Great big dreams for America

Sixty years ago, I started piano lessons. Now, I return to all those ideas as I teach a single young student.After a few weeks, we have come to the upper (treble) clef and lower (bass) clef found in written music.

Building your child’s education fund

Every solid house starts with a good blueprint and a strong foundation. Saving for a child’s education is very similar.College costs can seem daunting. In addition to tuition, you’ll need to account for housing and food, books and supplies, transportation and other expenses.

The McKinney legacy

Ask anyone who has ever met Claude McKinney, and they will likely use the adjective that is now the name of this newspaper, for Claude McKinney was truly an intrepid lawman.

Jus’ lookin’ for a home

AI data center construction is changing housing availability in many Texas towns. What solutions are emerging? Is anybody getting creative?Turning a chicken coop into a rent house? Renting the backyard man cave? Or she shed?Rent prices have shot up. You could make money.

A friend indeed

I knew the first couple of weeks of the summer break would be occupied, with two family reunions and Vacation Bible School, but I was not anticipating two trips to Odessa.Leading up to the 250th anniversary of our nation, we’ve been talking about great Texans and Americans.

Debunking five common Social Security myths

Social Security is often one of the most important income sources in retirement. Yet widespread myths about how it works can lead to confusion, unnecessary worry and poor planning decisions. Here’s the truth behind five of the most common misconceptions.Myth 1: Social Security is going broke.

Wolford v. Lopez rightly arms permit holders, business owners

Today, I want to look at what is probably the second most controversial decision from the Supreme Court recently and one surrounded by a great deal of confusion and misinformation.The case, Wolford v. Lopez, concerns whether registered concealed carry permit holders may carry firearms on private...

Independence Day and Vietnam

On July 4, I am reminded of the P. McCree Thornton quote from his book, “The Star Spangled Son,” that is especially pertinent on this day, the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence, “To those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor that the...

The hidden danger of investing too cautiously

One of the most significant risks investors face isn’t losing money in a market dip; it’s failing to reach their long-term financial goals.Many people focus heavily on short-term losses in the stock market and try to protect their savings by investing conservatively or avoiding stocks altogether.

What kind of government are we building?

Ronald Reagan once joked that the nine most terrifying words in the English language were, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”Conservatives laughed because we understood the principle behind the joke. Government has an important role, but it also has limits.