Columns/Opinions

About this time 50 years ago I would make my way from my house to Betty Burford’s house walking barefoot on the hot asphalt streets and dodging stickers in the field I crossed to get to her house. (Sure, I had shoes, but I might take them off and leave them wherever I went. Betty’s house was where all the kids gathered. Betty’s mother had the best snacks, the best toys and Betty had the best imagination of what we could do. Betty Burford was the smartest friend I had. And Betty’s house was air conditioned.

A hot August day usually brought out the worst in us. We played horrible pranks on our friends like the time we gave Rebecca a glass of water from the toilet. And she drank it. Like the time we called Melissa and told her to walk to my house because we were all over at Betty’s right across the street from Melissa. And she walked it. Melissa got so mad at us because she said she almost had a ‘heatstroke.’ A heatstroke? What is that?

by ED STERLING

AUSTIN — Not a single bill had been agreed to by the state House and Senate as of July 28, exactly 10 days into the 30-day special session of the Texas Legislature.

Lawmakers have a tall order served up to them by Gov. Greg Abbott in the form of 20 must-resolve matters in the first called session of the 85th Texas Legislature. Something could be on Abbott’s desk in short order if top-priority “sunset” legislation to ensure the continuation of the Texas Medical Board and several other healthcare-related state oversight boards gains approval by both chambers. The Senate’s version is SB 20 by Van Taylor, R-Plano; the House has produced two versions: HB 1 and HB 2, both by Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock. There are enough differences in the bills to spark elongated floor debates, if lawmakers are so inclined.