Columns/Opinions

   We had a bout with the Bay City Tourism Council last week about reporting on the city’s concert series’ deficit of $12,000.
   Why, we were told by a high city official and BCTC board members on Facebook there was no deficit overall in the tourism budget – just for the concert series - and our story was misleading and the accompanying headline was alarmist.
   One more time, the concert series was $12,000 in the deficit. That’s what Tourism Director Heidi Martinez said at the most recent BCTC meeting and that’s what we reported.
   We were expected to know that was a misstep in an otherwise well-run budget.
   OK, for the record, here are some problems I have with that scenario.
   The city still will have to pass a budget amendment or scale back projects to correct that deficit.  

   So, the Houston Rodeo has pulled up stakes for this year.
   I’ve only been once, during my high school years, circa 2003, when my biological father got tickets free through work.
   I don’t recall much besides a lot of walking and vendors with wares that never mattered to us.
   After all, we lived inside the city limits and weren’t raised as agriculture kids.
   But, I do remember the musical act we got to see – Reba McEntire.
   Seating was a mess, but we were at a decent level and that huge TV screen helped us see details from several yards away.
   Still, I was completely wrapped up in the live concert itself.
   The special effects and light show were pretty awesome, but she was just an amazing stage presence and I’d grown up singing a lot of her songs in mom’s Jeep.

   I am writing this column from Alabama on a golfing vacation. The economic interest of this trip is the fact that the courses we are playing are funded by the Alabama State Teachers retirement fund. 
   It paid for the construction of the courses on state lands that were reclaimed. This retirement fund is one of the only fully vested funds. 
   It has proved successful because they created a quality product at a reasonable price - one of the most important principles in evaluating which companies to invest.
   I have a friend that I went to college with and pledged together at Texas Tech. He has made a career operating restaurants. 
   In each instance, he created an attractive environment with a simple menu and quality food and service. 
   By keeping his basic overhead at a minimum, he was able to consistently show a profit. 

   If you were to receive a sizable inheritance, what should you do with it? 
   This money could help you achieve some of your important financial goals – so you’ll want to think carefully about your choices.
   For one thing, you could use part of your inheritance to pay off some debts. 
   The lower your debt load, the better your cash flow.
   Also, your inheritance may give you an opportunity to contribute more to your 401(k), IRA or other retirement accounts.
   And you might also be able to help your children or grandchildren by placing some of your inheritance into a college savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan.
   Here’s one more suggestion: Get the help you need. 
   A financial professional can recommend ways of adjusting your long-term strategy to accommodate the influx of money from your inheritance. 

   We just rolled in from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. My son and other members of the FFA Ag Mechanics group “showed” their trailer. 
   I thought a lot about my own days of showing heifers and the similarities. 
   One thing sure is different…my feet! I do not recall ever feeling like they were going to fall off back when I was showing! Everyone around here is growing up, growing older for sure. 
   Brazos learned to walk, talk, and build things all at the same time it seems like. 
   It is super cool to see how his plastic “tool set” transposed gradually into other tools, and is now a welder. 
   I am going back to an old column from 2011 today. It seems like it was just yesterday.
   Brazos invited Jesus into his heart on 11-4-09, at the age of 9. 
   This was not following a Sunday morning service. We pulled into the church parking lot on a Wednesday night to drop off his big sister at church. 

   There once was a little mouse that got lost in a classroom and caused a great commotion. 
   To the amazement of the class, the teacher enlisted the help of a little boy named Stevie Morris. All the students were surprised because “Little Stevie” was blind, but the teacher appreciated the fact that “Little Stevie” had something that no one in the class had - an amazing pair of ears. 
   In a matter of seconds, “Little Stevie” had caught the mouse and was the class hero.
   Years later in an interview, “Little Stevie” said that this was the first time that someone had shown appreciation for his ears and accredited his teacher for putting his life on the offensive instead of feeling sorry for himself. According to “Little Stevie,” that day in class was the beginning of his new life. 
   From that day forward, he developed his gift of hearing and went on to become one of the most influential musicians ever. Stevie Morris doesn´t ring a bell? 

   As an avid sci-fi fan, I’m always down to see any movie with aliens in it.
   All alien flicks from animated children’s flicks and classic reboots are on my radar.
   Sadly, this one wasn’t marketed as strongly as other alien movies I’ve seen and that’s unfortunate because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
   “Captive State” really takes the usual alien invasion idea and jumps ahead a decade after the first contact, while urging people to resist the new oppressive regime.
   Captive State is a science fiction thriller movie directed by Rupert Wyatt and co-written by Wyatt and Erica Beeney.
   The film stars John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Machine Gun Kelly, and Vera Farmiga.
   It largely follows a young man who participates in a conspiracy to rebel against an alien race that invaded Earth and enforced strict martial law on all humans.

        March/April 2019
   Howdy! I hope this finds all of you well and enjoying the weather with a little less of the wet stuff! 
   In the past few days more and more of Matagorda County farmers have been able to make it into the fields to get a few things done. 
   Already this late in the planting season make the prognosis for corn and grain sorghum a little tough with decisions to be made as to if or when to plant. Compaction seems to be an issue in some areas which will obviously need more soil work before additional steps can be taken. 
   A consideration for all to take into account is to check soil fertility now as the ground is drying a bit even if you may have checked it previously. 
   Soil testing is a cheap insurance policy to assure correct fertilizers are applied. This will apply across the board for crops, as well as, forages. 

   One of the first people I met in Bay City 22 years ago was Tom Uher, who passed away last week.
   Bill Cornwell, the former publisher of The Facts, drove me to Franco’s Mexican food restaurant on 12th Street, where Tom was waiting for us at a table.
   He was possibly the friendliest guy I’ve ever met.
   Bill and Tom, both Longhorns, took great pleasure in focusing on the new Aggie in town.
   Considering both men became my fast friends, which was more than cool to me.
   At the age of 47 back then, I was more than familiar with Uher’s influence under the Pink Dome.
   I dropped John Sharp’s and Rick Perry’s name, since they were A&M classmates.
   With Sharp’s Placedo area upbringing and similar political alignments, I think Uher really thought highly of him.
   Ironically, Tom and I both were schooled – in different venues – by a Kerrville state representative, Jim Nugent.

   The worst part about this Spring Break has been the weather.
   I mean, sure, it started out great – shorts weather and I didn’t have to wear a jacket.
   But, as usual, when something goes good, it ends up terribly by the end of the week.
   I’m getting tired of so much drizzly rain.
   And to be honest, I think our lawn is too. I mean, it’s still so saturated that even taking out the dogs leaves plenty of deep footprints and mini-potholes for the mower.
   Granted, I know that come the middle of summer, we’ll be crying and praying for rain. But, right now, it’s a pain and seriously dampens my motivations to do anything – not just work!
   Cooler rainy weather has always made me sleepier than usual and provides the best backdrop for rest and relaxation. 
   I’m also aware that this sort of situation is kind of becoming the norm, but, it totally saps my desire to do things.