Opposed to Kicking Bird’s policy of peaceful coexistence with the whites, dissident Kiowas punished their chief with a poisoned cup of coffee on May 2, 1875. A nineteenth century authority on NorthAmerican Indians rated the Kiowas “the most predatory and bloodthirsty” of the prairie tribes.

In these post-Easter weeks leading up to Pentecost, the early church was nothing we would today recognize as anything like a “church” now. Then, two thousand years ago, apostles (formerly called disciples, before the death of Jesus on the cross) were coming out of hiding gradually, encountering Jesus in resurrected form in the first weeks after the Resurrection, and trying to wrap their heads around what had happened in their lives. It took them a while to make sense of their lives after Easter, and then to take up their challenge from Jesus to spread the Good News to others near and far.

Words (almost) fail when I consider the imminent tsunami of AI-generated opinion that is about to engulf us. AI being Artificial Intelligence.

Washington County deputy sheriffs were guarding Burton State Bank while clues were being sought following a Friday morning burglary. Sheriff Johnny Schulte of Brenham said the exact amount of cash taken had not yet been determined, but he estimated several thousand dollars’ worth of coins had been stolen. Deputies speculated the robbery occurred somewhere between 1 and 4 a.m. Friday and that entry had been gained through the wall of the adjacent post office. The vault where the coins were stored was cut open with acetylene torches, deputies reported. They noted that the burglars must have been very familiar with the bank and the adjoining structure to plan the robbery. This burglary was the third major crime involving Central Texas banks in a fourday period. Lockhart State Bank was hijacked Tuesday morning when two men got away with around $100,000. On Wednesday, the First State Bank of Jarrell in Williamson County was robbed by a lone gunman who got away with between $1,000 and $3,000.

To the Editor: Recently, at La Grange ISD, it was put forth that a committee would be made to curate library book purchases. The genesis of this revolves around parental concerns about books that contain gay/ lesbian/trans characters and actual people.

To the Editor: Frequent mass shootings will continue as long as demented individuals are able to obtain firearms. We have it fully in our power to prevent this and thereby to preserve countless innocent lives.

My favorite times and favorite memories are the annual church picnics we attended during the year. As youngsters, we didn’t get a chance to go anywhere except to church on Sundays, sometimes to town with Mom, and to these long-awaited picnics. Another occasion was a good old country wedding.

CAPITAL Highlights

The Texas House passed a bill promising $17 billion in tax relief, a measure that is at odds with the Senate’s tax break plan, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The House bill would lower by half a home’s cap on appraisal increases. It passed overwhelmingly, 141-9. However, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, said that body will not approve it, preferring its plan to raise property exemptions from $40,000 to $70,000.

TEXAS History

(Last week the Mitchells saved the Truitts from certain death. Finding the starving strangers at the foot of Comanche Peak, white-haired patriarch Cooney took care of them until they could fend for themselves.)

This is a recurring column sharing public information and insight on St Mark’s Medical Center, the needs for health care in Fayette County, and a path forward written by La Grange businessman Sam Wilson.