Lubbock is booming

Golden Gazette • August 2022 • Page 17 Lubbock is booming & long-term growth is happening

As one goes about the dayto-day life in Lubbock, it can be easy to underestimate the longterm growth occurring right before our eyes.

Taking a step back and looking at recent data shows that the Lubbock area is outpacing several peer cities across West Texas and beyond in terms of growth. From population growth to home construction, the picture is clear: Lubbock is booming.

In 2020, as a global pandemic disrupted the economy and way of life, Lubbock still managed to set a record for residential permits issued in a calendar year. The 1,826 permits issued eclipsed the 2019 mark of 1,329, an increase of 37 percent yearover-year.

In 2021, the record was shattered again when 2,428 residential permits were issued - a 33 percent increase year-over-year.

Lubbock’s 2021 residential permits exceeded El Paso’s, a city nearly triple the size of Lubbock. If Amarillo and Abilene doubled their combined residential permits in 2021, it would still be fewer than Lubbock issued.

Through June 2022 despite supply chain shortages and major cost increases, another 1,491 residential permits have been issued so far this year.

The 2020 Census data shines a light on the growth Lubbock is experiencing. At the county level, Lubbock County grew at a rate of more than 11% since the 2010 Census was conducted.

Apart from the explosive growth seen in the MidlandOdessa metro area, Lubbock is outpacing its West Texas peers in population growth.

Lubbock is also sometimes compared to Laredo in Webb County, as both the cities and counties are comparable in size. Compared to Lubbock County’s 11% growth since 2010, Webb County saw a growth rate of 6.7%.

Nueces County is also comparable in size to Lubbock County - Nueces is the 16th largest county in Texas while Lubbock is 18th - and is home to another comparable city in Corpus Christi. Nueces County’s growth rate was just under 4% since the 2010 Census.

It’s clear from the data that Lubbock is growing at a rate that exceeds not just several of its West Texas regional neighbors, but also some comparable communities in other regions of the state.

Historically, Lubbock has done a great job of accommodating growth with investments such as Loop 289 and the Marsha Sharp Freeway, plus some recent investments like school district bonds and Loop 88.

It will be important for the community to continue investing in the basic infrastructure that will allow for this growth to be sustainable - housing, water, transportation, broadband, etc. - while also maintaining and improving what has long existed in the community, such as Downtown Lubbock, 34th Street, and historic neighborhoods.

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Here’s how other counties west of the I-35 corridor compare from the 2010 Census to 2020:

• Midland County: +24% • Ector County (Odessa): +20% • Taylor County (Abilene): +9% • Tom Green County (San Angelo): +9% • El Paso County: +8% • Potter and Randall Counties, combined (Amarillo): +7% • Wichita County (Wichita Falls): -1.6%

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Dear Folks,

This is not a family member, but a great, fairly new restaurant – Uncle Julio’s, right here in Lubbock. They pride themselves in making everything from scratch – meaning always fresh. The grill uses mesquite wood from Mexico which gives everything a fabulous flavor.

We recently discovered their most delicious fajitas ever. Eight fajitas are listed on the menu, plus two ‘Signature Combos.’ We decided on the “Grilled Vegetables.” OMG! It consists of a medley of zucchini, yellow squash, huge portabellos, sautéed peppers, and onions. This selection comes with two sides of black beans and cilantro rice – all yummy.

Also included with any fajita order are “fixin’s” of guacamole, sour cream, cheese, Mexican rice, salsa, plus a generous stack of homemade, hot, flour tortillas. If you prefer, an order of shrimp or other meat can be added for an extra cost.

Other menu selections include nine appetizers, five grilled specialties, nine TexMex classics, four bowls of salads, and the kiddos have four of their own choices.

For the margarita crowd, this is the place for you. To begin, there are 14 “Famous” flavors, plus a “Fresh Specialty” of the month. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, they have a list of nearly 40 tequilas available for you to dream up any flavor imaginable, and it shall be “shaken” for you. Tequila can also be served as a shot or on the rocks.

If beer and wine are your pleasures, they offer several selections for you. Fresh mango and fresh strawberry lemonades are available, plus a raspberry tea for those who desire a non-alcoholic choice.

Something sweet you ask? Their chocolate piñata is a huge surprise to share, plus sopapillas and churros are made to order. These should satisfy any sweet tooth. A little bird told me a new menu is coming soon with some exciting and delicious additions.

Interesting facts: The Lubbock location opened in April 2021, 6230 Slide Road, 79414, and shares JC Penney’s parking lot at the South Plains Mall. www.Julios. com.

There are 10 Texas locations. The franchise started in Dallas on Lemmon Avenue in 1986. There are 32 other locations across the USA.

Reservations are not required, but recommended. There are two private rooms available for up to 50 guests. Until next time, Cathy

Need a doc? www.LubbockMedGuide.com

Lubbock & area physicians - by specialty & alphabetically + hospitals & related medical services Golden Gazette Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1. Acute 6. Snare 10. Oxlike African antelope 13. More wan 14. Wife of a rajah 15. Malay dagger with a wavy blade 16. Constituent of vinegar 18. Speed contest 19. Supplement 20. Reproduction 21. Damned 23. Supplements 24. Small yeast-raised pancake 25. Messenger 28. Formerly Ceylon 31. Winged 32. Thorny 33. Conclusion 34. Offers a price 35. Move to and fro 36. Burden 37. Highest mountain in Crete 38. Lizard 39. Pale bluish purple 40. Unconditional 42. Elevated 43. Sea mammals 44. Floating vegetable matter 45. Make vacant 47. That which binds 48. High mountain 51. Image of a deity 52. Semiconductor device 55. Drinks (as a cat) 56. Distinctive quality 57. Snare 58. Before 59. Sly look 60. Wanderer

DOWN

1. Foretell 2. Cut ruthlessly 3. On the sheltered side 4. Soak 5. Sharp point 6. Snares 7. Suggestive 8. Black bird 9. Trifling 10. Grasslike 11. Pleasing 12. Secondhand 15. Basic monetary unit of Sweden 17. Student at mixed school 22. Greasy 23. Consumes 24. Verge 25. Acquired pattern of behavior 26. To suppress 27. Viewing screen of radar equipment 28. Rotates 29. Jack 30. Increased 32. Pertaining to Switzerland 35. Like a skeleton 36. Put down 38. Narrow strip of wood 39. Tumultuous 41. Repasts 42. Flows 44. Echolocation 45. Objectionable 46. 6th month of the

Jewish calendar 47. Uncover 48. On the top 49. Opposite of gain 50. Natural target 53. Regret 54. Asian condiment

Solution on P. 21

Wellness Today: The Benefits of practicing Qi gong & Tai-chi for Parkinson’s patients

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Dr. Peter Wayne, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and New England Journal of Medicine contributor, recently wrote, “A new treatment for some Parkinson’s disease symptoms is available.

“It is safe, has no adverse side effects, and may also benefit the rest of the mind and body. The treatment is Qi gong (Chee’ gong) and Tai-chi (Tie chee’).

Qi gong is ancient (about 5,000-6,000 years old) Chinese medicine using breathing and mindful movements as a self-healing method.

Tai-chi is an internal martial art used as foundation training for Taekwondo and Kung fu.

Qi gong is the umbrella over these 700 -year-old martial art forms.

Tai-chi and Qi gong are gentle exercise styles that use movement and mindfulness to increase flexibility, improve balance and help walking.

Concentrating on smooth flowing movement, along with breathing, helps people with Parkinson’s relax their body.

It also reduces stress with an impact on reducing pain, boosting immunity, and improving general health over time.

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative condition which can cause many vexing problems.

Problems can range from tremors and stiffness to a slowing or freezing of movements, sleep problems, anxiety and more.

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have substantially impaired balance leading to diminished functional ability and an increased risk of falling.

After a 24-week controlled trial program of two 60-minute workouts per week funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Tai-chi group performed consistently better than the resistance-training and stretching groups.

The test included directional control, confidence intervals, and overall balance.

In conclusion, Tai-chi appears to reduce balance impairments in patients with mildto-moderate Parkinson’s disease.

Patients who lose postural stability and have gait dysfunction have increased difficulty managing activities of daily living (ADL).

The Tai-chi group also had 67% fewer falls than the stretching group.

Other smaller studies have reported that Tai-chi can improve the quality of life for both people with Parkinson’s disease and their support partners.

Tai-chi is endorsed by the National Parkinson’s Foundation because of the proven benefits of this practice for both the mind and the body.

It connects the brain to the body and the body to the brain.

This process slows the loss of mobility and cognitive function in individuals recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Call Wellness Today at 806-7718010 to learn more about our group classes. www.wellnesstodaylubbock.com

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Page 20 • August 2022 • Golden Gazette Translating market moves in challenging times

Where can investors turn when the markets are a riddle? Raymond James CIO Larry Adam seeks advice from antiquity.

More than 200 years ago, a French military officer stumbled across the Rosetta Stone, a 2,000-year-old carving with clues to deciphering the Egyptian hieroglyphs that had puzzled the world for centuries.

We don’t exactly have a Rosetta Stone for our perplexing market’s future – no one does. But just as the Rosetta Stone opened a window into Egypt’s mysterious past, we have some clues that might help investors peared easy to read. Whether you read it from right to left or top to bottom, the consumer was well positioned due to strong job growth, wage gains, and abundant savings.

The only question was how quickly consumers would transition their spending from goods to services.

crack the code for the coming months.

The discovery of the Rosetta Stone was unexpected – just like the duration of the Ukraine crisis, China’s zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy, and elevated inflation are today.

As 2021 came to a close, few analysts (including us) would have predicted the worst start to a year in decades for both equity and fixed income investors.

Then, the economy ap-

Inflation clouds the picture, but Fed’s message is clear

Data from airlines, restaurants, and vacation destinations sketch the speed and magnitude of that shift, but uncomfortably high inflation clouds the picture.

Yet from our vantage point, that should clear up soon since retail inventory levels remain high, transportation prices are falling, and discounting is becoming more prevalent.

If that anecdotal evidence isn’t enough, the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) message cannot be lost in translation: Inflation will be its singular focus as it aggressively raises rates to slow demand.

We believe the Fed will raise rates to as high as 3.5%, with most of the rate hikes by year end.

Of course, there are risks to our interest-rate-sensitive economy (particularly for the housing market) and the possibility of a recession next year is growing.

But we hope the Fed can construct the eighth wonder of the world: a front-loaded tightening cycle that doesn’t tip the economy into the ruins of a recession. Our base case sees 2022 GDP of approximately 2%.

Eyes on energy prices

The one straw that could break the global economy’s back is towering oil prices.

With gasoline prices near $5 per gallon, drivers dread the fuel pump hieroglyph on their dashboard; on average, per driver, it could represent $600-$850 in additional costs annually. (Add to this the potential of higher heating costs this winter.)

The price of gasoline has a strong inverse correlation with consumer confidence, so the more it costs, the lower confidence trends.

If consumer and business confidence sink simultaneously, spending could retreat and create a self-fulfilling prophecy of recession.

Controlling energy pricing pressures may seem like a riddle from the Sphinx. It remains to be seen how the Biden administration will engineer an exodus from these price pressures to dodge a recession.

While increased production by the U.S. and OPEC might drive oil prices modestly lower by year end (target: $105), peace in the Ukraine will likely be needed to sustainably sink oil below $100 per barrel.

Fixed income appealing again

With elevated inflation and expectations for Fed tightening flooding the bond market like the Nile River’s annual rise, we have lifted our near-term outlook for the 10-year Treasury yield.

But unlike the Nile, the world’s longest river, the increase in yields will be short.

Egyptians still celebrate the river’s high-water mark; we’ll celebrate as soon as the eventual easing of inflationary pressures causes interest rates to recede.

Our year-end and 12-month targets for the 10-year yield are 2.85% and 2.65%, respectively.

After a years-long drought of attractive options for fixed income investors, the 10-year yield that recently approached 3.4% makes Treasury bonds appealing, as does the approximately 5% yield for high-quality, investment-grade debt.

With strong state finances and favorable supply dynamics expected this summer, municipal bonds are also compelling.

Markets may have already priced in recession

The ancient Egyptians are credited with the first written language, but it took time for the hieroglyphs to evolve from simple pictograms to the complex forms that so

Translating market moves

(Continued from Page 20) long mystified archaeologists.

While the equity market has also evolved, dry times such as these inspire us to get back to basics – valuations, earnings growth, and corporate shareholder actions – like oases in the desert.

The S&P 500 is wandering in a bear market, but hope for the future is not a mirage. Even if the economic expansion ceases, the recent decline inequities has already discounted about 98% of the pullback historically seen during a mild recession.

Therefore, the potential rewards of a significant rebound outweigh the risks of further declines.

Investing inequities following a selloff has paid off, time and again.

Since1950, the S&P 500 has rallied about 15% on average and is positive 70% of the time after a 20% index drop.

Attractive valuations, midsingle-digit earnings growth, increased dividends, and robust buybacks support our year-end and12-month S&P 500 forecasts of 4,180 and 4,400, respectively.

The three least expensive sectors are our favorites: energy, financials, and health care.

From an international perspective, a more dynamic, resilient US economy, with less direct ties to the Ukraine conflict, is extending the reign of domestic equities over other global investments.

The bottom line

Until inflation abates and Fed policy clarifies, market volatility may continue.

In the meantime, view your portfolio through the Eye of Horus – a symbol of both prosperity and protection.

Don’t be misled by the incessant headlines that cause many investors to misconstrue the market’s messages and make ill-timed portfolio decisions.

Diversification, asset allocation, and a long-term investment horizon remain timeless investing principles.

An ancient Egyptian proverb says: “To have peace there must be strife; both are part of the structure of the world,” and this is true of the financial markets, too.

Zach Holtzman

Financial Advisor

Golden Gazette • August 2022 • Page 21

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Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

- Margaret Mead

I am going to celebrate August by turning my thermostat down to 75! I think we are all tired of the hot days of summer.

Seems this year has been worse than previous years, but not as bad as 2011. That year we had more than 48 days over 100 degrees.

Even with the new COVID-19 variant, there are more By

activities to participate in. If you are well, I recommend that you look for those that interest you.

One that is a favorite of kids of all ages is Joyland. It is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. What memories!

Other activities that might interest you are local Farmer’s Market (there are several), Trolley Tours at the National Ranching Heritage Center (Thursdays), First Friday Art Trail, and so many others.

Medicare event

There is a Medicare event to be held Aug. 3 at Broadway Church of Christ. South Plains Association of Governments Area Agency on Aging will host a ‘Power in Community Event.’ You can get answers to questions, and it is a great free resource.

You can get answers to questions on extra help with Medicare Costs, Medicare Preventive Services, Texas Legal Services, and others.

May we ask a favor of you?

Please shop small.

Shop with local small businesses. For many small businesses, it’s now or never. We’re counting on you!

The event is free, but you will need to register at 806687-0940. Breakfast will be provided.

Assisting non-profits

RSVP is continuing its mission of assisting nonprofits across the county. Several locations need your help.

Among those are the local hospitals, Catholic Charities, Lubbock Meals on Wheels, South Plains Food Bank, religious organizations, and area museums.

Most have a selection of services you can provide that meet your time and talents. Contact the RSVP office at rsvp@ttuhsc.edu or 806-7437787 for more information.

Aging in place

The Care Partner Academy will be hosting its monthly sessions and all are back in person. In August, we will discuss the changing needs as we age and how to age in place.

Home Instead will be on site to provide important information and guidance on this issue. Caregivers and interested community members are welcome to attend. We will meet at noon Aug. 9. If you plan to attend or need the ZOOM link, contact Joan at 806-743-1217, joan.blackmon@ttuhsc.edu.

Stressbusters

Stressbusters is here! The staff members at GIA have completed training and initial program. We are preparing for the next session and are prepared to reach out to those in need. Classes are free but do require a reservation. Classes are usually conducted at the Southwest Campus (6630 S. Quaker), however, if you have a group that would be interested, we can host at a site that works best for you.

The sessions offer support and education you need to help take care of yourself and your loved ones.

During the sessions, you will learn about stress and its effects, how to practice stress management techniques, and how to develop problemsolving skills.

Sessions will be held once a week for 9 sessions. If you would like to learn more about this program, contact the office at 806-743-7821 for the next program.

August thoughts…

• Life is better in flip flops. • Time spent at the beach is never wasted. • Summer should get a speeding ticket. • You know it was a good day if you did not hit or bite anyone. ~ child age 4 • A good summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~J. Dent

Have you ever noticed that a woman’s ‘I’ll be ready in 5 minutes’ and a man’s ‘I’ll be home in 5 minutes’ are exactly the same?