Elgin Courier (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 130, No. 41, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 Page: 4 of 18
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PAGE 4A
ELGIN COURIER - ELGIN, TEXAS
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2020
Opinion
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TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Capital
Highlights
Re-elect Maurice Cook for Sheriff
Places like Portland have shown us how
easy it is for disruptive forces to infiltrate
what starts as a good cause and turn it
into a lawless mass of rioting and de-
struction. Their weak governors, mayors,
and district attorneys have also shown us
how important it is when voting for every
elected official. Do we want a governing
body in Bastrop County that allows a
MEMBER
2020
Chris
COBLER
11
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local libraries and read-
ing their local newspa-
pers, people may go to the
League’s vote411.org for in-
formation about their ballots
for the general election. Also,
the Texas Tribune, a statewide
nonprofit news initiative, of-
fers ballot information at Tex-
asTribune.com.
105 North Main St.
P.O. Box 631
Elgin, TX 78621
electoral and legislative process so that
they have a seat at the table where deci-
sions are made that greatly affect their
daily lives. The health, safety and eco-
nomic security of all workers and their
families, including the historically under-
served, is fundamental to the well-being
of our communities.
Candidate for U.S. House of Represen-
tatives TX-10, Mike Siegel, candidate for
State Representative District 17, Madeline
sential that I make sure they
know I am here for them and
value their educational de-
velopment,” said Hale, who
teaches at David G. Burnet
Elementary School.
Superintendent of the Year
honors went to J.A. Gonzalez
of McAllen ISD. Hurst-Eu-
less-Bedford ISD won best
school board.
Chris Cobler is a board
member and past president
of the Freedom of Informa-
Workers Defense Action Fund
endorses Siegel, Eden, Renck
Bastrop County working families are
fortunate to have three candidates on their
2020 ballots who have been endorsed by
the Workers Defense Action Fund. C
andidates receiving this much-cov-
eted endorsement are carefully vet-
ted to ensure that they are committed
to serve the needs of hardworking
families and to engage them in the
ELGIN SCHOOL DISTRICT
SUPERINTENDENT -
Dr. Jodi Duron
512-281-3434
Vistra, an energy power-
house based in Irving, an-
nounced plans to achieve
net-zero carbon dioxide emis-
sions by 2050.
A key part of that plan is a
capital investment of $1.15
billion by 2022 on solar and
storage projects in California
and Texas. The company also
plans to close coal-fire energy
plants in Illinois and Ohio by
2027.
“Vistra’s commitment to
our transformation to a low-
to-no-carbon future is un-
equivocal and offers unique
opportunities for growth and
innovation,” President and
CEO Curt Morgan said in a
press release.
Vistra solar projects open-
ing within the next two years
in Texas are in Andrews,
Brightside, Emerald Grove,
Forest Grove and Oak Hill.
A solar project and energy
storage project is planned at
Upton 2 near Emerald Grove.
Energy storage is planned in
DeCordova southwest of Dal-
las-Fort Worth.
Vistra is a Fortune 275 retail
electricity and power genera-
tion company. Its holdings
include TXU Energy, Home-
field Energy, Dynegy, Ambit
Energy and Luminant.
Gail Schobey
OFFICE MANAGER
ar@elgincourier.com
BASTROP COUNTY
COUNTY JUDGE-Paul Pape
512-332-7201
SHERIFF - Maurice Cook
512-549-5100
COUNTY COURT AT LAW -
Judge Benton Eskew
512-581-4277
CITY OF ELGIN
MAYOR - Chris Cannon
512-516-0813
CITY MANAGER - Tom Mattis
512-281-5724
POLICE CHIEF-Patrick South
512-285-5757
FIRE CHIEF - Randy Reyna
512-281-4025
Julianne Hodges
MANAGING EDITOR
julianne.hodges@elgincourier.com
Board of Trustees:
• President Byron Mitchell,
Dis. 1
• Vice President Beth Walter-
scheidt. Dis. 3
• Parliamentarian Angie Ed-
mon. Dis. 4
• Pete Bega, Dis. 2
• J.D. Harkins, Dis. 5
• Juanita Valarie Neidig, Dis. 6
• David Glass, Dis. 7
AkMiUiLiILIILILLMUII
Ron Ramirez
SPORTS EDITOR, CIRCULATION
ronram512@yahoo.com
COMMISSIONERS:
• Mel Hamner (Pct.l)
512-332-7295
• Clara Beckett (Pct.2)
512-360-2764
• Mark Meuth (Pct.3)
512-303-6800
• Donna Snowden (Pct.4)
512-332-7267
Elgin City Council:
• Mary Penson (Ward 1)
512-281-4158
• Jessica Bega (Ward 1)
512-653-1900
• Juan Gonzalez (Ward 2)
512-285-6499
• Susie Arreaga (Ward 2)
512-750-8178
• Daniel Lopez (Ward 3)
512-281-5724
• Brad Jones (Ward 3)
512-922-6418
• Sue Brashar (Ward 4)
512-689-5692
• Forest Dennis (Ward 4)
512-483-1818
Jacki Gabryshak
ADVERTISING SALES & MARKETING
sales@elgincourier.com
Heather Ott
ADVERTISING SALES/N.I.E. DIRECTOR
ads@elgincourier.com
Jim Beaver
PUBLISHER
publisher@elgincourier.com
Justices Of The Peace:
• Cindy Allen (Pct.l)
512-581-4258
• Raymah Davis (Pct.2)
512-581-7112
• Katherine Hanna (Pct.3)
512-332-7288
• Larry Dunne (Pct.4)
512-581-7162
Top educators
make the grade
Texas’ two top teachers
1ilid2jl"!.
L
Phone:512-285-3333
Fax:512-285-9406
publisher@elgincourier.com
MR t
HORN
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Where do you think the Confederate monuments at the
Bastrop County Courthouse should be moved?
Comment your response on our weekly question posted to Facebook @ElginCourier.
Eden, and candidate for Bastrop County
Sheriff, Mike Renck, have all met the high
standard of commitment necessary to re-
ceive this award and, if elected, will serve
by making the best interests of all working
families their top priority. Let’s elect this
trio of public servants to represent us at the
local, state and federal level.
Robin Rieck
Cedar Creek, Texas
ELGIN COURIER
(U.S.P.S. 172-740)
Out of county
One year ................. $44
Out of state
One year ................. $49
PucrT
a
executive order and a Texas
Supreme Court decision
changed some counties’ plans
for handling mail-in ballots
for the Nov. 3 election.
Citing security con-
cerns, Abbott ordered all 254
Texas counties to offer only
one drop-off location for ab-
sentee ballots.
“These enhanced security
protocols will ensure greater
transparency and will help
stop attempts at illegal vot-
ing,” Abbott said.
Democrats accused the Re-
publican governor of trying
to suppress the vote, partic-
ularly in larger metropolitan
areas. The League of United
Latin American Citizens, the
League of Women Voters and
two individuals filed a lawsuit
to challenge the order.
“Geographically, Harris
County is larger than the en-
tire state of Rhode Island,”
Harris County Judge Lina
Hidalgo said. “Our popula-
tion rivals that of the entire
state of Colorado. To propose
tell them of Sheriff Cook’s background
and experience, they cannot believe we
could have such an accomplished and
experienced law enforcement officer to
serve our county. We are very fortunate
to have Sheriff Cook. I encourage every
voter, no matter their party affiliation, to
vote for the best—that is vote for Sheriff
Maurice Cook—in the upcoming elec-
tion.
Derek R. Van Gilder, Attorney at Law
Bastrop, Texas
The Elgin Courier is
published weekly
by Blacklands
Publications, Inc.
at 105 North Main,
Elgin, Bastrop County,
TX 78621. Established
in 1890. Periodical
postage paid at Elgin,
Texas, 78621. Any
erroneous reflection
upon character,
standing, or reputation
of any individual, firm
or organization that
may appear in the
columns of this paper
will be corrected if
brought to the attention
of the publisher.
We do not hold
ourselves responsible
for the views of our
correspondents.
© 2020 Elgin Courier.
All rights reserved.
Material may not be reproduced
without written permission.
Early voting starts Oct. 13
Gov. Greg Abbott’s
Wilf
OPINION POLICY
The Elgin Courier Letters to the Editor column
is an open forum offering opportunities to the
public to comment on issues of interest or concern
to the community. They should refrain from
making personal attacks on the individuals, and
comments which in the opinion of the editors are
potentially libelous or in bad taste will not be
printed. Letters should be brief, 300 words
or less, if possible. We solicit and encourage
such comment. The deadline for Letters to the
Editor is Friday at noon. It is our policy not
to print letters with political opinions, ideals
or views after early voting begins. All letters
must be signed and include the address and
phone number of the author. The Courier will
not withhold the name of letter writers and
anonymous letters will be discarded. Send
e-mails to publisher@elgincourier.com. Website
is www.elgincourier.com. Call 512-285-3333.
News and ad copy deadline is Friday at 5 p.m.
Letters to Editor deadline is Friday at noon.
(======*=====
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST
Award Winner
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km Spry
“ Bottle
revolving door for criminals? A men- happiness. Unduly pandering to special
tality that says, “Don’t arrest them for interest groups creates inequality and
taking what belongs to someone else instability. I support Maurice Cook for
because maybe they needed it?” sheriff because he has fulfilled his du-
We need good people with common- ties of enforcing the law fairly, not with
sense in every position of our govern- undue brutality or buckling under trying
ment. A society with a firm foundation to appease whatever opinions happen to
of law and order, balancing justice with be popular at the moment.
mercy, will allow all Bastrop County Vicky Rose
citizens to be free in their pursuit of Elgin, Texas
Subscription
Rates
Payable in advance
In County
One year ..................$41
Re-elect Sheriff Maurice Cook performance of the deputies he com-
Since his first election as Sheriff, mands.
Maurice Cook has been an outstand- Bastrop County can be very proud to
ing law enforcement icon for Bastrop have such an outstanding Sheriff rep-
County. His many years of service with resenting our citizens. His diligence to
the State as a Texas Ranger and Chief “get things right” shows in the everyday
of the Rangers has shown what com- workings of the department. The addi-
mand experience can do to upgrade the tional training of his deputies is clear
professionalism of the Bastrop County to the public in the way they handle the
Sheriff’s Office. The significant im- stressful duties they encounter every day.
provement in the morale directly due I am proud to tell people that Bastrop
to his leadership has led to a significant County has one of the most outstanding
improvement in the overall character and sheriffs in the State of Texas. When I
only a single, secure drop-off Lone Star state. welcomes email at ccobler@
location for a county of our The Texas Association of texaspress.com.
size during a pandemic is lu- School Administrators hon-
dicrous.” ored Eric Hale, a kindergar-
Earlier, the Republican-con- ten and first-grade teacher
trolled Texas Supreme Court from the Dallas Indepen-
issued a ruling that created dent School District, as the
a similar partisan reaction 2021 Elementary Teacher
about voting security and of the Year and Anthony
rights. The court said Harris Lopez-Waste, a history
and other counties could not teacher from Canutillo ISD
send unsolicited mail-in bal- in El Paso, as the Secondary
lots to voters. Teacher of the Year.
In-person early voting starts Hale was chosen to repre-
Oct. 13 in Texas. The Texas sent the state as Texas Teacher
Library Association is en- of the Year in the National
couraging its member librar- Teacher of the Year competi-
ies to share election guides tion. The announcement was
created by the League of made during the virtual
Women Voters. convention of the school ad-
Early voting runs until Oct. ministrators and the Texas
30. The deadline to apply for Association of School Boards,
a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23, “My students and parents
and the deadline to return a have survived a category F-3
mail-in ballot is Nov. 3. tornado and are presently
Along with visiting their living in a pandemic. It is es-
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Hodges, Julianne. Elgin Courier (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 130, No. 41, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 7, 2020, newspaper, October 7, 2020; Elgin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1555612/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Elgin Public Library.