Join us as we celebrate two exciting Ribbon Cuttings in our community this week. On Wednesday, May 13th at 5 p.m., we will be at the Edna Country Club to inaugurate the new golf cart park barn. Come help us celebrate this wonderful addition to the club and support one of our local businesses.

Then on Saturday, May 16th at 3 p.m., join us at Charlie’s Sports Bar & Grill as they celebrate their new ownership.

Stop by to welcome the new owners and enjoy an afternoon of community fellowship and excitement. We encourage everyone to come out and show their support for these local businesses and the continued growth of our community.

Join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, May 21st.

This engaging session, “Stronger Together: Building Your Nonprofit Network,” will focus on creating meaningful connections, fostering collaboration, and increasing your community impact.

Connect with fellow nonprofit staff, board members, and community partners as you exchange ideas and build relationships that strengthen our region.

Lunch and presentation will be provided by Texas A&M–Victoria Nonprofit Center. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your network, expand your knowledge, and better serve your community. RSVP to 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us by Wednesday, May 20th.

Mark your calendars for the County-Wide Garage Sale on Saturday, June 6th. Join community members from across the county as they sell their treasures and offer great finds for shoppers of all kinds. A completed list of participating addresses will be available for pickup at the Chamber, City of Edna, & City of Ganado office beginning June 4th. Please note: If you are hosting a sale within the Edna city limits, a permit is required.

Get ready to light up the night at our upcoming 5K Glow Run/ Walk on Saturday, July 11th at the BRC Boat Ramp. This fun, family- friendly event is a great way to stay active while connecting with our community. Registration begins at 7 p.m., with the race to follow.

Entry is $30 per participant, and we’re proud to offer 50% off for first responders, military, and students.

Following the race, an awards ceremony will be held to recognize the top three finishers in three categories. Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and come enjoy an evening of fitness, fun, and community spirit—we can’t wait to see you there.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses? We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146. Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time.

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts! Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed.

Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to The Shack, our May Member of the Month! The Shack was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 2049 FM 616 in La Salle. For more information, call (361) 284-3586.

Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows released a statement last week saying they support lifting the law.

Nearly 20 camps have sued to block the law requiring them to install a fiber-optic network, arguing that it does not make their properties safer and would cost millions of dollars. So far only nine Texas summer camps are licensed to open, with fewer than two weeks before the season begins. Nearly 300 are still working to obtain licenses. The Department of State Health Services said last week that camps will be allowed to operate under existing licenses while their applications are reviewed.

The laws were passed in the aftermath of last year’s July 4 flooding, which killed more than two dozen campers at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River. In addition to fiber optic networks, camps must install emergency warning and public address systems and provide safety training for campers.

Patrick backs Middleton in attorney general runoff Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is backing state Sen.

Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, in the GOP runoff for Texas attorney general on May 26.

Early voting runs from May 18 to May 22. In the runoff, Middleton faces U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin.

“Mayes Middleton has established a record as one of the most conservative senators in Texas history,” Patrick said on social media.

The News quoted Patrick as saying Middleton will make the post “the strongest and most impactful AG office in the nation.”

Democrats Joe Jaworski, a former Galveston mayor, and state Sen.

Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, are in a runoff for their party’s attorney general nomination.

Incumbent Ken Paxton opted not to run and is locked in a primary runoff with incumbent U.S.

Sen. John Cornyn.

Cornyn, Paxton in tight runoff race

Paxton is locked in a tight race against incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn for the GOP nomination, the Texas Standard reported. The Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston recently conducted a poll that showed Paxton leading Cornyn, 48% to 45% with 7% still undecided. The poll of those indicating they were likely to vote in the GOP runoff had a 2.83% margin of error.

In the first quarter of this year, Cornyn raised nearly $9 million, including $3.4 million after the March primary.

Paxton raised $2.2 million. Democratic nominee state Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, raised a record $27 million in the first quarter, the largest-ever sum for a Senate candidate in the first quarter of an election year in any state.

Texas has biggest teacher workforce, but they get paid less Texas has the country’s largest teacher workforce but lags behind the national average in teacher pay and per-student spending, according to a report in the Austin American- Statesman.

A National Education Association report said teacher pay in Texas is about $10,700 below the U.S. average. Texas public school teachers earned an average of $63,749 in 2024-2025, which put it 33rd among states and Washington, D.C. The national average was $74,495.

Texas had nearly 370,000 public school teachers in 2024-2025, the highest number in the country.

Smokable hemp again pulled from Texas shelves Smokable hemp products such as flower buds and rolled joints must again be pulled from store shelves as the state appeals the latest court ruling, according to The Texas Tribune. The ban was set to take effect on March 31, but lawyers for the hemp industry filed suit challenging the plan. A Travis County district judge temporarily halted imposition of the ban, but with the 15th Texas Court of Appeals agreeing to hear the state’s appeal of the lower court ruling, the ban is now back in effect.

“We are confident that the 15th Court of Appeals will reinstate our temporary injunction so that our vets, elderly, and adult consumers have reasonable access to these products,” said David Sergi, an attorney for the hemp industry.

Hemp retailers have said their businesses have lost over half their revenue since imposition of the new rules, which also include much steeper licensing fees.

Texas leads in immigration detention as crossings plummet Texas continues to lead the country in the number of people held in detention centers, even as unauthorized border crossings plunge, the Houston Chronicle reported.

As of early April, the daily average in Texas was nearly 18,000 people. That’s more than twice the average number of immigrants held in Louisiana, the second highest, with about 8,100 per day.

Texas’ high numbers are partly due to the state’s numerous detention centers and a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the practice of holding immigrants until their removal proceedings conclude.

“The 5th Circuit is not immigrant-friendly, and it’s easier to remove people who are detained in the Texas facilities,” said Zenobia Lai, executive director of the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said decisions on where detainees are held are made on a “case-by-case basis in accordance with U.S. law.”

Texas most at-risk state for hail damage Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hail, according to Cotality’s 2026 Severe Convective Storm Risk Report, published in the Statesman. The state ranks as the most at-risk for hail damage, with 8 million homes exposed and a combined reconstruction value exceeding $3.1 trillion.

Four Texas cities rank among the top 10 for homes at greater risk of hail damage. Dallas ranks second nationally, behind Chicago, followed by Houston in third, Austin in ninth, and San Antonio in tenth.

“Although most hailstones are typically pea- or dime-size, hail can grow to as large as golf balls and baseballs.

In extreme cases, hail can reach the size of a softball, grapefruit or even a pineapple,” Statesman meteorologist Mary Wasson wrote.

A pineapple?

Jarvis had begun her campaign three years earlier, after the death of her mother, Anna Reeves Jarvis. By 1911, every state in the Union was celebrating Mother’s Day. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday.

But within a few years, Jarvis became disillusioned. Card companies, flower shops, and candy makers turned her beloved holiday into big business. Soon she was protesting the very holiday she had worked so hard to create. In 1943, she even began a petition to rescind Mother’s Day.

Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, grew to despise the holiday.

I am no Anna Jarvis. I love Mother’s Day. It gives us a beautiful opportunity to thank God for the vital role mothers play in the lives and faith of their children. The greatest lesson my mother ever taught me was what it means to love God and be loved by him. My mom showed me Jesus in the way she prayed, forgave, served, and loved.

Mother’s Day has become a multimillion-dollar industry. Cards, flowers, candy, and restaurant reservations are not wrong. They can be thoughtful gifts. But commercialism can quietly teach us that love is something we purchase once a year instead of something we practice every day.

Sadly, for many in our world today, Mother’s Day is not a happy day at all. For mothers who have lost children, for children who have lost mothers, and for women who long for children, the holiday can be a painful reminder of grief, loss, and unfulfilled hopes.

Unlike Anna Jarvis, I’m not trying to discourage you from celebrating Mother’s Day. But this year, as you celebrate, don’t let commercialism define what love looks like. Even better than buying her flowers or taking her out to eat, give her the gift of your time. Go to church with your mom this Sunday. Pray with and for her.

Thank her for all she has done for you. Honor her. Forgive her. Support her. Love her not only on Mother’s Day, but throughout the year.

And please be sensitive to those who are hurting this Mother’s Day. Be aware of the women around you who long for the gift of motherhood but have not received it. Be understanding of those who feel the pain of loss more deeply on Mother’s Day.

In the end, Anna Jarvis was right about one thing.

Mothers deserve more than flowers. They deserve our time, our prayers, our honor, and our love—not just on Mother’s Day, but every day of the year.

Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving” and “364 Days of Devotion,” on Amazon. com.

Learn about how to be “Stronger Together: Building Your Nonprofit Network. Get connections, collaborations, and community impact during this event. Come connect with nonprofit staff, board members, and community partners, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships across our region. Lunch and presentation by Texas A&M-Victoria Nonprofit Center. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and better serve your community! Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, May 20th.

SAVE THE DATE: We will have a 5K Glow Run in June and SIP & PAINT in August. Be on the look out for more information to come.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention! We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses? We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146. Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time.

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts. Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed.

Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to The Shack, our May Member of the Month! The Shack was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 2049 FM 616 in La Salle. For more information, call (361) 284-3586.

“It’s all crazy,” Victor Cortez, a 40-year-old Austin construction worker, said while filling up his pickup truck .

“It depends on the day; some days I’m moving to three or four buildings and spending 100 bucks a day.”

The steep climb in prices comes as a result of the war with Iran, which began in February. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, has caused a sharp increase in oil prices. The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the world benchmark, was $114 on Sunday, up from about $70 a barrel before the war began.

The rise in diesel prices, which averaged $3.30 a gallon in early February, is affecting everything from shipping costs to farming operations. About half the truckers in Texas are independent operators who buy diesel at gas stations and truck stops and don’t receive the discount that large companies with their own trucking yards get for buying in bulk.

Camp Mystic will not reopen this summer

Camp Mystic announced last week that it had withdrawn its application for a camp license for this summer, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The decision followed a week of hearings before a joint Senate-House committee, which heard testimony from the loved ones of last summer’s flood victims.

The July 4 flooding along the Guadalupe River killed 25 children, two counselors and the camp’s longtime owner, Richard “Dick” Eastland.

“No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue, and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July’s tragedy,” the camp wrote in a statement.

The Texas Department of State Health Services, which is responsible for issuing camp licenses, conducted investigations. The camp has been planning to reopen its Cypress Lake campus, which was not damaged by the flash floods. More than 850 children have already registered to attend that camp.

Camp Mystic said it would continue to “fully cooperate with all ongoing investigations.”

Talarico leads Cornyn, Paxton in latest polls A poll shows Democrat James Talarico leading both the Republicans who are locked in a fierce runoff to determine who will face him in November, the Houston Chronicle reported. Talarico led U.S. Sen. John Cornyn 40% to 33%,according to the University of Texas at Austin Politics Project survey. He holds a 42% to 34% advantage over Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. In both scenarios, 19% of voters said they were still undecided.

“While the Democratic candidate leading two established Republicans in these matchups is sure to raise some eyebrows,” the pollsters wrote, the results “reveal a Republican electorate still registering the effects of the months-long, bruising, negative campaigning by Paxton and Cornyn, and the GOP divisions the race has exacerbated.”

Paxton and Cornyn face each other in a May 26 runoff because neither secured a majority in the March primary.

Early voting runs from May 18 to May 22. Voters who cast ballots in the Democratic primary cannot vote in the GOP runoff. Only voters who participated in the GOP primary or did not vote at all can vote in the GOP runoff.

$56 million in fed funding for rural health care

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is making $56 million in federal funding available to rural health care providers.

The “Infrastructure and Capital Investments for Rural Texas” initiative will support modernization of rural health care delivery by funding new equipment and minor facility renovations.

Health care providers can use the funds to “update lab, CT scan, ultrasound, or mammography equipment; stretchers, wheelchairs, patient beds, telemetry units, nurse call systems, generators, defibrillators, crash carts, medication dispensing units, sleep labs, vital sign monitors, oxygen tanks, and other allowable equipment,” according to the HHSC news release.

The state is expected to receive about $1.4 billion in federal funding over the next five years through the program supporting rural health care.

Patrick aims to close loophole for prediction markets Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has directed state senators to explore ways to close gambling loopholes that allow online prediction markets to operate in Texas, according to The Tribune.

He is concerned that state elections and sporting events could be manipulated for profit.

Prediction markets allow users to bet on outcomes of everything from sporting events to election winners, and even the weather. The Trump administration has blocked attempts by other states to regulate the prediction markets, such as Kalshi, claiming oversight belongs to federal agencies, not the states.

“We are regulated at the federal level, but of course, given now the popularity of prediction markets, we are doing a lot of educating on the state level,” said Sara Slane of Kalshi. “That’s the dialogue that we’ll envision having, certainly, in the state of Texas.” While 39 state attorneys general signed on to a legal brief arguing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission doesn’t have sole authority to regulate the prediction markets, Paxton declined to do so.

Texas cities dominate another ‘best’ list

Several Texas cities dominated the top spots in Livability’s new ranking of the most affordable, desirable cities to live in the U.S., according to the Statesman. The list includes only cities with populations between 75,000 and 500,000 and median home values of $500,000 or less.

Factors considered included economy and housing; amenities and environment; safety, health and education; and transportation.

Texas cities in the top 10 were Sugar Land at No. 3; Plano at No. 5; Round Rock at No. 9; and New Braunfels at No. 10.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com

Your involvement plays a vital role in making Jackson County a thriving place to live, work, and do business. We encourage you to stop by the Chamber, join us at upcoming events, and continue showing your support for our local businesses.

Join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, May 21st.

Learn about how to be “Stronger Together: Building Your Nonprofit Network. Get connections, collaborations, and community impact during this event. Come connect with nonprofit staff, board members, and community partners, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships across our region. Lunch and presentation by Texas A&M-Victoria Nonprofit Center. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and better serve your community. Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, May 20th.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses? We’d love to hear about it! Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146.

Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time. Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts.

Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed. Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join!

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to First United Methodist Church, Edna, our April Member of the Month!

First United Methodist Church, Edna was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 216 W. Main St. in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 782-3561.

More than a quarter- million students have applied to the state’s voucher program, with a lottery determining who gets a spot. Initial funding for the program is $1 billion, and it is projected to support 100,000 students in its first year.

The program offers taxpayer money to help pay for private and homeschool education.

The amount of each voucher awarded in the initial round varied, from $2,000 each for the 11,000 children applying for homeschool funding to an average of $15,585 for parents who documented their children’s special educational needs.

Smokable hemp ban temporarily blocked A ban on the sale of natural smokeable hemp products has been blocked, possibly until the end of April, by a Travis County district judge. A court hearing is set for this week.

The Texas Tribune reported that lawyers for the hemp industry argue that state agencies overstepped their constitutional authority by imposing new testing requirements that created a 0.3% total THC threshold. The industry says that effectively eliminated smokeable products by essentially rewriting the statutory definitions of hemp created by legislators in 2019.

While that 2019 law also limited THC levels to 0.3%, manufacturers got around it by cultivating hemp plants with another type of THC called THCA, which produces a high when ignited. The newly written limits on any type of THC mirror those that will be imposed by the federal government in November.

Appeals court rules for Ten Commandments in classrooms A federal appeals court last week ordered public school districts to place copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, the Austin America-Statesman reported. Parents and a group of faith leaders in nine school districts sued over a 2025 law that requires public schools to post donated posters of the Ten Commandment in classrooms.

By a split vote, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided the law does not violate the U.S. Constitution, overturning a San Antonio federal judge’s ruling last year. The case could be appealed to the U.S.

Supreme Court.

“Students are neither catechized on the Commandments nor taught to adopt them,” the judges wrote. “Nor are teachers commanded to proselytize students who ask about the displays or contradict students who disagree with them.”

Six judges on the appeals court dissented, with Judge Leslie H.

Southwick writing that “S.B. 10 is facially unconstitutional under the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses.”

STAAR ends after this spring After about 15 years, this spring marks one of the final times Texas students will take the STAAR, according to the Chronicle. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, that end-ofyear assessment will be replaced by three shorter tests.

Backers of the change say it will reduce classroom time spent preparing for the test and be a more accurate measure of students’ progress.

Critics say the changes will still place too much emphasis and classroom time preparing for the tests.

“The only evidence is that it will create more testing,” said state Rep.

Gina Hinojosa, Gov.

Greg Abbott’s Democratic challenger for governor. “We’re going from 15 tests to 51 tests by the time a kid’s done with eighth grade. It’s outrageous.”

The new Student Success Tool will provide three tests through the school year, instead of a single high-stakes test at the end of the year.

Results will be available within 48 hours of each test, unlike STAAR results, which are usually released in mid-June, months after students take the test.

Workplace fatalities dipped slightly in 2024 The Texas Department of Insurance has reported that 557 workplace fatalities were reported in 2024, the latest year for which statistics are available. That is down slightly from the 564 workplace fatalities reported in 2023. More than 90% of the fatalities occurred in the private sector.

The most fatalities were reported in the trade, transportation and utilities sector at 175; construction fatalities, with 128, followed. The most common occupation involving fatalities was motor vehicle operators A total of 75 fatalities were due to violent acts in 2024.

Men accounted for 92% of the 557 total incidents in 2024.

Texas economy hits record $2.9 trillion The Texas economy expanded to $2.9 trillion in 2025, growing faster than the nation as a whole at a 2.5% rate, according to the U.S.

Bureau of Economic Analysis. The state maintained its ranks as the world’s eighth-largest economy, based on preliminary estimates from the International Monetary Fund.

“The Texas economy expanded to a record high of $2.9 trillion thanks to the productivity of our skilled workforce and the entrepreneurs and businesses investing here with confidence,” said Greg Abbott.

The state’s economy has grown by 46% over the past 11 years.

Wildfire risks in Panhandle, West Texas rise Dry windy conditions across West Texas and the Panhandle are rising, the Statesman reported, leading to increased risk of wildfires. The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings from Canada to Mexico, including those areas in Texas.

“A red flag warning means a combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity, dry vegetation, and strong winds.

These conditions can quickly spark and spread wildfires, and in this environment, even a small fire can grow rapidly, so extra caution is critical,” Mary Wasson, meteorologist with the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The Texas A&M Forest Service reports that 9 out of 10 wildfires in Texas are human-caused and therefore preventable. Burn bans are now in effect in 102 Texas counties, and wildfire preparedness is at Level 2, with Level 5 being the highest risk.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

One day, Gordon met a young boy in front of his church, carrying a rusty cage with several birds fluttering nervously inside.

Gordon asked the boy, “Where did you get those birds?”

“I trapped them out in the field,” the boy replied.

“Well, what are you going to do with them?”

“I’m going to play with them and then probably feed them to my cat.”

When Gordon offered to buy the birds from him, the boy told him, “Mister, you don’t want them. They’re just old, wild birds. They’re worthless.”

But Gordon insisted. “I’ll give you $2 for the cage and the birds.”

“Okay, it’s a deal,” the boy replied. “But, mister, you’re making a bad bargain.”

Money exchanged hands, and the boy went merrily on his way. Gordon immediately walked around the back of the church, opened the door of the cage, and set the frightened birds free.

The following Sunday, Gordon took the empty cage into the pulpit to teach his people about redemption.

We are all caged birds, trapped by sin, death, and the devil. We are born captive to sin. We listen to the devil’s lies and deserve an eternal cage in hell.

But Jesus redeemed us.

In the Bible, to redeem means to pay the price to set free. Jesus paid the price, unlatched the door, and set us free.

But he didn’t pay $2. Our freedom cost him everything. “It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed,” Peter tells us, “but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18,19).

Jesus himself said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus’ life was the ransom that set us free.

But that means you are free – free from sin’s curse, free from death’s sting, and free from hell’s cage. Because of Jesus and through faith in him, your soul will one day fly free to heaven.

According to the story, Gordon ended by saying, “That boy told me the birds were not songsters, but when I released them and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing as sweetly as any bird ever has!”

They were singing the song of freedom.

So can we.

Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving” and “364 Days of Devotion,” on Amazon.com.

That is more than twice the projected cost in the previous state water plan published in 2022.

The draft report, released by the Texas Water Development Board, says the increased costs are due to a number of factors: inflation in construction costs, more frequent droughts, and a decline in existing water supplies as the state’s aquifers become depleted.

The state last year earmarked spending $20 billion over the next two decades for water infrastructure and supply projects — an amount that falls far short of what will be needed, according to some experts. “This figure validates concerns that $1 billion a year is not going to be sufficient to meet the infrastructure needs to ensure our water supply,” said Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, a construction trade coalition for water projects.

The state water plan is created with input from 16 regional planning groups that identify future water needs in their regions and how to meet them. The draft plan is open for public comment and can be accessed here: https:// tinyurl.com/3ktz5fpm.

Talarico raises record $27 million; Cornyn leads Paxton in fundraising State Rep. James Talarico raised a record $27 million in this first quarter of this year, the largest-ever sum for any Senate candidate in any state in the first quarter of an election year, The Texas Tribune reported.

“Winning in Texas will require unprecedented resources,” said Seth Krasne, Talarico’s campaign manager.

“This grassroots fundraising haul puts our movement in a strong position to spread our message in some of the most expensive media markets in the country.

But we can’t take our foot off of the gas.”

Talarico has raised more than $40 million since entering the race last September from more th 540,000 individual contributors.

On the Republican side, where incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is heading to a May 26 runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Cornyn outraised his opponent by fourfold, pulling in $9 million in the first quarter. Paxton raised $2.2 million “The Cornyn campaign continues performing at a high level, building off the overperformance in the March 3rd primary to announcing a massive fundraising haul in the first quarter of 2026,” Cornyn campaign manager Andy Hemming said.

Judge orders Camp Mystic to preserve cabins where girls died An Austin state district judge ordered Camp Mystic’s owners not to alter, repair or demolish cabins that housed campers and counselors who died in last year’s July 4 flood along the Guadalupe River, southwest of Kerrville. The flood killed 25 girls, two counselors and one of the owners of the camp.

The camp’s owners are being sued by the parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward, the only victim whose body has not been recovered. Other parents of children who died in the floods also have lawsuits pending.

“This finding is supported by facts tending to show that defendants owed a duty of care to Cile Steward and other minor campers, which they breached by operating Camp Mystic in a high-risk zone without adequate flood protections,” Judge Guerra Gamble wrote.

The injunction remains in place until the lawsuit is resolved or the court rules otherwise. The judge set a trial date of May 3, 2027.

SNAP rule change forces recipients to read food labels Changes in what can be purchased under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are now in place in Texas, and consumers are spending more time examining the ingredients label, the Texas Standard reported.

SNAP benefits can no longer be used to buy candy or sweetened beverages, under Texas Senate Bill 379, passed last year. That includes drinks with more than five grams of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweetener.

The ban does not include baking sugar or sweet cereals, however.

The guidelines do not provide an itemized list, so retailers must interpret them and apply them to the food items they sell.

“You use Google a lot to get the internet’s interpretation. You look at the law and how it’s written,” said John Robertson of Austin’s Fresh Plus grocery stores.

Data center owners grilled by legislators Texas lawmakers grilled data center developers, energy companies and grid officials recently on the impact of the state’s data center boom, the Houston Chronicle reported. Grid officials say they are proposing regulations that will ensure Texas can handle data centers without raising electricity costs for consumers or risking power blackouts.

Officials from various Texas energy companies said data centers could help upgrade the state’s grid infrastructure.

“If we have an opportunity to have new customers coming to the state pay for that, we’ll have done some really good work,” said Brian Lloyd, with Dallas-based Oncor, the Texas utility with by far the most data centers seeking to connect to its system.

Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Public Utility Commission, told lawmakers his agency is working with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid operator, on rules to encourage data centers to bring their own power generation to help prevent price spikes.

“I honestly don’t think on the generation side you’re going to see a large increase in costs at this point, because we have so many renewables and batteries on the system,” Gleeson said.

Amount of state in drought increases again Near the end of March, 89% of the state was in drought, according to hydrologist Dr.

Mark Wentzel with the Texas Water Development Board. That is the largest extent of drought in nearly four years, Wentzel wrote.

In addition to continued dry conditions, average March temperatures were 66.8 Fahrenheit, beating the previous record by more than one-and-a-half degrees.

Wentzel said there is some reason for optimism with a wet, cooler start to April and a forecast of drought contraction in much of the state, except for the Panhandle and West Texas by early summer.

“Also note that we’ve set a new monthly record every year since 2021. In 2021, we set the record for the hottest December. In 2022, it was the hottest July, hottest September in 2023, October in 2024, and November in 2025,” he wrote.

Now we can add March 2026 to that list.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

We invite you to visit the Chamber, attend our upcoming events, and continue supporting our local businesses.

Join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, May 21th.

Learn about how to be “Stronger Together: Building Your Nonprofit Network. Get connections, collaborations, and community impact during this event. Come connect with nonprofit staff, board members, and community partners, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships across our region.

Lunch and presentation by Texas A&M-Victoria - Nonprofit Center.

Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and better serve your community.

Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, May 20th.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses?

We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146.

Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time. Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts.

Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed. Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to First United Methodist Church, Edna, our April Member of the Month!

First United Methodist Church, Edna was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 216 W. Main St. in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 782-3561.

Without that unity, Patrick said that state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, could win, The Dallas Morning News reported. House Speaker Justin Burrows said he believes the GOP will keep its majority in the chamber but agreed unity is critical.

“We’ve got to be on the same page,” Burrows said. “We’ve got to be working and rowing in the same direction.”

Democrats, who have not held a majority in either chamber in more than 20 years, would have to flip 14 Republican seats to achieve a majority in the 150-member House.

Data centers set to get billions in tax breaks An exemption for the state’s booming data center industry means Texas will lose $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years, The Texas Tribune reported.

Lawmakers say they will consider proposals to either limit the tax break or eliminate it altogether when they meet in January for the next legislative session.

“These new numbers are extremely concerning, and I will say they’re unsustainable,” said state Sen. Joan Huffman, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. “I plan to look at filing legislation to either repeal the exemption or take a very close look at it and see.”

The tax break was approved by lawmakers in 2014, when there were far fewer data centers and they were much smaller. If nothing changes, exemptions could reach $1.75 billion annually by 2030.

The state already has more than 300 active data centers, with more than 100 additional projects either under development or planned.

Texas could face $700 million in SNAP penalties New federal rules designed to cut waste in the nation’s food stamp program means Texas taxpayers will have to pay $700 million more each year to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, The Tribune reported.

Officials with Texas Health and Human Services disclosed this to lawmakers at a recent committee hearing.

Almost 9% of the state’s SNAP payments had an error, slightly better than the national rate of 11%. Texas has until October 2027 to bring the error rate down below 6%. The error rate is based on unintentional mistakes by either the agency or the client receiving the benefits that result in an overpayment or underpayment Nearly one-fourth of the state’s population gets some type of assistance from Texas Health and Human Services.

“We are dealing today with a health care epidemic, but not from a disease or virus,” said Sen Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the committee chair. “With scandals in places like Minnesota and California drawing national attention, we, as Texans, must examine our own system and see how we measure up to other states.”

Court pauses

smokable cannabis ban, higher fees A Travis County district judge has temporarily lifted a statewide ban on the sale of smokeable hemp products, The Texas Tribune reported.

The temporary restraining order is in effect until at least April 23, when another hearing is scheduled.

Texas hemp companies sued to block new state rules that have wiped out a huge portion of the legal cannabis market, the Texas Standard reported. The rules took effect March 31 and prevented stores from selling smokable hemp products and vastly increased licensing fees. Smokable products make up the vast majority of hemp sales in the state.

“I estimated that flower is about half the market and smokable products put together including vapes are about two-thirds of the market,” said Robin Goldstein, a University of California economist who researches cannabis markets. He said the Texas market had about $4 billion in retail sales annually.

The plaintiffs are also suing over a jump in annual licensing fees for manufacturers from $250 to $10,000.

Retailers must now pay $5,000 per store, up from $150.

“These provisions function not merely as regulatory tools, but as significant economic barriers not authorized by statute,” the lawsuit contends.

The suit was filed by the Texas Hemp Business Council, the Hemp Industry and Farmers of America, and eight Texas-based hemp companies.

State to launch statewide food permit July 1 The Department of State Health Services will begin offering statewide operating permits for food trucks in Texas beginning July 1, the Austin American- Statesman reported. Food truck owners currently must pay each city’s permitting fees to operate there, which discourages them from traveling to other places to sell their food.

“It’s a hassle to take time off to go and do that where we have to stop what we’re doing and lose money that day,” food truck owner Eloisa Schessler, of Dallas, said.

Some cities opposed the new law, fearing they may lose control of how mobile food trucks operate in their jurisdictions. They will still be able to control where and when food trucks operate, but they will not be able to collect permit and inspection fees.

Texas’ job growth continues to outpace national rate Texas added 40,100 nonfarm jobs in January to reach 14,379,500 positions, outpacing the national growth rate by 0.6 percentage points, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. “Texas employers continue to spur our state’s economic momentum, adding more than 40,000 jobs across a wide range of major industries,” said TWC Chairman Joe Esparza.

“TWC remains committed to supporting Texas’ pro-growth policies and world-class talent pipeline that make Texas the best place to do business.”

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the state remained at 4.3%, which is below the national jobless rate of 4.7%.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

Your involvement helps make Jackson County a thriving place to live, work, and do business.

We invite you to visit the Chamber, attend our upcoming events, and continue supporting our local businesses.

Join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, May 21th!

Learn about how to be “Stronger Together: Building Your Nonprofit Network. Get connections, collaborations, and community impact during this event. Come connect with nonprofit staff, board members, and community partners, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships across our region. Lunch and presentation by Texas A&M-Victoria Nonprofit Center. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and better serve your community! Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, May 20th.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses? We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146. Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine!

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts. Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed.

Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to First United Methodist Church, Edna, our April Member of the Month!

First United Methodist Church, Edna was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 216 W. Main St. in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 782-3561.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time. Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention! We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses?

We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx. us or call (361) 7827146. Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts.

Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed. Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to First United Methodist Church, Edna, our April Member of the Month!

First United Methodist Church, Edna was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 216 W. Main St. in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 782-3561.

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.

Opposition quickly arose from people and politicians from both parties.

The sheriffs of Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Presidio and Terrell counties — a mix of Democrats and Republicans — wrote an open letter that said: “Based on decades of combined experience working with this terrain, we believe that construction of a continuous physical border wall in the Big Bend region would not represent the most practical or strategic approach to border security in this area.”

Now, a map on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website no longer indicates plans to construct a physical wall in the Big Bend region. It is unclear if those plans are final, since the map has been changed several times in the past few weeks.

The rugged area historically has been the least-busy of the nine Border Patrol sectors, accounting for just 1.3% of the 237,538 apprehensions recorded along the entire U.S.-Mexico border during the last fiscal year.

State on trial for unairconditioned prisons The state of Texas is now on trial in an Austin federal court to determine whether it must provide air-conditioning in state prisons, kut. org reported. Inmates and their attorneys have argued for decades that summer conditions — where temperatures can reach 110 degrees — constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

“The Constitution requires living conditions that are not exposing individuals to high heat levels, and the evidence has consistently shown that what TDCJ has done as an alternative has just not been effective,” attorney Brandon Duke said. “It’s not a solution.”

The state counters that it is bringing more AC online at its prisons.

Plaintiff attorneys say at least five inmates have died in Texas from heat-related illness since 2023.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice says it would cost $1.5 billion to install air-conditioning systems at all its prisons, and that state lawmakers must approve the funding.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pittman is expected to rule from the bench after the trial concludes.

Camp Mystic files application to reopen this summer Camp Mystic has filed an application with the state to reopen this summer, the Houston Chronicle reported. More than two dozen children and two camp counselors were killed in the July 4 flash floods that swept the camp. The Texas Department of State Health Services, which oversees camp licensing, said it has received complaints about the camp and that it will be “investigated for violations of the laws and rules governing youth camps.”

DSHS has been sued by the parents of nine victims who contend the camp was wrongfully licensed just two days before the disaster last summer, even though it lacked an evacuation plan. In a separate case, a Travis County judge has ordered Camp Mystic to preserve for future examination the cabins and grounds damaged in the floods.

Camp leaders are asking for permission to open its Cypress Lake campus, which they said is “in compliance with all aspects of the state’s new camp safety laws and has implemented additional safety measures that exceed the requirements of those laws.”

Texas public school teacher pay drops A new report from the University of Houston Education Research Center indicates average pay for Texas public school teachers has dropped about $5,000 over the past decade, the Chronicle reported. The decrease comes even as the cost of living has increased during that time span.

“When we look at those regional differences, there are some increases across the state, but really what we’re seeing is that average teacher salaries haven’t kept up with inflation,” said Toni Templeton, the Education Research Center’s senior research scientist.

Average base pay for the state’s most experienced teachers, those with 11 or more years of experience, has declined from about $73,000 to about $66,000 in 202425, according to the report.

The Texas Legislature approved pay increases based on teachers’ years of experience, and those raises could show up in future studies.

SpaceX planning what could be biggest-ever IPO Elon Musk’s SpaceX is confidentially planning to sell shares to the public in what could be the largest initial public offering in history, the Austin American-Statesman reported. It has filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission that indicates it could raise as much as $75 billion in an IPO by July.

The confidential filing allows companies to get feedback from regulators without revealing information to competitors.

However, Space X will have to release a public filing at least 15 days before its IPO “road show,” when it presents its financial plan to potential underwriters and institutional investors.

SpaceX has become the world’s leading commercial rocket launch company. Over the past five years, it has secured $6 billion in contracts from the federal government.

TDI helps stop $400 million Medicare scheme A Texas Department of Insurance investigator and crime analyst played a key role in arresting a Russian national who submitted $400 million in fake Medicare claims.

Nikolai Buzolin established a durable medical equipment company in Houston in 2025. He is charged with stealing patients’ and doctors’ identities to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare Part C.

“A few of the patients checked their explanation of benefits and noticed that they were getting medical equipment that they didn’t need. And it was coming from doctors they’d never met,” said TDI Fraud Unit investigator Sgt.

Kevin Mannion.

FBI agents arrested Buzolin as he was boarding a plane in Los Angeles to Russia. He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

“TDI works with federal, state, and local partners to follow cases wherever they go, whether it’s California or right here in Texas,” said Mannion. “We track them down, we shut them down, and we help dismantle these criminal activities.”

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

And it is exactly what it sounds like.

On Tomb-Sweeping Day, hundreds of millions of Chinese visit the tombs of their ancestors to sweep them of debris and dust. Many believe they should do it only once a year so as to not disturb the deceased. Oftentimes they will bring gifts and offerings for their ancestors to help them in the afterlife.

Every year, though, they make sure to go and sweep off the graves.

As Americans, we don’t have a specific day set aside for cleaning the graves of our loved ones. Some people visit every week or every month to make sure the grave is clean and has fresh flowers. Others visit once a year or on holidays. Still others avoid cemeteries completely because it is simply too hard to go.

I’ve always considered Easter a good day to visit the cemetery. In a way, Easter is our Tomb-Sweeping Day as Christians. When Peter and John visited Jesus’ tomb on that first Easter Sunday morning, they found it already cleaned out. Jesus was gone. His burial clothes were neatly folded where his body once lay.

Jesus’ clean and tidy tomb is a reminder of how clean and tidy our tombs one day will be. Centuries before Jesus was even born, Job gave this confident confession: “I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25).

Jesus, our Redeemer, lived long before he was born in Bethlehem and has lived long after his death at Calvary. On Judgment Day, Jesus will once again physically stand here on earth, but the Hebrew word here can also carry the idea of dust, which makes Job’s picture even more striking.

Our Redeemer will one day stand over the dust, the bodies, the graves of those who have died. And on that day, Job says confidently, “In my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes” (Job 19:26,27).

Jesus promises us that because he lives, we too will live (John 14:19). Just as he rose triumphant from the grave, we too will physically rise on the Last Day.

When a person dies, their body and soul separate. Their body turns back to dust. Their soul goes before God for judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:7). All those who believe in Jesus as their Savior are given the gift of heaven he won for them. All those who don’t believe are sent to the punishment of hell we all deserve (Mark 16:16).

But then on the last day, God will raise all the dead. Our bodies and souls will be reunited. They will glorified, just like Jesus’ resurrected body (Philippians 3:21).

Our graves will be emptied. They will be swept clean forever.

That’s the victory Jesus won for us with his resurrection. That is what we celebrate every Easter. And that is why Easter is such a good day to go visit the cemetery.

Easter tells us that the graves of all those who believe in Jesus will one day be swept clean.

Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 20 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church with campuses in Edna and Victoria, Texas. Read more of his devotional writing and contact him at 364DaysofThanksgiving. com.

Just before our NSDA District Tournament, we were told there were no remaining UIL funds.

Initially, we were unable to compete until our parents contributed $1,000.

With that opportunity, we exceeded expectations, qualifying for nationals and earning top placements.

Despite this, we have been informed we would not be able to attend nationals. We were told this was not a budgeted item and too late in the year, and even with donors ready to help, concerns were raised about financial strain on the community.

We are simply asking for the chance to represent Edna at a competition we have worked hard to reach.

We respectfully ask our community to support us in encouraging the school board and superintendent to reconsider.

Sincerely, Kyrstin Nieto

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts.

Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed. Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses? We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146.

Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to Hospice of South Texas, our March Member of the Month. Hospice of South Texas was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 605 E. Locust Ave in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 572-4300.

To our Edna Neighbors, Our Edna High School debaters have had a record-breaking season, ranking in the top 16 in the state and qualifying for the National Tournament! But right now, we are being told we can’t go.

Even though our parents personally funded our last tournament and private donors are standing by to help with Nationals, the school district has declined our trip, citing budget issues and Timing. We’ve worked all year for this moment, and we are ready to represent our town with pride.

Please help us by speaking out. We are asking the community to encourage the school board and superintendent to let us move forward.

We’ve done the work, we just need the chance to compete.

Thank you for standing with us Sincerely, Violet Khan

“Kelly Hancock was rejected by Texans because he failed to do his job. He failed to take me down during impeachment, and his career is over,” Paxton wrote on X. “It’s time for him to be fired.”

Before his appointment as acting comptroller, Hancock served in the Texas Senate and was one of two Republican state senators who voted to convict Paxton in his impeachment trial. Paxton was acquitted.

The latest dispute comes after Hancock sent a letter to Paxton and to federal officials, calling for stripping the Houston Quran Academy of its charter because of alleged ties to CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights advocacy organization. Abbott has designated that group a foreign terrorist organization. The academy is suing to overturn the designation.

Texas poised to lead nation in data centers Texas is poised to lead the nation by 2030 in the number of data centers, the Austin American- Statesman reported, surpassing Virginia. The state currently has 6.5 gigawatts of data center capacity under construction, accounting for 20% of the capacity added to the U.S. pipeline last year. One gigawatt can power about 750,000 homes on average.

Data centers provide the infrastructure to support both crypto currency facilities and the growth of artificial intelligence. The centers require huge amounts of power and water to operate. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates most of the state’s power grid, said the continuing growth in data centers will increase Texas energy demand by 71% in the next five years.

Central Texas has become the top data center market in the country.

The American-Statesman identified at least 55 completed or planned projects between Temple and San Antonio in 2025.

$116 million in FIFA safety grants announced The city of Houston and the North Central Texas Council of Governments, areas that are both hosting FIFA World Cup events, will receive $116 million in grants to provide for safety personnel, equipment and other public safety needs, the governor’s office has announced.

“The FIFA World Cup coming to Texas gives our state a premier opportunity to showcase all it has to offer,” Abbott said in a news release.

“These public safety grants will help ensure that travelers visiting and traveling throughout Texas can enjoy our great state safely, will bolster Texas’ efforts to combat crime, and help prevent potential acts of violence.”

The money is coming from the federal government under the omnibus budget bill passed last year. The budget provides $625 million in federal funding to host cities across America.

The funds are allocated for recipients to provide extensive security to protect venues, players, staff and attendees against potential terrorist attacks.

License seekers will have to prove they’re in country legally Anyone seeking a professional license in Texas, from barbers to dog breeders, will have to prove they are in the country legally after May 1, The Texas Tribune reported. The state’s Commission on Licensing and Regulation last week adopted a new rule that could affect thousands of workers.

A long line of speakers at a hearing urged the commission not to adopt the rule, arguing it will hamper the state’s economy and push people to work without a license.

The commission oversees the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

“TDLR has long been evaluating verification of license eligibility in line with federal law.

With the transfer of the Texas Lottery to TDLR, the recent launch of our licensing system modernization project, and increased focus on combatting human trafficking, the department is moving forward with lawful presence verification,” Caroline M. Espinosa, a TDLR spokesperson, said.

TDLR attorney Derek Burkhalter told commissioners that some non-citizens will still be able to get licenses if they are here legally; for example, if they were granted asylum or admitted as a refugee.

“The proposed rules do not impose a citizenship requirement,” Burkhalter said. “Individuals who are not U.S. citizens may still be eligible for licensure if they meet the eligibility criteria.”

Pedestrian, bicyclist fatalities continue to

increase

With spring and warmer weather here, there are more pedestrians and cyclists out on the road.

More than 20% of all Texas traffic fatalities involve either pedestrians or cyclists, according to the Texas Department of Transportation, which is urging drivers to know and follow the rules for sharing the road.

In 2024, 852 cyclists and pedestrians were killed in crashes on Texas roads. There were 6,095 crashes involving pedestrians and 2,761 crashes involving bicyclists. In 2025, there were 1,372 traffic crashes involving pedestrians in Texas and 527 traffic crashes involving bicyclists. In these crashes, 186 people were killed.

“All of us share a responsibility to watch out for each other, but people on foot or riding a bike are most at risk for serious injury or worse in a crash with a car, which means drivers must be extra vigilant,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said.

Slightly less active hurricane season predicted Hurricane season is a little more than two months away, and weather media outlet AccuWeather is predicting a slightly less active season this year than in 2025, the Houston Chronicle reported. However, Texas and the Gulf Coast are still at risk of being hit.

AccuWeather is forecasting 11 to 16 named storms, including four to eight hurricanes. Of those, one to three are expected to become Category 3 or strong hurricanes, with winds of at least 111 mph. Three to six storms could directly hit the United States, including one to three along the Gulf Coast, putting Texas and neighboring states at risk.

Last year was the first since 2015 without a hurricane making a direct U.S. landfall. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

Four Islamic schools have been admitted to the Texas voucher program after a federal judge ordered the state to invite the schools to apply, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The judge also ordered the application deadline for families be extended to March 31, citing concerns that no Islamic schools had been approved for the program.

“We received an invitation to register yesterday from Odyssey. We were able to register, and we got approval immediately upon finishing the registration form,” Hamed Ghazali, principal of the Houston Quran Academy, said.

“In addition, our school appeared on the parents’ portal and some of our parents were able to register, choosing our school.”

The voucher program gives as much as $10,400 for tuition reimbursement and other fees to parents who send their children to private school next year, up to $30,000 for parents of children with disabilities, and up to $2,000 for homeschooled children.

Texas Senate runoff ballot deadline passes 

The deadline for Republican candidates to withdraw from the May runoff ballot has passed, and both U.S. Sen.

John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton remain in the race, The Texas Tribune reported. Soon after the primary President Donald Trump promised to endorse one of the candidates “soon,” but has yet to do so.

Cornyn, who held a narrow lead in the primary but not a majority, recently wrote an op-ed piece reversing course on his opposition to ending the filibuster, which requires 60 votes for Senate approval of legislation. The Senate last week started floor discussion of the SAVE America Act, a bill Trump claims would “guarantee the midterms” for Republicans.

Both Cornyn and Paxton now back the bill, which restricts voting access.

There is little chance of the bill passing the Senate because of the filibuster, since all 47 Senate Democrats oppose it, calling it a modern-day poll tax.

There also does not appear to be enough support for ending the filibuster, which would allow the bill to pass with a simple majority.

Whoever wins the GOP Senate runoff will face state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, in November.

Chávez observance scrapped after abuse accusations 

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to no longer observe César Chávez Day and said he plans to ask lawmakers to remove the holiday from state law, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The move came after The New York Times reported Chavez, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, groomed and sexually abused girls and women who worked in the movement.

In addition, many Texas cities and school districts are considering renaming streets and schools and removing monuments to the famed labor leader.

“Let me be clear – no political affiliation, legacy or historic contribution should ever shield sexual predators from scrutiny or excuse the harm inflicted on survivors,” Dallas City Council member Bazaldua said in a Facebook post.

The co-founder of the UFW, Dolores Huerta, now 96, said Chavez forced her to have sex and raped her at one point. Huerta said that she kept silent to protect the farmworker movement.

Drag show ban finally takes effect 

A ban on certain public drag shows passed in 2023 finally took effect last week after a federal appeals court reaffirmed its constitutionality, The Tribune reported. The law prohibits performers from performing on public property or where children are present.

Paxton cheered the ruling in a news release, writing “I will always work to shield our children from exposure to erotic and inappropriate sexually oriented performances.”

The plaintiffs and the ACLU of Texas, which represents them, said they plan to continue fighting the ban.

“The law’s vague and sweeping provisions still create a harmful chilling effect for drag artists and those who support them, while also threatening many types of performing arts cherished here in Texas, from theater to ballet to professional wrestling,” ACLU Texas attorney Brian Klosterboer said in a statement.

$16 billion gas power plant planned in East Texas 

One of the nation’s largest energy projects is coming to East Texas, according to The News.

It is part of a $550 billion investment package that Japan pledged last October and will be built in Anderson County in East Texas.

The $16 billion natural gas-fired power generation hub will be able to serve up to five gigawatts of energy demand and will be operated by NextEra Energy Resources, a wholesale electricity provider based in Juno Beach, Florida.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Trump at the White House last week.

The administration has previously said the East Texas project will provide power to meet booming electricity demand, particularly as new data centers come online across the state.

147 measles cases in Texas this year 

The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported at least 147 cases of measles in the state this year, with most occurring in federal detention facilities, The Tribune reported. The largest outbreak, with 99 cases, is at the West Texas Detention Facility, which is privately operated in Hudspeth County.

A DSHS spokesperson said the “state’s role inside federal facilities is very limited,” so detailed information on contact tracing, vaccine response, or any demographic information on infected individuals is not available.

Another 20 cases have been reported in El Paso, Bexar, Bandera, Kendall, Lubbock, and Rockwall counties, according to DSHS, and were contracted from a variety of sources, such as international travel.

Measles is highly contagious and is especially dangerous to unvaccinated children, pregnant women and adults with compromised immune systems. It also has a long incubation period.

Agency launches lowcost pay and neuter program across state 

DSHS has launched a new sterilization program for dogs and cats after receiving $13 million in state funding to support the initiative for two years. The funds are allocated to 38 applicants to perform these procedures across the state. Grant recipients had to demonstrate the ability to provide high-volume, high-quality, and low-cost spay and neuter services.

“The program is designed to maximize sterilization impacts across both urban and rural communities in Texas. Receiving funding were animal shelters and rescue entities, veterinary clinics, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations that perform sterilization procedures,” the news release said.

To discover which entity is serving your area, visit this link: https:// tinyurl.com/5zkzu5bm.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn last week reversed his opposition to changing the Senate’s filibuster rules, writing in an oped that legislation in that chamber should pass with a simple majority, the San Antonio Express- News reported.

Cornyn said the change should be made to advance the so-called SAVE America Act, legislation pushed by President Trump that would require a birth certificate or passport to register to vote.

“After careful consideration, I support whatever changes to Senate rules that may prove necessary for us to get the SAVE America Act and homeland security funding past the Democrats’ obstruction, through the Senate, and on the president’s desk for his signature,” Cornyn wrote.

Cornyn has long opposed ending the filibuster, which requires a 60-vote majority to end debate on the Senate floor. The practice dates back to the early 1800s.

Cornyn is in a tough runoff race with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. That election is set for May 26.

Middleton, Roy go on offense ahead of AG runoff State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, are taking the gloves off as they also head to a runoff in the GOP primary for Texas attorney general, The Dallas Morning News reported. Middleton finished first in the March 3 primary but fell short of a majority. Paxton didn’t seek reelection to the state attorney general post, opting instead to run against Cornyn.

“Chip Roy is on the ropes,” Middleton said.

“We’ve got all the momentum.”

Roy, a four-term congressman, criticized what he called Middleton’s lack of legal experience.

“I wouldn’t hire Mayes Middleton into the office of the attorney general, except at a very basic level, because he has no discernible legal skills,” Roy said. Both are framing themselves as Trump allies.

On the Democratic side, state Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, faces former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski in a runoff. Johnson received 48.1% of the vote to 26.4% for Jaworski in the March 3 primary.

Trump taps emergency oil reserves from Texas sites The Trump administration pledged 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve last week, with the oil coming from sites along the Gulf Coast, the Houston Chronicle reported. Prices for West Texas Intermediate crude oil have been hovering just below $100 per barrel since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

Iranian officials have responded by essentially shutting down oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran controls.

“The market is seriously unbalanced, and that will continue until the Strait is reopened and upstream and downstream operations return to normal,” said Jim Burkhard, Vice President and the S&P Global Energy Crude Oil Markets. “It will not happen quickly.”

The national oil reserves are held in dozens of man-made underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana.

State ban on smokable cannabis takes effect on March 31 Smokable cannabis products must be gone from Texas store shelves by March 31, the Texas Standard reported. The new rules were formulated by the Texas Department of State Health Services after the Texas Legislature couldn’t agree on whether to regulate THC products or ban them entirely.

Annual fees charged to retailers are set to rise to $5,000 per year for each retail location and $10,000 per year for each manufacturing facility — 33 and 40 times higher, respectively, than current levies.

More than 9,100 retail locations in the state are registered to sell consumable hemp products.

Cannabis advocates say the higher fees and ban on cannabis flowers and smokable extracts will send users to the underground market.

“Our concern is some of these measures are so draconian that you are going to drive people out of the business and then folks’ access to the products,” Mark Bordas, head of the Texas Hemp Business Council, said.

“Invariably, we’re going to have to bring forth a [lawsuit], and the state has to defend what it’s done, and that’s taxpayer money, and it’s a waste.”

Water woes in Corpus could prompt state action A looming water crisis in Corpus Christi has prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to warn the city’s leadership that the state may intervene to ensure that the city’s residents and businesses have access to water, The Texas Tribune reported.

The city’s water supply could be outpaced by demand as soon as June 2027, according to one model.

“Corpus Christi is a victim not because of lack of water. They’re a victim because of a lack of ability to make a decision,” Abbott said at a press conference.

The city currently has $1 billion in water projects underway to increase supply, but many of them won’t come online until later this year or next year.

The city’s water woes stem from low reservoir levels, a long-lasting drought, and rising demand driven by an industrial boom, especially in petrochemical and energy projects near the bay. A large seawater desalination plant proposal was turned down by the city council last year after it faced fierce criticism because of its cost and potential harm to the marine ecosystem. Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo has called for a special emergency meeting to vote again on the plant proposal.

Big Bend projects removed from ‘Smart Wall’ plan U.S. Customs and Border Protection has updated its “Smart Wall” map to remove two planned projects in the Big Bend area, including one slated for Big Bend National Park, according to the Texas Standard.

The plan has drawn considerable opposition from park lovers, including a newly formed group, No Big Bend Wall.

“While this shift from potential ‘physical wall’ to ‘detection technology’ is a signal that the public pressure is working, lack of transparency means we don’t know if this is a real policy shift or a tactical one designed to lower our guard,” the group said.

CBP did not publicly announce the change and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress.

com.

Learn about how to “Make Your Small Business More Accessible” with Google. If you want to make your business easier to find and more accessible to all customers, join this event presented by SBDC Texas A&M-Victoria. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your online presence and better serve your community. Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, March 25th.

We are excited to announce that the Chamber will be hosting TWO golf tournaments this year. Our Annual Spring Chamber Golf Tournament will take place on Good Friday, April 3rd, at the Edna Country Club, and we’ll be bringing even more fun to the fairway with a second tournament planned for the fall.

We are currently seeking sponsors for both events — a great opportunity to showcase your business while supporting the Chamber and our community. Registration is now open for the Spring Tournament.

You can sign up at the Chamber office or at the Edna Country Club. We hope you’ll join us for a fantastic day of golf, networking, and fun. Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses—and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks. Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time.

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts. Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed.

Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses? We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146. Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to Hospice of South Texas, our March Member of the Month! Hospice of South Texas was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 605 E. Locust Ave in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 572-4300.

“Welcome to Texas.”

That was how the gentleman on the other end of the phone greeted me. For a moment I tried to place the voice. My day had already been full of calls. Some folks offered congratulations.

Others were gentle but direct, reminding me of the long history and significance of the newspapers that had just changed hands.

This caller was another publisher. Someone who understood exactly what had just happened.

Times Media Group – the company I started in 1997 as a single 5,000-circulation newspaper – had just acquired Texas Local Media (also known as Moser Community Media) and its 32 community newspapers. In our business, news like that travels fast.

While operating newspapers in the great state of Texas represents new ground for me, becoming the owner and steward of historic community publications is not. I’ve spent the better part of my career doing exactly that. And over the years I’ve learned something that tends to surprise most people.

Running a successful community newspaper is not nearly as complicated as some make it out to be.

At its core, it simply requires a deep understanding of one thing and a firm belief in another. The understanding is that communities will always need reliable local news and information. The belief is that trusted local sources will only become more important as the world becomes louder, faster and more confusing.

Technology changes.

Methods of delivery change. Printing presses turn into websites, mobile editions and social media feeds. But the reason community newspapers exist remains the same.

People want to know what is happening where they live.

They want to know which issues matter, what decisions are being made, which teams won, which businesses have opened, and which neighbors deserve recognition. Most importantly, they want that information to come from a source they know and trust.

In many ways, the job simply comes down to showing up, paying attention and caring about the place you are writing for. From what I’ve learned about the team here at Texas Local Media, I’m confident we have plenty of that.

I’ve also learned that every community newspaper, whether in Texas, Arizona, Colorado or California, shares something in common.

The names of the streets change. The high school mascots change. The barbecue gets way, way better. But the heartbeat of each community newspaper remains the same, and it belongs to the people and the community it serves.

Something you may notice about our coverage over time is that the news and information produced by these publications will become more visible and accessible. We believe strongly in making local journalism available to as many people as possible. Whenever practical, we try to democratize the news by making it available free of charge.

Readers can still choose to have the newspaper delivered directly to their door for the modest cost of a subscription. Many still enjoy that ritual and we intend to continue providing that service.

Others prefer their news digitally, which is why you will also find our publications arriving in email inboxes and appearing more frequently online.

This approach has not always been the Texas Local Media way. It is now.

Our goal is simple: we want the journalism produced here to reach more people in the communities it serves, not fewer.

Because at the end of the day, these publications are about something bigger than headlines and pages.

They are about bringing communities together. A good community newspaper helps neighbors understand one another, celebrate one another and even disagree in productive ways.

When that happens, communities become stronger. And strong communities are very hard to tear apart.

We are proud to continue the work of strengthening communities here in Texas.

From where I sit, there is no more important job in journalism. And we intend to do it every day and do it well. If we succeed, we will exceed the standards of these fine newspapers and keep the promise we’ve made to you and your community – to tell your stories fairly, accurately and without bias.

“Nothing’s impossible for Rickey. You don’t have enough fingers and toes to count out Rickey.”

“Don’t worry, Rickey, you’re still the best.”

“Rickey don’t like it when Rickey can’t find Rickey’s limo.”

They call that illeism – the act of referring to oneself in the third person. In our world today, people who use illeism often come across as brash and cocky.

One of the writers of the Bible had a penchant for illeism, but he didn’t refer to himself by his given name. He called himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

That’s how John talked about John.

And at first glance, John can sound a bit like Rickey Henderson – as if he were saying that he was somehow better or more loved by Jesus than the other disciples.

But John was actually doing the opposite.

John wasn’t saying, “Look at John.”

He was saying, “Look at Jesus.”

John wasn’t saying, “I am what I have done.”

He was saying, “I am who Jesus says I am.”

Every time John talked about himself, he turned the spotlight on Jesus. John knew he had earned none of it – not the honor, not the closeness, and certainly not Jesus’ love.

And yet, he was the disciple Jesus loved.

And so are you. So am I.

And yet, so often, I turn the spotlight back on myself. I base my identity on me and what I accomplish.

As a teenager, I was obsessed with becoming a great basketball player. My value, my purpose, and my self-worth were wrapped up in being a basketball player.

And then, in the blink of an eye, my basketball career was done.

Today, many people know me simply as Pastor Andy. That name carries a reputation in my community that is far kinder than I deserve.

But one day, that public identity will fade. My articles won’t be published, my videos won’t be posted, and my sermons won’t be preached in church. If those things were all that I am, then I would be left with nothing.

Thankfully, my identity is not Pastor Andy. It does not rest on public affection or pastoral reputation, but on my baptism and on Jesus, who loved me so much 2,000 years ago that he suffered my punishment and died my death so that I could live with him forever in heaven.

Andy is the disciple Jesus loved.

And so are you. Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving” and “364 Days of Devotion,” on Amazon.com.

Voters in both parties can return to the polls in May to decide primary winners in several runoff elections where no candidate garnered a majority:

• · U.S. Sen. John Cornyn faces challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cornyn received 41.9% of the GOP vote to 40.7% for Paxton in the March 3 primary.

• · State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston faces U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin for the Republican nomination for Texas Attorney General. Middleton led in the primary with 39.1%, while Roy had 31.6%.

• · On the Democratic side for attorney general, state Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, faces former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.

Johnson fell just short of winning a majority with 48.1% in the primary, while Jaworski earned 26.4% of the vote.

• · Two Democrats are headed for a runoff for lieutenant governor.

State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, finished well ahead of Marcos Velez, a Houston labor leader, with 48% of the vote. Velez received 31.5% of the primary vote. The winner will face incumbent GOP Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

There are also several runoffs slated in congressional and state house races. The runoffs will be held May 26, with early voting running from May 18-22.

Voters cannot cross over to vote in a runoff, meaning if they voted in the Democratic primary, they cannot vote in a GOP runoff, and vice versa. Voters who didn’t cast ballots in either March primary can participate in the runoff of either party.

GAS PRICES SPIKE SHARPLY IN WAKE OF IRAN WAR The price of gasoline rose nearly a dollar per gallon in some cities after the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran last week. The Dallas Morning News reported gas prices are now at their highest level since President Trump took office in January 2025.

Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been largely stalled, greatly reducing production by Asian refiners.

U.S. crude oil prices topped $89 late last week. Since the Friday before the attacks, Brent crude oil, the global benchmark for oil prices, has increased by 24%.

Trump said Friday there will not be a deal to end the U.S.-Iran war without an “unconditional surrender” by Iran.

HUFFINES SAYS HE WOULD NOT CHANGE VOUCHER PROGRAM Former state Sen.

Don Huffines, who handily beat Gov. Greg Abbott’s handpicked candidate for state comptroller in the GOP primary, said he does not intend to change the state’s $1 billion voucher program if he wins election in November. Huffines, who challenged Abbott for the governorship in 2022, praised the current handling of the program, according to the Houston Chronicle.

“We’re not here to be disruptive,” Huffines said. “I don’t see a big disruption in the process that’s already started, as long as it’s going smoothly and being run effectively and managed.”

Huffines will face State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D- Austin, in the fall. The comptroller’s office has been tasked with overseeing the voucher program, which is in its first year.

GONZALES ENDS REELECTION BID AFTER ADMITTING AFFAIR U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, withdrew from his reelection race after admitting to an extramarital affair with an aide who later died by suicide, The News reported.

“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek reelection while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district,” Gonzales said in a statement posted on social media.

The House Ethics Committee announced a probe into his conduct after the primary ended. Gonzales finished second to challenger Brandon Herrera in the Republican primary for the state’s 23rd congressional district, but the race was headed to a runoff until Gonzales withdrew.

Herrera will face Democrat Katy Padilla Stout, an attorney, in the general election.

SPACEX BEACH CLOSURE FIGHT REACHES TEXAS SUPREME COURT The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in a fight over whether counties can temporarily close a beach for a space flight, The Tribune reported. Rio Grande Valley environmentalists and indigenous groups have sued over a 2013 law that allows some counties to close a beach.

The dispute primarily concerns SpaceX, which operates a launch site near Boca Chica Beach in Cameron County. The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized the company to launch rockets up to 25 times a year, prompting the closure of roughly eight miles of beach adjacent to the launch pad.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs argued the Open Beaches Amendment to the state constitution grants the public an unrestricted right to use public beaches. The state contended that the amendment does not guarantee unlimited, unfettered access.

“It is a more limited right,” said Beth Klusmann, deputy solicitor general for the Texas Attorney General’s Office. “The question, of course, then is what are those limits.”

DRUNK DRIVING CRASHES SPIKE IN SPRING Spring break is upon us, and the Texas Department of Transportation is supporting community efforts across the state to stop impaired driving. The state last year saw a spike of drunk driving crashes in March, more than any other month.

There were 700 DUIalcohol related traffic crashes in the state during the 2025 spring break period, leading to 36 fatalities and 63 serious injuries. During that time, 51% of all alcoholrelated crashes in Texas involved young drivers aged 17–30.

Drivers are urged to never drive after consuming any amount of alcohol or drugs and to arrange for a sober ride beforehand.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

Enjoy an exciting day of networking, hiring, and business discovery at the Annual Job Fair & Business Expo hosted by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture and Workforce Solutions Golden Crescent.

Whether you’re looking for a new career opportunity or hoping to grow your business connections, this event is the perfect place to be. This event will be at the Jackson County Services Building on Wednesday, March 25th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call the JCCCA at (361) 7827146 or visit our website at www.jacksoncountytexas. com. Join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, March 26th. Learn about how to “Make Your Small Business More Accessible” with Google. If you want to make your business easier to find and more accessible to all customers, join this event presented by SBDC Texas A&M-Victoria. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your online presence and better serve your community.

Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, March 25th.

We are excited to announce that the Chamber will be hosting TWO golf tournaments this year. Our Annual Spring Chamber Golf Tournament will take place on Good Friday, April 3rd, at the Edna Country Club, and we’ll be bringing even more fun to the fairway with a second tournament planned for the fall.

We are currently seeking sponsors for both events — a great opportunity to showcase your business while supporting the Chamber and our community. Registration is now open for the Spring Tournament.

You can sign up at the Chamber office or at the Edna Country Club. We hope you’ll join us for a fantastic day of golf, networking, and fun.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks.

Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time.

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us.

We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts.

Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed. Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses?

We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146.

Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join.

Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Congratulations to Hospice of South Texas, our March Member of the Month! Hospice of South Texas was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 605 E. Locust Ave in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 5724300.

For more information, call the JCCCA at (361) 782-7146 or visit our website at www.jacksoncountytexas. com. Join us for a FREE Lunch & Learn on Thursday, March 26th.

Learn about “ Make Your Small Business More Accessible” with Google. If you want to make your business easier to find and more accessible to all customers, join this event presented by SBDC Texas A&M-Victoria. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your online presence and better serve your community!

Call 361-782-7146 or email info@jctx.us to RSVP by Wednesday, March 25th.

We are excited to be hosting TWO golf tournaments this year.

We will hold our Annual Spring Chamber Golf Tournament on Good Friday, April 3rd at the Edna Country Club and another Golf Tournament in the Fall.

We are looking for sponsors for these two events. Registration is open for the Spring Chamber Golf Tournament. You can register at the Chamber office or out at the Edna Country Club. We hope you will join us for a good time.

Here’s a friendly reminder to support our amazing local businesses— and one of the easiest ways to do that is with Chamber Bucks. Chamber Bucks can be purchased in any amount and work just like a gift card at over 25 participating businesses throughout our community. By choosing Chamber Bucks, you’re not just buying a gift—you’re making an investment in Jackson County. The goal of this program is simple: encourage everyone to SHOP LOCAL. Every Chamber Buck spent stays right here at home, helping our local economy grow and thrive.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase yours today. Let’s keep Jackson County strong—one local purchase at a time. Looking to share a special message with the community? For only $5, you can display your announcement on the Chamber’s LED sign—a great way to catch attention. We also offer affordable weekly and monthly rates for ongoing promotions.

Members, if you’re active on Facebook and have news, events, or promotions you’d like us to share, just tag us in your post or email us. We’re happy to help spread the word and support your efforts.

Let’s work together to keep our community connected and informed. Not Yet a Chamber Member? Now’s the Perfect Time to Join. Visit www.jacksoncountytexas. com Have you recently had a great experience at one of our Chamber Member businesses?

We’d love to hear about it. Each month, we recognize a Member of the Month, and your nominations help us spotlight those who go above and beyond. To nominate a business, simply email us at info@jctx.us or call (361) 782-7146.

Let’s celebrate the businesses that make our community shine.

Congratulations to Hospice of South Texas, our March Member of the Month. Hospice of South Texas was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors because of their continued support of the Chamber and also our community. Located at 605 E. Locust Ave in Victoria. For more information, call (361) 572-4300.

Texans planning to travel to Mexico or currently visiting there are urged to closely follow warnings from the U.S. Department of State, which advises U.S. citizens to not travel to the states of Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas. Travelers to other states in Mexico are urged to either reconsider or at least exercise increased caution. This comes after violence broke out in Jalisco following the death of a cartel leader in a gunfight with Mexican authorities.

Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to increase security along the border region.

“Mexican drug cartels pose a significant threat to public safety and national security,” Abbott said. “By increasing proactive efforts to defend against cartel violence, Texas will continue to utilize every tool and strategy to protect our state and our nation. We will not cower to criminals who impose terror on our fellow Texans and Americans.”

Texans in need of immediate assistance can call the U.S. Department of State (from outside the U.S: 1202-501-4444; from inside the U.S.: 1-888 407-4747) or the Texas Fusion Center (1-844-927-0521).

Patrick seeks to block Camp Mystic’s reopening Texas should not renew the license for Camp Mystic this summer until necessary changes are made to ensure more lives aren’t lost in a flood, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wrote in a letter to the state health commissioner, according to the Texas Standard.

“It would be naive to allow Camp Mystic to return to normal operations before all of the facts are known,” Patrick wrote to Department of State Health Services Commissioner Jennifer Shuford. “Camp Mystic should have decided on their own to suspend operations this coming summer, but it appears they are planning for camp in 2026 and will likely be seeking your approval to operate with a renewed license.”

Flooding last July 4 killed 25 campers, two counselors and the camp’s executive director.

Parents of some of the campers who died have sued Shuford and other DSHS officials, claiming the state failed to follow Texas law when licensing the camp without ensuring it had adequate evacuation plans. In the months following the flood, Camp Mystic has announced plans to reopen its Cypress Lake property, which it says is independent from the older Guadalupe River location where the girls died.

Wildfires popping up across the state

Dry conditions and brisk winds are fueling a rise in wildfires across the state. The Texas A&M Forest Service reported that forecast rain could lessen the wildfire risk in early March.

As of Sunday, the service reported two active wildfires: one in Orange County, in Southeast Texas, and the other in Schleicher County, in Central Texas. Most of the wildfires reported last week and now contained were in East Texas. Burn bans are in place in 184 of the state’s 254 counties.

Education board approves 4,200 curriculum corrections

The State Board of Education last week approved roughly 4,200 corrections and revisions to its elementary and secondary school curriculum, The Texas Tribune reported. The cost of making the corrections and changes has not been determined, but it will come at taxpayer expense, since the Texas Education Agency developed the materials using state funding. A TEA official said the agency planned to determine the costs now that the changes and corrections have been approved. The vote was delayed in January.

The state has been using the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum since November 2024. When unveiled, it attracted national attention for its references to the Bible and Christianity.

Approximately 1 in 4 school districts have indicated that they are using at least some portions of the reading curriculum, covering about 400,000 students. The materials come with a $60 perstudent incentive for districts.

TEA spokesperson Jake Kobersky said not all the changes to Bluebonnet are to fix errors.

“Some updates are simply improvements based on teacher feedback,” Kobersky said.

“Every change and/or edit made to the product must be submitted individually for SBOE approval, regardless of the nature of the change, hence the large number.”

New state park open after years of delays

The gates to the state’s newest park are now open. Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, located about 75 miles west of Fort Worth, consists of 4,871 acres of former ranchland, according to The Dallas Morning News. It marks the first time in more than 25 years that a new state park has opened in North Texas.

“I am proud of the dedication of our [Texas Parks and Wildlife Department] team but also the unwavering support of the Texas Legislature and the voters of Texas that have brought us to this moment,” Rodney Franklin, director of Texas state parks, said in a news release.

“State park staff stand ready to welcome families far and wide to begin making memories at Texas’ newest state park.”

The park’s planned opening in 2023 was postponed by safety concerns during construction. It has more than 16 miles of trials, a 90-acre lake and both recreational vehicle and tent-camping sites.

The site was purchased by the parks department in 2011.

Funding for its construction came from a combination of legislative appropriation, the Sporting Goods Sales Tax, federal funding, and $10 million in private philanthropy.

Four Texas counties report measles cases

Measles cases have been reported recently in four Texas counties: Frio, Bandera, Kendall and Lubbock. With five reported cases, Bandera had the most, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Lubbock was the center of last year’s outbreak when people from surrounding counties with measles came there for hospital care.

The current outbreak of measles has been centered around South Carolina. Last year, Texas led the nation with more than 800 cases, mostly in West Texas.

Measles is highly contagious, spread by airborne particles. It has a 90% infection rate among unvaccinated people who are exposed to someone with measles. It can cause people to also lose their immune protection against other diseases.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress. com.

Yes, that’s right, you can watch The Antiques Road Show 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I don’t know what it is about that show, but I can watch it for hours.

It’s fascinating. Most people don’t understand the value of what they own. Some bring objects they think are worthless and are stunned to find out they’re worth thousands of dollars. Others bring in pieces they think are priceless, only to be crushed to hear they’re worth almost nothing.

The experts usually know what an item is worth.

But in the end, they don’t determine its value. The market does.

An item is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. And sometimes, when the price is set, it reveals more about the buyer than it does about the item.

Only when someone pays the price do you really know what the item is worth to them.

What is Jesus worth to you?

The experts of Jesus’ day set his value at thirty pieces of silver. That is what the religious leaders were willing to pay to get rid of him. That is what Jesus was worth to Judas, who betrayed him.

But what is Jesus worth to you?

I think we’d all be quick to say with the Apostle Paul, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). He is our everything.

“I would never sell out my Savior for thirty pieces of silver – or any amount of money!”

Maybe not. Or maybe we would do it for less.

Have you ever sold out your Savior to be accepted by classmates, friends, or co-workers? Have you ever traded time with Jesus for extra hours of sleep or entertainment? Have you held on so tightly to your thirty pieces of silver that you couldn’t give him three? Or two? Or even one?

Value is not simply the price we say. It’s the price we are willing to pay.

Look at how Jesus has valued you. He didn’t just say, “You’re important to me – you’re valuable to me.” He showed it. He paid it.

The holy Son of God was willing to be sold for thirty pieces of silver, willing to be betrayed with a kiss, willing to be handed over to his enemies, willing to be killed as a criminal. He was willing to suffer your punishment, your death, your hell because you are so valuable to him.

With his death on the cross, Jesus was telling you, “You are worth my life!”

The world priced Jesus at thirty pieces of silver.

He priced you at his blood.

Right now, Christians around the world are commemorating the season of Lent – a time of year when many churches quietly follow Jesus on his road to the cross. Over the next few weeks, as we watch him in those last days and hours of his life – as we see the price he was willing to pay for us – let’s think about, let’s calculate, let’s live that critical question.

What is Jesus worth to me?

Pastor Andrew Schroer has been a pastor for over 25 years and is currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, Texas. You can find his latest books, “364 Days of Thanksgiving” and “364 Days of Devotion,” on Amazon.com.

Early voting in the March 3 primary ends on Friday, Feb. 27,. Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced that Texas has 18.7 million registered voters for the primary.

“Nearly 19 million Texans are registered to vote, and my office and election officials across the state are working to make sure all Texas voters who want to participate in the primary election are confident in the process and ready to cast a ballot,” Nelson said.

When casting a ballot in person, voters are required to show identification. Cell phones are prohibited in a room in which voting is taking place. However, voters can bring written notes and printed sample ballots into the polling location for reference.

During the primary elections, voters must indicate which party’s primary they wish to vote in, though Texas law does not require voters to register with a party before casting a ballot.

Crossing over during primary season is not allowed. For example, if a voter casts a ballot in the Democratic primary, that person cannot vote in a runoff election in the Republican primary, and vice versa.

TALARICO GETS BOOST FROM COLBERT DRAMA Both Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico and his primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, agree that Talarico got a boost from the brouhaha stemming from the refusal of CBS to allow talk show host Stephen Colbert to air an interview with him. The interview was instead posted on YouTube, where it has, to date, garnered more than seven million views. Talarico reported raising more than $2.5 million in fundraising off what he called an attempt to censor him, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Talarico trailed Crockett by eight points in a University of Houston poll released earlier. No polling has been released since the video went viral.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said in January that he was considering requiring TV talk show hosts to offer equal airtime, but that has not been made official. Talk shows have long been exempted from that rule.

Crockett said last week the attempt to ban the interview only amplified it.

“It probably gave my opponent the boost he was looking for,” Crockett said.

The winner of the Democratic primary will face the winner of the GOP primary, which pits incumbent U.S. Sen.

John Cornyn against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S.

Rep. Wesley Hunt.

MOST TEXANS ARRESTED BY ICE HAVE NO CONVICTIONS The Trump administration’s deportation campaign promised to target gang members, murderers, and other criminal offenders. However, a review of federal data shows a lower percentage of people targeted had criminal convictions than in former President Joe Biden’s final year in office, according to the Chronicle. Federal agents arrested about 54,000 people in Texas during Trump’s first nine months of office, more than double the number during a similar period under Biden. But the share of those with criminal convictions fell from about 60% under Biden to under 40% under Trump.

Over a third of the arrests made by ICE under Trump involved people with no criminal convictions and no pending criminal charges, compared to 13% under Biden.

“The statistics show the indiscriminate nature of the Trump administration’s policies around trying to meet its self-defined quotas of 3,000 arrests per day,” said Adriel Orozco, senior policy counsel at the American Immigration Council.

Texas’ weekly ICE arrests increased by 135% during that same time frame.

TEXAS SUES DOW, CLAIMING ‘HABITUAL’ POLLUTION VIOLATIONS The Texas Attorney General’s office has sued Dow Chemical Co., alleging hundreds of water pollution violations at its industrial complex at Seadrift, across from the Aransas Wildlife Refuge. The Texas Tribune reported that Dow, North America’s largest chemical manufacturer, has been in “habitual noncompliance” with pollution permits.

A spokesperson for Union Carbide Corp., which operates the Seadrift complex for Dow, said the company “works closely with state and federal regulators to ensure compliance with all existing laws and regulations.”

The state’s lawsuit follows a 60-day notice of intent to sue filed in December by a local environmental activist. The state’s suit could supersede that pending litigation, according to The Tribune.

JANUARY WAS DRIER, WARMER THAN NORMAL Two thirds of Texas is now in drought, according to hydrologist Mark Wentzel with the Texas Water Development Board. That is up 13 percentage points from late December.

“The small improvements in temperature and precipitation we saw in January weren’t enough to end drought expansion in our state,” Wentzel wrote.

Meanwhile, both the 2026 Old Farmer’s Almanac and the Farmers’ Almanac’s long-range spring outlooks for Texas are calling for warmer and wetter weather in Texas, the Austin American- Statesman reported.

“April will bring warm temperatures (5 degrees above average), while May will cool off slightly (1 degree above average),” meteorologists Bob Smerbeck and Brian Thompson wrote in their forecast explanation. “Rainfall will be above normal, and watch for a tropical storm in late May.”

WILDFIRE SEASON JUST AROUND THE CORNER Texas A&M Forest Service has put the current wildfire preparedness gauge at Level 3, which means, “wildfire activity is impacting several regions of the state as the result of drought, dry vegetation or frequent fire weather events.”

Several wildfires broke out last week across the Panhandle as humidity levels dropped and winds gusts rose up to 65 mph.

Last Tuesday the service responded to nine wildfires affecting more than 18,000 acres. As of Sunday burn bans were in place in 151 Texas counties, covering all of the Panhandle and most of Central and West Texas. The wildfire potential is expected to increase this week as dry, windy conditions continue.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park.

Email: gborders@texaspress. com