In light of the recent Paris terrorist attack stemming from those posing as refugees, I strongly believe it is irresponsible to accept any Syrian refugees into Texas. 

Posing as refugees has become the camouflage of the modern day terrorist.

We have been at war with Islamic terrorists since our country was established in 1789. The first president to stand-up to the radicals from the Middle East and take the battle to the Islamic terrorists was Thomas Jefferson when he sent the US Marines into Tripoli to fight the Barbary Pirates. 

The world’s problem with the hate-filled Islamic terrorists has existed for thousands of years. The so-called Muslim religion, which is also a theocracy, was created on a foundation of hate by Mohammed. 

The destabilization of the Middle East by the U.S. and other western countries has greatly escalated the Islamic terrorist wars with all non-Muslims world wide.

Unfortunately, President Obama has made a bad situation even worse by his failed policies.  It is very difficult, if not impossible for any rational thinking person to not conclude that President Obama has carefully crafted his actions and policies to pave the way for an Islamic terrorist war on American soil. 

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Thanksgiving is when many people express gratitude for the blessings in life. For many of us, our pets are included in our thoughts of appreciation. Although you may consider Fido a part of the family, there are many reasons why he should not join you at the dinner table for the traditional holiday feast.

Turkey is often the main course of a Thanksgiving meal. If you decide to treat your pet to a piece of turkey, be sure it is boneless and thoroughly cooked to prevent salmonella poisoning. In addition, avoid letting your pet chew on any sort of leftover bones, as they can be problematic to the digestive tract. Dr. Stacy Eckman, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explained the danger of allowing your pet to chew on a bone. “Bones can become lodged in the throat or esophagus and can cause problems throughout the intestinal tract,” she said. “They can also splinter and the bone may require surgery to remove.”

It may be tempting to offer your pets special treats during the holiday, but fatty foods should definitely be avoided. Fatty foods can upset your pet’s stomach and cause vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, it may even progress into something serious, requiring a hospital stay. “The more different the food is from your pet’s regular diet, the more likely they will have digestive upset,” Eckman said. “Vomiting and diarrhea secondary to table food ingestion are the most common reasons we see pets in the emergency room or veterinary hospital after the holidays.”

Raw dessert batter is also unsafe for your pet this holiday. Be sure to keep Fido’s nose out of the mixing bowl to prevent any consumption of eggs, which are sometimes contaminated with salmonella. If you are planning on making homemade bread, raw yeast bread dough can also pose as a threat to your pet. If consumed, the yeast will continue to convert the sugars in the dough to carbon dioxide gas and alcohol, resulting in a bloated, drunken pet. This can be a life-threatening situation that can require hospitalization. Raisins and grapes, which can cause kidney damage, and chocolate, which can be fatal for dogs, should also be kept out of your pet’s reach.

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As terrorists took aim at France last week, the horror of watching planes fly into the World Trade Center Twin Towers was revisited.

Sept. 11, 2001, was a frightening day. But it was also a day that rallied many of us to a renewed patriotism. We gathered in parks, churches and civic buildings carrying American flags, sharing a sense of grief and outrage with our fellow countrymen.

The attacks in Paris reminded us how vulnerable we are and it reminded us that some religious zealots sacrifice themselves to harm the innocent.

It is understandable to want to do something to stop the events of Sept. 11, 2001, or Nov. 13, 2015, from happening again; however, denying refuge to all those escaping Syria goes against the foundation of this nation.

I visited New York City for the first time earlier this month. Of course, one of our stops was the Statue of Liberty. No landmark has every affected me as much as seeing Lady Liberty did.

As the ferry pulled into “picture-capturing” distance and I looked up at the patina-covered symbol of freedom, I began to cry – and not just misty-eyed crying either but big, huge tears that keep you from talking crying. I was so enraptured seeing the great lady that I didn’t take selfies or make a Vine video or send out a tweet. 

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It has been 15 years since Texas could claim a day where there were no fatalities on our roads.

That’s 5,478 consecutive days with at least one fatality.

The fatalities add up to more than 51,832 people killed on Texas roadways over the past 15 years. The leading cause of fatalities continues to be alcohol with distracted driving and a lack of seat belt use also being a major cause. The Texas Department of Transportation is promoting the “End the Streak” campaign to help end motor vehicle fatalities in Texas.

What if for one day everyone took responsibility for themselves and their friends and there were no drunk drivers on our roads.  And there was not one person driving somewhere to drink without a plan for a sober ride home — and no underage drunk drivers were to be found anywhere.

What if we all took time to put on our seatbelts and make sure that all of our passengers were also buckled up?  And, that all children were riding in the correct car seat for their age, weight and developmental stage? 

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The Christmas decorations are almost all up at the library. 

We are getting very excited for Santa’s visit from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.  In additional to the photo opportunity with Santa we will also have a couple of more photo stations set up, one which we know the adults will enjoy as well. 

Last year we had almost 600 people come to our meet and greet with Santa at the library and we can’t wait to see what this year brings. 

This event will be taking place alongside Cocoa and Carols.  So while you are out we encourage you wander around downtown and sample all the different cocoas.

 This year’s commemorative mug design has the Old Pharmacy Building on it.  The mug is red and can be purchased at the Salt Palace, That Sign Place, Wired Up Café, and Ben & Neva’s for $5. 

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Merry Christmas and happy gift-giving!  This column is devoted to all who love to give and those who love to receive.  That's just about all of us, I'd say.  Here are a few animal-related tips for the holidays:

Tip #1:  If you wish to give a gift of a pet, consider what the pet is going through--an unfamiliar place, smells and humans.  Pet:  "I'm scared!  What is this place?  Who are these faces, what are these smells?"  The pet will do what frightened animals do; he will try to hide, and when there is no hiding place he will lash out in fear--biting and snarling and scratching.  He will probably also tinkle several times.  So where's the fun in that?  The recipient feels cheated; this isn't the sweet pet she had her heart set on.  You become a bad gift-giver.

A better way is to take a photo of the pet-to-be and wrap it up with a collar and a leash and a treat.  Tell the recipient this gift will come in 2 or 3 days, or whenever the hilarity of the holidays has subsided.  Everyone will be happier, and there will be no stress on the pet.  Everybody wins.  Pet: "I'm so delighted!  This place seems so calm and non-threatening...I'm going to like it here."  You are now a good gift-giver.

Tip #2:  Be sure your house is pet-friendly.  Remember that puppies chew.  They will chew anything and everything.  This isn't a bad behavior; this is what they do.  Their teeth are new and probably itch, just like a baby human.  So remove the enticing cords and shoes and rugs and anything else you can think of, and make chewy treats available.  Also consider this little guy must be trained to go outside.  The very first thing in the morning, immediately after a meal, last thing before bedtime.  Plus a few times during the day would be smart.  Lots of praise after doing what he should, and he'll soon get the hang of it.  If the gift is a kitten, show him the litter box.  And change the litter (or scoop it) often.  Cool, fresh water daily is also a must for all pets.  Remember - they can't turn on the faucet or whip up scrambled eggs.  If you have a pet, you must provide for it.

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 Aside from first aid, the most important demand your body has is to keep your core body temperature at 98.6°F. Since winter is coming on, maybe it’s a good time to talk about keeping warm.

As I sit here writing this story, I’m wearing long undies, a warm leather jacket, and a wool cap. I’ve got a portable electric heater by my feet that clicks on every once in a while. Outside, it’s 51°F., rainy, and 100% humid. Indoors, it’s 64°F. I could turn up the heat, but I decided to heat me instead of the house.

In Cool School in Alaska, I learned the human body puts priority on keeping its core temperature up. It’s not that your body doesn’t care if you get frostbitten earlobes, fingers, and toes. They just aren’t priority items when it’s frigid outside; you can live without them. One reason I can still count to ten with both hands is that I learned to keep warm.

We’ve always been taught to “dress in layers” when it’s cold out. What does that mean? It starts with underwear bottoms and tops, then winter underwear bottoms and tops, then warm pants (not jeans!) and a warm shirt. Add a wool shirt or sweater. Going outside, add a warm Gortex parka and a wool cap that covers the ears. On the feet, add thick socks or wool socks, and sturdy shoes or boots that don’t leak. On the hands, put wool gloves inside leather mittens; I’ve also had good luck with Thinsulate inside leather gloves.

We bundled our son up this way when he was about three. Just before we went out the door, he said, “Daddy, I have to go potty.” So we stripped him to skivvies, he went potty, and we started all over. Consider a potty stop before bundling up.

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Paxton amends approach to resettlement of refugees

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Dec. 4 withdrew his request for a temporary restraining order to put a hold on the federal government’s plan to relocate Syrian refugee families in Texas.

It’s that time of year when everyone is in the spirit of giving and various causes are trying to capitalize on our generosity and garner budget-saving donations before the end of the year.

Charities often target certain groups of people when soliciting donations. Those groups may include past donors and people who have recently attended charitable fundraisers. Such an approach can be very effective. It should come as no surprise that criminals posing as legitimate organizations tend to target specific groups of people as well.

Anyone can be fooled by a fraudulent charity, but such criminals tend to target seniors more than others.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, seniors often make attractive targets to con artists because seniors are most likely to have substantial savings, own their homes and have excellent credit.

In addition, the FBI notes that elderly victims of fraud and other crimes are less likely to report those crimes out of fear that their families may feel they are no longer able to take care of themselves or manage their own finances.

These factors make seniors especially attractive and vulnerable to con artists, particularly those who prey on well-intentioned men and women by posing as fake charities.

But there are steps seniors can take to protect themselves from fraud.

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On Thursday, Dec. 10 former Van Zandt County Tax Assessor-Collector, JJ Minyard was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to Van Zandt County for stealing close to $180,000 from the pockets of the citizens of this county.

Getting to this point took entirely too long and if it weren’t for current TAC, Shirley Chisham, County Judge Don Kirkpatrick and pressure from other sources, this would have been swept under the rug long ago. 

From my perspective, people on the inside had to know what had happened and they were attempting to make it go away. Either that or certain county officials, employees, outside and inside auditors were simply unqualified and / or too incompetent to perform the duties of their job description.

This entire process and the players involved over a three year period have caused many citizens to question the people in charge of overseeing revenue flowing through the system. Questions from people who have called or visited my office in recent years, and up until last week, continue to throw up a number of red flags. Concerns relating to cronyism, conflicts of interest and suggestions that people have attempted to cover up for people responsible for mismanaging taxpayers hard earned tax dollars.

The citizens of Van Zandt County should be outraged over the mishandling of their tax dollars. This county is still in debt and if certain elected officials, their employees, inside and outside audit firms, accounting process and every check and balance system can’t be trusted, then the problems will continue to exist.

We made several attempts to contact former county judge Rhita Koches via email and through Facebook and have not heard back in response to several questions. These weren’t just our questions, but questions brought to us from the citizens of Van Zandt County having to do with decisions she made while serving as county judge during the time the money was stolen. No response. 

We reached out to 294^th District Judge Teresa Drum by email asking for a few minutes to get her opinion on the case and steps being taken to assure this won’t happen again. I even stopped by her office and left a message with her assistant to please contact me regarding the case, our story and indicated that we were on deadline. Judge Drum is responsible for hiring and overseeing the county auditor and did serve in this capacity while Minyard was in office. She has not responded.  

On Dec. 14 our office reached out to former county auditor John Shinn with questions concerning this case. Shinn served as county auditor for 20 years and was also responsible for the books during the time Minyard was in office. No response. 

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The Friends of the Library and the Library Board of Trustees works year around to make sure that the library has the support and resources it needs to do the most that we can for the community. 

From requesting donations to hosting events these groups of individuals are always at work for the library. 

Most recently the Friends of the Library bought a new computer and printer for the staff after one of our computers and printers quit working. This allowed us to be able to shift around our existing monitors so we had a monitor to replace one that quit working in the public area.  The Friends of the Library are so important because they are there to help us when we have unexpected expenses such as those come up. 

Their assistance allows us to be able to get the items we need without having to use the operations budget which needed for utilities and library materials. 

As this year comes to a close two of our long time board members will be stepping down from the board.  Nell Allison and Fran Sorrells have both been on the Grand Saline Library Board of Trustees for many years and have served the board in a variety of capacities over the years.  These women have fought tirelessly for the library over the years and we are so proud that they are part of our history and heritage.  

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Years ago I developed a "worry" habit.  Seemed everything about my life caused me concern and I couldn't get a handle on it.  I had a young son, and of course if anything had happened to him, somebody was going to pay.  It was an overall feeling of dread that I could not shake.  A therapist I sought out told me that worry does no good; it only saps your energy and wastes your time.  What I should do, he advised, was to take reasonable precautions, be careful and watchful, and go on with my life. 

When my mother died my older sister was out of town on business.  After she had returned and we had taken care of all that needed doing, she said, "I'm never going out of town again, just in case something else happens."  I told her that she could not live her life waiting for a tragedy to occur. 

I'm reminded of these stories lately.  We are all, as a nation, in a nervous state due to threat of terrorism.  These threats must be taken seriously by everyone, and I'm sure we all do.  The idea that we have to get it right every single time, and the terrorists only have to get it right once, is frightening.  Another awful thing is that we don't know -- really know -- what motivates these people.  Do they truly hate us that much?  What did we ever do to them?  These questions buzz around and no answer will ever truly be found.  

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I’ve never traveled to Outer Mongolia. One account I read of was a young man who backpacked through it. He expected no restaurants or hotels. So he packed a couple weeks of food along with him.

One thing he noticed was that it was impossible to litter in that benighted country. Every time he threw away a tin can, some woman would grab it before it hit the ground. For him it was garbage. For her it was a useful article in her household.

Let’s talk about making survival gear out of the things we throw away, instead of going out and buying it. What comes to mind first is a cup. I have half a dozen cups made from tin cans that originally contained food. I saved the cans. True, I filed the sharp edges down a bit, but an empty tin can makes a great cup.

I was given a Danish ham in a tin can. That oddly shaped tin can looked like it would make fine small frying pan. It needed a handle. An untwisted coat hanger, re-twisted around the can and bent to form a handle, made a serviceable, free frying pan.

Coat hangers can make cooking grates, too, but you must burn off all the paint to avoid tainting the food. Put some holes near the top of a large can, string coat hanger wire through to form a bail, and you have a pail.

The clear plastic water bottles you throw out can be refilled with water. They work well for water storage. Tie a piece of rope around the neck of a plastic bottle, and you have a plastic canteen. They look fragile, but they will take more abuse than you would believe!

When we buy pork chops at the grocery store, they come on pink Styrofoam slabs, covered with clear plastic. Those pieces of pink Styrofoam can be shaped and trimmed to fit my foot, put in boots as warm innersoles, and keep my feet warm on cold days. They can also be reused as large plates or cut in half to be small plates. 

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Small but mighty is an apt description for our library. 

As the year-end approaches we have started running some preliminary numbers for our annual statistics and we are very pleased with how things are looking.  Right now we have had close to twelve thousand items checked out from the Grand Saline Public Library this year.  We have given out two hundred and sixty three new library cards this year.  That breaks down to almost four percent of our service population.  Approximately sixty seven percent of the people in our service area have library cards and we would love to see that number increase. 

Over the next few weeks we will be changing over to a new circulation system which is the software that we use to manage and maintain our catalog.  Our new system will have an on-line catalog that is easier to navigate than our current on-line catalog.  The new catalog will have our digital materials (eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, and streaming video) included in the catalog and will eliminate users having to go out to another site to download our materials.  It will also show you which items have recently been added to the collection so you can see our newest releases and the putting items on hold from your computer or device will be a simple process.  Our card holders will also be able to sign up for email or text alerts when it is time to turn their items in and items will be able to be renewed by text as well.  We are very excited about getting this new service up and running and we ask for your patience during the transition.  Once it is up and running it may take a few weeks to work through the training and learning all the new features.  

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I just wanted to take time out to talk to you about our Utility/Streets Crew. These guys are the ones who work on water breaks and sewer stops. They also have many other duties which include mowing right of ways, patching roads, trimming trees and changing street signs. These employees must have a wide range of skills in order complete their jobs.

We have Rick Malone, Joe Adams, Eric Pickens, J. Allen Horton, Anthony Prox, Randy Byars, Tim Spurgeon, Jesse Bates, and Harvey Hayes working in these departments.  

I want to take the time to thank the staff for their hard work and dedication.

Lonny Cluck is the city manager of Canton.

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It goes without saying that many people received smart phones as Christmas presents this year.  And of course it also goes without saying that smart phones are known for distracting drivers and pedestrians when they are driving or walking on our roadways and crossing intersections.  Many people either ignore the recommendations to wear bright reflective clothing when walking on streets and crossing intersections at night or simply find themselves in a situation where they were unable to plan ahead and wear appropriate safety enhanced clothing.  After all most people don’t leave the house thinking well my car will break down on the side of the road today so I better wear my reflective clothing.

Well thanks to a Dan Voreyer a former Fire Chief with 36 years of experience in Public Safety and Emergency Management involving numerous pedestrian accidents and Larr Smurthwaite, former Public Works Supervisor with 36 years’ experience in streets and roadways also serves as pedestrian safety advocates for safer streets. Together they have developed a free app to download to your smart phone that will allow your phone to serve as a safety device when you are walking along a street or crossing an intersection after dark.

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Elvis Allen, an eminent historian and Van Zandt native, will present the program at the regular meeting of The Friends of the Van Zandt County Library at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan.11. 

The topic is” The War over the County Seat.” 

“Many natives don’t know much about this facet of Van Zandt History, and newcomers may not even know it happened.  Come to the library and hear this true story,” librarians said.   

Memorials continue to remember friends and loved ones who were library supporters. 

Recently, Stefani Curtis sent a gift in memory of Earlene Jackson Brock.   Marla Baugh and Charles Page also remembered Earlene Brock.  Amy Huddle honored Sue and Butch Hilliard.  Joyce Pirtle’s gift was in memory of Ken A. Davis.  Bryan and Delnia Crum‘s memorial was for Wretha Mae Reding. 

Memorials have provided many extras for the library that make it more useful to patrons, and that are not covered by the operating budget.

As the political races heat up, remember to register, and go to the polls when the time comes to cast your vote.   There are books by and about many of the candidates, and the internet is full of information.  Read carefully, especially on internet, “rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Even false information has a place because it often makes the reader dig a little deeper into a purported asset or liability of a candidate.

Make your New Year’s Resolutions last.  Make fewer, and work harder to make them a reality.  Happy New Year.

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Texas sues EPA over new ozone standards

The State of Texas and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Dec. 23 filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its new ozone standards rule. 

Eight other states have filed separate lawsuits against the new rule: Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin.

On Dec. 28, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton explained his reasoning for state’s taking legal action, saying the EPA “has lowered the ozone standard placed on states to a level that is inappropriate and unrealistic and is based on flawed science” and the changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard would impose a serious financial burden on the Texas economy for dubious public health benefit.

“Areas of the country that fail to comply with these impossible standards will be subject to costly new regulations that will harm our economy and kill jobs,” Paxton said, adding: “Texas has proven that we can reduce ambient ozone concentrations without stifling growth, and my office will continue to defend our state from the EPA’s harmful and overreaching regulations.”

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