Viewpoints

Texas has celebrated the nativity and Christmas since the early Spanish settlers crossed the Rio Grande River in the 1500s. With a feast of wild game and music and dance, they created a simple pageant including native Indians to celebrate the birth of Jesus, along the riverbank.

A half-dozen lawsuits challenging the 13 approved Texas constitutional amendments appear to be dead in the water, The Dallas Morning News reported. The secretary of state’s office last week declared the propositions approved and now a part of the Texas Constitution, while Gov. Greg Abbott canvassed the election and certified the results. One proposition that would have raised the retirement age of judges was rejected by voters.

Worry is an all-consuming black hole which drains your time, emotions and physical wellbeing. Worry is insidious because you are so used to it that you aren’t aware how often, or how readily, you worry. For some people, worry is a way of life.

I remember the month of May, a couple of days before my birthday. I was stoned out of my mind while I introduced myself to Mrs. Bluntson, a case manager at Texas ChalleNGe Academy, Previously, my recruiter, Mr. Williams had told me about the program, and I had filled out the application. I knew that TCA could help me change physically and mentally. That is why I applied. But when Mrs. Bluntson asked me if I really wanted to come to the program, I told her that I wasn’t sure, but that if I got accepted, I would put in 100 percent of my effort.

This column is dedicated to acknowledging examples of positives that express the community spirit of Columbus – our town.

At least 74 people have been killed and 189 injured during high-speed car chases near the U.S.-Mexico border since Gov. Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, a multibillion-dollar border security initiative, according to a report published by Human Rights Watch, a nonprofit agency.

Dear Columbus Community

My story doesn’t start here at Texas ChalleNGe Academy. It started when I was walking from my PE class to my algebra class. As I walked in the crowd of high schoolers in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, my phone chimed in my pocket.

Many people underestimate the impact that mental illness can have on an individual or family. It can be difficult to admit that you have a mental health problem in your life. Secondly, it can be just as difficult in getting the people you know to understand your situation without making any kinds of judgments.

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION

The Texas House on Friday defeated a proposed voucher plan, also leaving in doubt a comprehensive public school funding plan that became tied to it, The Dallas Morning News reported. A coalition of rural Republicans and Democrats joined together to take education savings accounts out of the bill by an 8463 margin.

Texas ChalleNGe Academy is a twenty-two-week program meant to help youths improve their lives. I heard of this program through my parents and my brother. My brother completed this program last cycle, and I am glad that I followed his lead and attended.

The Texas Legislature, conceived as a part-time body to meet every other year for 140 days, is now in its record fifth session (counting the regular session). When the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is included, legislators have been in Austin pretty much the entire year, as the Texas Tribune noted. While legislators are paid just $7,200 a year in salary, per diem payments – meant to cover their expenses while in Austin – have mounted. If the fourth special session goes a full 30 days, taxpayers will have spent $4.8 million keeping lawmakers in Austin.

Texas ChalleNGe Academy is one of the most mentally challenging rollercoasters that I have been on, but life at TCA is not horrible. It has been a place that has made me think about things. When I say things, I mean learning to make smarter decisions.

Dear Editor:

Today, we gather to celebrate the retirement of someone truly remarkable, a dedicated individual who has made an indelible mark on our community. This person’s journey has been one of unwavering commitment to a noble cause, Habitat for Humanity.

I am 16 years old and from the small town of Snyder, Texas. I first heard of Texas Challenge Academy from a friend of my mother. She showed us TCA’s website, and I thought it looked interesting.

As the clock ran down on the Legislature’s third special session, Texas House and Senate leaders exchanged barbs over Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice bill and border security proposals, the Austin American- Statesman reported.

This column is dedicated to acknowledge examples of positives that express the community spirit of Columbus – our town.

I’m going to start off by saying that this program is not easy. It’s worth it, but it’s not easy. Honestly, I feel like it shouldn’t be easy because good things don’t come easily. That’s what makes you appreciate them more.