Due to the large number of new oil and gas wells in Smith County for 2005, all the tax information was not available when the tax roll was certified. The Smith County Appraisal District has supplemented the new mineral accounts. This value has been added and tax statements have been mailed and payments are now being received.

This is important that we realize oil and gas won't be around forever and that we have to develop the skill level and the knowledge base of our population.

We shouldn't have oil in the Hackensack if the permit was doing its job.

This project is hanging by a thread. Chad remains unprepared for the complexities of an economy increasingly dominated by oil.

We have to believe there's someone out there who knows what happened and can provide the information we need on this tragic case. It's quite possible that the boat we're looking for may have been moved to another state and, hopefully, additional publicity will encourage someone to step forward if they have seen any boat matching the description of what we are looking for.

If they provide some information, they may not have to come.