Commentary | Hill Country News

Commentary: Making the best of the common cold

I forgot what it was like to experience a good old common cold. Prior to covid, you see, the cold-getting experience went like this: I’d wake with a stuffy nose and scratchy throat and my … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 1/18/24

Commentary: MLK would have been 95 this year. Let's make his dream a reality.

This January marks what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 95th birthday. Nearly a century after the late civil rights leader’s birth, it’s a good time to reflect on the … more

By Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Chuck Collins, Guest Columnists | 1/15/24

Commentary: Generation X is almost 60

Latchkey kids. Slackers. Caffeine lovers. Grunge. That's how a lot of people have referred to Generation X, the 46 million Americans, like myself, who were born between 1965 and 1980. We were a … more

By Elwood Watson, Guest Columnist | 1/11/24

Commentary: Could you pass a citizenship test? Really?

Okay, maybe I’m approaching this from a position of privilege. One of my earliest memories is of tagging along to my mother’s former grammar school when she voted. Social Studies was … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 1/11/24

Commentary: Yes, Williamson County, there is racism

Dear Williamson County Commissioners, We are residents of Williamson County. Some of you say racism doesn’t exist and the confederate monument on the courthouse square is not about that. … more

By Mike Eddleman, Guest Columnist | 1/4/24

Commentary: Like it or not, billionaires are on your gift list this holiday season

It’s high giving season in America. From Angel Trees and red buckets to year-end appeals, nonprofits and charities receive more donations during the five week holiday stretch than any other on … more

By Bella DeVaan, Guest Columnist | 12/26/23

Commentary: Restoring Christmas joy

The best Christmas gift I ever gave anyone was the one I gave my father about 20 years ago: a Lionel train set. Every year, we got him the same gifts, you see. And every year he’d … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 12/24/23

Commentary: The importance of home

Too many of us have to depend on sheer good luck to make it — especially when it comes to putting a roof over our heads. We grow up hearing that hard work alone will lift us above the … more

By Kazmyn Ramos, Guest Columnist | 12/21/23

Commentary: Would you like to sleep through Christmas?

It was never as high-profile as “Rudolph” or “Frosty,” but it’s worth noting that the animated special “The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas” turns 50 on … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 12/14/23

Commentary: It takes strength to survive poverty - and a safety net to escape it

As a 32 year-old mother, I understand the extreme challenges my single mom faced better than ever. But I’ve also seen the life-changing difference a strong social safety net can make. … more

By Asia Walters, Guest Columnist | 12/13/23

Commentary: Tips for out of control tipping

Tipping demands sure have gotten out of control. With every purchase you make — at coffee shops, fast food restaurants, chain stores and more — you are presented with a digital … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 12/7/23

Commentary: The Pentagon just can't pass an audit

The Pentagon just failed its audit — again. For the sixth time in a row, the agency that accounts for half the money Congress approves each year can’t figure out what it did with all that … more

By Lindsay Koshgarian, Guest Columnist | 12/7/23

Commentary: Fed Up? Yes. Nasty? No.

If you listen to pollsters and politicians, or consume heavy doses of social media and cable-TV news, you might come away thinking the nation is in a collective bad mood. We’re said to be … more

By Elwood Watson, Guest Columnist | 11/30/23

Commentary: Have you ever caused a scene?

I understand some commentators are accusing Target of scoring less than a bullseye in dealing with shoplifters. The retailer encourages the police to help fight inventory … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 11/29/23

Commentary: Footing our growing debt service bill

Well, that didn’t take as long as expected. In case you missed it, our federal government is now estimated to pay more than $1 trillion a year to service just the interest on our national … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 11/22/23

Commentary: Why do we fall for fall?

Yes, it’s that glorious season that so many pumpkin-spice addicts claim to be their favorite. I must admit that, I, too, succumb each year to the autumnal charms of fall, except for my … more

By Jase Graves, Guest Columnist | 11/20/23

A home in a state of disrepair in Uniontown, Alabama, July 19, 2022.

Commentary: Poverty just jumped, and it was no accident

After hitting a record low of 7.8 percent in 2021, new data shows the government’s Supplemental Poverty Measure jumped to 12.4 percent last year. That’s a nearly 60 percent increase. And … more

By Lakeisha McVey, Guest Columnist | 11/9/23

Commentary: A stylish way to improve men’s health and wellbeing

Hopefully, the rugged beard I’ve been sporting will motivate at least one of my fellow men to take better care of his health this November. Every November, you see, two charitable … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 11/7/23

Commentary: Hoping for a happier autumn

Autumn is upon us, but it is making me a little bit sad this year. I have always loved autumn. I love the brilliant colors, the chilly air and the smell of oak burning in a fire pit. … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 11/2/23

Thousands of marchers gather in Philadelphia to support peace and Palestinian rights. A media report said the march was attended by "dozens."

Commentary: Don't silence Palestinian voices

Like many of us, I’ve been glued to media coverage of the terrible violence in Gaza and Israel. I was deeply shaken by the brutal killings of over a thousand Israelis on October 7. The … more

By Sarah Gertler, Guest Columnist | 11/1/23

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