Dear Editor, I was finally asked a few questions by interested citizens about the article the Madisonville Meteor recently published regarding the JP office being delinquent $1.6 million dollars. I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the questions I have been asked.

Dear Editor, Re: In Support of Ombudsman Funding As a member of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature from SLD-13, the Brazos Valley Area Agency on Aging (AAA) District, I’m writing regarding the Jan. 1 Madisonville Meteor Capitol Highlights topic –‘Long-term care advocates say more funding needed.’

Support Rule 8 revisions Dear Madison County, I'm a Republican and supporter of Texas energy and America's energy independence. I'm glad to see that the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is reviewing its 40-year-old Rule 8 but I want to weigh in on proposed changes that may have received pushback from small independents that weakened the initial draft.

HERO - FINAL He was raised here; he is a “hometown hero.” He served as helicopter pilot during the Vietnam war, and was actually one of the very few instruments trained pilots for the Huey helicopter. This helicopter was specifically created for rapid troop movement.

Dear Editor, Hero - Part 3 When I think of a hero, the first name to come to mind is Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, better known as Mother Teresa. She was not a warrior in the traditional sense, but certainly one who waged war against the suffering of her fellow creatures. She worked with the poor and downtrodden, primarily of India. Her entire life was spent in service to Jesus Christ and humanity. One of my favorite stories stems from her work with lepers. Leprosy is not only a disease of the flesh, but also of the soul. You are cut off from all other people. Imagine the revulsion of seeing someone covered in ulcerous sores and lesions, not to mention the odors emitted by this malady. Yet, these are the people that Mother Teresa chose to work among, the suffering, the rejected. In this particular story she was changing the dressings on a leper’s wounds. As she was removing the old bandages, the man began weeping uncontrollably. Thinking she might have been causing him pain, she abruptly stopped and asked why he was crying. The man slowly raised his head and looked into her eyes as the tears ran down his face. He replied, “It has been many years since someone has touched me.” Mother Teresa was a hero.

TO THE EDITOR, - PART 2 There are those within this profession that have done heroic things, as there are people in any other occupation that have performed acts of heroism. Those that have been called heroes would be the first to display modesty, as well as disavow the title. The man that tells you he is a hero or puts on airs that he may be one is certainly not a hero, and those people exist in all professions.

I must admit, I bristled upon hearing the paper was doing a feature on local first responders titles, “Hometown Heroes.” While I found it thoughtful that the community was interested in getting to know their local emergency personnel, I still found that the use of the word, “hero” troubled me.

Dear Editor, Just when some of us thought that Texas Central Railways (TCR) was gone, somebody plugged their life support machine in again. Why, I don’t know. There are over 100 similar projects around the World and, while “high speed rail” may sound appealing to some, NONE of those systems operate at a profit if you consider the cost of the infrastructure in the equation. They ALL LOSE MONEY! Period! End of Debate!

Dear Sir, Our First Amendment rights are safe…for now. There is a small, but very vocal and aggressive movement that would dictate what others in our community can and cannot read. Books are being searched for, challenged, and removed in schools and libraries across the nation due to individuals deeming them offensive because of (insert your personal beliefs, biases, and opinions here).

My name is Larry Mills, my wife and I have helped with the Mushroom Festival for nearly 10 years, and the Meteor Article about the present committee made the message that, finally, they will restart the festival.