Home Blog Page 331

Texas to Receive over 800,000 COVID-19 Vaccine First Doses

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

This week in 1836 the Convention of 1836 adjourned abruptly as the Mexican army approached Washington-on-the-Brazos. The convention, which began on March 1, drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Texas Constitution, organized the government, and named Sam Houston commander-in-chief of the military forces before the delegates had to be evacuated.

Here are five things happening around your state:

1. Texas to receive over 800,000 COVID-19 vaccine first doses

The Texas Department of State Health Services allocated over 650,000 first doses to at least 445 providers in 178 counties. An additional 200,000 first doses will be available to pharmacy locations and federally-qualified health centers. This is the third largest allocation Texas has received since December. Texas has now administered more than 7.6 million doses and more than 5 million people have received at least one dose. Over 2.7 million Texans are now fully vaccinated. Additionally, last week the department announced an expansion in eligibility for the vaccine to people 50 and older as well as teachers and child care workers. It’s estimated that 12 to 14 million Texans are now eligible for the vaccine. You can find more information about vaccination hubs and providers at https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine-hubs.aspx.

2. Broadband bill heard in Senate Transportation Committee

This week the Senate Transportation Committee, which I chair, heard Senate Bill 5. I filed this bill as an important step toward expanding broadband access statewide. During the hearing, 89 witnesses signed up to testify. Not one of them testified against this bill. It just goes to show how important this legislation is to the people of Texas and how committed we are to establishing the Texas Broadband Office that will do vital work connecting Texas. While we’re still working out some of the specifics of the bill, I’m confident the committee will vote on it soon and send it for consideration before the entire Senate. I am also very proud to work with Rep. Trent Ashby in the House, who is carrying House Bill 5, a very similar bill to my Senate Bill 5. He is having a hearing on HB 5 this week. Ensuring Texans have access to high-quality broadband internet is imperative as we move into an increasingly digital world.

3. DETCOG, other East Texas counties receive GLO flood mitigation funding

The Texas General Land Office approved over $135 million in the second round of flood mitigation grants. There were 21 grantees in this round and seven of those were in Senate District 3. The Deep East Texas Council of Government, Jasper County, Newton, Newton County, San Augustine County, Tenaha, and Zavalla were all granted funds for a wide range of flood abatement projects. The grants ranged in size from $3.6 million to over $9.5 million and total over $32 million for the region. These funds will be essential for building projects that would protect communities and critical infrastructure against future damage from hurricanes, flooding, and other natural disasters. Protecting our coastal communities and communities with high flood risks is important for safety and disaster preparedness.

4. Nine million dollars awarded for North Newton County broadband project

The Deep East Texas Council of Government received a $9.09 million grant from the General Land Office for its North Newton County Broadband Project. The project will focus on building a rural broadband network in northern Newton County, an area where broadband access is lacking. DETCOG has also applied for a larger grant from GLO which, if approved, would allow the agency to construct a rural broadband network in all 12 of its member counties. Currently, DETCOG is working out the details for the Newton County project. DETCOG began its broadband initiative three years ago, so they are prepared to go to work with engineering and grants management teams already in place. While it will take some time to get broadband deployed, I’m excited about this project and the prospects for the future of East Texas.

5. Texas State Parks returning to full capacity

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced they’re working on a strategic plan to open all State Parks back to full capacity. Most State Parks closed or had limited capacity for the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with Governor Abbott lifting capacity limits in his reopening order, TPWD is looking forward to welcoming Texans back to enjoy the great outdoors. All restrictions on group sizes have been lifted. However, TPWD is encouraging visitors to wear masks, especially when indoors or in areas where it is difficult to socially distance.

AG Paxton Leads Multistate Complaint Against the Biden Administration, Demanding the Reinstatement of the Keystone XL Permit

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that Texas and Montana are filing a multistate complaint against the Biden administration for revoking the 2019 Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. The lawsuit states that President Biden does not have the unilateral authority to change energy policy that Congress has set. The power to regulate interstate and international commerce, including granting or rejecting permits for oil pipelines that cross an international border, resides with Congress—not the President. 

“Since his first day in office, President Biden has made it his mission to undo all the progress of the previous administration, with complete disregard for the Constitutional limits on his power. His decision to revoke the pipeline permit is not only unlawful but will also devastate the livelihoods of thousands of workers, their families, and their communities,” Attorney General Paxton said. “This administration continues to tout imaginary green-energy jobs, without any recognition that their actions in the real world will make it impossible for hard-working Americans to put food on the table.”  

“The power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce belongs to Congress — not the President. This is another example of Joe Biden overstepping his constitutional role to the detriment of Montanans,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “There is not even a perceived environmental benefit to his actions. His attempt to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline is an empty virtue signal to his wealthy coastal elite donors. It shows Biden’s contempt for rural communities in Montana and other states along the pipeline’s path that would benefit from and support the project.”

The complaint was filed by Texas Attorney General Paxton and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen in Texas federal district court. The suit is joined by attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. 

Purdue Pharma Files Bankruptcy Plan, Establishing Trust for Nationwide Opioid Abatement Efforts

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that Purdue Pharma filed its estimated $7 billion bankruptcy plan, which places the value of the company into a trust set up to allocate funds toward opioid abatement efforts across the nation. Texas is a leader on an instrumental committee in this bankruptcy, negotiating these abatement dollars which includes additional amounts in excess of a billion dollars from the Sackler family, which owned Purdue. This brings a total of $4.275 billion of family earnings into the bankruptcy estate and will end the Sackler family’s hold on the opioid industry.  

“For years, my office has aggressively worked to hold Purdue Pharma accountable for its reckless contributions to the opioid crisis. Countless lives have been destroyed and derailed by the nationwide opioid crisis, but today’s bankruptcy plan is a sustainable, transparent solution with necessary accountability measures in place,” said Attorney General Paxton. “We hope that communities can begin turning Purdue dollars into new treatment facilities, educational programs, foster homes, and much more by the start of 2022. And while victims of the opioid crisis heal, I will continue pursuing other companies to hold them accountable and recover resources for Texans.”

Governor Abbott Placed State Resources On Standby In Preparation For Severe Weather Across Texas

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Governor Abbott today placed numerous resources on standby in preparation for heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and damaging winds that are expected in North, Central, and East Texas this evening through tomorrow morning. Blizzard-like conditions are also possible in the Panhandle. 

“With heavy rain, high winds, and blizzard conditions expected in parts of the state overnight, Texans should be cautious of flood risks and potential damage from this weather event,” said Governor Abbott. “The resources I have rostered will help our communities prepare and respond to any emergencies that arise during these storms.” 

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has rostered the following resources in preparation to support request from local officials:

Texas A&M Forest Service: Saw Crews and Incident Management Teams

Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force One and Texas Task Force Two): Boat Squads and Type 3 Urban Search and Rescue Packages

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Texas Game Warden Boat Teams

Texas Department of State Health Services: Texas Emergency Medical Task Force Severe Weather Packages

Texas Department of Public Safety: Helicopters with Hoist Capability

Texas Department of Transportation: Crews Pretreating Roadways and Maintaining 24 Hour Operations.

Texans are urged to follow these flood preparedness and safety tips during severe weather events:

Know types of flood risk in your area. Visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for information here: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home

Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.

Build an emergency supply kit. For more information on how to build a kit, visit: https://www.ready.gov/kit

Purchase or renew a flood insurance policy. Homeowner’s policies do not cover flooding. It typically takes up to 30 days for a policy to go into effect so the time to buy is well before a disaster. Get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Create password-protected digital copies.

Protect your property. Move valuables to higher levels. Declutter drains and gutters. Install check valves. Consider a sump pump with a battery.

Be extremely cautious of any water on roads or in creeks, streams, storm drains, or other areas – never attempt to cross flowing streams or drive across flooded roadways and always observe road barricades placed for your protection. Remember, Turn Around Don’t Drown.

For more flood safety tips, visit ready.gov.

Grants Available to Landowners in East Texas to Help Restore Longleaf Pine Forests

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Texas A&M Forest Service and the Texas Longleaf Pine Implementation Team have announced available funding for private landowners interested in restoring and enhancing longleaf pine ecosystems on their property. Grants have been made available by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and International Paper (NYSE: IP) through the Forestland Stewards Initiative. Funding was granted to help conserve and restore this iconic and important American landscape.

Longleaf pine ecosystems are a natural part of East Texas, and once spanned over 92 million acres across the American south. By the early 2000s, that number had fallen to 3.2 million acres. Thanks to longleaf pine restoration programs, that number has begun to rise again – today it’s up to 4.7 million acres – but it is still just 5% of their original volume.

Beyond their ties to Texas heritage, longleaf pine ecosystems also provide a critical habitat for the most diverse plant and wildlife ecosystems on the continent. More than 40 plant species have been identified within a single square meter of longleaf pine forests, with up to 140 different species per quarter-acre, all inside of a prairie-style understory that houses few shrubs or woody plants. This environment is ideal for game species – such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey and quail – as well as more endangered species, like the pocket gopher, Louisiana pine snake, Bachman’s sparrow and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

“The contributions made by IP and NFWF through the Forestland Stewards Initiative will go a long way to restoring one of the most critical and diverse forest ecosystems within the state of Texas,” said Hughes Simpson, Forest Systems Department Head at Texas A&M Forest Service.

Populations of longleaf pine began dwindling in the 20th century, when timber harvesting was at its peak in East Texas. Longleaf pine was harvested for its high quality fiber, huge diameter and tall, straight boles, which in turn produced high quality lumber. Texas A&M Forest Service, along with the Forestland Stewards Initiative and the Texas Longleaf Implementation Team, hope these qualities also produce an economic incentive for landowners to plant and sustainably harvest longleaf pine.

“The forest sector contributes $41 billion to the Texas economy annually,” said Simpson. “This project will add to that contribution, while providing critical habitat to endangered plant and animal species in Texas, clean drinking water and carbon storage.”

Available funding can assist landowners with the cost of site-preparation and tree planting, as well as longleaf maintenance practices like prescribed burning and other activities that promote forest stand improvement.

Landowners interested in planting or restoring longleaf pine on their property can apply for financial assistance with THIS FORM. Texas A&M Forest Service is also accepting applications from landowners looking to enhance already established stands of longleaf pine.

For more information about longleaf pine initiatives and how to apply for financial assistance, visit: http://tfsweb.tamu.edu/longleaf

The deadline for applications is April 15th, 2021. All applications should be emailed to TexasLongleafTeam@gmail.com. Hard copies can be mailed to the following address:

Texas A&M Forest Service
Forest Systems Department
200 Technology Way #1281
College Station, TX 77845

Governor Abbott Announces Third Week Of Save Our Seniors Initiative In 28 Counties

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Texas Military Department (TMD) have confirmed 28 participating counties for the third week of the Save Our Seniors initiative. The Governor announced the Save Our Seniors program in Corpus Christi in February to ensure more seniors are vaccinated throughout the state. Previously, 26 counties participated in the first week and 34 counties participated in the second week of the initiative. 

“The continued expansion of our Save Our Seniors initiative is protecting elderly Texans from COVID-19 and ramping up our vaccination efforts across the state,” said Governor Abbott. “As we head into the third week of this program, I thank our state and local partners for making this initiative a continued success as we vaccinate seniors and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.” 

The state has allocated over 18,000 vaccine doses for the third week of the initiative, which the state will use in partnership with local officials and service organizations to target Texans who are 65 years and older or homebound. TDEM and TMD will work alongside local jurisdictions to set up a central drive-through vaccine clinic in the community or administer directly to homebound seniors — these decisions will be driven by local officials as they identify vulnerable residents in their communities to participate in this program.

Counties participating in the third round of the program are Aransas, Atascosa, Brooks, Culberson, Fisher, Grimes, Hopkins, Houston, Jim Wells, Jones, Kinney, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Menard, Motley, Rains, San Patricio, San Saba, Shelby, Terrell, Trinity, Val Verde, Webb, Willis, and Yoakum.

In coordination with local and state partners, counties and cities have been selected based on recent data provided from DSHS related to the following factors:

  1. The state looked at the number of approved providers serving the area;
  2. The state took into account total allocations over the previous 12 weeks;
  3. The state utilized data showing the least vaccinated counties for both 65+ and 75+ administered doses;
  4. The state focused on allocating vaccine equitably across the state. 

AG Paxton Ensures Forgiveness of $29 Million in Electric Bills for 24,000 Texans After Suing Griddy Energy, LLC

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Attorney General Ken Paxton released the following statement in response to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Griddy Energy, LLC: 

“My office sued Griddy Energy, under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, to hold them accountable for their escalation of last month’s winter storm disaster by debiting enormous amounts from customer accounts as Texans struggled to survive the storm,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I ensured that Griddy’s proposed bankruptcy plan takes an important step forward by offering releases to approximately 24,000 former customers who owe $29.1 million in unpaid electric bills. Griddy and my office are engaged in ongoing good faith negotiations to attempt to address additional relief for those Griddy customers who have already paid their storm-related energy bills.” 

The following steps are being taken to ensure Texans are protected:  

  • Through the bankruptcy plan, Griddy will release all outstanding payment obligations for those Texas consumers who were unable to pay their energy bills due to the high prices charged during the storm.   
  • Texas will abate the state court lawsuit and Civil Investigative Demand and Griddy will work with it in good faith to resolve these matters. 
  • Texas and Griddy will work in good faith to address relief for Texans who have already paid. 

Information about Griddy’s Chapter 11 case, including access to Court documents, is available here:

http://www.cases.stretto.com/griddy. 

5 Ways to Go Beyond Saying ‘Thank You’ to Military Service Members

By
Statepoint
-
0

How do you thank someone who’s willing to risk their life for yours? When it comes to military service members and their families, advocates say there are many avenues for giving back meaningfully.

As part of its “Give More Than Thanks” campaign celebrating 80 years of being the “Force Behind the Forces,” the United Service Organizations (USO) is inviting Americans to take actions that can make a tangible difference in the lives of service members. Here are five ideas to get you started:

  1. Offer Skills or Services. Many service members face difficulties translating the skills and experience they acquired in the military to civilian jobs. Others struggle to adjust to the norms of the civilian workforce. Meanwhile, military spouses face professional obstacles throughout their service member’s career due to constant moves and deployments. Consider offering career advice or volunteering to guest lecture via military transition programs, such as the USO Pathfinder Transition Program, which equips service members and military spouses with tools needed to tackle the civilian job market. If you own a business or are a leader in a company, advocate for hiring qualified veterans. By offering practical support, you’re not only thanking service members, you’re helping build an inclusive community that bridges the civilian-military divide.
  2. Send a Care Package. Care packages filled with treats and reminders of home let troops know that friends, family and the American people are thinking of them, even from thousands of miles away. However, the process of sending military care packages can be complicated. One easy way to do so is through USO Wishbook, where you can select a symbolic gift from a catalog to be sent to service members.
  3. Support Military Spouses. Deployments are challenging for both service members and their spouses. Reach out to a military spouse whose service member is deployed and offer to cook their family dinner, or to pick up groceries. Simply reaching out to see how they are doing can also make all the difference.
  4. Volunteer. Put your gratitude into action. Many USO locations across the country need volunteers who can facilitate programs and events – virtually or safely in person – that provide the military community with the support needed to carry out their missions.
  5. Donate. The USO has been expressing its thanks to service members by supporting the troops since World War II. Today, that gratitude is shown in USO locations around the globe; these brick-and-mortar centers serve as a home away from home for deployed service members, and a place of respite for the larger military community. USO programming keeps deployed troops connected to loved ones, provides resources for service members and their families and boosts the morale of the entire military community through entertainment and other supportive events. Charitable donations to the USO help make that mission possible.

To learn more about the USO’s work and discover additional ways to give more thanks, visit USO.org/morethanthanks and follow the conversation at #MoreThanThanks.

“Our service members and their families’ sacrifices require us to rise to the challenge. All Americans, united in spirit and action, can change the lives and communities of our military, and thus, our country, for the better,” says J.D. Crouch II, CEO and president of the USO.

3 Hacks to Make Spring Cleaning a Breeze

By
Statepoint
-
0

Time for your annual spring clean? Make sure you’re equipped with the right tools and strategies. Here are a few cleaning hacks to help ensure a smooth and easy process.

De-Clutter First

Reducing clutter in your home means fewer objects to launder, dust and wipe down, and should be the first step of your spring clean. Start with dressers and closets. As the seasons change, you’ll likely be reorganizing them anyway in order to stow winter items away while making spring and summer garments readily accessible.

As you do your seasonal swap, have bags and labels on-hand to sort items by what you are keeping, what you plan to donate, and what needs to be recycled or discarded. Use the same organizational method to pare down knickknacks, books and other odds and ends as you tackle pantries, shelving and more. Take this opportunity to wipe down shelving, particularly surface areas with food, dust and other residue build-up.

Streamline Your Clean

These days, disinfecting high-traffic areas of the home should be top of mind. However, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Streamline the task by selecting cleaning products that are safe for use on a wide variety of household surfaces, and can be used around kids and pets

Consider stocking your cleaning arsenal with an easy-to-use product such as ARM & HAMMER Essentials Disinfecting Wipes, which kills cold and flu viruses, along with MRSA, strep, staph, E. coli, salmonella and kleb. Available in Lemon Orchard and Renewing Rain scents, these wipes provide citrus-based disinfection that clean without harsh chemicals, and are safe for use on stainless steel, sealed granite, finished hardwood, tubs, shower walls, toilet exteriors and hard nonporous surfaces of car interiors. To learn more, visit armandhammercleans.com.

Use Household Items

A true deep clean is not just about what meets the eye, it’s also about what meets the nose. Unfortunately, certain nooks and crannies of the home have a sneaky habit of odor build-up. Squash problem areas with a versatile, essential item you probably already have on hand — baking soda. Place an opened box in your fridge to absorb unwanted odors, swapping it out every month or so. Do the same in pantries where food items like onions and garlic are stored in order to neutralize their strong smells. You might also try using ARM & HAMMER Garbage Disposal Cleaner, which are capsules containing baking soda. Leaving behind a citrus scent, they are a useful tool in combatting kitchen sink odors.

A few essentials and some smart cleaning strategies is all you need to give your home some TLC this spring.

GLO Awards $32 Million in Flood Mitigation Grants in Deep East Texas

By
Joshua Blackwell
-
0

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced Thursday that the General Land Office (GLO) has approved more than $32 million for various projects in Deep East Texas in the second round of grant funding for the GLO’s mitigation grant competitions.  Among the projects approved is a rural broadband network to serve northern Newton County.


The grants coming to Deep East Texas include:

–          $9,008,688 to the Deep East Texas Council of Governments for the DETCOG Broadband Project in Northern Newton County.

–          $4,194,643 to Jasper County for the County Road 200 Flood Mitigation Project.

–          $3,650,657 to Newton County for Bridge and Culvert Improvements in the Big Cow Creek and Caney Creek Watersheds.

–          $3,960,000 to San Augustine County for the Countywide Storm Mitigation Safe Shelter Project.

–          $4,457,650 to the City of Newton for Drainage and Sewer Improvements.

–          $3,875,691 to the City of Tenaha for Water and Wastewater System Improvements.

–          $3,600,000 to the City of Zavalla for Citywide Flood Mitigation.

“We are thrilled to learn that our grant application to construct a rural broadband network in northern Newton County has been approved,” said DETCOG Executive Director Lonnie Hunt.  This represents a significant step toward realizing our ultimate goal of ensuring every home and business in Deep East Texas has reliable and affordable broadband.”

DETCOG is awaiting word on another larger grant application which if approved would enable the agency to construct a rural broadband network in all 12 of its member counties.  Hunt said he remains optimistic about the grant application that is still pending, but it will likely be several more weeks before the winners are announced.  In addition, DETCOG has a separate grant application pending to fund a regional interoperable radio communications system for law enforcement agencies and first responders throughout the region.

He cautioned that these are big projects which will take some time to complete.  “Before we can proceed with anything on the broadband grant, we have to get a contract in place with the GLO, which could take 45 to 60 days,” he said.  “Then additional engineering work and environmental assessments are required before any construction can begin.  So, it’s important for the residents of northern Newton County to know that broadband is coming — but it will take some time.”

“We will move as quickly as we can but will also take the time to make sure this project is done right.  Since we began the DETCOG broadband initiative three years ago, we have sought out the best experts available to make sure we have a solid plan that will be successful.  We already have our engineering and grants management teams in place and ready to start once we have a contract in place.”

DETCOG has procured the national firm of Magellan Advisors as its engineer for the project.  Traylor & Associates will administer and manage the grant.  Traylor is based in Tyler and has done extensive work with counties and cities in Deep East Texas.

“Magellan and Gary Traylor have done a magnificent job to help us get to this point,” Hunt noted.  “Their experience will help, along with the support of the GLO, will ensure the success of this project.  I’d be remiss without thanking Commissioner Bush and his team for all their support.  GLO has been a great partner for DETCOG and our local communities and we look forward to working with them on this important rural broadband project.” 

Here is a link to the news release from the Texas General Land Office:

https://www.glo.texas.gov/the-glo/news/press-releases/2021/march/cmr-george-p-bush-texas-glo-awards-more-than-135-million-in-second-round-of-flood-mitigation-grants.html

1...330331332...759Page 331 of 759