Opinion

Body Texas voters approved all 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot last week, the Houston Chronicle reported. Those included measures to raise the homestead exemption and reduce property taxes for businesses, and to provide $1 billion annually for a statewide water fund.

Body My morning routine: wonder, “How many business ventures has Elon Musk launched in the time it took me to microwave this sausage patty?

Body CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS The window for signing up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is now open through Jan. 15, with most Texans expected to pay considerably higher premiums, The Texas Tribune reported.

Body “Write something sensible.” I’m finishing this column on the first anniversary of my mother’s passing, and I can still hear her cajoling me to cater to her down-to-earth tastes. Her funny bone was unpretentious.

Body The continuing federal shutdown means food benefits provided to 3.5 million Texans could be cut off in November, The Texas Tribune reported. Of those affected, nearly half are children.

Body When I visited Ready.gov, I was taken aback by this jarring disclaimer: “NOTICE: Due to the lapse in federal funding, portions of this website may not be updated … until after appropriations are enacted.”

Body Early voting began Monday across Texas with voters deciding the fate of 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, as well as local races for city and school board, bond measures, and tax proposals.

Body It’s called “messy authenticity,” and it’s the latest trend to clearly demonstrate America has lost its collective mind. Looking for a Maison Margiela sweater with unfinished threads and gaping holes? It’ll cost you nearly $1,500.

Body Redrawing the state’s congressional maps, though being challenged in court, has drawn 114 Republican candidates in the state’s 38 districts with nearly two months left until the filing deadline, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Body Civility is making headlines again — that lack of it, that is. Recent surveys by workplaceresearch firms, such as Sogolytics and the Society for Human Resource Management, suggest that nearly half of Americans have witnessed or experienced incivility at work.