The Texas Public Safety Commission (PSC) along with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw presented two Adolph Thomas Distinguished Service Awards, four Lifesaving Awards and a Unit Citation to department personnel at the PSC meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25, at DPS Headquarters in Austin. Two Director’s Awards were presented to partner agency members at the meeting and additional department personnel were recognized for awards recently received from outside the agency. “These awards are a huge testament to the […]
COVID-19 pandemic
AG Paxton Joins Amicus Brief Challenging CDC’s Transportation Mask Mandate
Attorney General Paxton joined a Florida-led amicus brief filed in the Atlanta-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit seeking to affirm a successful challenge to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Transportation Mask Mandate. The CDC is appealing a lower court’s order striking down the mandate. “‘No one doubts that the COVID–19 pandemic has posed challenges for every American,’” the brief says, quoting from the United States Supreme Court’s decision striking […]
Collaborating to Conquer Loneliness Amid Pandemic
Two UH Colleges Report on Program to Address Isolation Among Seniors The COVID-19 pandemic has made two things abundantly clear: While prevention and management techniques are well-intentioned and successful, social distancing strategies can have severe consequences for older persons who are already at risk for the disease; and university students have had fewer opportunities to learn in traditional settings. Bridging those two paradigms is a collaboration between the University of Houston Graduate College of Social […]
Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management 2020 Annual Report: “A Year Like No Other”
Harris County Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) releases its 2020 Annual Report. HCOHSEM had a strong year in spite of the global challenges presented by COVID-19. – In a year of unprecedented challenges with the outbreak of the Coronavirus – the greatest test of our organization – HCOHSEM responded with flexibility, resilience, and commitment. Last year, Harris County activated its Emergency Operation Center 22 times and received 2,066 media inquiries and 11,378 broadcast, social media, […]
Fort Bend’s Mamie George Community Center Mission of Love to Honor Dr. James Randle, Recently Retired Superintendent of Lamar Consolidated ISD
Event Celebrates Center’s 10th Anniversary Ela Calix, along with her husband Marco, was among the first seniors who walked in the door after the Mamie George Community Center (MGCC) opened in Richmond 10 years ago. Sadly, Marco passed away, but Ela still comes to the center on a regular basis. “I have friends at Mamie George. We are very happy to meet each other at the center. We talk, and sing sometimes,” said Calix with a […]
Outreach to Vulnerable Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Sarah Schultz-Lackey Social Security Dallas Region Communications Director People who struggle with low-income, limited English proficiency, homelessness, or with mental illness have historically relied on meeting with us in person at our local offices to get the help they need. Currently, Social Security offices are open only for in-person appointments for limited, critical situations, depending upon local office conditions. If you cannot use our online services, please call your local office or our National […]
Sen. Cruz Slams Biden Administration’s Return to Catch and Release
Outlines potential health concerns amid COVID-19 pandemic, strain on Texas border communities U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement slamming the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announced return to the failed immigration policy of catch and release: “On top of a devastating pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the economy, shuttered small businesses, and left millions of Americans unemployed, we still have a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. Effectively […]
UHV Preliminary Spring Enrollment Shows Growth
As the University of Houston-Victoria and other universities across the nation continue to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, the university has received positive news: preliminary spring enrollment is up more than 4 percent compared with this time last year. As of Wednesday, the university’s 12th class day when preliminary enrollment must be reported to the state, UHV had 4,514 students enrolled, a 4.5 percent increase from last year’s preliminary spring enrollment of 4,319. The growth included […]
Sen. Cruz: We Must Make Historic GOP Tax Cuts Permanent for Middle Class Families in Wake of Economic Crisis
Introduces bill to make Republican tax cuts permanent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), along with Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), this week introduced a bill to ensure the historic GOP tax cuts on individuals become permanent as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate American families. Sen. Cruz previously introduced this legislation in 2018 and 2019. Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said: “In the wake of the economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 virus, millions […]
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Releases Biennial Revenue Estimate
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) today, showing the state is projected to have $112.5 billion in revenue available for general-purpose spending during the 2022-23 biennium. The revenue estimate represents a 0.4 percent decrease from funds available for the 2020-21 biennium. This decline is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused revenue collections to fall well short of what was expected when the Legislature approved the 2020-21 budget; the […]