Alva Review-Courier -

My granddaughter Jaylyn Scribner and several other young people were inducted into the National Honor Society last Tuesday evening. You have to achieve a certain grade average to qualify for this honor. Congratulations to Jaylyn and all the new inductees.

Our new governor just signed the open carry bill into law. While I am a proponent of being able to carry a gun without a permit (another rule/law made to separate law abiding citizens from their money, $6 million worth a year), I would like to see a requirement that all gun toters have to participate in a short session about gun safety and maybe do some on range shooting. This would benefit everyone.

I don't have any plans to carry a gun, but if I did, a little training wouldn't hurt me because I haven't fired a gun in probably 20 years. If I understood what I read, it still has limits on where you can go and be legal with your six-shooter. When most people think of open carry, images of the old west come up. Other states that have open carry don't report any change in the number of murders. To all you excited Bat Masterson wannabees remember the law doesn't go into effect until November.

A 70-year-old convicted murderer on Thursday became the oldest man executed in Texas since the United States reinstated the death penalty. He has been on death row since 1989. Inmates can languish on death row for decades as their cases wind through the courts. There are nearly 30 condemned inmates in Texas who have been in prison more than 25 years, according to the Texas Tribune.

What is wrong with this picture? Donald, please step in and use your power to pass legislation limiting all death row inmates’ stay to two years after conviction. With overcrowding and shortage of money for operations it is stupid to house these people so long. Families spend a lifetime waiting for final justice for their loved ones.

If I wanted to kill someone and I knew I would get free meals, TV, first class medical care, no rest home costs, and wouldn't be executed for 25 years, where's the incentive not to? It may not be a good idea to tick me off.

I was at the post office the other day when I saw a blonde shouting into an envelope. I asked, “What are you doing?” The blonde replied, “Sending a voice mail.”