Opinions

Those of us fortunate enough to have been spared direct involvement in a mass shooting perhaps assume that communities undergo stages of grief, so to speak. They move through initial shock and disbelief, to horror, to a communal coming-together — “Uvalde Strong” — in support of those who have suffered grievous loss and then, ultimately, to acceptance. Perhaps we assume it’s a process similar to the five-stage model of death and dying pioneered by the psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. For survivors, for a community, Kubler-Ross’s final stage, acceptance, would be necessary for life to go on.

Recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that six of the 10 fastest-growing counties in the United States from 2022 to 2023 were in Texas. According to the Texas Tribune, Kaufman County, just east of Dallas, led the list with a 7.6% increase in new residents that brought its population to more than 185,000. Census data shows that Rockwall and Liberty counties closed out the top three, with growth rates of 6.5% and 5.7%, respectively.

Texas’ carbon-free energy moments signal a bright future.

Before getting a few well-deserved off days for spring break, several local high schoolers were putting in work as the Angelina County Drug-Free All-Stars concluded their annual Sticker Shock campaign in Huntington Friday morning.