Worst case scenerio When I was about 16, my family took one of our annual vacations. We didn’t go far; money was usually tight, but that year, we were headed to the Texas Hill Country. The Alamo, a few stops along the way… nothing fancy, just something different. We left around 4 in the morning in our tank of a car, a Ford Granada station wagon. That part matters. We hit I-35 South, half awake, a little excited. And I still remember the exact moment everything changed. The so

Downtown Hico Oprahouse Turned Store My husband loves road trips. And by loves, I mean he’d rather just get there than enjoy the journey. But recently he indulged me on one of our trips through the Texas Hill Country. I wanted to prove a point. See, a few months ago, I was reading some of the posts on a couple of Facebook pages for my hometown. It seemed to be a trend that most of the posts were complaints. Around that same time, I had also been reading a lot about how the en

Women in Construction 🚧 This week is Women in Construction Week , and I am loving the support I’m seeing. Co-workers. Colleagues. Contractors. Even strangers. During a time when skilled tradesworkers are in high demand, women have an incredible opportunity to step into careers that are not only meaningful but also lucrative. Careers where the pay rate is nearly equal. Careers where advancement is absolutely possible. Careers where you can build something real, every single

“We need more competition." We only have one grocery store.”“Why can’t we get a Walmart?” “Our hardware stores don’t carry enough; we need a Lowe’s.” These statements seem reasonable. At first glance, they suggest progress, more choices, convenience, and growth. But many small towns may not realize that not all development helps the local economy.   In many cases, it quietly takes money away. What people call “economic growth” often turns into a long-term trade-off, where loc

Most people don’t regret painting brick right away. That’s the problem. The damage doesn’t show up while the paint is fresh and the compliments are rolling in. It shows up years later—when paint begins to bubble, when brick faces start popping off, or when moisture appears inside a building with no obvious source. By the time it’s visible, the brick has already been compromised.

When news broke about the horrific killing of 20-year-old welder Amber Czech, women across the trades felt something crack open inside them. Her death wasn’t just a tragedy; it pulled back the curtain on a problem that has been quietly festering in male-dominated industries for decades.