My five cents...

Things are picking up at the Capitol this week. Senate Finance has begun hearing testimony about the budget and Senate Redistricting is continuing to hear testimony from across the state about the redistricting process.

DPS issues official 60-day notification that DL expiration waiver ends in April

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has officially issued the 60-day notice that the COVID-related waiver on expiration dates for driver licenses (DLs) and identification cards (IDs) ends on April 14, 2021.

President Biden approves emergency declaration for Texas

FEMA announced federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Texas to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by a severe winter storm beginning on Feb. 11, 2021 and continuing.

Bitter cold takes toll on utilities

Icy roads, rolling blackouts, sustained sub-freezing temperatures, and no water were just some of the difficulties Winter Storm Uri brought to Orange County.

Arts advocates launch arts education campaign

Fine Arts Programs to be Highlighted in Legislative Session as Key Response to Covid-related Mental Health Concerns and New Workforce Skill Demands A group of arts education advocates today announced the formation of a statewide advocacy and grassroots campaign – the Texas Arts Education Campaign...

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service surveys Texans on strengths, needs of communities

TexasSpeaks is being conducted in Orange County and across the State of Texas to allow the citizens of Texas to provide their input on the assets and issues in their communities.

Big temperature drop forecast for weekend

The National Weather Service is predicting a chilly, or possibly bone-chilling, weekend for our area. Exactly how cold it will get is still uncertain with Vidor expected to see minimum temperatures near freezing to the lower 20’s and the lakes area possibly in the teens.

Texas' first printer couldn't catch a break

On Feb. 16, 1817, a Boston teenager with a hand-cranked press produced the first printed words in Texas history – the long-winded manifesto of a doomed expedition. On his way to free Mexico from Spanish tyranny, Francisco Xavier Mina docked at an American port to take on provisions.