Opinion

“How was your vacation?” used to be the standard query at Labor Day. Not this year.

Let’s get this part out of the way: Nobody likes hurricanes.

Editor,

The pandemic ruined a lot of things: graduations, vacations, family reunions, the economy, and maybe even your New Year’s resolutions. Forget losing weight, am I right? The Quarantine 15 is, says Yale’s medical school, a “perfect storm for people who struggle with weight.” We’re stuck with the coronavirus for the foreseeable future, so if we want to get rid of the weight, we need to change our behavior.

The emails and calls have been pouring into my office, but the letters are a little slower.

I read with interest in the August 2020 edition of Southern Living magazine that San Marcos was named among the six “smartest places to retire” in the country. I was not too surprised, as I also consider our Central Texas location ideal, our beautiful San Marcos River enchanting, and the benefits of living in a university town numerous. What occurred to me, however, was that our city doesn’t offer much for those who prefer to live close to downtown and the university, enjoying the options of walking to shop, dine out, or attend functions at the Texas State University. The sad truth is that we lack a variety of housing options for those older citizens who might investigate moving here. We currently have established neighborhoods close to the downtown area and beyond; relatively new housing developments on the outskirts of town; and a plethora of apartment complexes for university students and other young people. What we lack is the option of apartments or condominiums for retirees who might prefer a more “walkable life” in San Marcos. The developers of Lindsey Hill saw that demographic, as well as young professionals, as the most likely prospects for their development … a contribution to our fine city.

In 2019, the annual cost of jailing in Hays County had skyrocketed 7,000% in just five years, and today the Sheriff’s office wants at least an additional $10 million –– let’s consider why there’s no money to address our unethical and terribly expensive mass-incarceration infatuation.

We would like to draw a parallel line between where we today find ourselves as a nation, working hard to right the long-standing housing inequalities American citizens continue to experience, and how local appointed and elected leaders make decisions that either eliminate or perpetuate these inequalities. When city leaders refuse to take action or worse, actively resist strategies/opportunities that would support the creation of affordable housing types, the overall health and welfare of the community is negatively affected. Housing is a human issue.

Editor,

One of every six public school students in Texas does not have access to high-speed internet, and 30% of them don’t have a “dedicated and adequate learning device” — a laptop or tablet computer — according to Texas educators who answered a voluntary state survey earlier this year.

Public schools in Texas are getting ready to open. That might be the most important thing on the Texas political calendar this year.

It’s a waste of time to write or read speculative stories about who’s trending up or down in a veep hunt.