Oil, goats and a banjo

Body BJ Mayo of Miles worked in the oil patch 48 years. “I worked in seven states and spent some time overseas,” he says. “I was in Bangladesh then Australia and West Africa where I retired from a major company and started consulting from there.

Briscoe Commission leaves burn ban in place

Body In the regular monthly meeting of the Briscoe County commissioners court on May 12, County Judge Rank Cogdell updated the court on the tax abatements for wind farms.

Abbott calls latest session his‘best’

Body AUSTIN— Gov. Greg Abbott says he got everything he pushed for during the Legislature’s 89th session, which ended on June 2.The Dallas Morning News reported that the governor believes the “school choice” bill that passed will rejuvenate the state’s education system.

The 501

Body COMMENTARYDeath by fish bone.All of us kids knew it could happen to any one of us. How painfully tedious it was to ferret out all those delicate, malicious fish bones to keep from choking to death at the dinner table. But it was part of growing up.

Rainwater harvesting

Body CUISINE & CULTUREWater is precious in West Texas.Last week’s rains brought much needed relief to our long drought. If those raindrops could have been captured, gardeners would have a no-cost water source for their crops.

Valley Board of Trustees appoints officers

Body The Turkey-Quitaque ISD board of trustees met in regular session on Monday, June 9. The board approved following minutes of the May 12 regular meeting.

Real lives, real losses of drunk driving

Body TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONMarcus Nalepa and his 8-year-old daughter Kelsey were on the way to her softball practice in League City when their lives changed forever.Just feet from Kelsey’s elementary school, a drunk driver slammed into the family car at a stop light.

Corn masa pancakes

Body CUISINE & CULTURE | ANGELINA@ANGELINALARUE.COMGluten-free pancakes can be accomplished in many forms, but I’m intrigued by the application of corn masa in ways one might not expect. Surprisingly, corn masa may be successfully used for making pancakes.

Managing (human) nature

Body COMMENTARYThere’s joy in mowing.Remember the Garden of Eden? God created humans to be gardeners. Then things fell apart.Granted, mowing isn’t gardening — not exactly. But it’s managing nature. Adam and Even would have mowed and smiled if they’d had a lawn mower. Right?

Flowering tea gardens

Body CUISINE & CULTUREToday’s column is the third in a series of three on growing personal tea gardens.