit holders from carrying their concealed handguns while attending classes was denied by U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel on Aug. 22. Named as defendants in the professors’ lawsuit were Texas Attorney…

Pastel Comics

AUSTIN — Bills to address the illegal importation and exploitation of persons and to protect the state’s border with Mexico moved through the Texas House last week. They were the first major statewide legislation to be approved by the body since Jan. 13, the opening day of the 140-day session. The human trafficking bill, House…