Then again I could Be Wrong...
Publisher - The Silbee Bee
Weekly column by Dennis Phillips — featuring local news, hilarious misadventures, strange life events, and the occasional mind-numbing, head-scratching, possibly thought-provoking ramble.
Capitol Highlights
State Capitol Reporter - Texas Press Asssociation
A weekly, bullet-point look at the Texas Capitol — covering the antics, actions, and aftermath of each legislative session. Gary delivers a straight-shooting news report on the state government issues that matter most to Texans.
Abbott has until June 22 to sign or veto bills
Texas legislators concluded the 89th session last week, passing over 1,200 bills — more than 800 of which were sent to Gov. Greg Abbott in the final 10 days, according to The Dallas Morning News. Abbott has until June 22 to act on pending legislation, including the $338 billion state budget. While he can’t veto the entire budget, he may line-item veto specific portions. Bills passed with two-thirds support in both chambers — such as proposed constitutional amendments — cannot be vetoed and will appear on the November ballot. One such proposal raises the homestead exemption to offer property tax relief. Among the most controversial bills is Senate Bill 3, which would ban consumable hemp products containing THC. Abbott has not indicated whether he will veto it, despite pressure from veterans’ groups to do so and counterpressure from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and law enforcement to sign it. Rural Texans See Gains in Health, Education, Water Infrastructure Rural communities — home to more than 3 million Texans — saw major funding increases in health care, education, agriculture, and emergency services. Schools will receive $8.5 billion in additional funding, including teacher pay raises: $8,000 for those with five or more years of experience and $4,000 for others. A new water bill directs more funding to rural water and wastewater projects. Other legislation increases support for rural hospitals and creates a mechanism to evaluate financial health and update reimbursement rates biennially. A grant program for ambulance purchases in rural counties was also approved. Lawmakers expanded a grant program for farmers, raising the cap from $20,000 to $500,000 and eliminating age restrictions. A disaster recovery program was also created for counties with fewer than 100,000 residents who haven’t received FEMA reimbursement. In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students Ends Texas has ended in-state tuition for college students without legal status. Attorney General Ken Paxton and the U.S. Department of Justice jointly filed a motion to halt the policy, which a judge approved. The policy began in 2001 under then-Gov. Rick Perry. Critics said it unfairly favored undocumented students over U.S. citizens. Tuition costs for these students are expected to quadruple, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Judges Get Raises, Lawmakers’ Pensions Shift Lawmakers approved a 25% raise for Texas judges, raising base pay to $175,000. Since legislative pensions are tied to judicial pay, pensions will also increase. Future adjustments will be handled by the Texas Ethics Commission. Texas judges have long ranked among the nation’s lowest paid. Lawmakers hesitated to raise judicial pay in past sessions due to the pension link, fearing voter backlash. Saharan Dust, Hurricane Season Both Arrive Saharan dust arrived in Texas late last week, causing hazy skies in the eastern half of the state. While less intense than in past years, the dust may aggravate respiratory issues but also brings vivid sunrises and sunsets. With hurricane season underway through Nov. 30, the Public Utility Commission urges Texans to prepare emergency plans. Outage updates and resources are available at puc.texas.gov/storm.
A General's influence
Life and God
For more than 30 years, Don Forrester—pastor of Henly Baptist Church and a longtime spiritual guide from Dennis Phillips' hometown—has shared wisdom, humor, and a touch of divine insight. His perspective is often shaped (and sharpened) by his wife, affectionately known as “The General.”
Roosters, Ruins, and Rediscovery
Yesterday, a friend who used to live in our old neighborhood called me. He mentioned that his wife and two daughters were on a Mediterranean cruise, while he stayed home to take care of their dog and cat. He chose not to join them. Throughout our decades-long friendship, he has declined several cruise invitations. His reluctance isn’t due to a dislike of travel; rather, he simply hates flying. I found it interesting that his mention of the Mediterranean cruise coincided with my own “lost and found” experience. Seventeen years ago, my partner and I went on an eighteen-day Mediterranean cruise that took us to seven different countries, allowing us to explore places we never thought we could visit. I would do most of that trip again in a heartbeat. In fact, we probably should consider going back, but my bucket list includes several places we haven’t yet seen. This was long before I started writing a daily blog, but I did keep a journal of our experiences during that trip. It truly was the trip of a lifetime. We boarded our cruise ship in Athens, Greece, and my partner and I felt like kids in a candy store, excited to see places we had only dreamed of. The experience just got better and better—until it didn’t. Most mornings, we woke up in a new port and had various day tour options available to us. We never chose to stay on the ship, although had I checked the calendar more closely, I would have realized that two of the eighteen days were spent at sea, which were my least favorite moments of the tour. When it came to the tours, we didn’t know what to expect. The day before, we were captivated by our guided tour through Turkey, where we traveled the King’s Highway, a road that hasn’t changed since the days of Roman rule. That tour included visits to the ancient city of Ephesus, the Basilica of St. John, the Church of Mary, and we enjoyed a delicious Mediterranean meal at an outdoor venue. As I mentioned, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. The following day, we took a tour to the ancient city of Chios in Greece, but there were only two excursion options available. We opted to visit the Monastery of Nea Moni. The tour guide who met us on the bus appeared unkempt and disinterested, and his English was difficult to understand. The contrast between this experience and the previous day’s was striking. The tour of the Monastery of Nea Moni was self-paced. Although the monastery was reportedly undergoing extensive repairs, we didn’t see any workers; in fact, we didn’t see anyone at all. Upon entering the courtyard, we were greeted only by a rooster that seemed to enjoy strutting around. This was the only sign of life we observed. It was said that an elderly nun sometimes welcomed tours, but the place felt deserted. We were free to come and go as we pleased. As we were leaving, my partner and I stepped into an unnamed building on the monastery grounds. We found a large bookcase with glass doors filled with human skulls. I chose not to ask the tour guide any questions about that. On our way out, one of the other tourists remarked, “I’ve been thrown out of better monasteries than that,” clearly sharing our sentiments about the place. From there, we took a bus to another medieval village that was said to be in the process of refurbishment. However, we didn’t see any workers there either, and the village had been abandoned since 1822. Nevertheless, from that location, we enjoyed a remarkable view of the Aegean Sea. I mentioned the “lost and found” experience earlier. A couple of years ago, my computer crashed, and I lost my journal from that trip. However, yesterday, while going through an external hard drive, I found a copy of it and immediately made a hard copy. All My Best!
