Columns/Opinions

   The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) performs a crucial role in reviewing the material taught in our public schools. Among all of the educational disciplines, our Texas history is among the most important to be taught to our children. 
   History itself is full of ironies. I have the distinct honor to serve Senate District 18 in the Texas Senate, an area that encompasses the town where William Barrett Travis lived most of his life in Texas. 
   I am now called to protect Travis’ defense of the Alamo, where he faced certain martyrdom for a cause he believed. 
   Ironically the threat to Travis’ legacy comes from within the SBOE, which meets in a building named for Travis in a county likewise named for this hero.

   My brother came down for a visit this past weekend and brought his new girlfriend with him.
   After the initial awkward introductions and minor interactions Friday night and some of Saturday, we settled into a nice round of conversation and had a good time.
   Sadly, for my brother, this includes drinking because he’s at that age.
   But, in the end, it turned out to be quite hilarious.
   Not to mention, I was mixing the drinks and was able to monitor the alcohol content.
   We played several different kinds of games and had the loser or losers in said games take shots as a penalty.
   It was easy enough to determine losers in card games like “Go Fish,” or a round of dominoes.
   They only ran into trouble when we got to board games and had to make up drinking rules on the fly.
   We also played several board games including checkers, “Battleship,” and “Name That Tune: 80’s Edition.”

   We are in the last month of the third quarter to evidence the strength in the equities market.
   Last week was the first week in the quarter to go down for the week’s worth of trading. 
   This comes in the face of an Administration that cannot get out of its own way talking trade wars on almost a daily basis.
   They do seem however to have the North American trade agreement moving forward which is essential to the American economy. 
   I am interested if any real concessions come from Canada in an election year. 
   It is great to have an agreement with Mexico, but the U.S. needs good trading relations with Canada. 
   Should that somehow happen, the move toward Europe could be much easier and create a world front against China.
   I should also point out this is the 10th anniversary of the financial crisis in fall 2008. 

   You may not be aware of it, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. 
   Do you know the various ways in which life insurance can help you?
   For starters, if you own adequate life insurance, your family could maintain their same lifestyle, even if you were no longer on the scene.
   Also, with sufficient insurance, your children still might have the financial resources to further their education, either through college or vocational training.
   And life insurance can help your family in other ways, such as paying off debts and supplementing your spouse’s retirement assets.
   A financial professional can review your insurance needs and help you choose the right amount of coverage. 
   You can’t predict the future, but you can prepare for it – and life insurance can help.

   Even in its first week at theaters “The Nun” is breaking records within its own franchise and leading the box office worldwide at just over $133 million.
   The Nun is a spin-off of 2016’s The Conjuring 2, and the fifth installment in The Conjuring Universe.
   And while you don’t need to have seen the other Conjuring films, it helps you understand the plot a bit more – especially since the “nun” factors into all five films at one point or another, either in the background.
   The film mainly stars Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, and Jonas Bloquet.
   In 1952 Romania, two nuns living at the Cârța Monastery are attacked by an unseen demonic presence. 
   The surviving nun, Sister Victoria, flees from the attacker and hangs herself by jumping out a window. 
   Her body is discovered soon after by Frenchie (Bloquet), a man tasked with transporting supplies to the nuns.

   Downtown Bay City will be filled with fun, food and music Sunday, Sept. 23, for the Heritage Festival of the Americas Celebration.
   The festival, which will run from 1-6 p.m. that day, is a celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month featuring South, Central and North American inspired food, drinks and entertainment.
   Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Matachines dancers will lead the way with authentic Mexican Folklorico dance.
   Next, the Wharton County Junior College Jazz Band will perform a Latin Swing concert. They will play a selection of fast-paced rhythms that will have the crowd on their feet.
   To wrap up the day’s entertainment, the Danza Azteca dancers from the Church of the Holy Ghost in southwest Houston will bring their group of colorfully dressed and feathered dancers to the streets of Bay City.

   Friday morning I made my usual rounds to Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the Junior High school and then headed to the Pep Rally at the high school. 
   They both wake me up and get me so excited that I feel like I could conquer the world by 8:30 in the morning. Energy is contagious. Smiles are too. 
   We smile for 30 seconds at school all of the time. It always ends in uncontrollable laughter. 
   Friday was hot and humid, so humid that my glasses completely fogged up every time I stepped out of my car. 
   The forecast included rain and thunderstorms too. The thickness of the air convinced me that rain was inevitable, and that I should cancel my plans to set up for a garage sale. 
   Why on earth would I subject myself so much work when rain was coming? I might not sell a thing at all. 
   My friend quickly convinced me otherwise. I told her I was not in the mood to work so hard, set everything up, and then deal with rain. 

      High Five Church has partnered up with Discover Life and we are having LIT Nights the last Sunday night of every month for Junior High and High School students. 
   It starts at 5 p.m. at Discover Life Church. At one of our leadership meetings, Pastor Jonathon Salas gave a great example; he said, “We need to have the ‘I’m the one’ attitude.” 
   What does this mean? Is there a spill on the floor? 
   I’m the one to clean it. Is there someone standing away from the group, disinterested in what is going on? 
   I’m the one to go and encourage him. Is there someone struggling to carry an ice chest? 
   I’m the one to help them. When we have this attitude God is happy. It’s the same mindset that set Jesus apart from everyone around Him. Jesus served one person at a time. 
   2 Chronicles16:9 tells us, “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. 

   In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the September theme for Shop the Block is “Senoritas and Margaritas.” 
   Shop the Block is from 5-7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month. 
   Downtown retailers offer store specials and refreshments for all to enjoy. 
   Visitors and locals are invited to stroll the beautiful brick sidewalks or sit a spell and visit with neighbors on Main Street, while enjoying store specials and refreshments.
   Bay City Floral will be adding a different flavor to the evening and reminding shoppers it is not too early to start thinking about Christmas with a Mariana Trunk Show. 
   A Mariana representative will be in the store to create custom pieces that will be delivered before Christmas. You can enjoy snacks and amaretto punch while you browse.

   It is very uncommon to hear such a comment – Too Much Love. 
   In the last several weeks I have seen this statement playing out in many instances throughout Matagorda County. Still confused? 
   The basis for this statement is somewhat as uncommon as the statement itself. 
   In my role as your County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, I have the privilege to meet with many of you individually either in the office or at your property or home because of some situation that you are experiencing. 
   The array of concerns for which I am contacted vary from lawn and ornamental to agriculture and wildlife. 
   The season of year or weather pattern dictates as much of the concern as what is being affected. 
   As a homeowner or land manager, we have an inherent drive to care for what we deme as needing care for fear of something adverse befalling what is valuable to us.