Opinion

State officials began sending out the first notices to families awarded education vouchers last week, the Houston Chronicle reported. In the first round, 42,644 qualified, mostly students with special needs who are considered the highest priority.

Survivalism and self-sufficiency are exploding across America. According to TruePrepper, a preparedness research group, nearly 23 million Americans now call themselves preppers — many fleeing big-city metros for rural areas where they can be self-reliant if calamity strikes.

Texas will need to invest $174 billion over the next 50 years to keep up with water demand, according to a draft 2027 state water plan approved last week, the Austin American-Statesman reported. That is more than twice the projected cost in the previous state water plan published in 2022.

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day should be expanded. Every April, parents bring their kids to work to envision their future — but why stop at 18? Middle-aged kids should spend a day with their parents to envision their retirement — as I did a few years ago.

I love April, but as a self-employed writer, I’m knee-deep in tax receipts and spreadsheet misery. I love to hear what our great minds have said about their own tax miseries: “We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.” — Winston Churchill “I don’t know if I can live on my income or not — the government won’t let me try it.” — Bob Thaves “They can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money.” — Al Capone Hey, Al, you make me want to get into the bookie business.

CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS Lt. Gov.

After public outcry, a physical border wall through Big Bend National Park appears to be on hold, The Texas Tribune reported. In February, the Trump administration waived more than two dozen environmental laws in order to clear the way for a 150-mile-long wall through West Texas, including Big Bend and the adjoining state park.

The staff and Board of Directors of the Fort Stockton Historical Society would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Fort Stockton Independent School District, its dedicated staff, and the many student volunteers who supported our recent Living History Days event.

Honestly, I’m glad when schools delve into poetry or offer students some semblance of art and music appreciation classes. But I worry about society’s overreliance on critics, reviewers, and public scolds.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for Gov. Greg Abbott to remove acting state comptroller Kelly Hancock, calling him an “incompetent loser,” The Dallas Morning News reported. Paxton said the governor should replace him with Don Huffines, who defeated Hancock in the GOP primary race for the post earlier this month.