Commentary | Hill Country News

Commentary: 2022 food trends: Love them or hate them?

As I write this year-end essay about 2022 trends in food and dining, I must confess that I’m playing catch-up.I have obligations and hobbies, so I wasn’t technically paying attention (i.e., … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 12/28/22

A COVID-19 particle is pictured in this image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Commentary: The tragedy of avoidable COVID deaths

Whose pandemic strategy really saved lives? Which states or countries lost the most people to the virus? Or to the unintended consequences of mitigation efforts? Now there’s finally some clear, … more

By Faye Flam, Bloomberg Opinion (TNS) | 12/26/22

Commentary: Christmas lights: A judgmental guide

One of my fondest childhood memories of Christmas in the 1970’s was riding around in the family station wagon, “Bessie,” to look at Christmas lights while I whined to my parents about needing a … more

By Jase Graves, Guest Columnist | 12/24/22

Commentary: Will this be your best Christmas ever?

When writing advertising copy, I sometimes find myself desperately searching for a zinger of a tag line — and settling for trite admonitions such as “Make this the best hunting season ever” or … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 12/23/22

Sofia Gonzalez, a teacher at Morton East High School in Cicero, learned recently of the death of a student shot at a party in Chicago. Gonzalez taught for years in struggling parts of Chicago and tries to spread awareness about the stark realities that urban students face.

Commentary: I lost a student to gun violence. Her name was Ruby

Her name was Ruby. She was one of mine. A sophomore. I offered her one-on-one support in my academic lab as an intervention tier for kids who needed extra pushes in the right direction.I see her … more

By Sofia Gonzalez, Chicago Tribune (TNS) | 12/17/22

We can't find true security in the hope that everything will work out the way we want it to, the author writes.

Commentary: How to find freedom from ‘worst-case scenario’ thinking

As a recession looms on the horizon, many people understandably are worried about their finances and job security. While these concerns are not unfounded, constant worry and stress about things that … more

By Seth Gillihan, Guest Columnist | 12/15/22

Young minors lie inside a pod at the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley run by the US Customs and Border Protection, (CBP), in Donna, Texas on March 30, 2021.

Commentary: Immigration detention system is driven by profits

President Joe Biden vowed to end the federal government’s use of private priszons on the campaign trail. His campaign platform further stated that “the federal government should not use private … more

By Sirine Shebaya, Guest Columnist | 12/14/22

Commentary: Have you hugged a Santa impersonator lately?

Danny Tyree is a lifelong small-town southerner and nationally-syndicated columnist. Danny welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Facebook fan page “Tyree’s Tyrades.” more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 12/8/22

Commentary: Truth is, we like to be lied to

My dog Thurber has been lying to me.It only figures, because it’s impossible to avoid mistruths these days.We just exited a miserable election cycle in which truth stretching, name calling and vote … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 12/8/22

TV tosses tinsel on 158 holiday films

When it comes to sappy holiday movies, you either scorn them as you would another pair of reindeer-themed socks, or you eagerly binge on offerings such as “My Southern Family Christmas,” produced … more

By Peter Funt, Guest Columnist | 12/1/22

People hold a vigil at a makeshift memorial near the Club Q nightclub on Nov. 20, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, after a 22-year-old gunman entered the LGBTQ nightclub on Saturday, and opened fire, killing at least five people and injuring 25 others before being stopped by club patrons.

Commentary: Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs follows 6 brutal years of Republican anti-LGBTQ rhetoric

It’s 6:30 a.m., and my wife already has the news silently scrolling in the dark. “Colorado Springs,” she says. My bleary eyes focus on the carnage — again. It’s been six years since she … more

By Robin Maril, Guest Columnist | 11/30/22

Commentary: Giving thanks

Is the glass half empty or half full? In my experience it’s always been half full — and that’s one of many things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. We lost my father … more

By Tom Purcell, Guest Columnist | 11/24/22

Commentary: Are you thankful for the right things?

Please pardon me, but I am always overcome by mawkish sentimentality at this time of year.I cannot contain my gratitude. I am thankful for a paycheck and sunsets and modern plumbing and mobility and … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 11/23/22

Commentary: Early voting or squirrely voting?

I’m proud of my son Gideon for doing his civic duty and casting a vote for the first time.(This comes mere months after he did his civic duty and signed up for Selective Service. And, would you … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 11/9/22

Former President Donald Trump (left) embraces Republican candidate for governor Kari Lake at a "Save America" rally in support of Arizona GOP candidates on July 22, 2022, in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

Commentary: 10 myths about American politics

The media frequently justify their election coverage with claims that a vital democracy needs a well-informed public. Unfortunately, their coverage often repeats long-standing myths about politics … more

By Michael Reisch, Guest Columnist | 11/7/22

11/5/22

11/3/22

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference CPAC held at the Hilton Anatole on July 11, 2021, in Dallas.

Commentary: The 'election police' don't need to be right to be effective

Last December, Richard Molina was ousted as mayor of Edinburg, Texas.Why should you care? Because what happened to Molina in Edinburg could be coming to a town near you. Our cautionary tale begins … more

By LZ Granderson, Guest Columnist | 11/3/22

Commentary: Does Halloween candy trivia drive you crazy?

Perhaps it’s partly because my mother owns a huge antique desk from Milky Way Farm (the former estate of Franklin C. Mars, founder of Mars Candies), but I pay keen attention to the annual flurry of … more

By Danny Tyree, Guest Columnist | 10/29/22

Commentary: Stop hating on liberal arts majors

Since the Reagan era of the 1980s, we have heard arguments from various quarters lamenting the supposed “fact” that studying liberal arts or the humanities in general was a colossal waste of … more

By Elwood Watson, Guest Columnist | 10/28/22

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