I have heard people say, “Why should I vote? One vote won’t make a difference,” and, “They (whoever ‘they’ are) have already decided who will win.”
As I write this, I have just learned that all of the votes for Bastrop’s only contested City Council seat have been counted. Out of the 1,228 votes cast, only four votes separate the two contestants. Jimmy Crouch received 616 votes and Cheryl Lee garnered 612.
There was also a contested race for a Bastrop school district seat along with two very important school bond proposals. That race and the two bonds were settled by a much larger margin.
Republicans are busy ranting about âcancel cultureâ instead of helping to solve real problems.
Instead of focusing on Dr. Seuss books, denouncing Democrats, continuing to wrongly believe Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election and pushing ways to restrict voting, Republicans should get involved in governing.
Take infrastructure improvements, for example. Most Americans agree our countryâs infrastructure could use some work. Many Republicans support infrastructure spending, but they donât like President Bidenâs plan: too expensive, they say, and corporations shouldnât have to foot the bill by paying more in taxes.
OK, Republicans, how would YOU pay for infrastructure improvements? How about a plan? Opposition is easy. Governing, not so much.
Nature is truly an amazing force. Whether plants or animals, Ole Mom Nature has an incredible ability and drive to survive. The February snow and ice are just a memory for most. New growth brings hope.
Among the millions of brown leaves, green shoots are starting to appear everywhere. And they aren’t on just the hardy plants. A dear friend gave me a pencil cactus several years ago. Although I brought it inside, I feared I didn’t do so early enough, because all of its little limbs were brown and brittle.
However, when I began to trim back the brown limbs, I saw two little shoots coming up from the dirt. Today, I saw a third one. My gift survived, as did the little Sweet Olive Tree next door, the Asian Jasmine along my driveway, and the Star Jasmine on my trellis. I used to think of rose bushes as fragile, but not any longer. They started sprouting new growth shortly after the snow melted. I am still hopeful that my ferns show me green leaves soon.
As we shivered through what I call the week-long “Texas Tundra,” our city’s departments rose to the occasion and passed the test with flying colors. We were well served by professional, dedicated leadership and staff.
Thank you, Curtis Ervin and everyone associated with Bastrop Power and Light. That tree trimming the department does every year kept those ice-ladened branches off power lines around town.
Our other Curtis Curtis Hancock heads our Public Works Department. We had no water issues until things beyond his control failed. However, we were back to running faucets soon after. A friend had a broken pipe early in the week. Public Works employees were at her house in minutes to turn off her water. Many members of his staff slept at the senior center.