Opinion

For those of you who don’t know, my more respectable gig for the past quarter century, or so, has been teaching college English. (Scary, I know.)

At my day job, we recently underwent a major upgrade of our security cameras.

Editor, This letter is my response to the front page article in your daily edition for Sept. 29. It regards the dispute between two county commissioners and Judge Ruben Becerra.

The following article is part one of a five-week series focusing on raising awareness about domestic violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and we hope to educate our community on this very important issue. One-in-three women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Locally, the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center has been serving victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and child abuse since 1978. Last year, HCWC served 2,055 victims of abuse (face-to-face) primarily from Hays and Caldwell Counties. 816 of those were victims of domestic violence.

My adult life has been full of transitions–from single to married, from childlessness to fatherhood, and from virile coolness to cringey blobfish. I now find myself in the midst of a change from occupying a nest literally bursting with hatchlings frantically pecking at my wallet to now watching one last teenage fledgling perched on the edge of a limb and hoping I don’t do anything embarrassing.

September marks Suicide Prevention Month. A national poll conducted in 2020 found that while 95% of Americans surveyed would do something if someone close to them was thinking about suicide, almost 70% of respondents identified barriers that keep them from discussing suicide with others. These barriers included not knowing what to say, not knowing where to turn for help, feeling they don’t have enough knowledge, or not feeling comfortable with the topic.

Hays County Commissioners Court agreed on Aug 16 to spend $3.65 million a year for the next four years to transfer people incarcerated at our jail to the Haskell County Jail in North Texas some 4.5 hours away. Haskell County Jail is a private facility owned by LaSalle Corrections West — a subsidiary of LaSalle Corrections who has been embroiled in lawsuits since its inception.

So, having earned an associate’s degree from our local community college, my son Gideon is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechatronic engineering from my old alma mater.

Editorial: Texas’ cautious approach to marijuana use has been the correct path

AMY KAMP

Editor Deciphering fact from fiction or truth from misinformation can often be a difficult and vexing task. It is much easier to accept information from a friend or an acquaintance.