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Although I’ve seen this lady many times around N.I.S.D., where she has worked for over seven years, I’ve never known her name or story. I’ve also seen her at my side job at Santa’s Wonderland, although we never spoke. I met with Freda Warren on a rainy Saturday morning. I didn’t bring any drinks with me, but later regretted not bringing a cup of coffee because I could have sat and talked with her forever. Mrs. Warren is quite the character! She had me laughing and writing down life tips, and I left our visit sad that our time was limited because of our busy schedules.
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Gov. Greg Abbott said last Thursday the state is initiating a billboard campaign across Central America and border cities in northern Mexico to discourage migrants from attempting to enter Texas, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The billboards are in multiple languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Russian. They tell stories of migrants being sexually assaulted while trying to enter the United States. “This is tough medicine," Abbott said. “But we want no more rape trees in Texas. Do not make the dangerous trek to Texas.” He was referring to the ashes of a tree where migrant women were sexually assaulted by human traffickers and left to die, according to the Statesman. Abbott is seeking another $3 billion in the next legislative session for Operation Lone Star. Since launching in March 2021, the state has spent $11 billion to deter migrants and fortify the border.
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The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is seeking a $300 million transfusion of funds to bolster the state’s Medicaid application process, The Texas Tribune reported.
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In the last line of the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” the lyrics woefully conclude with the sentiment of only being home for Christmas in one’s dreams. I know a bit about that because I lived it once. If you have ever been forced or denied the ability to join your family at Christmastime, you know exactly what I am speaking of. If not, trust me – it’s not fun.
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Last week I received an invitation to a Christmas party. Seeing “White Elephant Gift” and in smaller print, “Up to $25 Value,” I asked the 40-something hostess if she knew what “white elephant” meant. Her response was, “It’s just a gift.” Well, like a lot of things in life, that depends on your perspective!
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It was shortly after the 1839 Yellow Fever epidemic hit Galveston that early Texan Dr. Ashbel Smith described the event in that city as “beginning with a headache, followed by chills, fever, muscle and bone pain and dizziness.”
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The state’s construction industry is voicing concern that President-elect Trump’s vow to deport millions of undocumented immigrants would cause major labor shortfalls, according to the Texas Standard. “It would devastate our industry, we wouldn’t finish our highways, we wouldn’t finish our schools,” said Stan Marek, CEO of Marek, a Houston-based commercial and residential construction giant. “Housing would disappear. I think they’d lose half their labor.”
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Friends, this is the final installment in a series of writings about the strong women who have made major impacts on my life. They are tough, but fair; strong, beautiful, inspirational, and at the same time – humble. My life has been forever changed by these women. These are my Steel Magnolias.
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