City folks often talk about how painful it is to step on a Lego block. But Texans know real barefoot pain. Try stepping on a few grass burr seed. Even dogs and cats hate the burrs and cannot take the pain for long. Grass burrs seem to be the scourge of the pasture weeds.

Earlier this year, I was introduced to a song by Leanna Crawford called, “Still Waters.” If you have not heard it before, I highly recommend it. The lyrics follow the rhythm and promise of Psalm 23, reminding the listener of God’s steadfast presence in still waters and dark valleys.

C APITAL Highlights Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for a ban on data center construction in rural neighborhoods, according to the Houston Chronicle.

T EXAS History At funeral services in Mission on Jul. 8, 1956, friends and family of “Slats” Rodgers paid their last respects to the accident prone pioneer aviator while marveling at the fact he died in bed of natural causes.

Some random thoughts as I think about what to buy at the fireworks stand this weekend: S aturday is the 176th Round Top Independence day celebration, and if you’ve never been, it’s about time you headed to Round Top for the 4th of July.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about some of the challenges surrounding artificial intelligence, its enormous appetite for electricity, the strain it may place on our power grid, and the possibility that some jobs will change or even disappear. Those conversations are important. But this week, I’d like to look atAI from a different perspective.

To the editor: The Fayette Power Project, operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and Austin Energy, has transformed the Lower Colorado River Basin into a highly contested theater of ecological degradation, while the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has systematically abandoned its regulatory duties. The Health Toll: Cancer Clusters and Premature Mortality The human cost of the FPP is mapped, documented, and devastating.

To the Editor: It is sad to read that the City of La Grange got on the slippery slope of obtaining public funds at any cost. No one passing through downtown La Grange would call it slum like or blighted.

To the editor: We do not live in the City of La Grange, however we do own property within city. So, I am going to expound on the “slum and blighted decision” of the city council.

To the editor: On June 23, 2026, the unthinkable occurred. ICE rolled into Fayette County arriving in Black SUVs with darkened windows.