Crossing Texas means a lot of miles and a lot of great stops, but Schobels in Columbus is always one of my favorites. The chicken fried steak is hard to beat, and that salad bar is one of the best in Texas. If you’re passing through Columbus, do yourself a favor and stop in! 🌟🍽️

A joint statement from Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Kansas Livestock Association and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association regarding the ongoing ICE operations in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas: “The Kansas Livestock Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Texas Cattle Feeders Association are closely monitoring reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity affecting agricultural communities in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. Our organizations respect the responsibility of federal agencies to enforce the law. At the same time, cattle producers, feedyards, dairies, livestock markets, processors, and other rural businesses depend on a stable workforce to care for animals, protect food safety, and keep the supply chains operating. Sudden workforce disruptions can create immediate animal-welfare, operational, and economic consequences that extend well beyond an individual business. These ICE operations are having a massive chilling effect on the legal, documented, skilled workers that put beef on the table and keep the cattle supply chain moving. Additionally, these types of disruptions will lead to higher beef prices for consumers. Reported impacts to our organizations throughout the past few days have been: - Thousands of fed cattle slated for shipping to processors now delayed, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue and additional costs. - Workforce disruptions at numerous supply chain chokepoints such as feedyards, dairies, processors, feed and grain companies, transportation hubs, and community services. These disruptions come at a time of enhanced focus and pressure on the cattle and beef supply chain. They are a costly and unnecessary impact to cattle producers already suffering from unwelcome political interference to both the markets as well as the physical supply chain. Frustratingly, the harm these actions cause to cattle producers last for days and weeks after such operations conclude. We urge federal officials to conduct enforcement actions in a lawful, orderly, and transparent manner; respect due process; and communicate clearly with affected employers and communities.”

“They are a county government, and they are responsible for those functions,” Shaheen said. “They have a county commissioners court that sets a budget, and that is that local jurisdiction's responsibility.” expressnews.com/politics/art…

Special thanks to my wonderful (now former) boss @RepJamesFrank, whom it was such a privilege to work for. And thank you to @mayes_middleton and @chiproytx, who gave me my first opportunities in politics. I genuinely could not have asked for better members to work for!

“They are a county government, and they are responsible for those functions,” Shaheen said. “They have a county commissioners court that sets a budget, and that is that local jurisdiction's responsibility.” expressnews.com/politics/art…

Our hearts are broken to announce the passing of our beloved friend and colleague Raul Espinoza who was involved in a car wreck yesterday. We have never known a more loving Dad, devoted husband, loyal friend, or ardent patriot. We will miss him terribly.

Lynn and I disagree on a lot, but we agree on this: our public schools are in crisis and can’t survive four more years of Greg Abbott.