Golden Gazette October 2023

In October & inside

5th Hub City BBQ Cookoff ............... page 5

6th Ocktoberfest ............................. page 2

6th First Friday Art Trail

7th Roundtable meeting .................. page 7

10th Christian Women’s meeting ...... page 3

12th Columbus Day

13th New Neighbors .......................... page 3

31st Halloween

Wolfforth Cemetery dedicated ............. page 3

Football schedule ................................ page 15

At the Cactus Theater ......................... page 23

The Constitutional Amendments ........ page 10

Centennial Christmas ornament ......... page 13

Golden Spur Award......................... page 14-15

Donations to Holiday Extravaganza ... page 15

Lubbock Book Festival ....................... page 18

STOP! Your land is under arrest ......... page 22

Coming in November

Election Day, Nov. 7 ............................. page 1

Medicare open enrollment: through Dec. 7

Daylight Saving Time ends – Nov. 5

Important dates for the Nov. 7 Constitutional Amendment election

Texans will vote on 14 proposed amendments to the state constitution on Nov. 7, and some local governments will also hold elections this November, said Jane Nelson, Texas secretary of state. Take note of upcoming election deadlines.

Dates:

• Oct. 10 - The last day to register to vote in time for the Nov. 7 election

• Oct. 27 - Last day to apply for ballot by mail

• Oct. 23 - Early voting begins

• Nov. 3 - Last day of early voting

• Nov. 7 – Election Day, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Additionally, after the passage of House Bill 357 during the 88th Legislative Session, the Secretary of State’s office is now required to set the date of a runoff election resulting from an election held on a uniform election date.

The runoff date for the Nov. 7 Election will be Dec. 9.

(See The Nov. 7 Constitutional Amendments, Page 10)

Hub City BBQ Cookoff set for Oct. 5

(See Hub City, Page 5)

2ndHealthy Aging & Dementia

October 25-27, 2023 Symposium

See Page 24 for details

Free movie, food and refreshments. RSVP by Oct 20. See Page 2 for details.

6th annual Oktoberfest set for Oct. 6

The 6th annual Oktoberfest is set for 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 6 at the Texas Tech University Frazier Alumni Pavilion.

This festive fundraiser benefits Lubbock Meals on Wheels and other club-supported nonprofits.

Admission is $50 per person, which includes German food, an open bar with beer & wine, a live German band, a large silent auction, a beer stein-lifting contest, and more.

Oktoberfest is an event of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Lubbock.

Tickets are available at Lubbock Meals on Wheels, 2304 34th Street, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or orline, https://hartsfield.wufoo.com/ forms/wbidy180pavbaf/

There is limited seating, so get tickets early. For questions, call 817-721-9729.

Online ticket sales end at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

What you are - shouts so loudly in my ears - I cannot hear what you say.

-

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wolfforth Cemetery dedicated as Historic Texas Cemetery

The Lubbock County Historical Commission & Wolfforth Cemetery Association dedicated the Wolfforth Cemetery as a Historic Texas Cemetery.

The cemetery is located at 937 West 5th St., Wolfforth, and the dedication was on Sept. 23.

Wolfforth was established in 1916 on the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway. The town had a post office and railroad depot by the 1920s. In 1927, 2.45 acres west of the platted town was designated for a community cemetery, and burial plots were provided free for local residents.

Ruby Hazel Fulfer, an infant, was the first burial in 1927. The earliest gravestone is for Billy Lois Sims, also an infant, who also died in 1927.

By the 1950s, plots were sold for a small fee to establish maintenance funds.

Lubbock Christian Women’s to meet Oct. 10

A Silent Auction “Going, Going, Gone” is set for 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 10, as part of the Lubbock Christian Women’s Connection meeting.

The auction will feature merchant gift cards, home decor, delicious baked & canned goods, Maxine’s homemade chocolates, gift baskets, Christmas items, books, and a wreath filled with $200 worth of gift cards.

A buffet lunch, program and a chance to win door prizes will be held at the Lubbock Country Club, 3400 Mesa Road. Melody Grace of Amarillo will share her story of “A Gift for You and Me.”

Cost is $23, and RSVP by Oct. 6 to Sharen at 806-3920264 or Lubbock CWC@gmail.com

Please honor reservations or cancel by Oct. 6.

New Neighbors Club of Lubbock will have its general meeting beginning at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 13 at the Lubbock Women’s Club, 2020 Broadway. Cost for lunch is $20. The Sweet Adelines will be the entertainment0. Whether you are new to town or not, this is a fun group with many special interest groups such as cards, games, movies, books, and dining. Make reservations by email to Roni Allen okieroni1@gmail.com. by Oct. 11.

5120 29 th Drive • Lubbock 575-714-4228

T-F 9 to 12 & 1:15 to 5 Sat 9-12

No Appointment Needed.

You will not persuade another by cutting off his argument. You will only stifle your understanding of how to answer him. -

Jojo Tabares

Person-centered approach to managing agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Agitation is one of the most distressing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

A new publication from The Gerontological Society of America shares information about approaches and strategies for managing this agitation.

Agitation can be described as increased, often undirected, motor activity, restlessness, aggressiveness, and emotional distress. It may include nonaggressive behaviors such as pacing,

repetitious movements, and general restlessness, or it may manifest as physically or verbally aggressive behaviors.

The prevalence of agitation has been reported to range from 30 to 80 percent of people living with dementia and is more common as the condition advances.

Agitation in Alzheimer’s disease (AAD) is associated with many negative outcomes such as accelerated disease progression, physical and mental health dete-

rioration, functional decline, higher risk of admission to long-term care facilities (LTCFs), and poor quality of life.

Agitation is one of the most important factors that impacts whether an individual with dementia is placed in a care facility. Other impacts include increased risk of hospitalization and longer lengths of stay, mental health impairment, higher costs, and increased mortality.

Dr. George T. Grossberg

Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization Working Together

Opportunity to Comment on the Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Re-adoption of the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan

Residents of the cities of Lubbock and Wol orth and Lubbock County citizens living within the Metropolitan Area Boundary of Lubbock Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) are encouraged to review and comment on the Re-adoption of the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan to the forecast year of 2045. Written comments will be received from September 18, 2023 to October 18, 2023

Public Forums are as follows:

October 3, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at 916 Main Street, Second Floor Conference Room

October 10,2023 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at 916 Main Street Suite 1210

October 17, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. at 1314

Avenue

K, City Council Chambers

Written comments may be sent to djones@mylubbock.us or phone at 806.775.1671. Comments will be received until 5:00 p.m. October, 18, 2023.

Additional information may be found at:

https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/pages/lubbock-metropolitan-planning-organization

This public notice of “public involvement activities” and time established for public review and comment on the proposed projects noted above will satisfy the program-of-projects requirements of the Urbanized Area Formula Program (Section 5307) of the Federal Transit Administration.

emphasized that a personcentered approach to care is central to the management of AAD.

“In a person-centered care culture, agitation behaviors are viewed as clues to the presence of distress in a person who is no longer able to communicate an issue through other means,” he said.

“The goal of care should be to consider: ‘What is this person expressing, what is causing this reaction, and how can we respond to reduce their distress?’ rather than ‘How do we manage this behavior?’”

In addition to behavioral approaches that may be implemented by caregivers and the person’s care team, the management of AAD may include specific nonpharmacologic modalities such as music or therapeutic touch or pharmacologic approaches.

In May 2023, brexpiprazole became the first medication to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.

Medications used off-label to treat AAD have included benzodiazepines, antihistamines, antidepressants, antiepileptics, and antipsychotics.

These agents are limited

by only moderate efficacy and most have serious safety and tolerability concerns that are often increased in elderly populations.

Grossberg and his colleagues have developed a treatment algorithm for interventions to ameliorate and prevent agitation that supports the implementation of the International Psychogeriatric Association definition in practice — and is built around a person-centered framework.

This decision tree for guiding the management of AAD outlines several steps that should be followed for assessing and managing AAD, starting with ongoing assessment for the emergence of symptoms, differential diagnosis, and nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment approaches.

“Insights & Implications in Gerontology: Agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease” highlights these developments and provides details about person-centered behavioral approaches to AAD, including strategies for care planning, goal setting, and caregiver collaboration.

It also provides a framework for how to incorporate other treatment modalities and offers perspectives from clinicians with experience treating patients.

My wife found out I was cheating after she found all the letters I was hiding. That’s the last time we play Scrabble.

Hub City BBQ

Cookoff set for Oct. 5

The Hub City BBQ Cookoff is back for its 24th year from 5 to 8 p.m., Oct. 5 at the Panhandle South Plains Fairgrounds, 105 E. Broadway.

This year’s event will feature more than 100 cooking teams competing in categories such as pork ribs, beans, desserts, and more.

First through ninth place winners will be announced at the conclusion of the competition and published on social media and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce website.

Head down to the fairgrounds to network with local businesses, sample barbeque and beverages, and listen to live music from popular local musicians.

Tickets for the 2023 Hub City BBQ Cookoff are on sale at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, 806-7617000, 1500 Broadway, Suite 101.

The Garrison Institute on Aging was established in 1999 and named in honor of Mildred and Shirley Garrison in 2005. Our mission is to promote healthy aging through research, promote educational and community outreach programs, and serve the community with services and contacts. If you have questions on health issues, aging, chronic disease and mental health, please reach out to us. We can assist in connecting you with the right contact for your concerns.

October is here

October is here and the triple digit temps are gone… YEA! Fall sports are in play with football, volleyball, soccer and even some golf and track and field. I encourage you to get out to school events as well as TTU, LCU and other higher education events. During the pandemic and afterward, I heard many say – I wish I would have done this or that. Do not take the everyday events for granted.

Days to celebrate in October.

• Oct. 1 is International Coffee Day. Make it special.

• Oct. 3 is ‘Mean Girls’ and also National Boyfriend Day. Is it just me or is this just odd?

• Oct. 10 is Columbus Day & World Mental Health Day.

• Oct. 12 is National Farmer’s Day.

• Oct. 16 is Boss’ Day. Maybe you can treat yourself (if you are the boss)!

• Oct. 26 is National Chicken Fried Steak Day. No one does it better than Texas.

• Oct. 31 is Halloween & National Knock-Knock Day. Combine the two and you can knock on your neighbor’s door and say ‘trick or treat’! A two for one!

At’l Do Farms Corn Maze

The At’l Do Farms Corn Maze is a great way to spend an afternoon -- corn cannon, hay rides, and treats for all.

Stars and Stripes Drive-In Theater

How long has it been since you have been to a drive-in movie? Stars and Stripes Drive-In Theater is great way to enjoy the pleasant evenings. There is food and drinks and a playground for kiddos. Showings are available Friday and Saturday. Three screens gives you a choice of movies.

Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market

Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market is open thru mid-October. It is a great place for farm-fresh produce, homemade jellies, salsa, coffee, meats, and more. Food trucks are also on site.

Walk the Talk…What

Rehab Can Do For You

The Care Partner Acad-

By TEXAS TECH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Garrison Institute on Aging

emy session will be held at noon Oct. 10. Trustpoint Rehabilitation Hospital of Lubbock will speak on “Walk the Talk…What Rehab Can Do For You.”

Rehab is the care that can help you get back, keep, or improve abilities that you need for daily life.

The Care Partner Academy is an informal group that meets monthly to share various topics and is free and open to the public. Light snacks are provided.

To confirm for this session, contact Joan at 806743-1217 or email at joan. blackmon@ttuhsc.edu.

RSVP is requested and the program will also be available on ZOOM. https://ttuhsc.zoom.us/j/93712419544.

This session is held at 6630 S Quaker Ave., Suite E. Heartburn:

The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly

The Healthy Aging Lecture Series is moving its location to Carillon, Windsong Building, 4002 16th St. Dr. Sameer Islam will present “Heartburn: The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly.” It will be on Oct. 18 from 3-4pm. For more information and to make reservations, call 806-743-7821 or email gia@ ttuhsc.edu.

Vitamin E & obesity

TTU and TTUHSC has some studies you might be interested in joining. Actions of Dietary Tocotrienols on

Obesity is a 24-week research study examining the effects of vitamin E and obesity outcomes in adults. For information, call 806-7434222 or clinicalresearch@ ttuhsc.edu.

Nutrition study

The Nutritional Sciences Department at TTU is conducting a study on The Effect of Culinary Medicine to Enhance Protein Intake on Muscle Quality in Older Adults.

Criteria includes men and women, age 65 or older who are willing to eat beef. Two in-person visits are required, follow-ups are remote. Incentive is an activity tracking watch and beef products are provided.

For information, call 806535-2492 or email Justin. Chavez@ttu.edu. There may be others that are a fit for you. Contact GIA at GIA@ ttuhsc.edu for additional information.

Movie Night

Movie Night returns! Lubbock RSVP will host Movie Night featuring the 1951 movie “Vengeance Valley.”

Doors open at 5 p.m. You will be able to enjoy free food and refreshments at the Academic Event Center, 3601 4th St., TTUHSC campus. Parking is available next to the building. Deadline to register is Oct. 20. Call

at 806-743-7787 or email rsvp@ttuhsc.edu to reserve your spot. Come dressed in western attire.

Mental health sessions / respite program

We are continuing to host mental health sessions for caregivers as well as offering a free respite care program with the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Singer, TTU Department of Psychological Sciences.

Dr. Singer has also opened up ‘tele-health’ sessions for those in rural areas. If you are an informal (unpaid) caregiver of someone with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or related dementia diseases, there are programs that can benefit you at no cost.

Participation in his study can assist in providing future services for you and those you care for. Caregivers are encouraged to contact Dr. Singer for additional information at 806-834-5884 or email at jonsinge@ttu.edu.

October Jokes…

What month is best for a musical festival?

• ROCK-tober

Why did a scarecrow win the Nobel prize?

• He was outstanding in his field.

What did the girl say when it was snowing on Halloween?

• Octobrrrrr!

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. ~ Jane Goodall

Great restaurant to start your day

Dear Folks,

This month’s column is about George’s on 4th Street. This locallyowned restaurant is open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

It has an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, and we have ordered several times through the service of Door Dash, (DD). We love the breakfast omelet, bacon, waffles, and their famous hash browns.

The menu begins with 5 “George’s Favorites” which include chicken fried steak, chicken and waffles, the Big Texan Breakfast, French toast plate, and the “regulars.” All, of course, include a side.

The four pancake selections also include a waffle plate and your choice of eggs and meat.

Next are listed the breakfast omelets. There are five choices and our favorite is the Garden Omelet! It’s filled with mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, spinach, tomatoes, cheese, fresh chives, and

is topped with fresh sliced avocados –YUM!

Included on the list is a Spanish Omlete, which satisfies the southwest palate and is loaded with all the Tex-Mex goodies. Burritos, you ask? The menu offers “Build Your Own Burrito.” With the 2 to 5 items listed, your choices are endless.

Also offered for breakfast are biscuits with gravy and three appetizer choices.

For the lunch crowd, there are three salads – Chicken Caesar, Chef Salad, and Chicken Salad. The sandwich list offers four of everyone’s favorites, plus 6 burger specialties. For larger appetites, there are 6 dinner choices with a list of 6 sides.

No one should ever leave George’s hungry. With such a huge selection, everyone should find a favorite.

George’s, 5407 4th Street, Unit #1, 806-795-6000.

Happy “long awaited fall” to everyone! Until next time – Cathy

We

The

Roundtable meeting is set for 11

a.m. Oct. 7 at Carillon Senior Living in the Cimarron Room in Pointe Plaza building. Carillon is located at 1717 Norfolk Ave., just off Quaker. The program will be presented by Wayne Bush, one of the board members of the FiberMax Center for Discovery, the agriculture museum.

They have some news about the new Children’s Agricultural Literacy Wing. They are developing a first-class museum facility that teaches the community the importance of agriculture in everyday life.

Cost is $18 and pay by check, made out to Roundtable, or cash. Anything given extra, goes into the scholarship fund for the Texas Tech Honors College. A check will be presented at the December meeting.

Reservations are needed by Oct. 4 for food and staff planning. Send RSVP to MEvans1398@aol.com.

To be a mother of a son is one of the most important things you can do to change the world. Raise them to respect women, raise them to stand up for others, raise them to be kind.

Estate planning:

Estate planning is a process designed to help manage and preserve assets while you are alive, and conserve and control their distribution after your death according to your goals and objectives.

But what estate planning means to you specifically depends on many factors.

Your age, health, wealth, lifestyle, life stage, goals, and other factors determine your estate planning needs.

You may have a small estate and may be concerned only that certain people receive particular things.

A simple will is probably all you need. Or, you may have a large estate, and minimizing any potential estate tax impact is your foremost goal. Here,

you’ll need to use more sophisticated techniques in your estate plan, such as a trust.

The following sections address some estate planning needs that are common among some very broad groups of individuals.

These suggestions will point you in the right direction, and then seek professional advice to implement the right plan for you.

Over 18

Since incapacity can strike at any time, all adults over 18 should consider having:

• A durable power of attorney: This document lets you name someone to manage your property for you in case you become incapacitated.

• An advanced medical directive: The three main types of advanced medical directives are

1. A living will,

2. A durable power of attorney for health care (also known as a health-care proxy), and

3. A do not resuscitate order (DNR).

Be aware that not all states allow each kind of medical directive, so make sure you execute one that will be effective for you.

Young & single

If you’re young and single, you may not need much estate planning. But if you have some material possessions, you should at least write a will. If you don’t, the wealth you leave

behind if you die will likely go to your parents, and that might not be what you would want.

A will lets you leave your possessions to anyone you choose (e.g., your significant other, siblings, other relatives, or favorite charity).

Unmarried couples

You’ve committed to a life partner but aren’t legally married. For you, a will is essential if you want your property to pass to your partner at your death. Without a will, state law directs that only your closest relatives will inherit your property, and your partner may get nothing.

If you share certain property, such as a house or car, you might consider owning the property as joint tenants with

rights of survivorship. That way, when one of you dies, the jointly held property will pass to the surviving partner automatically.

Married couples

For many years, married couples had to do careful estate planning, such as the creation of a credit shelter trust, in order to take advantage of their combined federal estate tax exclusions.

For decedents dying in 2011 and later years, the executor of a deceased spouse’s estate to transfer any unused estate tax exclusion amount to the surviving spouse without such planning.

You may be inclined to rely on these portability rules for estate tax avoidance, using outright bequests to your spouse instead of traditional trust planning.

However, portability should not be relied upon solely for utilization of the first to die’s estate tax exemption, and a credit shelter trust created at the first spouse’s death may still be advantageous for several reasons:

• Portability may be lost if the surviving spouse remarries and is later widowed again

• The trust can protect any appreciation of assets from estate tax at the second spouse’s death

• The trust can provide protection of assets from the reach of the surviving spouse’s creditors

• Portability does not apply to the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax, so the trust may be needed to fully

(See Estate planning, Page 9)

Over 18, young & single, unmarried couples, married couples, married with children, comfortable & looking forward to retirement, wealthy & worried

Estate planning:

leverage the GST exemptions of both spouses

Married couples where one spouse is not a U.S. citizen have special planning concerns. The marital deduction is not allowed if the recipient spouse is a non-citizen spouse, but a $175,000 annual exclusion for 2023($164,000 for 2022) is allowed.

If certain requirements are met, however, a transfer to a qualified domestic trust (QDOT) will qualify for the marital deduction.

Married with children

If you’re married and have children, you and your spouse should each have a will. Wills are vital because you can name a guardian for your minor children in case both of you die simultaneously.

If you fail to name a guardian, a court may appoint someone you might not have chosen. Furthermore, without a will, some states dictate that at your death some of your property goes to your children and not to your spouse.

If minor children inherit directly, the surviving parent will need court permission to manage the money for them. You may also want to consult an attorney about establishing a trust to manage your children’s assets.

You may also need life insurance. Your surviving spouse may not be able to support the family on his or her own and may need to replace your earnings to maintain the family.

Comfortable & looking forward to retirement

You’ve accumulated some wealth and you’re thinking about retirement. Here’s where estate planning overlaps with retirement planning.

It’s important to plan to care for yourself during your retirement and to provide for your beneficiaries after your death. Keep in mind that even though Social Security may be

around when you retire those benefits alone may not provide enough income for your retirement years.

Consider saving some of your accumulated wealth using other retirement and deferred vehicles, such as an IRA.

Wealthy & worried

Depending on the size of your estate, you may need to be concerned about estate taxes. For 2023, $12,920,000 is effectively exempt from the federal gift and estate tax. Estates over that amount may be subject to the tax at a top rate of 40 percent.

There is another tax, called the generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax imposed on transfers of wealth made to grandchildren (and lower generations). For 2023, the GST tax exemption is also $12,920,000, and the top tax rate is 40 percent.

Note: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law in December 2017, doubled the gift and estate tax basic exclusion amount and the GST tax exemption to $11,180,000 in 2018. After 2025, they are scheduled to revert to their pre-2018 levels and cut by about one-half.

Whether your estate will be subject to state death taxes depends on the size of your estate and the tax laws in effect in the state in which you are domiciled.

Elderly or ill

If you’re elderly or ill, you’ll want to write a will or update your existing one, consider a revocable living trust, and make sure you have a durable power of attorney and a health-care directive.

Talk with your family about your wishes, and make sure they have copies of your important papers or know where to locate them.

Zach Holtzman financial advisor

Seeds of Hope

A need for love and mercy

The Psalmist wrote: “Glorious things are said of You!”

John Newton once was a slave trader. After becoming a Christian, he became a powerful preacher, a leader in the fight against slavery, and a famous hymn writer.

One of his hymns contains the Glorious Things!

“He whose Word cannot be broken” reminds us of the faithfulness of Goda centerpiece of the Psalms. In psalm after psalm we hear the echo of God’s faithfulness giving strength, hope and encouragement to the children of Israel. Though they often abandoned God and at times paid a dear price for forsaking him, he was there each time they called on him and immediately answered their cry.

“Well supply thy sons and daughters, and all fear of want remove.” There never was a time in their history that God did not feed them, go before them, or watch over them.

When they looked to him for forgiveness, and repented of their sinful ways, his mercy met them at their point of need and his blessings followed. He was with them to meet their needs, remove their fear, and grant them the desires of their heart.

“Grace which, like the Lord, the giver, never fails from age to age.” If there ever was a time in the history of our nation that we needed to be reminded that God’s grace would “never fail” it is now.

Everywhere we look, we see a need for his love, mercy, grace, salvation and our nation’s restoration. It is not his glory that has vanished - it is our unwillingness to share his grace with others.

Are we there yet?

Most of us have a memory or two of family trips we took when we were children. Excitement filled our hearts as we began the trip. Then, after a while, boredom and restlessness would set in and everyone became anxious and angry and wondered why we ever left home.

No matter where we were going or how long it took, someone would ask the question, “Are we there yet?” It is a question that is handed down from one generation to the next and one family to another. It’s part of every journey. And the answer was and still is the same: “Almost” or “Not yet.” It reminds us of the fact that life is indeed a journey and we are never sure where or when it will end.

It is difficult to face the uncertainties of life wondering when there will be some final resolution to the issues that surround us and threaten us constantly.

We are troubled when we see injustice and feel deceived. We want to be free from the fear and threat of terrorism and enjoy the reign of peace and joy. We hear of wars and rumors of wars.

We are forced to face the fact that conflict and crises pervade our world and disturb our lives. And the peace that the leaders of this world promise us, never comes.

So we call on God and ask, “Are we there yet? Is it time for your return?” And he answers, “Almost. Not yet. My time has not come. You and I still have work to do.”

As we Christians have his light in this darkness and his hope in the midst of despair, we must share this gift of light and hope with others so they can pray with us.

The Nov. 7 Constitutional Amendments

Proposition 1 – HJR 126

“The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management.”

Proposition 2 – SJR 64

“The constitutional amendment authorizing a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation by a county or municipality of all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility.”

Proposition 3 – HJR 132

“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family.”

Proposition 4 –

HJR 2

from the second special session

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes; to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by

a school district applicable to residence homesteads from $40,000 to $100,000; to adjust the amount of the limitation on school district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in certain exemption amounts; to except certain appropriations to pay for ad valorem tax relief from the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations; and to authorize the legislature to provide for a four-year term of office for a member of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts.”

Proposition 5 – HJR 3

“The constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy.”

Proposition 6 – SJR 75

“The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.”

Proposition 7 – SJR 93

Proposition 8 – HJR 125

“The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects.”

Proposition 9 – HJR 2, regular session

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.”

Proposition 10 – SJR 87

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain.”

Proposition 11 – SJR 32

Proposition 14 – SJR 74

“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks.”

You can find information about the amendments and voting in Texas at VoteTexas.gov.

Annual Arts & Crafts Bazaar

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday * Oct. 25, 26 & 27

* Homemade crafts * Homemade candy

* Jewelry * Placemats & table runners

* Baked goods * Pecans

* Custom orders

Lubbock,Texas

806-744-2220

GOLDEN GAZETTE is published monthly by Word Publications, 2022 82nd St., #101 Lubbock, Texas 79423.

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Letters

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities.”

Proposition 12 – HJR 134

“The constitutional amendment providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County.”

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.”

4th St.

Proposition 13 – HJR 107

“The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges.”

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Tuna Club Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon each vinegar and canola oil

• Dash of black pepper and dried whole dill weed

• 1 (6 oz) can light tuna (in spring water), drained & flaked

• ½ cup chopped celery

• ¼ cup light mayonnaise

• 12 slices thin whole wheat bread

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin

Instructions

1. Combine cucumber, vinegar, oil pepper and dill weed, tossing well. Cover and chill while preparing rest of sandwich.

2. Combine tuna, celery and mayonnaise; mix well; set aside.

3. Toast bread on both sides. Spread tuna mixture on 4 toasted slices; top with another toasted slice. Layer ¼ of the egg slices and ¼ of the cucumber slices on top of each toast slice. Top remaining toast slices. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally; secure with wooden pick. Serve immediately

Notes

Makes 4 servings. Nutrition Information: 383 calories, 10 grams fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 732 mg sodium, 44 grams carbohydrate, 22 grams protein.

On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was.

‘We’re behind 14 to nothing,’ he answered, with a smile.

‘Really,’ I said. ‘I have to say you don’t look very discouraged.’

‘Discouraged?’ the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face.

‘Why should we be discouraged? We haven’t been up to bat yet.’

Stingy Jack Carves Out His Legacy

By Randal C. Hill

In a tale from ancient Ireland, the local blacksmith in one particular village was a notorious drunk who lied, cheated, played pranks, manipulated people and avoided spending his own money whenever possible.

Locals called him Jack the Smith, but behind his back he became Stingy Jack.

Lucifer, hearing of Jack’s reputation, decided to seek out the rascal for himself.

When the Devil met him, the smith invited his visitor to the local tavern for a drink.

True to his nickname, Jack claimed to be broke when the drinking was done. The wily scoundrel then convinced Satan to turn himself into a coin so Jack could settle the evening’s tab. The bemused

Devil did as he was asked, and Jack slipped the coin into his coat pocket—and next to a silver crucifix, which kept Beelzebub from returning to his original form. Jack then left the tavern without paying the bill.

Jack eventually let Lucifer loose, but only after making him promise to not bother him for one year. And—oh, yes—not to claim the blacksmith’s soul when the Grim Reaper appeared later.

Jack was still up to his usual machinations one year later.

When the Devil came to collect the reprobate’s soul, Jack begged for a single last request: a juicy red apple. When Satan climbed a nearby apple tree, Jack hurriedly carved the sign of the cross into the tree’s trunk; as

Quality End of Life Care

a result, Beelzebub couldn’t return to solid ground until he promised again to leave Jack alone, this time for a full decade.

Predictably, Jack wasted the next 10 years drinking, causing problems and annoying others.

When he finally died and met St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, the good saint turned him away, convinced that God wouldn’t want such a miserable specimen of humanity in Heaven.

When Jack thus turned up at the gates of Hell, the Devil, who was still smarting from the tricks that Jack had played on him earlier, refused to admit him into Hades. (After all, Lucifer smugly maintained, that had been part of their original bargain.)

Satan soon came up with his own way to punish the insufferable miscreant.

Giving Jack a single chunk of burning coal from the fires of Hell to light his way, Beelzebub sent Jack away to “find his own hell” in the netherworld.

There Jack plucked a turnip from the ground, carved an opening in it and stuck the ember inside to create a makeshift lantern. He has been tirelessly roaming the Earth ever since, finding neither peace nor a resting place.

In time, the Irish began referring to his ghostly figure as “Jack of the lantern,” which was eventually trimmed to read “jack o’ lantern.”

People throughout Great Britain would eventually replicate Jack’s lantern by carving eerie faces into turnips but also utilize potatoes, gourds and beets.

Eventually, migrants brought the Irish tradition of Stingy Jack to America, and it was here that they discovered that pumpkins, native to America, made perfect jack o’ lanterns.

Senior texting codes

ATD – at the doctor’s BFF – best friend’s funeral BTW – bring the wheelchair

BYOT – bring your own teeth

CBM – covered by Medicare

FWIW – forgot where I was FYI – found your insulin

GHA – got heartburn again

IMHO – is my hearing aid on?

LMDO – laughing my dentures out LOL – living on Lipitor

OMSG – Oh my! Sorry, gas.

TTYL – talk to you louder

An old farmer’s wisdom

A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled.

The best sermons are lived not preached. Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway.

Don’t judge folks by their relatives. Silence is sometimes the best answer.

2023 Centennial Christmas Ornament

Texas Tech University’s Centennial is commemorated in the 2023 university ornament.

This milestone moment in history was celebrated as a tribute to the countless students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have made Texas Tech one of the premier institutions of higher education in the world.

This year’s ornament features the centennial logo placed in front of the administration building; the first building constructed on campus.

The ornament also features the official university mascots, the Masked Rider and Raider Red. It is the 27th official Christmas ornament in the collection of Texas Tech Christmas ornaments. Cost for the ornament is $35.99.

It can be purchased from Red Raider Outfitters or online at https://100.ttu.edu.

45th Annual National Golden Spur Award Honors set

The 45th Annual National Golden Spur Award Honors, celebrating the spirit of the American rancher and the enduring tradition of ranching, is set to take place on Nov. 3, at the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences in Lubbock.

An exclusive acoustic performance by country music superstar Cody Johnson will be featured.

This event is the pinnacle of recognition for the ranching and livestock industries, spotlighting those who forge ahead in continuing the incredible story of ranching.

The night will be illuminated by the presence of the National Golden Spur Award honoree Craig Haythorn

of Arthur, Nebraska, and the Ranching Heritage Association (RHA) Working Cowboy Award recipient Jimbo Humphreys of Dickens, Texas.

“We are thrilled to honor these exceptional individuals who embody the heart and soul of the American ranching tradition,” said Jim Bret Campbell, executive director of the Ranching Heritage Association and National Ranching Heritage Center.

“With special guest Cody Johnson adding his musical talent to the night, we are sure it’s going to be a memorable celebration of ranching heritage.”

Other notable appearances include professional announcer and host for The Cowboy Channel Justin McKee, Western singer and entertainer Red Steagall, CMA Award Winner Trent Willmon.

Proceeds from the National Golden Spur Award Honors will go toward the preservation of ranching heritage and history.

Tickets range from $150 to $400.

All tickets include access to the National Golden Spur Award Honors Pre-Show Reception and the Awards Show.

Select tickets also grant access to the Cattleman’s Club VIP Dining, a unique culinary experience with exclusively themed food stations and beverages.

Tickets are available through the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences box office and website.

Country music recording artist Cody Johnson will perform a live acoustic performance during the 45th Annual National Golden Spur Awards.

Photo courtesy of Cody Johnson Music

for Nov. 3

For more information on ticket pricing, inclusions, the event schedule, and planning your visit, check out the official event website at goldenspurhonors.com.

Donations to Holiday Extravaganza

Community Christian Church will be having its 16th annual Holiday Extravaganza on Nov. 3 & 4. It’s a great place to do your holiday shopping.

Proceeds benefit Lubbock Meals on Wheels.

Community Christian Church is accepting donations to help with the traditional holiday sale. The items they need are

• Large baskets • Pint & jelly Mason jars • Mason jar rings & flats • Grapevine and greenery wreaths • Christmas craft picks

• New & gently used kitchen, Christmas, fall, and spa items for themed gift baskets

Donations can be taken to Community Christian Church at 3416 96th Street or to Lubbock Meals on Wheels at 2304 34th St. If you would like to help, the elves can still use some extra helping hands. Contact Hallie at 806-441-7630.

Texas Tech Football Schedule

• Oct. 7 @ Baylor

• Oct. 14 vs. Kansas State

• Oct. 21 @ BYU

• Nov. 2 vs. TCU, at 6 p.m.

• Nov. 11 @ Kansas

• Nov. 18 vs. University of Central Florida

• Nov. 24 @ Texas, at 6:30 p.m. 806-742-8324 or redraidertickets@ttu.edu

Craig Haythorn, fourth generation owner and operator of Haythorn Land & Cattle Co., will receive the 45th National Golden Spur Award. Established in 1978, the award has been conferred upon iconic industry leaders whose unparalleled devotion to land and livestock has earned them notable respect and admiration from their peers.

2018, the award recognizes men and women who make their living in the saddle taking care of livestock

Jimbo Humphreys, ranch manager of Guitar Ranches, will receive the Ranching Heritage Association Working Cowboy Award. Established in

and land daily.

Photograph by Ross Hecox

Photograph by Peter Robbins

“Old age isn’t all about cruises.” And not one senior has disagreed with me when I said that.

You might go for a time when everything is fine, and other times it seems like it is one thing after another. Of course, I am talking about our bodies.

Don recently came in with knee pain. I had worked on him several times, and he has also been seeing a physical therapist. He came in about a month ago discouraged about his knee because it has been 4 weeks. I said, “Let me tell you: You are 75 years old, and although you are in great shape, eat well, and exercise, you are 75 years old. We do not repair like we did when we were 25. When people are 25 and have

a sprain and strain of the knee, I usually tell them it requires about 6 weeks to recover.”

So don’t get discouraged. It just takes longer as we get older.

I told Don about how last Halloween, I did not injure my knee, but it started hurting quite a bit. I told Greg that my knee is just now coming around. I still feel it on occasion, but it has been about 9 months since it started hurting.

It seems like such a long time when I did not fall or hit it. I reminded Don that our knees hold up our weight and gravity does count. I reminded him that recovering from a wrist or elbow injury is so different

In Print & Online

from the legs because we carry our weight around on the legs. So, don’t give up on your knee. You have just started recovering.

Ah the wonders of getting older. Don recalled that the previous year

never occurred to me that something wouldn’t be able to be fixed or healed with the body. If I had a sticker in my finger, I would run to Granny knowing she would get it out. When I had a cough, it never crossed my mind that I could get pneumonia and die. Of course, these things “could” happen, but what I say is, “I don’t want my head going there.”

he had a shoulder injury that took him 5 months before it felt completely recovered. When we think about it, we know it is true. We are not young, and it will likely take longer to heal.

What is important is sticking with your treatment so you will fully recover if that is possible. None of this, “I try not to pay any attention to it.”

Paying attention to your body is vitally important. Your body is trying to talk to you. Don’t make it scream any louder, right?

Recovery is probably most difficult in the shoulder with like a rotator cuff repair. It is a painful recovery, but you can do it. Even though I said, if the joint is weight bearing, it may take longer to heal, that is not the only criteria.

The shoulder is a more difficult recovery because just look at the range of motion we have in our shoulders. You could never do that range of motion with your knee or hip. Many factors are to be considered in why your recovery might take longer. Age, range of motion and weight bearing -- all make a difference.

But let’s not forget about our mind set. When I was a child, it

Awareness of how your thoughts and energy affect you is very important. If your thoughts are about how this will never get better, why would you do the exercises you have been told to do for your condition?

You want your thoughts and energy to support your efforts, not sabotage them. So, I don’t mean you hammer yourself with how old you are, because in many ways, we are as old as we think we are.

That is why I can be 73 on the outside and feel 40 on the inside. Our thoughts and feelings are very important, but they are not everything.

And everything matters. Our thoughts, our actions, and our energy toward ourselves all matter because they coalesce into one thing: our efforts toward improving no matter whether we improve quickly or slowly. If one thing doesn’t work, we are willing to try something different because improvement is our focus.

Sometimes we don’t improve. Maybe it is impossible. Maybe we are at our end. And that is when the opportunity to love our self can turn into an acceptance with a positive attitude. Did I say it is easy? No, I didn’t. I’m reminded of Bette Davis’s comment, “Old age isn’t for sissies.”

We do the best we can do.

Your body is trying to talk to you. Don’t make it scream!

Lubbock ISD home to 2023 National Blue Ribbon School

Lubbock ISD’s Talkington School for Young Women Leaders was awarded a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School designation. This is the second time they have received this prestigious honor from the U.S. Department of Education.

Only 29 schools in Texas and 353 nationally earned the recognition, which is based on a school’s academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps.

Talkington is the highest-performing magnet school that receives Title I funds in the state and earned a 99, or A, in the 2022 Texas Accountability Rating System. The campus was also named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2016.

“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to raise the bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

“The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement.

National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of American schools and serve students of every background.

While awardee schools represent the diverse fabric of American schools, they also share some core elements. National Blue Ribbon School leaders articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards.

They demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning, and the schools value and support teachers and staff through meaningful professional learning.

During a visit to my doctor, I asked him, “How do you determine whether or not an older person should be put in an old age home?”

“Well,” he said, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the person to empty the bathtub.”

“Oh, I understand,” I said. “A normal person would use the bucket because it is bigger than the spoon or the teacup.”

“No,” he said. “A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?”

The next chapter of the Lubbock Book Festival, Nov. 3-5

Literacy Lubbock will host the next chapter in the Lubbock Book Festival, the event that aims to celebrate the written word, connect authors and readers, showcase local authors and fundraise for Literacy Lubbock’s adult education programs.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 4, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5, at the Cotton Court Hotel in downtown Lubbock.

A special kickoff Prologue Party for donors, sponsors, VIP badge holders, and authors is set for 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 3, at the Texas Tech Museum.

This year’s multi-genre festival will showcase more than 30 authors, with featured authors including:

• New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

Darynda Jones

• USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde

• New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

Linda Broday

• USA Today bestselling author A.R. Hall

The festival will highlight 19 local writers, including award-winning and fan-favorite authors Shannon Myers, Lance Stanford, M.E. Carter and James Stoddard. With authors ranging from fantasy to westerns, from romance to children’s books, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. General attendees can meet with authors, buy signed books, and interact with other readers in the Cotton Court Hotel Ballroom, which will be transformed to match this year’s theme: Golden Age Hollywood.

VIP attendees will receive numerous perks, including early admission, exclusive access to the Prologue Party, a copy of the charity anthology “All That Glitters,” a limited-edition T-shirt, and other bookish swag from attending authors.

General tickets cost $5 for each day; VIP tickets cost $60.

Festival proceeds will help fund Literacy Lubbock’s free adult education programs, including teaching adults how to read, tutoring them for the GED Test, and teaching English as a second language.

Whenever I’m disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he’d set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to get him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. ‘Guess what, Mom,’ he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me .... ‘I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer.’

Golden Gazette Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1.

17.

DOWN

29. Actor’s parts

32. Cavalry sword

33. Overdue

35. Adriatic wind 36. Penetrate 37. Hyperbolic sine 39. Group of stars 40. Basis 43. Shooting star 45. Ax handle 46. Dull surface 47. Seashore

48. Book of the Bible

50. Parched 51. Alley

53. Black bird

54. Lair

55. Vase

56. Brassiere

‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ Gladys Knight & the Pips

For superstar Gladys Knight, recording “Midnight Train to Georgia” was probably like singing poignant lines from a diary. “I was going through the exact same thing that I was [singing] about when recording,” she once said, “which is probably why it sounds so personal.”

The story begins with singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly.

An all-star quarterback for his Mississippi high school’s football team, he also formed a band as a teenager and began writing original songs. Upon graduation, he chose music over a possible athletic career.

Weatherly moved to Los Angeles to try his songwriting luck. One evening in

1970, he phoned Lee Majors, an actor friend who had just started dating model Farrah Fawcett.

“Lee and I were in a flag football league together” Weatherly explained.

“Farrah answered the phone. She said Lee wasn’t home and that she was packing to take a midnight plane to Houston to visit her folks. I thought, ‘What a great line for a song.’”

After Jim hung up the phone, he grabbed his guitar and wrote “Midnight Plane to Houston” in 45 minutes.

The next year, Weatherly recorded an album of original songs, including ‘Midnight Plane to Houston.’”

When RCA Records released Jim’s LP in 1972, gospel icon Cissy Houston— Whitney’s mother – envi-

sioned a pop-country tune and wanted first crack at the track. “I loved it right away,” Cissy said. “But I wanted to

with the Pips, her family-oriented backup group.

(One cousin was nicknamed “Pip.”)

Golden Oldies

change the title. My people are from Georgia, and they didn’t take planes to Houston or anywhere else. They took trains. We recorded ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ in Memphis in 1972, but my label didn’t do much to promote it.”

Weatherly’s tune was then offered to fellow Georgian Gladys Knight.

She had been an R & B and Top 40 sensation since 1961, when, at 17, she scored her first hit single— “Every Beat of My Heart”—

Gl adys recalled, “I listened to Cissy’s version, and I loved it, but I wanted to do something moody—horns, keyboards and other instruments to create texture and to spark something in me.”

Knight thus recorded her signature song, which told of a man relinquishing his dreams of Hollywood stardom to return home, with the love of his life choosing to follow him:

L. A. proved too much for the man

He’s leaving the life he’s come to know

He said he’s going back to find what’s left of his world

The world he left behind not so long ago

He’s leaving on that midnight train to Georgia

Said he’s going back to a simpler place and time

“Wh ile recording that single, I was thinking about my own situation” Gladys admitted later when discussing her chart-topping, Grammy-winning smash release on Buddah Records.

“My husband at the time was unhappy that we didn’t have a more traditional marriage, because I was often on the road or recording.

Ultimately, it all proved too much for him, like the song said, and we divorced later.”

S&H: Those stamps of approval that everyone saved!

Want an appliance? Some furniture? An elephant? At one time, all were available with enough small paper books filled with trading stamps.

The S & H stamp story began in 1896. Salesman Thomas Sperry noticed that a store he visited was having significant success with a program in which certain customers were rewarded by being given coupons redeemable for goods in that store.

Perry thought: why not dispense coupons that were not tied to merchandise from any particular store but could be redeemed anywhere?

With business pal Shelley Hutchinson, the pair launched the Sperry and Hutchinson Company and began selling S & H Green Stamps.

people would bring in booklets filled with stamps and stroll out later with a shiny new something, bolstered by the (incorrect) feeling that the item was somehow free. S & H bought merchan-

By the mid-1960s, 83% of America’s 58 million households were saving S & H Green Stamps. (That’s three times more stamps than were issued by the U.S. Postal Service.)

Ruidoso Map

Here’s how things worked: Retailers bought the stamps from S & H, then distributed them—10 stamps for every dollar spent—to appreciative loyal customers as a bonus for making cash purchases rather than by using credit.

Customers then pasted the tiny rectangles into booklets handed out by the company visited.

The first S & H Green Stamps redemption center—a “premium parlor”—opened its doors in 1897. Then, as they did later,

dise at wholesale costs and sold it at retail prices when stamps were redeemed.

Retailers grumped that buying the stamps cost them about 2% of their sales, although they did hope that the expected increase in business that the stamps could generate would offset the cost of the stamps.

The popularity of trading stamps spread like proverbial wildfire, becoming a part of everyday business at sundry supermarkets, gas stations, drugstores and numerous other outlets.

Each year, S&H was printing 32 million copies of its merchandise catalog— dubbed the Ideabook—as well as 140 million blank savers books.

The most popular purchased item back then was a toaster.

But, over time, changing values and, much to the customers’ delight, the limited list of available options mushroomed to include some, well, “unusual” things, to say the least.

Some companies began issuing their own trading

stamps but were never able to overcome S & H’s dominance.

Then came the 1970s, and food and gasoline prices soared.

It became more prudent to seek lower prices: people began to value having extra money in hand more than owning another set of glass tumblers.

The last supermarket to dispense Green Stamps was a Tennessee Piggly Wiggly store in 1999.

Trading stamps have now been replaced by reward programs and discount coupons. In the Green Stamps heyday, though, such exotica as donkeys, gorillas and elephants were sometimes made available when zoo groups pooled enough filled books.

Offered but probably never purchased: an eight- passenger Cessna airplane. Hmmn.

One must wonder just how many Ideabooks were needed for that?

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Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

STOP! Your land is under arrest.

You have the right to accept payment – but don’t!

Today there was a knock on your door, or maybe there was a letter waiting for you in your mailbox—but the harsh reality is the same: you have been informed that part of your property is being “taken” to build a pipeline, a road, a power line, or some other infrastructure project for “public use.”

Sure, the “condemnor” has offered to pay you for taking your land, but do you have to accept their offer?

No, you don’t. Should you?

Again, no.

What should you do?

You should consult an eminent-domain attorney who represents landowners like you facing condemnation.

And to understand why that’s the right call, you need to understand the condemnation process, so read on.

Who can condemn private property?

The government has the power of eminent domain, which is the power to take private property for a public use.

The process by which the government takes private property—including by suing the property owner in court to take his or her property—is called condemnation.

The government regularly takes land to build roads,

schools, bridges, ports, convention centers, stadiums, and so on.

But governments aren’t the only entities with condemnation power.

Federal and state governments have also given this incredible power to other entities, including private companies, to build infrastructure projects such as pipelines and electric lines.

How does the condemnation process usually start?

Most condemnations begin with a letter or knock at the door.

The taker or, more often, a land-acquisition agent shows up or sends you a letter asking for permission to survey and inspect your property for a particular infrastructure project.

Sometimes, in this first contact, the taker will offer to buy an easement or some or all of your land for a specific project.

Should I take the offer, and do I need to respond by the deadlines in the letter?

Takers (also called condemnors) regularly make lowball offers. And when we say “regularly,” we mean 100% of the time.

Why do condemnors make lowball offers? Because they work.

In Texas, for example, landowners facing a pipeline taking, accept the pipeline companies’ first offers, or something very close to it, over 90% of the time.

In contrast, landowners who get a good eminent-domain lawyer often walk away with three times, five times, even 20 times or more than a landowner who accepts the first offers from a condemnor.

In addition to lowball offers, condemnors often use high-pressure sales tactics to get landowners to agree to bad deals.

Condemnors and their land agents may tell you that you’ll “never get a better offer.” (In our experience, that is never true—ever.) And they’ll give you short deadlines for working out a deal. Don’t buy any of this.

None of those deadlines are real until you’ve actually been sued in court. Also important, lowball compensation is often not the only bad thing in the offer; sometimes the proposed deal, if accepted, would give the condemnor power to use

your property in ways that the condemnor never could have obtained in court.

Don’t be fooled. Don’t take the offer. Don’t fall for the deadlines in the condemnor’s initial letters.

If you were arrested, what would you do? You’d call an attorney directly or ask a family member to do so. A condemnation is the arrest of your land—and potentially the termination of your property rights.

If you care about your property rights and want to protect yourself and your assets, call an attorney who understands the process and knows how to give you the best chance to protect your property.

In some cases, your lawyer may help you prevent the taking from happening at all; in others, he or she will help

ensure you get top compensation and other protections for your property.

You might wonder whether you should call an attorney even if the condemnor is just asking to inspect and survey your land. The answer is a big, fat “yes.”

Before letting anyone on your land, you’ll want a survey-access agreement in place. This will lay out when the survey and inspections will happen, who is allowed on your land, what kind of work will be done, what activities are prohibited on your land, and what kind of insurance will be in place to protect you if someone gets hurt during the process.

Bill Cobb bill@cobbjohnsblog. com

Cobb & Johns are Special Forces for Complex Property and Government Disputes.

At the Cactus Theater

1812 Buddy Holly Ave.

806-762-3233

Oct 4 - Cactus Classic

Cinema: “Vertigo”

(1958) starring James Stewart and Kim Novak - 2:20 p.m. matinee and 7:20 p.m. evening screening.

Oct 6 - The Frontmen - Richie McDonald, Tim Rushlow & Larry Stewart - Marquee

Fundraiser #2 - live at Cactus

Oct 7 - Lubbock Guitarslingers - live at Cactus

Oct 12 - SOLD OUT!

Chris RenzemaManna Tour - live at Cactus

*** SOLD OUT! ***

Oct 13 - An Intimate

Evening with Steve Wariner - Rare, Solo

Appearance - live at Cactus

Oct 15 - Carolyn

Wonderland - Texas

Blues Queen - live at Cactus

Oct 19 - Free Fallin - The Tom Petty

Concert Experience

- Return Appearance

- live at Cactus

Oct 21 - Classic Rock

Rewind: Greatest ’70s & ’80s Hits