Dear readers, this now-retired economics professor (who also taught finance in my last two decades in the classroom) always spent a few minutes in the fall of election years reminding my students of a lesson in introductory macroeconomics: presidents in the United States have only partial control over fiscal policy (taxing and spending) and absolutely NO control over monetary matters. The latter is the work of an independent central banking system, the Federal Reserve.

I recently wrote about why it’s a good idea to grow squash later in the year. Last weekend I stumbled across some evidence to support my hypothesis.

As Texans endure the dog days of summer, experts say deaths related to heat in Texas and nationwide are likely undercounted, the Texas Standard reported. With climate change causing warmer days and nights, last year was the hottest on record in Texas.

County commissioners deferred approval on the site selection for a sanitary landfill in Precinct 2, one mile northwest of Ellinger. The Texas State Department of Health had advised Fayette County Acting Judge Fritz Lobpries that the proposed location presented a potential hazard to ground and surface water quality because it was in permeable soils overlying a principal aquifer in the area. The state refused to approve the site unless the sides and bottom of the excavation were properly lined with an impermeable liner such as clay, plastic membrane or equivalent.

To the editor: Our democratic republic gives us the freedom to vote regularly for the candidate of our choice. The Republican Party Platform has long called for voter ID to make sure elections are more secure.

To the editor: To respond to those of us who do not live with wind turbines (an important issue in Fayette County right now), this letter writer talked with folks who do.) Sweetwater, Texas, should know. Nolan County and surrounding counties have about 3,000 wind turbines, all pointing to the future in a world with renewable energy and less climate pollution.

To the editor: I rarely write a letter to the editor except when I see information that is startling and have found to be a threat to America. Sound familiar? Reading a letter in the last paper about Project 2025 exerts of this Think Tank theory that states policies that may be needed to address the potential train wreck our nation is facing.

To the editor: In a recent letter to the editor titled “Broken Health Care Hurts Rural Hospitals,” Don Carpenter’s title was right on track. But I would like to offer some different ideas on why US health care is broken.

To the editor: One day I got to thinking about how wonderful it is to live in a county like Fayette County. The question is what makes Fayette County such a great county in Texas.