Category: Opinion

By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow

The Athens City Council and the Athens Municipal Water Authority (AMWA) Board of Directors met together Monday afternoon to discuss their “working relationship.”

There were times when the process got a little sticky but, at least from my vantage point, the two entities moved forward in a way that should encourage city residents.

Notably, the City and AMWA discussed taking steps toward getting the water well at the treatment plant functioning as needed and rearranging the chlorine line in the water treatment plant. According to officials, both those actions would help alleviate the troubles with haloacetic acids the system has had over the past year.

Continue reading “Opinion: City of Athens and AMWA meeting a move in the right direction”

As parents, we must talk with our children about drug rehab and alcohol, starting at an early age. We also have to teach them not to ride in a vehicle with someone who has been drinking or is otherwise impaired as it can land them in some serious trouble. Check this article for more details. www.duila.com/reckless-driving. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, last year 70 young people aged 12-20 were killed in Texas in traffic crashes involving underage drivers under the influence of alcohol. One could hire an atorney from places like https://personalinjuryattorney-fresno.com/ and sort out the matter but that wouldn’t bring back the lost lives.

Clearly, we need to do more to protect our children.

It can seem baffling that your child is caught up in underage drinking when there is no opportunity for kids to buy alcohol without ID. Whereas ID’s twenty years ago were bad quality and were most likely called out by bouncers, bartenders and shop owners, teenagers are now flocking to the Best Fake ID Website where IDs are almost impossible to identify as fake. Parents need to be more educated on this subject to understand how their children are purchasing alcohol so easily.

Continue reading “Talk to children early about dangers of underage drinking”

By Emily Heglund/Resource Development Officer, CASA of Trinity Valley

There is an epidemic in our community. An epidemic that, last year, affected 722 children in Henderson, Anderson and Cherokee counties and 66,721 children in Texas.

This is the number of innocent children who were victims of abuse and neglect at the hands of the ones they loved and trusted.

While the numbers are daunting, this is not a hopeless battle. Each day, there are more than 100 dedicated members of our community taking a stand and making a difference in the lives of these vulnerable children. These extraordinary people are known as Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA volunteers. This week, April 10-16, is National Volunteer Week, and not only am I asking you to thank these wonderful volunteers, I am asking you to join them.

Continue reading “This National Volunteer Week, be a voice for abused children”