Elgin Courier (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 127, No. 4, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 18, 2017 Page: 4 of 20
twenty pages : ill.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
PAGE 4
ELGIN COURIER - ELGIN, TEXAS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2017
Are officials
The Aall ay comes befbre Me. wntem.
ELGIN
COURIER
•M"u
(U.S.P.S. 172-740)
0
DMoCRAC
2
0
f
5
9
A glance in the 8-ball
1
TRIBUNE
Out of county
$44
$49
I
7
I
O
-Uk
V •=
f
4
0,
Be Heard: Where to Write
Affiliations:
E„
2016
5
ACA
3 ‘-2=
0m%
waging a war
on children?
From the
Editor’s Desk
HEATHER ROMINE
ADVERTISING SALES
heather, romine @elginc ouner. com
Valerie
REDDELL
CEGK
VFFA
LAUREN JETTE
SPORTS EDITOR
sports@elgmcouner.com
VALERIE REDDELL
MANAGING EDITOR
edit or@elginc ouner. c om
Jerry
VINYARD
Random
Thoughts
PATRIC D’EIMON
REPORTER
news@elgincouner.com
GAIL SCHOBEY
OFFICE MANAGER
bpokkeeper@elgmcourier.com
DAN KLEINER
PUBLISHER
publisher@elgmcouner.com
INAUGURAL
BALL
One year ....................
Out of state
One year ....................
STATE OF TEXAS
GOVERNOR
Greg Abbott
800-843-5789; Office of the
Governor, PO Box 12428,
Austin, TX 78711-2428;
Email via http://gov.texas.gov
LT. GOVERNOR
Dan Patrick
512-463-0001; PO Box
12068, Austin, TX 78711
Email LTGeonstituent.Af-
fai rs@ Itgov.state .tx. us;
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Ken Paxton
512-463-2100
U.S. SENATORS
■ John Cornyn
512-469-6034; 221 W.
Sixth St., Suite 1530,
Austin, TX 78701; email via
www.cornyn.senate.gov/
contact.
■ Ted Cruz
512-916-5834; 300 E.
Eighth, Suite 961, Austin TX
78701; email via www.cruz.
1
2
TEXAS
PRESS
ASSOCIATION
BASTROP COUNTY
COUNTYJUDGE
Paul Pape
512-332-7201; 804 Pecan
St., Bastrop TX 78602 Email
paul.pape@co.bastrop.tx.us
SHERIFF
COMMISSIONERS
■ William Pina (Pct.1)
803 Pine Street, Room 105,
Bastrop
512-581-4001; 512-332-
7295; Email: william.pina@
co.bastrop.tx.us
■ Clara Beckett (Pct.2)
804 Pecan St., Bastrop
512-360-2764;
clara.beckett@
co.bastrop.tx.us
■ John Klaus (Pct.3)
804 Pecan St., Bastrop
512-303-6800; Email john.
klaus@co.bastrop.tx.us
■ Bubba Snowden (Pct.4)
804 Pecan St.
512-332-7267; cell 512-
517-2338; email: bubba.
snowden@co.bastrop.tx.us
CITY OF ELGIN
MAYOR
Chris Cannon
512-516-0813; mayor@
ci.elgin.tx.us
CITY MANAGER
Tom Mattis
Maurice Cook
512-549-5100; 200 Jackson
St., Bastrop, TX 78602;
Email via www.bastropsher-
iff.org
COUNTY COURT
AT LAW
Judge Benton Eskew
512-581-4277; 804 Pecan
St., Bastrop. Email: Jennifer.
ensinger@co.bastrop.tx.us.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
■ Donna Thompson (Pct.1)
804 Pecan Street, PO Box
336, Bastrop TX 78602
512-581-4258
■ Raymah Davis (Pct.2)
1624 NE Loop 230, PO Box
5, Smithville, TX 78957
512-581-7112
■ Katherine Hanna (Pct.3)
5785 FM 535, Cedar Creek,
TX 78612
512-332-7288
■ Larry Dunne (Pct.4)
1125 Dildy Drive; Elgin, TX
78621
512-581-7162
senate.gov
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Michael McCaul
512-473-2357; http:mccaul.
house.gov; 9009 Mountain
Ridge Dr.; Austin Bldg; Suite
230; Austin, Tx. TX 78759
STATE SENATOR
Kirk Watson
512-463-0114; PO Box
12068, Austin, TX 78711;
Email via www.watson.
senate.tx.us.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
John Cyrier
512-463-0682; 1017 Main
Street, Bastrop, TX 78602;
Email via www.house.state.
tx.us
GGX2
310 N. Main St., Elgin; 512-
281-5724; tmattis@ci.elgin.
tx.us
CITY COUNCIL
■ Mary Penson (Ward 1)
512-281-4158; mpenson@
ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Jessica Bega (Ward 1)
512-653-1900; jbega@
ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Juan Gonzalez (Ward 2)
512-285-6499; Email jgon-
zalez@ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Susie Arreaga (Ward 2)
512-750-8178; sarreaga@
ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Craig Fromme (Ward 3)
512-567-5702; cfromme@
ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Phillip Thomas (Ward 3)
512-661-8411; pthomas@
ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Keith Joesel (Ward 4)
512-281-3182; kjoesel@
ci.elgin.tx.us
■ Sue Brashar (Ward 4)
512-689-5692; sbrashar@
ci.elgin.tx.us
s=--
•, 5==
e - g
Opinion
Email the Editor at elgincouner@elgincourier.com
I
V c "L--e=
W 2em—
“ • ■ ----- ssess
■,.
. geE
0
' Ag
g
' 6
© 2017 Elgin Courier.
All rights reserved.
Material may not be reproduced
without written permission.
www.elgincourier.com
ago is not the one I now
see. The future that I saw
last year was one where
America began the work
to return to a true demo-
cratic republic where the
government actually lis-
tens to and works for the
benefit of all the citizens; a
government that sees that
peace and stability are far
better than government
dedicated to endless war;
a time where we dedicate
our budget to fix our crum-
bling infrastructure instead
of destroying countries; a
nation that takes care of all
of its citizens with health
care, education and livable
wages.
That vision may have
been nothing more than
the lunatic ravings of an
idealistic dreamer. Then
again, that would put me
into some really good
company. Other idealis-
tic visionaries with names
V A Tith all of the
%/% weirdness that
V V has been going
on for the last year, I de-
cided it was time for me to
pull out my trusty Magic
Eight Ball. I have always
trusted the truth from the
eight-ball, so I began pos-
ing the critical questions
that have been haunting
me for some time.
My first question was,
“Would I ever meet the
woman of my dreams?”
That’s when my wife swat-
ted the eight-ball from my
sweaty hands. She had
some really loud answers
for that one, but I still had
all of the important stuff
connected to my body.
I figured that I had come
out ahead and had learned
a good lesson about wear-
ing ear protection when I
look into the future. When
I picked up the eight-ball,
I noticed that the answer
window was smashed.
Guess I’m on my own for
this view into the future.
I’m not used to looking
into the future without the
crutch of the eight-ball and
running headlong into an
unknown future can be
very dangerous. It’s pretty
obvious that the future I
was expecting just a year
You can reach us
at:
512-285-3333
Fax 512-285-9406
publisher@elgincourier.com
The Elgin Courier is
published weekly by
Blacklands Publications,
Inc. at 105 North Main,
Elgin, Bastrop County,
Texas 78621. Established
in 1890. Periodical post-
age paid at Elgin, Texas,
78621. Any erroneous
reflection upon character,
standing, or reputation
of any individual, firm or
organization that may ap-
pear in the columns of this
paper will be corrected if
brought to the attention of
the publisher. We do not
hold ourselves responsible
for the views of our corre-
spondents.
49
sea
like Jefferson, Hamilton,
Franklin and Washington
saw a similar America.
They envisioned a new
nation, a structure of gov-
ernment that was new and
untested. A nation based
on precepts borrowed from
Europe’s Age of Reason
and Enlightenment and
from lessons learned from
over-bearing authoritari-
ans, be they kings or popes.
Our founding fathers
knew that their grand
experiment would have
challenges. They knew that
the democracy that they
started would not succeed
without trials and chal-
lenges. They knew that
future Americans would
need to stand firm against
despots that were jealous of
our liberties and freedoms;
stand firm against tyrants
who would try to spread
fear and hate and offer us
protection and absolution
in trade for our freedoms
and our souls.
I wish that I hadn’t bro-
ken my Magic Eight Ball.
I could use the vision that
it would provide. What
future would it show me?
Guess I’ll have to wait for
the future to unfold to
know for sure.
Peace/out
OPINION POLICY
The Elgin Courier Letters
to the Editor column is
an open forum offering
opportunities to the public
to comment on issues of
interest or concern to the
community. They should re-
frain from making personal
attacks on the individuals,
and comments which in
the opinion of the editors
are potentially libelous or
in bad taste will not be
printed. Letters should be
brief, 300 words or less,
if possible. We solicit and
encourage such comment.
The deadline for Letters to
the Editor is Friday at noon.
It is our policy not to print
letters with political opin-
ions, ideals or views after
early voting begins. All
letters must be signed and
include the address of the
author. The Courier will not
withhold the name of letter
writers and anonymous let-
ters will be discarded. Send
e-mails to elgincourier@
elgincourier.com or publish-
er@elgincourier.com. Web-
site is elgincourier.com. Call
512-285-3333. News and
ad copy deadline is Fridays
00.o
o 6 "
- ° o °.
• p
—
•«A
TA Till this session of
VV the Texas Legisla-
ture amount to a war on
children? Several issues
before the members of the
Texas House and Senate
are crucial to the lives of
our youngest Texans.
On the education front, described each other as
we find ourselves still in unethical, dishonest and
dire need of a school fi- disagreeable and dysfunc-
nance scheme that pro- tional.
vides funding for an The regional director in
equivalent education for Austin decided to hash
the kids who catch the out the problems in a
bus in Elgin and the stu- team-building exercise,
dent who gets dropped at but then decided the lack
school in West Lake by a of trust in the group would
luxury car. make the effort ineffective.
We also need them to Next, we come to the
strike down the whacka- recent drastic cuts in a
doo accountability system program that works —
they concocted last session Medicaid funding for ther-
Subscription
Rates
Payable in advance
In County
One year .................... $41
and come up something apy for disabled children,
that provides a meaningful Early intervention for
set of data. children diagnosed with
Those are issues that af- congenital disabilities has
feet every child in Texas, been proven time and time
Yes, I mean those that are again to be an incredibly
home-schooled or attend effective tool in helping
the finest private schoo — youngsters with physical
because all young adults challenges develop into
are funneled into the work adults that can live inde-
force together at the end of pendently.
the 13-year quest for learn- So, elected officials took a
ing. look at those services and
I) itimately, the student decided to stop paying for
who learned to read at 5 them. The nickels we save
and was solving calculus now, will likely cost us
problems at 15 will have many dollars later.
to work and live along- You don’t need an MBA
side the student who never to determine that paying
quite mastered reading for physical, occupational
aloud. How we address the and speech therapy for a
education issues facing us 2-year-old is less expensive
today will determine how that providing housing and
well the graduation class of a stipend for a 30-year-old
2030 can contribute to the with Downs Syndrome,
economy. These issues are in addi-
This session could im- tion to the persistent crisis
pact the number of young many Texas children face
Texas who die in the next in getting adequate food
two years. and safe housing. The typ-
Despite an additional ical excuse given for not
cash infusion of $3.8 mil- addressing these issues is
lion to Child Protective that to intervene with food
Services, the number of and housing for a child, we
child deaths has grown would enable the parent to
under Gov. Greg Abbott’s abuse drugs or alcohol or
watch. So has the number continue being shiftless in
of abused or neglected general. We are far more
children. interested in requiring
A federal court ordered welfare recipients to take
the state to overhaul the a drug test, rather than re-
foster care system, but the quiring them to do some
crisis continues to worsen, type of work.
State officials appear sur- Accsording to the U.S.
prised that an understaffed Census Bureau, 22 per-
overworked staff dealing cent of the Bastrop County
with intensely stressful population under 18 lives
situations is not showing in poverty.
much success. We need to decide
Workers inside the whether we want one in
agency identify the biggest five children to have a fu-
issues as poor manage- ture as a productive citizen,
ment, abusive supervisors, subsist on welfare program
scapegoating and, overall, or end up incarcerated and
a toxic environment. act accordingly.
Health and Human Ser- Instead, we are devoting
vices Chief Charles Smith our energy to debating a
has attempted to address bathroom bill that would
problems by replacing force Chaz Bono to use
some high level employees, the women’s restroom—
The management issues beard and all.
are so severe the Civil Let’s pray the Texas Leg-
Rights Office of the Health islature will act like a gov-
and Human Service inves- erning body this session,
tigated. In interviews with instead of auditioning as a
the investigator, members replacement for the Ring-
of the CPS leadership team ling Bros. circus.
°d
0
a
8
E- ======
====
8zqz4//
/(‘ ' ■
- I
__
°g ° a
—--=3=
(5 —=2
-ses-
• ■ -L —
• e=5===7
o e - V * -se-
• 0 o °=ee
o . J .©
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Reddell, Valerie. Elgin Courier (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 127, No. 4, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 18, 2017, newspaper, January 18, 2017; Elgin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1555371/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Elgin Public Library.