Gary Borders
Texas Press Association
Robertson County News
Texas lawmakers wrapped up the 89th legislative session last week, passing more than 1,200 bills—800 of which landed on Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk in the final 10 days, The Dallas Morning News reported. Abbott has until June 22 to sign or veto the remaining bills, including the $338 billion two-year state budget. While he cannot veto the entire budget, he has line-item veto authority over specific allocations. Under the Texas Constitution, the governor can sign legislation, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature. Bills passed by at least two-thirds of both chambers cannot be vetoed—such as constitutional amendments, which will go before voters in November. Among them is a proposal to raise the homestead exemption for property tax relief. Abbott hasn’t indicated which bills he might veto. He faces pressure from veterans’ organizations to block Senate Bill 3, which would ban all consumable hemp products containing THC. Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and law enforcement groups, are urging him to sign it. Wins for Rural Texas More than 3 million Texans live in rural areas, and this session brought significant gains in health care, agriculture, education, and emergency response. Texas schools will see $8.5 billion in added funding. Teachers in smaller districts will receive an $8,000 raise if they have five or more years of experience and $4,000 if they have less. A new water bill provides more funding for rural water and wastewater projects. Legislation was also passed to evaluate rural hospitals’ financial health and update reimbursement rates every two years. A grant program for counties to purchase ambulances was also approved. The young farmers grant program has been expanded, removing age limits and increasing the available amount from $20,000 to $500,000 with a 10% farmer match. Another measure created a disaster recovery program for counties under 100,000 population that have not received FEMA reimbursements. In-State Tuition Ends for Undocumented Students Texas has ended in-state tuition for students without legal status. Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the state filed a joint motion with the U.S. Department of Justice to terminate the policy. A judge approved the motion. Originally adopted in 2001 with then-Gov. Rick Perry’s support, the policy allowed thousands of undocumented students to pay resident tuition rates. A 2022 report estimated 57,000 such students were enrolled in Texas colleges. Tuition for them is now expected to quadruple. Judges Get Raise, Lawmaker Pensions Increase Texas judges will receive a 25% raise under one of the final bills passed. Base pay will rise to $175,000. Because legislative pensions are tied to judicial pay, lawmakers’ pensions will also increase. This will be the last time pensions are linked to judges’ salaries. Moving forward, the Texas Ethics Commission will determine lawmaker pension rates. Saharan Dust, Hurricane Prep Underway Saharan dust arrived in Texas late last week, creating hazy skies and allergy issues in the eastern half of the state. Though milder than past years, it still reduces air quality and traps heat near the surface. Meanwhile, Texans are urged to prepare for hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. The Public Utility Commission recommends reviewing emergency plans and tracking outages at puc.texas.gov/storm.
Roosters, Ruins, and Rediscovery
Don Forrester
Minister
Robertson County News
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!
Pep Club to Meet Thursday (in 1975)
Margaret Salvaggio
Hearne Chamber of Commerce
Robertson County News
The Junior High Pep Club will hold a meeting on Thursday, June 12, at 10 a.m. in the school auditorium. Mrs. Jack Brooks, the sponsor, urges all members to attend, as an election of officers for the upcoming school year will take place. She reminds members that payment for Pep Club uniforms must be submitted no later than June 15. City Program in Full Swing The City of Hearne Summer Program is in full swing, featuring tennis lessons that began on June 10. Registration for gymnastics will start on Friday, June 13, at 2 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. For more information, please contact gymnastics instructor Mrs. Judy Wilkins at 279-. The tennis instructors this year are Mary Jane Fleming, John Zeig, Debbie Mullinnix, and Kenny Johnson, with lessons scheduled at Junior High School and North Side School at 9 a.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning. For additional details, reach out to Miss Fleming at 279-. There is no charge for gymnastics or tennis lessons. Church School Vacation Church School at Grace Methodist Church will start on Wednesday, June 18, at 9 a.m. and will continue through Friday, June 20. Classes are available for children ages three through twelve and will be dismissed each day at 11:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend. Lions Club News The Hearne Lions Club held its regular meeting on Tuesday night, May 27, at the Hearne Community Center. A date of June 24 was set for the installation of new officers, which will also be Ladies’ Night. Members who attended the district convention reported on their experiences. Attendees included Nick Turnham Jr., deputy district governor; Baylor Carrington, president; Dick Shear, vice president; and J. Terrell, tail twister. New district officers were elected, and the convention site for 1976 will be in Bryan-College Station. The club provided trucks and labor to move the school to its new location at Fourth and Cedar Streets. Bryant Spence Jr., a recipient of the Lions Club Scholarship in 1971, sent a letter of thanks to the club. He recently graduated from A&M University and plans to enter law school this fall. Highway Employees Entertain at Fish Fry Employees and former employees of the construction department of the Texas Highway Department’s Hearne Resident Office hosted a fish fry for their families and special guests on Saturday evening, May 31, at the Flying-V Ranch. Special guests from Hearne included C. B. Thames, retired district engineer for District 17, along with Mrs. Thames; Maintenance Supervisor Ed LaGravier and Mrs. LaGravier; and Mrs. Lewis Donaldson. Morning Courtesy Fetes Graduates The Rev. and Mrs. James Scirratt hosted a breakfast for the graduating high school seniors of First Baptist Church at their home, the church parsonage, on Wednesday morning, May 28. The generous menu included bacon, eggs, buttered biscuits, and assorted jellies, served with beverages of orange juice, milk, and coffee, all presented on a table draped with a white linen cloth. A silver basket containing a bouquet of spring flowers entwined with maroon and white ribbon served as an attractive centerpiece; from the arrangement emerged a miniature figure of a graduate in cap and gown. Of the ten students invited, Gary Conn, Arthur Turner, Paul Allen, Marvin Russell, and Kay Porter attended. Each received a gift, along with best wishes from the hosts. Sandra Crouch Awarded Medallion Mrs. Sandra Crouch, a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone in Hearne, recently received praise from her district manager in Houston for her assistance to an Arlington couple, Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Eidson, who experienced plane trouble near Hearne on Sunday, April 13. The couple expressed their gratitude to the company, stating, “She was so kind and helpful both on the job and after she got off work that afternoon.” In a letter to Mrs. Crouch, S. J. Bumpas, the district manager, mentioned, “I have found that a customer has to be very favorably impressed to take the time to write a letter. Therefore, in recognition of the excellent service you provided, I am pleased to forward you a medallion for excellence in service, the highest award an operator in the Houston district can receive. Incidentally, you will be the first operator in Hearne to receive this medallion.”
Abbott Has Until June 22 to Sign or Veto Legislation
Dennis Phillips
Publisher
Robertson County News
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
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.
A General's Influence
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.”
Flag Day set for June 14
Paul Baker
Veteran's Affairs
Robertson County News
This Saturday, June 14, communities across the country will observe Flag Day, a time set aside to honor the American flag and reflect on the values it represents. Residents are encouraged to fly the flag at homes and businesses in celebration of the day. While no nation is without flaws, the American flag stands as a symbol of unity, resilience, and the freedoms that define the United States. Flying the flag is a simple yet powerful gesture of appreciation for the country and its continuing journey toward a more perfect union. This year, Flag Day holds added significance as it also marks the 250th birthday of the United States Army. Formed in 1775, the Army has played a vital role in protecting the nation through every major conflict since the Revolutionary War. Soldiers have defended the country’s borders, safeguarded its freedoms, and made tremendous sacrifices to preserve the way of life enjoyed by millions. Many have given their lives in service, and countless others continue to serve with honor. As part of this weekend’s observance, citizens are encouraged to thank Army veterans for their service. A handshake, a phone call, or a simple message of appreciation can go a long way. Flag Day serves as both a celebration and a reminder—to be grateful for the freedoms we enjoy and to honor those who have fought to protect them. For more information or to share your thoughts, call or text 979-701-6900.
50-Year's Ago Today
Margaret Salvaggio is a lifelong resident of Hearne and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Hearne Chamber of Commerce. While working as an editor for the Robertson County News, she discovered her passion for history, and she is now the curator of all the back issues of the historic newspapers.
