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LUFKIN DISTRICT ROADS RETURN TO NORMAL FOLLOWING WINTER STORM

By
Joshua Blackwell
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After more than a week of working 12-hour shifts, Lufkin District TxDOT crews have returned to normal hours. All roadways are open for travel. Crews will continue to monitor roadways for any problem areas and maintain them as needed.

Prior to the winter storm and during the weather event, crews placed 143,292 gallons of brine on district roadways in efforts to keep them passable and reduce the amount of snow and ice from freezing on the roadway. In addition, 3,265 pounds of melt down were placed where the build-up was heavier than what brine alone could handle. Also, 570 cubic yards, or about 48 dump trucks, of small rock were placed to help with traction. Another 150 tons of salt were also placed on district roadways.

During the event, several agencies and businesses worked to help TxDOT clear the roads including about 30 contractor personnel and 20 various county and city employees.

“We have come through this weather event and our roads are back to normal and open for travel,” said Rhonda Oaks, public information officer. “We want to say thank you to everyone who jumped into action to help our crews clear the roadways throughout the district. TxDOT crews worked non-stop throughout this event and we are very grateful for the help of many others who made a difficult job go a little smoother.”

TxDOT would like to thank Drewery Construction, which helped TxDOT crews throughout the district with manpower and equipment; Texas Department of Public Safety, City of Lufkin Street Department, City of Lufkin Water Department, Lufkin Police Department, City of Diboll Water Department, Angelina County Commissioners and workers from Precincts 3 and 4, Sterling Lumber Company, Houston County Sheriff’s Department, City of Crockett, Houston County Commissioners and crews, Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Polk County Commissioner’s and crews, City of Livingston, Polk County Sheriff’s Department, Onalaska Police Department, San Jacinto County volunteer fire departments, Trinity County Judge Doug Paige, Trinity County Commissioner Steven Truss and crew, and Area Wide Protective, Inc.

Motorists are urged to visit drivetexas.org for road conditions statewide. For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395.

Angelina College Distributes $1.3 Million in CRRSAA Funds Payments Address Economic Fallout from COVID-19

By
Gary Stallard
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Angelina College announced the disbursement of more than $1.3 million in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) funds to more than 1,500 qualifying students. Each recipient received a payment of $835.95 for financial relief. This disbursement is in addition to the student disbursement in fall 2020 approved through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

CRRSAA was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 27, 2020. In total, the CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion former Secretary DeVos provided last spring through the CARES Act.

Angelina College received this allocation of funding for support of eligible students being impacted by the ongoing disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To see a full list of student eligibility requirements please visit the Angelina College website at www.angelina.edu/caresdistribution.

Students seeking further information are encouraged to contact Angelina College Business Office at businessoffice@angelina.edu for account inquiries or Financial Aid office for eligibility questions at fareceptionist@angelina.edu.

Krista Brown’s email address is kbrown@angelina.edu.

Governor Abbott Gives Update On State Efforts To Provide Water, Resources Across Texas

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Governor Greg Abbott today held a press conference in San Antonio where he provided an update on the state’s efforts to provide water and other resources to Texans across the state. The Governor’s press conference was held at Port San Antonio, where members of the National Guard are currently unloading water and other resources to distribute to communities in Texas. 

PHOTO: Office Of The Governor, 2/21/21

The Governor noted that power and water are continuing to be restored throughout Texas and that multiple state agencies are working together to ensure communities have access to water, food, and other resources as communities begin to recover from the severe winter storm. 

“We are making great progress in our recovery efforts from this winter storm, but many Texans are still without water, food, and other supplies — which is why the state is stepping up make sure Texans have the resources they need to provide for their families,” said Governor Abbott. “I thank our local, state, and federal partners for working together to address the needs of Texans and expedite our recovery process. I also want to thank our utility workers for providing crucial services to Texans who have experienced power outages and burst pipes. Together, we will continue to overcome this challenge.” 

The state has deployed trucks and aircraft to deliver water to communities, including 162 truck delivers that have delivered a total of 2 million bottles of water and 1.4 million bottles of water that have been delivered by plane and helicopter. State agencies are working with local officials to set up staging sites for distribution. The state has also suspended size, weight, hours-of-service requirements, and more to get more commercial trucks on the road to deliver supplies across the state. Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), blankets, and generators have been provided to communities in need. In addition, the Governor has waived regulations to allow the use of unlicensed kitchens to prepare meals to donate to Texans so long as they abide by guidance issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

Governor Abbott also mentioned that he is working with members of the legislature to address skyrocketing energy bills that resulted from a temporary spike in the energy market. He said that they are working quickly to calculate the total cost of these bills and find ways that the state can help reduce this burden. The Governor stated that the Public Utility Commission has issued a moratorium on customer disconnections for non-payment and will temporarily restrict providers from issuing invoices. This pause will ensure that the state has time to address these bills and develop a solution for Texans. 

Governor Abbott Holds Emergency Meeting With Legislature To Address Spike In Texas Energy Bills

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Governor Greg Abbott today convened a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, and members of the Legislature to discuss the spike in energy bills affecting many Texans following the recent power outages throughout the state. 

“We have a responsibility to protect Texans from spikes in their energy bills that are a result of the severe winter weather and power outages,” said Governor Abbott. “Today’s meeting was productive, and I applaud Republican and Democrat members of the Legislature for putting aside partisan politics to work together on this challenge. We are moving quickly to alleviate this problem and will continue to work collaboratively throughout this week on solutions to help Texas families and ensure they do not get stuck with skyrocketing energy bills.” 

A readout of the meeting can be found below: 

Governor Abbott opened the call by discussing financial challenges many Texans will face as a result of the winter storm. He also gave an update on his conversations with the White House and potential federal relief that may be available to Texans. The Governor discussed the need to ensure that Texans are not left with unreasonable utility bills they cannot afford because of the temporary massive spike in the energy market. Senator West stressed the need for Republicans and Democrats to work together on this issue. The Senator noted that this group of legislators and state leaders will not allow politics to get in the way of solving this problem for Texans. Lt. Governor Patrick and Speaker Phelan discussed the need to swiftly develop a solution for Texans. The discussion with legislators focused on the need to quickly calculate the total cost of these energy bills and how the state can help reduce this burden. The call concluded with a discussion about addressing the immediate needs of Texans and how to ensure that Texans are protected long-term.  

In addition to the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House, the following legislators attended the meeting:  
Senate Jane Nelson – Chair of Senate Finance Committee
Senator Eddie Lucio Jr. – Vice Chair of Senate Finance Committee
Senator Kelly Hancock – Chair of Senate Business and Commerce Committee
Senator Robert Nichols – Vice Chair of Senate Business and Commerce Committee
Senator Royce West – Vice Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee
Representative Greg Bonnen – Chair of House Appropriations Committee
Representative Chris Paddie – Chair of House State Affairs Committee
Representative Ana Hernandez – Vice Chair of House State Affairs Committee
Representative Craig Goldman – Chair of House Energy Resources Committee

Governor Abbott Holds Call With Texas State Board Of Plumbing Examiners

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Governor Greg Abbot today held a call with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) to discuss the current response to severe winter weather that has impacted Texas. A readout of the call can be found below:

The Governor thanked the members of the TSBPE for helping their fellow Texans throughout the severe winter weather over the past week. Governor Abbott discussed actions that the State has already taken to help Texans with burst pipes and other plumbing-related damages from the winter weather. The Governor heard from members of the TSBPE on other ways the state can assist Texans in need, as well as ways to support plumbers who are working across the state of Texas. The Governor ended the call by extending the state of Texas’ gratitude for plumbers across the state, and assured TSBPE that the state will continue to do whatever it takes to help plumbers efficiently and safely serve their fellow Texans. 

ONCOR: FEB. 19 RESTORATION UPDATE

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Photo Credit: Oncor

Check out this article from Oncor with the latest updates.

As of 6:00a.m., there are approximately 27,000 remaining outages from the cold weather and lack of generation impacts experienced earlier this week. At the peak of the ERCOT directed load shed, more than 1.3 million customers were left without power. We expect that a substantial amount of those remaining customers will be restored by this evening. 

Personnel also continued working through the night to restore power to more than 19,000 customers impacted by an ice storm that blanketed Palestine, Lufkin and Nacogdoches late Wednesday and Thursday, with 72,000 outages remaining. We expect the majority of storm restoration to be complete in these areas by early Sunday.

If you are still without power, please report your outage by calling 888-313-4747, texting OUT to 66267, using the MyOncor app or visiting Oncor.com. Oncor greatly appreciates the continued patience of our customers and recognizes the hardships faced throughout this statewide power emergency. 

The low temperatures, hazardous road conditions and residual impacts of controlled outages on our equipment has complicated the restoration process, though personnel continue to work 24/7. In some areas, damage has been identified within equipment such as transformers as a result of having to quickly power back up massive amounts of energy after the controlled outages concluded. While this damage may temporarily prevent the equipment from powering up every connected customer in the area, personnel will aim to restore as many as possible to provide relief while replacement equipment is being delivered and installed. 

Because generation supply remained stable, ERCOT did not issue any controlled or rotating outages on Thursday – the first full day without a load-shed event since early Monday. Should generation conditions change, Oncor will continue to follow the direction of ERCOT. 

FAQ’s

Q: Why does everyone else have power in my area except me?

In many instances, your neighbor may have electric service when you don’t because their home is on a different set of lines or circuit. If your neighbor was without power and is now restored, and you are still without power, please first check the circuit breaker at the property. You should also examine the meter base and weatherhead to ensure they have not been damaged or pulled off. If that has occurred, customers need to contact an electrician to make necessary repairs before Oncor can restore power. If power is still not restored after checking the breaker and there is no damage to the meter base or weatherhead, please report it by calling 888-313-4747, texting OUT to 66267, using the MyOncor app or visiting Oncor.com.Additional damage may exist at your location that Oncor was not previously aware of when making the original repairs. 

Q: Why does my outage status show “restored” on the app, but I still have no power?

Please first check the circuit breaker at the property. If power is still not restored after checking the breaker, please report it by calling 888-313-4747, texting OUT to 66267, using the MyOncor app or visiting Oncor.com. Additional damage may exist at your location that Oncor was not previously aware of when making the original repairs. Due to the large amounts of system activity surrounding power restoration, it may take some time for our tracking systems to accurately reflect your current status. 

Q: Why is my power still out?

Remaining outages are the result of damage from most recent winter storm, previous winter weather and storm damage that could not be identified until equipment was re-energized, and damage to electric equipment caused by record-breaking low temperatures. Oncor personnel and out of state mutual assistance contractors are actively engaged in restoration efforts.  

AG Paxton: DHS and ICE Must Continue Removing Illegal Aliens with Prior Sexual Offense Convictions

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Attorney General Ken Paxton joined a multistate letter to the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesting the decision to cancel Operation Talon. The long-planned enforcement operation focused on arresting and removing illegal aliens with prior convictions for sexual offenses.

“The decision to cancel this vital operation directly threatens Texans’ safety and wellbeing. Dangerous criminals within the population of illegal aliens must face justice,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Federal security and enforcement agencies dedicated to the safety of Americans and to the rule of law cannot refuse to fulfill their duties. I call on the Biden Administration to maintain this and similar operations throughout the nation.”

Read a copy of the letter here.

Governor Abbott Waives Certain Regulations To Help Deliver Resources To Texas Families

By
Joshua Blackwell
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 Governor Greg Abbott today temporarily waived certain regulations from the Department of Motor Vehicles to aid in the response to winter weather and power outages throughout the state. The waivers issued by the Governor will allow commercial vehicles conducting responsive activities to travel in Texas as long as the vehicle is registered elsewhere. They will also allow commercial vehicles conducting responsive activities not currently registered under the International Registration Plan to travel in Texas, so long as the vehicle is registered in one of the 48 contiguous states in the U.S.

These waivers are helping increase the delivery of water, food, and other supplies to Texas communities dealing with power and water outages.

“As we continue to bring power and water back online throughout the state, it is essential that we deliver the food, water, and supplies that Texans need during these challenging times,” said Governor Abbott. “These waivers will help us provide more of these vital resources to communities across the state and ensure that Texas families have the supplies they need to stay safe as we work to overcome this emergency.”

These suspensions are in addition to the oversize and overweight permitting waivers and the hours of service requirement waivers issued by Governor Abbott last Friday, which allows critical infrastructure, food, water, and supplies to travel on the state highway system to areas of need.

Governor Abbott Declares Power System Winterization, Related Funding As Emergency Items, Provides Update On Winter Weather Response

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Governor Greg Abbott today provided an update on the state’s response to winter weather and power outages. As part of his update, the Governor declared a new emergency item for this legislative session. The Governor is asking the Legislature to mandate the winterization of Texas’ power system and for the Legislature to ensure the necessary funding for winterization.  

In addition, the Governor announced he is requesting a Major Disaster Declaration — which includes Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program — from the White House. This declaration will allow eligible Texans to apply for assistance to help address broken pipes and related property damage. The Governor previously requested a Federal Emergency Declaration from the White House which was granted on Sunday. 

Power has been restored to nearly 2 million homes across Texas since yesterday’s briefing. This number continues to climb, and there are no more outages due to a lack of generation. Every available repair truck in Texas has been dispatched to address downed power lines that are causing continued outages. Earlier today, the Governor held calls with power and water providers to develop strategies that will increase access to additional power, as well as restore water and expedite additional clean water in communities across the state.

The state is also working to distribute food, water, generators, and additional supplies to Texas communities. Additionally, more warming centers continue to be established every day. For winter weather resources, including a map of warming centers and ways to help Texans in need, visit: https://open.texas.gov/winter 

“The past several days have been beyond challenging, but with every passing hour we are restoring power and water for families across Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “We are doing all we can to make it through this challenge, and the state continues to deploy resources and personnel throughout the state. I want to thank the men and women who are working around the clock in harsh conditions to get the power up and running again, and I ask all Texans to keep them in their prayers. Texans should continue to take proper precautions and follow local guidance to stay safe and warm. We will get through this together.”   

ONCOR: EMERGENCY OPERATIONS FEB. 18 UPDATE

By
Joshua Blackwell
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Photo Credit: Oncor

Yesterday, ERCOT directed Oncor and other utilities to begin restoring power previously dropped from the electric grid. As a result of the increased generation and stable demand, Oncor has since been able to cease controlled, or rotating, outages. 

As of 5:30 a.m. this morning, there are approximately 150,000 remaining Oncor customers without power. This is a result of damage from yesterday’s winter storm, previous winter weather and storm damage that could not be identified until equipment was re-energized, and damage to electric equipment caused by record-breaking low temperatures. 

Our personnel will continue working 24/7 to restore power to these remaining customers. We recognize the hardships that this power emergency has caused for our customers and communities. We appreciate their patience as we awaited the return of electric generation and protected the Texas electric grid. 

Due to the large amounts of system activity surrounding power restoration, we expect it will take some time for our tracking systems to accurately reflect these updates in our outage map. In addition, we will continue to follow the direction of ERCOT should electric generation change and immediately take steps to inform our customers of any updates. 

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