It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last, as tensions have occasionally run high between the state education board and the Legislature. And once again, there is a bit of a kerfuffle between the Kansas State Board of Education and Rep. Steve Huebert (R-Valley Center) after Huebert introduced a bill that would require high school students to pass a high-stakes civics test, modeled after the 100-question U.S. citizenship exam, in order to graduate. “If you don’t know the basics (of citizenship and civics), you can’t be civically engaged in a way that deals with our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, the freedoms we have, the checks and balances — you need a basic understanding,” Huebert says.

* I want to take this opportunity to THANK the Rooks County’s school districts and the health care/medical personnel, as well as all of the teachers and school staff who made it a priority to keep the schools open during this pandemic. Having some sort of normalcy for the kids is key and you all have gone above and beyond to make that happen. It is greatly appreciated.

Dear Editor: I would like to commend the city employees who worked and may still be working to keep power continuing in the city of Stockton. Due to the cold snap, power was off around our area (not to mention Texas).

“I love deadlines; I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” ~ DOUGLAS ADAMS ~ English author, screenwriter, essayist, humorist, satirist, dramatist and self-proclaimed atheist March 11, 1952 to May 11, 2001 (died of a heart attack) I had never heard of Douglas Adams before I saw the above quote, but I was intrigued enough that I wanted to learn more about him. He didn’t get very many years to do the things he enjoyed doing, the long list of “-ists” that described him.

* The other weekend I had a Denzel Washington movie marathon and I didn’t even plan for it! It just sort of happened. First, I watched his Oscar winning performance in “Training Day,” followed by the movie remake of “The Magnificent Seven.” Then on that Sunday afternoon, I went to the Nova Theatre and watched “Remember The Titans,” one of my all-time favorite football movies! Also want to add that two more of of my favorite Denzel movies are “Glory” and “Much Ado About Nothing.” Plus, I have to put a plug in for my Russell Crowe and Denzel teaming up for “American Gangster” and “Virtuosity.”

All throughout the year just gone by, there was one word that was used seemingly thousands of times a day, in many differing situations, and I would have bet money that “unprecedented” would be the Word of the Year (WOTY). But for Merriam-Webster, their choice for the 2020 WOTY was “pandemic,” and, okay, I get it... the pandemic came first. It wouldn’t have been such an unprecedented year if we hadn’t had the pandemic. Kind of like, which came first: the chicken or the egg?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART! I saw this poem and thought of you! Wishing you a wonderful birthday filled with love, happiness and joy, but most of all, lots of presents!! What is a Daughter? An ally, confider, an on-your-sider; A lender, a sender, a generous spender; A worry inducer, a confidence booster; A life-enhancer, and knows the answer; A friend, a carer, a recipe sharer; A listener, a talker, a bathroom stalker; A cheeky borrower, a call you tomorrow; A dater, debater, a mess creator; A home lover, a needer of mother; A defender, depender, a cheeky rule bender; A company keeper, confessor and weeper; A shopping tripper and fridge dipper; A holiday taker, a happiness maker; A present buyer, a gentle white liar A joy bringer, a texter and ringer; A hand holder, a sympathetic shoulder; A secret keeper, a beauty treater; An honest advisor, a great trip organizer; A pride inducer, and a memory producer. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thanked God for sending you to me.

Even if you did not watch the Inauguration Day activities, you have probably seen a picture of Bernie Sanders, socially distanced from everyone and wearing a blue disposable mask. For his cold-weather comfort, Bernie struck a matter-of-fact pose wearing a brownish/green parka. The Vermont senator completed the ensemble with a pair of brown mittens, handmade by a Vermont second-grade teacher. (Get that teacher to make you a matching beret, Bernie!)

* Already said goodbye to the first month of 2021! Can you believe how fast January went? * Actress Cicely Tyson recently passed away. I loved her as Sipsey in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes,” and love the movie “Sounder.” If you haven’t seen these two movies, I highly recommend them.

Today is 1-21-21, and right from the get-go, I want to state that this is not a political editorial. I could not write a political editorial right now, even if I was paid to. I stay as far away from politics as I can, because I have come to a strange and difficult quandary in my life when I can’t or don’t want to relate to either of our political parties. But I refuse to feel hopeless or helpless.