The Henderson News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 215, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 21, 2018 Page: 2 of 12
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OPINION
DAILY NEWS
Sunday, January 21, 2018 PAGE 2A
What’s happened to customer service? Don t t(),‘"et
PATRIOT GAMES
Sparky & Big Dog
$
Em
/
form of words and not sounds. To make matters
The Texas Department of State Health Services
©2018, United Feature Syndicate Inc.
The Henderson News
Ashton Griffin — Managing Editor
d
ED
STERLING
Big Dog (Dan Moore)
Publisher
Jade Duncan — Circulation Supervisor
circulation @thehendersonnews .com
Dan Moore — Editor & Publisher
publisher@thehendersonnews.com
DAVE
MCNEELY
map.
In declaring the current two
congressional districts discrimi-
Dave McNeely is a retired political
writer for the Austin American-States-
man. He can be reached at <davemc-
neelyni@gmaU.com> (512) 458-2963.
Nancy Harris — Office Manager and
Bookkeeper
officemanager@thehendersonnews.com
designed to protect against high-caliber rounds.
SCOTUS hears water suit
Renee Dumas — Marketing Executive
marketing@thehendersonnews.com
Debra Odom — Marketing Executive
advertising@thehendersonnews.com
Ed Sterling is Director of Member Services with
Austin-based Texas Press Association.
I can assure you that if and when you call The
Henderson News you will talk to a human during
office hours and not an automated voice and that
human knows that customer service is king around
here.
Dan Moore is editor and publisher of The Henderson
News. His e-mail address is <publisher@thehenderson-
news. com>.
© 2018, Henderson Newspapers Inc.
SCOTUS adds Texas case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 12 added the
Governor Greg Abbott
PO Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711
(800) 843-5789
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert
2243 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
(866) 535-6302
State Rep. Travis Clardy
202 East Pilar RM 310
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
(936)560-3982
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510-5922
(202) 224-2934
(713) 572-3337 Houston
cornyn.senate.gov/public
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz
B40B Dirksen
Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5922
State Senator
Bryan Hughes
100 Independence
Place, Suite 301
Tyler, Texas 75703
(903) 581-1776
•x -
.0*1
____izza
— Drew Litton, Universal UCIick for UFS
Sparky
Columnist
Government
Access
President Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500
(202) 456-1414
comments@whitehouse.gov
"T A That’s happened to custom-
l/\/ er service?
Y V As a baby boomer I
come from an era where the cus-
tomer was king. Even if they were
wrong they were always right. Not
so today. I don’t know how some
businesses stay in business because
of their lack of customer service.
If it were not for customers they
would not be in business. I think
they have forgotten that we contrib-
ute to their income.
Ruff! Ruff! You tell them Big
Dog. You want me to growl at them
to get their attention?
frustrating and not customer friendly. Have you Yap! Yap! Tell our readers how you get a human
ever tried to find a contact phone number on most on J .J_°ne in«' „ • „
utility websites? It’s almost impossible. They want
you to do everything online only.
Grr! Grr! Yea, don’t expect to talk to a human.
That’s not going to happen. I’m sure glad that I
don’t have to depend on technology when I need
something. I just bark or yap real loud.
managingeditor@thehendersonnews.com Hughes Ellis — Sports Editor
sports@thehendersonnews.com
as usual. The only problem was they sent it to an
address where I lived 15 years ago. So as not to have
my service interrupted the human forwarded me
to, you guessed it, another automated voice to pay
with a credit card.
I don’t mind technology in many cases it is very
helpful but there are some instances when technol-
ogy is not the answer only a human can assist you.
JIM
MULLEN
The Village Idiot wait for
uphold the law and protect the people of Texas.”
The funding will provide law enforcement
officers from 453 different jurisdictions around
MX
I simply say “customer service” over and over.
It confuses the automated voice. Another way is
to start dialing any number on the phone keypad
except the ones offered. You will soon hear the
automated voice say, “I do not understand, one
moment please, let me get a customer representa-
I do the same thing Sparkman but mine is in the five for you. .
form of words and not sounds. To make matters After finally getting to talk to a human they
worse you sit there going through the automation assured^ me that^they had^sent the statement out
maze listening to a voice that sounds like a human, " " *
offering options that are not what you need. It is
very frustrating.
Three months ago, I called a major utility com-
pany to have a specific utility turned on at our new
home. I had no problem talking with a human to
start my new service and take my money.
Two months later, I get a disconnection notice. — . -
You guessed it not from a human but by a text Butthatis very rare these days,
message saying my account was past due and my
service would be interrupted. I found this interest-
ing since I had never received a statement or past
due notice.
I proceeded to check out their website and after
20 minutes of searching I finally found a phone
number and called. You guessed it an automated
voice answered and would not give me the options
I needed. I simply wanted to talk to a human to find
Brian Brown — Classified Manager
Joy Slaymaker — Production Supervisor classifieds@thehendersonnews.com
composing@thehendersonnews.com
PO Box 30 — Henderson, Texas 75653 — 903-657-2501 — (Fax) 903-657-2452— www.thehendersonnews.com
The Henderson News is published on Wednesdays and Sundays in Henderson, Texas 75654. Each edition is entered as periodical mail with the Hen-
derson branch of the United States Postal Service (No. 239-960). By Postal Service regulations, all subscriptions must be paid for in advance of the first
delivery date. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Henderson News, P.O. Box 30, Henderson, Texas 75653.
Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any person, firm or corporation which may appear in the columns of this
newspaper will be corrected when brought to the attention of the publisher.
The Henderson News welcomes letters from readers on any subject. However, letters should contain no more than 300 words and be signed by the
writer and include an address and phone number. Any material considered libelous or in poor taste, or letters of appreciation directed at commercial con-
cerns, at the discretion of the editor, will not be published. Letters can be sent to the The Henderson News, P.O. Box 30, Henderson, Texas 75653. Letters
can also be submitted via e-mail to <managingeditor@thehendersonnews.com>.
Not yet Sparkman. This new technology is very outwhat washing on.
frustrating and not customer friendly. Have you ' A
DPS acts to prevent violent confrontations at capitol
AUSTIN — Enhanced security measures have
been implemented at the state capitol complex and
grounds, the Texas Department of Public Safety
announced Jan. 11.
According to the DPS announcement, “It has
been observed that some individuals or groups
seek violent confrontations during protests and
equip themselves for physical combat. To ensure
the safety and security of the general public and
those who seek to exercise their right to peace-
fully assemble and protest, effective immediately,
certain items may be prohibited from the capitol
grounds unless worn or carried by a licensed peace
officer.”
Supreme Court to ponder Texas
partisan redistricting case
The Paxton appealed to the
years-long Supreme Court, which put the
battle by lower court’s order on hold
Democrats while it decided whether it
and minor- would consider the matter.
ity groups Another issue in the case, if
against the Supreme Court finds that
what they Texas violated the federal Vot-
consider ing Rights Act, could return
intention- Texas to being required to “pre-
ally dis- clear” voting changes, including
criminatory redistricting, to be sure they are
drawing not discriminatory.
of congressional and legisla- The court in 2013 threw out
five districts by Republicans the requirement for federal
got a possible boost from the pre-clearance, eitherbyathree-
U. S. Supreme Court Friday, judge federal court in Washing-
((1/12/18)) ton, D.C. or the U.S. Depart-
The high court agreed to mentof Justice, on grounds the
review rulings from last August data on which states had been
by a three-judge federal court in placed under pre-clearance
San Antonio. were decades old.
The first, on Aug. 15, ordered Ironically, the challenged
Texas to re-draw two Congres- congressional district maps
sional districts for intentionally were drawn in 2012 by the
discriminating against minor- three-judge court, to serve until
ity voters, who tend to favor the Legislature could address
Democrats. the issue. But in 2013, the Leg-
The second ruling, on Aug. islature adopted the court’s
24, ordered Texas to re-draw
nine Texas House districts for
the same reasons.
The high court combined the natory last year, the court said
two cases. Oral arguments will its 2012 re-drawing was done
be heard in the spring. hastily, as an interim remedy,
That almost certainly means not intended as a long-term
the current districts will be used solution.
for the 2018 elections. Party Paxton called the lower
primary elections are set for court’s declaring the districts
March 6, with early voting to discriminatory was “inexpli-
begin Feb. 20. cable and indefensible,” and
A high court decision isn’t said the state is “eager for the
expected until summer. By chance to present our case” to
then, nominees chosen in party the Supreme Court.
primaries will already be cam- On the other side, Eric H.
paigning hard for the Nov. 8 Holder, Jr. — attorney gen-
general election. eral under Democratic former
The two congressional dis- President Barack Obama - also
tricts ruled discriminatory applauded.
are the 27th, represented by “(T)he Supreme Court has
Republican Blake Farenthold of another opportunity to send a
Corpus Christi, and the 35th, message to governors and state
represented by Democrat Lloyd legislatures that racial gerry-
Doggett of Austin. mandering and intentional vote
Farenthold’s 27th District dilution is unconstitutional and
stretches from the Gulf Coast diminishes the voice of minor-
to Bastrop County, just east ity citizens,” Holder said in a
of Austin, and discriminates press statement.
against Hispanic voters in Obama promised to make
South Texas, left behind when fighting partisan gerrymander-
the district was re-drawn in ing a priority in his post-White
2011. House activities, and Holder is
Doggett’s 35th, stretching chairing the National Demo-
from Austin to San Antonio, cratic Redistricting Committee
had the opposite problem: as part of that effort.
designed to pack minority vot- “By ending illegal gerryman-
ers to elect a Hispanic, but dilut- dering, we can ensure that our
ing Hispanic clout in adjoining elected officials represent the
districts - like Farenthold’s. diversity of American commu-
The nine Texas House dis- nities,” Holder said.
tricts drawn discriminatorily “Just as the Supreme Court
were two each in Nueces, Bell struck down racial gerryman-
and Tarrant Counties, and ders in North Carolina and Vir-
three in Dallas County. ginia, they should uphold the
The court, in both the con- district court’s decision striking
gressional and state House down racially gerrymandered
district cases, ordered Texas districts in Texas.”
Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton to let the
judges know whether the Texas
Legislature would re-draw the
lines. If not, the judges would.
Flu illness hits Texas
Texas was in the group of states with high or
Senate Bill 12, authored by Sen. Royce West, widespread reports of seasonal influenza-like ill-
D-Dallas, and Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, ness in a weekly report produced Jan. 12 by the
creating funding for the grant program to provide Centers for Disease Control.
personal body armor to law enforcement agencies Texans can find out where flu shots are avail-
throughout Texas. able through their health care provider, local
While making the announcement on Law health department, local pharmacy or the Vaccine
Enforcement Appreciation Day in Dallas, Abbott Finder at TexasFlu.org.
said, “The job of our law enforcement commu- The Texas Department of State Health Services
nity is becoming more difficult as the threats our says, “If people are experiencing flu symptoms,
officers face continue to increase. The State of health officials encourage them to seek treatment
Texas will not sit idly by and tolerate these actions promptly. Antiviral drugs may help shorten the
against officers who are simply doing their job to duration or lessen the severity of the flu if started
within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.”
Rabies control effort begins
The Texas Department of State Health Services’
the state with some 32,842 rifle-resistant vests annual oral rabies vaccination program took flight
last week. Efforts are focused on a 25-mile wide
swath in counties along the Texas-Mexico border
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the from the Rio Grande Valley to Big Bend.
oral arguments his office presented on Jan. 8 About one million packet doses will be dropped
before the U.S. Supreme Court “should result in a by aircraft over about two weeks to vaccinate wild-
favorable decision for Texas in its years-long dis- life and prevent them from exposing livestock and
pute with New Mexico over water rights to the Rio humans to the deadly virus, the agency said.
Grande River.”
New Mexico’s increasing water use and ground-
to breathe
The tread-
mills at my
health club
were all in use
when I walked
in today. I had
to wait for half
an hour before
there was a free
one. Funny, I
never had to
one
in September,
October, November or December,
but starting Jan. 1, the gym was
suddenly busier than Walmart on
Black Friday.
There were guys I’ve never seen
before in the weight room, doing
sit-ups while holding hundred-
pound plates to their chest. There
were women in yoga pants on every
elliptical machine. The spinning
class was full, the Zumba room
was packed and someone was even
using the rowing machine. That
was a first. All the lanes of the
swimming pool were full, and it was
hard to find an empty locker.
Most of the exercisers had that
“I’ve made a New Year’s Resolu-
tion and I mean it this time!” look
on their faces. I’ve had that look
before, so I understand it. But I
know from experience that there
won’t be any trouble finding an
empty treadmill a week from now.
By mid-February, the staff will be
twiddling their thumbs trying to
find things to do to stay busy.
If you ask what happened to all
that New Year’s resolve, no one will
say that the exercise was too hard
or too boring. They will say that
something came up at work, or one
of the kids got sick, or they had to
take the car to the shop. Pretty soon
a week goes by, and then you have
to shop after work for something
special for Valentine’s Day, and on
it goes. There are a thousand differ-
ent little things to do.
Life always gets in the way. But
even with all the “real life” stuff
happening, somehow there’s always
time to find a half-hour to watch
“Jeopardy!” or “Wheel of Fortune.”
And besides, you’re plenty active.
It’s not as if you’re sitting around
doing nothing! You’re posting on
Facebook and refreshing your Twit-
ter feed all the time. Then there are
the grandkids, the pets, the birth-
days. There’s just not enough time
in the day to do all that and go to
the gym, too.
How, then, do other people find
the time to go? Are they child-
less? Friendless? Petless? Grand-
childrenless? Don’t they ever watch
TV? Maybe they have servants that
do all that stuff for them. Or maybe
they simply feel the gym is worth it.
If it keeps them out of the hos-
pital one day a year, what is that
worth? If their extra leg muscles
keep them from falling and break-
ing a hip, what is that worth? If
exercise lowers your cholesterol or
helps control your diabetes, what
is that worth? If it keeps your heart
healthy, isn’t that better than hav-
ing your chest cracked?
And exercise can be fun. Swim-
ming, dancing, biking, hiking — lots
of people do those for fun. Com-
pared to being sick, it’s a pleasure.
It’s not a resolution, it’s a new life.
Yes, I know we all have to die of
something, and that all the exer-
cise and healthy living in the world
won’t put off the inevitable. Even
the most diligent of us can be taken
down too soon. But given a choice,
I’d rather the process be quicker
rather than slower, and peaceful
rather than traumatic.
If you want to make a New
Year’s Resolution, here’s a good
one: I resolve to be around for next
New Year’s Eve!.
water pumping below Elephant
Butte Reservoir deprives Texas
of water apportioned to it under
the 1938 Rio Grande Compact,
Paxton said.
Texas first filed a com-
plaint with the Supreme Court
in 2013, requesting that New
Mexico stop pumping ground-
water along the border so that
more of the river could flow
south to farmers and residents
in El Paso. Last year, a spe-
cial master appointed by the high court issued a
Open-flame torches, gas masks, helmets, pep- draft report rejecting New Mexico’s claim that its
per spray and shields were included on a list of state water appropriation law supersedes the Rio
more than 20 prohibited items provided by DPS. Grande Compact over the water it diverts from
Furthermore, the DPS said, while citizens have Texas, the AG’s office said.
a right to counter-protest within the capitol com-
plex, “they must do so at a distance sufficient to ±nv cupivmv vuun uan. mv
avoid physical altercations.” By statute, the DPS Texas redistricting case, Abbott v. Perez, to its
has the authority and primary responsibility for spring docket.
law enforcement and security services over the In 2011, the Texas Legislature redrew congres-
complex and grounds. sional and state House districts. The new maps
Police vests to be funded became for the basis for complaints of racial gerry-
Gov. Greg Abbott on Jan. 9 announced that mandering by black and Hispanic rights organiza-
Texas would provide police departments $23 mil- tions and have been in litigation ever since.
lion in grant funding for rifle-resistant vests. Dur-
ing the 85th Legislative Session, Abbott signed
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Moore, Dan & Griffin, Ashton. The Henderson News (Henderson, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 215, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 21, 2018, newspaper, January 21, 2018; Henderson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1236992/m1/2/?q=green+energy: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rusk County Library.