Governor issues statewide disaster declaration

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on March 13 declared a state of disaster in all Texas counties and listed actions agencies are taking to contain and minimize the spread of COVID-19 novel coronavirus, a highly contagious flu-like respiratory disease.

Abbott said agency actions would include:

—Provide immediate ability to move resources around the state, including resources obtained through the Strategic National Stockpile, an emergency supply of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies; 

Trump, Biden emerge as winners in Texas primaries

AUSTIN — Incumbent President Donald J. Trump, who received 94% of the vote in the Lone Star State’s Republican primary election, and former Vice President Joe Biden, who received 34.5 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, were their parties’ top vote-getters on March 3, Super Tuesday.

Biden’s closest rival was Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who received 30% of the Democratic vote. Sanders was followed by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 14.4%, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 11.4%.

Sometimes in our lives we’re blessed to be a part of a special event that makes you so proud it brings you to tears.
One of those events for myself, family and friends and more than 600 other proud folks occurred on Feb. 7 when my first grandchild and only grandson, Dylan Chadwick Ferguson, graduated from the 78th Season of the Corpus Christi Police Academy, received his badge and officially became an officer with the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Dylan was one of 30 new officers selected out of 800 applicants.

Governor gives update on actions to combat coronavirus

AUSTIN — As the worldwide threat of novel coronavirus increased, state agencies already were working together to ensure the health and safety of all Texans, Gov. Greg Abbott said Feb. 27.

Governor establishes clemency application for certain survivors

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Feb. 20 established a clemency application specifically for survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence.

The application, crafted in coordination with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, includes a section that affords the applicant an opportunity to provide a statement to the board regarding their human trafficking or domestic violence victimization. 

Governor charges agency heads with developing workforce plan

AUSTIN — Requirements in House Bill 3, the sweeping school finance law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2019, require the state to plan for long-term workforce development.

On Feb. 13, Gov. Greg Abbott cited HB 3 in assigning the commissioners of three state agencies to identify strategies to meet the state’s future workforce needs through his 2016 Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative. He instructed them to deliver a report to him by Sept. 1.

The Postal Service’s updated five-year plan predicts mail volume will fall 18% during that period, while delivery points will grow by 5%, or 6.9 million. That, in turn, means revenue per delivery point (household or business) will decline 4%.
Those two projections, combined with ad dollars shifting to electronic channels, means trouble ahead for the Postal Service and its customers, including community newspapers. While privatization is not mentioned, that doesn’t mean forces in other parts of the government won’t be pushing in that direction.

State defends system of choosing presidential electors

AUSTIN — Texas Deputy Solicitor General Matthew Frederick on Feb. 6 defended the Electoral College system in a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Q: One of our local governmental entities, during a properly called open meeting, deleted comments posted on the livestream of that meeting as it was occurring. Is that allowed?

Abbott joins officials in response to virus originating in China

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Jan. 30 commented on a White House briefing about actions to stem the transmission of novel coronavirus in the United States.