To the Editor: The Record published a Texas Monthly appraisal of Senator Lois Kolkhorst’s recent legislative term. There is a stark difference of what I know about her personally and her work and the scurrilous tripe written by this widely- read magazine.

To the Editor: I was disheartened to learn the Texas Monthly Magazine has resorted to publishing propaganda. Its personal attack on our local senator and evaluation of her proposed legislation, as reported in June 30, 2023 Fayette County Record, page B2, is full of misinformation and smacks of pure propaganda.

To the Editor: This is a cautionary tale that relates to the recent changes in the County’s air transport services. On November 15, 2015, I was in a one car accident, just outside Cistern going towards Muldoon.

To the Editor: I feel obliged to comment on a recent letter from our prior county judge, and what he had to say about county property taxes. What he said about the people moving here having lots of money is most certainly true.

When I don’t feel well, I’m not a kind, thoughtful, or caring person, and it is recommended people stay far away from me, even those who want to help. Other folks, much sicker and with much more serious illnesses than my simple food poisoning bout, can be calm, considerate, upbeat and even pleasant as they suffer through bouts of nausea and pain.

To the Editor: According to Tuesday’s Edition, St. Mark’s Medical Center’s control is being transferred to a local group (HCOE).

The Texas Senate on the first day of the Legislature’s second special session unanimously passed a tax bill last Wednesday that increases the homestead exemption and includes a pay hike for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The first special session ended with the Senate and House unable to agree on how to provide property tax relief.

The Senate bill provides a $2,000 pay increase for teachers in urban districts over the next two years, and a $6,000 hike for teachers in rural areas. It increases the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000.

We can argue “’til the cows come home” about climate change, but the overwhelmingly growing stresses on our planet are undeniable, regardless. Coastal communities like Charleston, SC; Corpus Christi and Galveston, TX; and St. Petersburg, FL are all experiencing now over five times more sunny days (no winds or storm involved) with tides that nevertheless flood streets, compared to two decades ago. In the Pacific Northwest Coast, areas where air-conditioning was never needed are seeing more severe heat waves, and almost all new homes are being built with cooling systems now.

The SMMC hospital grounds occupy approximately 35 acres, of which 19 acres are carved out to collateralize the HUD-backed 242 Hospital Mortgage. Thankfully back in November of 1999, Jack and Nancy Kern, along with a few other named “donors,” in furtherance of the charitable purposes of Fayette Memorial Hospital (FMH), and in memory of Miles L. Moss and Edward H. Moss made a magnanimous donation, via a Gift Deed, of 35.0 acres of land to FMH. It appears they also conveyed an additional 38.68acre adjacent tract to FMH via a General Warranty Deed. In February of 2002, Fayette Memorial Hospital, a Texas 501(c)(3) non-profit company, transferred both tracts of land to St. Mark’s Medical Center (SMMC), also, a 501(c)(3). Under IRS guidelines for tax exempt entities, upon dissolution, assets of the non-profit entity can only be transferred to another non-profit entity. From public records it is impossible to know if there was any consideration paid to FMH, but it is unlikely that funds were part of any consideration as they would then just have to give those funds to another non-profit entity. Should SMMC default and be forced to dissolve, they too will have to convey these assets to another 501(c)(3) entity.