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Letters to the Editor – Texas water needs, Amber Guyger, UT and A&M rivalry, religion

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Letters to the Editor – Texas water needs, Amber Guyger, UT and A&M rivalry, religion


We must conserve water

Re: “Greed, not need, is behind reservoir plan — Companies proposing lakes also build them; there are better water alternatives available,” by Justin Lannen, Sunday Opinion.

Thanks and thanks again to Lannen for a timely and necessary piece of writing about the water needs of North Texas. The inescapable observation of the author is that while “El Paso and San Diego are proving that sustainable water management is not only possible but effective, Texas clings to an outdated and exploitative model.”

So why can’t Dallas and North Texas conserve? Do we really need huge green lawns? Gardens which are reminiscent of New England?

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Lannen clearly states “conservation is not just an alternative; it’s a responsibility.” How much property will have to be lost? How many families will have to lose their businesses? How much natural heritage? How much is enough?

Ellen Taylor Seldin, Dallas

Questions about Guyger case

Re: “Guyger should get a lawyer and sue Dallas — City should have provided for her defense in civil case she lost,” by Geoff J. Henley, Sunday Opinion.

The result of the lawsuit against Amber Guyger has left a really bad taste for me. Where is the justice in suing someone who has no income to hire counsel? Was it not enough that Guyger is paying for her mistake — and it was a mistake, there was no premeditation — with years of incarceration?

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I have no problem with that, but to ruin the rest of her life with a judgment she will never be able to pay is just too much.

One more question. Where was the American Civil Liberties Union during this? Don’t they pride themselves in taking on any case no matter how unpopular it is? Perhaps they should step up and file an appeal.

Richard L. Williams, Dallas/Oak Cliff

Column reminds of favorite quote

Re: “Give thanks for old friends today — Those who ran with me in the past walk with me now,” by Talmage Boston, Thursday Opinion.

Boston’s column was very enjoyable, especially the quotes about friendships. My favorite quote about friends is from the movie Stand by Me. The narrator, while reflecting on his group of childhood friends, says, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?”

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That pretty much held true for me. Maybe it does for a lot of people.

Fred R. Neary, Far North Dallas

A&M-Texas memories

Re: “A&M-Texas rivalry back where it belongs — Football, not politics, used to make Thanksgiving tense,” by Ryan Sanders, Nov. 24 Opinion.

As an Aggie wife with an Aggie husband, both of us enjoyed the column by Sanders. My husband and our granddaughter both graduated from Texas A&M in 1956 and 2006 respectively. They are both proud Aggies. But aren’t they all?

Our son-in-law and grandson are Longhorns. Years ago when they came to our home to watch the game (or should I say “the debacle”), both of them were relegated to the garage to watch the game on a very small TV set on top of a refrigerator.

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Our grandson, who lives in Houston, just yesterday reminisced about the injustice they received. Being a very vocal Longhorn father, at least he did not curse before his son during the game.

To this day, unsportsmanlike conduct still exists. But Paw Paw still loves you, Hunter! But, after Saturday, not so much!

To all readers, my husband still says, Gig ‘Em!

Paula Dardaganian, Richardson

A disservice to students

The decision to emphasize the Bible in Texas school textbooks raises an important question: Are we preparing our children to succeed in a global economy? In an interconnected world, success stems from cultural competency — the ability to understand, respect and collaborate with diverse cultures and perspectives. As Texas emerges as an economic powerhouse, we must ask if our state is ready to be a global destination for recruiting and retaining talent.

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While nations worldwide educate their students on multiple religions and traditions, Texas risks narrowing its focus to Christianity. This narrow approach does a disservice to our students, particularly in a state as diverse as ours. To compete on the world stage, our education system must reflect and celebrate this diversity.

My Hindu children attended an Episcopal school where a Jewish teacher taught a semester-long course on Islam. They explored its traditions, cultural practices and global influence. This experience not only enriched their worldview but also prepared them to connect and collaborate with people from all backgrounds — an essential skill in today’s economy.

Cultural inclusivity is the key to preparing our children for success.

Chanda Parbhoo, Dallas

Religion in public schools

I have lived in Texas since 1973 and found Texas values very productive. The current problem that I see is building programs that will benefit the people of Texas and be manageable. The U.S. Constitution talks about freedom of religion and freedom from religion. Texas is famous for its religion and its propagation. Little communities that struggle to have a school still have one or two churches.

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Why, then, do our state leaders feel we need a religious curriculum to be taught in our schools? This is not only a violation of the separation of church and state, but they are sticking their nose into church business. We should cough up the money to make sure that we provide the very best education to Texas students and let the church see to the child’s religious education.

Texas churches, if you were doing a better job this would not be happening. Contact your legislator and make it clear what your church position is and tell your members what the church’s position is.

Goebel H. Vaughn, Plano

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com



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Small plane makes belly landing in Texas after landing gear fails

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Small plane makes belly landing in Texas after landing gear fails


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The pilot of a small plane asked an airport in Arlington, Texas, to spray foam on the runway to make the touchdown a little smoother because their landing gear was not working. The plane skidded to a halt with no issues, and all three people onboard walked away without injury.



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Jace LaViolette injury update: Texas A&M baseball star leaves SEC tournament with hand injury

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Jace LaViolette injury update: Texas A&M baseball star leaves SEC tournament with hand injury


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(This story was updated with new information)

As Texas A&M baseball continues to fight for its NCAA Tournament hopes, the Aggies have lost a key member of their team.

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In the top of the fifth inning of Thursday’s SEC baseball tournament game vs. No. 10 Auburn, Aggies star outfielder Jace LaViolette exited the game with an apparent hand injury after taking a pitch off his hand from Tigers’ left-hander pitcher Carson Myers.

After Thursday’s win vs. Auburn, Texas A&M manager Michael Earley told the SEC Network that LaViolette will miss the remainder of the conference tournament, confirming an earlier suspicion once LaViolette returned to the Aggies’ dugout in the seventh inning wrapped up in a split.

LaViolette is one of the more recognizable names in the Aggies’ offense, and entered Thursday’s game with a .259 batting average and 18 home runs. He is ranked as the No. 7 prospect in this year’s upcoming MLB draft by MLB Pipeline.

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Texas A&M staved off a solo ninth-inning home run to beat Auburn 3-2 at Hoover Met Stadium in Hoover, Alabama. The Aggies’ win advanced them to Friday’s quarterfinals vs. No. 3 seed LSU, the No. 1 nationally ranked team in the country.

Here’s the latest on Laviolette’s injury:

LaViolette left Texas A&M’s second-round game vs. Auburn on Thursday with an apparent hand injury. The SEC Network Broadcast showed LaViolette attempting to swing at a pitch before the ball came in on him and hit him off his knuckles and the knob of the bat.

After initially taking a pitch to his hand during an at-bat, LaViolette trotted down to first base while showing signs of pain. The SEC Network broadcast then showed LaViolette signaling to the Aggies’ dugout that he couldn’t stay in the game.

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He was replaced at first by pinch runner Jamal George, who would then enter the game in LaViolette’s place in the lineup the next half inning. After a lengthy time away from the dugout for X-rays, LaViolette was shown on the SEC Network broadcast returning to the dugout in the seventh inning with his left hand all wrapped up with a splint.

ESPN’s Kris Budden reported earlier on the SEC Network’s broadcast that LaViolette left the Aggies’ dugout for further testing after initially entering and going to sit on the bench once he came off the field.

“There is an X-Ray machine onsite so he does not have to leave and go to the hospital to have it checked out. He has not come back here in the dugout,” Budden reported. “When that happened, this place was so silent that from across the field that I could hear Jace screaming out in pain.”

Michael Earley on Jace LaViolette’s injury

After Texas A&M’s 3-2 win against Auburn on Thursday, Aggies manager Michael Earley told the SEC Network that LaViolette will miss the remainder of the conference tournament.

“I’m not sure if I can say but he will be out for the remainder of the tournament,” Earley said.

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What is Jace LaViolette’s injury?

While it has not been confirmed by Texas A&M, it appears that LaViolette sustained a hand injury in Thursday’s SEC tournament game.



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Texas legislation: Wednesday sees progress on school funding, THC ban discussions

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Texas legislation: Wednesday sees progress on school funding, THC ban discussions


Texas lawmakers made progress on several bills Wednesday, including one regarding public school funding.

More discussion remains before those bills are passed. As the end of the legislative session approaches, Texas lawmakers are working to get multiple key pieces of legislation passed. 

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House Bill 2: Public School Funding

On Wednesday, it was announced that a tentative deal was struck regarding HB 2, known as the public school funding bill.

The compromise between the House and Senate includes the Senate’s proposed $55 per student increase to the basic allotment, compared to the House’s original allotment of $350.

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The compromise also decreases the House’s original plan to increase teacher pay from $4.4 billion to $4.2 billion.

However, it adds $500,000 for fixed costs, bringing the total amount to $8.5 billion. 

Some of the issues were first raised during a hearing over the Senate’s plan last week, when some district leaders suggested a higher per-student allotment, giving schools more flexibility.

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The bill is expected to be taken up on the Senate floor Thursday. 

What they’re saying:

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West Hardin CISD Superintendent Donald Heseman spoke on the bill.

“If you picture every ISD as a boat, I think Barbers Hill might be a cruise ship and we are a johnboat. Paint Creek might be a kayak, but we all have leaks. We all have leaks. In doing the basic allotment, we can fill those holes as needed. 

Senate Bill 3: THC Ban

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In reaching this compromise, it opened the door for discussion on the Senate’s tougher THC bill, SB 3, which equates to a total ban on THC products. 

This bill is a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who claims that CBD stores and vape shops are selling higher concentrations of THC than the legal consumable limit. 

After the chambers brokered a deal earlier in the day, the House took up the bill Wednesday night. At the time of reporting, the bill was still being actively discussed.

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What they’re saying:

“I want people to have access to medications to help them when they have medical conditions, that those medications can be a benefit,” said Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) “What we’re doing here is correcting a problem that we created in 2019 where we essentially created a pathway by which people could sell drugs.” 

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What’s next:

More is to come tomorrow, and the legislative session ends June 2. 

The Source: Information in this article came from coverage of a Texas Senate proceeding.

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AustinTexas Legislature



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