Opinion

The New Year is upon us and so is National Soup Month. It is hard to believe.

The Scott’s Orioles and Black-chinned hummingbirds have long since moved south. The kingbirds and swallows are gone, and Common Poorwills no longer call in the evenings. The warblers and flycatchers that paused for a brief rest in your yard during September and October are now on their wintering grounds far away.

Feng-pin An, P.E., has been appointed as the new area for the Fort Stockton Area Office. In his new role, Feng-pin will oversee design and construction operations in Pecos, Reeves, and Terrell counties. He will also supervise maintenance sections in Fort Stockton, Iraan, Balmorhea, Pecos, and Sanderson.

The pandemic has brought with it many changes to our daily lives. One change is a reduction in traffic on the highways. This would seem like a positive change, but, surprisingly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reporting that our less traveled roads have given rise to more risky driving behaviors and a higher fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled. While many are limiting their driving to trips for necessities, many of the drivers that are not limiting their driving are more apt to take risks including speeding and not consistently wearing seat belts.

Without grace, our public discourse will continue to suffer. “Grace;’ according to, Dictionary.com, has more than one meaning, but all of them are powerful.

As 2021 gets underway, so too will the 87th Texas Legislative Session, and this one promises to be unlike any other in recent history. The coronavirus threat will loom large, dramatically changing both the topics considered by lawmakers and the process by which they do so.

My new puppy entered the world on Christmas and he s already bringing incredible joy into my family - just as many dogs, cats and other bundles of joy are doing for millions during these unusual times.