Opinions

Google and Facebook have enormous economic and political power in society – especially over the news industry. Many ask if they have played a role in the misinformation that erodes our free press and plagues our democracy.

As we cross the halfway point of July, wildfire danger continues to increase across the state. On Friday, Texas A&M Forest Service firefighters responded to 15 new wildfires that burned 651 acres. As of Sunday, there were eight active wildfires; the largest was the Nethery Road Fire in Kimble County, involving an estimated 3,500 acres. It has been 70% contained.

California was not the first gold rush in American history. North Carolina’s 17-pound gold nugget find proceeded the California Sutter’s Mill find by fifty years. However, the California gold rush massive migration of settlers increased the non-native American population of California from 800 to 100,000 between mid-1848 and 1850. These settlers were from all over the world and were mainly men. La Grange residents were not immune to these get rich quick gold stories. Various newspapers printed exciting stories of discoveries of gold treasures which had young and old alike infatuated with gold fever. John Murchison’s teen age son, Duncan Alexander Murchison, pleaded with him to allow him to join one of the parties bound for the gold fields of California. Unwilling to let his young son, Duncan, head to California alone, John made the decision to form a wagon train with military organization and rules. This group would leave from La Grange for the California gold area on May 1st of 1849.